Transcript
[Music plays and an image appears of a Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools medallion above text: Daniel Edwards]
[Images move through to show Daniel Edwards teaching students, the students raising their hands, and then Daniel talking and nodding]
Daniel Edwards: All young people deserve equitable access to excellence in education in order for them to be able to live a successful, fulfilling life.
[Images move through to various views of Daniel talking to the camera, Daniel teaching students, a close view of a female student’s face, and then a laptop screen with MasterCode Arcade]
It's a critical responsibility for me to be able to provide them with the very best opportunities in STEM, and that enables them to pursue limitless opportunities and achieve anything that they aspire to.
[Image changes to show a close view of Daniel talking to the camera, and then image changes to show a medium view of Daniel talking to the camera, and text appears: Daniel Edwards]
I'm Daniel Edwards, STEM teacher from Montello Primary School in Burnie, Tasmania and founding CEO of GreenSTEM Education.
[Music plays and image changes to show a Montello Primary School sign]
[Images move through to show a student’s hand pointing at the technic Lego robot Daniel is holding, Daniel talking, and then a close view of the technic Lego robot]
My decision to go into a career in education was inspired by my parents.
[Images move through to show Daniel instructing students and the camera zooms in on Daniel, a medium view of Daniel talking to the camera, and then a close view of Daniel talking to the camera]
Some of my earliest memories are tinkering with cars and fixing electronics with my father. Through his role as a police officer with the Early Intervention Unit and working with at risk, vulnerable young people is something that really inspired me.
[Image changes to show a medium view of Daniel talking to the camera, and then image changes to show Andrew dragging a Go-Kart-like electric vehicle]
I realised that I would never truly be fulfilled in a career unless it was something where I was able to give back to the community and help elevate others.
[Image changes to show four female students helping Daniel drag out the electric vehicle from a building, and then image changes to show the GreenSTEM badge on the side of the vehicle]
So that's led to me founding GreenSTEM Education, which is Tasmania's pioneering STEM education charity.
[Image changes to show Daniel with a student preparing to test the vehicle’s battery, and then the student’s hands connecting the battery tester to the vehicle’s battery]
GreenSTEM Education's flagship program is the Greenpower Electric Vehicle Challenge.
[Images move through to show s views of Daniel with the female students testing the vehicle’s battery, a female student smiling and then nodding, and then a female checking a tyre’s pressure]
Greenpower inspires young people in engineering and STEM, through the challenge of working together as a team to design, build and race a single seater electric vehicle.
[Image changes to show Daniel laughing with the students, and then image changes to show Daniel talking to the camera]
One of the programs that we run at GreenSTEM Education is STEM Unlimited.
[Image changes to show Daniel teaching students outside, and then the image changes to show a Burnie Community House Sign]
This is a free after school STEM club held at Burnie Community House.
[Image changes to show Daniel teaching students outside, and then the image changes to show a female student talking with a male student listening]
We have a very diverse range of students that attend STEM Unlimited from primary and high schools across the region, even homeschooled students.
[Image changes to show two female students building with technic Lego, and then the image changes to show a medium view of Daniel talking to the camera]
So through a student centred approach to learning, one of the things that's most impactful is students, instead of asking, well, why do I need to learn this? What's the point of this?
[Image changes to show a close view of Daniel talking to the camera, and then the image changes to show a learning module on a laptop screen]
They're saying things like, well, how can I achieve this? What do I need to learn to do this?
[Image changes to show a female student’s face, and then the image changes to show Daniel teaching and laughing with students outside]
They can see that final product and work towards learning the skills and the understanding and knowledge necessary to achieve that.
[Image changes to show a medium view of Daniel talking to the camera]
To be recognised as the recipient of the Prime Minister's Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools is an incredible honour.
[Images move through to show a close view of Daniel talking to the camera, Daniel teaching students, and then a female student smiling and nodding]
It's something I can use to help inspire other educators, especially in regional areas around Australia.
[Images move through to show a medium view of Daniel talking to the camera, a close view of Daniel talking to the camera, and then a medium view of Daniel talking to the camera]
One of the most encouraging pieces of feedback I ever received was a note from a student that said, Mr. Edwards makes things come true that I didn't even realise were possible.
[Image changes to show Daniel smiling at the camera with arms folded, and then the Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools medallion, with the Australian Government Coat of Arms in the bottom right corner, and text appears: 2024 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science teaching in Primary Schools, Celebrating 25 years]
And for me, that's what my role is all about, is to make students realise that they can achieve anything.
[Music plays]
