New South Wales
Country Areas Program
Projects That Really Make a Difference!

Project Title: University of New England Visit Program

Type: School Initiative

Coordinator/s: Ms Shirley Ellis

Participating Schools: Wee Waa High School

Attributes Addressed: Self, Self&emdash;Directed Learning, Communication, Global Awareness and Responsibility, Literacy, Numeracy, Technology

Overview:

Considering that students in isolated schools often have limited knowledge of opportunities provided by tertiary facilities and courses, as well as the large distances and associated costs of travel from these schools to such facilities, this initiative seeks to provide secondary students with the opportunity to extend their knowledge of tertiary facilities and available courses and to provide talented students with the opportunity to interact with other talented students and experience extension activities.

The initiative aims to achieve outcomes in the following areas:

* challenge and extend students in specific subject areas

* students develop the motivation and skill for self directed lifelong learning

* students further develop their competency in literacy and technololgy

* students further develop their oral and written communication skills

* expose students to a tertiary environment providing them with an insight into university life

* provide leadership training

* develop a peer mentor network of talented students which may continue via the internet with university students/lectures

* widen their horizon to encompass the challenges of future careers available as a result of a tertiary education

Implementation

Term 1:

Talented students from Years 9&emdash;12 will be identified and extension programs offered eg in Mathematics, Science, Business, English. Students will be informed and the school will motivate students to encourage their participation.

Term 2:

Students will travel to Armidale to the University of New England and will view and use various facilities while staying on campus for three days. This will raise their awareness of tertiary education. There will be orientation to various facilities as well as study sessions involving university personnel

Visits to faculties will be arranged and there will be a choice of problems to solve or research. Students will undertake activities which will develop leadership skills and team building.They will be involved in problem solving tasks/activities in their subject area eg Mathematics, Science and Technology. Faculty staff will interact with the students during these sessions.

Students will have opportunity to access and use faculty and library resources where library staff will interact with them with university students acting as mentors in labs and computer facilities. They will participate in lectures/workshops in specific subjects and further develop their communication skills.

Students will have opportunity to make use of the university sporting facilities and interact with the Sports Union personnel.

Students will be encouraged and supported in the establishment of further mentor links with the university lecturers and students from various faculties via the internet.

A written overview of this initiative will be published in the school newsletter.