Early Learning STEM Australia(ELSA)
ELSA
ELSA is a play-based digital learning program for children in preschool to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
ELSA allows children to play, experiment and make sense of the world around them – which is part of STEM, and also part of being a child.
ELSA’s STEM Practices encourage children to ask questions, make predictions, experiment, and reflect on what happened and why.
The ELSA program is a key early childhood initiative of the Australian Government.
ELSA has been developed by the STEM Education Research Centre (SERC) at the University of Canberra through funding provided by the Australian Government Department of Education under the National Innovation and Science Agenda.
It supports the ‘Inspiring all Australians in digital literacy and STEM’ measure, which seeks to increase the participation of Australian children in STEM and improve their digital literacy.
In our preschool room, we bring the Early Learning STEM Australia (ELSA) program to life, offering children a blend of digital and hands-on STEM experiences!
Using interactive apps such as Patterns and Relationships, Investigation, Location and Arrangement, and Representation, children engage with core concepts like pattern recognition, problem-solving, and spatial awareness. These digital explorations are enhanced by hands-on activities, including science experiments, discovering patterns in nature during outdoor play, building with blocks and loose parts to explore engineering, creating maps for treasure hunts, and cooking activities that introduce measurement and sequencing.
By combining technology with playful exploration, the ELSA program nurtures essential STEM skills, making learning both meaningful and fun!
