The Big Day Out is coming!

The SA Chapter is currently enjoying a very active year, with a number of events completed and more to come.

Two highly successful screenings of “Most Likely to Succeed” have led to requests for two more screenings over the next month (!) and we have two more local site tours before culminating in this year’s Big Day Out on November 4.

Deb O’Riley is leading the charge and planning for this annual event is well underway, with a theme established on the highly topical issue of STEM and how this focus will evolve through both the national curriculum and impact on the learning space. Negotiations are underway with interesting speakers, venue and site visits.

More details to follow soon for a forum that is sure to generate some inspirational thinking on the groundswell of learning challenges.

Our chief policy-makers had education front and centre of their recent election campaigns.

From Eryk Bagshaw, Education Reporter, Sydney Morning Herald, June 19, 2016:

Just this week, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has called for maths and science to be made compulsory for all students finishing high school to arrest a steep decline in Australia's standards across both subject areas. Speaking in western Sydney on Sunday, Mr Turnbull said the push was a "big priority" for the government,

"In my generation, you had to do maths or science to complete high school. Many parts of Australia now, you don't have to do that," said Mr Turnbull. 

"We've got to get back to that and ensure that everyone is very literate in those STEM subjects. Science, maths, technology – that's the future," he said.”

Similarly, Bill Shorten placed STEM high on Labor’s agenda in a media release earlier this year:

Technology is changing our economy. STEM disciplines – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – will be central to the jobs of the future, and people with these skills will be well positioned to succeed in the future. As our economy restructures and responds to technological change, it is vital all Australians are skilled to be able to participate, to secure jobs today and well into the future…Targeted investment across the education system to improve skills, increase participation, drive creativity and innovation, and uplift our competitiveness is vital to empowering our most important resource: the creativity and genius of the Australian people.

Bill Shorten Media Release, 14 May 2015.

With this level of interest, you cannot afford to miss out on the latest debate scheduled for Adelaide’s BIG DAY OUT!