Inspiring Industry Aligned Skills for Teachers

In a changing world where education endeavors to contend with the technical improvements and ever-growing aspect of educational requirements for our students. We as teachers have been challenged to engage more and more in the understanding of the skills and attributes that students need to acquire to be successful active participants in a global society. As a curriculum, technologies involve experiential, practical, and applied knowledge and theoretical understanding. It requires students to be autonomous and creative problem-solvers as individuals and team members. Students combine an understanding of Design Thinking, STEM knowledge, and the application of Digital technologies, as well as the ability to consider functionality, aesthetics, social, cultural, economic, and environmental issues, and industry best practices with practical processes and skills. As they do so, they reflect on and evaluate past and present technologies, their uses, and their effects on local, regional and global societies.

In an endeavor as teachers to be best prepared to guide our students through their educational journey, realising the skillsets of old were not preparing them for the future they were destined to shape. Nudgee College Technologies staff engaged Inspired Education to deliver a ‘Design Thinking’ workshop. While many of our staff believed that the prior professional opportunities, and personal application to the development of knowledge in this area, had prepared them for what was required of them as educators. A renewed passion for education and educational opportunities that had real-world outcomes came to a realisation in these staff through this workshop.

This renewed excitement became infectious in the staff, and the co-creation of new learning contexts became a reality for our students. No longer were the teachers leaders and purveyors of knowledge, but guides in the student's educational self-discovery of the impacts they can have on their real future. Not only has this led to an increased level of staff and student engagement and satisfaction, but it has also driven a desire from other faculties in the school to engage in Design Thinking as a pedagogy. The Technologies faculty began to face the challenge of overwhelming success with student achievement and engagement. Leading to the desire of the staff to learn more about Design Thinking. We are excited that Inspired Education has developed ‘Design Thinking 2.0’. We welcome the opportunity to engage with this and endeavor to discover what more we can do to ensure our young men are prepared to be the change makers we want for the future of our society.

Paul Doneley
Director of Pathways