Most conferences currently being offered on STEM, STEAM and Entrepreneurship tend to be targeted towards teachers and involve a series of speakers and the occasional mini-workshops. This conference is designed to be different. This conference is designed by students and teachers for students and teachers.
The intent of the It Takes a Spark STEM Conference is to bring together Students (Year 4 to 10) and Teachers to connect with inspiring industry role models, share their current school based activities and projects using an authentic sharing and experiential model, create networks of teachers and student teams, and solve social justice design challenges.
The participation of the students is as important as teachers as our intent is to ignite, empower and nurture both to be leaders of STEM and Entrepreneurship within their schools. This is a conference designed and led by students and teachers for students and teachers.
Teachers will have both formal and informal opportunities to speak to other teachers who have enacted programs and activities in their schools and get their questions answered.
The workshops and social justice design challenges are all hands-on so students and teachers will experience first-hand what it is like to be part of great STEM and entrepreneurial learning. This will spark new ideas about curriculum and pedagogy.
Who Should Attend
- Students – those who are already (or aspire to be) Technology Leaders in your school
- Teachers – those who have little experience and those who have a lot
- Heads of Learning Areas / Curriculum – who wish to discuss how to create trans-disciplinary units that are powerfully engaging
- Principals and Deputy Principals – to witness what is possible by embedding the Technologies Curriculum in your school
INTRODUCING THE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
ARIEL PASCOE
Environmental Consultant, Artist, Comedienne
Ariel is a modern day scientist having passions in art, music, stand-up and science! She has a Bachelor of Science with a double major in geology and chemistry and honours in economic geology. While she has worked as an exploration geologist and spent time in Central Australia she is currently working as an environmental consultant supporting the environmental remediation of industrial sites.
Ariel went to the ‘farm school’ of Nantone Primary and then on to Parklands High and Hellyer College in Burnie. She has been painting since she was 13 and you can see some of her murals around Burnie. She is also a musician and plays with the Wynyard Big Band. While she loved art and music she spent her teens reading science textbooks at her mum’s work when she missed the bus home. This led her to her current multi-faceted career.
DR MEGAN VERDON
Senior Research Fellow, Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture
University of Tasmania
Megan took the long path to find her career. She received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and the History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Melbourne in 2007. Megan returned to university after a short career as an industrial chemist and commenced a PhD at the Animal Welfare Science Centre in 2010. Megan received the Australian Government Science and Innovation Award while completing her PhD.
Megan works on animal welfare (social license to farm). This involves use of SMART collars to detect various animal activities and wellbeing and makes connections to things like virtual fencing, automated milking systems (robotics) etc.
We will have the brightest educators, organisations and students who are passionate about STEM lead either Teacher Oriented Mini-Master Classes and/or Student Oriented DigiDesign Mini Workshops. These sessions are short, sharp action packed with activities / communications. No waffle!
Teacher Mini-Master Classes – 45 minutes
Who will present: teachers / university / industry / sponsors
Audience: Teachers
Embedding STEM into curriculum
Showcase projects, eg app design, creativity, circular design
Beginning to advanced teachers
Brilliant PD and conference presenter
Share knowledge and create networks
DigiDesign Mini Workshops – 45 minutes
Who will present: students / teachers / university / sponsors / organisations
Audience: Students Years 4 to 10 and Teachers
Students inspiring students
Interactive, hands on STEM or entrepreneurial activities
Grow in confidence by sharing ideas / innovation
Unique public speaking opportunity
Participate in Problem Solvers Design Challenges…
In the past we had challenges varying from Shaky Solutions – Earthquake simulator, Bee-pocalypse, TurtleGate, Self-Drive Cars, and Coding for Disaster Relief.
Each session will have a different real life design challenge to solve aimed at students (Year 4 to 10) and teachers.
This session is an opportunity for schools, universities, industry, or community organisations to pose real life design challenges and lead student through the design process to ideate and present possible solutions.
Could this be you? Are you a Student, Teacher, Organisation or University?
FLOW OF THE DAY
TIME
EVENT / ACTIVITY
LOCATION
8.15 AM
REGISTRATION, COFFEE/TEA & NETWORKING
8.45 AM
MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Welcome to Country, Welcome to Participants, Set up for the Day
9.00 AM
Keynote Speaker – Ariel Pascoe
9.40 AM
TEACHER ORIENTED MINI-MASTER CLASSES (Rotation 1)
- 45 min sessions
- Parallel sessions
- Presented by attending teachers / universities / industry
- Mini-master classes for teachers to explore specific aspect of embedding STEM in their curriculum
- Various sessions will address beginning teachers, next step and extending
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
9.40 AM
DIGIDESIGN MINI-WORKSHOPS + STEM Expo (Rotation 1)
- 45 min sessions
- For teachers and students
- Parallel workshop stations
- Workshops demonstrate hands-on STEM and / or entrepreneurial activities for Year 4 to 10 students
- Presented by attending students / teachers / universities / sponsors / organisations
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
10.30 AM
MORNING TEA
An opportunity to network with other teachers and students, and explore trade displays.
