Report on the Activities of UniServe Science
February 1998 - February 1999

Dr M. Peat
Dr I. D. Johnston
Professor D. J. Patterson
March 1999

Introduction	Activities specific to The University of Sydney	Activities directed towards a national focus
Activities directed towards an international focus	Activities directed towards NSW secondary schools	Staff activities
Organisational business	Future plans	Appendix

Introduction

UniServe Science, the Australian clearinghouse for information relating to the use of information technology in science teaching, was set up in December 1994 with funding from the then Committee for the Advancement of University Teaching (CAUT) and the Faculty of Science at The University of Sydney. UniServe Science commenced operations in April 1995 and its original brief was to offer the following services to science academics at all universities in Australia, with special responsibility to those at The University of Sydney:

to promote the use of new technologies in undergraduate science teaching;

to advise academics about what teaching materials are available;

to evaluate science teaching materials;

to publicize quality teaching materials, especially those developed within Australia; and

to encourage co-operation between developers and users of teaching materials.

These services were achieved by publishing regular newsletters, conference proceedings and brochures, by maintaining a web-based searchable database of information about teaching software, by maintaining a web site which also includes information about discipline-specific teaching resources and links to other relevant sites, by commissioning reviews of software teaching materials, by maintaining contact with university science teachers throughout Australia by email and electronic discussion groups, by organising workshops and seminars of subjects of interest to university science teachers, and by disseminating information about materials produced within the higher education sector.

From the beginning of 1998 The University of Sydney has fully funded UniServe Science - 40% by the Faculty of Science, 40% by the College of Sciences and Technology and 20% by the Information Technology Committee. During 1998 the clearinghouse has redirected its vision and focus to incorporate a greater set of outcomes for The University of Sydney in acknowledgment of the changed funding base. As well as the activities listed above, this has included:

inviting contacts from mathematics and computer science departments to join UniServe Science;

co-hosting with the Schools of Physics and Chemistry, staff development workshops on teaching on the Web;

participating in workshops for science teachers in the Faculty of Nursing and the Schools of Physics and Chemistry, Faculty of Science;

participating in a workshop for lab assistants;

sponsoring a seminar series on campus for the dissemination of teaching developments within the Faculty of Science;

presenting at the VC's Showcase of University Teaching;

organising and hosting in Sydney and Melbourne the international NSF funded Chautauqua courses on teaching physics; and

organising a national workshop at The University of Sydney.

Activities specific to The University of Sydney

Workshops

Workshops for staff have been seen to be an effective way of introducing a diversity of academics within an organisational unit to the current issues in the use of IT in science teaching. UniServe Science has been proactive in approaching Heads of Schools and Departments and in organising appropriate and relevant staff activities. These included:

UniServe Science and School of Physics: Physics IT Workshop, held in the School of Physics, The University of Sydney, 11 June 1998. This workshop explored the current use of the web in the School and how to move forwards in incorporating web-based delivery in the curricula.

UniServe Science and School of Chemistry: Chemistry IT Workshop: "Towards Web Teaching", held in the School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, 16 November 1998. This workshop explored their options for incorporating more web-based teaching in their undergraduate units of study.

Promoting Active Learning in Introductory Physics Courses, an international Chautauqua short course, funded in part by the NSF. This workshop was sponsored by UniServe Science and the School of Physics at The University of Sydney, 20-22 January 1999.

Seminars

UniServe Science has serviced the science community at The University of Sydney by hosting seminars on the outcomes of teaching development, in particular those arising from the Faculty of Science Teaching Development Fund. These included:

a series of 18 seminars held on main campus between April and October 1998 and advertised to all the academic staff in the College of Sciences and Technology and science contacts at the Sydney metropolitan universities;

a special seminar for the promotion of the software WebMCQ (Dalziel and Gazzard), winners of the "Best Internet" category of the 4th Annual Business Show on the Nine Network, 1998. WebMCQ has since been accepted into the Australian Technology Park; and

a special seminar on "Options for the further utilisation of new teaching tools" (Croft, Business Liaison Office), 1998.

Web site

From the very beginning UniServe Science created a web site in acknowledgment that this means of communication would be used in preference to other means within the current decade. The World Wide Web home page (http://science.uniserve.edu.au/) continues to be maintained and extended.

The web site now contains:

a resource database of over 3000 items in searchable format;

volumes 1 - 11 of the newsletter, UniServe Science News;

proceedings of the April 1996 Dry Labs Workshop, the February 1997 Computer Assessment Workshop and the April 1998 Science Teaching and the Web Workshop;

volumes 1 and 2 of the international newsletter, CAL-laborate;

QuicKards - summaries of educational software currently used in science teaching at Australian universities;

proceedings of the November 1998 School of Chemistry IT workshop;

information about science projects funded by CAUT National Teaching Development Grants;

information related to the science discipline areas - sites of interest, links to software and educational resources;

links to web sites of interest throughout the world;

mirrors of selected overseas sites; and

information about the organization, its aims and staff.

