Delivery
In school or on campus
When
Term 1 - 4
Cohort
Year 7, 8
Where
North West Tasmania
Capacity
30
About the program
North West Innovation Workshops
A suite of fun, hands-on engineering workshops for Year 7 and 8 students on the North West and West Coast, available for delivery at your school or at the Cradle Coast Campus in Burnie.
These workshops are part of a free, curriculum-aligned program designed to:
- Spark curiosity and build confidence in STEM
- Develop STEM skills including teamwork, communication, creativity, problem solving and resilience
- Increase access to high-quality STEM experiences in regional and rural communities
Program Options
Option 1: Build A Game Controller
Experience: Students build a working game controller by making simple electric circuits from household trash (or treasure!). In this hands-on workshop, students work through the innovation cycle – think, make, try, refine – to unleash their creativity and gain confidence in experimentation and prototyping.
This workshop explores simple electric circuits and material properties (such as insulators and conductors) through enquiry-based learning, utilising Makey Makey devices designed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). While it’s helpful if students have a basic understanding of electricity, there is no pre-requisite knowledge.
Duration: Approximately 1.5 hours or a double period (flexible)
Cost: Free
Option 2: Build a Catapult, Bionic Hand, or Bridge
Experience: Students take part in a fun, hands-on engineering challenge to design and build either a catapult, bionic hand, or bridge from simple materials. Students work through the innovation cycle – think, make, try, refine - to gain confidence in problem-solving and prototyping.
Students will work through 1 of 3 kits (catapult, bionic hand, or bridge) designed by the University of Newcastle’s Science and Engineering Challenge team (also available for purchase).
With many schools facing barriers to attending the annual Science and Engineering Challenge events, we aim to increase access by bringing part of the experience to North West classrooms.
Duration: Approximately 1.5 hours or a double period (flexible)
Cost: Free
The University of Tasmania is committed to creating diverse, inclusive, and accessible educational experiences. Please let us know when registering how we can best support your needs.
Links to the Australian Curriculum
Critical and Creative Thinking
General capability
Science Understanding
Physical Sciences & Engineering