DATTA Qld Newsletter
May 2026
Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to the May edition of the DATTA Qld Newsletter! It’s hard to believe how quickly the year is moving and with Term 2 well underway, our committee is buzzing with excitement as we count down to the upcoming State Conference at Kedron-Wavell.
With the conference just around the corner, now is the perfect time to secure your tickets and join colleagues from across Queensland for an inspiring program of workshops, presentations and hands on sessions covering a wide range of relevant and emerging topics in Design and Technologies education. This is also a wonderful opportunity to engage with our conference sponsors and also the trade displays who will be set up and ready to help you with any questions you may have about their products and services!
The conference also includes the presentation of the Teacher of the Year Awards at the conference dinner on Thursday 18 June – a wonderful opportunity to celebrate excellence and innovation within our community.
We look forward to seeing you there, connecting with peers and engaging in the rich professional learning and networking opportunities that make this event such a highlight of the D&T calendar.
With best wishes,
Carol-Anne Durkin
President – Design And Technology Teachers’ Association QLD
2026 DATTA Qld Membership
Is your membership up to date? Remember that members receive a range of benefits, indluding discounted Conference tickets, access to exclusive deals throughout the year and DATTA Qld rely on your membership for the continued operation of this as a professional association. We can’t do it without you and need your support! We are all better when we work together!
To renew your membership please check your email for your renewal notice and take a moment to confirm your DATTA Qld school and or personal membership details. Schools – Don’t forget to list your teachers on your membership record so they can access the discounted conference rates!
Any questions – email membership@dattaqld.org.au
Less than one month until the 2026 DATTA Qld Conference!
The DATTA Qld Conference is now less than a month away, register now and join us on Thursday 18 and Friday 19 June 2026 at our new venue, Kedron-Wavell.
Submit your PD forms and register early to take advantage of early bird rates.
We can’t wait to see you in June!
Thank you to our sponsors and exhibitors:
Premium Sponsors
kEYNOTE SPONSORs
Networking Sponsor
Dinner Sponsor
Lanyard Sponsor
nAME BADGE SPONSOR
Catering Sponsor
Exhibitors
DATTA Qld Teacher of the Year Awards
Who have you nominated for the 2026 DATTA Qld Teacher of the Year Awards?
We all work with somebody who is an outstanding teacher and deserves recognition for the work they do in the classroom and with our students. Teachers with dedication, passion and a way of creating content that engages the students with amazing outcomes. Nominate them now!
Let’s get some recognition for your colleagues! They deserve it!
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.
These awards are made each year and one of the awardees will become the Queensland nomination for the DATTA Australia Educator of the Year award, which is announced at their conference.
Submit your nomination form by Sunday 31 May 2026.
DATTA Qld Student Awards
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.
Free resource for DATTA Qld members
DATTA Qld members now have free access to the April 2026 “Live Edition” of The Australian Farmer.
“Editor’s Picks”: UNSW, Roberts + Morrow, ProdOz International, PIEFA, Waite Research Institute, AgNova Technologies
Bridge Building Podcast
Stephen has been collating interviews with key speakers who will be attending the 2026 DATTA Qld State Conference!
In this ‘Conference Series’ of podcasts, Stephen interviews a range of very special guests with such amazing talents and stories to tell!
Take a look at these amazing podcasts:
Episode 92, Part 1 with Nick Kelly
Nick Kelly from QUT discusses why design should be considered one of the most important subjects in school. The conversation explores creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and the growing importance of design capability in a future shaped by artificial intelligence and automation.
Nick argues that many of the so-called “21st century skills” schools aim to develop are fundamentally design skills, and that design education deserves a far more central place in modern schooling.
Episode 92, Part 2 with Richard Neville
Richard Neville from Babinda P–12 School, who shares a collaborative game design project connecting primary and secondary students.
Students work together to design and build a multiplayer arcade-style game that requires players to cooperate in order to succeed. The project combines coding, systems thinking, collaborative problem solving, and iterative design while also encouraging students to work across year levels.
This episode offers practical insights, big-picture thinking, and inspiring examples of what Design and Technology education can look like when creativity, collaboration, and authentic problem solving are placed at the centre of learning.
Episode 93, Part 1 with Steph Piper
Steph Piper from the University of Southern Queensland discusses gamified learning through the use of “skill trees” — visual templates inspired by video games that help learners map out and track their progress across a wide range of practical skills.
The conversation explores maker education, 3D printing, electronics, laser cutting, and how visualising skill development can encourage both students and teachers to identify gaps, build confidence, and continue learning.
Episode 93, Part 2 with Jacqui Niblett
Jacqui shares how storytelling and entrepreneurial pitching frameworks can help students communicate ideas more effectively. The discussion explores human-centred design, empathy, entrepreneurial mindset education, and how students can structure presentations that engage audiences and inspire action.
This episode offers practical classroom ideas, creative approaches to learning, and valuable insights into the future of innovation-focused education.
Episode 94, Part 1 with Rashan Senanayake
Rashan Senanayake from Inspired Education Australia discusses the rapidly changing world of AI-assisted CAD and 3D modelling. The conversation explores how artificial intelligence is beginning to transform design workflows, prototyping, visualisation, and classroom practice.
Rashan explains how emerging tools are allowing users to generate and manipulate 3D models using natural language prompts, while also highlighting the important conversations schools need to have around privacy, software ecosystems, and responsible implementation.
Episode 94, Part 2 with Nicci Wheaton
Nicci Wheaton shares a fascinating AI-assisted game design project centred around bees and environmental sustainability.
Students research the challenges facing bee populations before using structured AI prompts to help generate educational games that communicate these issues to the wider community. The project combines coding, sustainability education, AI prompting, research, and game design in a highly engaging classroom experience.
This episode offers practical insights into the future of AI in education while also showcasing creative ways teachers are already using these technologies to support authentic and meaningful learning.
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.
Instructables – Workshop Section
A treasure trove of student friendly woodworking, metalworking, electronics, and fabrication projects. https://www.instructables.com/workshop/
Dezeen – Technology & Design
Showcases cutting edge design, architecture, product innovation, and materials research. https://www.dezeen.com/
Yanko Design
A global design innovation platform featuring conceptual products, industrial design, and future focused ideas. https://www.yankodesign.com/
TeachEngineering
Free, classroom ready engineering design challenges aligned to curriculum outcomes. https://www.teachengineering.org/
CSIRO – Future Science & Engineering
Australia’s leading research organisation showcasing innovations in robotics, materials, manufacturing, and sustainability. https://www.csiro.au/
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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Email on: socials@dattaqld.org.au
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