[Music plays and the Coat of Arms and an image appears of a Prime Minister’s Prize badge and text appears: George Pantazis, 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools, George Pantazis]
[Image changes to George and a student talking and looking up]
George Pantazis: My name is George Pantazis.
[Images move through to show a close view of a student holding a drone controller, an aerial view looking down on George explaining something to the student, and an aerial view of the school]
I am the STEM Coordinator and learning support teacher at Marble Bar Primary School, located in Marble Bar, Western Australia.
[Image changes to show George talking to the camera, and images move through of George and a female teacher walking towards the camera, and a Marble Bar Primary School sign on a wall]
The population of Marble Bar is approximately 157 people, and at Marble Bar Primary School we have approximately 25 students.
[Images move through of students working in the garden, and then an aerial view of Marble Bar]
It is famous for being the hottest town in all of Australia.
[Images move through to show a close view of George and a student picking tomatoes, George and a group of students working in the garden, and close views of students working in the garden]
At Marble Bar Primary School, I lead the integrated STEM program that combines western pedagogies and Aboriginal cultural knowledge.
[Image changes to show a medium facing, and then a close facing view of George talking to the camera]
We use two-way science, where the students become the teachers and they teach us about their rich Aboriginal culture.
[Images move through to show a rear view of a student carrying a metal colander, an Indigenous male showing George and the students some grasses, an Indigenous drawing of a turtle, and George talking]
This is wonderful because First Nations science is the oldest science in the world.
[Images move through of the students near a billabong in the outback, students drawing on a Smartboard, a student putting on a headset, and illuminated drawings on the Smartboard]
We use 21st century technology to acknowledge, respect and celebrate First Nations culture.
[Images move through to show a virtual reality game, two students working with a drone, George watching a student fly a drone, and an Indigenous drawing showing the seasons on a calendar]
These technologies include virtual reality, drone aviation, and First Nations science and art.
[Images move through to show George talking to the camera, a student wearing a VR headset, and the VR game being displayed through the headset]
We've used virtual reality to take our integrated STEM program to the rest of the world, such as Europe, the United States, and Asia.
[Image changes to show an illuminated kangaroo hopping]
More importantly, what this did was promote and celebrate our First Nations culture to the world.
[Images move through to show George talking to the camera, a student wearing a VR headset, the First Nations seasonal calendar drawing, and the student using the VR headset again]
One of the most significant projects of the integrated STEM program is the digital First Nations seasonal calendar.
[Image changes to show the digital calendar again]
The calendar depicts the seasons of the local region of the East Pilbara.
[Image changes to show George talking to the camera]
Our next project is to create the first culturally appropriate video game, which links our First Nations culture and two-way learning.
[Images move through of a student holding two turnips, a student planting a tomato seedling, George demonstrating to two students, then working with two students, and a side view of George talking]
To be recognised in the Prime Minister's Prizes for Science is not about me.
[Images move through of George working with his students, a student holding a freshly picked turnip, a student watching a robotic vehicle, and George and a student fist bumping]
It's about my students showcasing the First Nations culture and preparing them for their future.
[Music plays and the image changes to show George turning to smile at the camera while the students can be seen on a playground in the background]
[Image changes to show the Coat of Arms, and a Prime Minister’s Prize badge and text appears: 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools, George Pantazis]