Evaluation of teaching materials

One of the ongoing tasks of the clearinghouse is to solicit evaluations of currently available software. These evaluations, together with references to published materials about the use of the software, are available for viewing in the database. These resources enable academics to make informed decisions about the use of these materials in their own teaching.

Reviewing has been done more systematically during 1998 and the following number of items of software have now been reviewed:

27 in physics;
24 in biology;
3 in biochemistry;
16 in chemistry;
11 in geosciences; and
5 in psychology.

In addition UniServe Science has been involved in external review and marking of student web sites for a third year unit of study in the School of Chemistry. This was undertaken in conjunction with the Teaching Development Unit of the School of Biological Sciences.

Activities directed towards a national focus

UniServe Science has maintained its national focus by the publicaton of materials designed to disseminate information about the use of IT in science teaching, by organising national and international workshops at The University of Sydney and by introducing a program of visits to selected centres to meet with science academics.

Newsletters

The main publication of the clearinghouse continues to be four-monthly newsletters.

UniServe Science News, Vol 9, was published in March 1998. It contains contributed articles from the Universities of Western Sydney, James Cook and Reading, UK; reviews of 4 pieces of software; 2 conference reports; 3 CAUT reports; and other items.

UniServe Science News, Vol 10, was published in July 1998. It contains contributed articles from the Universities of Western Australia, Curtin, Staffordshire, UK and de Montfort, UK; reviews of 4 pieces of software; 2 conference reports; 3 Teaching Development reports; and other items.

UniServe Science News, Vol 11, was published in November 1998. It contains contributed articles from Swinburne, Monash and Curtin Universities; reviews of 4 pieces of software; 3 conference reports; 5 Teaching Development reports; 3 WebBytes; and other items.

Workshops

The third national workshop, on the topic of University Science Teaching and the Web, was held in Sydney on April 17-18, 1998. Keynote speakers were Professor Shirley Alexander, University of Technology, Sydney, who reviewed Internet-based Teaching: Past and Future; and Professor Peter Lee, Murdoch University, who described their on-line Engineering degrees. There were 12 presentations from academics around the country, as well as 4 posters. The workshop was attended by 81 academics from universities in all states and territories in the country. The Proceedings were produced and distributed in paper form to attendees and all Deans of Science. The Proceedings is also available on the web in downloadable format. A bibliography of materials that relate to university science teaching using the web was prepared and distributed at the workshop.

Preparation and hosting of the 1999 "Promoting Active Learning in Introductory Physics Courses" for the National Science Foundation of America (NSF) in Sydney and Melbourne. These were for physics teachers (tertiary and secondary school). Sydney was sponsored by UniServe Science and the School of Physics, The University of Sydney, 20-22 January 1999 and Melbourne was sponsored by UniServe Science and the School of Biophysical Sciences and Electrical Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology, 27-29 January 1999.

QuicKards

In an endeavour to alert every academic in the Australian higher education sector to the activities of UniServe Science, a series of handy reference leaflets are being produced which inform about the current IT materials in use in Australian departments. These leaflets are known as QuicKards and one is being produced for each discipline area. In 1997 Quickards were produced for Physics and Chemistry and sent to every physicist and chemist listed on Australian university web sites. In 1998 QuicKards were produced for Biochemistry and the Geosciences and sent to over 1100 academics in the higher education sector.

Visits to Australian universities

Making and keeping contact with science academics around the higher education sector is a vital part of running a clearinghouse. In the beginning contact was made with the 236 relevant science departments in Australia asking them to supply the name of someone in those departments who would act as a formal point of contact. This resulted in a mailing list of 256 academics around the country, who inform others in their home department about the information and written materials produced. The system has worked quite well, though there are some cases where the information does not seem to get beyond the contact.

In 1998 it was decided to start a program of visits to a centre in each of the main areas of Australia (WA, SA, Melbourne, Brisbane, Far North) so that as many of the contacts as possible could be brought together in informal discussions. The following trips were undertaken in 1998:

Perth, April 1998 - Anne Fernandez visited Environmental Science at Murdoch and Applied Physics at Curtin. The latter was to explore the possibility of holding a meeting of UniServe Science contacts in September to coincide with the OzCUPE4 meeting.

Perth, September 1998 - Anne Fernandez and Ian Johnston met with 25 contacts from UWA, Murdoch, Curtin and Edith Cowan. The meeting was held at Curtin from 2.30 - 5.00 and included a live 'walk' through the UniServe Science web site and brief presentations by contacts of innovative teaching using IT that was being done in their departments.

