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 Grok Academy 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) STEM Leaders in your school
- Teachers – those who have little experience and those who have a lot
- Heads of Learning Areas / Curriculum – who wish to discover how to plan as a team to break down the discipline silos of learning
- Principals and Deputy Principals – to witness what is possible by embedding STEM authentically in your school
INTRODUCING THE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS.....
RENAE SAYERS
Space Science and Technology Centre
School of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Curtin University
Renae Sayers is the Deputy Director of the Space Science and Technology Centre at Curtin University and her goal is to help WA fall in love with space. Not just for the inspiration (although that can literally change lives), but for the challenge, the innovation potential and the incredible impact it has on our world.
It all started with an email to NASA as a 16-year-old that kick-started her journey through a degree in Astrophysics, to running away to join a science circus and then onward to a career in STEM engagement across the globe.
These days she keeps busy with the Binar Space Program (BIN-nar, Noongar for “fireball” or shooting star) which launched WA’s first home grown spacecraft in 2021 and is on the path to exploring our Moon, as our scientists and engineers come together to unravel the mysteries of the origins and evolution of our solar system. Keen to make space in service of others, Renae spearheads BinarX – the outreach program putting space exploration in the hands of high schoolers and student-designed and built payloads on-orbit with the Binar spacecraft.
DR JESSICA BUCK
Telethon Kids Institute
UWA Researcher
Superstar of STEM
Jessica is an early career cancer researcher specialising in finding better treatments for kids with brain cancer. Brain cancer kills more Australian children than any other disease. Since radiotherapy is an important part of treatment for childhood brain cancer, Jessica works to find new combinations of drugs that increase the effectiveness of radiotherapy.
As a Kamilaroi woman, Jessica also aims to increase the number of young Aboriginal women working in, studying, and enjoying STEM. She regularly hosts students and interns, and is involved in mentoring through the Aurora Project’s High School Program.
Teacher Professional Development Stream
“Many teachers and schools are challenged by HOW to create STEM learning that develops students across the years to be the independent critical thinkers and problem solvers the world needs.
We have brought together some of Australia’s leading practitioners in the fields of design, technology, curriculum planning, student engagement and STEM learning to develop a special Teacher Professional Development stream at this year’s WA It Takes a Spark Grok Academy STEM Conference.
Every session is designed to provide teachers with the insight, practical guidance and resources they need to improve their planning and practice upon return to their schools. The professional learning will support teachers no matter their prior background, confidence, or capability.”
TEACHER MINI-MASTER CLASSES
First Steps to designing a well-planned STEM program
Dr Adrian Bertolini
Intuyu Consulting / Spark STEM Conferences
Engage Future Data Scientists with AusEarthEd and Pawsey Supercomputing Centre
Jo Watkins, Australian Earth Science Education and Ann Backhaus, Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre
How electric vehicle racing can engage your students in STEM
Clay Woolcock
Comet Bay College
Using AI tools – the good, the bad and the ugly
Grok Academy
SpaceDraft: unleashing student creativity
SpaceDraft
CME Digital Technologies Challenge
The Chamber of Minerals & Energy of Western Australia
Teacher Networking and STEM Pathways session
DIGIDESIGN MINI-WORKSHOPS - students and teachers
Who did it?
GATE Year 10 students
Northam Senior Secondary
What could we do with dinosaur DNA?
Amanda Rogers
Cultivating Curiosity
STEM is cool!
Seema Shorey and students
Grovelands Primary School
LEGO Algorithmics
Grok Academy
Man or Machine: How does Artificial Intelligence work?
Grok Academy
Robogals EV3 Engineering/Programming Session
Robogals Perth
Emergency Management: Managing an Emergency
Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia – WA
Virtual and Augmented Reality
Lindsay Hall
Dale Christian School
Building a Sustainable City
Students from Attadale Primary School
Developing a Water Efficiency Warning System
Water Corporation
Marshmallow Skyscrapers
Engineering Institute of Technology
Fibonacci in Nature
Cara Barrett
Peter Carnley Anglican Community School
Big, Bigger, Biggest, Biggester – How can I visualise BIG data?
