BRISBANE Catholic Education is thrilled to be a partner in an Australian Research Council (ARC) project focusing on STEM in Years 5-9.

The three-year research project will investigate the benefits of adopting a problem-based learning approach to enhancing science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) in the middle years of schooling.

Teachers from eight of our schools will engage in professional learning and then design and facilitate new problem-based learning experiences for their students.

They will then use this experience to collaborate with education researchers to establish a teaching and learning framework for enhancing student learning in STEM.

This framework will help to establish a guide for problem-based learning and give practical examples to middle-school STEM teachers.

Dr Doug Ashleigh, Deputy Executive Director at Brisbane Catholic Education said it was a wonderful opportunity for the schools to be involved in a research project which will have an impact in their classroom and classrooms of the future.

“I am sure the middle-school students participating in the research will have great fun exploring STEM subjects through problem-based learning,” Dr Ashleigh said.

“The outcomes of this research will help guide STEM education in the future and Brisbane Catholic Education is proud to be involved,” he said.

“This research project will ultimately benefit all schools and we are proud to be involved in partnership with Monash University, the University of Queensland and Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools.” ​​

Congratulations to the eight BCE schools participating in the ARC research project:

Our Lady’s College, Annerley 

McAuley College, Beaudesert

Good Samaritan Catholic College, Bli Bli 

St Columban’s College, Caboolture

San Sisto College, Carina

St Agatha’s Primary School, Clayfield

St Ita’s Primary School, Dutton Park

Assisi Catholic College, Upper Coomera