EdTechSA Leader of the Year

Rebecca is a Senior Research Fellow and Project Lead in the Computer Science Education Research Group (CSER), The University of Adelaide. Since 2014, Rebecca has been the Lead Learning Designer for CSER’s national teacher training program in K-12 Digital Technologies engaging over 40,000 teachers and expanding to include training in AI, AR, VR and cyber security. Her interdisciplinary research spans technology-enhanced learning, K-12 Computer Science (CS) education, professional learning and STEM engagement, and has been published in high-quality CS education journals, conferences and reports for government and industry. Rebecca’s research has informed the development of education resources and policy in Australia, such as the Digital Technologies Hub, Girls in STEM Toolkit, and the National Innovation and Science Agenda. Dr Vivian is passionate about engaging more students, particularly girls and women, in STEM and enhancing Technology education within local and national STEM initiatives.

Marg has a long history of work in the Edtech field. From ICT coach, Microsoft Innovative Educator to Principal of STEM lead learning site, she is a fierce advocate for students from complex backgrounds, using technology and STEM to grow in confidence and create future options.

Marg’s work to empower children from complex communities has been celebrated interstate and overseas through the Kids Teach STEM conferences, where students plan and run conferences for visiting adults and students about how to embed technology and student agency in learning. Her school runs TV and podcasting for the local community, preparing students to be future leaders.

Marg was recently named on the Educator Hot List 2020 for her educational leadership in STEM both locally and interstate and continues to be involved in educational research projects with Australian Universities that contribute to increased educational outcomes for all students.

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 Curriculum Manager for Technologies R-6. She is currently working on developing SA curriculum documents designed to support SA teachers to implement the Technologies Learning Area.

Karen worked with the Computer Science in Education Research group with Adelaide University for 3 years 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 power creators of technologies.

Paul is committed to progressing the capacity of educators, families, communities and students to have equality of opportunity and works with others to remove anything that contributes to the digital divide and digital poverty.

As a school principal, Paul has worked with teachers, students, families and communities to integrate established, new and emerging technologies with learning goals for individuals and whole school priorities. He was a Principal Consultant on the Senior Executive Group of the South Australia Department for Education He has worked on National agendas including the National Assessment Program for ICT Literacy and the National Digital Technologies reference group. He also led a team which was responsible for the successful familiarisation of the Technologies learning area of the Australian Curriculum and provision of the implementation program for the Department of Education.

Paul makes regular and extensive contributions to the teaching profession, ensuring his work is available for others to share, remix and repurpose. His advice has been sought by large, medium and small scale service providers and community groups. He contributes regularly to online forums and networks to promote and share information. He has presented nationally and locally on a diverse range of topics related to leadership and learning technologies.

Paul has led the formation of the Thinking Technologically State Reference Group of South Australia, made up of the Catholic, Independent, Federal Project Leads, EdTechSA, DATTASA, Public Education and University leaders in the area of Learning Technologies. He has recently contributed as an EdTechSA committee member to the development of the new Stage 1 and Stage 2 SACE subject of Digital Technologies.

Paul is an active member of EdTechSA as a representative on the Management Committee and Executive Group. He is also a current member of the EducatorsSA (formally CEASA) board as Director and Secretary. He is uniquely placed as an expert and authoritative voice for EdTechSA to lead the work of connecting technology to contemporary learning priorities, from birth to senior secondary and post-secondary pathways, and across Associations and sectors.

The EdTechSA Leader of the Year Award recognises the importance of the work of South Australian educators who are significantly contributing to the use of ICT in Education.

It is with great pleasure that we announce Kevin Richardson, Principal, Immanuel College, South Australia as EdTechSA Leader of the Year for 2016.

Kevin is a highly supportive member of the educational technology community, frequently hosting educational technology events, and innovative enterprises. He is generous with both his time and resources in supporting and inspiring the advancement of education across educational sectors and corporate partnerships. Kevin uses his extensive international network to bring people and ideas together and create new global networks.

Kevin’s reach extends beyond the educational technology community and reaches into core educational leadership in Australia. He has served diligently in national leadership roles in numerous executive leadership roles including on the the board of the Australian Council for Children and the Media as well as the Australian Council for Educational Leaders.

Kevin is a highly respected leader with demonstrated ability to influence the future positively with local, national, and global impact.

Katrina’s work in Computer Science Education is locally, nationally and internationally renowned, through her contribution of education research outcomes improving global understanding of how we teach Computer Science and in her work in supporting Australian teachers through the Computer Science Education Research (CSER) Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).

Under Katrina’s leadership, the CSER Group at the University of Adelaide has developed free online professional development courses, with accompanying sustainable online communities. These ongoing courses, to date, have seen thousands of Australian educators enroll and participate in the online community.

Within the community, teachers can continue professional learning, acquire just-in-time support, share expertise and view up-to-date resources. In particular, the community-based model has been reported as extremely valuable by teachers in remote schools, who are usually at risk of being isolated during curriculum implementation. Katrina’s approach has been recognised and acknowledged by peers and stakeholders and associations.

