Category: STEAM Education

Five things parents can do every day to help develop STEM skills from a young age

Educators and researchers agree early literacy experiences are important for children’s cognitive and language development. For the past 30 years there has been a strong movement to foster children’s literacy skills. This has resulted in an abundance of information on how parents can do this by reading books, singing songs and nursery rhymes, playing word games and noticing print.

Five-things-parents-can-do-to-help

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Dubbo College staff learn drone skills at workshop before introducing the technology into the classroom

Dubbo College staff learn drone skills at workshop

LEARNING TO FLY: Dubbo College staff members Maurice Elbourne-Binns and Karen Weekes, together with Cara Karakasch from Dubbo School of Distance Education, teamed up for the drone workshop. Photo: CONTRIBUTED
Dubbo College staff joined with staff from the Dubbo School of Distance Education and other regional schools for a specialised drone workshop recently.

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Girls aren’t good at maths or science? Nope. Maths and science haven’t been good enough for girls

“Girls aren’t good at maths or science.”

I’m sure you’ve heard this before, or its close relative. “Girls aren’t interested in maths or science”.

Did you know that biological sex actually does not innately affect one’s potential to succeed and achieve in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)?

Women in STEM

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Bosch Australia launches Learn@Bosch

In a move to inspire young students to take up science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers, Bosch Australia has launched “Learn@Bosch”, a program designed for Year 6 Primary School students.

bosch stem

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Experts: our STEM curriculum needs urgent change

An integrated curriculum, early intervention and a stronger teaching workforce are key to reversing Australia’s downward spiral in STEM teaching and learning, according to a report released by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER).

Steam tools

Challenges in STEM Learning in Australian Schools identifies three specific areas in which the school sector has its strongest chance of making a difference to student outcomes in STEM: broadening access to and monitoring of STEM learning, rethinking the STEM curriculum and building the STEM teaching workforce. continue reading

“Inventors, Assemble!” iWorld Australia Introduces the littleBits Avengers Hero Inventor Kit

Kids Can Now Create, Customize, and Code their Own Super Powers

Melbourne – August 2, 2018– iWorld Australia and littleBits, the inventor of the electronic building block, today introduced the Avengers Hero Inventor Kit in collaboration with Marvel Entertainment, LLC. The new kit allows kids to create and customize high-tech hero gear and a unique Super Hero identity using littleBits electronic blocks.

Avengers hero inventor kit

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iWorld Australia Introduces the Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit

Build a wand and learn to code with step-by-step challenges, inspired by the Wizarding World

KANO-CODINGWAND

Moorabbin – July 25, 2018 – Kano, creator of build it yourself tech for all ages has announced a partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to launch the Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit, the first-ever Harry Potter STEM product.  continue reading

Over $20K in Prizes up for Grabs in The Ultimate STEAM Competition

Moorabbin – July 17th, 2018 – iWorld Australia has partnered with JB Hi-Fi Solutions for Education and Australian Geographic to launch the Ultimate STEAM Competition to all educators in Australia and New Zealand. Educators can WIN over $20,000 in STEAM and electronic products for their school or education institution by entering the free competition. Our STEAM education partners in this competition are littleBits, Teknikio, Circuit Scribe, Kano, MudWatt, Robobloq, Strawbees and Primo Toys. continue reading

Fixing the shortage of specialist science and maths teachers will be hard, not impossible

Across Australia, we are facing a massive shortage of specialist mathematics and science teachers, particularly in physics and chemistry. With imminent retirements and poor retention rates, this problem will only get worse. It has already reached crisis point in some areas.

This week, during his opening address at the Australia Science Teachers’ Association annual conference, Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham announced the federal government plans to ensure every high school has access to specialist science and maths teachers. This was also announced just prior on Channel 9’s Today Show. continue reading

What is STEM? And why is it important to education?

stem coverWhat you need to know about STEM or science, technology engineering and mathematics training in 2018.

It’s an unfortunate but well-known fact that women and girls aren’t looking to futures in STEM industries the way their male counterparts are.

In fact, in 2016 only 26.4 percent of STEM graduates were women and while that number is certainly improving today there’s still a battle to be fought in encouraging women and girls to look to these industries as opportunities for their future. continue reading