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Today, I’m speaking with Sally Lawrence. Now, she is probably one of those people that would well and truly deserve one of our teacher excellence awards, that is if she was still in the classroom. That is our good fortune cause now she talks to teachers about the 8 ways of aboriginal learning which has an amazing alignment with our design practices. This year her focus is the bunya nut. You just won’t believe how this delicious food fits into the design and technologies curriculum. I reckon you have guessed that I am very impressed by this lady and that is because every time I see her speak I leave with a mind full of ideas.   Thank you Sally, can’t wait!  

Today, I'm speaking with Vinesh Chandra now. Vinesh and his co-author, Basil Slynko, are talking to us at this year's conference. You can see them on the first day. My ears pricked up right from the start when I found out that they taught together an eternity ago in one of my old stomping grounds. That's Bundamba and Ipswich many years and many textbooks later, they are here to introduce a new design workbook that has taken a generation of experience to produce, probably perfect for those new to our area, the ones that are coming in from the Technologies Pathways. And to tell you the truth, many of us who are old and perhaps just a little bit stuck in our own ways, you'll be able to join their workshop on the first day of the conference from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm.

Today, I’m speaking with Beth Welden. Now, Beth is talking to us at this year’s conference, and you can see her on the first day. She is talking about our sustainable future using timber and I have to say the few minutes we had together made me realise that I am sadly lacking in my understanding of where our timber comes from and what its influence is. If you are like me this presentation is a must on the first morning of our conference. Thank you Beth, I did learn plenty and looking forward to lots more!  

Today, I'm speaking with Mike King. Now, Mike is talking to us at this year's conference,and you can see him on the first day. And if you really want to see, you may have to push me out of the way, because I'll be sitting right up the front, ready to go. Now, over the last few years, he has worked with his students to build some major technology projects,from scrap metal statues to caravans to electric vehicles.This is just a preview, a quick chat to let you know what to expect in just a few weeks time at the Datta conference.   Now, let's have a quick chat with Mike.

Today, I am speaking with Daniel Spat, now Dan is the Queensland chair o the Design Institute of Australia, a working designer at Integral and the speaker at our conference dinner on Thursday evening the 15th of June. Dan is in a rather unique position to talk to what is needed for our kids to aim for a career in and Design. Quite an insightful chat, I know it has me looking at the way I am doing things.  Oh before we start don’t forget to look around your staffroom because you may be sitting right beside this year Teacher Excellence Award winner. If you know someone who deserves to be applauded go to the award pages on our website for all the information. Now lets have a chat with Daniel. Thank you Dan, it was great fun! Website for more information:  https://www.dattaqld.org.au/teacher-excellence-awards/

Today, I am speaking with Jamie Lay and not to hear about some of the incredible things he has done, though he has done some pretty impressive things. No today we are talking about one of the teachers in his staffroom, the design and technology teacher of the year for 2022, Carol Anne Durkin.  Now there is a reason for this because in this episode we will be launching the race for the 2023 teacher excellence awards.  And Jamie is going to give us an insight into the type of person that deserves to be celebrated in this way. Because quite simply many of us are sitting right next to someone who deserves to be applauded.   Thank you, Jamie, it was great fun!   Website for more information:  https://www.dattaqld.org.au/teacher-excellence-awards/

Today, I am speaking with Mark McMullin and we are going to chat about a brand new competition pitting schools against schools with the aim of growing fabulous young people who are gaining skills for this new world of renewable energy.  But before we get to I, I would like to tell you about it after our chat. You see mark spends an awful amount of time working with these kids outside of school hours to extend them and help them grow and with the craziness of the world we live in, and the profession we have chosen, that fact gets lost. At the end of the conversation, after the recorder was turned off Mark was glowing and he said, “you know I am doing a good thing and making a difference.  If you know someone, like Mark who is going over and above, let them know that they too are making a difference.  We don’t often get told that.   Thank you, Mark, it was a privilege.   You can listen to it here  

Today, I am speaking with two of the organisers of our Qld Pedal Prix events for 2023. We will be chatting about the sport, how it was affected by Covid, how we have lost some of our oldest and much-loved races and how we are moving into the future with a goal to make it bigger and better than ever before.  I hope you enjoy our chat, I sure did.  Thank you John and Graham, I loved every moment of it.  Website for more information:  https://pedalprixsuperseries.com.au/

Today we are speaking with DATTA Qld Teacher of the year Carol-Anne Durkin. We get to know her some more and suck in the excitement she exudes for this subject area of ours.  She actually started teaching design before she left school. As a senior she was writing lesson plans and taking the role of prac teacher at her school.  We also get to talk about the things she sees as important for the future of our subject areas.   I hope you enjoy our chat, I sure did.   Thanks Carol, for the chat!

