Happy campers: Behind the scenes with Future Shapers

Agnes fell in love with astronomy in Kenya when she’d go stargazing with her Dad. One day, she hopes to be an astrophysicist. Agnes got to look through a telescope for the first time ever at a STEM Together Future Shapers camp. Agnes is one of 26 students from around Australia selected to take their interest in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) further. Future Shapers are from groups we want to encourage to pursue STEM careers. This includes Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, girls, and children from regional or lower opportunity schools.

<https://www.csiro.au/en/news/All/Articles/2023/July/STEM-future-shapers>

Urgent regulation on edtech needed – global report

Countries need to take immediate action to ensure technology never replaces in-person, teacher-led instruction, a global report urges.

<https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/urgent-regulation-on-edtech-needed--global-report/282930>

UNESCO calls for smartphone ban in schools

A major international report released today calls for smartphones to be banned in schools, pointing to concerns about data privacy, cyberbullying, wellbeing and among children themselves. Here are the key messages from the UNESCO 2023 Global Education Monitor Report on technology in education.

<https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/unesco-calls-for-smartphone-ban-in-schools>

New courses to combat out-of-field Technology teaching

Studies show that almost half of the teachers currently teaching technology classes in public schools lack a formal qualification in these critical areas, piling additional pressure on already busy staff and reducing subject options for students.

<https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/new-courses-to-combat-outoffield-technology-teaching/282929>

Girls have overtaken boys in science participation. In workplaces, it’s a completely different story

The number of young women enrolling in science and maths in year 12 has nearly reached parity with young men, but while the battle for the minds is being won at school, jobs in these industries continue to be dominated by men.

<https://www.smh.com.au/national/girls-have-overtaken-boys-in-science-participation-in-workplaces-it-s-a-completely-different-story-20230726-p5drah.html>

If your kid is home sick from school, is unlimited screen time OK?

Not so long ago, if a child was home sick from school, the main screen-based entertainment was daytime television. The options were limited to The Price is Right or reruns of Home and Away.

<https://theconversation.com/if-your-kid-is-home-sick-from-school-is-unlimited-screen-time-ok-207922>

Female STEM participation slow to pick up - report

Female participation in Australia’s science, technology, engineering and math- (STEM-) qualified jobs has increased by 15%, or four percentage points, in the decade to 2022, the federal government revealed this week. ... For the first time, this year’s monitor includes Year 12 enrollment data, showing Year 12 enrollments of girls in all STEM subjects has increased only slightly from 45% to 47% from 2013 to 2021.

<https://www.miningweekly.com/article/female-stem-jobs-slow-going---report-2023-07-21/page:48>

The state of STEM gender equity in 2023

The monitor is a national data resource on women’s and girls’ participation in STEM. It captures the state of STEM gender equity in Australia and measures changes and trends. You can use the interactive data to explore girls’ and women’s participation in STEM through school, higher education graduation and the workforce.

<https://www.industry.gov.au/news/state-stem-gender-equity-2023>

How an old Disney movie inspired Daniya to create a medical robot

Bright, ambitious and enthusiastic – Daniya Syed and Andrew Chung are breaking new ground as Australia’s next generation of innovators. We look at how HSC courses give students the chance to develop exciting new technologies and products for market.

<https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/how-an-old-disney-movie-inspired-daniya-to-create-a-medical-robot-20230529-p5dc8r.html>

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki gives his tips for HSC Science

<https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/dr-karl-kruszelnicki-gives-his-tips-for-hsc-science-20230531-p5dcp9.html>

Artificial intelligence teaching and learning: The future of education in NSW [subscription]

Artifical intelligence is being implented in the classrooms, and most teachers have come out and said they support its rise. See how technology is reshaping education.

<https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/artificial-intelligence-teaching-and-learning-the-future-of-education-in-nsw/news-story/78c2c9af5720a4b0cd792bd114ecd38c>

How college educators are using AI in the classroom

While developers of artificial intelligence and industry leaders debate the risks and precise consequences of the technology, there’s no question that AI will greatly influence teaching and learning in the coming years.

<https://hechingerreport.org/how-educators-are-using-ai-in-the-classroom/>

Welcome to the 'Walled Garden.' Is This Education's Solution to AI's Pitfalls?

A new kind of chatbot would generate responses based only on vetted content.

<https://www.edweek.org/technology/welcome-to-the-walled-garden-is-this-educations-solution-to-ais-pitfalls/2023/07>

AI Isn't the Problem. It's How We Use It, Especially in Schools

The problem is not the technology, but the kinds of tasks we ask students to do.

<https://www.edweek.org/technology/opinion-ai-isnt-the-problem-its-how-we-use-it-especially-in-schools/2023/07>

UNESCO issues urgent call for appropriate use of technology in education

A new global UNESCO report on technology in education highlights the lack of appropriate governance and regulation. Countries are urged to set their own terms for the way technology is designed and used in education so that it never replaces in-person, teacher-led instruction, and supports the shared objective of quality education for all.

<https://www.unesco.org/gem-report/en/articles/unesco-issues-urgent-call-appropriate-use-technology-education>