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Welcome back for 2025!
Newsletter - February 2025
Dear colleagues,
As we embark on another exciting school year, we are thrilled to welcome you back and introduce our very first newsletter for 2025. This newsletter will be released in the first week of each month and aims to keep both current and past members of DATTA QLD well-informed and engaged with our professional community. Through this platform, we hope to strengthen our connections and ensure everyone stays updated on the vibrant events and initiatives that will take place throughout the year.
In this edition:
- Introducing the new 2025 DATTA QLD committee
- Thank you to past DATTA Qld President and Treasurer, Mark and James
- TeachMeet Term 1- Generative AI
- Student Subject Awards now open
- Podcast #72 – Leighann Ness Wilson, Transforming education through design thinking
- Member spotlight – Andrew Devoy
- 5% discount for Inspired Education workshops
- DATTA Qld 2025 Conference – Presentation submissions are open
- Upcoming events and important dates for 2025
- Membership renewal reminders
- Contribute to our monthly newsletter
With best wishes,
Carol-Anne Durkin
President – Design And Technology Teachers’ Association QLD
Introducing the new 2025 DATTA QLD committee
President Carol-Anne Durkin
I am the new President of DATTA QLD, taking over the role from Mark McMullin after a very long and successful stint. I have been a Design & Technologies teacher since 2002, teaching across the breadth of the Industrial Design and Technologies subjects, from Y7-12. I taught in Scotland for over 10 years before making the move to Queensland, where I worked in the State and Catholic sectors until taking on the position of Principal Education Officer for Engineering, Industrial Technology Skills, and Engineering Skills at QCAA in 2023. I first got involved with the DATTA QLD committee after attending the State Conference in Toowoomba in 2015. Having come from overseas, and living and working in Central Queensland, I was looking for an opportunity to network with other teachers and to help familiarise myself with the change in curriculum. I really enjoyed the camaraderie of the committee, getting to know and work alongside Mark McMullin, James Lansbury and Rachel Warnes, who worked very hard to build the conference up to what it is today. Many laughs have been had over the years. In 2020 I took over the role of Secretary from Rachel, and held that position until the last AGM. I established the first DATTA QLD Student subject awards in 2021 and supported Jamie with them as he came on board in the last two years. I have been managing the DATTA QLD social media platforms and the newly introduced newsletter. It is great to see new members joining the committee and taking on some of these roles. I am excited to take up this new challenge and hope that when the time comes for me to step back from the association, that I leave it better off for being involved.
Secretary Jamie Lay
Jamie Lay is a passionate STEMx and Industrial Design Technology teacher at Ferny Grove State High School, bringing innovation and enthusiasm to the classroom. With four years of teaching experience and three years as a DATTA Qld committee member, Jamie served as the Student Engagement Officer. As of 2025 he has taken on the role of Secretary and will continue his commitment to fostering creativity and critical thinking in students.
Jamie’s enthusiasm for design, technology, and STEM has led to notable achievements and a deep understanding of effective teaching practices. His involvement with DATTA Qld reflects his dedication to professional development and collaboration within the field.
Treasurer Stephen Anderson
Stephen Anderson is a passionate and innovative educator specializing in design and technology. With a career spanning decades and multiple industries, Stephen’s journey has taken him from trade apprentice to entrepreneur, and back to teaching. He earned his Diploma of Teaching in Manual Arts in the early 1990s and later returned to the classroom in 2017 after 20+ years in the construction and business sectors.
A recipient of the prestigious 2023 Cooper Hewitt Design Fellowship, Stephen spent 12 weeks at the Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt Design Museum in New York, where he immersed himself in cutting-edge design thinking, education strategies, and global design trends. This transformative experience has inspired him to foster creativity, collaboration, and resilience in his students by emphasizing the value of learning through mistakes.
Currently teaching in rural Queensland, Stephen is an advocate for design thinking as a powerful educational tool. He also hosts the DATTA Queensland Podcast, where he shares insights into design and education. Stephen’s unique approach combines his industry experience, a love for hands-on learning, and a belief in the power of collaboration to unlock potential in both students and educators.
Connect with Stephen on LinkedIn or via email at podcast@dattaqld.org.au.
Committee Member Keith Holledge
Focusing on Design in Technology Week.
Committee Member Rory Johanson
Focusing on Professional Development.
Committee Member Alana Patterson
Focusing on Social Media.
Committee Member Toni Smith
Focusing on Teaching & Learning + Professional Development.
Committee Member Maggie Georgopolous
Focusing on Industry Partnerships.
