FASTRACK e-STEAM Academy

​​ 

The e-STEAM Academy - a selective academic talent development programme – is designed as an individually paced and enriched inter-disciplinary programme for extending gifted and talented students in Middle School.  General capabilities are at the core of its curriculum and teachers and students work in partnership with the community for 21st century learning.
 

Program objectives:


FASTRACK e-STEAM Academy is intended to nurture the academic talents of students by -

  • ​upskilling students using 21st century (P21) skills
  •  recognising giftedness and talent
  • inspiring to innovate for social good
  • teaching using blended learning and developing global citizens who can embed Social Enterprise Learning (SEL) in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (S.T.E.A.M. )

​Core Components:

 
FASTRACK e-STEAM Academy is committed to personalised learning through the following core components:
  • Innovative Entrepreneurial Projects
  • Critical Reflective Journal
  • ​Engagement & Service Learning

​Curriculum:


The Shape of Australian Curriculum (ACARA) acknowledges that gifted and talented students are students of diversity. 
 
e-STEAM students will engage in an interdisciplinary problem-based learning approach and the core of its curriculum is general capabilities to expose them to “rigorous, relevant and engaging learning opportunities drawn from the Australian Curriculum and aligned with their individual learning needs, strengths, interests and goals.” (ACARA, 2016 v.8.2)

Learning area content will be derived from different levels, across varied curriculum priorities, and general capabilities to personalise learning experiences for gifted and talented students. The Australian Curriculum will be used flexibly to meet the individual learning needs of gifted and talented students.'

 
Picture.jpg
 

​ 

Selection

e-STEAM Academy is offered to Year 7 – 9 students who to the upper 10% of the cohort in STEAM subjects.  They are profiled through a selective identification process using - 

  • Longitudinal data of academic ability in S.T.E.A.M. subjects
  • Other relevant psychometric or cognitive assessment reports relevant to the gifted program
  • Other qualitative feedback relevant to the criteria
  • ​Parent and/or teacher nomination

​​Places are limited and are suitable to gifted and talented students who are independent learners.  e-STEAM students must also have high standards of Approaches to Learning which include high motivation and high volition.  They should also possess excellent behaviour, including care for self and others. 


Twice-exceptionality

 
e-STEAM students who are twice-exceptional (2e) are identified as gifted and talented and are also identified with one or more disability or condition.  They are profiled using the same selective identification process and an Individual Curriculum Plan (ICP) that personalises a strategic educational plan needs to be developed and progress tracked and monitored.

ST-GE collaborates with Support Teacher Inclusive Education (ST-IE) in the development of the ICP.
                                                                    

Reporting

 
Reporting achievement for e-STEAM students is reported against the achievement standard for the year level they are taught.  It should clearly indicate the year level of the curriculum content and the achievement standards against which judgments about student achievement have been made. (ACARA, 2016 v.8.2, p 20-22)

Alignment of student project deliverables to other interdisciplinary units of work may get credits subject to classroom teacher judgment (CTJ) of demonstrated learning in presented folio of work.

​References:

 

https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/resources/student-diversity/gifted-and-talented-students

https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/aust_curric/ac_stud_diversity_fs.pdf