STEM webinars & PD
Our STEM webinars and online workshops provide teachers and educators with a variety of tools and educational concepts to meet a range of requirements of the NQF and the EYLF.
Online workshops
Inspire STEM
- Explore, play, reflect
STEM education is so much more than factual answers to complex questions and Little Scientists will show you how easy and uncomplicated it can be.
In a series of live online workshops, Little Scientists will introduce the concepts, methods and skills to early childhood teachers and educators. We will show you some simple techniques to cultivate children’s skills and excitement for STEM exploration, and our hands-on session will enrich your repertoire of STEM activities.
Completing the Inspire STEM Webinar Series – ONLINE before 4 February 2022 under NESA’s interim arrangements will contribute 3 hours of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and assessment of Early Years Learning Framework addressing standard descriptors 2.1.2, 3.3.2, 6.2.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
Completing this online webinar series will contribute 3 hours for online workshops of ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI) registered PD.
Completing this online webinar series will contribute 3 hours for online workshops of ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI) registered PD.
Upcoming Inspire STEM topics
Click link below to jump to online workshop details.
Feb 2022: Embedding sustainability in your educational service or setting
Mar 2022: Australian dinosaurs, megafauna and fossils
Jun 2022: Diving into underwater STEM
INSPIRE STEM - 11, 12, 18 October 2021 (3-part online workshop)
Come and investigate with us the creatures that call Australia home and their habitats. Full of practical, hands-on advice on creation of habitats in an early childhood setting, investigations into animal adaptations to Australian conditions with musical and literacy links.
“What is the difference between a reptile, mammal and bird? What’s a monotreme or marsupial? Why is wombat poo cubic?” – Young children are filled with questions about the world they live in: Have you ever wondered how to answer their big questions?
INSPIRE STEM - 29 November & 1 December 2021 (2-part online workshop)
Come explore space with us – from Earth to the beyond. You will be delighted and inspired by our hands-on, inquiry-based approach to STEM learning.
Young children are full of questions about the world they live in: “Can you blow bubbles in space?” “What’s the Moon made of?” “Why do astronauts float?” – Have you ever wondered how to answer their big questions?
STEM education is much more than factual answers to complex questions and Little Scientists will show you how easy and uncomplicated it can be. In a series of live online workshops, Little Scientists will introduce the concepts, methods and skills of inquiry-based STEM education to early childhood teachers and educators. We will show you some simple techniques to cultivate children’s skills and excitement for STEM exploration and our hands-on components will enrich your repertoire of STEM activities.
INSPIRE SUSTAINABILITY - 15 & 22 February 2022 (2-part online workshop)
Our emphasis will be on behaviour change and practical, real-world examples and projects produced by early childhood services and primary school. Learn how to influence both children and adults in your service or setting to make a real, meaningful difference.
INSPIRE STEM - 30 March & 6 April 2022 (2-part online workshop)
Come and investigate with us the creatures that used to call Australia home and their habitats. From famous fossil sites across Australia to the wombat-like diprotodon and other megafauna, we will explore practical, hands-on ways of investigating Australia’s findings in the fossil record. We will suggest hands-on investigations and other ways of sparking not only children’s but your own curiosity.
INSPIRE STEM - 2 & 9 June 2022 (2-part online workshop)
Young children are filled with questions about the world they live in: “Why do crabs move sideways?” “How do whales speak to each other?” “Why is snow white but the ocean blue?” – Have you ever wondered how to answer their big questions?
STEM Webinar series
STEM Hour
- Connect, learn, grow
In this monthly webinar series, Little Scientists hosts panel discussions with experts and leaders from different fields. Our guests take you on a journey through their field and link their passion to yours, connecting STEM with early childhood education.
You can attend each episode live or watch a recording later. Cost: $25 per session.
Upcoming STEM Hour topics
Click link below to jump to webinar details.
