2023 TASITE Digital Technologies Educators of the Year

Over the past year, Daniel's impact on the application of the Digital Technologies Curriculum has grown both at a state level and nationally. Whether that be as a mentor for local teachers in implementation of the Digital Technologies Curriculum, or being selected as one of 12 national “Digital Technologies Champions” for 2023 for the DigitalTechnologies Hub run through Educational Services Australia. Daniel has represented Tasmania on Questacon’s Cyber Leaders project. 

He not only got 100% of Yr 3-6 students from Montello primary as entrants in the 2023, but was invited by ACER to be an official primary school ambassador for the 2024 STEM Video Game Challenge.

After running the biggest (and possibly the most popular) expo stall at ‘It Takes a SPARK conference’ in Devonport in 2022, he joined the steering committee for ‘It Takes a SPARK conference’ 2023.

Other STEM and digital Technology representations include presenting at the Singapore Institute of Teachers in April 2023, online webinars for Code Club Australia and the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s Coolest Projects Technology, other online presentations with Australian Schools Plus and Salesforce, and AI in Education with the NSW Teachers Guild and CONSTAT 2022.

Daniel has established a not-for-profit STEM education organisation: GreenSTEMEducation. GreenSTEM Education. Amongst many projects, one of GreenSTEM Education’s main priorities is contributing to projects and programs that advance the Digital Technologies curriculum. GreenSTEM recently organised and hosted the FIRST Lego League Somerset Regional, the first FLL event ever in NW Tasmania, and are working on plans to significantly increase engagement across the NW Coast in 2024. Future plans include collaborating on a project to run a “Maker Faire”event at the UTAS Cradle Coast Campus/The Makers Technology and Innovation Hub during National Science Week in 2024. 

Those who were lucky enough to hear Daniel speak, and answer, questions as part of the TASITE/ACS webinar last Monday, “Heads up on Digital Technologies Hardware”, will attest to the amazing journey Daniel has been on, and his willingness to share so much of what he has learnt on the journey.

Daniel also comprehensively addressed the innovation component of the award through the many different ways he gives access to the Digital Technologies curriculum through Code Club, Childrens University, Gifted Online Python coding Personal Pathways Programs, Tech Girls to name a few.

But it is certainly not all his personal achievements as Daniel expressed in his application 

In Daniel’s words… By far, the most rewarding and fulfilling part of my job is seeing STEM/Digital Technologies not only change education but alter lives. Seeing young people inspired in STEM and become empowered through digital making is something that I will never tire of. As one of my students best explained it’s impact: it “...makes things that I didn’t even think were possible come true.” To see this lead to great outcomes and major national awards for many of my students will always be the highlights of my career.