skuthorp
08-22-2007, 01:25 AM
Just in case anyone is planning a trip to outback Oz
"CROCODILE egg-collecting, long-neck turtle-trapping and spider-catching are all part of a day's work for Mason Scholes' students in Arnhem Land.
The unique "junior ranger" program, which combines science with traditional indigenous knowledge, led to students discovering 45 new species of spiders.
Their Victorian-born teacher now has even more to celebrate, winning a $10,000 award for science teaching as part of the prestigious Eureka Prizes, announced last night.
At Maningrida Community Education Centre where he teaches, there are children with "great" literacy skills, sitting beside those who can't read or write.
Students do not have computer access at home, and attendance figures can fluctuate depending on whether it is the wet or dry season.
These conditions prompted Mr Scholes to work with local rangers to find ways to get students involved in science without the need for expensive equipment.
"We have a science room, but there's no resources in it whatsoever, so we had to use the local bush that surrounds it," he said.
"The boys are really attuned to it, they have amazing natural bush skills, and they know the country so well. It just suits them to a tee doing this work."
New spider species identified include the argoctenus danoi, named after student Daniel "Dano" Campion, and the dendrolycosa blaigyi, named for classmate Blake Carter.
All four students who took part in the junior ranger program last year now have jobs: two are full-time rangers, one works in mud-crabbing, and another chairs the local youth council."
"CROCODILE egg-collecting, long-neck turtle-trapping and spider-catching are all part of a day's work for Mason Scholes' students in Arnhem Land.
The unique "junior ranger" program, which combines science with traditional indigenous knowledge, led to students discovering 45 new species of spiders.
Their Victorian-born teacher now has even more to celebrate, winning a $10,000 award for science teaching as part of the prestigious Eureka Prizes, announced last night.
At Maningrida Community Education Centre where he teaches, there are children with "great" literacy skills, sitting beside those who can't read or write.
Students do not have computer access at home, and attendance figures can fluctuate depending on whether it is the wet or dry season.
These conditions prompted Mr Scholes to work with local rangers to find ways to get students involved in science without the need for expensive equipment.
"We have a science room, but there's no resources in it whatsoever, so we had to use the local bush that surrounds it," he said.
"The boys are really attuned to it, they have amazing natural bush skills, and they know the country so well. It just suits them to a tee doing this work."
New spider species identified include the argoctenus danoi, named after student Daniel "Dano" Campion, and the dendrolycosa blaigyi, named for classmate Blake Carter.
All four students who took part in the junior ranger program last year now have jobs: two are full-time rangers, one works in mud-crabbing, and another chairs the local youth council."