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VOL 29.1 | SEPTEMBER 2020
TEC H NOTES JOURNAL
D & T facing challenges of 2020
Wildlife boxes for bushfire crisis
STEM for engaging learners
Young Persons’ Plan for the Planet
Teaching Design Masterclass
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Contents
Welcome to Technotes, 2020
A message from Travis Borroughs, President of DATTA Vic 5
School programs
Tackling Real World Problems – Wildlife nesting boxes for the bushfire crisis 6
Young Persons’ Plan for the Planet at Viewbank College 11
Can Creativity be Taught? 17
Student Voice: Changing the Year 8 Textiles Curriculum at Glen Waverley
Secondary College 28
(Supplements to this article are published separately*)
STEM for engaging learners
DigiSTEM at St Leonard’s College 33
Providing STEM Opportunities for Young People at Oberon High School 37
STEM programs to engage students at South Oakleigh College 40
Top Designs Exhibition 2020
Product Design and Technology SAT
The Lotus Bag 44
The Beauty Brace 46
Systems Engineering SAT
Automatic Aquarium Maintenance Device 48
ATOM 50
Professional Learning
Teaching Design Masterclass 52
Putting STEM in Art 57
Contents (continued)
DATTA Vic Awards
Foster Adem Leadership in Technologies Education 60
Secondary Educator of the Year 62
Primary Educator of the Year 62
New to Teaching 63
Book previews
Interdisciplinary Thinking for Schools 66
Pedagogy for Technology Education in Secondary Schools 72
*Supplements to the Student Voice article
Supplement 1: Year 8 Collaborative Design Challenge Topic Cards
Supplement 2: Year 8 Collaborative Design Challenge Assessment Rubric
Supplement 3: Year 8 Investigation CAT
Technotes: Vol 29 No 1 2020 DATTA Vic – ABN: 97 315 356 383 Abbotsford Convent, Room C1.22, Convent Building, 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, Victoria, 3067 Technotes is a membership service of Design and Technology Teachers’ Association (DATTA Vic) Phone: (03) 9349 5809 (Executive/Education Officer) and (03) 9349 1538 (Office Administration) Website: www.datta.vic.edu.au Email: pl@datta.vic.edu.au (workshop, conference and general enquiries) or admin@datta.vic.edu.au (admin, membership and finance enquiries) ISSN: 2206-3331 Contributions, including letters to the editor, articles and resources are welcomed and should be sent to the editor at DATTA Vic. While every care is taken, we accept no responsibility for the accuracy of the statements, opinions or advice contained in the text and advertisements. The information contained in this journal is in no way associated with or endorsed by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) or the Department of Education and Training (DET). Suggested approaches to VCE assessment and the implementation of VCE study designs contained in this journal are the opinions of the authors only. While every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders of all articles, in some cases this may not have been possible. The editor would be pleased to hear from rightful owners in such cases to redress this. Material presented in this publication is presented for the benefit of DATTA Vic members and newsletter subscribers. Therefore, the editor does not enforce copyright on most of the materials provided within schools, institutions or associations where the members/subscribers work. From time to time, material is represented which has copyright limitations clearly indicated. Reprinting of such material can only be done with due regard to the current legislation relevant to copyright. DATTA Vic Committee President: Travis Burroughs Vice Presidents: Jill Livett and Zowie Moselen Secretary: David Fletcher Treasurer: Michael Essex General committee members Jacinta O’Leary, Rohan Bevan, Anthony Gasson, Joanne Heide, Michael Gowers, Monique Dali, Felicity McNamara DATTA Vic staff Executive/Education Officer: Laura Murphy Office Administrator: Emma Fritsch Events officer: Sam La Marca Technotes Editor: Lorraine Tran Graphic design: Kim Daly Cover photo: St Leonard’s College Middle School students work on their 3D printed projects. Image courtesy of St Leonard’s College. DATTA Vic acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who are the Traditional Owners and ongoing custodians of the land on which we work.
Welcome to Technotes 2020
2020…No doubt a year most of us will never forget. Certainly, As a response to the identified teacher shortage by DATTA
it’s been a year of challenges for teachers and students. After the Australia and others, DATTA Vic has introduced a Teaching Design
2019 drought in many parts of the country, came the devastating Masterclass. Read about this professional learning opportunity
bushfires – the worst in Victoria’s history. Shortly after that the as well as Putting STEM in Art attended by Joanne Heide.
coronavirus pandemic was declared and term 1 was cut short.
Meet the dedicated and innovative DATTA Vic Award recipients
Teachers had to quickly adjust to delivering learning activities
of the Leadership in Technologies Education, Primary and
to students at home during most of term 2 and 3. We all had to
Secondary Educators of the Year and the New to Teaching Awards.
adjust to the ‘new normal’ of social distancing, taking care with our
personal hygiene, and sharing equipment without sanitizing was Find out more about two recently released publications to expand
a no-no. Design and Technologies teachers have all been affected your understanding of Pedagogy for Technology in Secondary
by these events and have responded with outstanding resilience. Schools and Interdisciplinary Thinking for Schools:
Ethical Dilemmas written for the Middle Years Program for the
This issue of Technotes reflects what has been happening
International Baccalaureate but also applicable to Australian and
in the world around us. Liz Keep, (Victorian School Wildlife Box
Victorian Curriculum.
coordinator) tells us how she gathered support from DATTA Vic,
schools and other organisations to design and build wildlife Thanks to all the contributors to this edition of Technotes including
boxes in response to the devastation of the bushfires that caused Laura Murphy for her guidance and support in helping to bring
massive loss of wildlife habitat. this issue of Technotes to fruition. Thank you also to Lorraine Tran,
our Technotes content manager and editor, and Kim Daly for
Veena Nair tells us about Viewbank College’s involvement
graphic design work on the journal.
in Young Person’s Plan for the Planet, a program that
is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development We hope you enjoy reading the articles and viewing the images
Goals. We also gain an insight into the topic of ‘Can creativity in this edition. If you have any ideas for articles for future editions
be taught?’ from an expat Design and Technology teacher, that you’d like to share with your colleagues, we’d love to hear
Paul Dawes, now teaching in Singapore. about them! Please contact Laura at DATTA Vic if you’d like
more information.
