Blowing fresh air into atmospheric research

Early Childhood Centres in South Auckland are blowing fresh air into atmospheric research

November 2015

Five Early Childhood Education (ECE) centres in South Auckland are leading the way with STEM for our next generation. The ECE cluster has one of the six community science projects funded in the Participatory Science Platform (PSP): South Auckland pilot, known locally as SouthSci.

In a collaborative project with scientists from NIWA, the group are investigating air quality and the development of a tool to measure particulates in air with a data read-out understandable to our youngest scientists.

Gustavo Olivares, NIWA air quality scientist in their Atmospheric Environment, Health & Society programme, says “the PSP project is perfect for continuing and expanding NIWAs community engagement efforts in South Auckland. We’re looking forward to being challenged by the pre-schoolers and their parents - ; it’s a great test of scientists’ ability to communicate and collaborate across all demographics”.

The South Auckland area is heavily interwoven with industrial property, and the cluster’s interest in air quality came from the children asking what the smoke billowing out of the various stacks was as well as the area’s high incidence rate of respiratory illness.

Grace Ikiua, CEO of the Good Seed Trust, a partner in the project, says “we can’t wait to show everyone just how capable our kids are at learning and doing science, even at such a young age. Curiosity develops from birth, we’re just giving it room to grow”.

The cluster has plans to instigate a wider network at the ECE level for teaching science to under-5s, a sharing space for learning and support. They hope to share with other teachers their journey and pass on tips on how to get in touch and collaborate with scientists.

Tiana Lolesio, GM of Le Malelega a le To’elau ECE, says “STEM skills and engagement are essential for our kids’ futures and fostering their development as early as possible is ideal.” Emily Suaalii, GM Schools for Agape Aoga Amata in Mangere agrees “If the kids are interested in science now, the primary schools will need to support that interest. Likewise, after quality STEM engagement at the primary level, the middle and senior schools will have to follow that support.”

The group hopes that at the end of the project they’ll have a workable tool for measuring air quality, able to be replicated across the country, for other groups at any level to use to support enquiry and supplement their science teaching and investigations into atmospheric science.

The 5 ECE Centres involved in the project are: Good Seeds Children Centre, Mangere; Le Malelega a le To'elau ECE, Mangere; Agape Aoga Amata, Mangere; Akaiti Mangarongaro Punanga Reo Preschool; and Puna O le Atamai Aoga Amata, Mangere.

ENDS

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