Barker Institute Learning in Practice - 2018

Learning in Practice

About the Barker Institute:

• Provides a centre for research, reflective practice, professional learning and innovation in education

• Is a resource hub that facilitates the ongoing development of learning for teachers, allowing them to stay abreast of emerging practice, constantly striving to refine the quality of teaching and learning

• Looks to develop collaborative ventures with other institutions and providers, initiating research and innovation combined with the implementation of new projects and programs for the benefit of students, staff and the broader community

• Shares current research and issues with parents, professional bodies and educators around the globe through ongoing symposia, forums, lectures and conferences

About the Learning in Practice Journal:

As a leader in Christian education, Barker College aims to both demonstrate and inform best practice. This journal was developed to showcase a range of initiatives and research projects from across the School. It explains the rationale behind innovations in practice and archives pivotal developments in Barker’s academic, cocurricular and pastoral realms.

Dr

Mrs

Editors

Dr Brad Merrick

Greg Cunningham

Amanda Eastman

Editorial Assistant Susan Layton Creative Barker Communications Printing Barker Print Room

Foreword –Learning in Practice –The Barker Institute Journal

This Learning in Practice Journal is the second compilation of different moments in time across the breadth of Barker during 2018. Our focus on quality teaching, motivation and engagement, breadth of learning opportunities, research and collaboration are some of the key aspects of the journey for all of our students accompanied by their teachers.

Research, Innovation and Professional Learning are the core pillars of the Barker Institute’s focus, combined with sharing new and emerging thinking that makes Barker the thriving place that it is every day.

The stories and reports in this Journal are all situated within the context of the school setting. They have been published with two key purposes in mind. Firstly, to share these important stories with the broader learning community and to archive experiences that are of interest and deserve acknowledgement. Secondly, the journal allows different vignettes of the Barker fabric, whether co-curricular, teaching and learning, pastoral or research, to be remembered now and into the future.

I would like to thank all the contributors for sharing their areas of passion and I acknowledge Mrs Amanda Eastman and Dr Greg Cunningham for their work in editing, formatting and proofing the articles for this Journal. I would also acknowledge Mrs Susan Layton for her oversight in the finalisation of the Journal and Mr Glenn Quevedo for his assistance in the layout for publication.

I am taking a new position at the University of Melbourne in 2019, so this is the last journal that I will oversee as Director of the Barker Institute. It has been a privilege to be involved with this journey at Barker and I trust that you continue to engage in the work being done in this area. Please enjoy the second issue that has been published here for you.

Best wishes,

Dr Brad Merrick Director of Research in Learning and the Barker Institute

Research

A year in review - The Barker Institute in 2018 08 Dr Brad Merrick

Understanding our successful learners - What does our research tell us? 12 Dr Brad Merrick

2017 HSC Results: How to pass their successes on to their successors 16 Amanada Eastman

New Directions in Learning

Barker New Syllabus, New Approach: Preparing Physics students for university 22 studies with a structured approach to the Year 11 course Dean Johnston and Matthew Hill

Positioning inquiry: The place for inquiry in Years 7-10 28 Andy Mifsud and Greg Longney

Advantages of Online Learning in Design and Technology 36 Sally Filtness

Junior School together on the main campus with the completion of Kurrajong 40 Martin Lubrano, Ainslie Breckenridge, Sarah Dickson, Martin Conway

Professional Development

The College of Teachers: Coaching within a TLC Context 44 Dr Greg Cunningham

Collaborative Professional Learning in the Junior School 48 Nicky Cameron

Beyond Barker

Service Learning Partnerships : The Barker in Timor-Leste Program 54 Matthew Lloyd

Art, a channel to understanding and appreciating culture 59 Matthew Bentham

About the Authors 64

Matthew Bentham Dr Greg Cunningham Amanda Eastman Sally Filtness

Dean Johnston Dr Matthew Hill Greg Longney Martin Lubrano Ainslie Breckenridge Sarah Dickson

Martin Conway Dr Brad Merrick

Andrew Mifsud

Barker Research

Barker Institute Learning in Practice

A Year in Review

The Barker Institute in 2018

Dr Brad Merrick Director of the Barker Institute

Abstract

Learning in Practice

2018 Vol. 2 (1)

© Barker Institute 2019

The Barker Institute was developed in 2014 under the leadership of Mr Philip Heath and the direction of Dr Brad Merrick, seeking to place a connection across the core components of research, professional learning and innovation within the broader learning context at Barker College. Specifically, the mission of the institute was to share emerging thinking, practice and approaches to learning with the broader Barker Community and also beyond the Mints Gates to create an inclusive and welcoming environment that fosters learning across all key areas. Throughout 2018 there has been considerable growth and interest in the Barker Institute. This article serves as an overview of the various presentations and areas of coverage included in the internal and external events throughout the year. This is the last year that Dr Merrick is overseeing this initiative as he is moving to the University of Melbourne as a Senior Lecturer in Music Performance Teaching in 2019. Dr Matthew Hill will be responsible for the Barker Institute in 2019.

The Barker Institute (www.barkerinstitute.com.au) has been an important and successful component of the broader provision of access to rich and diverse presentations, research and thinking across a range of settings. Since the formation of the Barker Institute in 2015, the BI now has well over 2 5 events each year. These exist for different purposes and have very specific audiences and interest areas. Whether one of the larger Community forums, a parent-directed Focus on Learning series or a guest lecture as part of the Twilight Series, audiences have continued to grow across the 2018 program. The beauty of the Barker Institute is that it is able to respond to the emerging needs of the community to ensure that the presenters and content offered provide a strong connection so the nature of the Schools’ broader mission can be enhanced. The Barker Institute has continued to contribute to education at the local, national and global level through the provision of ongoing professional learning, connected to emerging research and innovation.

Based around the various needs of the school and the mission of the Barker Institute, the focus of each event has been tailored to the needs of a specific area of the community, while also providing a means of sharing and discussing emerging trends in educational research, social issues and other facets of society that have strong relevance and importance across the broader Barker Institute audience.

This year, the following levels of events were provided with close to three thousand people attending these events collectively ranging from 40-50 for small, more boutique presentations up to 400 attendees for the larger Community Forums such as the session presented by psychologist, coach and elite sportswoman, Gayelene Clews.

The different types of presentations that were covered this year included: -

1. The Community Forums with presentations that included:

a. ‘‘Realising your Learning Potential: Turning the ordinary into the extraordinary”, where Olympic Psychologist and Author, Gayelene Clews presented her research and experience into student well-being, mental health and exceptional performance.

b. “Safe on Social Media” where Kirra Pendergast, Cyber Safety expert presented on the key issues and understanding that users of all ages need to know about Social Media. This Parent Forum provided and delivered real life strategies to help parents support their children to use social media with increased awareness.

c. “Why you need Economics in your life” with Leith Thompson, who discussed the important and ever changing components of society, linking the various important areas associated with economics with everyday living in the 21st century.

d. “Licensed to Fly”, where the Little Ripper Group provided both a presentation and series of workshops that highlighted the ever-changing world and the ways in which drones can be employed for the benefit of society. Using a range of real-life scenarios such as catching sharks and the Westpac emergency service, the presentation showed the advances in this type of technology while also engaging students in the many opportunities that are arising in this area of technology development.

e. “Surviving in the Digital Age of Distraction” where Vannessa McCamley highlighted the many factors that can overwhelm humans in the present day when immersed in the day-to-day technology use that exists. Using a range of research and strategies, she encouraged participants to connect with their emotions and those around the workplace.

f. “A conversation with Rosalie Kunoth-Monks” where the Head of Barker College, Mr Phillip Heath, interviewed Rosalie Kunoth-Monks about her life and journey from being a young student-actress through to her ongoing involvement with reconciliation and Indigenous rights within the broader Aboriginal and Indigenous communities around Australia.

2. The Twilight Series with more personalised sessions from staff, parents and alumni including the following:

a. “A guide to Walking the Camino de Santiago”, where Jeremy von Einem, Barker staff member and intrepid explorer, shared his amazing trek in Spain and how to make the most of this unique pilgrim trail.

b. “Frankensteam Festival”, where various presenters from our Science and STEAM area, created a myriad of different experiences to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the creation of Mary Shelly’s novel.

c. “Outsmarting Cancer”, where the wider community gathered to hear about some exciting developments in the field of cancer research. Amazing examples of the multidisciplinary research approach being used to tackle over 200 known forms of cancer were presented by members of the team from the Australian Cancer Research Foundation.

d. “Learning and Wellbeing: Connecting the Research” where the outgoing Director of the Barker Institute, Dr Brad Merrick spoke on the emerging key areas in Educational Research and Ms Rowena Dudgeon provided an overview of the new Wellbeing framework and model that will be introduced at Barker College in 2019.

