21/02/2026
Yesterday marked our final face-to-face professional learning workshop as part of our 2026 STEM Projects. Working with almost 30 teachers from 11 different secondary schools we explored how solar powered rovers and drones can be used as a context for learning.
Based upon NASA's Perseverance Rover and Ingenuity Helicopter on Mars, we began with an exploration of the use of rovers in space and how forces impact a rovers movement. We conducted investigations into friction and drag before considering the impact that angles of elevation, decline and deviation have on movement characteristics.
Teachers had the opportunity to build and test their solar power rovers before we moved into the drones component of the day.
We developed understanding of the different aspects of forces that apply to drones/quadcopters and how these differ from that of an aircraft, before considering how torque and the axes of rotation are used to control the flight of a drone. Our day concluded with an opportunity to build a drone and do some test flights to build teacher capacity.
Thank you to for hosting us.
As part of these projects we now provide ongoing support through webinars as teachers begin to implement these programs into their school communities.
This year these projects will support improved STEM education in 60 different schools across 5 different projects. Having worked with more than 150 teachers over the past three weeks it is so pleasing to see the passion in ensuring that students are having the opportunity to not only build understanding and competence in a number of different curriculum areas but also in fields that have ever increasing workforce demands.