Dec 2021: Education for Sustainability: Children’s rights and responsibilities
Feb 2022: Integrating Indigenous perspectives
Mar 2022: STEM leaders in early childhood
Apr 2022: Nature play
May 2022: Meaningful documentation
Jun 2022: Growth mindsets through STEM
Jul 2022: Indigenous perspectives on sustainability
Aug 2022: Through the looking glass – unlocking the wonders of STEM
Sep 2022: Engineering for a sustainable future
Oct 2022: More than counting – Maths in early childhood education
Nov 2022: Language development through STEM inquiry
Dec 2022: Fostering inclusive environments through STEM
STEM HOUR - 7 September 2021
The children’s book Hairy nose, itchy butt light-heartedly addresses a serious problem, the struggles of the critically endangered northern hairy-nosed wombat.
The isolation of Australian wildlife for thousands of years has made our animals even more vulnerable to changes to the ecosystem and as a result many Australian species are endangered or have already become extinct. As part of Threatened Species Day, Dr David Taggart, associate professor of wildlife biology and conservation, Elly Hampton, early childhood educator at St Joseph’s Primary School, Kylie Soanes, conservation biologist, Rachel Iglesias, veterinary officer, and Erin Hahn, postdoctoral research fellow at CSIRO, will share why our fauna is in danger and what we, our children and the entire Australian society can and must do to protect our wildlife.
STEM HOUR - 8 October 2021
Since the beginning of space travel, only 11.5% of astronauts have been female. Asked to draw a scientist, two thirds of primary school children will draw a man in a white lab coat. In Australia, only 35% of STEM university degrees are awarded to women.
As part of World Space Week, our panel will discuss how we can create a world where all children can reach for the stars. Developmental psychologist Dr Christa Spears Brown will fill us in on the latest research on gender bias. Astronomers Shefin Mariya Joju, Dr Clare Kenyon and Dr Sabine Bellstedt will tell us about their experiences in a predominantly male environment, and kindergarten teacher Hayley Drennan will provide examples from her journey towards gender-irrelevant education.
STEM HOUR - 12 November 2021
Is climate change relevant to our children? Or is the topic too complex and too hard to grasp? Rather than wondering if a topic is suitable, we could ask ourselves: How can we make it suitable? Our children will have to deal with the effects of climate change and the least we can do is prepare them for the tough job ahead.
As the UN decides on further measures for reaching zero emissions, Dr. Jessica Allen, chemical engineer; Dr. Sue Elliott, senior lecturer in early childhood education; Sue Motley, director of Armidale Community Preschool, and Dr. Lucy Richardson, climate communications researcher, will discuss age-appropriate ways to explore the effects of climate change on our planet and will help us provide answers to children’s questions about climate change.
STEM HOUR - 10 December 2021
In Australia, 86 animal species are considered critically endangered and natural ecosystems worldwide are getting smaller and smaller – all largely as a result of human actions. The decisions we make today will inevitably impact our children’s future.
Considering what’s at stake for future generations, are we paying enough attention to our children? Are their voices being heard? Are we teaching them to express themselves and to participate as active citizens? Sara Judge, First Nations content producer at the Australian Museum; Dr Jennifer Matthews, marine biologist, and Skye Ferber, kinder lead educator, will be discussing children’s right to actively participate in critical matters such as sustainability and how we can prepare children for the task ahead.
STEM HOUR - 10 February 2022
Early exposure to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures enriches the lives of children and their families. How can you facilitate this in a respectful and meaningful way?
Embedding Indigenous perspectives into education and care settings starts with a mindful process of reflection on practice, creating safe and inclusive environments, facilitating honest conversations and reaching out to the community. Join us to hear our panel’s insights on how to develop cultural competence and foster a sense of belonging for Indigenous and non-Indigenous children and families.
STEM HOUR - 10 March 2022
STEM has become a buzzword in the sector but what does everyday STEM in early childhood settings look like? How much STEM knowledge do I need to facilitate children’s scientific research? Can I teach STEM even if I didn’t enjoy maths and science in school?