Adelaide, December 1998 - Anne Fernandez and Ian Johnston met with 14 contacts from UniSA, Flinders and University of Adelaide. The purpose of the meeting was to bring the UniServe Science contacts up to date on UniServe activities and to share with them their experiences with the use of IT in teaching within their departments.

Wollongong, December 1998 - Kaye Placing, Anne Fernandez and Mary Peat met with five contacts from the University of Wollongong to strengthen the links with UniServe Science.

Other

UniServe Science has accepted involvement in national activities that promote the evaluation of IT in teaching and learning and in 1998 was included as a case study in a CUTSD organisational grant to ASCILITE on "Development of a National Inventory of Computer-facilitated Learning and Support Materials used in University Teaching" (McNaught et al.).

Activities directed towards an international focus

UniServe Science acknowledges the importance of developing appropriate links with the community at large and has been proactive in developing an international program that facilitates international collaboration and the dissemination of the work of UniServe Science around the world. This involves contact with organisations in the USA, Europe and UK, the production of an International Newsletter and presentations at international conferences. In 1998 UniServe Science has:

maintained and strengthened its contact with UK science discipline Computers in Teaching Initiative Centres (CTI's);

been involved in CTI proposals to the UK Higher Education Funding Council for Information Gateways;

maintained the link with the Committee for the Renewal of Undergraduate Education, Sweden;

published CAL-laborate in October 1998 in collaboration with the CTI Physics in the UK and CRUE in Sweden. The newsletter is on the use of Computer Aided Learning for tertiary level physical sciences; and

hosted the "Promoting Active Learning in Introductory Physics Courses" for the National Science Foundation (NSF) America, with participants from New Zealand, Australia, and a large contingent of UNESCO-sponsored academics from South East Asia.

Activities directed towards NSW secondary schools

UniServe Science has made some significant links with the secondary school sector in an attempt to place itself in an intermediate position between school teachers and the University so that both might benefit from the interactions in place. UniServe Science has strong links with the NSW Board of Studies and these have been developed in the last year. In addition UniServe Science has created electronic discussion groups and resources pages for teachers and has been prominent at relevant conferences, workshops and seminars. 1998 activities included:

preparation of Education Bibliographies for the Stage 6 syllabus writing brief for Biology, Chemistry, Geology and Physics;

representation on the rewrite of the NSW Stage 6 Science Curriculum;

setting up of mailing lists for school teachers in the four senior science discipline areas;

creating links to teaching resources from UniServe Science web page for school teachers;

hosting "Promoting Active Learning in Introductory Physics Courses", sponsored by UniServe Science and the School of Physics, at The University of Sydney, 20-22 January 1999;

presenting at workshops for STANSW, SASPA; and

presenting at a workshop for Physics teachers organised by the School of Physics, The University of Sydney.

Staff activities

UniServe Science strongly supports the public dissemination of teaching materials and methodologies and to this end encourages its staff to attend and present at conferences, to present at workshops and seminar sessions and continue to develop peer networks.

In 1998 the following activities took place:

5 conferences attended;

8 presentations given; and

9 papers written for publication.

Organisational business

UniServe Science was set up as a discrete unit within the Faculty of Science but with multi-departmental involvement. The initial proponents of the clearinghouse took on lead roles in the organisation, with two of them (the directors) taking responsibility for the activities. The deputy directors assist in policy and goal setting and in review of activities. It is envisaged that the role of deputy director will be enlarged with the appointment of a further member in the year 2000.

Currently the business of UniServe Science is undertaken by the following people:

Future plans

UniServe Science will continue in 1999 to work on a variety of projects which encompass local, national and international activities. These will include:

University

Biochemistry IT workshop

QuicKards for Psychology, Biology and Web Tools

Science Education Seminar series

Secondary Schools

Workshops for new science 7-10 syllabus

Extension to web site to include science-based career profiles

Science week, May - science teachers workshop

School of Chemistry, June - science teachers workshop

Secondary schools project - joint project with Board of Studies

Conference attendance - NSWCEG, July 1999; SASPA, July 1999; and NSW STA, September 1999

National

Organiser of a National workshop in April "Tools for Flexible Learning"

Local organiser of the AusWeb Roadshow April 1999

GeoScienceEdIII January 2000

International

Conference abstracts accepted for CBLIS99 (Twente, Netherlands)

CAL-laborate life sciences edition April 2000

Visit Sweden (Hans Jalling at CRUE) to make links for life sciences CAL-laborate

Evaluation of web sites

Appendix

Attendance at conferences and workshops:

University of Sydney, Web, Multimedia and On-line content developers seminar, February 1998

Science Teachers' Workshop, School of Physics, University of Sydney, June 1998

SASPA Special Interest Group in Science Annual Workshop, June 1998

CALISCE98 Computer Aided Learning and Instruction in Science and Engineering, Göteborg, Sweden, June, 1998

