Questacon offers student engineering challenge and virtual excursions

Questacon runs a series of virtual excursions. As part of that series they are running a five-week engineering challenge for high school students via video conference. This project, Make Float Move, explores engineering and innovation, and starts 16 October. They are are “seeking interested schools asap!”

Questacon—The National Science and Technology Centre and Raytheon Australia are combining to give schools across Australia a unique challenge. To respond to this challenge, students will gain experience in engineering and innovation by building a working, floating crane. Along the way, they will cover topics such as simple mechanics, motion, measurement and geometry and communication. Links to the Australian Curriculum are also provided. Students (and teachers) will be required to work on the challenge throughout Term 4. During this time, they will receive guidance from Questacon and project mentors during virtual workshops and via an online forum. Finally, they will give a short presentation to all participants during the last virtual excursion.

Teachers will be responsible for coordinating ‘build’ time and time for the virtual excursions. However, students are able to work on projects in their own time if, for example, the project is set as a homework task. There will be a total of four virtual excursions throughout the Make Float Move project. For more information visit the website or email them.

The entire series of Questacon Virtual Excursions appears to be a really valuable resource for high school teachers who can find a way to work it into their life. The excursions cover a range of STEM areas from the scientific method in Bust that Myth through to Maths Magic. It’s all explicitly tied to the Australian curriculum, and very reasonably priced. The full details are on the Questacon site.