 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
||||||||
|
OverviewOverview | Home |Order a CD of this Site Every day, nuclear technology is used all around Australia – in hospitals, research laboratories, and industry – and many stories about nuclear science appear in newspapers and on television. Sometimes these stories cover scientific discoveries and innovations, and sometimes they address issues such as the disposal of radioactive waste or the prevention of nuclear weapons proliferation. There are many sources of information and opinion and these range from science books, to blockbuster movies, to environmental organisations. The 12 topics in this resource, which explore aspects of nuclear science and technology, have been produced by ANSTO – the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation – to help students interpret the information they encounter. ANSTO is a government agency, and Australia’s centre for nuclear facilities and expertise. ANSTO has created these Science class materials to provide an opportunity to explore the technical and social dimensions of nuclear science and technology. Life in the nuclear age presents many exciting but complex opportunities, as well as risks, questions and decisions. These topics can help students to be active in understanding nuclear science and technology, and in deciding its place in Australian society. Having examined the Science curriculums of the States and Territories, this module has been developed to focus on the curriculum outcomes that are generally considered to be appropriately dealt with in Years 9 and 10. However, in schools where students are streamed and there is an emphasis on science education in lower secondary years, these lessons could be appropriate for Year 8 (and Year 7 where this is a part of secondary schooling in the State or Territory). These ANSTO curriculum materials consist of 12 topics, arranged into four themes. Each theme has three topics. The module includes materials for the students and the teacher, as well as assessment activities. Some of the topics could be covered in one single or double lesson of about 45–90 minutes, others may involve more lesson time and perhaps some homework.In order to stimulate student interest and to focus attention on the basic understanding needed in order to discuss the issues effectively, teachers may choose to start with the first exercise in Theme 4: Choosing nuclear futures, in which students examine their knowledge of and attitudes towards nuclear technology. By doing this exercise first, the students can observe their attitudes before they become influenced by the content of this resource. This exercise could then be repeated at the end of the module, so students can observe the development of their knowledge of and attitudes towards nuclear technology. Theme 1: About radioactivity provides the basic scientific knowledge to support an understanding of the science related to all of the other three themes. Theme 2: Life in the nuclear age and Theme 3: Using radiation each have their own focus and can be used in isolation, provided students have sufficient technical knowledge or support materials, such as those in Theme 1: About radioactivity. The four themes vary in their blend of science and social content. Theme 1: About radioactivity, with its focus on basic science, has the strongest technical focus. The next most technical is Theme 3: Using radiation, which examines the applications of nuclear science, and their benefits and costs for society. Theme 2: Life in the nuclear age has its technical basis in the biological effects of nuclear radiation, but from here moves to examine social controversies over the containment and use of nuclear technology. Finally, although Theme 4: Choosing nuclear futures is predominantly social, with its focus on the historical and political dimensions of radioactivity, it highlights the increasing importance of scientific knowledge in governing a technologically advanced society such as Australia. All the topics require that students systematically gather and evaluate evidence by using a critical but balanced approach. In addition to teaching students basic scientific facts and concepts, the topics stimulate students to reflect on the methodology and historical development of science, the roles of nuclear science and technology in Australia, and the social controls under which it operates. AcknowledgementsCurriculum CorporationProject Manager: Helen Trotter ImagesANSTO: |
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
Privacy | Legal | Contact Us |
||||||||||
|
