Victoria Monthly Wrap Up - August 24
Welcome to the August wrap-up from your ACS VIC branch, highlighting the key activities and events that brought our community together and showcasing our shared achievements and memorable moments.
ACS takes centre stage at EduTECH
Recognising the power and potential of influencing the career journeys of young people, ACS made a splash at the recent EduTECH, Australia's largest festival of education, held in Melbourne.
On the heels of the successful launch of our Tech Skills for the Next Generation report, we had an opportunity to promote ACS's support for schools and educators in delivering the digital curriculum. EduTECH brings together thousands of teachers, education leaders, and edtech innovators who are all interested in enhancing learning experiences to drive future skill development. This was an opportunity for ACS to showcase the work we do to:
Lead policy discussions around how the system can better equip students with the tech skills needed to thrive in their future careers.
Directly support educators with classroom resources and consultation.
Catherine Newington delivered a widely popular talk about the key messages and recommendations in our report and ICT Educators Committee Chair Sharon Singh presented on transforming teaching and learning through AI. Along with the bustling activity at the ACS booth, we raised our brand awareness within this sector, which set the stage for future initiatives, member services, and learning experiences that we will be developing in this space.
Confronting AI Biases: Highlights from ACS VIC's Recent Panel Event
A job application AI system that, due to biased training data, favours certain demographics over others. This real-world issue highlights why our recent event was so crucial. We explored how such biases arise in AI, how to enhance transparency in algorithms, ways to educate the public about ethical AI practices, and so much more!
Before the event officially started, our guests had a spontaneous, lively chat! Check out the picture below where our facilitator Manjusha Bhakta MACS and panellists Dr. Maria O’Sullivan, Adrian Campbell, and Dr. Maruf Hossain were deep in discussion. This behind-the-scenes collaboration reinforced the importance of addressing AI ethics and fostering a united tech community.
A big thank you to our panellists—Dr. Maria O’Sullivan, Adrian Campbell, Dr. Maruf Hossain, and our Data and AI SIG Chair, Manjusha Bhakta MACS (facilitator) —as well as the over 150 attendees who joined us in-person and online.
Empowering Impact through ACS's Collaborative Spaces
ACS Victoria is always proud to provide collaborative spaces for organisations and individuals that make a meaningful impact. Recently, STEM Sisters held an event titled 'Embracing Feminine Power,' celebrating qualities like beauty, grace, nurturing, creativity, and warmth, highlighting that these traits are strengths rather than weaknesses.
We were delighted to support this event, led by Dr. Ruwangi Fernando AACS, our Diversity and Inclusion SIG Chair. Mira D'Silva MACS represented ACS Victoria, and Manjusha Bhakta MACS, our Data and AI SIG Chair, was one of the distinguished panellists. Events like these reaffirm our commitment to partnering with organisations that share our passion for creating positive change, ensuring that everyone feels valued and empowered to make a difference!
As we conclude this month’s review, we extend a formal invitation for you to engage more deeply with our upcoming events and community initiatives. As a valued member, your presence enriches our gatherings, fostering a sense of unity and purpose. We also recognise the expertise you bring, and we encourage you to share your knowledge and insights to contribute to the growth and success of our community. Your involvement is crucial in shaping the future of our branch, and we look forward to your continued participation in the months ahead.
Explore our upcoming events here.
Until next time,