Ann Backhaus, Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre and Australian Data Science Education Institute (ADSEI)
From Fast Fashion to Fantastic Bags
Natascha Clark and Vanessa Krollig
Peter Carnley Anglican Community School
Fish Care and Sustainable Biology
Nicholas Rust and Katrina Lawrence
Peter Carnley Anglican Community School
Track Masters
Railway Technical Society of Australasia
STEM Expo hands-on activities area
Remote Piloting
Barry Hutton
South Metropolitan TAFE
A day in the life of an Enviro – hands on experience
Melissa Paxman
Roy Hill
Chevron Energy
Haura Hussaini
Chevron Australia
Grok Academy @ the STEM Expo
Solar Car Challenge
TIDES students
Peter Carnley Anglican Community School
WA Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre
Faculty of Science and Engineering
Curtin University
Phased Array Ultrasonic Inspection
Richard Stocker
EnerMech Pty Ltd
Synergy – helping to shape WA’s energy future
Drones: Supporting the Australian Environment
Al-Ameen College
Future Focused DigiDesign
Harrisdale Primary School
Emerging Energies
Clough Group
Tackling the problem of food wastage
Australian Christian College, Darling Downs
Drone Experience
Pakronics
Augmented Reality Live
Worley
CME Digital Technologies Program
Chamber of Minerals & Energy of WA
STEM Outreach Program
Jo Watkins & Sally Budge
Australian Earth Science Education
Greening PC: Regenerating Nature and Increasing Canopy Coverage for a Sustainable Future
Students from Perth College
PROBLEM SOLVERS DESIGN CHALLENGE
Each session has a different real life design or STEM 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.
Dark Skies
Courtney Press
Bloom
The STEM Energy Game
Woodside Energy
Are mammoth meatballs a solution or a problem?
Amanda Rogers
Cultivating Curiosity
Where the wind blows!
Curtin Engineers Without Borders
Outdoor Solutions
Rebecca Moore
South Metro PEAC
Crash Course in Micro:Bit
Grok Academy
Building Bridges
Clough Group
Minecraft Sustainable Zoo Challenge
Natascha Clark
Peter Carnley Anglican Community School
Mars Mission Possible!
Engineers Australia
World building: What does a school of the future look like?
SpaceDraft
Drones – from start to finish!
Aicode Australia
Energy Efficiency – it’s not all black and white
Tronox
Using Lego to Prototype & Test the New Swan River Bridge
Chee Wong
E2 Young Engineers Australia
Binar ‘bots: Communications and Space
Curtin STEM Outreach
Agenda
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: Dr Jessica Buck
9.40 AM
TEACHER ORIENTED MINI-MASTER CLASSES (Rotation 1)
- 40 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)
- 40 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
10.25 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 and teachers
- 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
11.00 AM
TEACHER NETWORKING
- 40 min session
- An opportunity to connect with other teachers and presenters to share ideas, possibilities and practices
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
11.40 AM
STEM PATHWAYS SESSION
- 40 min session
- An opportunity to meet with the sponsors in the STEM EXPO area to discuss (without students) how they can support you in delivering and inspiring STEM in your school
Breakout Rooms
Pre-registration required
12.25 PM
LUNCH
An opportunity to network with other teachers and students, and explore trade displays.
1.00 PM
Keynote Speaker: Renae Sayers
1.40 PM
TEACHER ORIENTED MINI-MASTER CLASSES (Rotation 2)
- 40 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)
- 40 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
2.30 PM
FEEDBACK AND CONFERENCE COMPLETION
- Awarding of prizes to attendees
- Completion of feedback form
2.45 PM
CLOSE OF CONFERENCE
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
VENUE
Peter Carnley Anglican Community School
386 Wellard Rd
Wellard WA 6170
DATE Wednesday, 20 September 2023
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…
Teachers are able to attend without students
We recommend max 25 students per school with minimum teacher ratio of 1T:10S
CONFERENCE RATES
Early bird Teacher $185*
Teacher $225
Early bird Student $30*
Student $35
Early bird Pre-service/Aides $66*
Pre-service/Aides $99
inclusive of GST, morning tea and lunch
*book by 23/08/2023
Scholarships will be available for schools in low socio-economic areas
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. Workshop selection will open 3 to 4 weeks prior to the conference, we will email the registered teachers and contact person.
Host School
Platinum Sponsor
Spark Scholarship Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Supporting Organisation
Conference Organiser
CREATE SPARKS IN LEARNING FOR TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS! BECOME A SPONSOR…
GET 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
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Facebook: @SparkEDUConferences
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