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A SHORT HISTORY
In 1995, Professor Suzanne Cory and her
colleagues at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI)
ran a pilot DNA science course at WEHI for Year 12 University
High School biology students, inspired by a visit the
previous year to the Dolan DNA Learning Centre of the
Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory, New York.
Encouraged by the enthusiastic response
of the students, Professor Cory teamed up with Professor
Jim Pittard from the Microbiology and Immunology Department
of the University of Melbourne and in 1996 they initiated
a week-long DNA Science Summer Workshop for secondary
school teachers to update their knowledge of DNA science.
These workshops included an advanced laboratory course
and lectures from leading Australian research scientists
on major contemporary biology issues. A website was
established to provide teachers with access to useful
DNA science education tools and programs. Over the 5
years, a total of 178 teachers from government and private
schools graduated, nearly half of whom were from regional
and country Victoria and some from interstate.
During this period, two of the microbiologists
leading the DNA Science course, Professor Dick Strugnell
and Dr Judyta Praeskier conducted a pilot laboratory
course in selected schools to introduce senior students
to basic DNA manipulation techniques.
In 2000, following discussions with the
Principal of University High School, Ms Bronwyn Valente,
and Mr Brian Stevenson, then Head of the Senior School,
a partnership was established under the Department of
Education’s Science in Schools Strategy between
WEHI, the Microbiology and Immunology Department and
The University High School to broaden the program and
make them accessible to all Victorian students and teachers.
GTAC was born.
For the next four years, the program
operated from the biology laboratory at University High
School on Wednesdays and Thursdays. In this period over
1000 teachers and pre-service teachers attended various
Professional Development sessions and over 5000 students
from Victorian secondary schools attended laboratory
workshops. The highly acclaimed GTAC learning environment
was established whereby school students work in small
groups with PhD students as “mentors”, using
research quality equipment.
In May 2000, the Victorian Government
announced a major grant to build a Centre for GTAC on
the campus of University High School. Construction commenced
in January 2003. The Centre was completed in April 2004
and the first students attended a laboratory workshop
on the 20th April. The design of the Centre reflects
the various learning cultures that make up the GTAC
partnership. The focus is on flexibility and venues
that are multifunctional. Symbolic design features remind
the visitor that the Centre is about biology at the
molecular level and, in particular, about DNA.
Approximately 250 secondary students
attend the Centre each fortnight for a laboratory workshop.
The demand for all programs is high and school visits
are booked a year in advance. The Centre will allow
for current programs to evolve and for new programs
to be initiated.
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