3. The Focus on Learning Series which provided sessions that were specifically developed to create opportunities for interaction with both parents and students across the learning community, including:

a. “Digital Security” where ICT staff presented practical sessions to ensure that all parents were able to understand and use the Surface Pro devices allocated to their sons in year 7-9 of the curriculum.

b. “Transforming the Digital Learning Environment”, where digital integrators provided parents with an overview of the Barker digital learning plan and learning management system. This session demonstrated how students access online learning resources and activities.

c. “Year 7 Study Skills”, where Dr Prue Salter presented a session on effective study skills to all Year 7 boys and their parents.

d. “Writing Across the School”, where a range of teachers shared their latest approaches to teaching and refining writing and literacy in all subjects as part of the broader curriculum offered at Barker College.

4. The Parent Forums included a range of interesting areas for parents to learn more about their sons and daughters and how they can share in the learning process. These included:

a. “Academic Conversations - Goal Setting and Grit”, where Dr Brad Merrick, Director of the Barker Institute, presented strategies for parents and students on fostering Academic conversations through Goal Setting and GRIT.

b. “Exam support – The Metacognitive Student”, where Gayelene Clews presented a session to assist parents in understanding the various social, emotional and cognitive functions that adolescents employ in their learning experiences, both through academic and co-curricular activities.

5. The Post Graduate Forum in 2018 once again saw a range of staff presenting their research and practice to one another in the 11th Annual forum of this type at Barker College. This has become a significant part of the annual Barker Institute calendar.

6. The College of Teachers coaching opportunities continued the development and implementation of coaching within the growth framework across the School, encouraging reflection to improve their engagement in teaching across the School. This year, there was also the implementation of a Coaching component in the School based TLC’s (Teacher Learning Communities), whereby this coaching was a continuous form of feedback and interaction in an ongoing way throughout the year.

7. There were several Teachmeets whereby staff shared small aspects of their teaching and research with others. The evening called “Sharing your Success” allowed staff to present short, focused presentations. At many of these there were over 20 presenters, all allocated a period of 2-3 minutes to tell their story. TLC’s (Teacher Learning Communities) were also implemented across the school, as a means of developing the professional knowledge of staff. This was integrated with online resources through the Learning Management System (Canvas) proving to be successful with staff.

The Institute continued to develop a research program during the year, working with various projects and areas of interest across the School including the continuation of the Barker Journey study which will continue for many years as the BI tracks the students beyond the school. An important component of the Barker Institute’s role is to tell the story of the many facets of research, teaching and learning combined with the day-to-day experiences of students and staff. In 2018, the BI continues archiving the work undertaken with the Second Edition of the newly-created ‘Learning in Practice’ Journal, following on from the First Edition published in November, 2017.

All in all, a busy but extremely diverse and interesting year for the Barker Institute, with a wide array of participants and many interesting sessions made available. We look forward to another successful and engaging series of presentations and events in 2019 under the guidance of Dr Matthew Hill. I take this opportunity to thank Mr Phillip Heath for the opportunity to direct the BI for the last four years. I know it will continue to play an important role in the fabric of teaching, learning, research and innovation at Barker College.

Understanding our Successful Learners

Dr Brad Merrick Director for Research in Learning and the Barker Institute Performance

Abstract

Learning in Practice

2018 Vol. 2 (1)

© Barker Institute 2019

At the start of 2018, the Barker Institute commissioned a study of a group of High Achieving students from the 2017 HSC examination, that invited students who were all-rounders and also those who attained success in particular subject disciplines to complete an online survey that contained a mixture of both quantitative and qualitative items. These items examined the learning behaviours, strategies, self-regulated attributes and character qualities that possibly contributed to their success and also defined their approaches to learning in their final year at Barker College. An overview of key findings along with attributes and characteristics that may contribute to successful preparation and completion of formal examinations are presented, while comments related to the broader co-curricular experience are also mentioned.

Background to the Study

One of the key factors in determining the impact of learning is to ascertain an understanding of the characteristics and learner profiles of those students who achieve high results in external tests, such as the Higher School Certificate. At Barker, student achievement across a range of different subject domains and disciplines is a good starting point for research. By selecting students who are all-rounders in 2017 (attaining a result in the top band for 10 or more units of their study), students who attained a subject ranking (a position in the top of their subject within the state), or students who attained high ATARS (the University entrance score), the cross section of high achieving learners, their somewhat diverse subject pathways and the mixture of both boys and girls allowed for common features to be measure and expanded. The study used a mixed methodology (Cohan & Manion, 1989) and by also examining learning profiles of adolescents (Apple, Duncan & Ellis, 2015) this small but focused study sought to better understand why the students chose the programs that they did, what strategies and behaviours they employed in their learning journey, and what support mechanisms within the school and beyond contributed to their sense of self as they completed their formal school learning journey at Barker College. Part of the reason for developing this research was to investigate the factors from which effective learning develops, specifically through the reflections from the students involved in this process. This in turn, provided valuable data and statements which can then be analysed and categorised, providing recommendations from which future students, staff and parents can learn. This research provided a range of learning characteristics, self-regulated strategies, study methods and environmental observations related specifically to the success of these students. Consequently, the School can strive to improve the quality of teaching and also the quality of engagement from students.

– What does our Research tell us?

Methodology

Due to the location of the research participants, the decision to use a mixed method survey comprising both quantitative measures and spaces for qualitative responses was designed. This drew on existing areas related to the Barker College learning environment and experience, while also drawing on relevant literature pertaining to the profiles of learners. Of key interest to the School was the specific levels of behaviour that students attributed to the following “seven performance categories: learning processes, productive academic behaviours, growth mindset, academic mindset, learning strategies, affective learning skills, and social learning skills” (Apple et al, 2015, pp. 1-2).

Combined with these items and reference points, students were asked to rate various statements related to their school experience and to reflect on the various areas of their learning journey that may have contributed to their success, such as learning colleagues, feedback from students and staff, teacher qualities, sophistication of feedback, combined with study preferences and methods, and their application of technology based learning or more traditional approaches.

Data from the Students

Although the data only represented a small sample of students, it also was a very focused and purposeful sample, which elicited a range of valuable responses.

These students were highly efficacious in their study and application, but also highlighted the following attributes that are worth noting. The top statements that they rated most highly in their responses about their own learning profile were as follows. These students:

• sought assistance from knowledgeable individuals in order to navigate through difficult situations

• wanted to improve future performance by seeking out feedback from whatever channel they can and turn this feedback into assessment

• did everything necessary to reach the milestones towards stated goals

• were constantly seeking new knowledge in multiple forms and from many disciplines by asking many interesting questions

• had a strong belief in a personal ability to succeed

• were energetic, passionate and invested in life by seeing the value, opportunity, and beauty in each new situation and person

• consistently used writing to think, clarify, and document ideas, plans, thoughts, and reflections

• took time to produce a higher level of learning and self-understanding, including the causes of actions and their decisions

• understood and appreciated the values, differences, and perspectives of others

• knew when, where, and what needed to be done in a timely and systematic way

• wanted to grow from every experience and set growth goals, self-challenges, and selfassessed their own progress while mentoring others

Students in this study were obviously successful in their learning but also acknowledged the importance of having a balanced sense of purpose, linked to their broader community and family. These students:

• felt very supported by staff and family

• were passionate about their learning

• scored highly in their organisation, time management and goal setting strategies. These students had a predominant level of focus on the ‘process’ of their learning, rather than just looking to master their understanding of content. This aligned with the work of esteemed researcher Professor Barry Zimmerman, who highlights the self-regulated behaviours of highly skilful learners which includes having:

• a focus on learning goals and specific hierarchical goals

• a high level of intrinsic interest and self-efficacy

• a strong use of imagery and self-instruction

• an ongoing process of self-monitoring

• the desire to seek self-evaluation and feedback

• a high degree of strategy and adaptive behaviour, combined with

• positive self-reflections (1998, p.6)

Most importantly these students were passionate about their own journey and saw it in a positive light, more so than the negative perspective. This again, aligns with the literature from Dr Angela Duckworth (2016), who talks about the most successful people developing their passions though ongoing practice, so that these capacities become talents that lead to success. Again, similar to much of the research undertaken in the area of motivation and achievement, there is a need to develop learners who succeed and become more purposeful in all that they do. Most commonly, this is attributable to constant refinement, self-reflection and ongoing perseverance.

The study also highlighted that many students have a strong connection to others and their broader community, participating in the co-curricular aspects of the school and also valuing the interaction and shared experiences that these opportunities provide. These successful students placed a high value on friendships, their memories of their school, the impact of the staff, the support they had received and most importantly, the relationships that they had developed and fostered during their learning journey.

