After learning about Science for many years, this course is for students who want to put this into practice. Science Extension is a one unit course for students who are already doing another Science subject. These students become researchers in the Scientific community by joining the pioneering Barker Science Extension Research Group, conducting genuine research based on literature, and writing a journal article to be published in the Barker Science Journal “Scientific Research In School”.
Outstanding students even have the opportunity to present their work at international academic conferences or submit to academic journals (as was done by the Class of 2020).
Contact
Science Extension Co-ordinator: Dr Katie Terrett
Email: kterrett@barker.nsw.edu.au
Year 12
Students will have a research supervisor, a staff member experienced in academic research supervision, who will work closely with them to develop their research question, perform their experiment, and present their work to the academic community. Unlike learning activities in previous years, it is the student who is the expert in their project area, who is guided by research methodology advice from their supervisor working along side them to produce high-quality research.
Barker College is a recognised leader in Science Extension in NSW due to the school’s approach to research supervision, publication of student work, and hosting of public lectures on syllabus content where students and teachers from around NSW learn from the Barker Science Extension teachers. The Science Extension syllabus focuses on the nature, development and processes of Science.
The course requires students to engage with complex concepts and theories and to critically evaluate new ideas, discoveries, and contemporary scientific research. Both the in-school scientific processing task, and the external HSC exam are completed online and this is the first computer-based HSC exam in NSW.
For project ideas, see the four volumes of our School Journal “Scientific Research In School” which have student projects form 2019 and 2022, discuss with your Science teacher, or come visit Dr Katie Terrett or Dr Matthew Hill.
2021 Science Journal
2022 Science Journal
Assessment
- Oral Presentation
- Research Methodology Processing Task (Computer-based)
- Scientific Research Report