The Venom Patrol
The Australian Venom Research Unit in the Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, in collaboration with the Graduate School of Education is developing an on-line educational resource (website) for middle school students throughout Australia. This website, funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, draws on a variety of textual genres and formats including art, photography, multimedia and video. It encourages teachers to interact online and suggests additional learning activities and assessment when using a transdisciplinary curriculum approach. The website also makes provision for student exchanges during and after their participation in activities. Several collaborative relationships will assist in the future development of knowledge transfer within and around this website. The Museum of Victoria and the Melbourne Zoo have expressed interest in an ARC linkage application that provides for the evaluation of the impact of this resource on student and teacher learning. Collaboration with the Curriculum Corporation and Asia Link will produce a series of digital curriculum resources (learning objects) and, potentially, extend the project into Asian schools and Asian language contexts.
On the current website two major pathways engage students in inquiry-based learning experiences. The first allows students to interact with four habitats, by identifying and classifying venomous animals. The second pathway has the students engaging with three sites. A Ranger’s Office introduces safety procedures around venomous animals, the venom structures of individual animals, and how scientists study, classify and name animals. The Medical Clinic focuses on the symptoms of venomous bites and stings and appropriate first aid or emergency procedures. Here, students use their scientific understandings to consider and respond to appropriate ethical and social issues relevant to them such as those related to their own health and well-being. Using Flash animations and images, the Venom Laboratory demonstrates the effects of venomous bites and stings on the human body. It engages students with responses to a historical timeline of cultural artistic depictions of venomous animals and the work of scientists in studying venom and developing antivenoms for injuries. In addition, online interviews and videos in a Venom Gallery allow students to interact with a range of venom scientists and experts throughout Australian laboratories, museums, zoos, sanctuaries and aquariums. These resources enable students to understand the relevance of science and science-related issues to their own and other people’s lives.