Many of these students had the ability to be optimistic, even when facing adversity of difficulty scenarios within their lives. This type of perspective was quite common amongst these students.

This quote which was offered by a participant encapsulates the spirit and overarching sentiment and thinking of these students. “Make the year as enjoyable as possible and embrace the challenges head on and reap the rewards. Try to ensure a balance between work and play, while also sharing the journey with those close to you and who care about you. Don’t waste time thinking about the future. Focus on the exams-assessments in front

of you and do the best you possibly can in them. That way at the end of it all, you’ll have lots of options to pick from and doors will open up. Set your sights beyond reasonable expectations and you’ll be surprised by your own potential. It is better to live with the failure of falling short than the regret of not trying”.

As educators continue to refine practice and curriculum in the 21st and 22nd centuries, the value of student voice will be more and more vital. This study highlights how their thoughts, perceptions and actions can inform so much of we do.

The key to the refinement of the learning process in the future will be the development and analysis of purposeful research that can inform the shape and design of learning experiences, while also acknowledging the capacities, skills and behaviours that are part of the successful learner profile. This research project into the highly able graduates from the 2017 Barker College cohort has highlighted these factors in a number of ways.

References

Apple, D., Duncan, W. & Ellis, W. 2015, Key Learner Characteristics that Produce Academic Success. Pacific Crest. Under review for publication.

Cohen, L. & Manion, L. 1989, Research methods in education. London & New York: Routledge.

Duckworth, A. 2016, Grit. The Power of Passion and Perseverance. USA. Scribner.

Zimmerman, B. J. 1998, Developing self-fulfilling cycles of academic regulation: An analysis of exemplary instructional models. Self-regulated learning from teaching to self-reflective practice. In. D. H. Schunk & B.J. Zimmerman. (Eds.), New York: The Guilford Press: 1-19.

2017 HSC Results: How to Pass their Successes on to their Successors

Learning in Practice 2019 Vol. 2 (1) © Barker Institute 2019

Amanda Eastman Assistant to the Director of Research in Learning and the Barker Institute

Abstract

Each year, we farewell the graduating cohort with pride and nostalgia, confident that they have been equipped to thrive within and contribute to the world beyond the Mint Gates. They also leave with a wealth of knowledge about how to succeed within the walls of Barker College. Rather than allowing them to leave still holding the keys for success, the Barker Institute has undertaken a study with the aim of preserving this knowledge for posterity. The 2018 study aimed to identify successful learners from the 2017 cohort, ascertain the reasons for their accomplishments and determine how to engender the same traits in their successors.

Aim

The aim of this study was to identify the key factors contributing to HSC success and determine how to develop these characteristics in subsequent year groups.

Method

Two groups of focus students were selected from the 2017 HSC cohort by examining their portfolio of HSC marks across all subjects. Group 1 was composed of students who were recognised as high achievers and all-rounders (meaning they achieved Band 6 in 10 units or more). Group 2 consisted of students who were on the cusp of being all-rounders. Dividing the sample into two groups allowed the researchers to examine similarities and differences between the groups, thus ascertaining whether certain adjustments could help the second group to cross that threshold into Band 6. This would make a significant difference to their individual ATARs and our School rankings.

The analysis took 3 main forms: data analysis, surveys and interviews. A comprehensive analysis of the methodology, data and results was provided to the Executive for review. This report provides a brief summary of some of the key findings and recommendations.

Findings

Overall, the results helped to construct a profile of successful learners at Barker College. This provides something for students to aspire to and can also be used by staff and parents who wish to help their students / children develop these characteristics.

High achievers at Barker:

• Are passionate about their learning and choose subjects they enjoy (rather than the subjects they think will get them the best marks)

• Are motivated and determined to meet their goals

• Work out what study techniques suit them and tailor these to each subject

• Plan their study in a way that works for them and adjust their schedule depending on their busyness, understanding and results

• Self-report a strong level of organisation, feeling positive about their ability to manage the workload

• Ask many questions and seek advice

• Regularly seek out and apply feedback

• Practice examination skills, rather than just memorising content

• Engage in and are grateful for the School community and appreciate all the School has to offer

• Are interested in learning life lessons, not just academic content

• Sometimes regret letting themselves get too stressed about results

Recommendations

Assessment:

• The data analysis showed a general trend of improvement from the Half Yearly Examinations to the Trial Examinations. When large sections of the cohort underperformed in one section, this was evidently addressed and many students exhibited significant improvement in the corresponding section of subsequent examinations. However, there were cases where generally high-achieving individuals repeatedly scored lowest in the same section and perceivably could have benefited from more targeted intervention. This may include attending extra help sessions for individual feedback, examining exemplar responses and rewriting their own work to demonstrate improvement.

• It could also be pertinent to explore ways to support high achieving students more closely in their pursuit of SATs.

Feedback:

• The results of this survey reinforced what the research says – high achievers value, seek out and grow from useful feedback. The following points outline which types of feedback were perceived as the most useful.

• In-depth verbal feedback where the teacher is able to gauge comprehension, not just written comments on work.

• Opportunities to rewrite work based on feedback and show that they have understood and can apply it. This can help them to develop their own personal exemplars.

• Encouraging and assisting students to develop shared resource repositories, including notes, feedback and exemplars. Not only do these improve academic success, the students who were more involved in these processes also reported a better sense of connectedness and wellbeing.

Study:

The overwhelming theme when it came to successful study techniques was that students needed to work out what worked for them. The strategies varied widely, but the highachieving students were able to rationalise what worked for them personally and why. Through trial and error, self-reflection and advice they had developed a deliberate and specific way of organising their study time and methodology. Accordingly, the recommendations are as follows:

• Introduce students to a greater range of study techniques early on so that they have a chance to trial different techniques and work out what suits them best by Year 12. There are currently some study advice sessions such as the Elevate program. Perhaps these could be supplemented by other methods, with more follow up and support to track students’ application of these suggestions. PCSE could be a useful platform to have students report back on the skills they trial and further hone their techniques.

• Some successful students also reported being counselled by a particular teacher in study methods (rather than just course content). This approach could be adopted more widely as it would give students a broader bank of ideas to try and also help them understand how to adapt their study to suit different subjects.

• Given that executive functioning skills and high levels of organisation were almost ubiquitous amongst the successful learners, these skills should be more explicitly taught and honed throughout the learning journey.

Wellbeing:

Overall, the students reported a fairly low sense of wellbeing and positivity throughout year 12. This is an area that could benefit from serious attention, perhaps in the following ways:

• Some expressed an interest in speaking to or mentoring Year 12s about what they learnt in regards to life balance, and there certainly could be a place for carefully selected students to advise the students in this way.

• One student suggested, “I think a PCSE session talking about how to deal with stress and anxiety when actually in an exam room could be awesome”. This is an idea worth pursuing.

• Involvement in sharing resources had a positive correlation to wellbeing, so it would be helpful to explore ways to enhance this culture.

• Another factor that seemed to positively impact the students was feeling supported by staff and family. The School should continue to explore opportunities to educate and engage with parents about supporting their children such as sessions run by the Barker Institute.

•

Finally, the students were asked ‘On reflection, what would you change about your final year if you had the chance to do it again?’ The responses almost unanimously illuminated a desire to diminish stress and improve balance. The Barker Institute will work with the Director of Wellbeing to review these survey results and implement more targeted support for Year 12 students. It could also be beneficial to focus on the training and support for those with pastoral responsibility for Year 12s (such as Tutors, PSCE associates and parents).

Overall, the study highlighted the impressive range of knowledge, skills and attributes amongst Barker College’s high achieving graduates. It provided staff, parents and students with ideas for maximising success and wellbeing at the School. The most pertinent summary of the findings appears to be that students need to focus on how they learn, rather than just what they are learning. They need to be proactive in their development of study techniques, their application of feedback, their contributions to collaborative learning and their pursuit of balance. The researchers wish the study participants and their successors every success in the future.

New Directions in Learning

New Syllabus, New Approach: Preparing Physics Students for University Studies with a Structured Approach to the Year 11 Course.

Mr Dean Johnston Physics Teacher Dr Matthew Hill Physics Teacher Developer of Hearts & Minds (Research)

Abstract

Learning in Practice 2018 Vol. 2 (1)

© Barker Institute 2019

When students reach university, many classes are optional which will often result in dwindling attendance and, consequently, attrition from the course (Baik, Naylor, & Arkoudis, 2015). In 2018, three Year 11 Physics classes had the opportunity to participate in an initiative whereby their classes were structured in a similar format to a firstyear university Physics course with lectures, tutorials and experimental work. Students benefitted from the new structure as they were aware of what to expect in upcoming classes and their revision of the course was simplified due to content being divided into week-by-week topics. In an anonymous survey (n = 39), 79.5% of students stated a preference for this structure in their science classes as compared to a more typical lesson-by-lesson approach. By implementing this method of course delivery, it is the intention of the coordinating teachers that students would learn physics effectively, that they would see the value of the structure and therefore be more prepared for university studies and that teachers’ skills and expertise could be best utilised for the benefit of the students.

