{"id":39745,"date":"2018-06-06T11:00:01","date_gmt":"2018-06-06T01:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/?p=39745"},"modified":"2018-06-07T15:37:03","modified_gmt":"2018-06-07T05:37:03","slug":"how-education-and-outreach-can-inspire-the-next-generation-of-space-thinkers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/how-education-and-outreach-can-inspire-the-next-generation-of-space-thinkers\/","title":{"rendered":"How education and outreach can inspire the next generation of space thinkers"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/em><\/p>\n

This is the 13th in our series \u2018Australia in Space\u2019 leading up to ASPI\u2019s\u00a0<\/em>Building Australia\u2019s Strategy for Space<\/a>\u00a0conference.<\/em><\/p>\n

With the announcement of the Australian Space Agency, our space industry can start to focus on the opportunities and benefits that it will bring. No longer will the global space industry be the domain of overseas government agencies and multibillion-dollar budgets. Space is now part of the commercial sector and, as the price of participation falls, Australia will be well placed to be part of that.<\/p>\n

Development of a domestic space industry will give Australia better access to the global industry, which is estimated to be worth $1.1\u00a0trillion by 2040<\/a>. Around 10,000 Australians are already employed in the space industry, but many with expertise have left the country in search of work or are working outside of their areas of expertise so that they can stay in Australia. By 2030, however, the industry is estimated to have created around 20,000 high-paying jobs.<\/p>\n

What this means is that Australia needs to develop a space industry\u2013ready talent pool. We need well-educated young people with strengths in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), as well as people working on computer algorithms, space policy and ethics, law and finance. They need to be willing to learn new skills and embrace life-long learning as technology changes and improves.<\/p>\n

The report of the review of Australia\u2019s space industry capability<\/a>, released in March 2018, recognises that we\u2019ll have to work on our space jobs pipeline, both in schools and in the broader community:<\/p>\n

Recommendation 8:<\/strong> The Government gives priority to strategies that enable: active engagement with Australian schools and the broader community on global space activities; space-related training and education to improve capability; space-inspired STEM outreach; and industry-led research collaboration to underpin the space industry.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Inspiring the next generation of space professionals obviously means that schools, early childhood education and extracurricular activities will play a vital role in engaging children with STEM early and sustaining that interest.<\/p>\n

However, many believe that we\u2019re almost at crisis point in our STEM education. Australia has declined in both absolute and relative achievement in science and maths.<\/p>\n

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Source:<\/span> Australian Council for Educational Research<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s National Science Statement<\/a>, released in March 2017, found that enrolments in STEM subjects were at the lowest level in 20 years.<\/p>\n

Much is already being done to address these issues, and the space agency will have a role in promoting and coordinating the existing programs and resources, as well as identifying the areas in which there are gaps.<\/p>\n

There are many programs that provide STEM course materials for teachers and K\u201312 students that link to the Australian curriculum and are, or could be, based on what we need for Australian space programs:<\/p>\n