Science, mathematics, computer science
STEMM infographics
Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering
The STEMM infographic project aims to develop Swinburne students’ communication and technical skills utilising a multidisciplinary collaborative approach using the suite of programs available from the Adobe Creative Cloud. Through this project, students are required to play, risk and ultimately act as global citizens who initiate change. Swinburne students will collect STEMM data and create an infographic which aims to:
• Increase community knowledge aligned with The Royal Society of Victoria vision: Promoting Science in Victoria
• Contribute innovative ideas to the industry partner, Insurance Australia Group, vision: We make your world a safer place
Resources
The following resources provide instruction on the delivery of small group projects, involving the creation of an infographic in response to an industry-based problem. All of these resources are available to access or download by Swinburne staff via Commons and include the following:
These resources are also available on the Adobe Education Exchange!
Problem
The importance of students attaining effective communication skills is highlighted in both Swinburne’s graduate attributes for future-ready learners and in the Australian Council of Deans of Science Threshold Learning Outcomes (TLO) for science (2011).
The STEMM infographic aims to address the challenge of preparing graduates for future success by generating further discussion around current challenges in relation to sustainability. best practice for teaching employability skills within and alongside STEMM curriculum.
Project Overview
This project encourages students to act as global citizens and address the sustainability issues in Australia and Malaysia via data visualisation. A range of Adobe programs were used in supporting students to visualise scientific research and subsquently create infographics about sustainable impact. It also supports the philosophy underpinning workshops and outcomes to promote graduate attributes and develop future-ready learners. In addition, this WIL initiative embodies the qualities, knowledge, and capabilities that students are encouraged required to undertake when developing throughout fa research-intensive projects.
Outcomes
The following findings were concluded:
• 170 Swinburne students registered in the program from Australia and 47 students from Sarawak
• 4 teams of Swinburne students competed as finalists in the ‘Design for Change’ competition
• STEMM Infographic and its vision introduced to 4 units providing opportunities, services and networking between academics, students, industry and Swinburne professional staff
• Positive feedback from IAG for the inspiring STEMM infographic design
• Format of short-form video of the innovative STEMM solution allowed students to develop a new voice vital for their future success
• High student satisfaction and engagement beyond their unit and assessments
• High quality designs
Digital Literacies
Digital literacies and the range of Adobe programs were the cornerstones of this project. Students were encouraged to use Adobe programs and increase their digital literacy skills to create an infographic which visually communicated their data and proposed solution to the environmental problem. This multi-disciplinary and collaborative project produced a wide range of visualised data and infographics harnessing the capabilities of software such as but not limited to Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Express and enabled students to produce high-quality infographics, while producing engaging and interactive presentations were produced using Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Premiere Rush.