Today we ask the question, what would you do with 2 million dollars. Carol Flikweerk from James Nash High in Gympie has been given funding to upgrade the technology facilities at her school.  So I thought would be a good Idea to hear just what changes she is going to make and just for the fun of it we invited Corey Gieskens from ferny grove to join the chat and give his thoughts too. Corey is one of the people I look up too in our subject area and his school was upgraded just before he arrived, badly, so he can give us some ideas not to do I hope you enjoy this, I sure did.   Thanks Carol, thanks Corey for the chat!

Chelsea Mclean is an advocate for and leader in the move towards a change in the way we look at design into the future.  The push towards a circular economy is one way to change the direction of climate change and frankly our ability to live comfortably or at all on this planet.  Chelsea was the Saturday key note speaker at our conference this year and I have to admit I was expecting a fluffy interview that basically came down to we will need to recycle more.  Yep got that totally wrong. Join me for an eye-opening talk and I hope you love it, I know I did. Thanks Chelsea, for the chat!

Roslyn Richards is the HOD of Technology at Wynnum State High School and has had the job for nearly 30 years. When I heard that she has over seen the transformation of her subject area I just knew I had to sit down for a chat and hear some of the things that she has seen and just how much things have changed. So glad I did, she is just the type of boss I wish I had.       I hope you enjoy this, I sure did.   Thanks Roslyn, for the chat!

Today, I am speaking with Peter Murphy. Now it seems to be a staple on this show to talk to people who are trying to get more teachers into our area and today is another step along that path.  Peter Murphy is ex chair of the DFATTA Australia and now lecturer at several universities teaching design. But most importantly for us has started running a design masterclass for Queensland teachers. This is a program that has been running for a few years in Victoria and I think was the only thing that Victoria had to offer to D&T teachers.  Covid made it on line and now we have access to it too.  I have signed up for next term and am really looking forward to it.   I hope you enjoy our chat, I sure did.   Thanks Peter, for the chat!   If you want to know more, this is a great place to start. Check it here.

Today, I am speaking with Rowan Cahill, now Rowan is the Regional Co-Ordinator for the F1 in schools north Queensland. Today we will talk about the program and some of the sensational benefits students gain from being a part of it.  I hope you enjoy our chat, I sure did. Thanks Rowan, for the chat!     About the Bridge Building Podcast “This is the place where we dissect and then discover the many ways ITD teachers all over this country are using their passion to create passionate students. We talk of measuring and manipulating a multitude of materials of design and divergent thought, of creation with our minds and with our hands. And most of all, we talk of growing great young people because of course that is what we do.” So what does that mean other than I like to show off my alliteration skills? Since coming back to teaching a few years ago the thing that strikes me most, and frankly scared me most is how lonely this job is. How little we know about what is happening in our subject area. The classroom next door, a class in the next school, let alone the next town are a mystery to me. I know there are teachers out there doing incredible things and this (the podcast) is a way for me to find out and be inspired. I would like to invite you along to listen and learn, to be inspired by some of the sensational teachers I speak to on the “Bridge Building Podcast – from technology to the trades”   About the Podcast Host Stephen Anderson is a Design Technology, Trade Training and accidental Science teacher at a small high school 2 hours North West of Brisbane.   Over To You If you know someone who is doing something spectacular or just great fun in design and tech or in trade training, I would love to know about them. Contact me through my email osaerial@gmail.com   Music by: Viola Pink My favourite busker from the Nanango markets.

Today, I am speaking with Terri Quinn, now Terri is the program manager for the Technologies Teacher Pathway Program. Today she will share a bit about the program and how she is taking steps to help fix the teacher shortage we have in this state Rosie. If you are a HOD looking for staff or a teacher wanting to move across into our field, this is a worthwhile listen. I hope you enjoy this chat, I sure did. Thanks Terri, for the chat!   About the Bridge Building Podcast “This is the place where we dissect and then discover the many ways ITD teachers all over this country are using their passion to create passionate students. We talk of measuring and manipulating a multitude of materials of design and divergent thought, of creation with our minds and with our hands. And most of all, we talk of growing great young people because of course that is what we do.” So what does that mean other than I like to show off my alliteration skills? Since coming back to teaching a few years ago the thing that strikes me most, and frankly scared me most is how lonely this job is. How little we know about what is happening in our subject area. The classroom next door, a class in the next school, let alone the next town are a mystery to me. I know there are teachers out there doing incredible things and this (the podcast) is a way for me to find out and be inspired. I would like to invite you along to listen and learn, to be inspired by some of the sensational teachers I speak to on the “Bridge Building Podcast – from technology to the trades”   About the Podcast Host Stephen Anderson is a Design Technology, Trade Training and accidental Science teacher at a small high school 2 hours North West of Brisbane.   Over To You If you know someone who is doing something spectacular or just great fun in design and tech or in trade training, I would love to know about them. Contact me through my email osaerial@gmail.com   Music by: Viola Pink My favourite busker from the Nanango markets.

