Written by Kahlia Ashworth

Pre-service teacher studying Graduate Diploma in Education from Griffith University – Senior Chemistry and Biology and Junior Science and Maths

As a pre-service teacher I find myself getting really excited about a few progressive education movements that have the potential to revolutionise the education system I was familiar with as a high school student. The Queensland Museum’s Creative Lab epitomises one such movement that I hold very dear to my heart: the integration of science and the arts. Creativity is the foundation of scientific innovation – it capitalises on curiosity and precipitates successful design. We are in a time of major transformation and enormous possibility, and innovation is a driving force in our radically changing, post-industrial world. The most effective way to grow this highly-prized skill is to go straight to the source: to the students who will shape the future of STEM industry!

The Creative Lab is a two-day professional workshop for educators, run by the Queensland Museum. It aims to encourage imaginative learning by allowing educators the opportunity to experience, first-hand, the benefits of engaging in hands-on, problem-solving activities within a creative environment. Most importantly, The Queensland Museum’s Creative Lab provides teachers with new ideas or approaches to STEM education, which will ultimately lead to the development of design thinking skills in STEM students.

The Creative Lab is an opportunity for me to progress my scientific teaching technique, and I’m incredibly excited to learn how to effectively use active learning techniques to captivate my students, so that I can cultivate a creative and innovative classroom space. I live for the sound of engagement in my classroom – that ever-satisfying buzz of student activity – and I hope that the Queensland Museum’s Creative Lab will equip me with the skills to get my fix more often. Wish me luck!

Step Up‘s involvement in the Queensland Museum’s Creative Lab program has enabled Kahlia Ashworth and other pre-service teachers to participate in these workshops.