Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Kofi Annan, once said “knowledge is power, information is liberating and education is the premise of progress in every society”. This is in line with what the annual STEMI Olympiads and Competitions Community of Practice Conference, held in Pretoria on 14 to 16 March this year, aims to achieve.

The event provided a platform to empower community of practice members through information sharing, and to ultimately contribute towards positive change in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The community of practice specifically uses Olympiads and competitions as a tool to identify and, subsequently, nurture learner talent in the relevant subjects.

This year, delegates from the Association of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Innovation (ASTEMI), the Department of Education, and various other organisations and stakeholders in the sphere of STEMI, came together to share their passion for STEMI education and collectively seek methods to improve Olympiad and competition practices.

Chief Executive Officer of BRIDGE, Vuyiswa Ncontsa delivered a keynote address that highlighted methods to cultivate and manage a community of practice, and touched on the importance of knowledge management within such a community.

She encouraged delegates to seize opportunities to effect positive change within the system and provided valuable insight on the sustainability of an effective community.

The concept of change resonated throughout the conference and was the main focus of the majority of the presentations and academic papers. A number of these presentations were based on individual experiences within the Olympiad and competition or academic sphere, which facilitated the exchange of ideas, concepts, and practices during the presenter engagement sessions.

The concept of play captured the attention of many when Brent Hutcheson from Hands-on-Tech, demonstrated the basic laws of motion by using Lego blocks, and Steven Sherman from Living Maths added some comedic laughter to the event by having the delegates participate in a fun, online learning application.

The use of modern technology echoed throughout the conference and revealed that its potential benefit in education can no longer be ignored. The synergy between practical play and technology was showcased as the main stimulating factors in steering STEMI towards a changed landscape.

The presentations and exhibits on topics such as robotics and computer-aided activities exposed the ethos of this synergy. However, not only did practical application enjoy attention, but the impact of science communication was explored and fundamental insight was shared on how effective communication and the communication medium affects the attitudes of learners.

Breakaway sessions were facilitated to generate ideas and model frameworks on the style of mentoring and coaching that could be introduced within the education system, to increase and sustain interest in STEMI. The conference encouraged industry organisers and government to formulate support systems through collaborations, and shift focus to mentoring and coaching in order to establish a knowledgeable foundation of support that can be consistently tapped to improve learner performance now and in the future.