DATTA Qld Newsletter
August 2026
Dear Colleagues,
How is it August already?! Semester 2 has arrived in the blink of an eye and with it comes a fresh wave of energy across Queensland’s Design and Technologies community.
June saw us gather at Kedron-Wavell for the DATTA Qld State Conference and what a standout event it was. With a record number of attendees, an impressive line up of presenters and a bustling trade display featuring both returning supporters and new companies joining us for the first time, the 2 day event was nothing short of exceptional. The new venue and layout were met with overwhelmingly positive feedback, helping create a professional, welcoming space for teachers to connect, learn and be inspired.
As we settle into Semester 2, welcome back to all our members. DATTA Qld has a huge few months ahead, with Design and Technologies Week, the DATTA Qld Student Subject Awards, ongoing professional development opportunities and our regular podcasts continuing to drop every few weeks throughout the year. Stay with us – there is plenty more to come and we’re excited to share it with you as we continue championing Design and Technologies education across Queensland.
With best wishes,
Carol-Anne Durkin
President – Design And Technology Teachers’ Association QLD
2026 DATTA Qld State Conference photos & videos
Links to gallery and photos
Take a look through some of the photos taken at this year’s State Conference! Presentation Sessions, Trade Displays, Keynote Speakers and Attendees all featured here!
Links to video presentations
We are pleased to advise session recordings are now available to watch on the DATTA Qld website.
Whether you’d like to revisit a presentation or catch up on a session you were unable to attend, you can now access the available recordings in one place.
We hope you enjoy revisiting these sessions and continuing your professional learning.
DATTA Qld Teacher of the Year Awards - Congratulations to the 2026 winners!
Classroom Design & Technology Teacher Award
Nicole Rehner
San Damiano College
The 2026 DATTA Queensland Teacher of the Year Award for Excellence in Design and Technologies Education was presented to Nicole Rehner of San Damiano College, recognised for her visionary leadership in Food Technologies and Hospitality education. Rehner redesigned the Years 7-10 curriculum to deliver authentic, real-world learning experiences, significantly boosting student engagement and raising the profile of Design and Technologies across her school. Her achievements include establishing a commercial hospitality facility, forging strong industry partnerships and creating enterprise and community service opportunities that give students genuine pathways into employment and further study. Beyond the classroom, she is a dedicated advocate for the profession and her work has helped previously disengaged students find renewed confidence and aspiration, inspiring many to pursue futures in hospitality and catering.
Service to Design & Technology Education Award
Miranda Taylor
Beenleigh State High School
The 2026 DATTA Queensland Service to Design and Technologies Education Award was presented to Miranda Taylor of Beenleigh State High School, recognised for her dedicated, often behind-the-scenes contribution to Design and Technologies education. As the cornerstone of her Technology faculty, Miranda has ensured the smooth operation of industrial and digital learning environments, developing broad technical expertise, supporting staff, maintaining specialised equipment and creating safe, effective learning spaces. She has also fostered student engagement and belonging through technology-focused programs and provided vital continuity and mentorship to colleagues during a period of leadership transition. Remarkably, she has achieved all this while working full-time, studying at university to become a teacher and managing significant family responsibilities – embodying resilience, selfless dedication and leadership through action.
DATTA Qld Student Awards
Term 3 is Student Awards Time!
Get your student samples together and enter your amazing kids into the DATTA Qld Student Subject Awards for 2026!
Entries close Sunday 2 September so make sure that you have your entries in before they close!
The Design And Technology Teachers’ Association of Queensland Student Subject Award program has been established to recognise excellence and outstanding achievements in Design and Technologies subjects across Queensland.
This year there has been an update to the requirements for submission. Please see following:
- Student work must use the template provided
- Student work must be submitted in .jpeg format
- Submissions must be accompanied with media coverage permission form
- File name format “LastName_FirstName_School_Category” (Doe_Jane_SHS_Y10D&T.jpeg)
Submissions along with the completed nomination form and signed media consent form, should be emailed to Jamie Lay at; studentawards@dattaqld.org.au by Sunday 6 September 2026.
Week 6 free PD for Design Technology Teachers
Due to the Ekka holidays, we have moved PD to week 6 this Term. Register your interest for this FREE PD now!
