EngQuest 2010 Newsletter Issue 1
EngQuest 2010 has already proven to be a great success with a record number of students and volunteers involved in the program. A total 37,300 students from around 800 schools across Australia are currently participating in the program. The EngQuest team is thrilled to see so many online submissions coming in, presenting student’s innovative and creative designs for volunteer engineers to provide feedback on. There has been a great amount of activity on the Ask an Engineer Forum, helping to connect inquisitive students directly to engineers nationally. The 2010 EngQuest site contains new and exciting features, including a video flash animation student‐entry point, games and quizzes, 3D photo galleries and exciting new activities. The site is also 100% compatible with interactive white boards. EngQuest, for the first time this year expanded to include middle schools ‐ years 7 and 8 to become involved in the program. Volunteers across Australia are visiting schools to interact with students and provide opportunities for them to become familiar with engineering and gain valuable insight into this dynamic profession.
EngQuest 2010 is proudly sponsored by
www.engquest.org.au
EngQuest 2010 Newsletter Issue 1
David Aubourg, an EngQuest volunteer, recently visited Wahroonga Primary in NSW to mentor students in the program: “I gave a presentation to three year 6 classes from Wahroonga Primary during the second week back from holidays. With each class I gave a presentation on what engineers do, before conducting a brainstorming session looking at typical engineering designs and processes ‐ defining the project requirements, research, design, construct and review stages. Each class was very interested, suggested some great ideas and asked questions relating to engineering overall, as well as their particular projects they were doing. The teachers found the brainstorming session useful as it provided them with a framework to use for the coming weeks as a guide for the children and their projects. Personally I enjoyed having the opportunity to talk with the children, discuss the work I do as an engineer and help them start on their projects. I am looking forward to going back to visit Wahroonga again in a few weeks, once they are in the advanced design and construction phases, to help answer more questions and provide more direct help for both the children and teachers with their projects.”
Bethany Bickerton, Sharni Walker, Patricia Missen and Olivia Missen from Toongabbie Primary in Victoria, with their water catchment they constructed.
EngQuest 2010 is proudly sponsored by
www.engquest.org.au
EngQuest 2010 Newsletter Issue 1
Don’t forget to put in your request for an engineer to visit your school by accessing the ‘Volunteers Map’ within the teachers section of the site. Once you have completed your EngQuest activities fill in your ‘Completion Form’ on the web in order for us to distribute your certificates and participation prizes. www.engquest.org.au Enquiries: Sara Ross – National Coordinator EngQuest Engineers Australia (02) 6270 6596 engquest@engineersaustralia.org.au
Students from Falls Creek Primary, Victoria building their giant newspaper dome
EngQuest 2010 is proudly sponsored by
www.engquest.org.au