Teachers from Glen Waverley Secondary College share some of
the resources they developed as a response to their Student Voice Happy reading, good health and all the best for the remainder
that focus on collaborative learning and environmental concerns of 2020.
along with developing year 8 students’ knowledge of textiles.
Travis Borroughs
Three teachers from different schools explain their approach to
DATTA Vic President
engaging students in STEM, engineering and digital technologies.
Four of our amazingly talented 2019 VCE students and their teachers
tell us about their VCE Product Design and Technology and Systems
Engineering School-assessed Tasks in the Top Designs Exhibition
2020 (presented virtually by Melbourne Museum).
T EC HNOTES | 5
School programs
Tackling Real World Problems – Wildlife
nesting boxes for the bushfire crisis
Elizabeth Keep
Elizabeth (Liz) is a Design and Technologies teacher at Peninsula A few years ago, I had developed a link with Aldercourt Primary
Grammar, Mt. Eliza. She has many years of teaching experience School, in Frankston North, on a shared art activity. When I was
in secondary colleges. planning for this year, I initially was hoping that I could coordinate
my students to help design equipment/furniture for Aldercourt,
When the 2019–2020 summer bushfires ravished in collaboration with their students. When the bushfires were then
parts of Victoria, Liz knew she and her students streaming across the airwaves, I knew this was an opportunity
needed to help. But once word got out, many other to help and would be a real-life situation attending to the needs
teachers and students came on board to design and of others.
produce wildlife nesting boxes. Here’s Liz’s account
of how it unfolded. Developing the wildlife nesting
boxes project
Linking students to community programs I began by getting involved with the Mallacoota community.
I joined the community Facebook page and put my feelers out.
I only began teaching product design and technology (PDT) Initially I was thinking about the families and people without
(resistant materials) at Peninsula Grammar in second semester homes and what they would be needing and how our school
2019. I had been teaching PDT (textiles) at Toorak College for could assist. I initially thought of making dog kennels for displaced
18 years and took on the job at Peninsula College as a challenge animals. I thought of matching a student with a pet owner so that
to reinvigorate my career. This year I knew that I wanted to it could be a real-life client/designer relationship. The more I saw
do something with the students that linked to community and online of what the community needed, I soon realised that they
beyond their own needs; to the needs of others. I had designed had more important fish to fry than to be chatting to students at
a unit with a similar philosophy at Toorak College, whereby the a school in Melbourne. What was being relayed through the media
year 8 students designed and made library bags for the grade 1s. to us – unaffected by the fires – was the alarming loss of wildlife
The students from both year levels worked together on the and habitat. I knew this was where we could help.
design, using the grade 1’s drawings to screen print onto the bag.
Bags were presented to the students at a morning tea, where the
grade 1s had cooked delicious food. The bond that was developed
with the year 8s and their buddies through the act of giving
was memorable.
This year I knew that I wanted to do
something with the students that linked
to community and beyond their own
needs; to the needs of others.
Opposite: Published with permission of Salesian College from the Griffin
magazine, Winter 2020 page 22.
6 | T EC HNOTES
BUILDING FOR A CAUSE
Nikita Rodrigues
Publications and Communications Officer
The bushfires that ravaged Australia in early 2020 were some of the most devastating on
record, setting millions of acres ablaze. More than one billion animals perished, causing
immeasurable damage to Australia’s unique ecosystem.
One of the worst hit townships in Victoria By mid-April our students had our students’ enthusiastic approach to
was the coastal town of Mallacoota, in the constructed 90 bird boxes, ready to this project.
Gippsland region. The town of Mallacoota be delivered to Mallacoota. Year 9
is now finding its feet again, with citizens student Oliver Arnott greatly valued “I was pleased to see different forms
hard at work rebuilding their livelihoods. the experience of building these bird of learning happening throughout the
However, with countless trees burnt boxes. construction of the bird boxes. This
to a cinder, a challenge now lies in project was completed by more than
providing safe spaces for native wildlife “I enjoyed working on a project that was 30 schools throughout Victoria, and it
to nest and breed. for a good cause; to help birds who are was great to hear that Salesian College
now homeless due to the devastating produced the largest number of bird
Inspired to help, Mr Craig Abernethy set summer bushfires. I also really enjoyed boxes. The boys demonstrated critical
our Design and Technology and PreCal building the boxes from scratch. It thinking throughout the project, asking
students to the task of building bird was great to watch this project come several insightful questions such as,
nesting boxes for Mallacoota. Students together. These nesting boxes are very ‘How will the birds be able to reach
compiled a proposal document detailing important as they provide birds with the exit hole of the boxes when they
the benefits of these boxes and the places to breed. For example, the native are nesting?’ and ‘What will stop other
materials needed to construct boxes that bird species of Red-Rumped Parrots are predators entering the boxes and
would withstand all weather conditions now struggling to find trees to nest and eating the hatching eggs?’ This was an
to safely house local birds. Students lay their eggs in. Lending this species a excellent learning experience for us,
sourced non-toxic materials and built two helping hand with our bird boxes allows and we enjoyed the challenge. I would
full scale prototypes before beginning this species to keep breeding, ensuring like to thank teachers Mr Kim Beurs, Mr
construction, incorporating sloped lids that they do not become extinct.” Robert Marley, Mr Raffaele Battista, Mr
to shelter wildlife, drainage systems Nicholas Place, Mr Daniel Place and Mr
and carefully measured entrances to Head of Design and Technology, Mr Bob Synadinos for their enthusiastic
accommodate all species of birds. Craig Abernethy, was heartened by involvement in this project.”