Key Terms

Experiment

A scientific test including an aim, method, results, analysis and conclusion.

Lecture

A lesson that is delivered to a group of students larger than the typical class size (< 25 students). This is not meant to imply mere transmission of knowledge or inactive attendees (e.g. Sharma et al., 2010). There is no limit to the method of teaching and engagement, merely the ability to deliver the lecture to a larger numbers of students.

Team-teaching

A coordinated approach among multiple teachers taking responsibility for a group of students. It usually involves different teachers facilitating different parts of the course.

Tutorial

A lesson devoted to guiding students through problem solving. May involve practical, conceptual, or numerical problems or activities.

Tutorial Problems

A set of problems written for the students to allow them to grow in their understanding of physics and develop their problem-solving skills. At least some of these problems should be done during a tutorial lesson but all are to be completed before the start of the following week.

Introduction

To assist students with their learning, a new initiative was trialed with three Year 11 Physics classes involving a university-style structured week. At the start of the year, the teaching team consisting of the two authors of this article divided the new NSW Physics syllabus outcomes into weekly topics. The practical component of the course was then aligned such that the most appropriate experiment would occur each week to either allow students to inquire about upcoming content or consolidate material from that week. The two staff members involved were assigned alternate weeks to prepare a lecture and tutorial problems for the students.

The structure of the course: A university-style format with school-level personal relationships

Each week one topic area of content was presented Year 11 Physics students. The weekly structure consisted of an interactive lecture, a problem-solving tutorial and an experiment or practical tasks.

Students from three classes were involved in this initiative. Two were assigned to be taught by Dr Hill and one by Mr Johnston. One of Dr Hill’s classes was synchronised (timetabled concurrently) with Mr Johnston’s class, allowing for one lecture to be delivered to two classes simultaneously in a lecture theatre and this lecture was repeated by Dr Hill for his second class.

Lesson 1 (Monday)

Lesson 2

Lesson 3 (Friday) Interactive lecture Tutorial Experiment

Students attended an interactive lecture designed to cover all content required for the week.

A set of practical, conceptualand numerical problems were completed by the students and various techniques were used to provide in-class support

Students completed a scientific investigation with aim, method, results, analysisand conclusion to apply their understanding and continue to develop their scientific inquiry skills.

The 2018 fortnightly timetable involved seven 1-hour classes for Year 11 physics. This meant that every second week there was an additional class alongside the above structure. This additional class was therefore a discretionary class to allow for more time to be spent on any activities as directed by the teachers. It was particularly helpful as the new syllabus introduced for Year 11 in 2018 required substantial class time to be given over to a “depth study”, where students investigated a topic of their choosing.

The purpose of the structure: most effective learning, preparation for university, maximum utilisation of teacher resources.

Various pedagogical factors impacted the decision to adopt this particular structure. The staff wished to balance the limitations of working memory and the need for students to complete sustained, deliberate practice to develop knowledge in long term memory. Cognitive Load Theory explains that working memory is limited, meaning that students are unable to process too many new pieces of information at one time (Paas, Renkl, & Sweller, 2003; Sweller, 1988). By communicating to students the content topic of the entire week, they were able to find continuity between classes and use repetition across multiple occasions to more fully integrate new ideas into long term memory. This structure avoided students distracting themselves (and others) with the oft-asked question, “What are we doing today?” because they had already been made aware and could see the connection of the particular class and associated activities with the topic of that week.

A second reason for adopting the structure was to expose students to a model that is frequently used at universities, especially in the sciences. This purpose was vindicated in the first lecture as it was apparent to the teachers that students were unfamiliar with how to effectively participate in a lecture-format lesson. For example, many were trying to write down every single word from the projected presentation, even though students knew the presentation was made available online at the end of each class. Lecture participation was a skill that was taught, both explicitly and implicitly, throughout the year.

Finally, the staff decided that this was an effective use of teacher resources. Rather than each teacher preparing content for their own class every week, by taking responsibility for every second week they were able to devote up to twice the time investment producing an even higher calibre of learning activities for the students.

Student responses

During Term 3 (the final term of Year 11), participating students were surveyed to gauge the level of support for the new format. Responses were collected voluntarily and anonymously using Google forms, increasing the validity of the responses and 39 out of the 58 students responded.

Students were overall supportive of the format, with 79.5% indicating that they preferred it (at least in the context of learning Physics) over a typical lesson-by-lesson format that they were used to in high school: “You always know what’s coming up.“; “It’s habitual rather than random lessons... Missed work is easily caught up on, because we have a structured idea of what the lesson was on e.g. tutorial, prac or lecture.” They were able to recognise the benefits to their planning and individual work habits, resulting in an increased understanding of how repeated practise allowed consolidation of difficult ideas:

• “I am able to plan my work more effectively so that I have an understanding of the content through the lecture before I tackle the exercises in the tutorial. This is then backed up by experience in application of these skills.”,

• “I also found the order of learning the content and then answering questions on it and then doing a prac very helpful for ensuring that I understand everything and it is all committed to memory.”

• “The week-by-week (structure) allows for me to have a much better structure in terms of learn --> review --> revise. I think it creates a better understanding.”

Standard practice of most university courses is to provide students up-front with most (if not all) necessary reference material and sources of additional information. We attempted to emulate this by publishing lecture slides, tutorial problems (with solutions), practical investigation guides and supplementary resources (e.g. internet-based simulations, comprehensive websites), all organised in the same week-by-week structure for ease of navigating. One student said, “I am able to access any topic easily under the corresponding week and have access to all the content we have covered. This makes revision much easier.”

Students who preferred a more traditional method of high school instruction explained that they preferred to be able to better internalise the information immediately upon receiving it through class discussions, asking questions, or solving problems rather than needing to wait to do this comprehensively in the tutorial lesson: “I prefer having more time to ask questions/have discussions while the content is first being taught”. The authors have begun

to address this for Term 4, 2018, through continually increasing the degree of interactivity during lectures, along with supplying a whole booklet of the weekly tutorial questions at the start of the module. This allows students to begin working on the tutorial problems immediately (even sometimes during the lecture with support from the teacher and fellow students) while still having a dedicated tutorial period later in the week. The students were pleased with this development of the structure for Term 4.

Teacher reflections

Typically, teaching in secondary schools has taken the format of one teacher being assigned a particular class and that teacher having responsibility for ensuring that these students are taught the relevant mandated content (as prescribed by a syllabus) and given guidance to develop and then demonstrate, the necessary skills and applications of the acquired knowledge. In and of itself, this mode of teaching is not flawed and – as evidenced by its continuation – remains a standard framework. The authors, however, contend that this is an example of an inefficient and limiting structure.

Increasingly, teachers are required to develop their professional practice through attendance at external development conferences and activities. There are benefits of such professional development activities but what is often overlooked is the myriad opportunities for the teacher within the routine of their regular teaching schedule. For example, the teacher who was not scheduled to prepare and deliver a lecture in a particular week would still be in attendance. This offered not only the ability for the lecturing teacher to ‘throw’ to the other teacher for additional input and/or alternative perspective but also the opportunity for the observing teacher to observe their colleague teaching; the observing teacher would experience the different nuances and emphases of the other teacher, as well as any alternative methods of explanation and analogies that may be employed. Often, the lecturing teacher would receive immediate feedback and insights from the observing teacher following the lesson and professional discussion benefitting both teachers would ensue.

By taking turns to prepare (and deliver) content each week, the staff were able to use additional time to provide instruction of an even higher quality, which was especially important this year as it was expected that teachers would be more heavily burdened due to the implementation of a new syllabus. In particular, there were opportunities for teachers to focus more on individual student needs, both in and out of class, resulting in heightened relationships rather than diminished ones due to the introduction of the lecture format.

Improvements for 2019 and Future

The pledge of any practitioner should be an ongoing striving to better that which has already been achieved; our desire is to facilitate the most effective, engaging and studentcentred Physics course of any secondary educational institution.

To that end, we have identified several areas for improvement and/or expansion:

• Involving more teachers to bring in additional collaboration and synchronised delivery of the course to more students. (The authors acknowledge the difficulty of this given timetabling constraints, though believe that this in and of itself should not be reason enough to discount the possibility of having all Physics classes scheduled simultaneously for at least the weekly lecture.)

