Science Teachers' Association of Queensland

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Science Teachers' Association of Queensland

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Science Teachers Association of Queensland

STAQ is a non-profit organisation which co-ordinates activities to support science education, teachers of science and students.

03/11/2026

Townsville area educators are invited to join Questacon for a special end-of-year meeting of the STEM Educator Community of Practice. Register today to save your spot!

The Term 4 meeting will focus on connecting to Country and First Nations cultures in the STEM classroom as we explore textile engineering and learn from Traditional Owner, Lee Smallwood. This is an opportunity to engage in hands-on STEM activities, discover more local resources, and support one another to extend and enrich STEM teaching.

This special session will be held 11 November at Queensland Museum Tropics in Townsville with access to the People, Culture and Country exhibition which features wearable art created by students with the guidance of Elders, community members, project mentors, and First Nations artists. Educators will have the chance to see behind the scenes with Senior Curator of Anthropology, Sophie Price who will highlight textiles held in Queensland Museum’s State Collection.

Registration is limited to 30 people, so sign up and bring a friend while spaces remain. Arrive early for afternoon tea 😊 (and if you need to arrive late due to commute, no worries.)

Register at https://www.questacon.edu.au/whats-on/events/stem-educator-community-practice-north-queensland

01/11/2026

🎉 Get ready to celebrate and appreciate your school laboratory technicians!

During the first week of November, schools across Australia are encouraged to take part in Science Technician Appreciation & Recognition (STAR) week. 🌟 👩‍🔬

🥳 This national week of recognition is to acknowledge the vital contribution school laboratory technicians make to ensure a safe, engaging and high quality practical laboratory experiences.

Here are ways you can celebrate:

🌟 highlight their contribution at staff meetings or an assembly

🌟 give them a formal certificate of appreciation from a school leader

🌟 host a special morning tea

🌟 feature your lab technician in the school’s newsletter, website or school socials

🌟 invite staff & students to write a message of thanks

🌟 extend to them a well deserved amount of gratitude for the work that they do

Get planning, get appreciating your valued school lab techs! Tag your celebrations using Week 2026

29/10/2026

Like most learning, the best statistical investigations start with questions children genuinely care about - because they are personal or they provoke inherent curiosity - who’s at school today, or how far a toy car will roll. Here are some free resources built around exactly these types of ideas.

▪ reSolve teaching sequences. In Foundation, Statistics: How many are we?
🔗 https://resolve.edu.au/teaching-sequences/foundation/statistics-how-many-are-we has students count who is at school, record it in their own way and predict tomorrow’s number.
In Year 1, Statistics: How far goes my car?
🔗 https://resolve.edu.au/teaching-sequences/year-1/statistics-how-far-goes-my-car has students predict and measure how far toy cars roll, including down ramps, then use their data to refine their predictions.

▪ Australian Data Science Education Institute lesson plans and datasets 🔗 https://adsei.org/lesson-plans-and-datasets/.
The Biodiversity Study (F-6) is practical, hands-on and is ready-made as a cross curricular project to engage young scientists and statisticians in a meaningful inquiry.

In the early years especially, the question ‘How could we find out?’ matters as much as the answer.

29/10/2026

📢 Attention Science Teachers!!

Are you passionate about shaping the future of science education in Australia? The Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA), in collaboration with CSIRO Science Education and Outreach (CEdO), is seeking educators to join the CSIRO Science Education Reference Group (SERG). This is a unique opportunity to provide vital insights and help develop national programs and classroom resources that empower science teachers and inspire students across Australia.

Visit the ASTA website to learn more about joining this broad and diverse group of science advisors. Applications must close on 20 November 2026.

https://asta.edu.au/join-the-csiro-reference-group/

29/10/2026

Happy World Teachers day!
Thank-you for all that you do - you make a huge difference!

22/10/2026

Teachers needed to be part of this truly amazing program!

Travel, accommodation, catering and costs of events and activities will be paid by the Department.

Sorry, State school teachers only.

