Harper Sercombe
St Monica’s digital technologies faculty leader Joshua McQuade is one of 30 teachers selected as a part of the state government’s teaching innovation fellowships.
The fellowship will allow him to develop and implement a new multi-disciplinary STEM curriculum by leading a team of STEM educators within the school.
Mr McQuade said it is an “exciting opportunity.”
The program that Mr McQuade will be implementing is to continue to up skill the teachers at St Monica’s to be capable of teaching across the STEM curriculums.
“It’s about building the teachers first then building the students,” he said.
The program is first introduced to year 7 students to allow students to continue the multi and transdisciplinary learning they use in primary schools, that Mr McQuade said can often be “siloed” in high school.
The project is heavily community focused, with students asked to look into some issues within the Whittlesea community such as problems surrounding assistive technologies and create real world solutions for them.
To do this, students design and develop a digital technology, create a physical prototype of the technology and then create an app for the technology.
St Monica’s principal Brian Hanley said he is proud of the work Mr McQuade and his team has done to receive the grant.
“Our recently opened STEM Centre will be the genesis of many innovative projects,” he said.
Education Minister Natalie Hutchins said the program is vital for the future of STEM in the state.
“The fellowships present a wonderful opportunity for recipients to implement an innovation project that transforms teacher practice and student learning,” she said.
“Developing high-performing teachers is key to delivering long-term improvements in student outcomes.”
St Monica’s is one of 26 schools taking part in the program.
