Minnis Journals

For Education Leaders

Scott Sleap’s STEAM hotbed
There is a troubling contradiction in NSW’s Hunter region; youth unemployment sits at about 30 per cent while jobs at advanced engineering companies like Boeing and BAE Systems go unfilled and companies need to look outside of the region for employees.That disconnect and setting it right has been Scott Sleap’s concern for 10 years or more now, so the name will be familiar. And he has been busy, it’s quite hard to keep up with the STEM initiatives Sleap has been involved in. Read more

Device use needs direction
The kids are more anxious and less prepared to learn and communicate and it could well be down to their use of digital devices, but that coexists with the vast inquiry based learning opportunities that leveraging devices can deliver. The questions should centre on how to use digital devices in a positive way. Read more

Limbo for teachers causing a planning headache
In the background of the ‘should we close schools?’ debate, teachers around Australia are frantically trying to prepare months of lesson plans for students at home. Whilst this limbo may be unavoidable, it is creating a headache for teachers. Read more

New approaches to teaching: How data is driving enhanced personalisation
5G connectivity, Google Classrooms and the trend towards remote learning has seen online learning environments become increasingly popular. Teachers are now utilising student data to curate personalised lesson plans and assess student performance.
Although we’re not alone in this trend, demand for technology innovation within the education system is growing locally. Student data is now working alongside traditional teaching methods to improve the overall learning experience. However, without the right data infrastructure in place, teachers are unable to action student results quickly and efficiently. Read more

Breathe deeply and give voice to your career
Your voice reveals a lot about you and it can help, or hinder, your career. The key to a confident, clear voice is all in the way that you’re breathing and you’re probably not doing it right. Read more

GitHub needs help nurturing the next generation of programmers
Coding sits somewhere between art and science, a well written, functional piece of code is a fine thing, beautiful even.
Like Sam Hunt VP APAC of GitHub says, “code is the paintbrush of the 21st century”, and he wants people to get involved. Read more

Skills and thrills encourages activities while at home
Online camps via Skills and Thrills make sure that kids aren’t stuck in front of the telly or playing video games all day. Read more