Start the Design Process at the Zoo!

Coding for VEX Robotics Hands-on PD for Educators

Friday 20th June, 9am - 3pm

Melbourne Zoo, Parkville

Held on-site at Melbourne Zoo, this program provides teachers with a unique chance to explore Zoo trails and spaces while learning from industry experts and use this experience as a starting point for developing engaging student design programs using animals as end users!

Monday 18th June,  9.30am - 3.30pm

Yarra Ranges Tech School

Take your robotics teaching to the next level with this practical PL session on Coding with VEX Robotics. Designed specifically for educators working with any of the VEX platforms (including VEX V5, VEX EXP, and VEX IQ), this session is ideal for classroom teachers or those coaching competitive robotics teams.

TEACHERS' ONLINE FORUM

Did you know DATTA Vic has an online forum for teachers of P-10 Design & Technologies, VCE VET and VCE?

We hope it's a space that educators can come together virtually to share ideas and discuss issues.

There are several topics - PD&T, Systems Engineering, D&T 7-10, D&T P-6, STEM, Events, Technicians & Jobs. You can subscribe to one or all of the forums, and if you are a member, you can also start your own threads.

FORUM

HELP FOR OUT OF FIELD TEACHERS

Are you an out-of-field educator teaching Design & Technologies or Systems Engineering? Is your school struggling to recruit qualified teachers? DATTA Vic runs a masterclass program to support educators from other learning areas to teach D&T.  These programs are for members only, and numbers are strictly limited. Please contact us at pl@datta.vic.edu.au for more information on how your school can benefit from these unique programs of out of field educators.

Please check our 2025 professional learning calendar - we'll post details of our new programs as they come online.

Sustainable Schools - Going Green in Your Canteen 

We're excited to share that The Forest Learning Sustainable Schools: Going Green in Your Canteen unit of work has received a ‘Highly Commended’ award in the Primary School Geography Resource F-6 category at the 2024 Australian Geography Teachers' Association Awards! DATTA Vic and the Geography Teachers’ Association of Victoria were partners in developing this resource.

AGTA Chair Dr Susan Caldis commented on the resource:

“This is a highly commended resource with both teacher and student booklets. Activities are colourfully and clearly presented and enable practical application of aspects of sustainability“

This Year 5/6 cross-curricular resource for Geography and Design and Technologies focuses on sustainability, helping students to understand the environmental impacts of the materials that go into making products they use every day, and encouraging them to make more sustainable choices for single use plastics.

You can download this free resource HERE. Please note you just have to create a login to download it.

Thinking Outside the Box - The Sustainable Seating Project

We're really excited to announce the publication of a new Design & Technologies resource that we created with Forest Learning - an organisation which aims to serve school teachers and educators, children, and the public with information on Australian forests and forest-based products, and provision and access to forestry teaching resources.

Thinking Ouside the Box - The Sustainable Seating Project is a Year 7/8 Unit of Work which investigates the properties and sustainability of cardboard . Using ForestVR 360o videos, students go on virtual excursions to an Australian pine plantation and paper mill to experience the cycle of growing sustainable wood fibre and how it is processed into paperboard. Following the design thinking process, students then investigate, design, produce and evaluate a sustainable seat made from upcycled cardboard.

The resource is free - you just have to create a login to download it. Click on the image above to access.

These are just two of many Design & Resources available from Forest Learning - make sure you browse their site to discover them all.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN STUDENTS AS TECHNICIANS IN SCHOOLS

Are you a school who wants to wants to engage more young people in Design & Technologies by ensuring your team has the most up-to-date skills and knowledge and the best support possible for your teachers?

Are you a tertiary design student who would love to work part time in an excited design-related field, with good pay, access to tools and machinery and the chance to help young people excel?

Then check out our Industrial Design Students as Technicians in Schools initiative!

BECOME A DESIGN & TECHNOLOGIES TEACHER

Are you interested in teaching Design & Technologies, Product Design & Technologies or Systems Engineering in Victoria? Whether you're a graduate, an overseas educator, or a teacher with another specialisation, DATTA Vic has created a range of guides which show the different pathways into D&T teaching.  You can access them HERE.

If you're an educator teaching D&T out of field, or a school struggling to recruit, we have developed Masterclasses to support you. Click HERE for more information.

DATTA Vic is committed to supporting the teaching of sustainability in all schools across Victoria. We also strive to ensure that, in our daily operations, we do what we can to reduce our carbon footprint. We are therefore a proud supporter of Fifteen Trees. 

Established in 2009, the company works with host of independent native nurseries and community groups (such as Landcare, school groups and environmental networks) across Australia to plant trees. To date, they have helped community groups plant over 350,000 trees in all states and territories of Australia.

To date, we have planted 75 trees as a way to thank our conference and professional learning program presenters for their contribution.