Professional development

Be a STEM champion – free professional development opportunities for educators

Freya Lucas

May 03, 2021

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Monash University's Conceptual PlayLab has produced a new play-based model to teach science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to young children and is offering free professional development opportunities for Conceptual PlayLab members to support its delivery.

The Conceptual PlayWorld model is based on more than 10 years of research by Professor Marilyn Fleer, and has been shown to help children form ideas in STEM and increase girls’ participation in STEM.

Registrations for the professional development opportunity opened this morning, with organisers hoping that educators will come away empowered and inspired to intentionally deliver STEM learning and exploration in the first eight years of life.

Tailor made for those educators working with infants, toddlers and preschoolers, as well as those teaching Foundation to Year 3, the free program of learning brings imagination in play and imagination STEM together.

The self paced online learning program introduces the five pedagogical characteristics of a Conceptual PlayWorld for the intentional teaching of STEM, and includes support from a closed Facebook group and customised app.

Certificates of participation are available, and all activities are directly linked with the EYLF. Participants are also able to contribute to Australia's first programmatic study that aims to test the Conceptual PlayWorld model of intentionally teaching STEM to young children.

To register for the program please see here.

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