22 GRIFFIN Winter 2020
T EC HNOTES | 7
Initially I thought of wildlife enclosures for the koalas and injured From what I can gauge, most schools developed the project
kangaroos, but I knew that these structures would be difficult to with their year 7 and 8 students. Some schools also introduced
transport. Through the Mallacoota Facebook page I joined another it into their year 5 and 6 programs too. As my students don’t do
group called Nest Box Connections. It was here that I saw the design and technologies in years 7 and 8, I decided that both year
incredible work being performed by Alice McGlashan. Living in 9 and 10 students, working in a semester block could benefit from
Canberra, she found herself coordinating the making of wildlife the learning offered by this project. To me it was all about ‘giving’
boxes for the fire affected areas across Australia. She had set up and in the process, learning the product design process and
the wildlife nest boxes website (https://wildlifenestboxes.com.au) working with new materials and processes.
and had a vast array of information about the preservation of native
wildlife. We quickly got chatting. She had a wealth of knowledge. Product Requirements for Due date
I knew that making wildlife boxes was achievable for the skills of my design process folio and product
students and the project I was looking for, as far as contributing to Investigating • Design brief
the community was concerned. I put it to Alice that at my school we and defining • Five evaluation criteria
could make 40 boxes, but I could potentially make available several written in four parts
hundred as I had access to every design and technology teacher in • Mind map defining
Victoria. She said that they would take as many as we could make; research areas
thousands were needed.
• Four areas of research
I then registered with the Mallacoota Relief Centre, the coordinating from design brief
body to oversee everything from food, transport, banking, (including both
road closures etc. I registered as the coordinator of the Victorian primary and secondary
School Wildlife Box project. I knew I had to act quickly in notifying research activities)
teachers before the start of the school year so that programs
Design and • Visualisations
could be written, materials ordered etc. I immediately spoke
Development for stencil design
to head office at Bunnings and our local store. With a letter on
• Message for Mallacoota
a school letterhead, they would be willing to help fund schools
using Illustrator
and organisations with some materials. Bunnings had trouble
honouring this, once demand for their assistance grew from Planning and • Working drawings End of Term 1:
community groups, men’s sheds etc. willing to do the same. production • Production of wildlife folio
nesting box
Getting other schools involved • Record of production
I put the word out to the destech electronic teachers’ mailing Evaluation • Evaluation of product End of Term 2:
list and by the first week in January I had 25 teachers interested using evaluation criteria product and
from schools as far away as Lorne and Bairnsdale! I was blown and suggested areas folio
away by the support. When school returned the numbers quickly of improvement
grew to 74 schools as well as an individual student from Bunyip
and an ex teacher who volunteered as a driver. The response was My approach in this unit was very much student led, i.e. students
incredible. I have received wonderful support from DATTA Vic, decided on their own related areas of research and completed work
with Laura (Murphy) advertising the project and helping me when in their folios. We looked at many YouTube videos for inspiration
needed. Then of course the fabulous Jill Livett jumped on board and each class visited the Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation
with incredible resources and worksheets she had put together Park in Pearcedale, where we had a guided tour of native birds and
as well as organising the workshop with Ken Aitkin. (Ken had their breeding and nesting habitats in the wild and in enclosures
previously made nesting boxes with his students at Yea High School as research for the students’ species.
– see article in Technotes 2017.) The workshop assisted teachers in
how to go about making the boxes, and helped in the appropriate Benefits for the students
selection of materials and patterns, which was very valuable.
My students really enjoyed the idea of making something for
the Mallacoota community. They were very sympathetic to the
residents of Mallacoota and understood that the animals needed
our help. The students chose their own species to research along
with finding out more about the Mallacoota region; it made it
very real for the students to understand the animals and their
needs. Having the students write a personalised message to the
Mallacoota community on their wildlife box really resonated with
Above: The design process in the Victorian and Australian Curriculum the students and they understood the impact of their work and
was the basis for developing the wildlife nesting boxes project. the change it would make to the community.
Opposite top: DATTA Vic workshop leaders Jill Livett and Ken Aitken
(third and fourth from the right) with participants in the hands-on
workshop. Image courtesy of Jill Livett/DATTA Vic.
Opposite bottom left and right: Peninsula College students proudly
display the wildlife nesting boxes they made. Images courtesy of
Peninsula Grammar.
8 | T EC HNOTES‘Making wildlife boxes was a great introduction to product The year 9s had not done PDT before so this was an introduction
design and technology, woodwork. It allowed us to learn to the product design process where they learnt to write a design
the basics in the workshop, whilst working towards a final brief, evaluation criteria, gather both primary and secondary
product that would go towards a great cause and help the research, design, create working drawings, record production
wildlife, especially considering all of the devastating fires and evaluate. They learnt various terminology associated with each
at the beginning of the year. It was a straightforward process step and used it as part of their design language. During production
that also gave us the freedom to make mistakes, learn and the students learnt to read a working drawing, measure in
develop our skills.’ millimetres, how to cut ply, how to cut straight, how to use clamps,
– Maya, year 9 Peninsula Grammar School how to mark out drill holes, how to pre drill holes, use the compact
driver for screwing timber together, how to apply paint correctly,
‘I thought the whole process of making the wildlife box was
cut stainless hinge, how to chamfer timber, how to use a plane,
really good. It was great to get creative with our stencil designs
how to make and use a stencil for decoration, how to use Illustrator
and hands on in the workshop. I learned many new skills like
for their message to send to the laser printer, how to sand timber
all the different types of holes that can be drilled, planing
as just a few of the skills.
and many other techniques that were used to create the box.
