What are our STEM professional learning workshops about?

In this post you’ll get a taste of what you might experience at one of our STEM professional learning workshops. If you’re thinking of booking in for one, but you’re not sure who from your school should be there, or what you’ll actually be doing on the day, read on!

What usually happens

The workshop begins with an exploration of the need for STEM education in our schools today.  This takes place with the full group, and facilitators break up the talking with brainstorming and activities.

After that, you will dig right into the materials themselves. You’ll get your hands on some hard copies of the materials and have a chance to get your head around how the resources are structured. Much of this session is small group discussion, planning and brainstorming.

Primary teachers get the chance to discuss the modules for their year with other teachers of the same year group. Secondary teachers spend time with other staff from their school to understand how the material could be rolled out in their context. Meanwhile, schools leaders break out to look at an overview of all the modules and think about issues specific to school leadership.

 

What teachers are saying

 

In June the STEM Learning Project held its first STEM professional learning workshop in the Padbury Statewide Services Centre. Primary teachers, school principals and administrative staff attended the day long workshop. During a break, we asked what they thought about the materials and what they got out of the workshop. They all agreed that having the resources to take away was a great bonus.

Someone’s done all the hard work and the resources are fabulous. Everything’s in there.

They also reflected that the workshops gave them a chance to talk to other teachers about STEM learning and teaching.

Having the chance to brainstorm with other like-minded people is definitely beneficial.

Lastly, they told us that they learned some great things about pedagogy.

I got a better idea of how to plan out my own STEM activities.

And the verdict on the modules?

I’m looking forward to doing a few of them… I think students will be pretty keen.”

Regional STEM professional learning workshops

The STEM Learning Project visits a different regional education area each term to introduce their STEM resources to public school teachers around the state.

The Southwest region is next on the list, with primary and secondary workshops set to take place in Albany at the start of Term 1 of 2018. There will also be workshops in York and Armadale on these days.

If you are interested in attending these workshops or finding out about the next one in your area, please visit the PL page or contact us.