On 31st August and 1st September, Cecil Andrews College held the STEAM Maker Conference which provided a range of professional learning opportunities to Primary and Secondary Teachers and School Leaders from around Western Australia to attend. Participants engaged in interactive STEAM workshops and lectures that provided them with STEAM based ideas and networking opportunities.
The STEAM Maker conference had a range of innovative and world renowned presenters who had brought in a wealth of experience and knowledge to share with our Teachers. With a focus to Mathematics and inquiry skills, Shaham from Scitech provided our Primary Teachers with an insight on how to make maths more of an inquiry process. The STEM Learning project, presented by Natalie Dowd from Scitech, provided our Department of Education Teachers and School Leaders with an insight on integration of the different learning areas as a learning program. Kim Flintoff, Learning Futures Advisor from Curtin University, presented valuable information on Global Goals, Games and Challenge-based STEM with the focus on how it would empower our students in their learning. Teachers had the opportunity to see Ric Johnson from Rostrata Primary School present a STEAM show and tell of ideas and activities that Teachers can use within their classroom. Lisa Breen from Austal provided Teachers with an insight of how educators can build essential workplace skills within students so they are prepared for the workplace and jobs of the future. Leonie Clelland and Veronica Aske from Treendale Primary School presented Teachers with a variety of Digitech integration ideas with a Primary School setting and how it is adopted by Teachers. Rachael Bott from Creative Moves WA presented an interactive workshop for Teachers on integrating Performing Arts into STEAM.
We were fortunate to have Virginia Ellis from Barker College as our STEAM Teacher in Residence at the college who not only presented at the conference on Effective STEAM integration across P-12, but worked alongside our Teachers and Students on demonstrating integration of STEAM based activities within the various subjects. This was a valuable professional learning opportunity for our Teachers to capacity build within STEAM and how they could integrate those skills within their classes.
During the conference, our students exhibited their STEAM projects in a student-led display in the Engineering lab. Students conducted a show and tell to distinguished guests and Teachers from other schools on their project and what they have achieved. Some of the projects included 4x4 in Schools, SUBS in Schools, FRC and FLL, and the drone choregraphed dance as well as smaller scale STEM projects. We also had the STEAM Primary Extension program which was conducted by Jodie Lewin for students from around our feeder Primary Schools. Students immersed themselves in a series of STEM-based activities and were able to develop their skills in mechatronics. The conference celebrated with Helen Townsend and Bella Harvey with the Art and Technology of Song writing that also allowed our students to work shoulder to shoulder with the artists. Drew Mayhills performed for our guests with a combination of music and technology.
I would like to thank the presenters who provided our Teachers and Students with the amazing opportunity to be immersed in the world of STEAM. It was a highlight to our school community.