The product design process was also great to help us fully
understand what we were making and what animals would
be using the box with our research. It was also really good
to do something for Mallacoota and help out the wildlife and
the community.’
– Jamie, year 10 Peninsula Grammar School
T EC HNOTES | 9Several schools did complete the wildlife boxes and some were
delivered to Mallacoota despite term 1 ending abruptly due to the
coronavirus. Most teachers have said that they would complete
the boxes when they returned to school. Several schools said that
they will be repeating the unit with new groups of students in
second semester. Teachers have used the project with various year
levels and groups. Some VET teachers have embraced the project;
some teachers have used it within their environmental education
program and others with their ESL classes for language and
measurement. Most teachers have used the tasks with their years 7,
8 and 9 classes. Some teachers have allowed the students to make
a wildlife box each, but others have also had two students work on
the one box. They are not cheap to make and each student worked
to their own parameters.
Methodist Ladies College had a close connection with the project
as their Marshmead Campus is in Mallacoota. They have been very
supportive of the project and committed to making 100 wildlife
boxes and also offered to deliver boxes to Mallacoota for any
schools. A school in Geelong embraced the idea of contributing
to the bushfire recovery and extended the idea by having students
assist BlazeAid to repair fences for the communities affected
by fires.
Nest Box Connections is responsible for distributing and installing
boxes in Victoria. This was the response to Salesian College from
the Nest Box Connections group:
‘Wonderful! That looks like a whole collection of medium sized
nest boxes that we absolutely don’t have enough of, for nest
box bundles to go to different locations across East Gippsland.
Probably the most popular size, these medium boxes are used
by mammals and birds. Brilliant!’
In conclusion – there’s a funny story about the possum that
mysteriously moved into the school workshop! I was looking
through a box of year 11 work and there it was. We had made
a prototype wildlife box, so we left it there for the students to
see. In the afternoon we released him outside, only to find him
back inside the next day. The students thought it was hilarious.
We relocated him further afield and he hasn’t returned again.
How canny that he came during the time of making the boxes.
They had never had a possum inside the department before!
Well done to Liz, Jill, Ken, and all the students and teachers
who participated in this project and to Laura and DATTA Vic
for all their support!
Top: During their remote learning from home period, some students
produced a TinkerCAD design of a wildlife box. Image courtesy of Jill Livett,
Overnewton College.
Bottom: A cardboard model of a wildlife box produced by a year 9
Overnewton College student during remote learning. Image courtesy
of year 9 student from Overnewton College.
10 | TEC HNOTESYoung Persons’ Plan for the Planet
at Viewbank College
Veena Nair
Since our last Technotes interview with Veena In Australia I have taught in various roles in at least six schools
in Technotes 2017, she has settled into Viewbank with the longest appointment being at Kolbe Catholic College,
College and is continuing her amazing work in my previous school. I have been on the DATTA Vic committee
in the past and currently serve on the board of the Frank
the STEAM area. We caught up with Veena recently
Fenner Foundation and contribute to the Science Talent Search
to find out about the programs she is involved in,
committee. I have also served as a member of the VCE Systems
including the Young Persons’ Plan for the Planet Engineering Selection Panel for the Top Designs Exhibition
(YPPP), a program that links to the United Nations at Melbourne Museum.
Sustainable Development Goals.
At Kolbe Catholic College I was successful in developing a good
STEM presence and initiated the STEM pathway in robotics in
My background year 10 and VCE Systems Engineering developing a collaboration
with Latrobe University through their Robotics, Automation,
I have taught in three different countries – India, UAE and Australia
Mechatronics, Prototyping and Sensing (RAMPS) Program apart
and across many curricula (Indian both state and national, British
from various co-curricular opportunities.
American and Australian) from primary to secondary and even
at times, tertiary. I have also been exposed to the International In my current role as the Leader of STEAM and Technology
Baccalaureate (IB) as a part of research while completing my at Viewbank College I have once again been able to develop
Masters in Education in maths. I have been an entrepreneur and curriculum initiatives in year 9 3D printing, year 10 emerging
an early adopter of new technologies setting up an organisation technologies and VCE Systems Engineering whilst also setting
to teach computer studies including coding to school children up a STEAM co-curricular program, developing the parent-teacher
especially in disadvantaged schools and also setting up a desk student body the FRIENDS of STEAM and establishing the STEAM
top publishing unit in Mumbai before migrating to Australia. futures conference initiative allowing for a wider schools industry
I have been a content development specialist in physics and and academia engagement with students participation.
science for a group of schools. I have been a part of the first
internet based educational content development in India while
working as a science subject expert with Zee Education and was
involved in setting up the first real time online coaching session
for school students.
