Design &
Technologies
Workshop
+ Philosophical inquiry in early childhood
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What you will learn in a Design & Technologies Workshop
In this thought-provoking workshop, you will learn to engage children in technical learning through design, production, investigation, and analysis and foster children’s technical competence. Discussions and activities will see you explore technical inventions of the past, optimise present-day technology, and use your creativity to design sustainable solutions for the future. Gain a greater appreciation of the relevance of technology education for children’s understanding of the world!
You will learn how to create rich STEM learning experiences in your service or classroom through the exciting topic of design and technologies and use it as a topic through which to teach the outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework. By the end of this workshop, you will be able to help children design technical solutions, embrace a variety of technology education approaches, and better encourage their creativity and innovative spirit. Activities may include:
- Solve a transportation crisis.
- Design your own innovative way to get from A to B.
- Explore the history of technology and the impact it has on our everyday lives.
- Create a training course that teaches people to eat with chopsticks.
- Design and build a confetti factory.
- Design and build a vehicle prototype that can travel over land and in water.
- Run a technical experiment and test a wind-up spool with different tubes and rubber bands .
Pedagogical topic: Philosophical inquiry in early childhood
This STEM workshop will provide you with essential knowledge and skills to foster children’s technical competence and to develop age-appropriate training courses for children to acquire new skills. This STEM learning opportunity will help you:
- Embrace ethical decision-making as an important part of technology education.
- Recognise the importance of communication, evaluation, and assessment for technical learning.
- Understand the differences between engineering and technical education and learn the objectives of technical education.
- Recognise everyday situations where children can acquire technical competencies.
- Differentiate between reflective thinking and routine skill development.
- Learn how to kindle children’s interest in philosophical inquiry, ethics, and sustainability.
- Understand the potential of technology education for assessing the impact of technologies on society and the environment.
STEM learning outcomes
This STEM workshop will provide you with the following learning outcomes through the specific lens of design and technologies:
- Understand the important role of inquiry-based learning and co-construction in early education.
- Uncover how early education can foster children’s metacognitive development.
- Learn how communication, reflection, and questioning can enhance children’s ability to think about their own learning.
- Exchange ideas and experiences with other like-minded educators and reflect on your current practice.
- Receive comprehensive topic-specific materials with educational STEM ideas and information about inquiry-based practices.
- The confidence to tap into, guide, and focus children’s natural interests and abilities.
- The confidence to pass on your new knowledge and skills to your colleagues and to become a STEM champion in your service.
Who should do this course?
This workshop is designed for all early childhood educators and teachers, as well as educators with managerial responsibilities. No prior STEM knowledge required.
Something to think about before the workshop:
- What was the last technical issue the children and I tried to solve?
- How does technical development affect children’s lives?
Explore more in-person STEM workshop topics:
STEM in-service PD
Don’t see a workshop near you? Book an in-service workshop to immerse your team in hands-on inquiry-based STEM learning without leaving your service.
- Aligns with the EYLF, NQF, and APST.
- Hands-on and interactive.
- Focuses on implementation into practice.
- Uses low-cost, everyday items.
- Provides opportunities to exchange with like-minded people.
- Contains practical and reflective phases.
- Supported by the Australian Government.
