(STEAM is Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics).

Students in Katherine High School’s Digital Literacy & Design Classes have just completed their assessable tasks for the year.

Traditionally this can be an awkward time to engage students in meaningful tasks. However, given the right STEAM inspired task, this can be fertile ground.

Students have been challenged to form a design group, utilise their newly found skills from this semester (3D Modelling with TinkerCad, 3D printing with UP MINI 2 Printers, Illustrator artworks & Laser Cutting), manufacture products and make a profit to fund a Pizza Party for their class to finish off the year.

Students are now busy working through the Design Process, sketching ideas, calculating area and unit/sheet costs, writing up their product proposals which include explanations of proposed Target Markets and profit potential.

The collaborative nature of the task is developing their oral communication skills as well learning valuable lessons in compromising and justifying ideas within a group setting.

Students also have to learn how to discuss technical issues with the teacher as they push their understanding of the capabilities of our emerging technologies. This then leads onto marketing as they approach their Target Market and securing pre-sales to guarantee efficient material use and gauge interest.

Katherine High School students are also learning other aspects of STEAM education which involves numeracy, literacy, graphic communication, public speaking, collaboration, technical skills and team work.

These tasks have a high buy in rate by the kids. Students that struggle with it still have a rich experience watching and listening to more active groups.

There are other ways to have students actively involved, such as the isolated student that I have learning about Excel who is going to be our class accountant. This student is collating associated information from each group around proposed products, materials needed, sales data and profit figures. These are being collated in a spreadsheet for students to see how we are tracking.

Although this is currently happening within the 1 subject, the bigger picture is to have students actively working toward this project in other areas.

It would be great to see the English department embrace a written task that help the students promote their products. Or the math department use some of the product calculation needs into their lessons, or the art department working on an advertising piece.

With STEAM education and an imagination, we can make our schools a richer place for our students!

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