T EC HNOTES | 11Involvement in the YPPP program Description of our learning program
I was contacted by the YPPP organisers just as I was departing from In our first year, Viewbank students in collaboration with students
Kolbe Catholic College to join Viewbank College. They asked if I from Kolbe Catholic College created a plan for Victoria to improve
would like to offer the opportunity of being part of this global pilot our state response to all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
program. I was immediately struck by the value of this initiative as This was then collated and combined with all the other state
a huge opportunity for students to be active in shaping their world plans and presented to the Prime Minister’s representative at a
to be solution providers and become global citizens. I negotiated conference in Canberra. Last year our students were very successful
for both Kolbe Catholic College and Viewbank College to be in initiating a social enterprise by converting donated cloth from
involved in this pilot along with 20 other schools from around the school community to bees wax wraps as a response to plastic
Australia. However, it must be noted that for these programs to run pollution and supporting bees. The proceeds from the sale were
there needs to be a huge support from the school leadership and then donated to the Wheen Bee Foundation to support their
from colleagues. In my case I was lucky to have support from both research into bees.
my school leadership and my colleagues to help make it a reality
This project along with the first year project of developing the state
for our students.
plan has seen Viewbank College receive the prestigious ‘Student
The YPPP program is run as an extracurricular program at Action Team of the Year (Secondary)’ award as part of Sustainability
Viewbank. The students usually meet every Monday at lunch Victoria’s ResourceSmart School Awards this year.
time and it is open to students from years 7–12. During this time
As YPPP grew we were able to establish partnerships with schools
the students work on their action plans and organise activities
in some of the poorest areas of Mumbai. Our students were able to
that are relevant to their project/s. Currently we have a few
support and mentor the students when they travelled to Singapore
concurrent projects and about 25 students involved. We do have
to attend the YPPP conference. We were also able to secure funds
some students at times not being able to attend due to other
and grants to support the travel of these students and myself and
commitments but generally they are well attended.
two other teachers. We were also able to travel to India and deliver
workshops to support our Indian colleagues in establishing their
Aims of the YPPP and funding program incorporating STEM skills. Our students also presented
the program a workshop on RealLives (https://reallivesworld.com) for all
participants at the conference.
YPPP aims to provide student agency in delivering solutions in
response to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals This year our students are working on developing a vertical garden
by incorporating STEAM skills in design thinking and enterprise for the school using recycled plastic bottles and continuing
development. The goal is that the students develop strong on developing the bees wax wraps project. The students have
relationships and partnerships with their peers from around continued to work throughout the remote learning phase during
the world thus becoming empathetic global citizens whilst also term two this year, and now it is a completely student driven
developing skills in collaboration, project management, marketing program with teachers playing the role as advisors and facilitators
and enterprise development. As this is implemented as a lunch for communicating with school or outside agencies.
time activity at my school, it does not require any funding.
The only expense we had was to procure the bees wax (for the bees Benefits to students
wax wraps the students made) for which the school paid initially
and the money was reimbursed back to school through the funds We have seen huge growth in our students from ‘just participants’
received from the sale of the wraps. Some other schools in Australia to independent passionate leaders and global citizens. They have
have incorporated it in their curriculum as an elective. It is a very developed a keen understanding of the issues in our world in
flexible program and is open to interpretation by the school. the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. They have
worked as a team to selflessly devote time for a cause and
contribute in the truest sense to their local community. They have
developed very high levels of self-confidence and were able to
represent themselves and the school in international forums and
conferences. They have been able to put their viewpoint eloquently
We have seen huge growth in our
when meeting various high-level dignitaries like the President of
students from ‘just participants’ to Mauritius and Australian Ambassadors to Mauritius and Singapore
independent passionate leaders and whilst also developing mentorship of younger students both
global citizens. They have developed a here in our school and in schools in India. They have developed
strong problem-solving skills using new technologies and most
keen understanding of the issues in our importantly I feel they have developed resilience.
world in the context of the Sustainable
Development Goals. They have worked
as a team to selflessly devote time for
a cause and contribute in the truest
sense to their local community.
12 | TEC HNOTESGrowth of the YPPP
The YPPP has grown to become an international program in the
last four years and is growing quickly as many countries in Asia
and Europe have now expressed their eagerness to join. However,
post COVID-19 it will need some innovative approaches. YPPP has
offered our students fantastic opportunities to travel to Mauritius
and Singapore to attend and present at the annual conferences.
This has provided them with an opportunity to collaborate with
students from Australia, Singapore, Mauritius and India and
develop a global plan based on the direct input of their peers
from different countries. This has been possible largely due to
the funding from the Federal government to promote STEM and
to enable students to attend these conferences.
This year YPPP has partnered with Curtin University through the
guidance of Prof David Gibson UNESCO Chair of Data Science in
Higher Education Learning and Teaching to join the Digital Schools
Network and develop global challenges and collaborations.
This is a fantastic opportunity for teachers and students to develop
advanced content development skills on these platforms. There is
a possibility of micro credentials also being offered but this is yet to
be confirmed.
More on the programs at Viewbank College
At Viewbank College we have a year 9 elective that solely focuses
on 3D printing and designing followed by a year 10 elective in
emerging technologies that involves electronics, robotics using
3D printing and laser cutting etc. which is a pathway to VCE
Systems Engineering. As a STEAM co-curricular initiative we run a
STEAM club for students every lunch time where students can work
on their individual passion projects using 3D printing or any other
resources we have. We promote various opportunities like Science
Talent Search, Maths Talent Quest, bridge building competitions,
engineering work experience opportunities, VEX Robotics etc.
Basically, any and every opportunity that we get to know of is
offered to the students and supported.
Running the 3D printing elective as well as the year 10 elective
was an interesting challenge for me during the time students were
doing remote learning from home. To deliver a completely hands
on program remotely required some new strategies. I took some
3D printers home with me in case students requested their prints
You may also wish to check out the Banyule Nilumbik Tech school
however I also decided to use this time to upskill them in using
website at www.banyulenillumbiktechschool.vic.edu.au
Fusion 360, an advanced designing software and for developing
skills in writing an instructable. The year 10 students developed projects and simulated them
using Arduino. They are currently trying to complete them.
