Paul Dionysius has recently coded his way to the top and is making it accessible to students along the way.  

As the Curriculum Leader - Technologies at Siena Catholic College Sippy Downs, Paul won the prestigious 2024 Queensland College of Teachers TEACHX Award in the Innovation in Teaching category. 

Paul also won the NGS Super Award for Excellence in Learning and Teaching in Secondary School at the Brisbane Catholic Education Excellence Awards for 2024.  

The award highlights Paul’s efforts in addressing barriers for students by making digital technologies more accessible and engaging, breaking down the complexity of coding into creative and relatable projects that inspire students to explore and solve ‘real world’ problems.   

In 2024, Paul also delivered a keynote speech at the Western Australia Education Summit in Perth on Thursday, 1 August.   

During the summit, he demonstrated to educators how they can reboot how students and teachers approach coding and technology, sparking a fresh, student-centred approach to digital learning.  

Paul told educators the secret to getting students interested in Digital Solutions and future information technology careers is “starting with creation, not code”.  

“Feedback from educators usually starts with, where do I begin?” he said.  

“We don’t want to teach students to code, we want to teach them to solve problems.   

“Once they’ve come up with an idea they’re proud of, the natural next question becomes, how do I turn this into an app?  

“It’s like giving them the controller and letting them play their own game rather than just reading the manual.  

“This method isn’t just about passing exams. It is about building resilience and creating a generation of innovators ready to debug whatever challenges the future throws at them.”  

Paul said the response to his programme has been overwhelmingly positive.  

“Educators are eager to implement my programme in their schools,” he said.   

“The programme is unique in that it makes Digital Solutions appealing to students by starting with the fun stuff and working back to the code.  

“It’s a refreshing reboot to how technology education is traditionally taught.”    

Siena Catholic College Principal Sharon Collins said the award was a testament to Paul’s innovative approach.   

“With tech giants and educators alike tuning into his methods, it’s clear that he is helping to write the next big chapter in tech education.  

“On behalf of our College community, we couldn’t be prouder to see Paul’s passion and creativity recognised."

For more information about Siena Catholic College Sippy Downs or to enrol click here. ​ ​