• Providing students, at the beginning of the course, with a booklet containing tutorial questions (both mandatory and extension work). The problems would be ordered in progressive difficulty and fully-worked solutions would be available, either in digital or hardcopy.

• Weekly, short quizzes (utilising the online platform of Canvas) whereby students will demonstrate a base competence in each concept.

• A common style and format for all digital and printed materials.

• Filming of each lecture and uploading to Canvas, allowing students in attendance to review but also providing those students who were absent an easy means of catching up.

• Increased interactivity of lectures, for example utilising Interactive Lecture Demonstrations which are a proven method of effective lecture-style teaching in the physics discipline (Sharma et, al., 2010).

• While not all subjects have the same content requirements and student candidature as Physics, we believe that there are lessons that can be learned for teachers throughout the school. In particular, this article demonstrates the benefits of staff collaboration, communicating clear structure to the students, and modelling practices helpful for university study which can be considered for all courses across various year groups.

Conclusion

This article has demonstrated how innovation, collaboration and reflection can result in an exciting development in teaching at Barker and beyond. There are great opportunities for teacher professional development, along with facilitation of greater time invested in each lesson despite reducing the preparation time commitment for increasingly busy teachers. Most importantly, the students have appreciated the changes and all of this contributes to increased outcomes for students, particularly in the area of learned content, skills and selfregulatory behaviors.

References

Baik, C., Naylor, R. and Arkoudis, S., 2015. The First Year Experience in Australian Universities: Findings from Two Decades, 1994-2014. Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education.

Paas, F., Renkl, A. and Sweller, J., 2003. Cognitive load theory and instructional design: Recent developments. Educational psychologist, 38(1), pp.1-4.

Sharma, M.D., Johnston, I.D., Johnston, H., Varvell, K., Robertson, G., Hopkins, A., Stewart, C., Cooper, I. and Thornton, R., 2010. Use of interactive lecture demonstrations: A ten year study. Physical Review Special Topics-Physics Education Research, 6(2), p.020119.

Sweller, J., 1988. Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive science, 12(2), pp.257-285.

Positioning inquiry: The place for Inquiry in Years 7 - 10

Greg Longney Director of Learning and

Andy Mifsud Digital Learning Leader

Enrichment

Learning in Practice

2018 Vol. 2 (1)

© Barker Institute 2019

Abstract

Barker College is currently moving towards a formalised inquiry program in the high school, beginning with Year 7 in 2019. This article provides an overview of the shape of inquiry in the Secondary School, including the links between the Primary Years Program (PYP) in the Junior School, the use of the guided inquiry framework and supporting strategies such as blended learning, formative assessment, Writing across the School (WATS), and other key initiatives. This paper hopes to clarify the meaning of inquiry at Barker and open a channel of dialogue amongst colleagues and the community.

Key Terms

Blended Learning

Combination of the best elements of online and face-to-face (F2F) learning (Horn & Staker, 2015).

Inquiry

An act or an instance of “seeking for truth, information, or knowledge; investigation; research; or a question or query” (Webster’s Third International Dictionary, 1986, p. 1167, cited in Barrow, 2006).

Student Centred Learning

Student-centred ideology relies on active and deep learning where students are directly involved and invested in the discovery of their own knowledge (Nave, 2015).

Positioning inquiry

The literature is awash with claims that education is embarking on a new era of studentcentred learning where information and communicative technologies (ICT) are leveraged to deliver authentic, meaningful, student-driven teaching and learning programs (Baeten, Dochy, Struyven, Parmentier, & Vanderbruggen, 2016; Horn & Staker, 2015; Jacobs, Renandya, Power, & SpringerLink, 2016).

The goal is that through student-centred education, students will develop skills around problem solving, innovative thinking, resourcefulness and resilience – the skills required to meet the unknown demands for their future.

While these claims show great promise, this approach requires careful planning and strategy in order to be successful in a practical sense (Lee & Hannafin, 2016). This paper aims to address this by using a well-structured inquiry-based model of teaching and learning (Chu, Reynolds, Tavares, Notari, Lee, 2017), which will complement existing teaching and learning practices present at Barker College. This structure will be implemented slowly across Years 7-10, beginning with Year 7 in 2019. The model is built on the concept of Inquiry, one of the four pillars that make up the Thriving at Barker model (Barker College, 2018).

The authors are aware that some of the research literature is critical of inquiry-based approaches to learning (Hattie, 2012). Inquiry learning is often criticised for undervaluing subject knowledge and overlooking the value of explicit teaching. At Barker, we do not see these approaches as mutually exclusive. Effective inquiry learning rests on students being knowledgeable and being open to seeking deeper knowledge through asking questions. The International Baccalaureate Learner Profile seeks for learners to be open minded, principled inquirers and risk takers. None of these things can be achieved without deep knowledge. In a recent study, Mourshed, Krawitz, and Dorn (2017) referred to a learning ‘sweet spot’, where inquiry learning and explicit teaching meet. At Barker College we seek to take advantage of this sweet spot by providing learners with expert teachers and many opportunities for them to find answers to their questions.

Inquiry in Years 7 - 10

The Thriving at Barker handbook (Barker College, 2018) says this about inquiry:

The Barker approach to Inquiry seeks to enrich and extend students as they move to the more subject-based setting of Middle and Senior schools. A feature of the curriculum in Years 7 to 10 will be units of inquiry that connect and enrich subjects through shared content and concepts. These units will be delivered in a Blended Learning environment that allows students to work at their own pace with the guidance of their teachers (p. 6)

Throughout 2018, the authors (with the support of additional key personnel at the School) sought to develop this approach by articulating a set of elements which include a:

• Set of key inquiry attitudes and related skills

• Transdisciplinary aim for inquiry units

• Focus on student-agency and action.

These elements purposely align with the core features of the Junior School Primary Years Program (PYP) model of inquiry but are different enough to allow for appropriate learning in Years 7-10. The following section outlines these features.

Attitudes

Student attitudes to learning are important as they shape the learning environment and the interactions that occur within. The following attitudes are ones which the inquiry program will seek to foster. It is important for students to become familiar with these attitudes and to become aware of their individual strengths and weaknesses. Table 1 outlines the attitudes.

curious, courageous, resourceful, open-minded, flexible, persistent, resilient, responsible, reflective, reliable, confident, responsive, respectful.

Table 1: Attitudes

Skills

The inquiry model promotes a common set of transdisciplinary skills, grouped into the five domains: thinking, researching, self-management, communication and collaborating. These skills will guide students to strengthen the attitudes listed above. Table 2 lists the domains and associated skills. Along with attitudes, the foregrounding of skills offers a bird’s eye view of the curriculum by asking, what do we value in learning and what do we want students to value? One key aim of the inquiry program is to develop these skills and attitudes consistently and explicitly over time.

Thinking Researching Self-management Communication Collaborating Empathise Wondering Ideation Evaluating Metacognition

Summarising Planning Sourcing Quality Generating

Goals Resilience Feedback Self-awareness Context

Form Presenting Writing Creation Engaging

Contribution Sharing Respecting Group-work Purpose

Table 2: Inquiry skills

Transdisciplinary Concepts

This element draws out the importance of making connections within a topic and looking beyond the boundaries of one subject or discipline. This may appear through the encouragement of cross-disciplinary collaboration or projects but might also simply result in a student drawing on skills and concepts from different disciplines in the making of learning artefacts.

Choice and Action

Finally, the resulting action should be student-driven, encompassing some element of student choice in either the specific area of inquiry or the method of communicating understanding. The action should be meaningful, allowing students to build on their existing skills and areas of interest.

Supporting Inquiry

In order to ensure teachers and students have enough support to navigate through the inquiry environment, the inquiry program will draw on the structure of Guided Inquiry Design (GID; Kuhlthau, Maniotes, & Caspari, 2015) supported by blended learning strategies (Horn & Staker, 2014) and spaces (Thornburg, 1999).

Guided Inquiry

GID provides a carefully planned, closely supervised targeted intervention of an instructional team to guide students through curriculum-based inquiry units that build deep knowledge and deep understanding of a curriculum topic, and gradually lead towards independent learning (CISSL, 2005). It is grounded in a constructivist approach to learning, based on the Information Search Process (Kuhlthau, 2004). Essentially, it is a structured way to do inquiry within a sequence of teaching and learning activities.

GID provides teachers with a planning framework built up of eight phases: 1. Open 2. Immerse 3. Explore 4. Identify 5. Gather 6. Create 7. Share 8. Evaluate

This established structure not only assists the planning and delivery of inquiry units, it also allows students and teachers to begin to establish a common language and procedure around the process of inquiry.

