Primary Connections Digital Resource Framework for the Australian Academy of Science

The Background

Primary Connections (PC), an initiative of the Australian Academy of Science, needed a creative and dependable partner to transform their printed science materials for primary school children into engaging digital resources.

Teachers report that one of their biggest challenges is building their own resources, which takes up a significant amount of their personal time, and means that similar materials are being created multiple times across many teachers.

With the ultimate goal of improving the quality of primary science teaching resources across Australia, they asked us to develop a set of standalone teaching tools for interactive whiteboards.

These tools would help kids learn together in the classroom and simplify lesson planning and delivery for teachers.

PC also wanted the product to be widely accessible but difficult to copy, with secure distribution through their website.

The Challenge

As we unpacked the brief, we identified an opportunity that extended beyond its original scope. The short-sighted approach would have been to produce the digital materials our client wanted.

Since the Australian curriculum is ever-changing, we could have guaranteed ourselves a steady stream of work every time they needed to update or publish new materials.

But we’re not that kind of agency. Instead of simply building static digital resources, we proposed a more transformative solution—one that would give teachers the ability to create, edit, and publish their own resources.

The shift introduced a new layer of complexity. We needed to create a product that could empower internal authors to build and publish content independently, without ongoing agency intervention.

Our Approach

We didn’t just digitise printed materials, we reimagined how they could be created, delivered, and adapted over time.

Custom Authoring Framework: We designed a system that allowed teachers to create, edit, and publish their own interactive teaching materials.

Interactive Whiteboard Optimisation: We tested and refined the interface for classroom environments, adjusting the contrast to accommodate varying brightness levels in classrooms, and provided pointers for students who couldn’t reach the entire board.

Secure Licensing and Distribution: We worked closely with the PC team to establish appropriate user licensing for the product, creating an API that allows the website to download the product.

The Outcome

We designed a beautiful and user-friendly resource authoring framework that allowed our client to author their content from start to finish.

Not only that, but teachers across the country are also able to customise resources, lessons, and activities to suit their lesson plans. We handed control back to the people who actually know what they’re talking about.

And the cherry on top? The end product picked up several prestigious awards, showcasing its impact and quality in the educational field.

Why It Worked

We took the initiative to challenge the initial brief and collaboratively developed a solution that surpassed expectations. Through our close partnership with the Primary Connections team, we crafted a system that is not only practical and intuitive but also designed for future adaptability. With our deep expertise and understanding of both our craft and the client’s business, we delivered a product that exceeded the original scope.