New grants to empower Australian educators with important AI skills

We can see that new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are becoming part of everyday life and changing the way we work.

Having the skills and opportunity to use these new technologies is crucial - which is why we recently launched a new AI Essentials course, helping Australians to learn AI skills.

But we’re also keenly aware of the need to ensure Australia’s educators have the capabilities they need to teach the next generation of technologists, scientists and engineers. How do we ensure we are preparing Australian students for a digital future where these technologies will be integral to daily life and work?

Announcing the 2024 Educator PD Grants

By equipping educators with the knowledge and tools to integrate these technologies into their classrooms, we can prepare students to be not just consumers of technology but also creators, innovators, and critical thinkers who shape Australia’s digital future.

To effectively integrate AI and ML into education, we first need to ensure students have a solid foundation in computational thinking and computer science (CS). These foundations involve breaking down complex problems into smaller, more manageable steps, designing algorithms, and using data to make informed decisions. These skills are not only applicable to coding but also to everyday problem-solving.

Google’s Educator PD Grants program has been funding high quality professional development for educators throughout Australia and New Zealand since 2011. These PD opportunities have focused on these core computational skills and ensure that educators in regional and remote areas have access to relevant and engaging resources.

We’re excited to see many of the Australian 2024 grant awardees embracing AI education and upskilling in their PD workshops and look forward to the innovative uses of technology in the classroom.

• Australian Catholic University
• Australian Data Science Education Institute (ADSEI)
• DeadlyScience
• Design & Technology Teachers' Association Victoria (DATTA Vic)
• Griffith University
• James Cook University
• Joondalup Education Support Centre
• Monash University
• Mountain Creek State High School
• NSW Department of Education
• QSITE (Queensland Society for Information Technology in Education)
• SMART Program - The University of Newcastle
• The University of Western Australia
• The University of Newcastle
• University of Sunshine Coast
• Winyama Pty Ltd

Announcing an additional course to help Australian teachers

Building on our long standing relationship with the Adelaide University CSER group, we’re pleased to announce registrations are now open for two new AI focused courses.

Teaching AI in the Primary Classroom and Teaching AI in the Secondary Classroom, are free, online courses to empower educators to effectively integrate AI into their classrooms. Split into two parts, the first establishes a solid foundation in AI concepts and contextualises AI for the classroom. The second part translates this knowledge into action, providing teachers with ready-to-use activities for both primary and secondary students.

These courses are the newest in the collection of available PD for teachers developed by CSER and supported by Google, all of which aim to build educators’ capacity in the key areas of Digital Technologies, Cyber Security and now AI.