STEM Education

In reply to Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (3 August 2016). (Estimates Committee A)

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy): I am advised that prior to 2014, commencements in STEM courses between 2007 and 2013 grew 49 per cent over this period. Therefore despite the decline in 2014, STEM commencements remain at a high level (still 46.3 per cent above what was recorded in 2007).

The Department of State Development (DSD) is working with the Department for Education and Child Development to improve student participation and performance in STEM disciplines. This work is being overseen by the state's Chief Scientist and the state's Chief Education Officer. A focus of this work is the state's implementation of the National School STEM Education Strategy and the national Inspiring Australia program to raise the community's understanding and appreciation of science.

DSD is taking the lead on engagement with local universities that deliver initial teacher education. This work has led to a pilot project involving STEM student teachers from the University of South Australia and Flinders University partnering with local STEM-based companies to identify how STEM skills are utilised in the workplace.

The student teachers work to develop STEM learning resources for school students based on the real-world context they have experienced with companies. Subject to the success of these pilots, the universities will look to embed industry engagement as a core requirement for teaching students.

Relevant education pathway programs and projects being delivered by DSD in support of the strategy include:

Initiating research pilot projects with the University of South Australia and the Flinders University Schools of Education to test models for incorporating industry engagement in STEM pre-service teacher training.

Supporting South Australia's Science Council in its considerations of the national Higher Education Standards Panel's review on options to improve the transparency of higher education student admissions policies.

Establishing the national Digital Careers program in South Australia.

Supporting the Northern Advanced Manufacturing Industry Group (NAMIG) Concept2Creation student engagement program.

Supporting the national annual Science and Engineering Challenge competition which is run in various regions across the State to engage local high school students.