11.00 AM
PROBLEM SOLVERS DESIGN CHALLENGE
- 80 min session – parallel sessions aimed at Year 4 to 10 students
- This session is an opportunity for universities, industry, schools, or community organisations to pose real life design challenges and lead students through the design process to ideate and present possible solutions.
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
12.20 PM
LUNCH
An opportunity to network with other teachers and students, and explore trade displays.
1.00 PM
Keynote Speaker – Dr Megan Verdon
1.40 PM
TEACHER ORIENTED MINI-MASTER CLASSES (Rotation 2)
- 45 min sessions
- Parallel sessions
- Presented by attending teachers / universities / industry
- Mini-master classes for teachers to explore specific aspect of embedding STEM in their curriculum
- Various sessions will address beginning teachers, next step and extending
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
1.40 PM
DIGIDESIGN MINI-WORKSHOPS + STEM Expo (Rotation 2)
- 45 min sessions
- For teachers and students
- Parallel work stations
- Workshops demonstrate hands-on STEM and / or entrepreneurial activities for Year 4 to 10 students
- Presented by attending students / teachers / universities / sponsors / organisations
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
1.40 PM
TEACHER NETWORKING AND STEM PATHWAYS SESSION
- This session will be an opportunity to connect and network with representatives from universities, industry, and STEM organisations. The intention is to explore and discuss the latest STEM programs and pathway possibilities that schools can connect to.
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
2.30 PM
Feedback and Conference Completion
- Awarding of prizes to attendees
- Complete feedback form
2.45 PM
CLOSE OF CONFERENCE
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
VENUE
St Brendan-Shaw College
127 James Street
Devonport, TAS 7310
DATE Friday, 2 September 2022
TIME / AGENDA 8.15am open
8.45am start – 2.45pm finish
Read FAQ’s – suggestions on who should attend, answers about what stage you are at and if the conference will suit, registration T&C’s, and more…
CONFERENCE RATES
Early bird Teacher $tba
Teacher $tba
Early bird Student $tba
Student $tba
Early bird Pre-service/Aides $tba
Pre-service/Aides $tba
inclusive of GST, morning tea and lunch
*book by 5/08/2022
Teachers are able to attend without students
We recommend max 25 students per school with minimum teacher ratio of 1T:10S
Upon registration you will receive a confirmation email and invoice, payment is via direct deposit or credit card. For full details click on the register button alternatively call Rachel on +61 (0) 411 270 277 to coordinate your registration or ask any questions.
It was fantastic. Our girls could not stop talking about it. It appealed to all of our girls in different ways and at different levels. Some of our girls thoroughly enjoyed the collaborative activities and hands-on activities and some of our girls thoroughly enjoyed talking with the guest speakers and presenters. It had something for everyone. The teachers we took also thoroughly enjoyed the conference and were inspired with the activities presented.
Toowoomba Teacher,
Toowoomba Region State School"I used to think STEAM was going to be boring because it was hard but now I think it is fun even if it is a bit challenging"
Student Testimonial,
Student participant"I understand that Science is so much more than just about scientists and I can enter a path or career that involves Science and I can solve world problems"
Student Testimonial,
Student participant“I attended the It takes a Spark Conference on Friday - it was wonderful! I really enjoyed the sessions and can see ways to incorporate them into incursions and excursions for blind and vision impaired students. It was also a great chance to network and see students participating in the activities. Thank you again.”
Katie Niedda,
Sensory Vision Education, School of Special Educational Needs: Sensory"Many thanks for such a well organised and well run conference. From our perspective and the feedback from others, it was a resounding success."
Jacqui Butler,
Strategic Technology, John Curtin College of the Arts“Thank you, I greatly benefited from attending the conference and hope to attend future conferences and recommend it to my peers.”
Samina Hasan,
Student Teacher 2nd Yr Masters, University of MelbourneGET IN TOUCH WITH US
Rachel Manneke-Jones
Registration & Bookings
Ph: 0411 270 277
E: rachel@spark-educonferences.com.au
Dr Adrian Bertolini
Conference Co-Ordinator
Ph: 0413 036 382
E: adrian@spark-educonferences.com.au
STAY CONNECTED
Facebook: @SparkEDUConferences
Instagram: Spark.in.STEAM
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