Join Our Network
If you would like to participate in our MyScience discussion forums and groups and receive updates with the latest on MyScience and access our resources, please register and join our MyScience network .
Become a scientist mentor
We welcome scientists from the business or academic community who would like to become mentors to primary school students. Scientist mentors
- serve as role models to students, inspiring them to take an interest in science
- provide advice on content and methodology
For those new to mentoring, there is a briefing session at the start of the project. This is followed by a face-to-face meeting of mentors and students at school. During this session, mentors are paired with 6 to 8 students. After introductions, the students present their project plans in their discussion groups with their mentor. A time allotment of 10 to 15 minutes is usually devoted to each project, the focus of which should be specific issues within the students’ investigations. The students will present the following:
- What is being investigated
- What is already known about the problem
- What is the hypothesis
- Which variables are being measured, changed or kept the same
- What is the experimental design and ways to improve it (including the ideas of repetition and replication)
- What predictions can be made
- How observations and results will be taken, recorded and analysed
- How conclusions will be drawn
Mentors might suggest useful resources that students can draw on and provide ideas for future projects or activities. Communications between mentors and students occur for a few weeks online through IBM MentorPlace. At a later date, mentors return for a second classroom visit to provide more specific feedback and encouragement.
Register your interest here.
