Working Party/Committees

STAV Council has established and adhoc Committees and Working Parties. Committees and Working Parties are governed by a Terms of Reference and report directly to STAV Council.

Science Education Research Working Party

STAV is pleased to host a Science Education Research Working Party which explores opportunities for STAV to connect with initial Teacher Education programs and science education research and researchers hosted by the nine universities around Victoria.

The Science Education Research Working Party reports to STAV Council and is governed by the Working Party’s Terms of Reference (ToR).

  1. Raise the profile of STAV in the Victorian science education community.
  2. Build a community of practice between STAV, Victorian universities, and other academic partners (publishers, TAFE, Science Education Centres).
  3. Connect with the STAV PST Working Group.
  4. Increase inclusion of science education academics in STAV (leadership, events, activities).
  5. Connect with STAV Editorial Committee to increase academic involvement in STAV publications.
  6. Connect to initial teacher education programs across Victorian Universities.
  7. Facilitate and partner research conducted across Victoria in science education (through research collaborations with universities and education jurisdictions).
    – Supporting and monitoring research participation invitations to STAV members.
    – Provide a pathway to access academic expertise.
  8. Design, develop, and curate resources useful in science classrooms.
  1. If you are conducting science education research across Victoria and if you are interested in sharing opportunities to engage primary, secondary, or tertiary science educators in your research please complete the application form below.

    STAV will endorse successful research applications and connect researchers to practicing Teachers/ Schools by promoting research engagement opportunities to our membership.

    Engaging with science education research is important for all in the science education ecosystem. The following are specific examples of the benefits:

    • Professional learning opportunities – engaging in classroom research projects may expose you (and your students) to innovations that develop your teaching practice.
    • Becoming involved in research collaborations develop your teaching community of practice and expand the ecosystem.
    • Considering the theoretical background to your practice strengthens and develops your teaching skill and one way to do this is to engage directly with the contemporary science education researchers.
    • You may be considering taking a higher degree and participating in others research is a great way to develop relationships and to initiate your own research ideas.
    • The strategies used by the researchers may be of interest to you to conduct your own classroom research.

If you are a researcher interested in STAV communicating your research engagement opportunities to our membership and key stakeholders, you must submit an application. 

  1. Please complete this online application form here.
  2. The details required include a brief project description, ethical and approval permissions as well as the specifics about your communication request
  3. STAV can communicate your invitation via STAV Facebook/social media, Contact, Lab Talk/Let’s Find Out journals (text/article to be written by researcher at time of application)
  • Your submission will be reviewed by the Working Party
  • The Working Party. recommendations are presented to STAV Council for ratification.

Please note, the review process could take up to four weeks. 

The STAV Science Education Research Working Party meetings 2024 will be updated soon.

The current Convenor of the STAV Science Education Research Working Party is Associate Professor Peta White on [email protected].

Beginning Teachers Working Group

Update coming soon.

History Working Group

Update coming soon.