STEAM ahead at SOUTH
This guest post has been written by Renitta Flynn, Dalby South Primary School Enrichment STEAM Teacher.
STEAM is conceptualised in many ways
The Western Downs regional state primary school Dalby South have articulated Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths in a way that is taking students ahead into the 21st Century as they become confident creators, inventors and designers.
Earlier this year I attended the Dalby Designathon Teacher Professional Development Day at Dalby State High School facilitated by the Advanced Manufacturing GISP. It inspired me to align this particular learning experience that builds on Industry 4.0 concepts and STEM Education initiatives within the primary context by integrating the World of Drones ‘Design a Drone’ Competition, into the Dalby South Enrichment STEAM Program. The competition requires students to design a drone to help with a problem in the World today.
By embracing the Dalby South Engineering Design Process model for learning that I have embedded into the Enrichment STEAM Program and drawing from the Dalby Designathon process, seven Year 3 students engaged in hands-on DRONE design challenges. It enabled teamwork, communication and collaboration, problem solving and inquiry based approaches to create solutions as they continued to develop their creative, critical thinking skills which also aligns with the National STEM Education Framework and STEM Education in Queensland Schools.
“It was amazing to see how the students were generating ideas, considering alternatives, solving problems using reason, logic, resourcefulness, imagination and innovation.”
“The inspiration of ideas Renitta gained from the GISP AM Dalby Designathon process has certainly enhanced the enrichment based learning opportunities for our students”.
- Principal David Kucks
“We were able to work as a team to design and build a walking drone LEGO prototype that could deliver important items to people affected by COVID-19 lockdown for the ‘Design a Drone’ Competition.
We also used the 3D design software Tinkercad to design the parts of our drone using our LEGO prototype and conceptual drawings. We also created a video about our design process to submit to the judges.”
– Year 3 student Tayla Yeo
“STEAM design thinking experiences such as this links with 21st century ideologies so it that connects with communities and practice beyond the classroom which is what Industry 4.0 is looking to develop within our learning capabilities and educational experiences by bringing together technology, individuality and discovery-based learning.
It certainly builds upon the core disciplines of the school based curriculum here at Dalby South State School”.
– Principal David Kucks
“After meeting with David and Renitta during my recent visit to Dalby I was impressed by how a regional primary school has embraced secondary senior school based Designation concepts with STEAM based initiatives that align with what Industry 4.0 within the GISP AM educational sector is aiming to achieve”
“Dalby South State School is our first Advanced Manufacturing Gateway primary school which is an exciting pathway for our commitment with the Queensland Government to growing manufacturing in this state as a critical driver of innovation and productivity in the economy seeing QMI assists to deliver this vision”.
– Jules McMurtrie, Manager for Gateway Industry to Schools – Advanced Manufacturing.