To keep this podcast going, I need your help.Today, I am speaking with John Joyce, now John Heads up the Queensland Pedal Prix Super Series. Today, we will be chatting about the 2022 series and all of the great things that are ahead for the competition. It is nearly two years since the kids at my school have had a chance to race and I just can’t wait for next year. I hope you enjoy this chat, I sure did. Thanks to John, for all he does for the competition!   About the Bridge Building Podcast “This is the place where we dissect and then discover the many ways ITD teachers all over this country are using their passion to create passionate students. We talk of measuring and manipulating a multitude of materials of design and divergent thought, of creation with our minds and with our hands. And most of all, we talk of growing great young people because of course that is what we do.” So what does that mean other than I like to show off my alliteration skills? Since coming back to teaching a few years ago the thing that strikes me most, and frankly scared me most is how lonely this job is. How little we know about what is happening in our subject area. The classroom next door, a class in the next school, let alone the next town are a mystery to me. I know there are teachers out there doing incredible things and this (the podcast) is a way for me to find out and be inspired. I would like to invite you along to listen and learn, to be inspired by some of the sensational teachers I speak to on the “Bridge Building Podcast – from technology to the trades”   About the Podcast Host Stephen Anderson is a Design Technology, Trade Training and accidental Science teacher at a small high school 2 hours North West of Brisbane.   Over To You If you know someone who is doing something spectacular or just great fun in design and tech or in trade training, I would love to know about them. Contact me through my email osaerial@gmail.com   Music by: Viola Pink My favourite busker from the Nanango markets.

Today, I am speaking with Jodi Perkins, a teacher from a little town called Wandoen in the south west. Now I met Jodi earlier in the year and was delighted to hear what she is doing.  Virtually every other teacher that I have spoken to about design and tech in primary school has said that it is simply to hard. Now that is not the case here. I hope you enjoy this chat, I sure did. Thanks to John, thanks Jodi for the chat!   About the Bridge Building Podcast “This is the place where we dissect and then discover the many ways ITD teachers all over this country are using their passion to create passionate students. We talk of measuring and manipulating a multitude of materials of design and divergent thought, of creation with our minds and with our hands. And most of all, we talk of growing great young people because of course that is what we do.” So what does that mean other than I like to show off my alliteration skills? Since coming back to teaching a few years ago the thing that strikes me most, and frankly scared me most is how lonely this job is. How little we know about what is happening in our subject area. The classroom next door, a class in the next school, let alone the next town are a mystery to me. I know there are teachers out there doing incredible things and this (the podcast) is a way for me to find out and be inspired. I would like to invite you along to listen and learn, to be inspired by some of the sensational teachers I speak to on the “Bridge Building Podcast – from technology to the trades”   About the Podcast Host Stephen Anderson is a Design Technology, Trade Training and accidental Science teacher at a small high school 2 hours North West of Brisbane.   Over To You To keep this podcast going, I need your help. If you know someone who is doing something spectacular or just great fun in design and tech or in trade training, I would love to know about them. Contact me through my email osaerial@gmail.com   Music by: Viola Pink My favourite busker from the Nanango markets.

Today, I am speaking with John Barnes and Matt Davis from Shailer Park State high and the way they run their vocational programs is just brilliant. With six separate pathways heading for quite specific vocations. The kids are trained well and the local community and industry is loving it. I hope you can take something away from this chat, I sure did. Thanks to John and Matt for the chat!   About the Bridge Building Podcast “This is the place where we dissect and then discover the many ways ITD teachers all over this country are using their passion to create passionate students. We talk of measuring and manipulating a multitude of materials of design and divergent thought, of creation with our minds and with our hands. And most of all, we talk of growing great young people because of course that is what we do.” So what does that mean other than I like to show off my alliteration skills? Since coming back to teaching a few years ago the thing that strikes me most, and frankly scared me most is how lonely this job is. How little we know about what is happening in our subject area. The classroom next door, a class in the next school, let alone the next town are a mystery to me. I know there are teachers out there doing incredible things and this (the podcast) is a way for me to find out and be inspired. I would like to invite you along to listen and learn, to be inspired by some of the sensational teachers I speak to on the “Bridge Building Podcast – from technology to the trades”   About the Podcast Host Stephen Anderson is a Design Technology, Trade Training and accidental Science teacher at a small high school 2 hours North West of Brisbane.   Over To You To keep this podcast going, I need your help. If you know someone who is doing something spectacular or just great fun in design and tech or in trade training, I would love to know about them. Contact me through my email osaerial@gmail.com   Music by: Viola Pink My favourite busker from the Nanango markets.