QLD Virtual STEM Academy

Discover the QLD Virtual STEM Academy, an initiative Queensland Government’s Advancing Education: An action plan for education in Queensland. After only a couple of years, it has been making a massive difference in providing deep STEM enrichment for highly capable Year 5 to 9 rural and remote students across Queensland. 

This is done by posing Grand Challenges that STEM will solve, connecting students with passionate teachers and experts from university and industry in an immersive virtual space. Underpinned by a problem-based learning approach, these course challenges enrich student learning and inspire a passion for STEM.

Hosted by Ben Newsome from Fizzics Education

About Glenn Beaumont

Deputy Principal, Queensland Virtual STEM Academy. Queensland Academy for Science, Mathematics and Technology.

Glenn has taught across the primary and secondary sector in metropolitan, regional and distance education settings.  Roles in these schools have included teacher, Science and Technology Head of Department and both Deputy and Principal of Middle years. He has pursued his passion for STEM, from his original Science degree through post-graduate qualifications in Education, Educational Technology, Science Education, and is currently completing his PhD exploring adolescent curiosity in learning science.

About Breeha Sinnamon

QVSA’s Central Queensland Coordinator, Rockhampton State High School

Breeha has been a teacher at Rockhampton State High School for more than 15 years and has a passion for STEM, Science and Physical Education.  Breeha is now working at part of the QVSA network to provide STEM enrichment programs to students in Years 5 – 9 across the Central Queensland region, and the wider Queensland community.  The QVSA at CQ’s priorities include delivering high quality, authentic STEM-based immersion programs that are student-centred and wrapped in deep learning, in partnership with CQUniversity and other industry collaborators. 

Wendy Bode

Deputy Principal, Global Tropics Future Project. Thuringowa State High School.

In her role as Deputy Principal at Thuringowa State High School, Wendy is leading a unique partnership between the Queensland Department of Education and James Cook University called the Global Tropics Future Project.  With over 20 years experience as a Science teacher and Head of Department, Wendy is now shaping the future of STEM education in North Queensland through the Global Tropics Future Project’s key priorities of maximising the potential of gifted students, strengthening outcomes for Indigenous students and improving outcomes for socioeconomically disadvantaged students and students from a rural and remote background.  In preparing North Queensland’s students to meet the increasing demands of STEM graduates in the workforce, the innovative nature of the Global Tropics Future Project provides opportunities for like-minded students to connect and collaboratively explore their passion for STEM as they become future problem solvers, critical and creative thinkers.

Find out more:
https://qvsa.eq.edu.au/about-us

About the FizzicsEd Podcast

Hosted by Ben Newsome from Fizzics Education

With interviews with leading science educators and STEM thought leaders, this science education podcast is about highlighting different ways of teaching kids within and beyond the classroom. It's not just about educational practice & pedagogy, it's about inspiring new ideas & challenging conventions of how students can learn about their world!

https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/

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