Katrina regularly keynotes, presents and facilitates workshops at conferences, which included our EdTechSA 2015 state conference. Her influence extends from ACARA Directors Groups to Digital Technologies implementation meetings. Katrina also co-authored a highly relevant paper for the Federal Government’s ‘Coding across the Curriculum Project’.

Katrina Falkner is a most worthy recipient of EdTechSA’s 2015 Leader of the Year award. EdTechSA was honoured to endorse her nomination to the Australian Council for Computers in Education (ACCE), as the 2016 National Leader of the Year. As we now all know, Katrina was named as the recipient of the ACCE/ACS National Leader of the Year for 2016 just a few weeks ago.

Congratulations to Katrina Falkner.

Trudy has been an active member of the Management Committee for EdTechSA (formerly the Computers in Education Group of South Australia – CEGSA) for twelve years. As President since 2007, her leadership developed unity as the committee strived towards a shared vision and organisational strategy, based on teamwork, integrity, and clear communication and decision-making procedures. Affectionately, this process was described as identifying the right people for the seats on the bus, setting the coordinates for the GPS, and keeping the wheels turning. As a testament of Trudy’s leadership, EdTechSA recently hosted the successful national conference ACEC2014.

Trudy is currently employed as Senior Lecturer, Digital Media in the School of Education at Flinders University. In this role, Trudy provides leadership on the use of ICT and digital technologies with F-12 teachers, preservice teachers and postgraduate students in South Australia and Internationally. Trudy collaborated on the Teaching Teachers for the Future Project as the Flinders University Project Coordinator and was a member of the project’s Research and Evaluation Working Group. She has conducted ICT research and published multiple peer-reviewed papers. At ACEC2010 she received a best paper award. Recently, at ACEC2014 she chaired the Refereed Papers sub-committee and co-authored the conference proceedings. She has presented at numerous state, national and international educational technology conferences including ACEC (since 2004) and ISTE (2012).

As a long-standing member of the ACCE Board since 2007, Trudy has demonstrated leadership at the national level through her voluntary management of two AITSL funded ICT projects related to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in 2011 and 2012. Trudy designed and led ACCE’s 2012, 17-day study tour to the USA and Canada with 24 participants. She was ACCE Treasurer for five years (2009 to 2014) and is on the editorial board for the Australian Educational Computing Journal.

Trudy Sweeney is a most worthy recipient of EdTechSA’s 2014 Leader of the Year award. EdTechSA is honoured to endorse her nomination to the Australian Council for Computers in Education, as the 2015 Leader of the Year.

EdTechSA is proud to announce our Leader of the Year for 2013, Kevin Richardson

Kevin is currently Principal, Immanuel College, South Australia, a position he has held since 2002. Immanuel College is a Lutheran Co-Educational Independent Boarding School where he has continued to implement a comprehensive ICT strategy.
“Immanuel is considered one of the leading schools in Adelaide in the use of ICT to enhance learning”

Kevin has been extensively involved in leadership in education and ICT at state, national and international levels. His service spans over twenty-five years and he has held multiple senior leadership positions. In 1989 he initiated the South Australian School of the Future as Principal / Manager and led this internationally significant project until 1992 before taking up a the role of Senior Consultant / Policy Analyst and Adviser to the Premier in Western Australia with a focus on technology in 1993-1994. Kevin also worked in New South Wales in the roles of Director of Organisational Improvement, and Director of School Technology between 1995 and 1997. He returned to South Australia and held the positions of Director, Executive Services, and Executive Director, Strategic Development and Chief Information Officer for the Department of Education Training and Employment in South Australia between 1997 and 2001.

In addition, he has given numerous keynote addresses and been directly involved in national policy development with an ICT focus for nine years. He currently serves on two national boards as a member of the Board for the Australian Council of Educational Leaders (since 2010) and as an Executive member of the State Heads of Independent Schools (since 2011).

Throughout his career, Kevin has been recognised for his contribution to educational leadership and ICT as a recipient of numerous distinguished awards. These have included an Australian Centenary medal for services to technology and education (2000), the Minister’s Valuable Contribution to Public Education (2002); the Australian Council of Educational Leadership’s Alby Jones Award as Eminent Education of the Year, South Australia (2011); finalist for the NAIDOC Premier’s Award for contribution to Indigenous Education (2011); Fellowship for the Australian College of Education (2001), and the Australian College of Educational Leaders (2012).

“Kevin is recognized by his contemporaries, not only for his vision and knowledge but his generosity in sharing that knowledge and assisting others.”

EdTechSA is honoured to have nominated Kevin Richardson as South Australia’s representative to the Australian Council for Computer’s in Education national Leader of the Year Award.

Steven was a worthy recipient for this award for his work in setting up the 1:1 initiative at Aberfoyle Park High School.

Education.au / Flinders University
2007 Joint winner