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90% of readers believe that mobile technology and increasing online access make social media an ideal platform for attracting younger generations of South Africans to SET fields of study. |
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5% of readers say they are not sure. |
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5% of readers say that this time and money could be better spent on outreach projects. |
Exoplanet extraordinaire… Only a few weeks into the new year and already four new exoplanets have been discovered. An exoplanet is a planet that orbits a star in a solar system other than that of the earth. It looks as though 2012 is going to be a year filled with discovery.
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IN THE NEWS
To astronomy and beyond
By Siphokazi Nonyukela, SAIAB
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The winning team of the 2011 National Astronomy Quiz, from left: Jarah Fluxman, Blaine Jacobs, Oluwatoyosi Adesina and Bryn Reynolds, pictured with Nzami Caleni (Eastern Cape Department of Education) and their Graeme College physical science teacher, Victoria Campbell. |
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Four future astronomers from Graeme College in Grahamstown, reached for the stars and grabbed a few shiny trophies when their team was awarded first place in this year’s SAASTA astronomy quiz.
Ten teams of bright young minds met on 28 October near Bloemfontein to battle it out in the SAASTA AstroQuiz 2011 finals. The Graeme College team from Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape beat the nine other finalists to win this year’s competition. The team included Blaine Jacobs, Jarah Fluxman, Bryn Reynolds and Oluwatoyosi Adesina. Besides the coveted trophy for their school, each team member also won a digital camera, their own individual trophy and a backpack.
In second place was Sutherland High School from Sutherland in the Northern Cape, with the Free State team from Laerskool J A Malherbe in Petrus Steyn in third place. The two teams won their silver and bronze in a nail-biting three-way tie for second and third place when they scored equally with Observatory Junior School from Cape Town in the Western Cape province.
“Maths is the tool for understanding the universe – it can be exciting if taught properly,” says Dr Tony Fluxman, a parent of one of the Graeme College team’s boys and lecturer at Rhodes University. “We must educate our kids on how it fits into the world. Look around you – everything you see, from the weather to technological devices, can be understood by using maths and science.”
Together with Graeme College’s physical science teacher, Vicki Campbell, Fluxman motivated and encouraged four grade seven Graeme College learners to take part in the astronomy quiz. It was the first time that Graeme College participated, representing both Grahamstown and the Eastern Cape. “The quiz gives learners a chance to see and learn more about an avenue of science that primary and high school levels do not deal with,” says Campbell.
Questions were based on the learners’ academic work and interest in science with over 500 schools competing before the 10 finalist teams were determined.
“We wanted to take boys who were willing to make an effort and use their own time to prepare for the quiz,” says Campbell. Some of the highlights included seeing Jupiter up close through the Boyden Observatory telescope based near Bloemfontein, which is also the third-largest telescope in Africa.
“The competition made me appreciate science more,” says team member Blaine Jacobs, while Bryn Reynolds adds that he learnt more about astronomy and the exciting opportunities it presents. “All my life I have been pursuing engineering but now I also appreciate astronomy,” says Toyosi Adesina. Jarah Fluxman adds that he really enjoyed seeing Jupiter’s moons for the first time.
The boys highlighted the importance of the tour and encouraged other learners to increase their focus on science at school. “We are very grateful to the school for granting us this opportunity.”
Campbell explains that entering the competition was part of an effort to promote science at Graeme College. “We try to take part in every offer or opportunity that will open eyes to the science, besides what is taught in the classroom,” she says.
“It took a lot of dedication from the boys because most of the time they had to do their own studying in their spare time.” This was where Fluxman stepped in. He took the boys under his wing, practising quiz techniques and exploring different kinds of questions. Fluxman strongly feels that parents should take an active interest in the education of their children: “Ask about your children’s homework, look it over, quiz them on it and explain to them the importance of education. Most importantly, tell them that they should always try to understand things rather than just memorise them. In fact, the best way to remember things is to understand them!”
Campbell applauds SciFest Africa and SAASTA: “It is important to have activities such as the AstroQuiz. If anyone has an idea outside the school syllabus they should run with it and encourage schools to take part in it. SciFest Africa was responsible for the implementation and the logistics of the competition in the Eastern Cape."