1994 School Magazine

Girls' Grainiiiar School3Brisbaiie 199+

^#a^'

of scientific investigation for public consideration. in addition to debating their ideas with their peers, students will be able to present their submissions 10 a celebratory event in recognition of the effort that went into the prodtiction of the portfolio submission. 11 is anticipated that such an event will promote a variety of presentation skills Information emanating from The writing reform movement suggests that effective written comintinication improves if The writer has a clear purpose and a well-defined audience. This view can be extrapolated to encompass other genres of coinniunicaiion. Vessels has tried to capitalise on this notion by

There will be access to laboratories where they can analyse evidence, SLu'face nlall to In ore sophisticated laboratories pro- viding results of tests that cannot be carried out by the girls, database access to vehicle registration and criminal records, and access to witnesses and suspects IhrouglT the Scene of Crime Officers and detectives via electronic mail. E-mail will also provide a way of requesting warrants for searches and a final arrest from the Magistrate. They will be expected to review the evidence, cany out appropriate analyses and assemble the supporting evidence that would be presented in a court in an attempt 10 obtain a conviction. The solution of the central

problem will involve the solution of a ntimber of smaller problems requir- ing a variety of skills and abilities. There will be no adult instrLictions or inter- vennon, except for assist- ance willI laboratoiy tech- niques, and then only when requested. To provide a situation as realistic as POS- sible there will be no sec- ond chances if physical evi- dence is corrupted by care- less ITandling. This should encourage the "investIga- lots" to think before they

inventing a \, linety of tasks, inclLiding tile public pres- Grimlioii of SLibmissions, in willcli 1,011i aLidience anti Inc pull)OSe are clearly <1ciinctl T'11c introduction of pollloli() practice is just

-/ .,*

"" " , ~,'* ^ -., ,.*,*t:

,*, ,* :;t"

bis* *~, q %. : , RF: . ~q

,*._ ..~~:* ~.*~

,~

*

,,,

b

**::a

I

4

. \**

V?

*t\

\

one initi;11ive in the on- g, in, dim, , of nit Iuni0, 4' Science Department to J;:: provide snidenrs with chal- ;\: ~ *',; Ienging and stimulating op- .. -\;

**

b

"7;;,,...,,,*- ,.,-~ ~ ~

I ~,,

~** *,! " '

portunities to participate in the culture of science, and in doing so, to explore and make sense of the world in which they live in the past, at the end

a

act

Sniden!s I'D^kitig o11 pingeJpi'!, 11/11g 112 Ibe FD, tiis!'c Science 11nJ!

11 is expected that SIu- dents will develop confi- dence in their own ability 10 learn complex skills and resolve difficult problems willT a minim\11n reliance on experts INTERNA'1'10NAL SCXENCE OLYMPIADS he international Science Olympiads are competitions for students under the age of twenty and not at University. Originating in Europe the competitions draw teams from all ova' the world to compete in examinations whiclt are of a standard between those found in first and second year univer- sity courses in At1st rana Students in Year Eleven sit for a qualifying examination in October. As a result of this the top students - about 20 - are invited to participate in a two-week summer training school in Canberra Selection of the leanT to represent Australia is based on a thorough assessment of the practical and theoretical skills of the sitidenis who ITave attended the trainino school and the tealn of four is announced after a final examination in March Over recent years several B. G. G. S. airls have been eligible to sit for the qualifying exam and some of these have taken part in the training school However Amy Warren was the first girl from the school to be chosen in tlTe national team to represent our country at the International Biology Olympiad held recently in Bulgaria

of Year 10, we have run a small tinit on Forensic Science. This alea was chosen as it demands of the participant the acquisition of specific scientific techniqties, skills in the LISe of computer database an <1 electronic mail, and In OSt importantly, skills in co- up elative probleiTT solving. in doing this it integrates a range of skills lionT CITemisiry, PITYsics, Biology, Geology etc. Solving CTimcs uses a paindignT whichis squarely based on the Scientific Meijiod. Evcn a "hunch" is palt of the method. Apart from 11nikiiig obsci'vations and collecting data, snidents engaoe in coinplcx lensoning. This experience transfers 10 other practices in 111c. We 1111vc found that some students are fascinated by this unii lintl Ihis year the tinit is being expanded Exj)ci'irucnts will be carried out in the fields of fingerprints, 101'unsicliiology, glass and paint analysis, forgery, and cryptology amongsi o111ci's. A1 the end of this time the students should be awaic of the contributions from the traditional areas of science to solving IMactical problems, and know some of the scientific Iecliniques and Inodern technology LISed in a forensic labora- lory A1 the end of the training program, a crime scenario will be presented to the students along with some PITYsical evidence From that moment they will be on Their own, depending on the intelligence, imagination and creativity of all members of the group. What they do during the coming lessons will be entirely Lip 10 them, as they act out their roles as crime investigation Qincers

58