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New Zealand Science Learning Hub Newsletter
Winter 2008
Kia ora, and welcome to the winter newsletter of the New Zealand Science Learning Hub – dedicated to sparking fresh thinking in science education www.sciencelearn.org.nz.
It was great to see so many Learning Hub users, from new users to veterans, at the recent Scicon event at Te Papa. Not only were we able to pass on some suggestions on how to use the site, but we also learnt from your experiences too. As the Learning Hub grows, so does the value of your ideas and feedback, so please keep your comments and suggestions coming. Send them to us at enquiries@sciencelearn.org.nz.
What’s new?
The Hub continues to explore the work of New Zealand’s world-class science sector. Since our last newsletter, we have added four extensive new contexts and added some extra features to help your journey through the site.
Explore the Hub
Look out for the contexts carousel on the home page, which showcases all the contexts on the Hub. The carousel slows down as you move your cursor over it, so you can click on a context to find out more. The carousel joins the Hub’s very visual Connections tool and the range of other navigation pathways available.
Other changes on the Hub include updated context arrival pages, which now provide featured articles and media, and enhanced Sci Media galleries for easier viewing and access.
New context – Enviro-imprints
Debate about the effect of humans on the environment is never far away at the moment. Here in New Zealand, as elsewhere, humans continue to create biological, chemical and physical imprints on the environment.
But what scientific research is being done to monitor the situation, inform the debate and manage solutions?
This context helps you explore air, water and soil quality through the work of New Zealand scientists. Examples include air pollution monitoring by the University of Canterbury, water management research by Environmental Science and Research (ESR) and the use of living organisms to measure chemicals in the environment by Lincoln University.
Like all contexts in the Hub, this is supported by background information on science concepts (such as air, water and soil quality, bioindicators and soil toxicity). There are related activities for you to use in the classroom too, including a look at some of the water issues encountered in New Zealand and other parts of the world.
New context – Future Fuels
You could easily consider the use of non-renewable energy sources, and the search for renewable sources, alongside some of the issues explored in the Enviro-imprints context. Replacing food crops with plants for bioenergy is currently being partly blamed for a world food crisis, and New Zealand scientists are helping to find solutions.
Find out how scientists at Scion Crown Research Institute are investigating the use of trees and plant waste as fuel sources. Meet a geologist who is searching rocks for clues to oil in Taranaki – despite the drive to find renewable sources of energy, it may not be necessary to stop using oil, just change the way we use it.
You can use this context to investigate future fuels and, along the way, make a solar oven, create a greenhouse and calculate the kinetic and potential energy of things.
New context – Nanoscience
Imagine particles just a few atoms across, moving around inside a body, searching for cancer cells. When they find them, they are made to glow to show us where they are, and then deliver drugs to fight the problem.
Find out about scientists at Victoria University of Wellington who are making this actually happen. Also meet Massey University scientists who are creating catalysts by using the special properties of materials at very small scales.
Nanoscience is full of ‘wow’ science, but it is also about fundamental chemistry and physics, which is why there are articles about chemical reactions, catalysts and the periodic table. This context has close links with Future Fuels, as some of the work presented concerns chemical engineers creating catalysts for hydrogen fuels cells.
A nanometre is a billionth of a metre – surely you can’t see and work with things that small? Well, yes you can, with the right technology. You can even see an atom. Explore the link between science and technology through different kinds of microscopes, including a Meet the microscopes online interactive where you can match microscopes to different magnifying tasks.
There are also simple activities to enable you to measure the size of an atom, find out how an atomic force microscope works and study the volume:surface area ratio of catalyst particles.
New context – You, Me and UV
We often hear about ultraviolet radiation (UV) in the media. The message given is that it is a dangerous and invisible component of sunlight that is best avoided – too much UV of any kind can age our skin and cause various skin cancers.
At the same time, we are told that sunlight is good for us, as it triggers the production of vitamin D that we need to keep our bodies healthy.
So what is ultraviolet radiation? Where does it come from? What effects does it have on the Earth and on our bodies? And can we put ultraviolet radiation to good use?
Explore You, Me and UV to discover how ultraviolet light plays a part in our everyday lives – from how it affects the human body to the part it can play in cleaning waste water.
Latest news
Checkout the latest science-related news and events from New Zealand and overseas.
Making the most of the Hub
When exploring the pages of the site, look for the Related Content facility to find a range of material to support your central theme.
When you are viewing an article, image or video, the right side of the screen displays a list of related resources. You can use this to connect together a range of materials to support your theme.
For example, you may be interested in catalysts, so you visit the new Nanoscience context. As you read the article called New nanoparticle shapes, which is about New Zealand scientists creating new catalysts for car catalytic converters, you will notice that the Related Content list on the right provides links to:
- other research articles about nanoparticles and catalysts
- video clips of scientists explaining their work with nanoparticles and catalysts, and how catalysts work
- a classroom activity for studying volume:surface area ratios of different shapes
- introductions to chemical reactions and catalysts, and the periodic table
- how scientists ‘see’ the atoms they work with
- people and organisations involved in this research field.
Related Content is a handy feature because, whichever link you decide to follow, you will generally find more content to reinforce or develop your central theme. You may even find some aspects of your topic that you’d not thought of before.
MySci
MySci provides you with ways to personalise your view of the Hub. Register now to experience the full benefits of the New Zealand Science Learning Hub – it’s free and easy to do.
Help
If you need help, go to finding your way around the Hub for tips and information.
Coming soon
Science Stories – Watch out for the launch of this fresh, new collection on the Hub – coming soon.
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