Elephant’s toothpaste, screaming jelly babies and exploding hydrogen balloons are just some of the hands-on experiments planned for science teachers at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Wednesday 2 November.  The professional learning day will give 37 junior science teachers from schools across the Riverina the opportunity to learn about activities that address the syllabus while also entertaining students in years 7-10. Senior lecturer in chemistry with CSU’s School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, Dr Paul Prenzler said, “This is a very exciting opportunity to work together with local high school teachers to provide them with demonstrations that will engage their students in science and show that chemistry concepts can be demonstrated in fun and spectacular ways.” CSU research into wine aroma and antioxidants in food and health will also be on display. The event has been organised by the CSU Chemistry Group and the Eastern Riverina Science Teachers’ Association.

Thirteen Charles Sturt University (CSU) students will have the ultimate cultural experience in teaching when they arrive in Vanuatu for three weeks of teaching practice in three schools around the nation’s capital, Port Vila. The students, in their third year of the Early Childhood / Primary School and Middle School Education degrees based at CSU in Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst and Dubbo, will teach for one week in each of the schools, starting Saturday 22 October. CSU student Ms Samantha Whitehouse is keen to move out of her comfort zone and gain a more global perspective on culture. “By being open to cultural differences and different understandings of the world, I will be more sensitive to the needs of learners as individuals, which is important for a multicultural society such as Australia. I hope to gain some understanding of the local community, interact with the local people, and learn some of their customs and norms. I might even have time to smile, laugh and have some fun.”  The students are due to return to Australia on Saturday 12 November.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) senior lecturer in Human Movement Studies, Dr Deborah Clarke wishes NSW  students well in the Higher School Certificate (HSC) exams but knows that good luck has very little to do with the outcome. “It’s all about preparation and these students have spent the past year preparing for these exams in one way or another,” she says. “The ones that often do well are those who have done the extra work, using resources such as study groups, tuition in their weaker subjects and online services.” Dr Clarke has been involved in the continued development of online resource, NSW HSC Online. “This is a great preparation tool for students with practice exam papers and relevant study material for 61 HSC subjects.” Developed in collaboration with the NSW government through Education and Communities, NSW HSC Online provides access to quality education resources for all students, particularly those in rural and regional areas.

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic is spreading the message to schools for the need to conserve endangered habitats in the Murray-Darling Basin. Through new teaching resources primary schools in the Basin can follow the exploits of ‘Doctor Dave’, or Associate Professor David Watson from the School of Environmental Sciences at CSU. The video and audio package, reading book and worksheets for outdoor activities also involves pupils of Burrumbuttock Primary School in the southern Riverina. “The reading book follows the adventures of Murray, the Murray Darling Carpet Snake, Stanley, the Blue-tongue Lizard and Sammy, the Squirrel Glider. They are all endangered animals found in native yellow box grasslands, which once extended from southern Queensland, through western NSW and northern Victoria to eastern South Australia. These lands formed the basis for Australia’s eastern wheat-belt and were cleared for grazing and cropping. Now only five per cent of these woodlands remain untouched. The grasslands and the animals they house are threatened with extinction. It will be up to future land managers - the school children– to conserve the remaining examples of these precious habitats for future generations.”

A local group dedicated to improving educational and training opportunities for Indigenous people in Albury will meet for the first time at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga on Wednesday 19 October. President of the Albury Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG), Mr John Murray, said the meeting will allow educational leaders and community members to see CSU and what it might offer young Indigenous people. “For too long, many of our most capable people have not seen university as something they could do,” said Mr Murray. The group allows the local Aboriginal community to provide advice and discuss issues concerning the education and training of Aboriginal people. CSU Professor of Education, Bob Perry, said there were mutual benefits in holding the AECG meeting at the University.  “We already have many links through research and teaching with the local Aboriginal community and have a strong working relationship with the group. This event will also make Charles Sturt University more visible and attainable.” Around 25 people will attend the outdoor meeting in the David Mitchell Wetlands at CSU from 2pm on Wednesday 19 October, after a reception hosted by the Murray School of Education from1.30pm.

Bathurst residents are invited to a free screening of the documentary In the footsteps of the ancestors – Muslims Down Under, to mark United Nations Day in Bathurst on Monday 24 October. The screening is co-hosted by Charles Sturt University, Bathurst Regional Council and the Islamic Council of NSW, and is sponsored by the Bathurst Information and Neighbourhood Centre, and the Culturally Diverse Working Group. The documentary, directed by Ms Nada Roude, explores the ethnic, linguistic, cultural diversity and history of Muslims in Australia, and tells the stories of Muslim pioneers and their descendants, starting with the first interaction by Macassans from the Indonesian archipelago who travelled to northern Australia and traded with the Indigenous population prior to European settlement. The documentary screens at 6.30pm at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre. A reception and refreshments will be served from 5.30pm in the Centre’s Wattle Foyer.

Singer, songwriter and musician, Ms Holly Throsby will be the final writer-in-residence for 2011, at the Booranga Writers’ Centre at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga. The Sydney-based artist has released five albums to date: On Night (2004); Under the Town (2006); A Loud Call (2008); a children’s album called See! (2010); and Team (2011). She joined Australian songwriters Sarah Blasko and Sally Seltman to form the group ‘Seeker Lover Keeper’ and their self-titled album was released earlier this year. Ms Throsby has been nominated for two 2011 ARIA awards, one for best children’s album and the other for best adult alternative album. While in Wagga Wagga, she will perform a free all-ages concert at the Museum of the Riverina’s Botanic Gardens site on Saturday 22 October from 1pm. Ms Throsby will also give a workshop for practising regional songwriters at the Booranga Writers’ Centre on Sunday 23 October at 2pm.

The role of a healthy diet in tackling the problem of childhood obesity is just one of the issues being discussed at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Nutrition Clinic, ahead of National Nutrition Week beginning on Sunday 16 October. The 2007-2008 National Health Survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, found almost a quarter of Australian children aged 5 to 17 were overweight or obese. Accredited Practising Dietitian and Clinical Educator with the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences, Mr Shane Delves said a healthy diet is a key factor in addressing the issue and parents are important role models. “Eating a balanced diet containing fruit and vegetables, lean meats, whole-grains and good sources of dairy, along with good amounts of physical activity and minimising sedentary behaviours, are vital to the health of young Australians,” he said. The CSU Nutrition Clinic provides free, one-on-one advice about healthy eating and general wellbeing. It allows Bachelor of Health Science (Nutrition and Dietetics) students at CSU to gain valuable experience in dietary consulting, under the supervision of an Accredited Practicing Dietitian.

 

The impact of an increasing number of refugees on Australian communities will be discussed at a public forum being co-hosted by Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga on Wednesday 12 October. The forum, A Place to Call Home – The World’s Refugee Dilemma will hear from a number of experts, including representatives from the Refugee Council of Australia, the UN International Criminal Tribunal and World Vision Australia. They will speak on how to balance the needs of refugees and local communities, and recognise the skills refugees bring to these communities. They will also highlight the responsibilities of Australian citizens to refugees, and what we can do to help the global refugee problem. The speakers will address these issues at a public forum starting at 6pm in the Albury Entertainment Centre, Swift Street in Albury.