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May Newsletter

May 2025

Dear colleagues,

Welcome to the May edition of our newsletter. As we progress through Term 2, we’re excited to share the latest developments within our DATTA QLD community, including our highlight event—the 2025 DATTA Qld State Conference with extended early-bird registration still available. Join us on June 19–20 for an array of presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities, and don’t miss the Conference Dinner at The Ship Inn, Southbank (Thursday at 6pm) where the DATTA QLD Teacher Awards will be announced.

This monthly communication continues to serve as your window into professional activities, opportunities, and achievements across our network, so read on to discover how you can engage with and contribute to our vibrant educational community.

In this edition:

With best wishes,

Carol-Anne Durkin
President – Design And Technology Teachers’ Association QLD

2025 DATTA Queensland State Conference
Conference Registration and Attendance

Early-bird registration has been extended for the 2025 DATTA Qld State Conference!

Get in now, book your tickets and claim your discount for attendees!

Come for one day or two!

As well as attending an array of presentations, workshops and tours that could help you with implementing curriculum across subjects and year levels, it is a great opportunity to socialise, speak with companies who may have resources and equipment that you can use at your school, Pick up samples, make new contacts and learn new skills, as well as presentations that could help with subject delivery across subjects and year levels.

Don’t forget to register for the Conference Dinner too! Thursday 19th June –at 6pm at The Ship Inn, Southbank – a great night out, good food and company, located at South Bank. The dinner registration includes a three-course meal and drinks, for the heavily subsidised price of $55. This represents great value for money, especially for those of staying overnight in Brisbane to attend the conference.

Don’t forget the winners of the DATTA QLD Teacher Awards will be announced at the Conference Dinner.

Tickets to the Conference and Dinner can be purchased here.

Conference Exhibitors – Last Call

We are finalising our amazing list of exhibitors for the 2025 DATTA Qld State Conference. If you know of a business/company who would like to exhibit this year, or if you think a business should know about the conference, please let them know asap!

We have a great line up of exhibitors for you this year and would love to add some new and innovative companies to our list.

Click here to sponsor and exhibit!

Pre-conference workshop (optional)

Get hands on with the art of Augmented Reality (AR) using just a mobile device at The Edge. AR is a fun and engaging activity for all ages, superimposing digital designs through mobile devices onto different surfaces.   

During this session you will learn how use this technology to add interactivity and innovation to artwork and designs or bring a 3D model into the real-world using Adobe Aero with an iPad. Participants need to bring a mobile device and will receive resources to use in their classroom.

Find out more here!

PD Opportunities – Teach Meet Term 2
Free professional development opportunity!

Term 2, Wednesday 21 May, Week 5.

Delivered via Zoom – Anyone can attend.

Audience: Teachers from all areas of Design and Technologies.

What you need to bring: Ideas, examples of classroom experiences and learning sequences, questions, examples of how you plan to substitute, augment, modify or redefine tasks.

Find out more
PD Opportunities – UQ Schools Net - Future Ready with AI

Dear DATTA Queensland Members,

Your school staff and teachers are invited to gain hands-on experience with practical AI tools and insights designed for educators.

This one day event will focus on empowering educators with practical AI knowledge and tools. It breaks down AI fundamentals, helping participants understand what AI is and how large language models (LLMs) work. Participants will engage in a hands-on session on using AI as a personal assistant for classroom planning and administrative tasks, as well as an interactive workshop on integrating AI into content-based learning and developing students’ problem-solving and logical reasoning in the classroom.

See the highlights below, or the full schedule on our website.

Register Now!

UQ Future Ready with AI PD 2025 early bird registrations now open

PD Opportunities – Makers Empire

Advanced Manufacturing Future Skills Program 

An exciting professional development opportunity available in a number of regions, with the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development. The program is aimed at secondary school teachers, with some resources for students too.

Teachers get PD, tools and resources, and support from a learning team, while students get to participate in a STEM and technology project, so for executive leaders at school, it is a great project to build on-site capacity and connect with industry.

Overview

Teachers will attend 2 x PD/industry immersion days including an industry site visit which will cover the manufacturing industry in their region, pd on design-thinking, hands-on 3D printer training and Makers Empire 3D design software.

Teachers then work with students on a project aimed at either Years 7-9 and/or Years 10-12 to solve a manufacturing-related problem. Year 10-12 students will do a pitch, like in Shark Tank.

At the end of the project, teachers and students attend a half-day showcase to present to guest judges and industry.

Schools also receive a 3D printer to keep, Makers Empire 3D design software for 3 years, support from Makers Empire learning team and the opportunity to work with their local Qld Manufacturing Hub and/or industry partners.

Schools will need to budget for: 

  • local travel and teacher relief days for the 2 x PD/industry days; and 
  • local travel and teacher relief day for teacher and some students to attend showcase day.

You can see an article on last year’s program on the Gold Coast, Toowoomba and Moreton Bay. The program has been running since 2021:

https://www.makersempire.com/gold-coast-toowoomba-and-moreton-bay-schools-celebrate-their-advanced-manufacturing-solutions/

Schools can register and apply here now:

  1. Cairns region (pd scheduled start of Term 3, student project Term 3-4)
  2. Logan/Beenleigh region (pd scheduled middle of Term 2,student project Term 3-4)
  3. Toowoomba region (pd scheduled middle of Term 2,student project Term 3-4) 
  4. Sunshine Coast region (pd scheduled middle of Term 2, student project Term 3-4)
Design Teachers QLD Website - designteachersqld.org

The website provides a secure platform for teachers of General Design to collaborate. It doesn’t matter if you’re an Industrial Design and Technology teacher, Food and Textiles Design and Technology teacher, Art teacher, or any other teacher out of field. If you are teaching or planning to teach General Design, log on, create an account and collaborate with your peers.

