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91% of readers strongly agree that social media platforms could play a key role in attracting younger generations of South Africans to SET fields of study. |
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3% say they are not sure (too many learners still don’t have internet access). |
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6% disagree (the time and money could be better spent on outreach projects). |
It’s like a real-life movie ... Scientists plan to smash a spacecraft into an asteroid - so they are prepared for the possibility they will have to stop one hurtling towards Earth. The news came as Nasa moved to calm fears that a comet is on a collision course with our planet. Read more
Special feature
A week of WOW!
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Learners who attended the iThemba LABS career day. |
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Children from Khayelitsha playing at Monkey Town near Somerset West. |
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Learners at Luhlaza Secondary School getting down to some serious fun with acids and bases, during the National Science Week workshops conducted by the Cape Town Science Centre. |
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Science-sharing doesn't need a fixed venue. Grade 9 learners at Thandokhulu Secondary School sit on the grass as Amy Louw from the Cape Town Science Centre explains the science behind everyday occurrences. |
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Scientific musicians or musical scientists? Either way, the Cape Town Science Centre team made the grade 2 learners of Belthorn Primary very happy when they were shown how to make their own vuvuzelas and kazoos. |
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Tuned in … The usually restless learners of Easter Peak Primary listened intently as they learnt the basics about electric circuits from the experienced Cape Town Science Centre education team. |
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Testing, testing! This future scientist, from Luhlaza Secondary, wanted to see for herself which of the products used in her home are acids or bases, in the workshop presented by the Cape Town Science Centre. |
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NRF Facilities and other organisations made a special effort for National Science Week 2011, which ran from Monday to Saturday 1-6 August. The theme was “The Role of Science in Economic Development” and the many activities hosted by organisations, science councils and individuals across all nine provinces were hard to beat.
National Science Week (NSW) - an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology - aims to excite South Africa’s youth with science at an early age and encourage them to develop an interest in studying mathematics and science subjects. The project, managed by SAASTA, also creates awareness of science, engineering and technology as excellent career choices for learners.
The following snippets represent highlights of the programmes that were presented by a few of this year’s participants:
1. Creating opportunities through science
By the iThemba LABS Community Interaction and Training team
At some point in their school career, every child has had one of the following thoughts: “School is boring”; “Science is difficult”; “What are the career choices linked to science and mathematics?”; or “Science is only for boys”. iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator Based Science (iThemba LABS) attempted to address some of these issues through their interaction with more than
3 500 learners during National Science Week 2011.
Learners from Soyisile Primary school in Khayelitsha were treated to a visit to Monkey Town near Somerset West. The 120 learners were taken on a guided tour of the facility, followed by lunch in the fun park. Another activity had female learners from Intsebenziswano Secondary School interacting with female staff members of iThemba LABS during a career information session. These 105 grade 10 learners were exposed to the nitty-gritty of careers such as nursing, dietetics, human resources, targetry (application of chemistry) and electronic engineering. These were all presented as career choices available to learners who take mathematics and science as subject at school.
Learners from high schools in Vredenburg, Vredendal and Malmesbury had the opportunity to showcase their knowledge of chemistry during a quiz hosted by the Arcelor Science Centre. The event formed part of the West Coast education department’s activities. Dr Gillian Arendse of iThemba LABS was the quizmaster for the event.
2. The universe, as presented by SAAO
The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) ran special science awareness programmes in Springbok in the Northern Cape and in a number of Cape Town township schools during National Science Week. The Northern Cape programme, led by Willem Prins, included presentations on astronomy and stargazing events at five schools.
In Cape Town, Sivuyile Manxoyi and Cedric Jacobs presented workshops on “sweet astronomy” (see article in the “Out and About” section of this newsletter), telescopes and binoculars, and on astronomy as a career. Additionally, Ambrose Yaga of iThemba LABS conducted his ever-popular science shows.
The 1 446 learners that attended these programmes were thrilled with the new knowledge they acquired about their place in the universe.
Look out for more highlights and photos of National Science Week 2011 in the next issue of GetS.E.T.Go!