STANT

⏰ EARLY BIRD REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW OPEN to attend the national premium conference for science educators and school laboratory technicians.

📆 Early bird prices are in effect until Friday 29th May to register for the discounted rate.

📆 Conference registration closes on Thursday 2nd July.

With so many workshops and tours to choose from, you don't want to miss out! https://lnkd.in/eJQSN2hz

The Big Science Competition is back! An online science competition for students in Years 7 to 10. Teachers, please register your student numbers by 28 April, 5pm AEST. You can choose sitting dates that suit your timetable, between 4 to 15 May 2026. Details on webpage: https://asi.edu.au/program/big-science-competition/

As schools are transitioning to embed more mandated explicit teaching into their lessons, ASTA President, Paula Taylor, who started her career in medical pathology where there are too many unknowns, reminds us that science is a very different discipline that must be taught with an inquiry-mindset.

"Scientists by nature are inquisitive and ask questions, which often leads to more questions. Without inquiry, we are not practicing the dispositions of a scientist and are not providing opportunities to engage in critical and mathematical thinking". In this article, she describes that inquiry is the compelling driver for students to want to learn more and engage in science, which is then balanced with explicit teaching to master concepts that arise out of the inquiry-led lesson. ASTA has also developed a position paper on inquiry as a valuable pedagogical practice for the teaching of science.

Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/gtQjWAAW

🎨🌿Looking for something creative these school holidays?

Join us this Easter for a series of hands-on workshops celebrating our local creeks!
From printing and drawing to sculpture and clay, young people can explore, create, and connect with nature in fun and meaningful ways.

Led by local artists, each artwork can even be entered into our June Youth Art Exhibition ✨

📅 Tues 7 – Sun 11th April 2026
📍 Ludmilla, Sandy & Rapid Creek
👧 Children must be accompanied by an adult

Places are limited – click below for details and registration 👇
https://www.creekconnections.org/events/aprilschoolholiday

Check this out…

🚀 KEYNOTE ANNOUNCEMENT 🚀

We are thrilled to announce Katherine Bennell-Pegg as our keynote speaker for ConASTA 73! 🎤
Katherine is a renowned for being Australia's first professional astronaut and the 2026 Australian of the Year. She will be sharing insights on how she is using her passion for STEM to raise the level of aspiration amongst the next generation. You won’t want to miss this!
🗓 7-10 July 2026
📍Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
🎟️ Register: Conference registration will open NEXT WEEK

STANT members have had a productive week, with a meet and greet at the ski club last Thursday and INTERSECT last night, where we enjoyed good food and company, a fun game based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), and a conversation about the many potential connections between the Australian Curriculum and the SDG’s.

We extend our gratitude to CDU Radicle Centre for hosting this fun event, to Luke Stellar from Questacon for the great food and organisation, Aya Matsuyama from Possible World for the incredible workshop and all who came along to make it a fun evening.

"There’s a scientist in all of us. Help your students discover theirs in 2026 through our challenging science programs! Australian Science Innovations presents:

The Big Science Competition is a 50 minute, mixed-format online competition that tests science knowledge, critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. It is open to students in Years 7 to 10 in Australia and around the world.

The Junior Science Olympiad is a science enrichment program for highly motivated Australian high school students in Years 7 to 10. It begins with the JSO Exam, which covers biology, chemistry, Earth and environmental science, and physics.

The Australian Science Olympiads is a science enrichment program for highly motivated senior students in Australian high schools. The program offers four separate Science Olympiad disciplines: Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, and Physics. Students can sit one or more A*O Exams in any of the four disciplines offered.

Find out how you can challenge your students and enhance their science education: https://www.asi.edu.au/ or follow us "

Thank you CDU Radicle Centre, Luke Stellar from Questacon, STANT and all participants for a great evening.