Bridge Building Podcast Episode 92: Datta Podcast: Taking Design Seriously & Building Collaborative Game Worlds
Release Date: 05/02/2026
Bridge Building Podcast Episode 93: Datta Podcast: Gamified Learning & Entrepreneurial Storytelling
DattaQueensland's podcast
In this special DATTA QLD Conference preview episode, Stephen Anderson speaks with two presenters exploring innovative approaches to Design and Technology education. First, Steph Piper from the University of Southern Queensland discusses gamified learning through the use of “skill trees” — visual templates inspired by video games that help learners map out and track their progress across a wide range of practical skills. The conversation explores maker education, 3D printing, electronics, laser cutting, and how visualising skill development can encourage both students and teachers to...
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Bridge Building Podcast Episode 92: Datta Podcast: Taking Design Seriously & Building Collaborative Game Worlds
DattaQueensland's podcast
In this special DATTA QLD Conference preview episode, Stephen Anderson speaks with two presenters who are exploring powerful and innovative approaches to Design and Technology education. First, Nick Kelly from QUT discusses why design should be considered one of the most important subjects in school. The conversation explores creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and the growing importance of design capability in a future shaped by artificial intelligence and automation. Nick argues that many of the so-called “21st century skills” schools aim to develop are fundamentally design...
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Bridge Building Podcast Episode 91: Datta Podcast: Design Thinking Starts with the Problems That Annoy You – with Dominique Falla
DattaQueensland's podcast
What if you’re already teaching design… but just don’t realise it? In this episode, Stephen Anderson is joined by Dominique Falla from Griffith University’s Queensland College of Art and Design to explore a powerful reframe for Design and Technology education. Dominique shares why design isn’t about being “creative,” but about structured problem solving—and why every teacher is already doing this every day in their classroom. The conversation explores the importance of studio-based learning, the role of hands-on experimentation, and why students need opportunities to tinker,...
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Bridge Building Podcast Episode 90: Datta Podcast: Caroline Blackley on behaviour, engagement, and the 4 Dimensions framework
DattaQueensland's podcast
What if behaviour management isn’t really about managing behaviour at all? In Episode 90 of the Bridge Building Podcast, Stephen Anderson speaks with Caroline Blackley about a different way of understanding classroom behaviour — one grounded in human decision-making, cognitive load, and the relationships that shape learning spaces. Caroline brings a wealth of experience from education, disability support, autism advisory work, prisons, youth detention, and years of professional learning with teachers. In this conversation, she explains her 4 Dimensions framework, which focuses on...
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Bridge Building Podcast Episode 89: Datta Podcast: Emil Zankov: Building Community and Transforming Students Through VEX Robotics
DattaQueensland's podcast
In this episode of the Bridge Building Podcast, Stephen chats with Emil Zankov, President of DATTA South Australia and a driving force behind the explosive growth of VEX Robotics competitions across the state. Emil shares his journey from an early-career teacher discovering the power of robotics to leading a statewide movement that now involves more than 20 schools and over 100 teams. He discusses how robotics competitions provide belonging, motivation, and purpose for students who might otherwise disengage — often transforming attendance, confidence, and learning habits. We also look at...
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Bridge Building Podcast Episode 88: Datta Podcast: Growing the Future: Design Students as Technicians with Peter Murphy (RMIT)
DattaQueensland's podcast
In this episode, we explore a powerful idea emerging from Victoria: placing industrial design students into school workshops as paid technicians to support teachers, enrich student learning, and build a new pipeline of future Design & Technologies educators. Stephen Anderson, QCHDF, speaks with Peter Murphy from RMIT about how the program works, why design students are so eager to participate, and what this model could mean for addressing the national teacher shortage. Peter also discusses his long-term vision for the learning area — including university partnerships, teacher training...
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Bridge Building Podcast Episode 87: Datta Podcast: Teaching Beyond the Boxes with Primrose Kombanie
DattaQueensland's podcast
Join Stephen Anderson in conversation with Primrose Kombanie, an inspiring design educator at Glasshouse Christian College on the Sunshine Coast. Primrose shares her remarkable story — from her upbringing in Zimbabwe and studies in textile sciences, to her transition into design teaching in New Zealand and Australia. She speaks passionately about changing classroom culture, connecting with industry partners, and helping students see design as a way of thinking, not just making. It’s a warm, engaging, and thought-provoking episode about education, creativity, and courage in teaching. 🎧...
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Bridge Building Podcast Episode 86: Datta Podcast: Bringing Design Thinking into Primary Classrooms with Danielle Ruddock
DattaQueensland's podcast
In this conversation, host Stephen Anderson speaks with Danielle Ruddock, Design and Technology Teacher at Beenleigh State High School, about her work bringing design thinking into the primary classroom. Danielle shares strategies for integrating design thinking into HASS and Science, drawing on the Eight Ways of Learning and principles of Universal Design for Learning. She reflects on how introducing students to creative problem-solving early helps them transition into secondary design subjects with greater confidence and flexibility. As part of DATTA QLD’s Professional Learning Series,...
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Bridge Building Podcast Episode 85: Datta Podcast: Structuring Design Education with Andrew Scott
DattaQueensland's podcast
In this episode of the Bridge Building Podcast: From Technology to the Trades, Stephen Anderson sits down with Andrew Scott, co-author of the Design for QCE textbooks and an experienced industrial design educator. Andrew unpacks the challenge of helping students use their time productively in design projects—whether in high school or university. Drawing on years of teaching first-year design, he explains why structure, constraints, and collaboration are key to unlocking creativity and progress. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: How to structure design projects to keep students moving...
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Bridge Building Podcast Episode 84: Datta Podcast: From the Tools to the Classroom – Mark Agnew on the Trade to Teach Journey
DattaQueensland's podcast
In this episode of the Bridge Building Podcast: From Technology to the Trades, Stephen Anderson chats with Mark Agnew, a former industrial plumber now teaching Industrial Technology and Design at Mabel Park State High School through Queensland’s Trade to Teach program. Mark explains how the program helps experienced tradespeople transition into teaching, the challenges and rewards of working in a diverse school community, and the importance of building relationships with students. He also shares an extraordinary story about creating adaptive tools for a legally blind...
info_outlineIn this special DATTA QLD Conference preview episode, Stephen Anderson speaks with two presenters who are exploring powerful and innovative approaches to Design and Technology education.
First, Nick Kelly from QUT discusses why design should be considered one of the most important subjects in school. The conversation explores creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and the growing importance of design capability in a future shaped by artificial intelligence and automation.
Nick argues that many of the so-called “21st century skills” schools aim to develop are fundamentally design skills, and that design education deserves a far more central place in modern schooling.
The second conversation features Richard Neville from Babinda P–12 School, who shares a collaborative game design project connecting primary and secondary students.
Students work together to design and build a multiplayer arcade-style game that requires players to cooperate in order to succeed. The project combines coding, systems thinking, collaborative problem solving, and iterative design while also encouraging students to work across year levels.
This episode offers practical insights, big-picture thinking, and inspiring examples of what Design and Technology education can look like when creativity, collaboration, and authentic problem solving are placed at the centre of learning.