Igniting curiosity and inspiring imaginations – Scitech visit

The Governor visited Scitech to get an update on how they have adjusted to the COVID-19 pandemic. Welcomed by Kalien Selby, Chief Executive Officer, she explained how Scitech has ensured the health and wellbeing of staff, visitors and community, by introducing a modified STEM learning experience.

One of Scitech’s biggest challenges is searching for new ways to be able to interact with remote community students on a more regular basis. It currently take three years to attend lots of the remote community schools in the regions as they only have six vehicles that travel over vast distance to reach them.

During the COVID-19 shutdown, they offered virtual classes through schools via zoom and skype. What makes Scitech special is the science communicators as they are extremely passionate and have a background in science and technology or are educators. This enables them to identify how to get the students engaged.

During the tour the Governor interacted with:

Gallery: Discoverland (early learning gallery)

Exhibits:

• • The interactive Construction Zone helps develop children’s ability to work as part of a team, identifying shapes, size, position, order, direction, sorting and patterns.
  • The Water Zone tests flow, currents and direction through interactive water play.

Gallery: Kaartadjin Koorliny (where physical meets digital)

Exhibits:

• • Blow Your Mind where visitors launch glow in the dark material through high powered wind tubes that form a gigantic maze.
  • Create and Conduct turns you into a conductor of electricity to create musical lights.

Gallery: Rio Tinto Innovation Central (dedicated to innovation in STEM)

Exhibits:

• • Hand to Hand Control uses a sensor to map your hand movements to move shapes on a digital screen.
  • A sensor maps your hand movements to guide a robotic hand in Translate my Hands.
  • Laminar Flow Table tests flying objects on a constant flow of air.

Gallery: The Tinkering Space (visitors explore the innovation process of ‘Need, Define, Think, Make, Try, Refine’

Exhibits:

• • Science Presenter Leah Kalimeris introduced the Governor to The Tinkering Space, the workshops we hold and the learning our general public and school visitors experience. She had built many structures with Engineering Blocks, as an example of one of the activities we run, where visitors experiment with building a structure that doesn’t fall.

Gallery: Explore Your World

Exhibit:

• • Testing the effect of frequency and volume with the Sounds are Vibrations tube

Beyond the Science Centre, Scitech has been reconnecting with the community with our Statewide and Learning Futures teams ramping up our in-school program delivery, with activity confirmed well into Term 3. Regional tours will also kick off in Term 3, with school visits already confirmed for the Midwest and Wheatbelt regions.

 

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