I also collaborated with the Banyule Nilumbik Tech school in
They were encouraged to think of a project that could offer
running a team design challenge where the students in groups were
solutions to the Sustainable Development Goals or to the present
asked to design a 3D puzzle for a themed escape room. It is still in
COVID-19 situation.
progress but I think we might get it completed. This project is now
also available through FUSE at https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/
Resource/LandingPage?ObjectId=87af5ece-e8e1-44d0-b3fd-e34c
7bbd5c86&SearchScope=Secondary
Top: Rose Howard (Viewbank College) presenting a cheque to
Fiona Chambers, CEO of Wheen Bee Foundation, following the school
community’s social enterprise fundraising efforts.
Bottom: Viewbank College students Rose Howard and Larissa Jones
presenting at the YPPP Singapore Conference. Images supplied.
T EC HNOTES | 13We received huge support from all the industry experts and
researchers who volunteered their time to provide engaging
and informative sessions to the attendees about their work.
With this support we were able to offer workshops for teachers
from humanities, legal studies, 3D printing in human anatomy,
emerging technology, maths, science, languages, art and media
including one on the Sustainable Development Goals and empathy.
The full list of all presenters is available at
www.steamfutures.viewbank.vic.edu.au/conference2019
Encouraging other schools to join YPPP
I would urge more schools to become a YPPP school.
YPPP is possibly the only global initiative that underpins STEM
and enterprise skills to provide students a voice and agency
in developing real solutions to improve their local and global
communities. It is the perfect program in terms of encompassing
inquiry and problem-solving skills along with creativity
and communication.
I would urge more schools to become a
YPPP school. YPPP is possibly the only
global initiative that underpins STEM
and enterprise skills to provide students
The 2019 STEAM Futures Conference a voice and agency in developing real
at Viewbank College solutions to improve their local and
Having noticed that schools are usually isolated from industry
global communities. It is the perfect
and academia we felt it was necessary to bridge this gap program in terms of encompassing
and develop a strong community where teachers, industry inquiry and problem-solving skills along
experts and researchers could collaborate in bringing real life, with creativity and communication.
authentic and current experiences to students. So as a first
step we developed the STEAM Futures initiative where industry
and academic experts could inform us educators of the advances I would also like to acknowledge the huge effort every single
in the different fields due to the impact of STEAM. We also invited teacher takes to ensure that their students get the support
other educators who had used integrated approaches in their and opportunity to become the best versions of themselves.
teaching or collaborated with industry partners in offering In supporting this effort, I would like to invite teachers to join us
curriculum programs. in building this community. We hope to have the STEAM Futures
conference in December 2020 where we aim to have a slightly
We were lucky to have Thomas King the young CEO of Food
different focus. We would like to provide a platform for showcasing
Frontiers as our keynote speaker providing the audience with
integrated projects with industry in a school context and we would
information about the impact of food production on climate
like to invite teachers, students and industry partners. It remains
change and sustainability and why it requires all of us to change
to be seen if we can have a face-to-face conference or a virtual one
our attitudes to food consumption.
but we would like to invite teachers to register their interest either
as presenters or attendees. We are also conducting small webinars
for students and teachers in the interim through the STEAM futures
website www.steamfutures.viewbank.vic.edu.au
For more information about the YPPP Program go to
www.planfortheplanet.org.au
You may also check us out on Instagram @yppp_vbc
Top: Veena on a cleaning drive in one of the slums of Mumbai to support
the YPPP India initiative.
Bottom: Viewbank College’s partner school in India where workshops
and seminars were conducted for teachers on linking STEM and the UN’s
Sustainable Development Goals. Images supplied.
14 | TEC HNOTES“Blink and you’ll
miss it”
If you are looking for a great Design
and Technology project – consider
CO2 Dragsters
The purpose of the CO2 DRAGSTER competition is to provide a means for students to demonstrate
their ability using Design Make Appraise (DMA) principles to draw, design and then build a dragster
within a set of specifications. Dragsters are then tested on a 20-meter track for speed to
determine the fastest dragster.
For further information regarding the Co2 Dragsters, Supplies and Competition Rules
Please contact: Velocity Technology School Supplies
Email info@vtss.com.au Web site http://www.vtss1.com.au
ideal for STEAM education
Produced by world-leading
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rapid prototyping, cardboard prototype production,
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Backed by local service & support,
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Sydney | Newcastle | Brisbane | Melbourne | Adelaide | Perth | Hamilton (NZ) rayjetlaser.comdesign
disruption
the DATTA Vic
virtual conference
4 december 2020
with
a day of small-group, hands-on learning for educators
5 december 2020 ⚫ various locations
visit our website for further information and to register – www.datta.vic.edu.auCan Creativity be Taught?
Paul Dawes
After an international career in engineering Paul retrained
15 years ago to be a Design and Technology teacher. He worked in
government schools in Melbourne before moving to Germany and
later to Singapore. Paul completed a Master of Clinical Teaching at
University of Melbourne in 2018 focusing on creativity and wellbeing.
He is currently Head of years 7 and 8 at GESS International School
in Singapore and teaches the International Baccalaureate (IB)
Middle Years Program (MYP) Design to years 7–9.
This article is modified from some action research Paul did as part
of his Masters; he is happy to share the full article with more detailed
research via email: pauldawesteacher@gmail.com
A structured, formal process can be used to
teach a range of techniques to improve creativity
It wasn’t all students – some learners were already using good
in all students.
strategies, so I wanted to develop an intervention that builds skills
in lower achieving students while at the same time accelerating
Introduction the better students’ development.
