Minnis Journals

2018 12 March

Editorial – issue 5
Five issues in and the world is already changing. Education Minister Simon Birmingham says that the government will consider bringing former tradies and nurses into teaching with changes to the registration process (you know, like schools used to thirty years ago).
STEAM is becoming a pervasive presence in more and more schools. Daniel Andrews announced a partnership with CSIRO in new Tech Schools being established around the state, along with the creation of programs and resources for schools designed by CSIRO scientists and educators. Read more

Practical Applications in STEAM – The Evil League of Evil
I honestly believe that we are beyond keeping our best lesson plans for ourselves. Yes, you might take my unit of work and give it to a graduate and that saves you from hiring me at the top pay scale and…
We need to improve education in general in this country, and the best way I can see that happening is if everybody can take the best lessons out there and make them their own.
My plan here is, each month, to look at a subject area and present some practical ways to incorporate STEAM, and best-practise education, into a unit of work. Read more

Girl Geeks get coding young
The way to get girls coding is to catch them young and the Girl Geek Academy has been doing its best with the #MissMakesCode events that see hundreds of five to eight-year-olds in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne making their first steps towards becoming fully fledged coders.
#MissMakesCode’s aim is to introduce coding as a native skill, that is if you expose kids early enough to coding it becomes second nature like talking and walking. Read more

Soft machines on the way
Everyone’s favourite, well mine anyway, terminator was the one who assumed the persona of a policeman, you know the one who could fashion a horrible poker out of a finger and do unspeakable things to people.
And as it is wont to do, technology is imitating art with a recent advance in 3D printable metals bringing the possibility of soft, malleable robots one step closer.
Engineers at Oregon State University have found a way to 3D print tall, complicated structures with a highly conductive gallium alloy. The 3D printing process could be used to make flexible computer screens and other stretchy electronics. Read more

Maths stands to be the real winner from STEAM
The solution to the stagnation of Maths teaching over the last few decades is at our fingertips; we just need to embrace the projects of our STEAM peers and start highlighting to our students where they can use the skills that we are working so hard to teach them. Read more

Twits: Deb Hicks
I don’t know what they’re actually called. This works for me. Every issue I will profile a useful Twit, for you to build up a collection of people to follow.
Deb Hicks @taradcatThe Basics is a regional ICT coach/consultant. She says "I love Twitter over other social media tools for supporting my work and interests as it gives quick grabs of great links, ideas and resources that I probably would not have found on my own. The power is in the quality of the twitter community you build.
"I love Twitter over other social media tools for supporting my work and interests as it gives quick grabs of great links, ideas and resources that I probably would not have found on my own. The power is in the quality of the twitter community you build." Read more

High school teams from across the Asia Pacific have descended upon the Quaycentre to battle it out at the FIRST Robotics Competition Australian Regionals. The Power UP competition kicked off on Sunday 11 March with three-team alliances facing off in the two-and-a-half minute matches. Read More

Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science nominations close soon
Get in quick or miss out; the nominations for the 2018 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science entries close in less than three weeks and the upside is pretty sweet, prize money ranges from $50,000 up to $250,000.
“The key factor in student engagement is often an incredible teacher. I’m delighted that teachers of mathematics and technology are now eligible to be nominated for their fantastic work alongside their science colleagues,” Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel said. Read More