Additional Committee Member
- Cassie Thorn
- Mark McMullin
- James Lansbury
- Rowan Cahill
Thank you to past DATTA Qld President and Treasurer, Mark and James
We extend our deepest gratitude and heartfelt thanks to Mark McMullin and James Lansbury for their years of unwavering commitment and exceptional service to the DATTA QLD Committee and Association. Mark, in his role as President, and James, as Treasurer, have both played instrumental roles in expanding and advancing our association, steering us toward new heights with their vision and dedication. Their tireless efforts have not only elevated the standards of our community but have also laid a robust foundation for future success.
While we are thrilled that they will continue to contribute as valued general committee members, we fully support their well-deserved step back from their leadership roles after so many years of commendable service. Mark and James, your work has significantly impacted DATTA QLD, and we all deeply appreciate and value everything you’ve done.
TeachMeet Term 1- Generative AI
Topic: Sharing good practice in 2025 – Generative AI
- When: Wednesday 26 February, 4:30pm – 6:00pm
- Where: Zoom
- Cost: Free for members!
Description: An opportunity to connect with colleagues across the State to share your experience and use of generative AI in the classroom. e.g Vizcom, Autodesk Generative AI, Adobe AI.
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.
Student Subject Awards now open
The Design And Technology Teachers’ Association of Queensland Student Subject Award program was established to recognise excellence and outstanding achievements in Design and Technologies subjects across Queensland.
The awards serve to provide public recognition for Queensland Design & Technology students with candidates being nominated by their teacher. It is also an opportunity to recognise the hard work and outstanding teaching of our members.
Each year, the top three awardees in each category from the seven educational regions of Queensland, will proceed and compete to be acknowledged as the overall State winner in each category. Winners will be announced in Term 2, Week 10.
Submissions along with the completed nomination form and signed media consent form, should be emailed to Keith Holedge and Jamie Lay at; studentawards@dattaqld.org.au by Friday 2 May 2025 (Term 2 Week 2).
Podcast #72 – Leighann Ness Wilson, Transforming education through design thinking.
In this episode of the Bridge Building Podcast: From Technology to the Trades, we chat with Leighann Ness Wilson, a designer-turned-educator with a passion for fostering creativity and innovation in education. Leighann shares her journey from growing up in rural Nanango to designing workspaces across the globe and, ultimately, to teaching and researching how design thinking can transform teaching practices.
Currently completing her PhD, Leighann focuses on empowering pre-service teachers to embrace design thinking as a core component of their pedagogy. She offers insights into the challenges of teaching design in schools and why it’s critical for shaping 21st-century skills like problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Leighann’s journey from interior design to education and research
- The importance of design thinking in the Australian curriculum
- How design empowers both teachers and students to think critically and creatively
- Tips for incorporating design thinking into classroom practice
- Leighann’s vision for the future of design in education
Member spotlight – Andrew Devoy
DATTA Queensland proudly presents Andrew Devoy, a distinguished educator who has dedicated over three decades to Design and Technology education. With an impressive career spanning nearly 20 years at Marist College Ashgrove and a wealth of experience across multiple prestigious schools, Andrew has become a cornerstone of technological education in Queensland.
From hosting the Invitational Karting Challenge to leading groundbreaking STEM projects, Andrew has consistently pushed the boundaries of Design and Technology education, earning recognition through prestigious awards like the Keith Tronc Award for Outstanding Teacher Leadership and a DATTA Queensland Honorable Mention.
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
DATTA Qld 2025 Conference - Presentation submissions are open
Have you got a topic to present? We welcome you to submit a presentation to be considered for inclusion in the 2025 conference program and complimentary registration.
Topic categories include:
- General Design & Technologies subjects
- Applied/Certificate subjects
- Australian Curriculum/STEM
- Pedagogy
- Tools/resources to support teachers
- other
Presentations are to be run in person in a lecture or workshop style format. For more information and submission guidelines, please visit the conference website.
Submissions close at midnight on Wednesday 31 March 2025 (AEST).
We hope to see you at the DATTA Qld State Conference 2025!
Upcoming Events and Important dates for 2025
- TeachMeet – Professional Development – Week 5 each term – See the monthly newsletter and regular Facebook posts for ongoing updates.
- DATTA Qld 2025 Conference – 19–20 June 2025. Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
- Design and Technology Week – 13–19 October 2025
- DATTA Qld Student Awards – Submissions close Friday 2 May. *Note this is earlier than in previous years. See website or future newsletters for more information.
- DATTA Qld Teacher Awards – Nominations close Saturday 31 May.
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