Transforming Tertiary Science Education

Project Description

This Commissioned Project aims to transfer and adapt the successful North American Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative (CWSEI) model to the New Zealand tertiary system. Interventions used to engage and enhance learning in tertiary science will be tested in Biology and Geology courses at the University of Canterbury and Massey University. It is anticipated that this study will produce replicable results that can be adapted, transferred and applied to different academic disciplines in a variety of tertiary settings, including polytechnics.

Project Team

• Dr Ben Kennedy (Contact Project Leader), University of Canterbury
• Dr Zoe Jordens, Massey University
• Dr Rosie Bradshaw, Massey University
• Dr Erik Brogt, University of Canterbury
• Dr Ewen Cameron, Massey University
• Dr Billy O'Steen, University of Canterbury 
• Professor Carl Wieman (Mentor), The University of British Columbia 
• Graham Foster, University of Auckland,  Physics

For more information about Carl Wieman's work, seeTransforming Science Education at Large Research Universities: A Case Study in Progress - Change: the Magazine of Higher Learning, March-April 2010

Project Funding

$135,243 GST exc

Key Dates

Project commences: mid 2010

Expected project completion: early 2012

Project Outputs

	Presentation given at the 2011 Ako Aotearoa Research in Progress Colloquium
	Presentation about the project at the Ako Aotearoa Research in Progress Colloquium 2010 (clink on ppt image to left)
	Recent article in New Zealand Education Review (click image)
	Article from University of Canterbury Chronicle, Vol. 47 No. 2: Initiative boosts science learning, May 2012. Click on the image to download the article (60 KB PDF)