ROBOTICS and 3D printing will be on the curriculum thanks to a $25,000 grant from the federal government.
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More than 20 teachers from eight primary and secondary schools in Wodonga spent their Friday in a comprehensive professional development workshop, which will enable them to lead the new ‘Digital Technologies’ curriculum.
To be delivered to students from foundation up to year 10, the curriculum aims to ensure students will have an equal opportunity to thrive under the digital economy of the future.
The schools all fall under the banner of the Wodonga Federation of Government Schools, with workshops held at Wodonga Senior Secondary College.
A total of $50,000 was secured by the federation, with the remaining funding to go towards working with businesses and tertiary providers in the Border area to help provide further education opportunities after graduating.
Friday’s workshop focused on getting teachers up to speed with the Lego robotics kits.
Most teachers...have never experienced this digital technologies curriculum.
- Scott Nugent
Federation digital technologies leader Scott Nugent said it was critical for teachers to have a strong understanding of coding, hardware systems and robotics.
“This is the first of two workshops for teachers, which is based around digital literacy,” he said.
“Most teachers have experience in English, maths and science over the course of their career, but most have never experienced this digital technologies curriculum.
“They’re working with Lego robotics today, learning how to build and program them, how to get them to talk to each other, as well as how to integrate them into their arts, science and maths curriculum.”
Mr Nugent added that it was equally important for school teachers to have a handle on new technology as it was for students.
“There’s $15,000 worth of equipment in this room today, and without hands-on access to this equipment students can’t learn the skills they need to learn,” he said.
“This technology is everywhere now, it’s in the car, in the fridge, in your house – so it’s about students understanding the technology they have access to, then using it as a tool in their life.
“The reality is that most teachers are struggling to deliver this curriculum because they don’t know what they don’t know.
“They’re working out what it is they need to deliver.”
