STEM Education Conference A decade of development –

STEM education for 2025

PRESENTING THE 2ND ANNUAL

27 – 28 July 2015 | Swissotel Sydney

WITH AN OPENING KEYNOTE ADDRESS FROM:

Dr Hugh Bradlow, Chief Scientist, Telstra Corporation

FEATURING AN OUTSTANDING SPEAKER CAST INCLUDING:

The Honourable Karen Andrews MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Science

Dr Elaine Scott, Fulbright Scholar and Dean: School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, University of Washington, Bothell

Dr Alex Bannigan, Women in Engineering Manager, UNSW Engineering, UNSW Australia

Marian Heard, Director: Indigenous STEM Education, CSIRO

Dr Sarah Boyd, STEM Educator, MacICT – Macquarie ICT Innovations Centre

Christine Rosicka, Project Manager, STEM Video Game Project

Peter Thompson, Inspector Technology Education: Curriculum and Assessment Standards, Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW

Dr Warren McKenzie, Business Development Manager, Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF)

Dr Iain Hay, Assistant Professor: Faculty of Education, Science, Technology & Maths, University of Canberra

Kathy Harris, School Support Officer (Teaching and Learning), Independent Schools Queensland

www.informa.com.au/stemeducation15

STEM Education Conference Monday 27 July 2015

8.00 Registration and morning coffee

8.50 Opening remarks from the Chair

Dr Alex Bannigan, Women in Engineering Manager, UNSW Engineering, UNSW Australia

9.00 Networking and conference objectives

Introduce yourself to the people around you and brainstorm 3 objectives you hope to get from the 2 days of the event.

9.15 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: Addressing the reality of STEM Education

Professor Hugh Bradlow, Chief Scientist, Telstra Corporation

9.55 Federal development of STEM education

The Honourable Karen Andrews MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Science

10.30 Morning Tea

11.00 CASE STUDY: STEM Connections: An action research project

Increasing speculation about how best to improve outcomes in STEM education for young Australians identifies a range of concerns; from lack of take-up, disinterest and failure to understand the significance of STEM for future personal and national well-being. With this in mind, ACARA and AAMT have joined forces to conduct the STEM Connections Project. This presentation will outline the project and present some preliminary results of the project.

Deborah Palmer, Manager: Curriculum, Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and Kate Manuel, Manager: National Projects, Australian Association of Maths Teachers (AAMT)

11.40 Business partnerships

By partnering with business, teachers can understand the best way to increase their own STEM skills so this successfully translates to the classroom.

For speaker updates go to: www.informa.com.au/stemeducation15

12.20 Lunch

GENDER, STEREOTYPES AND STEM

1.30 How can we entice girls into STEM Education?

Sixty percent of Queensland domestic university students are female and yet they are underrepresented in engineering, IT, natural and physical sciences (Office of the Queensland Chief Scientist, 2013, pp20). There is speculation that females are left uninterested in scientific disciplines that lack passion, creativity and social engagement. St. Aidans’ Anglican Girls school in Brisbane sought to address the issue of enticing and keeping girls in STEM fields by showing teenaged girls what the career possibilities are beyond the well-known professions and how women in these careers succeed.

Kathy Harris, School Support Officer (Teaching and Learning), Independent Schools Queensland and Sylvia Hicks, Head of Faculty (Science), St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School, Brisbane

2.10 Pathways for boosting Indigenous participation and achievement in STEM

With the support of the BHP Billiton Foundation, CSIRO is implementing a new education project aimed at increasing participation and achievement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Recognising the fundamental importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and identity in student achievement, a strong cultural, as well as a rigorous academic focus, is guiding the development, implementation and evaluation of the project. There are six separate elements which together cater to the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students as they progress through primary, secondary and tertiary education, and into employment.

Marian Heard, Director: Indigenous STEM Education, CSIRO

2.45 Taking STEM to rural and lower socio-economic environments

STEM programs at Pilbara Maths and Science Centres of Excellence engage primary Indigenous students in activities to extend and enrich their skills. These partnership programs utilise the knowledge and skills of local Indigenous community and industry partners to explore Maths and Science concepts and engage and enhance student abilities. This session will explore how this initiative has successfully implemented STEM programs for Indigenous students and key aspects of integrating Indigenous perspectives and industry and school partnerships to ensure that the learning is relevant and meaningful. The range of existing resources used as mainstays of the program will also be outlined.

Emily Ulrich, Project Manager, Hedland Maths and Science Centre of Excellence and Melissa Reimers, Project Manager, Wickham Maths & Science Centre of Excellence on behalf of The Graham (Polly) Farmer Foundation

3.25 Afternoon Tea

SCHOOL PLANS: INTEGRATED K-12 STEM EDUCATION

3.50 Strategy think tank Encouraging children to stay engaged in STEM

Delegates are encouraged to discuss current and potential future strategies used to engage young students in STEM Education. Consider the below:

— What challenges do we face when engaging students? E.g. access to resources, expertise, innovation

— How can we overcome these challenges?

— How do we promote their persistence to stay interested in STEM subjects?

4.25 High school STEM engagement inspiring students

The STEM High School Engagement program at Queensland University of Technology aims to ensure all young people understand the importance of STEM in their lives, and career opportunities open to them through a suite of STEM enhancement and enrichment opportunities for high school students and teachers. This presentation will cover how this successful program is delivered, the resources required, some of the logistical difficulties faced when working in a tertiary institution, the outcomes of the program and how evaluation is used to direct future engagement.

