"Mater Dei Matters"

STEAM

YEAR 8 STEAM 

STEAM is the integrated teaching and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics. It is currently at the forefront of educational practice across secondary education, university and TAFE sectors in conjunction with Industry leaders such as Westpac, BAE Systems and Johnson and Johnson. Labour force data collected between 2013 and 2018 shows that STEM related occupations have grown by 16.5% which is 1.6 times higher than the growth rate of non-STEM based jobs (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018). 

 

The Year 8 STEAM program aims to develop the soft skills necessary for students to enter into future STEM careers. Students are currently developing their communication, collaboration, technological, problem solving and creative skills through a series of challenges as part of the Makerspace unit. 

 

Students have worked in collaborative learning teams of three, in roles such as Project Manager, Engineer and Mathematician. Students navigate the design process: Emphasise, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test and Evaluate to create the fastest and lightest water vessels, design a paper plate marble maze and paper plate roller coasters. They are given variables and time constraints for each build. 

 

Students are currently being formatively assessed on their skills which is available in Canvas. They have received feedback on their communication and collaboration skills.  

EMERGE PROGRAM - CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY

MDCC have joined the Emerge Program run by Charles Sturt Universities. There are three sessions available to our students. 

 

SESSION 1 - 15 MARCH 2022

Inspiring Speaker Session with Former Yellow Wiggle (and former Wagga local), Sam Moran.  Sam Moran is visiting some of our Year 10 and 11 students for an energising, uplifting and inspiring hour where he will guide students through a short activity stimulating creativity, problem solving and their ingenuity to tackle a problem. He will be interviewed by the Charles Sturt Innovation Hubs team about his stratospheric rise from being a humble Wagga entertainer to global fame. Students will be invited to ask him questions as part of this session.

 

SESSION 2

The College has received a Fable Robotics kit that the students can build themselves to perform various functions related to agriculture. Our IST students have started programming the maze function of this robot. Teacher training and resources will be provided to assist the incorporation of robotics into some of our TAS courses. 

 

SESSION 3 - YOUTH-INCUBATOR (Y-INC) - 7- 9 June 2022

A 3-day Youth Incubator (Y-INC) will be held at Charles Sturt University, Wagga campus, where students will have the opportunity to go through an incubator process experiencing roles such as branding, prototyping and pitching. They will also have the freedom to work autonomously and creatively to build prototypes, conduct validation and progress their ideas. The experience is very hands-on and will be supported by expert Young Change Agent facilitators and a full kit of resources.

 

The Y-INC will be held across three days: 7 - 9  June (inclusively) at Charles Sturt University, Wagga campus with the winning team winning a $2,000 MasterCard gift voucher for their school!  

 

DRONE WORKSHOP

The Surf Life Saving NSW Australian UAV Service is the provider of the largest coastal drone surveillance program in the Southern Hemisphere. She Maps has partnered with Surf Lifesaving NSW UAV to provide drone surveillance to some of NSW’s most popular beaches and to create some inspiring educational drone programs. We are very lucky to have two of our Year 7 classes participating in a Drone workshop run by She Maps at the beginning of Term 2.

 

Mrs Courtney Freebody | Leader of Learning and Technology 

 

MATHS WEEK

Here is what is happening next week...

  • All week - Home Group Trivia
  • All week - Guess the Staff number competition
  • Monday - Verse Mr Larkin in reciting the digits of Pi for Pi day! You might want to start practising here.
  • Tuesday - Create a Homegroup Maths meme competition
  • Wednesday - There will be a silent Cake Auction held next Wednesday. Funds raised from your or you and your friends bake will go towards the Vinnies Flood Appeal.

LOTS OF PRIZES TO BE WON!