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Thursday 17th September 2026
Perth, Western Australia
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Program
Returning to Perth in 2026, EduFest WA brings together educators ready to rethink what engaging, future-focused learning can look like in today’s classrooms. Through bold conversations, practical masterclasses and fresh ideas from across education and industry, the day is designed to help attendees explore new ways to strengthen learning experiences, build meaningful connections and create opportunities that prepare young people for an ever-changing future.
Explore the program below to see what’s in store across the day.
7:30am - 8:00am
Registration Open
For attendees wanting to beat the traffic, we will be hosting an optional 'Morning Musings' session before the official program. Grab a coffee and a bite to eat as you hear from a thought provoking fireside chat to prepare you up for the day ahead!
8:00am - 8:30am
Screens vs School: What Education Can Learn From The Platforms Our Students Love
Beth Cusack | Program Coordinator at
WA Data Science Innovation Hub
More Speaker Announcements Coming Soon!
Students willingly spend hours immersed in video games, social platforms and digital tools designed to hold attention, build habit and reward progress.
With the average young person in Australia spending around 100 minutes a day on TikTok, equivalent to watching a feature-length film every day, this conversation invites educators to consider an important question: what would it take to design learning experiences that leave students just as eager to keep coming back?
From gamified platforms like Duolingo to the fast-moving feedback loops of online communities, this panel will explore what educators can learn from the digital environments young people already choose to engage with and how ideas such as challenge, progression and reward might help shape learning experiences students genuinely want to return to.
8:30am - 9:00am
Coffee & Networking
After the panel discussion, our attendees will have time to grab a coffee and network with fellow delegates before the main program commences.
7:30am - 9:00am
Registration Open
Registration will remain open for all attendees from 7:30am with coffee and pastries available for attendees once they arrive. Please ensure you have arrived in time for our official program commencing at 9am.
9:00am - 9:10am
Official Welcome
The day begins with a welcome to EduFest WA Perth and an introduction to the purpose of the program ahead. Attendees will be invited to step outside the day-to-day demands of school life and into a space designed for reflection, practical thinking and fresh ideas. This opening will set the tone for the day and frame the opportunity to design something meaningful to take back into your own context.
9:10am - 9:40am
Meet Your Future Student
Scott Millar | Generational Strategist, Educator & Keynote Speaker
This opening keynote explores the changing needs, expectations and mindsets of the next generation of learners and what this means for the way educators design learning experiences today.
As students navigate a world shaped by rapid technological change, shifting career pathways and new ways of learning, this session will unpack the trends influencing how young people engage, what they value and where schools may need to adapt. Attendees will leave with fresh insight into the students they are designing learning for and the challenges and opportunities this presents for education.
9:40am - 10:00am
From Learning to Action: Designing Road Safety Programs That Change Behaviour
Melissa Creagh | Manager Education, Statewide Delivery at the Road Safety Commission
Laura Haldane | Education & Engagement Lead at the Road Safety Commission
Effective road safety education is about more than building awareness. It is about creating learning experiences that help young people understand risk, reflect on their choices and apply safer behaviours in everyday situations.
In this session, the Road Safety Commission will explore how road safety programs can be designed to move students from knowledge to action. Drawing on practical examples, attendees will consider how interactive learning, relevant scenarios and behaviour change principles can strengthen engagement and support safer decision-making on and around the road.
10:00am - 10:30am
What’s Working, What’s Missing?
Before building something new, educators will complete a stocktake of what is already happening in their school communities.
Through a series of guided activities, attendees will reflect on the learning experiences, initiatives and programs currently shaping their school community, identifying what is working well, where there are opportunities to strengthen engagement and what they would most value developing across the day. This session creates a clear starting point for practical design work later in the program.
10:30am - 11:00am
Morning Tea
We'll be breaking for morning tea to give attendees the opportunity to get a bite to eat, network and discuss all the insights gained from our first session.
11:00am - 11:30am
The Ideas That Made It Off The Whiteboard: Panel Discussion
Jess Silva | Regional Leader WA at Questacon
Phill Wass | Director at Western Australia Space Science Education Centre
Melissa Van Dyk | Year 7 & 8 Program Coordinator at Rossmoyne Senior High School
Gabrielle Trinca | Head of Learning, Technologies at Guildford Grammar School
In this conversation, you’ll hear from educators who have built established, innovative and impactful initiatives within their school communities as they share a behind the scenes look at what it took to bring those ideas to life.
From early concepts through to programs now embedded in school culture, this panel will explore the thinking, persistence and practical steps behind meaningful innovation in education. Our speakers will reflect on the lessons they learned along the way, the pivots they made when things did not go to plan and the advice they would offer to others looking to turn an idea into something lasting.
Expect real stories, practical takeaways and valuable insights from educators who have led established future focused learning in schools.
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11:30am - 11:50am
Move Fast & Automate Things: Digital Tools To Help You Work Smarter
Explore practical digital tools that can help you design learning experiences, build initiatives and bring ideas to life more efficiently.
This session will focus on how digital platforms can reduce workload, enhance delivery and help educators strengthen both classroom practice and broader school projects.
11:50am - 12:10pm
An Educator's Guide To Leveraging Your Network
Engaging opportunities for students often begin with a simple conversation. This session explores how educators can establish and activate their professional networks to connect their classroom with life beyond the school gates.
Attendees will create strategies to building lasting relationships with community and industry leaders in their community, to unlock guest speakers, partnerships, mentorship and authentic learning opportunities for their students.
12:10pm - 12:30pm
Sliding Into Their Inbox: Building Partnerships With Industry
Learn how to identify potential industry partners, start meaningful conversations and create collaborations that genuinely add value for students.
This session will unpack where to begin, what to ask for, how to make partnership requests feel clear and achievable and how to showcase success so relationships continue to grow.
12:30pm - 1:00pm
Lunch
We'll be breaking for lunch to give attendees the opportunity to get a bite to eat, network and connect with each other.
1:00pm - 2:00pm
From Notes To Next Steps: Bringing Your Idea To Life
This dedicated working session gives attendees time to apply the day’s learning and begin shaping something practical they can take back into their own school community.
Whether refreshing an existing learning experience, designing a new initiative, strengthening an assessment approach or developing a partnership concept, this session is designed to help move ideas from reflection into practical next steps.
2:00pm - 2:45pm
Show Us What You’re Working On
Attendees will have the opportunity to share their developing ideas with industry leaders, community partners and fellow educators for feedback, further connections and support.
This session is designed to strengthen ideas, open new conversations and help identify the connections, opportunities and next steps that could bring them to life beyond the day.
2:45pm - 3:00pm
Wrap Up & Farewell
The day closes with a short reflection designed to help attendees capture the ideas, insights and next steps they want to carry forward.
It is an opportunity to pause, recognise what has emerged across the day and leave with clarity around what you want to test, strengthen or continue exploring in your own context.
3:00pm - 4:00pm
EduFest WA Sundowner
As the official conference program concludes, we will be inviting attendees to join us for refreshments and an networking as we share our learnings from the day, and celebrate the hard work being done by innovative educators across the state!
We've got an action-packed day planned for attendees at EduFest WA and we hope we can see you there! Tickets are on sale now and selling quickly. Make sure to grab yours now!
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