Anne Brant, STEM Teacher in Residence, Queensland University of Technology (QUT)

5.00 Closing remarks from the Chair

Dr Alex Bannigan, Women in Engineering Manager, UNSW Engineering, UNSW Australia

5.10 Networking drinks

6.15 End Day 1

DAY 1

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8.30 Morning coffee

9.00 Opening remarks from the Chair

Dr Sarah Boyd, STEM Educator, MacICT – Macquarie ICT Innovations Centre

9.10 On the road to 2025

With the people around you, name 3 STEM education goals or developments you hope to see by 2025 and how you think they can be achieved.

9.20 INTERNATIONAL VIDEO ADDRESS: Promoting STEM education and research at university

— What lessons can Australia learn from the US?

— What successful strategies, encouraging students to be involved in STEM, has the US implemented and how can Australia do the same?

Dr Elaine Scott, Fulbright Scholar and Dean: School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, University of Washington, Bothell

TRANSLATION FROM RESEARCH TO PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

10.00 STEM and Innovation from Australian Nanotechnology

Dr Warren McKenzie, Business Development Manager, Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF)

10.40 Morning Tea

11.10 Shifting STEM from the research to practical space

This session will explore the development of a Science Teaching Clinic Model of work integrated learning through university/school partnerships. The session will also present some of the key findings from research about the model conducted over the past 10 years. In this session the importance of authentically engaging pre-service teachers (PSTs) in a practice-based approach will be highlighted. There will be discussion about how to provide PSTs the opportunities to build on their existing science knowledge and develop a broader range of skills in the teaching of science to young children. The session will show how the science teaching clinics provide the opening for more in-depth reflection on experiences which in turn enhance the development of personal pedagogic frameworks and shifting STEM from the research to the practical space.

Dr Iain Hay, Assistant Professor: Faculty of Education, Science, Technology & Maths, University of Canberra

11.50 What does Australian research say about STEM and what difference can we make?

Professor Pauline Ross, Dean’s Unit: School of Science and Health and Sydney Institute of Marine Science, University of Western Sydney

12.30 ROUNDUP: Can you implement any new ideas that you have gathered this morning?

12.40 Lunch

1.45 PROBLEM SOLVING ROUNDTABLES

The problems with STEM education in Australia are numerous and well-documented. The challenge is to think of solutions and work at implementing them. In this session, groups will nominate a problem, suggest a solution and brainstorm ways the solution can be achieved and implemented. One member of the group will then present the problem, solution and ideas that were discussed to the whole delegation. Attendees are encouraged to then speak publically and air their own relevant thoughts.

2.30 Engineering education in schools in Australia

It is not well known that Australian schools have taught Engineering as pre degree level integration of physics, mathematics and technology since 1967. There is much to learn from the journey of NSW Engineering Science and the impact it has had on improving numbers interested in STEM careers. Peter will present an analysis of where engineering is taught in Technology Education / Design and technology Education in Australian Schools from Kindergarten to year 12.

Peter Thompson, Inspector Technology Education: Curriculum and Assessment Standards, Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW

3.00 Afternoon Tea

3.30 THINKTANK PANEL: Forecasting – With better STEM education what future innovations have potential?

This interactive brainstorming session allows delegates to speak with leading STEM professionals and educators to discuss what innovations Australia might be capable of once we reach our 2025 goals.

Panellists:

Peter Thompson, Inspector Technology Education: Curriculum and Assessment Standards, Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW

Christine Rosicka, Project Manager, STEM Video Game Project

Dr Iain Hay, Assistant Professor: Faculty of Education, Science, Technology & Maths, University of Canberra

4.15 STEM Video Game Challenge – How can we engage students in STEM though Video Games?

There is a need to find ways to encourage and engage students to study STEM. To this end, the Australian STEM Video Game Challenge was established by ACER to encourage students to develop an interest in study and employment in STEM fields. The Challenge invites students to create, not just play, games. It is designed to develop skills and engagement with STEM through fun, creativity, problem solving and ingenuity. The Challenge also aims to encourage participation with key groups, particularly disadvantaged students and females who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM studies and careers. This presentation will review the inaugural 2014 Challenge and what is planned in 2015 and beyond.

Christine Rosicka, Project Manager, STEM Video Game Project

4.45 Wrap up and closing remarks from the Chair

Have we achieved our conference objectives set on day 1?

Dr Sarah Boyd, STEM Educator, MacICT – Macquarie ICT Innovations Centre

5.00 End of Conference

STEM Education Conference Tuesday 28 July 2015 DAY 2

Venue Details

Swissotel Sydney, 68 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Phone: (02) 9238 8888, www.swissotel.com/sydney

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STEM Education Conference

27 – 28 July 2015 | Swissotel Sydney

If undeliverable return to: PO BOX Q1439, SYDNEY NSW 1230

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Pricing DetailsRegister Early & Save Standard Rate

Conference Package PRICE GST TOTAL

Single registration $1,595 $159.50 $1,754.50

3-4 Delegates $1,395 $139.50 $1,534.50

5+ Delegates $1,195 $119.50 $1,314.50

K-12 Conference Rate PRICE GST TOTAL

Single registration $795 $79.50 $874.50

3-4 Delegates $695 $69.50 $764.50

5+ Delegates $595 $59.50 $654.50

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Sponsorship and Exhibition Opportunities

For sponsorship and exhibition inquiries, please contact Samuel Wilson, Sponsorship Manager on +61 02 9080 4371 or email samuel.wilson@informa.com.au

For speaking and endorsement opportunities, please contact Annalise Reid, Conference Manager, on +61 02 9080 4323 or email annalise.reid@informa.com.au