Karen is an educator who has worked in primary schools for many years as a teacher and as a leader. She is currently working for the Education Department of South Australia as a Project Officer in the Maths and Numeracy Team.  Prior to this she was the Curriculum Manager for the South Australian Curriculum – Technologies R-6. Karen has also worked as a Project Officer with the Computer Science in Education Research group with Adelaide University during 2016-2019. She is passionate about bringing computer science into the everyday discourse and practice of teachers and learners. She wants computer science to be accessible and exciting for all primary school students. Karen also has experience teaching pre service teaching students Media Arts. Karen is an advocate for supporting students to become critical consumers and powerful creators of technologies. Karen is currently studying her Masters in STEM Education at the Queensland University of Technology.

Time served on the Committee: Since 2019

Jak is a professional secondary school teacher with a background in software engineering. He is passionate about teaching mathematics and digital technologies in years 8 to 10 as well as SACE stage 1 and 2. Jak has a keen interest in developing the capacity of digital technologies education and is always looking for innovative ways to engage his students in learning, as well as building the capacity of digital technologies educators and associated pedagogical practise. Jak believes that digital technologies can empower students to become creative problem solvers and critical thinkers in the 21st century.

Work Place: Primary Teacher, Vale Park Primary School

About me:
I grew up tinkering and playing around on computers and digital technologies in rural South Australia before moving to Adelaide where I studied Computer and Information Science and Media Arts at the University of South Australia. I was the UniSA Inaugural Ada Scholarship for Gifted Women in IT. From university I went on to work professionally in the film and television industry on television shows and movies like McLeod’s Daughters, Home and Away, Babadook and ANZAC Girls. After returning to Adelaide from working in the United States I entered the “family business” as a teacher where I have been working in primary schools around Adelaide as a TRT and Contract Teacher for the past 8 years. I believe that digital technologies provides numerous opportunities for teachers and learners to develop their critical and creative thinking, collaboration and communication skills for future lifelong learning and success. I integrate a collaborative learning approach in my classroom where students are encouraged to teach each other and myself what they know and mistakes are celebrated as learning opportunities. In 2018, I was awarded the Department for Education’s SA Primary Teacher of the Year award.

Follow: https://twitter.com/KellyRivett

Time served on the Committee: Member since 2015, Committee member from 2017

Work Place: Torrens Valley Christian School

About me:
Before joining Torrens Valley Christian School as eLearning Coordinator and IT teacher, Fiona worked in the IT industry after gaining a degree in Computer and Information Science.

Fiona has radically changed the way ICT and Digital Technologies is taught at TVCS since joining the staff. She has increased the engagement of students, in particular girls, in IT and introduced SACE Stage 1 and 2 IT (now Digital Technologies) which has led to an increase in students enrolling in Digital Technologies

Fiona is committed to innovation to ensure that students have increased skills, particularly in programming. She has been asked by students to start a coding club at lunch times and has started a Year 5/6 STEM group where she works with 10 select students on robotics and coding in preparation for entry in the FIRST Lego League Competition. These students now see themselves as leaders of Digital Technology in their classes.

Whilst Fiona regularly attends conferences and workshops, she has discovered there is not enough support available for Middle School and Senior School Digital Technologies teachers.  To rectify this, she is committed to networking and sharing, and has been approached by several schools and individual Digital Technologies teachers to help them with their practice.

Fiona freely shares resources and ideas with teachers and schools and presents workshops for EdTechSA. Recently, she was approached by AISSA and the SACE Board to help run professional development sessions, moderate and write sample material for the new Stage 2 Digital Technologies curriculum. The Digital Technologies Hub invited her to write sample material and share her digital technologies implementation journey. As a result, there is information on their website including teaching resources and curriculum outlines.

Fiona says, “The IT learning area has been an isolated one for many years, with teachers going it alone. This has to change; we need to work together and support each other if we are to navigate this ever-changing industry”. Fiona’s work exemplifies this.

Time served on the Committee: Since 2019

Saad is a Digital Technologies teacher at Thomas More College. He is an experienced Digital Technologies and Mathematics Secondary Teacher with a strong technical background and extensive classroom experience across Catholic and Independent schools in South Australia. A dedicated advocate for the professional teaching community, he has been volunteering with EdTechSA for the past four years and currently serves as the SA Representative on the ACCE board.

Saad’s current pedagogical focus centers on the meaningful integration of artificial intelligence in education. He actively develops and implements resources designed to guide middle school students in the ethical, critical, and effective use of AI—with a particular emphasis on elevating learning outcomes across Science and Mathematics.

Aaron Byford is a passionate advocate for public education and an experienced leader in strategic digital improvement for schools. With a Master of Cognitive Psychology in Education, he brings a strong evidence-based perspective to the effective integration of technology in teaching and learning. Aaron is committed to helping schools leverage digital innovation to improve educational outcomes and create meaningful learning experiences for all students.

Helps out with content updates from time to time.