Topic: Sharing good practice in 2026 – External Assessment for Design and Engineering
Description: An opportunity to connect with colleagues across the State to share your plans, approaches and questions about the upcoming External Exams for Design and Engineering
Audience: Teachers, HODs.
What you need to bring: ideas, examples of teaching and learning sequences and strategies for external exam preparedness.
When: 19/08/2026, 4:30pm-6:30pm
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Register by emailing teachmeet@dattaqld.org.au
AITSL Standards review
What you need to know
The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Teacher Standards) were developed over 15 years ago. While the Teacher Standards continue to guide practice across Australia, they have not been formally reviewed since they were first adopted.
- The review is in response to views expressed by teachers, school leaders and the broader profession.
- The review will identify opportunities for improvements of the Teacher Standards and make recommendations to Education Ministers.
- Consultation will be wide ranging and open to anyone who would like to make a submission.
- We will also consult directly with the profession and other key educational stakeholders.
- In the meantime, the Teacher Standards remain unchanged and in use.
What is the purpose of the review?
The review will consider the extent to which the Teacher Standards remain relevant, evidence-informed and aligned with an understanding of effective practice. This includes identifying areas where the Teacher Standards may be strengthened or improved to ensure they remain fit for purpose and providing recommendations on revisions needed.
When is the review?
AITSL will conduct a phased review of both the Teacher Standards and the Principal Standard. The review of the Teacher Standards will take place from May 2026 to February 2027.
The review of the Principal Standard will take place from September 2026 to May 2027.
For further information, view the website:
QUT Design Teachers PD event – 17 September
“Taking Design Education Seriously” book launch + Design Teacher Professional Development
This event is an opportunity for high school design teachers to develop skills valuable for teaching the Design & Technologies and Senior Design syllabuses. It will be led by School of Design academics with years of experience in teaching design at a university level.
It features a series of workshops and talks that will focus on:
- Designerly approaches to iteration in sketching and in making.
- How design teachers can ethically use Generative AI to make their processes more efficient and improve teacher wellbeing.
- The design capabilities that students are learning through the syllabus.
- Working to raise the status of design within schools where transferable design capabilities, which are learned in Design & Technologies, need to be seen as essential.
This event will also be launching the book “Taking Design Seriously in Education” By Nick Kelly and Leighann Ness Wilson with an opportunity to hear from the writers and illustrator of the book.
Date: 17 September from 9:30am – 2:30pm
Cost: $60 ($50 early bird until the end of August)
National survey request – Please provide your feedback!
Shifting the Culture of Out-of-field Professional Education for Teachers (SCOPE-T)
Members are invited to participate in an Australian Research Council (ARC) funded study that is seeking to understand the professional education (professional development and re-specialisation opportunities) ecosystem for secondary school teachers who are teaching out-of-field (OOF), that is, teaching subjects that don’t match their qualifications. The study investigates the following:
- Professional education uptake
- How schools prioritise OOF teacher learning
- How policy contributes to the culture surrounding professional education for OOF teachers
- The roles of stakeholders in providing professional development
- Re-specialisation courses and the discourses around professional education
The study is also interested in what attracts teachers and schools to engage with professional education designed to develop capability for teachers to be more in-field. The project aims to model the ecology of an education system that values diverse pathways for teachers to build capability and gain additional specialisation.
The team consists of researchers from six universities: Deakin University, University of Tasmania, Macquarie University, Monash University, University of Queensland and University of Sunshine Coast.
The project website will disseminate the findings of the project: https://www.scope-t.org
The team are adopting a mixed-methods design for this study to understand what is currently occurring, where are the gaps and what is needed now and in the future and who needs to be involved in shifting the culture of professional education for out-of-field teachers.
Members are invited to participate in an anonymous National Survey investigating perceptions of the ecosystem of professional education for teachers teaching out-of-field. You have the option of following up with an interview after the survey – click the link at the end of the survey.
Further details are provided in the Plain Language Statement accessible in the online organisational consent form.
Bridge Building Podcast
The latest podcast was published on 14 August 2026.
In Episode 99 of the Bridge Building Podcast, Stephen Anderson speaks with Shaun Lane from Hale School in Perth about an extraordinary international STEM experience his Technology department has developed for students.
