About this school story
Kew High School is a government high school in Kew, Victoria and has a student population of 1175 students from Years 7 to 12. It received a $48,000 grant in the DLSG round 1.
Year band: 7-8, 9-10
School Profile
Kew High School is a government high school in Kew, Victoria and has a student population of 1175 students from Years 7 to 12. Staff are committed to a whole school focus on learning and teaching, receptive to innovation and flexibility and provide students, and each other, with a depth of experience, expertise and enthusiasm.
Focus of the Grant Activity
The Digital Literacy Schools Grant project enabled Kew High School the opportunity to upskill teachers in implementing the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies.
The school implemented year level digital literacy and STEM cross-curricular programs, including a cross-age Women in STEM initiative. Students designed and evaluated sustainable and innovative digital solutions using computational thinking skills and key concepts of abstraction and systems thinking. The project activities enabled mathematics and science teachers at Kew High School to collaborate to provide STEM learning experiences for students that embed digital technologies, mathematics and science.
The school showcased students achievement at the annual Digital Technologies Expo and a Women in STEM Day event which featured new hands-on digital technologies resources, including virtual reality headsets, EEG sensors, 3D printers and laser cutters; products that were purchased with support of the grant.
Kew High School evaluated the success of the project through teacher consultation and student surveys.
Advice for other schools
We found that our students responded positively to the cross-age activities undertaken during the Women in STEM Day. We were able to strengthen our collaboration with local primary schools and foster a culture of peer support within our own students.
Reaching out to professional female role models in a variety of STEM contexts from organisations such as the Metropolitan Fire Brigade and the Australian Information Security Association broadened the narrative around career potential and invigorated interest in learning activities.
Our Digital Technologies Expo featured a number of products purchased with the grant funds that many students and staff do not encounter on a regular basis. The Digital Technologies Expo allowed us to identify some passionate students who now help lead the implementation of these products in supporting classroom activities. Coupled with staff professional development these products have helped to uplift Kew High School’s delivery of the Digital Technologies Curriculum.
