STEM program inspires rural students
![](/content/dam/media/staff/KIOSC-drone-program-setup.jpeg)
Students from rural schools such as Nathalia Secondary College are able to use innovative technology through KIOSC’s interactive STEM activities
In summary
- Swinburne’s Knox Innovation, Opportunity and Sustainability Centre (KIOSC) has received government funding for their Inspire Program
- The KIOSC Inspire Program provides STEM educational experiences to rural students as well as career support services
- The program includes technology-based experiences for real world settings in farming, communities and design
Swinburne’s Knox Innovation, Opportunity and Sustainability Centre (KIOSC) has launched its Inspire Program as part of the Victorian Government’s investment to help raise rural students’ understanding and confidence in pursuing STEM related tertiary education.
The KIOSC Inspire Program gives rural students the opportunity to experience new and emerging technologies in their own environment through interactive STEM activities. It helps broaden career pathways available and enables them to make an informed decision on their future careers through career clubs and discovery sessions.
To help ignite interest in STEM among her students, Principal of Nathalia Secondary College, Helen Ginnivan, invited KIOSC to deliver the Drone and Robotics Program. Students were taught how to control drones and prototype programming codes, which she says created dialogue full of inquiry and problem solving.
‘The students really enjoyed the practical component flying the drones and managing the challenges they were set in a team.’
The experiences are designed to focus on concepts and issues relevant students in rural areas. Through technology, students explore innovative solutions to problems that will open their minds to exciting career possibilities.
The KIOSC Inspire Program is made up of three main educational experiences that can be selected:
- Smart Farms: exploring the use and benefits of technology in farming.
- Smart Communities: discovering how technology can connect people and communities.
- Smart Design and Manufacturing: Bringing entrepreneurial and enterprising ideas to life through 3D design and production.
![KIOSC drone program](/content/dam/media/staff/KIOSC-drone-program.jpeg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.3840.2160.jpeg)
In their own school environment, rural students can experience new and emerging technologies, encouraging and supporting them to broaden their career pathways
Technology inspires
KIOSC Systems Coordinator, Brendan Kroon, is the equipment lead of the program and helps educators by managing and maintaining the relevant software. Mr Kroon enjoys travelling to rural schools and engaging with the students through delivering the program.
‘Technology is the core of the program. As we showcase the latest tech to the students and demonstrate how they can use it in their local communities, we teach them new vital skills (such as programming) that may be beneficial to them in the future.’
Mr Kroon says that though COVID-19 has limited KIOSC’s ability to travel to rural schools, they continue to engage students online and are excited to deliver the program in person as soon as they can.
‘The benefit of this is that the students get a hands-on experience that the schools are unable to provide. The teachers are also upskilled on how they can take this program further for the benefit of their students.’
-
Media Enquiries
Related articles
-
- Technology
- Science
- Engineering
Victorian students drive green energy transition through international hydrogen competition
Swinburne’s KIOSC, in collaboration with Horizon Educational and Gippsland Tech School, co-hosted the Hydrogen Grand Prix in Melbourne.Friday 26 July 2024 -
- University
The future of fashion: Swinburne launches groundbreaking tech-focused fashion course
Swinburne University of Technology is fusing high tech and high fashion to launch a new forward-thinking Bachelor of Design (Fashion).
Thursday 25 July 2024 -
- Technology
- Health
New MedTechVic prototypes to transform everyday lives of people with a disability
Swinburne’s MedTechVic has revealed three new prototypes designed through the joint Health-led Manufacturing Innovation Program, in partnership with the Australian Medtech Manufacturing Centre and Safer Care Victoria
Friday 19 July 2024 -
- Science
Skin, scales and fish tails: using collagen to turn fish guts into gold
New research from Swinburne could transform the sector by converting high value collagen proteins from seafood by-products into cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals.
Tuesday 02 July 2024 -
- Education
- Engineering
Transforming the lives of refugee engineers through the EPIC Program
Swinburne has been partnering with the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) on the Engineering Pathway Industry Cadetship (EPIC) program, helping refugee engineers gain international qualifications for the Australian workforce through an 18-month paid cadetship program.
Thursday 20 June 2024