Students testing out their paper aeroplanes.
Camera IconStudents testing out their paper aeroplanes. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Southern River College launches after school STEM program for primary school students

Ben SmithComment News

SOUTHERN River College’s emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects has continued, with the school launching an after school program for primary students.

Select students from Southern River College’s feeder schools throughout Gosnells and Maddington have been invited to the school’s Inspire STEM Ability And Creativity (ISAAC) Club.

The school’s teachers and scientists David Hoskenok and Sarah Wickham run the club.

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Dr Wickham said it was important to channel and harness scientific interest in children from as early an age as possible.

“Kids have the imagination and the enthusiasm and the things these kids can think and come up with is quite different to what high school kids sometimes come up with,” she said.

“Grabbing that early and trying to keep that thought process going is really important.”

Dr Wickham said experiments such as making paper aeroplanes and cotton reel racers helped kids develop skills which would be useful for jobs in the future such as critical thinking, teamwork and problem solving.

“We’re working on little projects to understand what the kids already know, getting their capacity for measurement, design and communication built up, and then eventually we want them thinking of their own questions, their own problems they want to solve, using the skills we taught them,” she said.

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