During the course of my Masters studies I looked into research By critically reviewing, choosing and delivering an evidence-based
around whether creativity was something innate in a person, practice, I felt that students, myself and the school would benefit
or whether it could be taught. Creativity is commonly defined from more successful, enthusiastic students building more creative
as the process of imagining original, novel, useful, often valuable and valuable products, resulting in greater success for design in the
solutions – in our case, a product. I had often struggled to middle school and further into the high school.
get middle school students to be creative: was it me or them?
Is it possible to teach students to ideate divergently? What do
I need to do to get students to develop feasible, innovative original
ideas that can be interpreted by others?
Above: Paul Dawes. Image supplied.
T EC HNOTES | 17Evidence Direct Instruction
I surveyed a random group of 30 students in grades 7–9 and their Most teachers are familiar with the process of explicitly teaching
teachers about perceptions of students’ creativity levels. While the strategies to students in a step-by-step manner. As a formal,
general consensus from teachers was that most students struggled evidence-based practice, researchers call it Direct Instruction.
to be creative, student responses were somewhat opposing – When done accurately, Direct Instruction, grounded in a
and confusing! Their responses showed a significant difference in well‑designed curriculum and supported by teaching methods
perception between what experts and novices consider is a creative such as guided practice and worked examples, allows you to
solution to a problem. ‘teach more in less clock time’. It accelerates student performance
at any level by developing, applying and linking existing and
Visual art and design teachers were concerned that students
new knowledge. Research has also found that Direct Instruction
often think in a linear fashion (i.e. flexibility and originality is
decreases cognitive load, allowing the student to concentrate
missing) and rely too much on internet searches (the line between
on the learning at hand. By incorporating it into a lesson plan
‘inspiration’ and ‘copying’ is blurred). Indeed, all students surveyed
(or ‘fidelity checklist’) it decreases teacher cognitive load, allowing
used the internet ‘sometimes’ or ‘always’ for ideas, yet at least a
you to follow the steps ‘with fidelity’ (accurately, every time) –
third ‘never’ took inspiration from products in the home or shops,
ensuring the best outcome for students:
in nature, or consulted parents or other adults when searching
for ideas. 1. Decide learning intentions – these will come from your
curriculum and be at the appropriate level for your class.
Students were asked to nominate strategies they thought could 2. Identify success criteria – assessment rubrics, developed from
help them be more creative. Half thought more time would help, your curriculum. They should be in language your students can
36% found sharing their ideas beneficial, but only four students understand and explicitly communicated:
(13%) responded that being formally taught creative strategies
‘At the end of the lesson, you should all be able to…’ Worked
would be beneficial to their creativity!
examples are also beneficial so students know where they need
From these data I went to the research to find evidence-based to be going.
practices that might help me improve student creativity – 3. Create a ‘hook’ for engagement – this is one I often left
and in a way that students would value. out. The ‘hook’ could be a real-life example of the creativity
technique in action – something from industry, a video, etc.
You may provide examples of good student work to show it
is possible. Set a challenge: ‘how many sketches do you think
we can get done in this lesson?’
4. Present the lesson – model the technique you want them
to master. Be theatrical! Exaggerated use of tools, movement,
mimicking, visualising interacting with the product, verbalising
thinking /strategies as you’re working through the task,
annotating if applicable, posing questions as you’re going
through the task using prediction, sentence completion,
etc. Follow this up with step-by-step instructions – whether
on the board or as laminated how-to guides for their tables.
Restate the objectives. Check for understanding.
18 | TEC HNOTES5. Guided practice – ensure all materials are prepared and
Creativity training
available for them to start straight away. Restate objective/
challenge and a time limit – make sure it’s clearly stated The foundation of creative training programs is divergent thinking
on the board. Check students’ work as you move around the – the capacity to generate multiple alternative solutions –
class. Offer feedback when students are off task. Defer your and is defined as the combination of fluency, flexibility, originality
judgement. Encourage unorthodox ideas (within the and elaboration.
challenge parameters).
Successful creative training programs focus on the teaching
6. Closure – tools down, gather feedback from the exercise:
and application of heuristics – a method for applying a technique
think/pair/share; PMI; other thinking routine.
that you were successful in using on a previous problem to a new
7. Independent practice – this may be in the next lesson
problem – kind of like a rule of thumb: ‘when I see X (problem),
and take up a significant amount of time to allow students
I do Y (technique), to get Z (the solution I need)’.
to gain expertise in the technique/s you have taught them.
Set a challenge (a certain number of sketches, etc.) and a I wanted to develop a ‘creativity techniques toolbox’
time limit. Be supportive, encourage quiet diligence, check (see Appendix A) for my students so that they could choose
for understanding and keep students on task. the best method or heuristic based on their individual needs.
The toolbox included the following:
• Brainstorming
• SCAMPER
• Attribute analysis/decomposition
• Analogous design
• Convergent thinking – dot voting.
Above: Direct Instruction model (Dawes, May 2017). Image supplied.
T EC HNOTES | 19So has it worked?
For the unit I taught, there was improvement in most students.
I personally felt more prepared and, using the fidelity checklist,
ensured that I was more consistent across all of my classes.
Indeed, I now use Direct Instruction and the fidelity checklist for
lessons where I want to explicitly teach a particular skill – such as
techniques for product analysis, tool use, 2-point perspective –
any skill I want my students to master.
You don’t need a Master’s degree to know that students who are
successful are more likely to be engaged and reach the targets set
by the class; they are more likely to offer feedback to classmates.