Member spotlight - Malcolm Lee
Our Member Spotlight for August is Malcolm Lee! Malcolm is someone we have all known for many years and has an extensive history in our teaching field. We are please to spotlight Malcolm this month and celebrate his amazing career!
Malcolm Lee enjoyed a distinguished 37-year career in Manual Arts, Industrial Technology and Design education after entering teaching through an unconventional pathway. Beginning his career in 1977, Malcolm taught in a range of Queensland schools, including MacGregor SHS, Tara Secondary Department, Gayndah SHS, Murgon SHS and Gympie SHS, where he served as Head of Department until his retirement. Throughout his career, he was a passionate advocate for professional collaboration and played a key role in establishing the Burnett branch of QMATA, helping connect teachers across regional Queensland through workshops, industry visits and professional networking. Malcolm was actively involved in the evolution of the profession, contributing to syllabus development through the Technology Key Learning Area and serving on state curriculum committees. A long-time supporter of QMATA, INTAD and later DATTA Queensland, he presented at state, regional and national conferences and mentored countless teachers throughout their careers. Reflecting on his time in education, Malcolm regards the relationships he built with students as his most treasured achievement, particularly those moments when encouragement, belief and genuine care helped young people discover their confidence and potential. In retirement, Malcolm remains actively involved in his community, enjoys mentoring young people through practical projects, travelling Australia with his wife, kayaking and pursuing his lifelong passion for making and creating in the workshop.
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.
Useful website links
Below are some links to websites that may be useful for planning and curriculum. *Note, these are simply a random selection of websites which may offer inspiration, they are not affiliated with DATTA Qld in any way.
Design & Technologies/ Engineering Information:
- Education Queensland – Design & Technologies Curriculum Resources – Unit plans, assessment ideas and support materials aligned to the Australian Curriculum. https://education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/stages-of-schooling
- CSIRO Education & Outreach – STEM projects, teacher PD, and classroom activities including CREST awards. https://www.csiro.au/en/education
VET Information:
- gov.au (TGA) – The official national register for training packages, units of competency and accredited courses. https://training.gov.au/
- SkillsIQ – Industry training package updates, consultation papers and teaching guidance. https://www.skillsiq.com.au/
Applied & General Subjects (Design, Engineering, Industrial Technology Skills, Furnishing, Building & Construction, Digital Solutions):
- QCAA – Senior Syllabuses & Resources – Subject guidelines, IA exemplars, marking support and assessment advice. https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior
- Australian Design Centre – Contemporary design case studies, exhibitions and teaching inspiration. https://australiandesigncentre.com/
- Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) – Digital technologies, media arts and design thinking resources. https://www.acmi.net.au/education/
- ABC Education – Classroom videos, interactives and articles across STEM, design and digital technologies. https://education.abc.net.au/
STEM, Innovation & Maker Spaces:
- Monash Tech School – Design Thinking & Innovation Resources – Free teacher guides and student activities. https://www.monashtechschool.vic.edu.au/resources
- Maker’s Empire (Australian‑aligned) – 3D printing lesson plans, design thinking units and professional learning. https://www.makersempire.com/
- Australian STEM Video Game Challenge – National competition encouraging design, coding and problem‑solving. https://www.stemgames.org.au/
Competitions & Student Opportunities:
- CREST Awards (CSIRO) – Inquiry‑based STEM projects with structured award levels. https://www.csiro.au/en/education/programs/crest
- FIRST Robotics Australia – Robotics competitions for primary and secondary students. https://firstaustralia.org/
- Young ICT Explorers – Digital solutions competition aligned to the Australian Curriculum. https://www.youngictexplorers.net.au/
- Australian Space Design Competition – Engineering, design and teamwork challenge for secondary students. https://www.ascs.org.au/
Professional Learning & Teacher Support:
- Teacher PD Hub – QLD Department of Education – Free professional learning modules for Queensland teachers. https://alt-qed.qed.qld.gov.au/working-with-us/induction/department/professional-learning-opportunities
- AITSL – National teacher standards, professional learning tools and evidence‑based practice. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/
- STEM Learning Australia – Workshops, webinars and teaching resources for STEM educators. https://www.stemlearning.org.au/
- Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) – Research, reports and teaching insights. https://www.acer.org/
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