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2027 STEM Girl Power Program

Applications close MONDAY 26 October 2026

The program provides an exciting opportunity for Year 10 girls (Year 9 in 2026) from Queensland state schools, to engage with STEM, build confidence and leadership skills, and connect with inspiring mentors, educators and industry professionals.

The year-long STEM Girl Power program includes an online orientation (Term 1), a camp in Brisbane (Term 2), local activities for National Science Week (Term 3), an end-of-year celebration of student activities (Term 4) and guest speaker sessions (scheduled throughout the year). Students and teachers are expected to participate in all activities.

Teachers from across Queensland state schools will also be selected to supervise and participate in the program. Schools will be provided 5 days TRS to cover when the Teacher is at camp.

For all successful participants and teacher chaperones, travel, accommodation, catering and costs of events and activities will be paid by the Department.

Click here to apply: https://stemgirlpower.awardsplatform.com/

Find out more here: https://learningplace.eq.edu.au/cx/resources/file/5da759ed-285d-4132-b8e8-58198109fb03/1/html/girl-power.html

22/10/2026

🎉 Get ready to celebrate and appreciate your school laboratory technicians!

During the first week of November, schools across Australia are encouraged to take part in Science Technician Appreciation & Recognition (STAR) week. 🌟 👩‍🔬

🥳 This national week of recognition is to acknowledge the vital contribution school laboratory technicians make to ensure a safe, engaging and high quality practical laboratory experiences.

Here are ways you can celebrate:
🌟 highlight their contribution at staff meetings or an assembly
🌟 give them a formal certificate of appreciation from a school leader
🌟 host a special morning tea
🌟 feature your lab technician in the school's newsletter, website or school socials
🌟 invite staff & students to write a message of thanks
🌟 extend to them a well deserved amount of gratitude for the work that they do

Get planning, get appreciating your valued school lab techs!

22/10/2026

Prgoram and Registrations open at https://www.staq.qld.edu.au/pd-events/professional-development/

06/10/2026

🎉 🎈 National Science Week is turning 30 next year!

📖 This is your opportunity to advertise in the most nationally distributed and read science education publication in Australia.

🏫 Be part of the 30th Anniversary Commemorative edition of the Resource Book of Ideas sent to every school in Australia and widely advertised and available to the general public.

📅 Expressions of interest must be received before 10 December 2026.

https://asta.edu.au/national-science-week-is-celebrating-30-years-in-2027/

28/08/2026

ASTA asserts that pedagogy should not be about a polarising debate of inquiry vs explicit teaching but rather about knowing which one to use for the right moment, for the right amount of time to deliver the greatest impact.

How do teachers know how to get the balance right? It is the responsibility that is bestowed upon them, and rightfully so, according to AITSL Professional Standard 1: know your students and how to teach them.

💡 Standard 1 reinforces that we inherently trust our qualified practitioners to select the right conditions for learning.

🤸 Teachers are exceptional at performing 'pedagogy gymnastics' - showing agility and expertise when it comes to pedagogy selection. That is the strength of the teaching profession and ASTA is cautious about the over-standardisation of pedagogy that can reduce teacher professional autonomy needed for diverse learners.

We encourage you to read our position paper to fully understand the various pedagogies available in a teacher's toolbox and the myths around them.

https://asta.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ASTA-Position-paper_-Inquiry-vs-Explicit-teaching-2025-7.pdf

🚫 Inquiry is not chaotic or discovery learning. It is a necessary pedagogical approach to begin to wonder, develop critical thinking and construct meaning. Inquiry is also not referring to scientific inquiry. That is a different matter altogether.

🚫 Explicit is not rote-learning or scripted lessons. These standardised practices don't necessarily require a qualified teaching professional to implement. Students are not empty vessels. Explicit teaching is about using professional autonomy to craft a masterful, scaffolded lesson that is student-centred and responsive.

💭 We want to know what you think. Leave us a comment as we prepare for some speaking engagements on this subject.

Address

St Lucia, QLD
4072

Website

http://www.staq.qld.edu.au/

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