The first day of school after the summer holidays there is a bustling life in the science lab at Stinta Skole in Arendal. Arendalsuka Ung retires and NND has a brilliant day with the students in Agder county. The Swedish School Authority and the Knowledge Builder are meeting with the Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to demolish nuclear facilities.
In front of curious students, NND's radiation expert Rajdeep Singh Sidhu explains that we live in a world where we are exposed to radiation all the time. We are exposed to natural radiation from the cosmos and from the ground, there is man-made radiation such as X-rays and in our fire detectors. Sidhu asks questions, eager learners answer precisely. There are others who already know a lot about the topic of the day. When the theory ends and students are split into groups, the sound volume rises and engagement increases a few notches.
Some students start by “decommissioning” a nuclear reactor, others irradiate beads to see how they change the longer you expose them to radiation. Up at the “catheter,” four or five students have gathered around NND's radiation expert to measure radioactivity and investigate how to stop various rays. Gamma, Alpha, Beta rays are captured by the measuring device. An A4 sheet is placed between the object from which the rays come from and the device that reveals the radiation, to see if paper can protect against the radiation. It is tested with aluminum and lead. Which material is best suited to stop which rays? The practical tasks engage.
Stinta School focuses on science subjects, and on live and practical teaching.
“We want to make teaching as practical as possible,” says Hasse Høyer, who teaches math and science. “Then science will be fun,” he continues. The school has recently invested substantial sums to upgrade the science lab which appears flunka new.
Last year they went through the periodic table and later this year they will go through much of what NND has demonstrated here today.
“I will link to today's program when we get to the same topics in the curriculum later this year,” says Høyer. It makes teaching better, according to the science teacher.
For NND, it's important to reach out to young people with knowledge about radiation and how to protect themselves. It is equally important to capture the interest of young people, inform about Norway's nuclear history and inform about NND's mission.
Decommissioning the Norwegian historic nuclear facilities will take a long time. Perhaps there are students in Stinta Skole's lab who later in life will possess expertise that can be useful in NND's work. Expertise that can be used in the decommissioning of the Norwegian historic nuclear facilities. Perhaps the seed of a career choice was sown this Thursday under Arendalsuka Young
SEE AND HEAR WHAT THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES EXPERIENCED:
If you would like more information about NND's teaching programme, please contact NND's community liaison, Hilde Rønningen.
