Twenty Pilbara schools from Baler Primary School (South Hedland) to Yandeyarra Remote Community School are ready to deliver industry co-developed Automation Challenges in their classrooms. Each challenge aligns with the WA Digital Technologies curriculum for pre-primary to Year 6, with Year 7 – 10 challenges ready to deliver in 2023. Data Science Challenges will be available for students in Years 5 – 10 in 2024.
The Automation and Data Science challenges are co-developed by industry subject matter experts, educators and curriculum experts, providing students with real-world examples of how automation and data science is connected to in-class learning.
Recently, teachers across the Pilbara participated in professional learning for the Challenges program. Big thanks to Roy Hill’s Mike Waller, who presented on the impact automation is having now and into the future. Teachers valued the sector insight, and the impact automation skills will have on their students’ future career pathways, within our sector, agriculture, health, manufacturing, and even education!
Each challenge has a mix of hands-on and online content, such as applying sequences and steps to explore the Pilbara from Ningaloo Reef to the Great Sandy Desert, using block code to heat raw materials to make everyday items, or programming an underwater vessel detecting coral reefs on the seabed.
These challenges would not be possible without the funding support of CME members BHP, Chevron, Citic Pacific, Fortescue Metals Group, Rio Tinto, Roy Hill, Woodside and Yara Pilbara. The members also provide Challenge kit and student access. More than 6000 primary school students in the Pilbara will have the opportunity to engage with the Challenges in 2022.
Challenges 1 – 3 are now ready to be delivered in classrooms outside of the Pilbara Region. The CME has received interest from schools across WA, including the Midwest, Goldfields and South West. Members who may be interested in supporting schools or would like to know more, please contact Asta Morton, Project Coordinator – Digital Technologies, a.morton@cmewa.com.