Blended Learning

Supporting inquiry in the Junior School and 7-10, in the BL@Barker model (Stewart, Temlett, Mifsud, & Harmon, 2017). This model supports the aims of an inquiry program by leveraging a blended learning approach to enable the development of authentic, personalised and integrated learning activities. Figure 1 illustrates the links that occur between the PYP, 7-10 inquiry and the BL@Barker model.

There is a strong alignment with the aims of both 7-10 inquiry and BL@Barker, apparent in the aim to create meaningful and authentic learning experiences for each learner. Chu et al. (2017) provides a strong argument for the use of learning technologies to facilitate student voice and choice in learning activities. Further examples of these alignments can be seen in Table 3.

Blended Learning Inquiry

Values: Appropriate use of technology and devices, being responsible and respectful. An understanding of digital citizenship skills

Digital Literacy: Set of digital skills required to complete learning tasks.

Integration: An understanding that technology tasks need to be fully integrated into the learning outcomes, bringing in appropriate resources and tools.

Personalisation: Using technology to control the time, place, pace and mode of learning.

Authentic: Using technology to provide authentic learning experiences.

Table 3: Alignments between BL@Barker and 7-10 inquiry

Attitudes: Curious, courageous, resourceful, open-minded, flexible, persistent, resilient, responsible, reflective, reliable, confident, responsive, respectful.

Inquiry Skills: Set of skills that can devel op inquiry skills.

Transdisciplinary Concepts: Making connections, looking beyond the boundaries of one subject or discipline.

Agency: Providing students with choice, building on past experiences.

Action: Engaging students in meaningful and transformative action.

In a practical sense, the learning management system, Canvas, will be used to house key information for each phase of the guided inquiry unit, using a purpose-built inquiry template (see Figure 2). Using Canvas in this way allows for several potential benefits as the platform provides:

• A uniform experience for students and teachers

• An ability to link common resources used to develop inquiry skills, for example, writing strategies, note-taking, methods for analysing data, ideas to create engaging presentations, etc.

• An ability to link to common scaffolds and teaching tools, for example visible thinking routine worksheets or scaffolds for evaluating the quality of resources

• Opportunities for personalisation of content

• Additional avenues for collaboration within and across departments and year levels

• An ability to provide informal formative assessment of skills throughout a unit by utilising outcomes and rubrics

• An ability to share the data of inquiry skills across departments and year levels.

Using Canvas in this way not only acts as a support mechanism for teachers and students new to the inquiry process, but also provides an example of best-practice in blended learning online course design and in-class strategies.

Blended Environments

Blended learning offers an additional contribution through recent work encouraging teachers to challenge existing notions of the classroom environment in favour of adopting a flexible style that adapts to match a specific learning purpose. The blended learning teacher learning community (TLC) in 2018 was based on the concept of blended spaces (Thornburg, 1999), in which a classroom is viewed as both a physical and online environment, separated into four distinct categories:

1. Campfire: A place where students can learn from an expert

2. Watering hole: A collaborative environment that thrives on many:many communication (Dawson, 2018)

3. Cave: A place for individual work or reflection

4. Mountain top: An environment that allows a celebration of achievement.

The blended spaces ideology does not place greater emphasis on one space or another, rather it focuses on fluidity between spaces throughout a unit, week or even lesson. In the same way, the role of the teacher within an inquiry unit will flexibly switch from direct instruction, to facilitation of understanding, to coaching and guiding (Wiggins & McTighe, 2007). It is therefore incongruent for inquiry units to rely solely on any one mode of instruction or learning environment.

Conclusion

Inquiry-based learning offers many solutions to meet the demands of 21st and indeed 22nd century learners. This paper provides a clear model that identifies the key attitudes, skills and actions of student inquirers, and establishes a network of supporting tools to deliver this program, from guided inquiry design, to blended learning. The inquiry teacher too must develop skills in adapting teaching style and online and physical environment to best support the demands of their students.

References

Baeten, M., Dochy, F., Struyven, K., Parmentier, E. & Vanderbruggen, A. 2016, “Student-centred learning environments: an investigation into student teachers’ instructional preferences and approaches to learning”, Learning Environments Research, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 43-62.

Barker College, 2018. Thriving Handbook. Accessed from https://www.barker.college/ media/1714/thriving-handbook-2018.pdf

Barrow, L.H., 2006. A brief history of inquiry: From Dewey to standards. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 17(3), pp.265-278.

Centre for International Scholarship in School Libraries (CISSL), Guided Inquiry. Retrieved from: http://cissl.rutgers.edu/joomla-license/guided-inquiry

Chu S.K.W., Reynolds R.B., Tavares N.J., Notari M., Lee C.W.Y., 2017. Introduction. In: 21st Century Skills Development Through Inquiry-Based Learning. Springer, Singapore

Dawson, V.R., 2018. Organizing, Organizations, and the Role of Social Media Conversations. In Transformative Practice and Research in Organizational Communication (pp. 62-78). IGI Global.

Gove, P.B.E., 1986. Webster’s third new international dictionary of the English language unabridged (No. BOOK). Merriam-Webster.

Hattie, J., 2012. Visible learning for teachers: Maximizing impact on learning. Routledge.

Horn, M.B. and Staker, H., 2014. Blended: Using disruptive innovation to improve schools. John Wiley & Sons.

Jacobs, G.M., Renandya, W.A., Power, M. & SpringerLink (Online service) 2016, Simple, Powerful Strategies for Student Centered Learning, Springer International Publishing, Cham. Kuhlthau, C. 2004, Seeking meaning: A process approach to library and information services. Westport CT: Libraries Unlimited

Kuhlthau, C.C., Maniotes, L.K. and Caspari, A.K., 2015. Guided inquiry: Learning in the 21st century: Learning in the 21st century. ABC-CLIO.

Lee, E. & Hannafin, M.J. 2016, “A design framework for enhancing engagement in studentcentered learning: own it, learn it, and share it”, Educational Technology Research and Development, vol. 64, no. 4, pp. 707-734.

Mourshed, M., Krawitz, M. and Dorn, E., 2017. How to improve student educational outcomes: New insights from data analytics. McKinsey & Company, September.

Nave, B., 2015. Student-Centered Learning: Nine Classrooms in Action. Harvard Education Press. 8 Story Street First Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138.

Stewart, J., Temlett, S., Mifsud, A., & Harmon, P., 2017. Shaping blended learning at Barker. Barker Institute: Learning in Practice, 1(1), 19–25. Retrieved from https://issuu.com/ barkercollege/docs/journal-28_november-_print

Thornburg, D., 1999. Campfires in cyberspace. Starsong Publications.

Wiggins, G.P. and McTighe, J., 2007. Schooling by design: Mission, action, and achievement. ASCD

Barker Institute Learning in Practice • 35

Advantages of Online Learning in Design and Technology

Sally Filtness Design and Technology Teacher

Abstract

Learning in Practice

2018 Vol. 2 (1)

© Barker Institute 2019

This excerpt from a thesis will examine the use of online learning resources in the teaching and learning of senior secondary students in Design and Technology. The research investigated changes to classroom practices that occur when implementing online resources, from both teacher and student perspectives. The outcomes from this study seek to provide us with a better understanding of how teachers and students perceive online teaching and learning and its advantages.

Advantages of online learning

When looking at advantages of online learning, it is important to look at how they apply to the secondary school environment and the Design and Technology classroom and how they could be used to improve learning environments. Through the use of online tools; technologies can be used by teachers to assist the students to monitor and guide along their own learning paths (Moyle, 2015). This is what happens in a Design and Technology classroom, the technologies are used for the teachers to ‘guide’ and ‘monitor’ and for the students; to explore, be creative and research (Knowles & Kerkman, 2014). Digital learning resources support information processing by helping students to develop mental representations through the mix of media elements presented to them. Digital learning resources include content and, sometimes, learning activities. They combine multimedia elements including text, image, video and audio to present information. Research on multimedia learning has demonstrated more positive outcomes for students who learn from resources that effectively combine words and pictures, rather than those that include words alone (Clarke & Mayer, 2011).

There are many advantages with online education including flexibility with time and place, the flexibility of pace of learning, the range and variety of study options, the variety of forms of online material, the self-directed nature of online learning, and the provision of an authentic environment for learning. Studies by Song and Hill (2007) have shown that the context where learning takes place (at home or at school) influences the level of learner autonomy that is allowed in the specific context, as well as how a learner utilises resources and strategies, becomes motivated to learn, and integrates self-directed learning is significant. This is particularly true in online learning contexts, a relatively new area of exploration. Furthermore, Means, Toyama, Murphy, Bakia & Jones (2009) see the clear advantages of online study and learning is that it enhances the learner’s control of their interactions with media and prompting learner reflection. Studies indicate that the triggers that increase learner activity or reflection and self-monitoring of understanding are effective when students pursue online learning as individuals (Biggs & Tang, 2011).

