STEM MAD is designed to acknowledge and promote STEM learning initiatives that address real-world problems and demonstrate how students in Catholic schools take action that matters. Student teams are invited to design a product, service or innovation to Make A Difference (MAD) to others or the environment.  We talk with Shelley Waldon – Science & STEM Lead, Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools who initiated this program in 2018.

Hosted by Ben Newsome from Fizzics Education

About STEM MAD

The mission of STEM MAD is clear:
Celebrate students taking action that makes a difference
Showcase deep learning
Engage schools in effective STEM-based multidisciplinary inquires
Promote high-quality STEM education for future-focused learning
Contextualise STEM in the core curriculum
Enact Social Justice for the Common Good

What began in 2018 in Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) has now spread across Australian diocese schools.

Find out more
Catholic Network Australia STEM MAD site 
https://www.cna.catholic.edu.au/stem-mad-national
Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools STEM MAD site
https://sites.google.com/vic.catholic.edu.au/stemmad/home

About Shelley Waldon

Shelley started her career as a geochemist, working in the mining industry for 4 years with BHP and for the Victorian government as an Environmental Scientist for 6 years. After this she undertook postgraduate teaching qualifications to work in both the primary and secondary sectors.

Have worked in Catholic education in Melbourne for 25 years in a variety of roles and educational settings. These include classroom teaching, specialist teaching, curriculum leader and Catholic placed teacher in extension education at Zoos Victoria. Also extended post-graduate learning with a Master of Education, Graduate Certificates in Assessment and STEM Education and additional qualifications in business management, leadership and risk management.

Within Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools, major responsibilities have been supporting schools and working with teachers to devise and develop resources and professional learning opportunities that enhance science learning across the curriculum.

In collaboration with our teachers, cultural organisations and expert providers, we develop learning opportunities and partnerships that improve teachers' core content knowledge in science, whilst developing pedagogical models that improve understanding by enabling the application of scientific conceptual knowledge in the context of multidisciplinary projects.

Acted as Primary Investigator for MACS in a 4-year ARC Linkage Research Project (with Monash Uni, BCE, and UQ) researching problem-based learning through STEM education. Using problems as the drivers for student engagement and motivation with the curriculum and exploring teachers' attitudes, beliefs and pedagogical practices as they participated as co-researchers.

In 2018 initiated STEM MAD, which has become a flagship program in Melbourne and a national program in dioceses across Australia, and continues to demonstrate scientific learning, where students use STEM projects to Make a Difference (MAD) to others and the environment.

Hosted by Ben Newsome from Fizzics Education

With interviews with leading science educators and STEM thought leaders, this science education podcast is about highlighting different ways of teaching kids within and beyond the classroom. It's not just about educational practice & pedagogy, it's about inspiring new ideas & challenging conventions of how students can learn about their world!

https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/

Know an educator who'd love this STEM podcast episode? 

Share it!

The FizzicsEd podcast is a member of the Australian Educators Online Network (AEON )

http://www.aeon.net.au/

STEM MAD is designed to acknowledge and promote STEM learning initiatives that address real-world problems and demonstrate how students in Catholic schools take action that matters. Student teams are invited to design a product, service or innovation to Make A Difference (MAD) to others or the environment.  We talk with Shelley Waldon – Science &amp; STEM Lead, Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools who initiated this program in 2018.
Hosted by <a href="https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/team/ben-newsome/">Ben Newsome</a> from <a href="https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/">Fizzics Education</a>
About STEM MAD
The mission of STEM MAD is clear:
<ul>
<li>Celebrate students taking action that makes a difference</li>
<li>Showcase deep learning</li>
<li>Engage schools in effective STEM-based multidisciplinary inquires</li>
<li>Promote high-quality STEM education for future-focused learning</li>
<li>Contextualise STEM in the core curriculum</li>
<li>Enact Social Justice for the Common Good</li>
</ul>
What began in 2018 in Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) has now spread across Australian diocese schools.
Find out more
<ul>
<li>Catholic Network Australia STEM MAD site  <a href="https://www.cna.catholic.edu.au/stem-mad-national">https://www.cna.catholic.edu.au/stem-mad-national</a></li>
<li>Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools STEM MAD site <a href="https://sites.google.com/vic.catholic.edu.au/stemmad/home">https://sites.google.com/vic.catholic.edu.au/stemmad/home</a></li>
</ul>
About Shelley Waldon
Shelley started her career as a geochemist, working in the mining industry for 4 years with BHP and for the Victorian government as an Environmental Scientist for 6 years. After this she undertook postgraduate teaching qualifications to work in both the primary and secondary sectors.
Have worked in Catholic education in Melbourne for 25 years in a variety of roles and educational settings. These include classroom teaching, specialist teaching, curriculum leader and Catholic placed teacher in extension education at Zoos Victoria. Also extended post-graduate learning with a Master of Education, Graduate Certificates in Assessment and STEM Education and additional qualifications in business management, leadership and risk management.
Within Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools, major responsibilities have been supporting schools and working with teachers to devise and develop resources and professional learning opportunities that enhance science learning across the curriculum.
In collaboration with our teachers, cultural organisations and expert providers, we develop learning opportunities and partnerships that improve teachers' core content knowledge in science, whilst developing pedagogical models that improve understanding by enabling the application of scientific conceptual knowledge in the context of multidisciplinary projects.
Acted as Primary Investigator for MACS in a 4-year ARC Linkage Research Project (with Monash Uni, BCE, and UQ) researching problem-based learning through STEM education. Using problems as the drivers for student engagement and motivation with the curriculum and exploring teachers' attitudes, beliefs and pedagogical practices as they participated as co-researchers.
In 2018 initiated STEM MAD, which has become a flagship program in Melbourne and a national program in dioceses across Australia, and continues to demonstrate scientific learning, where students use STEM projects to Make a Difference (MAD) to others and the environment.
Hosted by <a href="https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/team/ben-newsome/">Ben Newsome</a> from <a href="https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/">Fizzics Education</a>
With interviews with leading science educators and STEM thought leaders, this science education podcast is about highlighting different ways of teaching kids within and beyond the classroom. It's not just about educational practice &amp; pedagogy, it's about inspiring new ideas &amp; challenging conventions of how students can learn about their world!
<a href="https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/">https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/</a>
Know an educator who'd love this STEM podcast episode? 
Share it! The FizzicsEd podcast is a member of the Australian Educators Online Network (AEON ) <a href="http://www.aeon.net.au/">http://www.aeon.net.au/</a>

For educators and teachers working to make STEM amazing... no matter whether you're teaching science in grade 1, running a high school lab or delivering science shows in a museum, this education show helps you teach science & technology the way kids want to learn. The FizzicsEd Podcast brings in educators from across Australia and around the world to talk about tips, tricks, lessons and learnings they've had whilst working with students in the classroom and beyond. Hosted by Ben Newsome, a science teacher, author and founder of the multi-award winning science outreach team at Fizzics Education.

The FizzicsEd Podcast

For educators wanting to make STEM awesome! No matter whether you're teaching science in grade 1, running a high school lab or delivering  science shows in a museum, this show helps you teach science & technology the way kids want to learn.

The FizzicsEd Podcast brings in educators from across Australia and around the world to talk about tips, tricks, lessons and learnings they've had whilst working with students in the classroom and beyond. Hosted by Ben Newsome, a science teacher, author and founder of the multi-award winning science outreach team at Fizzics Education.

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