Soula Bennett | Director
Quantum Victoria

Soula Bennett is a system leader and thinker and brings over 30 years of leadership and teaching experience in STEM and STEAM Education. She is the founding Director of Quantum Victoria, a Specialist STEM Centre, engaging primary and secondary students and teachers across F-12. Her leadership roles have included; President of the Science Teachers' Association of Victoria, membership on University and Industry Advisory Boards including, two Australian Research Council Centres (ARCC), and is a regular contributor to STEM and STEAM education at a state, national and international level. Most recently, Soula has convened two state-wide STEM conferences at Quantum Victoria and is organising a third, providing an opportunity for primary and secondary teachers to share their best practice and bring their learning to their classrooms.

Appearances:

Pre-Conference Workshop @ 10:00

Lego

Part One

BricQ Motion Prime

This workshop delves into the world of BricQ Motion Prime and its potential for creating immersive learning experiences. Through hands-on exploration of the physical sciences toolkit, participants will discover how subject-specific knowledge and skills can be seamlessly integrated into transformative educational experiences. Using the BricQ Motion Prime, we will examine how humans have adapted to various tasks and occupations by developing mechanisms and tools to enhance their safety, efficiency, and quality in producing and handling food. Upon completion of the workshop, participants can expect to gain knowledge of the BricQ Motion Prime kit and its components, as well as an eagerness to teach content in novel ways. They will also acquire the skills to explore alternative pedagogies when teaching STEM subjects, an understanding of how play can revolutionize learning, and insight into how to effectively manage the kits within a classroom environment.

Part Two

Rethinking STEM

The integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Maths (STEAM) gives students the opportunity to connect ideas, knowledge, and techniques, combining them in new and interesting ways. STEAM education encourages engaging and integrated teaching, helping students to think in a future-orientated-, ‘what-if’ mindset, through innovation and problem-solving. The ability to critically and creatively think as well as solve problems is necessary to prepare our students for a rapidly evolving future. When a student can relate a concept to their own lives, they are more likely to be motivated to learn about it, and more likely to retain the knowledge. Hands-on, minds-on, real world challenges with the LEGO Education SPIKE portfolio is a great way to ensure your students from early to middle years are engaged in STEAM learning whilst having fun.

Justin Pembroke, STEM & Digital Pedagogies Coach, Baringa State Primary School

Soula Bennett, Director, Quantum Victoria

Day 1 @ 11:40

Women in STEAM

LEGO Education is proud to present Women in STEAM - a sharing session of why it is important to be involved in STEM/STEAM education and to ignite the joy of learning while getting everyone in the classroom involved.

Brenda Gahan, Dean of Years 4-6, Sunshine Coast Grammar School