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” conference is to bring together Girls and their Teachers to connect with inspiring female 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 students and teachers to be leaders of STEAM 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 STEAM 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
STEPH PIPER
Tinker, Maker, Printer, Sparker!
DR CAROLYN BROWN
Astrophysicist, University of Southern QLD
Steph Piper has a background in biofabrication and 3D printing for medical grade implants. She’s currently the Patron of the Brisbane Hackerspace and the Community Engagement Coordinator at USQ, looking after the Library Makerspace. She’s recently won the Asia Pacific Startup weekend finals with a new startup called Spark Girlz.
Dr Carolyn Brown grew up locally and is an Astrophysicist and a Physics Lecturer at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) in Toowoomba. As well as passing her knowledge onto her undergraduate students in both Astronomy and Physics, Carolyn is involved in research projects that work with NASA, and investigates the nature of stars other than our Sun, and their effects on the habitability of the planets around them.
PROGRAM
We will have the brightest educators, organisations and girls who are passionate about STEAM 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 – 50 minutes
Who will present: senior students and / or teachers / university / industry / sponsors
Audience: Teachers
Embedding STEAM 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 – 50 minutes
Who will present: students and / or teachers / university / sponsors / organisations
Audience: Students Years 4-10 and Teachers
Girls inspiring girls
Interactive, hands on STEAM or entrepreneurial activities
Girls grow in confidence by sharing ideas / innovation
Unique public speaking opportunity
Participate in Social Justice Design Challenges.
In the past we had challenges varying from An Age Old Problem, Bee-pocalypse, TurtleGate, and supporting mobility impaired students to shine.
Each session will have a different real life design or STEAM challenge to solve aimed at Year 4 – 10 students
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.
Digi-Design Mini Workshops
Problem Solvers Design Challenge
Each session has a different real life design or STEAM challenge to solve aimed at Year 4 to 10 students. You will be posed with a real life design challenge and lead through the design process to ideate and present possible solutions.
FLOW OF THE DAY
TIME
EVENT / ACTIVITY
LOCATION
8.15 AM
REGISTRATION, COFFEE/TEA & NETWORKING
8.45 AM
MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Welcome to Participants, Set up for the Day, Housekeeping
Main Room
9.00 AM
Keynote Speaker – Steph Piper
Steph Piper has a background in biofabrication and 3D printing for medical grade implants. She’s currently the Patron of the Brisbane Hackerspace and the Community Engagement Coordinator at USQ, looking after the Library Makerspace. Steph recently won the Asia Pacific Startup weekend finals with a new startup called Spark Girlz.
Theme: Being someone who makes a difference using the skills inherent in STEAM and Entrepreneurship (Creativity, Innovation, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Courage)
Main Room
9.35 AM
TEACHER ORIENTED MINI-MASTER CLASSES (Rotation 1)
- 50 min sessions
- Parallel sessions
- Presented by attending teachers / universities / industry
- Mini-master classes for teachers to explore specific aspect of embedding STEAM in their curriculum (e.g. App design, Creativity, Circular Design, Integrated STEAM, etc.)
- Various sessions will address beginning teachers, next step and extending
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
9.35 AM
DIGIDESIGN MINI-WORKSHOPS (Rotation 1)
- 50 min sessions
- For teachers and students
- Parallel workshop stations
- Workshops demonstrate hands-on STEAM and / or entrepreneurial activities for Year 4 – Year 10 students
- Presented by attending students / teachers / universities / sponsors / organisations
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
10.35 AM
MORNING TEA
An opportunity to network with other teachers and students, and explore trade displays.
11.10 AM
PROBLEM SOLVERS
- 90 min session – parallel sessions aimed at Year 4 – 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.
Outcome: Students to create and deliver a pitch of their solution by the end of the session
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
12.45 PM
LUNCH
An opportunity to network with other teachers and students, and explore trade displays.
1.30 PM
Keynote Speaker – Dr Carolyn Brown
Dr Carolyn Brown grew up locally and is an Astrophysicist and a Physics Lecturer at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) in Toowoomba. As well as passing her knowledge onto her undergraduate students in both Astronomy and Physics, Carolyn is involved in research projects that work with NASA, and investigates the nature of stars other than our Sun, and their effects on the habitability of the planets around them.
Theme: Being someone who makes a difference using the skills inherent in STEAM and Entrepreneurship (Creativity, Innovation, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Courage)
Main Room
2.05 PM
TEACHER ORIENTED MINI-MASTER CLASSES (Rotation 2)
- 50 min sessions
- Parallel sessions
- Presented by attending teachers / universities / industry
- Various sessions will address beginning teachers, next step and extending
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
2.05 PM
DIGIDESIGN MINI-WORKSHOPS (Rotation 2)
- 50 min sessions
- For teachers and students
- Parallel work stations
- Workshops demonstrate hands-on STEAM and / or entrepreneurial activities for Year 4 – Year 10 students
- Presented by attending students / teachers / universities / sponsors / organisations
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
3.05 PM
WHERE TO FROM HERE
- Awarding of prizes to attendess, conference feedback
- Opportunity for teachers and students to meet with university and industry experts, expert teachers and inspiring students.
- The intent of this session is to build connections and networks to continue growing and learning after the conference.
Main Room
3.45 PM
FEEDBACK AND CLOSE OF CONFERENCE
Invitation to be on the Steering Committee for the following year.
Main Room
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
VENUE
ST SAVIOUR’S COLLEGE
Neil Street
South Toowoomba QLD 4350
DATE Thursday 9 May 2019
TIME / AGENDA 8.15am open
8.45am start – 3.45pm finish
CONFERENCE RATES
Early bird Teacher $99.00*
Teacher $125.00
Student $15.00
inclusive of GST, morning tea and lunch
*book by 5 April
When registering payment methods are via invoice and direct deposit within 14 days, for full details click on the register button. Alternatively call Rachel on +61 (0) 411 270 277 to coordinate your registration.
The Steering Committee
Jennifer McPhie – Darling Downs STEM Hub
Bill Whiting – St Ursula’s College Toowoomba
Adrian Bertolini – Intuyu Consulting
Cameron Love – St Saviour’s College
Donna Kerr – Toowoomba Catholic Schools
Amanda Kilgour – QLD Department of Education
“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 Melbourne“Well done on a terrific conference at Scotch College last Friday. It was possibly the best STEM event I have been to over the past 2 years - and I've been to a few and the feeling around the event was very positive.”
Tony Doyle,
Junior School STEM Teacher, Ruyton Girls' School
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Spark Scholarship
In-kind sponsors
CONTACT 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
ONLINE
Email: office@spark-educonferences.com.au
Web: spark-educonferences.com.au