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About GTAC
GTAC was established at The University High School, Parkville in late 2000. In collaboration with key personnel from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at The University of Melbourne the school began an unique partnership between students, teachers and research scientists that continues to this day. GTAC began as a grassroots response by a small group of eminent research scientists led by Professor Suzanne Cory, the Director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) to accurately portray the nature of contemporary bioscience research and biotechnology applications to school students and teachers. Initially based on DNA Science; GTAC has over the past decade has developed a broad raft of programs in cell and molecular biology that attracts over 6000 students and 800 teachers from across Victoria to the Centre each year .
GTAC was the first specialist science centre to be built under the auspices of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD). In 2005, Ecolinc was established at Bacchus Marsh Secondary College closely followed by the Victorian Space Science Education Centre (VSSEC) at Strathmore Secondary College.
Genesis
The last half of the twentieth century saw a rapid growth in our knowledge and understanding of the molecular basis of life. The ASTEC Report (1993) stated “governments can contribute to the formation of progressive attitudes (to the new gene technologies) by ensuring every school child understands the basis of molecular biology”. The report also stated that “improved opportunities for professional development of teachers are essential if teachers are to keep up with advances in this fast moving field”.
Professor Suzanne Cory recognised that if Victoria was to capture the full potential of the opportunities offered by molecular genetics and biotechnology “we must ensure the recruitment of enthused, world class students taught by inspired teachers possessing contemporary knowledge of advances in this rapidly changing area”. In 1995, inspired by her visit to the Dolan DNA Learning Centre at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories on Long Island New York, Professor Cory and her colleagues at WEHI ran a pilot program in DNA Science for senior school students from selected schools, including students from The University High School.
Encouraged by the enthusiastic response of students and teachers, Professor Cory teamed up with Professor Jim Pittard from the Microbiology and Immunology Department of the University of Melbourne. In 1996 they initiated a week-long DNA Science Summer School for secondary school teachers to update their knowledge of DNA science. The program included a series of laboratory workshops on DNA manipulation techniques and lectures from leading Australian research scientists on contemporary bioscience research issues. The Summer School ran for 5 years attracting a total of 178 teachers from government and private schools, nearly half of whom were from regional and country Victoria and some from interstate. During this period, two microbiologists leading the DNA Science Summer School, Professor Dick Strugnell and Dr Judyta Praeskier from the Department of Microbiology & Immunology (M&I) at The University of Melbourne conducted a pilot laboratory workshop, in selected schools, that introduced senior biology students to basic DNA manipulation techniques.
Merging scientific expertise with teacher knowledge
In 2000 the then Principal of The University High School, Bronwyn Valente and Brian Stevenson, held discussions with Professor Suzanne Cory and Professor Dick Strugnell. These discussions resulted in a joint application, under the Science in Schools Partnership (SIS), to establish programs in DNA Science and Biotechnology, at the University High School, that would be accessible to all Victorian secondary students and teachers. The application was successful and the first program was held in October 2000 using the school’s biology laboratory classroom. Over the next three years Brian Stevenson held programs for visiting students and teachers with the assistance of the school’s laboratory manager and an enthusiastic but small band of PhD students.
In the 2001 State Budget the Victorian government announced funding, from the “Growing Victoria Infrastructure Reserve”, for the Department of Education and Training to build three specialist science education centres. The University High School, based upon its role in the GTAC partnership, was identified as the host school for a specialist science education centre focusing on DNA science and biotechnology. The Principal sought and gained approval of the School Council for the construction of the Centre that would have a high degree of operational autonomy and governed by a Board of Management made up of representatives of the foundation stakeholders. The Centre opened in April 2004.
GTAC is governed by a Board of Management made up of recognised and respected senior representatives from the foundation stakeholders. Board members include Professor Suzanne Cory (Chair), The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute; Professor Dick Strugnell, VC Post-Graduate Studies, The University of Melbourne; and Professor Brendan Crabb, Director, Burnett Institute. The host School Council is represented by the Principal. The centre Director is appointed by the Board, with the approval of the Principal, and has the delegated authority to run the centre on behalf of the Board and the host school.
From the outset, all the individuals involved in the project have had an agreed shared vision or purpose and mutual respect for each other’s area of expertise. Vision can be an overused term, yet most research agrees that without a vision it is difficult to set in place effective learning and teaching strategies. A clear vision is critical in making sure ambitions are set and that the expectations of all stakeholders are aligned. Our vision was (and still is) for Victoria to have a world class specialist education centre in molecular and cell biology that engages students, and promotes excellence and innovation in the learning and teaching of contemporary biology in collaboration with research scientists.
The GTAC logo depicting the four letters of the nitrogen bases that constitute the genetic code not only symbolised the nature of the specialisation but more importantly represent how teaching and learning objectives link vision to practice.
Genes
DNA and other biomolecules not only reflect the focus of contemporary biological research but highlight the interdisciplinary nature of contemporary biology with particular reference to the role played by the physical sciences and information technology in the emerging fields of genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and systems biology.
Technology
Technologies are used to highlight the nature of contemporary bioscience and to present concepts using highly visual multi-modal representations that capture student interest and assist learning. ICT is used to visualise higher order concepts in cell and molecular biology through animations and simulations and website resources. GTAC was the first to develop a range of bioinformatics tasks for students and teachers that used global databases in real time. In addition teachers and students have access to visual representations and pod casts via our website to assist teaching and learning.
Access
Programs not only provide all Victorian teachers and students with quality resources that assist the learning and teaching of molecular and cell biology but provide school students with the opportunity to work in small groups with young scientists at the laboratory bench. The building of a positive and supportive learning environment that engages the student builds confidence and promotes a dialogue that informs the student about the nature of the scientific enterprise and the diversity of scientific career options. Teacher professional learning programs give teachers access to eminent research scientists and provide them the opportunity to update their skills and knowledge to enrich classroom practice and to reconnect with their academic discipline.
Centre, Collaboration & Culture
The strength of formal and informal partnerships with our stakeholders and supporters from tertiary and scientific research sectors has ensured that the centre is not only well resourced physically beyond the “school norm” but is knowledge rich. Collaborative work practices have resulted in a collegiate culture that spans the secondary and tertiary sectors.
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