Academic programs

Solid Pathways–STEM (Years 4–6)

Solid Pathways–STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) online program is an extension program for high-achieving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students attending Queensland state schools. The program enables students to develop STEM capabilities and nurtures their scientific curiosity through critical and creative thinking.

Solid Pathways–STEM enables students in Years 4 to 6 to engage in an innovative, enriching STEM-focused academic curriculum through the online platform iSee. The program draws on the Australian Curriculum's general capability, critical and creative thinking, and embedding the cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures. Students have the opportunity to build upon both their existing sense of cultural identity as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and their self-efficacy as high achieving students. Solid Pathways–STEM aims to inspire students' passion and aspiration to pursue STEM pathways.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aspirations Program (Years 7–12)

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aspirations Program (ATSIAP) is an initiative for high-achieving secondary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Queensland state schools.

ATSIAP is a state-wide academic challenge for eligible students in Years 7 to 12. The program builds upon students' critical and creative thinking skills by providing opportunities to investigate solutions for real-world challenges. ATSIAP aims to raise students' expectations of themselves as learners and enhance post-school aspirations to include tertiary pathways.

ATSIAP is a fun, yet challenging, program aimed to not only enhance students' general capabilities of critical and creative thinking, but to also support students' school attendance, academic engagement and to foster their tertiary aspirations.

The philosophy of ATSIAP is based on equity and empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students through success in education and aims to:

• improve the academic performance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
• encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to participate to their full potential in the complete range of school curricula: academic, social, cultural, artistic and sporting
• involve cooperative participation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, parents, teachers and the wider school community.

The program

ATSIAP has a long and unique history of improving educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students since the early 90s.

ATSIAP includes a regional challenge and a state final challenge. Each challenge has separate tasks for junior secondary (Year 7–9 students) and senior secondary (Year 10–12 students) teams.

All challenges are co-designed and co-developed in partnership with ATSIAP regional coordinators, industry experts, community members and universities, and vary in length from 5 to 6 weeks.

The top 3 winning teams from each regional challenge progress to the ATSIAP state final challenge.

Eligibility

To participate in both the ATSIAP regional challenge and ATSIAP state final shallenge, students must:

• identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, be in Years 7–12
• attend a Queensland state school and have had a positive behaviour record in the previous semester, and
• have achieved a ‘C’ or greater in Maths and/or English in the previous semester*; or be a past participant of the Solid Pathways—STEM program.

*Note—Principals may exercise discretion in nominating students who do not meet the academic achievement requirements, but who would benefit from participating in ATSIAP. Students must have a positive behaviour record and a genuine commitment to participate in the ATSIAP program

For more information about ATSIAP, please contact atsiap@qed.qld.gov.au.

Key dates