Online education removes the constraints of time and place with instruction available

when the learners want it and at an unlimited number of locations (Bartley & Golek, 2004). Students can learn in a convenient location when engaged in online education as long as they have access to a PC or a device and then the Internet. Students can also choose a location that is comfortable to them as well as the classroom and home (Simons, Baron, Knicely, & Richardson, 2002). This is advantageous because learning can happen anywhere: bus, training field, train, home or classroom (Wright, Hoay, Mukami, & Priyadarshini, 2015).

Learning online means students can choose to learn at their own pace and at their own speed. Porter and Calder (2004) & McGee (2002) support this statement finding that in an online environment, students can access, read, hear or view the web-based material repeatedly as necessary. This is particularly beneficial for students with learning disabilities or for whom the course they are taking is not in their first language. With an increasing and overwhelming amount of information available on the Internet on just about any subject, students can learn about topics that are not covered thoroughly in their classroom (Johnson, 1984; Porter & Calder, 2004).

From the learner perspective, online education offers students the opportunities of pursuing a range and variety of study options that would not otherwise have been possible due to geographical, time or financial constraints (Means et al., 2009). Online education also opens a wider range of choices where students may choose to be associated concurrently with multiple educational providers and modes of instruction according to their needs (Twigg, 2003).

Online learning provides opportunity for students to become self-directed in their studies (McGee, 2002; Porter & Calder, 2004). When navigating Web-based learning material, students have full control over the sequence of pages they wish to access and to make decisions on what information is deemed to be important and what can be skimmed. In other words, they can tailor their learning to their interests and apply the information that suits their situation (Schiefele, 1991). Research claims that the Internet facilitates collaboration, interactivity and project based learning and provides an authentic environment for learning (Kreijns, Kirschner, & Jochems, 2003; Liaw, Huang, & Chen, 2007; Warschauer, 1997).

Looking historically at the work of Alpert and Bitzer (1970), the introduction of any major new technology into the educational process will undoubtedly raise questions on the part of some educators concerning the possible negative impact of an inanimate tutor on the very human processes of learning and teaching. They state: Similar questions may well have been raised when the printing press and inexpensive paper were introduced into the educational process in the 15th century. It was not long, however, before the technology of the printed page became so identified with education that the library became the universal symbol of educational excellence. We believe that the resulting explosion of knowledge and of information has made the introduction of computer-based education all the more needed in a rapidly changing world.

This historical hesitancy to take up technology tells us about our situation today (Gerver, 2014). Interestingly, Suppes (1966) predicted the impact that ICT would have on our education system 30 years before it occurred. He observed that machines were able to deal with many kinds of information at high speed and in large quantities which would change the way in which they could be used. He suggested that the development of machine technology would result in greater personalisation of education for students:

This is perhaps nowhere truer than in the field of education. One can predict that in a few more years millions of school children will have access to … the personal services of a tutor as well-informed and responsive as Aristotle.

This has certainly been one of the advantages of ICT in education as students can tailor their education in terms of their time, location, mode of communication and choice of provider with ‘e-moderators’ that make education more ‘focused and productive’ (Salmon, 2003).

As a Design and Technology (DT) teacher for twenty years at Barker College, I have been able to apply this research in my classroom and to share with my colleagues, faculty and greater teaching community. Some examples of online learning that has been used in the Design and Technology classroom could consist of using Fusion 360 and being able to collaborate with Computer Aided Design (CAD) files, Canvas used as a Learning Management System (LMS), using Canvas for quizzes, discussion and chats for Senior DT classes and tutorials and software demonstrations have now been placed on the LMS to aid students in a greater understanding of the software. The benefits of these online learning tools is a greater, richer learning experience and environment for all students who choose Design and Technology as a course in Stage 5 and 6.

References

Alpert, D., & Bitzer, D. L., 1970. Advances in computer-based education. Science, 167(3925), 1582-1590.

Bartley, S. J., & Golek, J. H., 2004. Evaluating the Cost Effectiveness of Online and Face-toFace Instruction. Educational Technology & Society, 7(4), 167-175.

Biggs, J., & Tang, C., 2011. Teaching for quality learning: What the student does: McGraw-Hill Education (UK).

Clark, R., & Mayer., 2011. E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning: John Wiley & Sons.

Gerver, R., 2014. Creating tomorrow’s schools today: education-our children-their futures: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Johnson, D. W., 1984. Circles of learning. Cooperation in the classroom. Alexandria, VA: ERIC. Knowles, E., & Kerkman, D., 2014. An investigation of students’ attitude and motivation toward online learning. Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

Kreijns, K., Kirschner, P. A., & Jochems, W., 2003. Identifying the pitfalls for social interaction in computer-supported collaborative learning environments: a review of the research. Computers in human behavior, 19(3), 335-353.

Liaw, S. S., Huang, H. M., & Chen, G.-D., 2007. Surveying instructor and learner attitudes toward e-learning. Computers & Education, 49(4), 1066-1080.

Means, B., Toyama, Y., Murphy, R., Bakia, M., & Jones, K., 2009. Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies. US Department of Education.

McGee, P., 2002. Web-based learning design: Planning for diversity. USDLA Journal, 16(3), 39-50.

Moyle, K., 2015. School policies, leadership, and learning with technologies: an international comparative study.

Porter, R., & Calder, P., 2004. Patterns in learning to program: an experiment? Paper presented at the Proceedings of the Sixth Australasian Conference on Computing Education. Vol. 30.

Salmon, G., 2003. E-moderating: The key to teaching and learning online: Psychology Press. Schiefele, U., 1991. Interest, learning, and motivation. Educational psychologist, 26(3-4), 299323.

Simons, D. F., Baron, J. A., Knicely, K. S., & Richardson, J. S., 2002. Online learning: Perspectives of students and faculty in two disciplines-occupational therapy and teacher education. Occupational therapy in health care, 14(2), 21-52.

Song, L., & Hill, J. R., 2007. A conceptual model for understanding self-directed learning in online environments. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 6(1), 27-42.

Suppes, P., 1966. The uses of computers in education: Freeman.

Twigg, C. A., 2003. Models for online learning. EDUCAUSE review, 28-38.

Warschauer, M., 1997. Computer-mediated collaborative learning: Theory and practice. The Modern Language Journal, 81(4), 470-481.

Wright, C. R., Hoay, G. L. P., Mukami, D., & Priyadarshini, A., 2015. Establishing Learning Centres Anywhere: Keys to Success. Centre for Learning Design and Development, Athabasca University.

Junior School together on the Main Campus with the Completion of Kurrajong

Martin Lubrano Head of Junior School

Ainslie Breckenridge

Director

of Primary Curriculum

Sarah Dickson

Director of Early Learning Pre-K – Year 2

Martin Conway

Director of Students Years 3 – 6

Abstract

Learning in Practice 2018 Vol. 2 (1)

© Barker Institute 2019

The Junior School encompasses students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 6. With the completion of Kurrajong, we have been able to bring the Junior School together on one site. Kurrajong is a building for classes in Pre-Kindergarten to Year 1, although Year 2 has moved in for the next twelve months whilst the transition to co-education takes shape. Bringing together Pre-Kindergarten to Year 6 provides a great platform for the Junior School as it takes on the Primary Years’ Program of the International Baccalaureate.

The Prep School was originally established on the southern side of Clarke Road in 2011. At that time, boys were enrolled in a single stream environment that offered places in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2. From 2011 to 2018, the student population grew from just under 40 boys to over 140 boys and girls with the introduction of coeducation in Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten in 2018. Pre-Kindergarten was first introduced in 2016 with a single class, with a second Pre-Kindergarten class being introduced in 2018. At the beginning of 2019, there will be approximately 160 boys and girls in ten classes from PreKindergarten to Year 2.

The students have enjoyed a seamless transition to the new, purpose-designed Kurrajong building on the main campus. The new location provides easy, quick and undercover access to all Junior School facilities, as well as bringing the Senior School areas closer to the youngest students. The main campus location offers variety in teaching and learning environments and there are increased opportunities for connections across the school for both staff and students.

A key determinant in the design of Kurrajong was to provide an environment that was flexible and adaptable, very much in keeping with the Copeland Building enjoyed by classes in Years 3 – 6 since it was opened in 2013. The environment is one of the many factors with an impact on student learning.

It was important to provide a link between the new building and Copeland to provide opportunities for collaboration and ease of movement between teaching and learning spaces. With a ‘Reggio’-inspired focus, Kurrajong links the classroom with other learning spaces building connection, wonder, knowledge and experience for the children. The Reggio Emilia approach is a constructivist pedagogy that places the child at the centre of the learning. It links in well with the inquiry framework of the Primary Years’ Program embraced in the Junior School. Building connections across Pre-Kindergarten to Year 6 and even up into Middle and Senior School is more easily achievable with the entire Junior School on the one campus.

