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Keynote speakers

Brett Dascombe

Wavell State High School

Biography

Brett Dascombe is a geography teacher at Wavell State High School in Brisbane, Queensland. He has taught geography in Queensland for over 20 years and has worked in a range of roles for the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority. Brett supports teachers around Queensland with Professional Development opportunities, assistance with project development and geospatial and STEM resources for their classrooms.

Brett and his students have been recognised nationally and globally for their innovative use of industry standard geospatial tools and data in projects ranging from designing a sustainable train station and line for the Brisbane Olympic Games Village to finding high levels of Faecal coliforms on one of Southeast Queensland favourite beaches. Brett and his students use technology on field trips including drones, interactive mapping, 360 degree camera footage and Generative Ai in class teaching using interactive assessment platform has seen the QCAA accept new modes of field work and investigative assignments.

Australian educators are globally recognised for their exceptional dedication, innovative practice, and skilful integration of technology, positioning them uniquely to prepare learners for future workforce demands. Project-based and enquiry-based learning methodologies are critical in developing industry-ready skills. Education in Queensland is undergoing a remarkable evolution, shifting from traditional teaching models to dynamic, technology-driven approaches that respond to changing workforce demands. Australian educators have consistently led this transformation, embracing innovative methodologies like project-based and enquiry-based learning, effectively bridging the gap between classroom theory and industry practice.

As a geography teacher, I have observed firsthand the profound benefits of integrating technology and innovative methodologies into our classrooms. The educational landscape in Queensland is rapidly evolving, and geography, in particular, has become an exciting gateway to modern, real-world learning. Technologies such as digital twin modelling, geospatial tools like ArcGIS Online, and virtual reality offer extraordinary opportunities for students to explore, analyse, and connect deeply with complex geographical and design challenges.

A crucial aspect of this educational evolution is the continuous growth and professional development of educators, achieved through peer collaboration and shared experiences. Encouraging connections with industry, community groups, Indigenous stakeholders, and regional councils can further enrich the learning environment, providing authentic, real-world contexts that align with current curriculum standards. Teachers are the experts in the room when it comes to education and we should never undervalue this when engaging with or bringing industry into our classrooms.

Ultimately, my aim is not to prescribe methods but to encourage all educators, especially in Design and Technology, to embrace and explore these transformative digital tools. By sharing our experiences openly—through channels such as YouTube, podcasts, and social media—we can collectively foster a culture of innovation, inspiring both educators and students to navigate and thrive in our rapidly changing world.

Margaret O’Brien

Young Change Agents

Biography

Margaret O’Brien is the Founder and CEO of Young Change Agents, a national movement equipping young people to tackle real-world challenges through entrepreneurial thinking. With a background spanning education, business, and social innovation, Margaret is a visionary connector who brings sectors together to build ecosystems of support around youth. She champions collaboration as the key to addressing complex problems and envisions a future where young people are empowered to lead change. A passionate advocate for Design and Technology education, Margaret sees it as a catalyst for student agency, creativity, and impact. By embedding entrepreneurial and design mindsets into classrooms, she helps unlock the potential of young innovators while equipping educators with the tools to build future-ready capabilities. She is also the Co-author of The Playbook for Entrepreneurial Education in Schools, a practical guide supporting educators to create authentic, purpose-driven learning experiences.

Turn classroom creators into changemakers. This keynote explores how to guide students in solving real-world problems using sustainable design principles and entrepreneurial thinking—integrating design for community benefit with innovation, empathy and agency.

Session Breakdown:
1. Why impact matters: The case for socially conscious design
2. What works: Case studies and community-aligned projects
3. Linking to curriculum: Sustainability, systems thinking, and assessment
4. Classroom tools and mindset shifts for changemaking

 

Leighann Ness Wilson

Queensland University of Technology

Biography

Leighann Ness Wilson is an experienced educator, designer and researcher, motivated by opportunities to inspire creativity across the curriculum. After over a decade in the design industry, she retrained as a secondary teacher specialising in Design and Technologies. Leighann was the inaugural STEAM Education Officer at QUT The Cube, served as a Technologies Teacher in Residence in primary education, and has delivered Initial Teacher Education in subjects such as Technologies, Science, STEM, and Digital Pedagogies. Currently a PhD candidate at QUT, Leighann’s research explores the impact of design thinking on the capabilities and self-efficacy of Australian pre-service primary teachers. Her work continues to highlight the transformative potential of design in education.

The Australian curriculum formally recognises design as a central element of Technologies education, emphasising its role in fostering critical and creative thinking among students. Despite being central to the Design and Technologies curriculum, there is insufficient research about how design is understood, valued, and implemented within Australian schools and how it is being incorporated into Initial Teacher Education.

Leighann’s PhD research at Queensland University of Technology explores this gap, investigating how the curricular vision of Design and Technologies is interpreted within Initial Teacher Education, and how future teachers perceive and value design as part of the curriculum.

Drawing on her experiences as a designer, teacher, and researcher, Leighann invites us to reflect on the bigger picture: how we talk about Design and Technologies, how we prepare future teachers, and what’s needed to solidify the position of Design and Technologies as a powerful driver of creativity, capability, and student agency. It’s both a celebration of the potential of Design and Technologies, and a call to shape the future of this dynamic learning area…together.

QUT School of Design

Biography

At QUT School of Design our students and researchers are part of a sustainability-focused, multidisciplinary school with close connections to the design profession. Our courses explore new digital technologies within well-equipped workshops and studios that offer a unique hands-on university experience. Our design program has won national and international teaching awards including the QS Wharton Overall Global Education Program award and the AAUT Program award for Programs that Enhance Learning.  

QUT School of Design is leading the way in approaching Design of the Future in our 4 disciplines of Industrial, Fashion, Visual Communication and Interaction Design. Hear key insights on Artificial Intelligence and its effect on the role of the designer and learn about important design technologies that we are incorporating into the classroom. Key lecturers from Design will present on this topic and will be keen to meet you and talk further in the booth during the DATTA conference.