Science Teachers' Association of NSW Annual Conference, Sydney, September 1998

Apple University Consortium (AUC) Academic Conference, Melbourne, September 1998

OzCUPE4 Australian Computers in Undergraduate Physics Conference, Perth, October 1998

Open Training and Education Network (OTEN) mini conference History of Science Yrs 7-10, Sydney, October 1998

Showcase of University Teaching, The University of Sydney, November, 1998

Faculty of Nursing, University of Sydney, SINE conference workshop, December 1998

Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCILITE) 15th Annual Conference, Wollongong, December 1998

Open Training and Education Network (OTEN) 1998 seminar series on the world wide web, Sydney, 1998

The 'rise and rise' of the World Wide Web: Alternative strategies for vocational education and training;

Developing an integrated technology platform: identifying organisational needs now and for the future;

Flexible Delivery - the Role of Mixed Mode Learning; and

The changing educational paradigm - technology or teacher. The emergence of the virtual campus.

Presentations at conferences and workshops:

Fernandez A, The Web as a tool for secondary science teachers, Science Teachers' Workshop, School of Physics, June 1998

Fernandez A, Are you lost in the Cyber Jungle? Faculty of Nursing SINE conference workshop, December 1998

Fernandez A, Placing K, Johnston I D and Peat M, Are you lost in the Cyber Jungle? Workshop; Showcase of University Teaching, W08 November 1998

Fernandez A, Placing K, Johnston I D and Peat M, Using IT in the Teaching of Undergraduate Science; Poster. Showcase of University Teaching, P48 November 1998

Fernandez A, Placing K, Johnston I D and Peat M, Using the Web to disseminate information; Demonstration. Showcase of University Teaching, T18 November 1998

Johnston I D, Teaching of Computational Physics in the School of Physics, Proceedings of UniServe Science and the School of Physics: Physics IT Workshop, UniServe Science pp. 22-26, June 1998

Johnston I D and Peat M, Use of the Web for university science teaching in Australia, in Computer Aided Learning and Instruction in Science and Engineering: Proceedings of 4th International Conference, CALISCE '98 (Chalmers University, Göteborg, Sweden, 1998) pp.161-167

Johnston I D, Teaching Computational Science to Physics and Engineering Students, in Computer Aided Learning and Instruction in Science and Engineering: Proceedings of 4th International Conference, CALISCE '98, (Chalmers University, Göteborg, Sweden, 1998) pp.350-355

Johnston I D and Peat M, Use of the web for university science teaching in Australia. Proceedings of the 4th Australian Conference on Computers in University Physics (OzCUPE4), October 1998

Johnston I D and Peat M, University Science teaching in Australia: how the Web is being used; Poster. Showcase of University Teaching, P93 November 1998

Nearhos M, The use of the web in teaching science. University of Sydney, Web, Multimedia and On-line content developers seminar, February 1998

Placing K, Introduction to Excel as a database. SASPA Special Interest Group in Science Annual Workshop, June 1998

Placing K, The Internet and teaching! Workshop at Science Teachers' Association of NSW Annual Conference, September 1998

Peat M, On-line Learning: The First Year Biology Way. Proceedings of UniServe Science and the School of Physics: Physics IT Workshop, UniServe Science pp. 45-47, June 1998

Peat M and Franklin S, First Year Biology Teaching on the Web: to Lure and Catch the Imagination of the Students. Proceedings of University Science Teaching and the Web Workshop, UniServe Science pp. 48-49 April 1998

Seminars and colloquia given by members of UniServe Science:

Johnston I D and Fernandez A, The continuing role of UniServe Science in the national higher education sector. Perth contacts, September 1998

Johnston I D and Fernandez A, The continuing role of UniServe Science in the national higher education sector. Adelaide contacts, December 1998

Published papers:

Johnston I D and Peat M, In the web we still delight. Summary paper in Proceedings of University Science Teaching and the Web Workshop, UniServe Science pp.1-4 April 1998

Johnston I D and Peat M, Use of the Web for Science Teaching in Australia, in Computer Aided Learning and Instruction in Science and Engineering: Proceedings of 4th International Conference, CALISCE '98, (Chalmers University, Göteborg, Sweden, 1998) pp.161-167

Johnston, I D, Teaching Computational Science to Physics and Engineering Students, in Computer Aided Learning and Instruction in Science and Engineering: Proceedings of 4th International Conference, CALISCE '98, (Chalmers University, Göteborg, Sweden, 1998) pp.350-355

Peat M and Johnston I D, Technology and Tertiary Teaching in the Antipodes: UniServe Science's role in helping to change Australian university science teaching. GeoCal Issue 18, June 1998 pp.11-13

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