Ultimately, they are more likely to ideate divergently, and choose
the most appropriate creativity technique to do so, resulting in
better, more valuable products created. Direct Instruction is an
excellent tool to be able to find more success in the classroom.
Appendix A: Creativity Techniques
Following is a series of handouts (I laminate them) intended for use
in conjunction with the fidelity checklist.
Above: Design ideas for a lamp using time travel (Alice in Wonderland)
for inspiration to generate multiple alternatives. Image supplied.
20 | TEC HNOTESCreativity Technique 1
Brainstorming (Osborne, 1953)
What is it? Steps:
Fluency Raw number of ideas generated 1. Remember: quantity, NOT quality.
Flexibility How the idea solves the problem 2. Reach the goal you/the class has set – how many ideas?
Originality Uniqueness of the idea • Use words and pictures.
Elaboration Refinement of the idea • Number your sketches to monitor your progression.
3. When instructed, ask a partner or small group to give feedback:
Quantity NOT quality
• Which ideas look the best as-is?
Defer judgement – no idea is too dumb!
• Which ideas could be combined to make a better idea?
• Which ideas are the most unusual?
4. Evaluate your feedback and choose the best idea(s) to
proceed with.
5. Refine your idea(s).
T EC HNOTES | 21Creativity Technique 2
SCAMPER (Eberle, 1977)
Adopted from: www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCT_02.htm
Substitute Put to another use
• What materials or resources can you substitute or swap to • Can you use this product somewhere else, perhaps in
improve the product? another industry?
• What other product or process could you use? • Who else could use this product?
• What rules could you substitute? • How would this product behave differently in another setting?
• Can you use this product somewhere else, or as a substitute • Could you recycle the waste from this product to make
for something else? something new?
• What will happen if you change your feelings or attitude toward
this product?
Eliminate
• How could you streamline or simplify this product?
Combine • What features, parts, or rules could you eliminate?
• What would happen if you combine this product with another, • What could you understate or tone down?
to create something new? • How could you make it smaller, faster, lighter, or more fun?
• What if you combine purposes or objectives? • What would happen if you took away part of this product?
• What could you combine to maximise the uses of this product? What would you have in its place?
• How could you combine talent and resources to create a new
approach to this product? Reverse
• What would happen if you reversed this process or sequenced
Adapt things differently?
• How could you adapt or readjust this product to serve another • What if you try to do the exact opposite of what you’re trying
purpose or use? to do now?
• What else is the product like? • What components could you substitute to change the order
• Who or what could you emulate to adapt this product? of this product?
• What else is like your product? • What roles could you reverse or swap?
• What other context could you put your product into? • How could you reorganise this product?
• What other products or ideas could you use for inspiration?
Modify
• How could you change the shape, look, or feel of your product?
• What could you add to modify this product?
• What could you emphasise or highlight to create more value?
• What element of this product could you strengthen to create
something new?
22 | TEC HNOTESCreativity Technique 3
Attribute analysis/decomposition (Ulrich 2011)
(Also called ‘morphological synthesis’ (G.A. Davis et al, 1972, quoted in Ma, 2006))
What is it?
Break down the design idea into its different parts/elements and create different sub-designs for each.
Example: beach bat and ball:
4 x ideas for bat handle
4 x ideas for bat head
4 x ideas for ball connection
… gives 64 possible alternatives!
T EC HNOTES | 23Creativity Technique 4
Analogous design (adapted from Denison, 2016)
What is it?
Using something completely different/foreign to your designs BUT with a similar look/shape/pattern. Like brainstorming with a ‘prop’.
Steps:
1. Select a pattern from nature, textile or other that could be used as a base for a design (the ‘prop’).
2. Use these tools:
• flip/reverse
• duplicate
• rotate
• mirror
• bloat (expand)
• pucker (contract)
• scale
• combine.
3. Remember quantity, NOT quality.
4. Reach the goal you/the class has set – how many sketches?
• Number your sketches to show your progression.
5. Dot voting: As a group give feedback:
• Which ideas look the best as-is?
• Which ideas could be combined to make a new better idea?
• Which ideas are the most unusual?
6. Evaluate your feedback and choose best idea to proceed with.
7. Refine your idea.
Prop for pewter jewellery design brainstorm: Pewter jewellery ideas:
24 | TEC HNOTESCreativity Technique 5
Convergent thinking – dot voting (‘hits’) (Firestein and Treffinger, 1982)
What is it?
At certain points in the design process, thinking and focus need to shift to select the best option.
Rules:
1. Be deliberate – take your time and be explicit in decision making.
2. Refer to specifications – which ideas fit best?
3. Which ideas need improvement?
4. Weird can sometimes be wonderful – take the time to explore novel ideas.
5. How can you simplify, make real, create your idea?
Hits are items that:
• jump off the page
• are relevant
• excite you
• are clear
• are interesting
• solve the challenge
• intrigue you
• seem workable
• go in the right direction.
Steps:
1. Prepare the ideas to be voted on – make them visible, clear.
2. When instructed, move around the room and ‘vote’ for your colleagues’ best idea with a single green dot or star on the best ‘hit’.
3. Return to your place. The idea(s) with the most dots should be refined.
4. Refine those ideas as instructed by your teacher.
T EC HNOTES | 25Appendix B: Object sheet Following is a sample object sheet to start students using a creativity technique. It is envisaged they would choose one to work on when developing a creativity technique. 26 | TEC HNOTES
Above left: Creativity Technique 4, analogous design, was used when
designing these pendants.
Above right: These clocks were designed using Creativity Technique 1
brainstorming, and the final clock designs were chosen using Creativity
Technique 5, convergent thinking – dot voting. Images supplied.
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T EC HNOTES | 27You can also read
