PIGED

Teaching Resources

We have developed a free CD-based resource package to assist secondary school agriculture/science teachers in delivery of pig-related and basic science courses to year 8-12 students. The package consists of the following;

• An introduction – this is primarily a note to teachers explaining how to use the package
• Eight teaching modules, each containing 3 teaching components
• Learning notes (lesson equivalents)
• Classroom activities
• Individual, hands-on and small group assignments
• A virtual piggery
• A pork careers glossy booklet
  
  

In the learning notes section alone, there are a total of 18 powerpoint-based ‘lessons’ covering every aspect of the pork industry. In addition to these basic ‘lessons’ the package contains numerous activities and assignments which are aimed at getting school students more involved in the subject. The activities are intended for use within the classroom to support the teaching materials provided in the learning notes while the assignments can involve hands-on work with pigs, library/internet searches etc. The design of the package enables you to ‘pick and choose’ which slides you would like to show during lesson time. More information, including updates will be posted in our ‘News and Events’ section.

‘Proposed Initiatives
- Provision of support for on-site pig infrastructure development (e.g. small ecoshelters for ~20 growers) at schools. These ‘mini-piggeries' operate via a sympathetic local pork producer supplying the pigs, feed and bedding while the school provides the labour input. At the end of the growth phase (usually pork weight, in order to fit in with school terms/semesters) the pigs are returned to the producer. The school is not required to outlay funds to purchase pigs, feed or bedding but does receive an agreed payment per pig per week for ‘agistment'.

- Provision of an annual “Pork Industry Experience” whereby interested students from around Australia spend 2-3 days at the Roseworthy campus of Adelaide University and are given wide, positive exposure to all aspects of the pork industry from career options to the latest science behind pork production.

- Sponsored work placement for interested students. This would, where necessary, allow students doing ‘VET in Schools' to achieve several of the required TAFE competencies while earning a salary and gaining a positive experience of the pork industry.

- Establishment of pig-related sponsored projects or small-scale experiments within ‘enterprise education' or it's equivalent at the school level. These will develop the student's interest in either the IT, science or management components of the pork industry. It may be possible for the pork industry or an alternative sponsor to either support the costs of these projects and/or to offer a prize for the best student(s)/project(s).

- Provision of brief (1 or 2 hour) high quality presentation(s) to school students highlighting the positive aspects and career opportunities within the pork industry at all levels (i.e. piggery traineeships through to careers that follow on from achievement of diploma, degree or Masters/Ph.D. status). These will be delivered by the pork industry's most eloquent motivational speakers.

- Creation of pork industry cadetships that cover course costs, and possibly some living and other expenses, in exchange for commitment to work within the pork industry for a minimum period post-qualification. These may be offered to year 12 school students (i.e. cover all years of tertiary education) or recipients may be selected at the end or year 1 or 2 of their tertiary education. Cadets will be provided with mentors, be required to select key pig and animal science-related subjects within their overall course and will be encouraged and supported to gain practical pork industry experience during vacations.

For more information on any of these initiatives, please contact Paul Hughes on paul.hughes@nationalporkcentre.com.au or by phone 08 8303 7603.