In this webinar, educators speak about their former prejudice towards STEM and how inquiry-based practices transformed their thinking about STEM learning. Our panel will share how everyone can become a STEM advocate, regardless of their level of knowledge and previous experiences with STEM.
STEM HOUR - 14 April 2022
Unstructured play activities in outdoor settings “invite open-ended interactions, spontaneity, risk-taking, exploration, discovery and connection with nature. They foster an appreciation of the natural environment, develop environmental awareness and provide a platform for ongoing environmental education.” (EYLF p.19).
Join the webinar for hands-on ideas on how to integrate authentic experiences in nature into any early childhood setting, regardless of the individual circumstances. Our panel will share how your children can connect with their natural environment while making their own choices, cultivating their curiosity and expanding independent thinking.
STEM HOUR - 12 May 2022
What is the purpose of documentation? How can we document? What is the relationship between observation, interpretation and documentation? Both Reggio Emilia and inquiry-based approaches value children as strong, capable and resilient individuals and use documentation to find out what children know and can do.
In this webinar, our panelists will provide insight into the transformative effects of meaningful documentation on children’s learning, your ability to plan and scaffold as well as your team’s reflective practices. Our panel will provide practical tips on how to implement these strategies into practice.
STEM HOUR - 9 June 2022
How do you respond to parents’ concerns about their children’s school readiness? What skills do children need for transition to school? How can we prepare the children for challenges ahead?
In this webinar, our panelists will provide thought-provoking ideas on how to support the development of a growth mindset. Our panelists will discuss how STEM inquiry can foster these attributes and how you can support children in developing the skills to take on the future while leading a fulfilled life.
STEM HOUR - 14 July 2022
Tending the land and using only the resources needed for sustenance is a fundamental pillar of First Nations peoples’ way of life. As all living beings are connected to each other and to Country, one cannot thrive without the other.
In the webinar, our panellists will share Indigenous perspectives on how to take responsibility for the land. Our panel will discuss how we can raise environmentally conscious children who know what it means to care for Country.
STEM HOUR - 11 August 2022
In our National Science Week special, we look into the magical world of STEM exploration. Join us in a practical hands-on session where we zoom in on the breathtaking wonders of the natural world.
Watch this space for more details.
STEM HOUR - 8 September 2022
Great Barrier Reef corals are bleached, about a quarter of global fish stocks are overfished and the Great Pacific garbage patch is twice as big as Texas, containing up to 1.8 trillion pieces of debris. Can engineering play a role in creating a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future? Humans are hard-wired for problem-solving, and engineering has been a means for finding solutions since the first humans wandered the Earth.
In this webinar, our panel will discuss how children’s imaginations can be funnelled into hands-on engineering projects that aim to provide solutions for real-life environmental problems. Your children are worried about the ocean’s wildlife being exposed to plastic pollution? Can they invent an ocean cleaning machine? Our panel will share practical ideas on how you can embed the ‘E’ into your inquiry-based STEM approach.
STEM HOUR - 13 October 2022
Mathematical concepts are everywhere around us. How do traffic jams form? How can we share a pizza evenly? Can you discover patterns in musical compositions?
What comes to your mind when you think of maths in the first five years of life? In this webinar, our panel will help you broaden your mathematical horizon, evaluate your own relationship with maths and provide you with a hands-on approach for fostering children’s mathematical thinking.
STEM HOUR - 10 November 2022
What is the connection between STEM learning and language development? Both happen naturally and spontaneously every day, and they enrich each other. Inquiry-based STEM learning is a powerful tool for language and literacy development, kindling children’s joy for communicating with others.
In this webinar, our panel will align the principles of language development and STEM learning, provide language development tools that will foster your children’s curiosity and self-expression and share examples of meaningful communication through STEM learning.
STEM HOUR - 8 December 2022
Inclusive early childhood settings are imperative for providing the best start to life for all children, and inquiry-based practices are beneficial for addressing all children’s individual needs.
In this webinar, our panel will provide ideas on how to cultivate an inclusive environment through inquiry-based STEM learning and how to cater to children’s diverse needs while fostering individual skills and abilities.