Get Involved with Science Learning Hub

Today I’m posting a piece I wrote for the latest NZ Entomological Society Newsletter on my collaboration with Science Learning Hub.

The Science Learning Hub – Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao makes quality science more accessible for teachers, students, and the wider community. It hosts teaching and learning resources on hundreds of different subjects ranging from marine ecosystems to the latest drone technology. Images, videos, and animations are paired with articles explaining these concepts and showing how they can add context and impact to science teaching. Resources are designed to meet the needs of teachers and satisfy the requirements of the NZ curriculum. The hub is managed by the Wilf Malcolm Institute of Educational Research, Te Kura Toi Tangata, School of Education, The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato, and receives funding through the New Zealand Government’s Curious Minds initiative.

I’ve collaborated with the hub to publish two resources so far:

1. How insects smell
2. An introduction to native New Zealand wasps

Now I’m encouraging other students and researchers to get involved with the hub too.

I think it’s important for students and researchers to communicate their science for a variety of reasons:

1. Sharpen your writing by trying out different styles and tones.
2. Make a name for yourself as an expert in your chosen area.
3. Create opportunities for yourself after you finish study or your current work role.
4. Give back to the community and inspire the next generation of scientists.

Putting your work out there may lead to all sorts of future collaborations or opportunities, it’s a lot of fun, and it feels satisfying to give back.

Getting involved with Science Learning Hub is easy:

1. Have a browse through some of the existing content on the hub to familiarise yourself with the different types of content they produce.
2. Introduce yourself by sending an email to [email protected]. Describe your career stage, your areas of expertise, and any ideas you might already have for a resource.
3. Work with the hub to focus on an idea and bring it to life.

Articles are a great way to start. They’re usually around 500-600 words and they focus on explaining a concept. I would recommend working with the hub to settle on an idea for an article, and then get a good first draft down. Rewrite it and tweak it before sending it in for feedback. The hub will supply you with a style guide to help you polish your drafts and cut down on the amount of editing that needs to be done, so remember to do your best before sending a draft in. You may also be asked to put your work into a hub-supplied document template which makes the process faster for the editor.

If you have any great images, video, or sound recordings you can add those too. Just check with the hub regarding copyright. I like to use openly licensed images, for example images from Wikimedia Commons or iNaturalist released under a Creative Commons License.

Share your knowledge and inspire the next generation of scientists by working with Science Learning Hub to create awesome teaching resources.