About this CD

Foreword by Robyn Williams

Introduction

History

Credits & Resources

Epilogue

History

‘A day in the Life Sciences in Australia’ sprung from our university Life Sciences class, more commonly referred to as ‘LIFE’. We see this single word as an appropriate abbreviation since the class not only relates to the fields of science we study, but focuses on the practical learning processes that we can glean from real life science, and more generally, life itself. LIFE posed the types of challenges that will no doubt confront us in a workplace environment, and it forced students to develop creative solutions to obstacles that they encountered.

The process behind the project was based to a large extent on Edward De Bono’s “Court Thinking”, where different coloured hats are used to symbolise different types of ideas. We often used the blue hat: “thinking about thinking”. Reflection upon our thoughts and meetings was encouraged. Although it may have been painful at times, subconscious processes occurring in interaction within a team were forced into our consciousness in an effort to learn as much as possible about planning, organisation, management, brainstorming, relating to others, delegation – the list goes on.

Each person had to research their role, whether it be that of a planner, team manager, producer or reporter, production staff or editor. Among the planners, certain responsibilities were delegated, and as the weeks progressed, a story was to unfold…

The Twelve Weeks of LIFE

In the first week of ‘LIFE’
The project planners met:
Goals, roles and team structure set.

In the second week of ‘LIFE’
It was managers we’d need:
Two by four were chosen,
Into the field a team they would lead.

In the third week of ‘LIFE’
A website came to be:
From three weeks of mayhem,
Too many e-mails,
Sprung a discussion forum that we could all see.

In the fourth week of ‘LIFE’
A problem did arise:
For on the 17th of April,
Three students in a team,
Must observe the Jewish Passover,
Instead of ‘A day in the Life of Australian Science.’

In the fifth week of ‘LIFE’
The big day had drawn near:
Five cameras,
Four audio recorders,
Standard scribe’s utensils,
To interview a scientist
What would we need from all of this gear?

In the sixth week of ‘LIFE’
Despite the Easter break:
Reporters busy writing,
Different media compiling,
Managers overseeing,
Production staff instructing,
Teamwork proving vital,
If a CD-ROM we are to make.

In the seventh week of ‘LIFE’
The key was web design:
Seven eager pupils,
Multimedia training,
To construct the final product,
Four editors,
Three production staff,
Comprised the team,
Who’d bring the project into line.

In the eighth week of ‘LIFE’
A deadline finally loomed:
For teams a day of reckoning,
Reports they had to hand in,
Some hurried finished touches,
Meanwhile web design had begun -
Ideas for graphics,
How many pages?
Where would links be needed?
Structure saves the project from being doomed.

In the ninth week of ‘LIFE’
Editing began:
Text reconstructing,
Photo reshuffling,
Video reviewing
Audio construing,
Moulding reports –
Formatting specifications,
Provided by production staff,
Who would take over next,
And see the project through to completion.

In the tenth week of ‘LIFE’
Production in top gear:
In the imaging lab
In the imaging lab
In the imaging lab
In the imaging lab
In the imaging lab
In the imaging lab
In the imaging lab
In the imaging lab
In the imaging lab
I think you get the idea.

In the eleventh week of ‘LIFE’
The project neared its end:
A class meeting held,
For a demo to be viewed,
Final suggestions,
Group evaluations,
Loose ends resolved –
So many people,
Played individual parts,
Now their work has been combined,
For everyone to see,
A snapshot has been taken,
Of ‘A day in the life of Australian Science’

In the twelfth week of ‘LIFE’
We reflect on lessons learned:
Twelve communications,
Eleven negotiations,
Ten agenda settings,
Nine constructive meetings,
Eight web formattings,
Obstacle recombattings,
Six interview techniques,
Five time managements,
Four role definitions,
Three conflict resolutions,
Two equipment usage,
A career in science we will have earned.


Back to top