Share and build ideas

Working together students will brainstorm ideas refining options as they go and then settle on an idea to test.

Learn design thinking

Students develop UX designer and entrepreneurial mindsets by following the design thinking processes of empathise, define, ideate, prototype, test and finally Iterate!

Prototyping to bring ideas to life

Students will have the option of using littleBits electronic circuitry to prototype, test and refine their ideas.

Workshop overview

Year level 7-12
Capacity 16-32 students. If you want to bring more students, email highschool.workshops@qut.edu.au
When School days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
Duration Half-day
Where QUT Gardens Point, Science and Engineering Centre
Cost Free (late cancellation fees apply. See terms and conditions).

Workshop details

Ideas to change the world brings together the entrepreneurial skill development of our former Iterate: problem-solving using design thinking workshop, with the practical hands-on appeal of prototyping using littleBits electronic snap-together circuitry.

In this workshop, students will apply the UX (user experience) design process to develop an innovative and entrepreneurial solution to a societal problem. Students will be asked to identify a challenge to solve, and in a rapid ideation session following design thinking principles and the design process, they will generate a range of possible solutions. In their teams, options will be clustered, ranked and voted upon. A 'pitch' or prototype will be created for the solution and teams will present this to persuade peers how they can solve the real-world problem.

Applying a UX design process to societal challenges can enhance existing science inquiry skills and engineering design processes, and foster creativity and innovation. Based on workshops designed by QUT Entrepreneurship, Ideas to change the world is an immersive experiential, problem-solving challenge similar to sprints, challenges and boot camps run by tech giants like Google and Amazon. It helps to develop students UX designer and entrepreneurial mindsets and their 21st century skills by following the design thinking processes of empathise, define, ideate, prototype, test and refine.

Topics covered in this workshop:

  • entrepreneurship
  • science inquiry skills
  • engineering design process
  • electrical circuitry
  • design and technologies
  • communication.

Book this workshop

We are taking bookings for term 1 and 2, 2025.

Book now

Learning objectives

This workshop can be applied to students across a wide range of discipline areas including STEM, Business and cross-curriculum capabilities. More information on curriculum links will be available soon. Learning objectives include:

  • understand the value of applying an entrepreneurial mindset to scientific inquiry
  • apply the UX design process to STEM challenges
  • appreciate the importance of transferable skills and how they relate to their learning
  • apply their content knowledge and transferable skills to real-world applications
  • understand the value of entrepreneurial skills for future study and career applications.

Curriculum links

Year 7

Science

  • Measure and control variables, select equipment appropriate to the task and collect data with accuracy (ACSIS126), (ACSIS141)
  • Reflect on scientific investigations including evaluating the quality of the data collected, and identifying improvements (ACSIS131), (ACSIS146)

Design Technology

  • Analyse ways to produce designed solutions through selecting and combining characteristics and properties of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment (ACTDEK034)
  • Critique needs or opportunities for designing and investigate, analyse and select from a range of materials, components, tools, equipment and processes to develop design ideas (ACTDEP035)
  • Select and justify choices of materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to effectively and safely make designed solutions (ACTDEP037)
  • Independently develop criteria for success to evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions and their sustainability (ACTDEP038)
  • Use project management processes when working individually and collaboratively to coordinate production of designed solutions (ACTDEP039)

Year 8

Science

  • Measure and control variables, select equipment appropriate to the task and collect data with accuracy (ACSIS126), (ACSIS141)
  • Reflect on scientific investigations including evaluating the quality of the data collected, and identifying improvements (ACSIS131), (ACSIS146)
  • People use science understanding and skills in their occupations and these have influenced the development of practices in areas of human activity (ACSHE136)

Design Technology

  • Analyse ways to produce designed solutions through selecting and combining characteristics and properties of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment (ACTDEK034)
  • Critique needs or opportunities for designing and investigate, analyse and select from a range of materials, components, tools, equipment and processes to develop design ideas (ACTDEP035)
  • Select and justify choices of materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to effectively and safely make designed solutions (ACTDEP037)
  • Independently develop criteria for success to evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions and their sustainability (ACTDEP038)
  • Use project management processes when working individually and collaboratively to coordinate production of designed solutions (ACTDEP039)

Year 7-10

Economics and Business

  • Characteristics of entrepreneurs and how these influence the success of a business (AC9HE7K03)
  • How First Nations Australian businesses and entrepreneurs develop opportunities in the market (AC9HE8K03)
  • Processes that businesses use to create and maintain competitive advantage, including the role of entrepreneurs (AC9HE9K04)
  • Processes that businesses use to manage the workforce and improve productivity, including the role of entrepreneurs (AC9HE10K05)
  • Develop questions to investigate a contemporary economic and business issue (AC9HE7S01), (AC9HE8S01)
  • Develop and modify questions to investigate a contemporary economic and business issue (AC9HE9S01), (AC9HE10S01)
  • Locate, select and organise information and data from a range of sources (AC9HE7S02), (AC9HE8S02)
  • Locate, select and analyse information and data from a range of sources ()AC9HE9S02), (AC9HE10S02)
  • Interpret information and data to identify economic and business issues, trends and economic cause-and effect relationships (AC9HE7S03), (AC9HE8S03)
  • Interpret information and data, explaining economic and business issues, trends and economic cause-and effect relationships, and make predictions about consumer and financial impacts (AC9HE9S03), (AC9HE10S03)
  • Develop a response to an economic and business issue, identifying potential costs and benefits (AC9HE7S04), (AC9HE8S04)
  • Develop and evaluate a response to an economic and business issue, using cost benefit analysis or criteria to decide on a course of action (AC9HE9S04), (AC9HE10S04)
  • Create descriptions and explanations, using economic and business knowledge, concepts and terms, and referencing information and data from sources (AC9HE7S05), (AC9HE8S05)
  • Create descriptions, explanations and arguments, using economic and business knowledge, concepts and terms that incorporate and acknowledge research findings (AC9HE9S05), (AC9HE10S05)

Business - General Senior Syllabus

Unit 1 Topic 2: Creation of Business ideas

Contact us

If you have any questions, comments or feedback about the QUT High School Student Connections program, we'd love to hear from you.

3138 1801