EdTechSA Digital Technologies Teacher of the Year
2021: Kate Tyrwhitt
Kate is the R-6 Visual Arts Teacher at St Michael’s College. She has been integrating ICT’s into the Visual Arts and Primary Teaching roles she has had in the curriculum since she started teaching over 12 years ago in the Catholic Education sector.
As a specialist teacher in Visual Arts, she uses a wide array of digital technologies to enhance and engage students in learning. She has presented workshops in Adelaide and Melbourne and showcased student digital works in Canberra (National Gallery Visual Arts Educators Conference 2016) and Sydney at the ACCE conference and in various states in Australia. Using Showbie, Kate has put the Art student learning online as a visual portfolio and a place for feedback and assignment links. She uses a variety of iPad apps for teaching Art, Design thinking and supporting Information Technologies in the classroom.
Kate has been a part of the school’s Digital Technologies Program and has embraced the use of Augmented Reality, Blue Bots, Coding, Spheros, 21CLD, Flipgrid, 3D Design and Printing using Makers Empire. Kate connected 4 classes this year with a school in America via Makers Empire and Flipgrid in a Global Design Project. She has also arranged VR fieldtrips in the school and Livestream Virtual Excursions with the National Portrait Gallery in 2017 and 2018. Kate is also a Makers Empire Ambassador, Certified Flipgrid Educator and a Showbie Champion.
Kate collaborates with the Specialist team at St Michael’s College and has conducted in-house workshops on Showbie and conducted parent/student workshops on 3D printing. Kate has shared her learning at EdTechSA conferences since 2007. She has presented a showcase video nationally and has contributed to Mail Art Projects and MoMA learning forums with an international Arts and Inquiry group.