More than 40 teachers from regional Victoria attended the Design and Technology Teachers’ Association conference at Bendigo’s Discovery Centre on Monday.

The conference helps teachers can refine their skills and understand different ways to help students learn.

DATTA vice president and resource manager Jill Livett said it wasn’t solely focused on developing teachers’ skills.

“We look at what (teaching styles) work and what doesn’t, what the new curriculum content is and the different ways to gauge how kids are engaged in what they are learning,” Ms Livett said.

“We want (students) to think and come up with range of possibilities and solutions to problems.”

Ms Livett said this was the first time DATTA had held a conference with a focus on the curriculum.

“We have done other things here but this is the first time we have had a focus on curriculum. Teachers are trialling and writing the curriculum to be put in place,” she said.

“The design and technology (teaching) community is really good in the way we get to regional groups.

“We often head to places like Horsham, Mildura and Shepparton. There's a good network in place and the advantage is the network strengthens and teachers share ideas across schools. 

“(On Monday) we had a good group from place like Sunbury, Nathalia, Echuca and Shepparton as well as a range of Bendigo teachers.”

Ms Livett said design and technology teachers are aiming to teach transferable skills to students.

“We see it as developing thinking and problem solving. We recognise (students future) job situations are different to what we were used to coming out of school, so we want to give them skills they can use in all situations not just different vocations.

“The kids will also do Vocational Education and Training, so there will be some vocation learning but the new design and technology curriculum is much broader in the way students can take up any job they do.”

Ms Livett said the Discovery Centre had also been a great connection for the teachers.

“They want to see themselves as science (centre) but also in the broader sense of design and technology,” she said.

“Discovery is doing some really good work developing programs for kids and also programs for teachers.

“Some schools do that well but others need help, so Discovery sees its base as supporting teachers in science and technology across the board.”