Australian of the Year Professor Alan Mackay-Sim has put science and innovation top of the agenda for 2017 – and Taylors Lakes Primary School is right behind him.
Professor Mackay-Sim, whose stem cell research helped a quadriplegic man walk again, said he plans to spend his year impressing on politicians the need to fund careers in science and research over the longer term.
“Especially for young people,” he said.
And Taylors Lakes primary pupils are just the young people who will need this back-up. The school last week unveiled its new digital coding and technology space to state parliamentarians.
The space will be used by students and teachers from the school and others nearby to hone digital coding and critical thinking skills.
Education Minister James Merlino and Sydenham MP Natalie Hutchins toured the new learning space, the result of a renewed focus in the Victorian schools curriculum on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills.
A funding boost from the government also means the school can employ a full-time specialist coding teacher this year.
Ms Hutchins said it is important for students to be confident using digital technology from an early age.
“Taylors Lakes Primary School is a wonderful school, and students are really grasping the opportunity to learn more about coding and critical thinking,” she said.
“All students participated in coding activities in their classrooms (last year), and they are thriving in the coding and technology space.”
Digital technologies is one of the new areas of learning, focussed on developing students’ thought processes in order to unravel problems, and then design and generate digital solutions.
With the new curriculum this year, there will also be an increased focus on upskilling teachers as well as boosting student performance.
This includes a 25 per cent increase in year nine students reaching the highest levels in maths and 33 per cent more 15-year-olds reaching the highest levels in science.
“We want all Victorian kids to have the opportunity to develop the skills they need for the jobs of tomorrow,” Mr Merlino said.
