Forty year 10 students from low socio-economic and refugee backgrounds have been participating in a brilliant new experimental program. This program is being implemented by the Australian Catholic University (ACU). This program, which teaches students the art of coding and robotics, is a part of their efforts to motivate students to pursue STEM-related careers. The nine-month program provides each student with their own tablet and robot. This arrangement gives them the opportunity to experience immersive, experiential learning that can better prepare them for their futures.
Program Director Dr. Walayat Hussain, along with Associate Program Directors Dr. Mehdi Rajaeian and Dr. Mahmoud Bekhit, run the program. And they know firsthand that exposure to AI and robotics is key to broader career opportunities for the next generation. “I believe that every human should have equal access to this technology,” Dr. Hussain stated, highlighting the program’s commitment to inclusivity.
Bridging Gaps in STEM Education
National data show that outcomes in STEM education have been steadily worsening in recent years. In 2023, just over half—54%—of year 10 students reached or exceeded the science proficiency standard. This is an improvement over the 50% who passed the benchmark in 2018. The ACU program is working to fill this gap by equipping students with foundational skills including coding and robotics.
The course uses drag-and-drop block coding, so students don’t need any prior knowledge of programming. The girls loved the opportunities this program provided. Aliyah Chilly from Caroline Chisholm College could hardly contain her excitement for the course. “I feel like it’s something important for kids to experience,” she said. She noted that the course marked her first encounter with coding to drive a robot, stating, “The blocks are made for you; you’ve just got to fill in the information like degrees, the speed and how far you want it [the car] to go.”
The program’s structure includes surveys and tasks to assess students’ ongoing interest in STEM fields. This feedback will allow educators to continue to adjust and enhance the curriculum long after its initial release.
Personal Journeys Toward Engineering
The inaugural cohort of teachers Ai and Isabella Sukkarieh from St Agnes Catholic College) She hopes to one day have a career as an engineer, specifically in the field of biomedical or industrial engineering. She emphasized the importance of the skills she is acquiring through the program by stating, “I will need to design products and then I’ll need to use programs like the ones we’re using here to show, basically, proof that the product works.”
Ahmad Elbashety, a Gaza refugee, left home while in his last year of study. Now, he’s living that out as an active participant in this transformative initiative. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “I didn’t know much about robotics or programming, but now I really enjoy it.” Ahmad has a goal to win a scholarship to a university. He hopes to pursue further studies in engineering and demonstrate how the program can change students’ lives for the better.
Looking Ahead: The Future of STEM Careers
Dr. Hussain’s perspective on the future job market makes the case for these types of programs all the more urgent. He cautioned that if we don’t train our young people in AI and robotics, they will have reduced career opportunities. “Now if you go to restaurants … the robots just come to take your order,” he explained, emphasizing how robotics is becoming an integral part of daily life and various industries.
The ACU program not only gives students technical abilities, it helps inspire passion for STEM careers. By engaging students from diverse backgrounds, it aims to create a more inclusive environment where all individuals can thrive in a technology-driven world.
