Students from year 4 to year 10 will have a better understanding of how science, mathematics and technology works in the real world after an innovative teaching project ran in Gladstone schools over the past 18 months.

The project was part of a federally funded initiative called Australian School Innovations in Science, Technology and Mathematics (ASISTM).  The aim of ASISTM is to enhance the teaching and leaning of science, mathematics and technology to better engage students and to build the capacity of teachers in these critical areas by creating links and partnerships to industry.

Dr Mark Collis and Terry Rudder of Education Queensland meet with Craig Smith, senior researcher for the ASISTM reviewProject Director, Terry Rudder, said that the project had close links with local industry.

"Our project's learning community comprised 9 local primary schools, 3 local secondary schools and 45 mentors from local industry and Central Queensland University," said Mr Rudder.

"These mentors gave freely of their time and expertise to work with over 900 students and 103 teachers and teacher aides to ensure that the project based learning tasks they were engaged in were as authentic and real world as they could possibly be."

The funding body, the Department of Education, Science and Training have commissioned a review of the program to be conducted by Professor Russell Tytler.  The project in Gladstone was one of only 16 nationwide to be included in the review.

Senior researcher for the review, Craig Smith of Deakin University, said that they were looking of exemplars of innovative projects across different states, regional and rural areas.

"One of the first aspects of the project run in Gladstone that caught our eye was that the curriculum units were relevant to the local industry and environment," said Mr Smith. 

The Gladstone project received $120, 000 from the first round of funding grants through ASISTM in June 2005.  The grant application was devised by a team under the leadership of Dr Mark Collis, Principal Advisor - Education Services for the district.

Dr Collis said the project is sustainable even after the funding runs out because of how it was developed.

"We made it part of the curriculum units so that it can continue," said Dr Collis.

"We have close and ongoing relationships between industry and schools and there is huge benefit in the networks we have formed."

Two new ASISTM applications from Gladstone have recently been short listed in round four of applications.