Growing Tall Poppies Science Partnership Program

OverviewEstablished 2008 | Supported by Australian Government AMSPP

www.growingtallpoppies.com

WHO ARE WE?Growing Tall Poppies Science Partnership Program is a partnership

between The University of Melbourne, La Trobe University, Deakin

University, Griffith University, University of New South Wales, Australian

Synchrotron, ANSTO, Catholic Education Office Melbourne, ARC Centre

of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, ARC Centre of Excellence

for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers, Santa Maria College and

Charles La Trobe Secondary College.

We are funded by the Australian Government Mathematics and Science

Partnership Program.

GOALGrowing Tall Poppies’ goal is to increase the number of secondary

students, especially girls, who study science and especially the physical

sciences in Years 11 and 12. This is achieved through partnerships

of educational initiatives and outreach programs between secondary

schools and science partners.

IMPETUSIncreasing the number of students studying STEM (science technology

engineering and mathematics) subjects is imperative to Australia

for economic growth and because we aspire to be an innovative,

scientifically aware and literate society. Over the last few decades,

however there have been falling enrolments in secondary school science

and especially of girls in physics. Yet physics is an enabling science that

supports technological and biological advancement, economic growth,

and it opens many opportunities and a wide range of careers in and

beyond the STEM areas. The pool of students needs to be increased at

year 12 before flow on effects into STEM areas can be changed.

EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH – the case for changeResearch informs us that students, most especially girls, are

disconnected with physics at secondary school because it is perceived

as lacking importance, relevance and does not lead to meaningful career

pathways. In contrast biology and psychology are considered as socially

and personally transformative sciences. Research also indicates that girls

need to identify with a social group that they aspire to belong and seek

careers in. The content driven learning of school physics does not offer

the social connectedness that girls need to stay engaged and enrolled.

CENTRAL IDEASGrowing Tall Poppies creates student connections with physics, and

more broadly the physical sciences, by highlighting the enabling and

transformative role they play in the areas of biology, medicine and social

change. Furthermore, it creates a comprehensive network of interactions

between scientists and secondary students to demystify the physical

sciences and develop a social awareness of the STEM professions. This

contributes to the social continuity that supports students to remain

enrolled in physics to year 12.

STRATEGY – address local and global issues relevant to people, individuals and societyThe strategy of Growing Tall Poppies is to build and sustain partnerships

between secondary schools and scientists to enable students to

work with, interact and network with scientists in authentic ways. This

promotes student engagement and understanding of the transformative

nature and use of physics that lead to socially relevant improvements that

happen locally, nationally and globally.

OUTCOMESBy allowing secondary students and teachers to collaborate on

meaningful and authentic questions with scientists at universities, science

facilities and corporations they come to know the transformative nature

and social impact of physics. Students are more likely to study physics

to year 12, which is a significant contribution to increasing the pool of

students who can feed into the STEM areas in Australia.

EFFICACY – does it work?Through highlighting the transformative nature of physics, and its

attribute of expanding career opportunities, more girls stay enrolled to

year 12 physics.

RETENTION RATE OF VICTORIAN GIRLS COMPLETING YEAR 11 AND 12 PHYSICS

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Figure 2: The graph illustrates that the retention of Girls in Physics at Santa Maria College (Squares) has significantly increased by 80% since the introduction of GTP Program in 2008. In contrast the numbers in Victoria (Diamonds) has not significantly changed. Implementation of the GTP Program in large numbers of secondary schools could increase the number of girls studying physics to year 12.

HOW WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE – Growing Tall Poppies Science Partnerships ProgramDelivers authentic science experience programs for years 10 and 11

students in Victoria and interstate;

Annual Alumni Conference for students, teachers and scientists;

Provides authentic science learning modules for school implementation

both in the classroom and in connection with the science community

which are suitable for all year levels;

Annual Student and Teacher Awards programs to develop student and

teacher leaders to implement the GTP pedagogy;

Currently implementing teacher professional development programs;

Developing collaborations with existing STEM programs that share similar

goals to enhance student outcomes;

Expand the number of partnerships between schools and the science

community in Australia.

CONTACTEroia Barone-Nugent, Director ebarone@unimelb.edu.au

Olivia Hides, Media Co-ordinator growingtallpoppies@gmail.com