Sign up here
Department of Education - Virtual Academy

The Queensland Virtual Academy (QVA) is a Department of Education state-wide, cohesive approach to increasing equity in student access to curriculum pathways, learning opportunities, and teaching expertise.

The on-demand learning materials are a suite of resources accessible by schools, staff and students (under teacher direction as part of the school’s learning program) anywhere, anytime.

The materials are aligned to the Australian Curriculum and enable out-of-field and early career teachers to build their knowledge and capability to deliver curriculum content with confidence.

The QVA provides an online community and individual support to help teachers build their knowledge and capability.

The 4 services provided by the QVA are:

  1. Live online lessons: virtual learning is delivered to students in difficult-to-staff learning areas or subjects by a QVA partner school teacher to students in another school.
  2. On-demand learning materials: the QVA provides access to learning materials that assist teachers to more confidently deliver the curriculum.
  3. Schools teaching to other schools: through school-initiated partnerships, schools work together to deliver curriculum and learning opportunities.
  4. Targeted and specialist virtual programs: these programs enrich curriculum for targeted students and support schools to further personalise student learning.

 

The On-demand learning materials service will provide out-of-field or inexperienced teachers with curated resources that enable them to more confidently deliver the curriculum.

 In 2025, On-demand learning materials are being developed for P-6 Technologies and 7–10 Design & Technologies (all four contexts).

EOI for Critical Friends – Department of Education

We are seeking expressions of interests for Critical Friends to provide feedback on the development of these learning materials, assessment tasks and unit plans.

 Commitment and role:

  • Commitment – provide feedback via email and surveys on QVA On-demand learning materials and curriculum documents.
  • Role – offering feedback and suggestions based on expertise to help the QVA refine and enhance educational resources, ultimately supporting teachers who may be new to the field or teaching outside their primary subject area.

Please contact Ryan Bishop via email or phone with any questions about this opportunity.

Ryan Bishop
Education Officer — Digital and Virtual Learning

School and Student Support
Department of Education

M: 0493525163
E: ryan.bishop@qed.qld.gov.au

Find out more
Teacher Excellence Awards now open

The DATTA Queensland Teacher Excellence Award program was established to recognise Design & Technology teachers (and other industry associates) who contribute to the profession, serve as models for their colleagues and demonstrate excellence in the classroom. It should be noted that the term “Design & Technology teachers” is meant to include all teaching areas in the subject area, including areas such as Engineering and STEM.

The award serves to provide public recognition for Queensland Design & Technology teachers with candidates being nominated by their colleagues. They may also self-nominate.

Nominations close Saturday 31 May.

Winners are announced at the DATTA Qld State Conference Dinner, Thursday 19 June.

Find out more
Podcast #78 – 2025 DATTA QLD Conference Series

In podcast 78, Stephen is launching the 2025 DATTA QLD Conference Series, building excitement for the big event on June 19–20 at Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

From Stephen:
I’m thrilled to kick things off with two phenomenal educators: Justine Hawkins, a design and technology expert with a passion for fashion and textiles, and Wayne van den Bos, a veteran design teacher who helped write the senior syllabus. I caught up with both to preview their must-see conference sessions, and let me tell you, they’re bringing some serious inspiration.

Justine’s diving into drawing techniques for soft furnishings and fashion, plus sparking a convo about Year 10 design courses. Wayne’s unpacking the updated senior syllabus, sharing assessment hacks, and revealing a game-changing template for IA1. Whether you’re a design teacher like me, a student, or just love creative education, this episode will get you pumped for the conference.

Click here to listen
5% discount for Inspired Education workshops

DATTA Qld and Inspired Education Australia are happy to offer a 5% discount for IEA workshops (state-wide) – on top of early bird – for DATTA QLD Members!

Use the code DATTAQLDInspired25

View workshops
Request for Assistance with PHD

You are invited to participate in a research study on ‘The factors impacting on school staff intervention in bullying among students.’

We are seeking Queensland school-based staff working in the following roles:

  • Deputy principals
  • Teachers
  • Year level coordinators / heads of year / behaviour management teachers / heads of behaviour
  • Guidance officers / psychologists / counsellors

Your involvement:

  • Completion of an online survey that will take approximately 15mins
  • Participation is voluntary and you or your school will not be identified in the data

If you have any questions about this study, please contact:
Ms Shannon O’Brien (PhD Candidate) – shannonolivia.obrien@hdr.qut.edu.au

Survey link
Member spotlight

We want to celebrate our amazing members. There are so many inspiring, hard-working Design and Technology teachers working in our State. We want to recognise your contributions to high-quality Design and Technologies Education. Nominate a colleague, or yourself, to feature in one of the DATTA QLD Member Spotlights. Email Expressions of Interest to socials@dattaqld.org.au

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Useful links
Upcoming Events and Important dates for 2025
  • Teach Meet – Professional Development – Week 5 each term – Wednesday 21 May – Register via email: teachmeet@dattaqld.org.au
  • DATTA Qld Teacher Excellence Awards nominations close Saturday 31 May
  • DATTA Qld 2025 Conference 19–20 June 2025, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
  • Design and Technology Week 13–19 October 2025
Membership renewal reminders

Membership! – Check your membership details for DATTA Qld. School membership and/or personal membership! Remember that there are benefits to members throughout the year and you are supporting our professional association with your membership fees. Talk to others about their membership – who can you remind or encourage to renew or begin their membership in 2025?

Contribute to our monthly newsletter

We encourage our members to contribute to our monthly newsletter! Please contact us if you have any articles or information that you think could be included in future newsletters.

Email on: socials@dattaqld.org.au