The essential ingredient to inquiry is wonder. Children are born with a sense of wonder and it starts the moment they open their eyes and begin to make sense of the many sights, tastes, sounds and smells around them. As they get older they begin to speak and that sense of wonder is often articulated in one word which they use over and over again… WHY? When these same children first come to school in Kindergarten, they often bring with them this same enthusiasm, quest for answers and wonder. At Barker, it is our job to value their questions and provide them with an environment where they can continue to question the why.

From Pre-Kindergarten to Year 6 at Barker, the PYP provides the framework for us carefully to plan and guide learning experiences that facilitate opportunities for wonder, both inside and outside of the classroom. Inquiry learning is not a random and chaotic approach, it is an approach that guides child-centred learning in which units of inquiry are designed to be meaningful, authentic and differentiated. Students are still explicitly taught specific skills associated with different Key Learning Areas, as these develop and strengthen over time, they are able to apply them confidently within the inquiry process.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) learner profile describes 10 attributes that all learners activate for learning to engage inquiry, wonder, academic achievement and to extend all learners to grow beyond academic success through understanding the development of character and self. The exploration of the learner attributes seeks to engage a commitment to help all members of the school community learn to respect themselves, others and the world around them.

In the Junior School, we have explored the connection between academic care and pastoral care through the teaching and learning of themes to promote connection, belonging, positive relationships and wellbeing. We have challenged all of the members of our learning community to learn how they can activate the attributes of the learner profile for learning, always. Through understanding the attributes of the learner profile, the Barker College Values and the Pillars for Thriving at Barker, we seek to bring the big ideas into a place of personal understanding so that we might accept the challenge to live them out in our thinking, our words and our actions.

Throughout 2018, the students at Barker have thrived academically as they learn through six transdisciplinary units of inquiry. Pre-K has investigated the materials used in structures around the world, Kindergarten explored how actions humans take affect our underwater creatures, Year 1 investigated how pollution can be reduced by recycling, Year 2 wondered who was responsible for clean water, Year 3 discovered the connection between the cause and effect of exploration, Year 4 questioned how push and pull factors can be used effectively to create games, Year 5 used scientific measurement to discover how different variables in a classroom affect learning and Year 6 researched migration and its effects.

These are just a few examples of how our students get to ask the why question and investigate the answers.

There are endless opportunities to build effective, meaningful connections between the Prep students and those in Years 3 – 6. The transition to full coeducation over the next four years will broaden the options and create further opportunities for growth in character and purpose. Kurrajong is the vision realised for early learning at Barker College and adds the missing ingredient that has now established a state-of-the-art Junior School learning environment that will serve the needs of learners into the future.

Professional Development

The College of Teachers:

Coaching within a TLC Context

Learning in Practice 2018 Vol. 2 (1)

© Barker Institute 2019

Dr Greg Cunningham Director of Teacher Development and Accreditation

Abstract

Jan Robertson (2015) highlights the need for a listening, learning school culture that is crucial to the success in developing collegial relationships. Making coaching skills an essential part of a teacher’s repertoire helps build this culture because it promotes not only collegiality but it also develops robust learning in the pursuit of quality teaching and learning.

Coaching conversations develop from shared deep reflection on practice. Given the cut and thrust of school life, it is not always easy to find space and place for these moments of thoughtful tranquillity. The creation of teacher learning communities (TLCs) within the teaching and learning framework at Barker College in 2018 has created an opportunity to extend the reach of coaching at the School. The TLC coaching strand offered teachers who seek to enhance their own practice an appropriate avenue for dialogue and reflection arising from their everyday interactions.

Coaching conversations are just as important in the informal interactions as they are in the more formal goal-setting or appraisal-type sessions. These deep conversations are different to other teaching ‘conversations’ where two people share their own stories, seldom delving into and enquiring further about anything a colleague might say and often creating two completely separate storylines.

Deep learning conversations are most likely to occur when the focus is on one aspect of practice. Drawing on coaches from Barker’s College of Teachers, these conversations involved a coach listening, observing practice and learning by asking their coachee questions and with that other person learning by reflecting on and then articulating and explaining their practice. Coaching relationships within the 2018 TLC coaching strand offered opportunities for reflection and illumination, both for the coach and their coachee. This paper seeks to include reflections from both coaches and coachees on the coaching moments brought about through their involvement in this strand of the TLC.

Deep inquiry and critical reflection on practice provides teachers with opportunities to ask themselves: What do I bring to this practice? What do I still need to learn? What will I try in our work together tomorrow? They may ask these questions silently, or preferably feel

safe to sound out their thinking and questions publicly. When teachers share in this way, everyone involved is a learner:

My coachee and I have met on three different occasions to discuss ideas around teaching and our ways of managing classes, school expectations, etc. and I think that has been really useful to build a rapport and a sense of trust with my coachee. He has offered ideas and come to see a part of one of my lessons and we have had a brief chat afterwards about that.

In education, however, it is the bigger issues and changes affecting teaching that are the most difficult to explore through coaching. This is because they require us to examine our very understanding of what it means to be a teacher in today’s educational climate. Effort to understand and solve complex problems typically causes a potential difference of opinion in our current thinking and it is this dissonance that challenges our values, beliefs and ways of seeing the world. That challenge, though, makes possible our deepest learning and, from there, the biggest changes we are consequently likely to make in terms of our identity and practice as educators.

The deepest learning conversations not only focus on immediate concerns and individual needs but also arise out of deep learning relationships. These relationships are ongoing. They include trust, respect and shared commitment to the study of teaching and learning. They also involve reciprocal learning opportunities. Importantly, they are free of judgement and therefore are a place of safety – a place where it feels secure to reveal hopes and fears:

My experience has been a positive one. I have always appreciated the opportunity of having an observer review my lessons and my experience at Barker has been no different. The discussions between my coach and me have been insightful, honest, frank, constructive and supportive and have all resulted in implementable changes to the way I prepare and/or deliver a lesson. My coach has also been able to provide reading material to support our discussions. This has enabled me to further reflect on our discussions throughout the term.

These relationships are actually partnerships in learning and all that that concept entails. The deeper the relationship is, the more easily our coaching partner can ask us, in a challenging but always supportive way, to question the purposes and goals of our current practice. The collaborative coaching conversation, arising from shared teaching environments, is perhaps a less threatening learning approach for us than larger, group learning forums. Focusing on one aspect of shared practice with a colleague and thoroughly critiquing it in the light of shared goals and desired outcomes, helps us to stand back from our everyday practice and to look more objectively at how our own teaching and learning and, in time, that of others is currently playing out in the educational context of today.

As the level of trust grows within learning relationships and coaching skills develop, colleagues not only feel better able to ask one another the more challenging questions, but are also more willing to share areas needing development. They feel sufficiently safe to move away from covering up any perceived areas of weakness as is too often the case in professional development directed toward improved practice:

I think (hope) both of us have gained from the experience. I have made some observations to my coachee and I have picked up a few ideas that I have tried with my classes. I am keeping a coaching diary which includes the documentation that was given to us, my comments from through the lesson, takeouts for me and reflections from after we have met and discussed post lesson.

The deepest learning occurs when we are encouraged, through courageous, supportive and therefore effective coaching practice, to locate our own areas for development and new learning and to discuss them with coaching partners even when we feel vulnerable doing so.

With regard to vulnerability, power relations or conflicts of purpose such as a coach also being a senior leader or an appraiser, can adversely affect the relationship. But these tensions are not insurmountable if the relationship is sensitively negotiated and understood. Coaches need to be authentic and skilled, socially and emotionally, and our peers can fulfil this role with the right level of support and supervision of coaching practice. Peer coaching and/or collaborative teaching develop greater levels of collegiality, a natural development of which can be group coaching.

A listening, learning school culture is also vital to the success of collegial relationships. Making coaching skills an essential part of teachers’ and leaders’ repertoires helps build this culture because it promotes a virtuous cycle of collegiality and robust learning in the pursuit of quality teaching and learning:

We started off with identifying potential goals to work towards which was helpful. I had plenty I could’ve explored. One of the specific focuses was I wanted to work on my Year 10 class behaviour management methods because that class seemed to respond quite differently to my other classes. We discussed different ways to approach the issue with teaching styles of PowerPoint, worksheet, games, etc. to trial. I also implemented new seating plans and new class rules at the beginning of Term 2. The main gain was exploring the teacher-student relationship and how I viewed that. I had to change my style from Term 1 to Term 2, which wouldn’t have been easy for the students to respond to, but it was necessary. The culmination of that relationship change was when I unfortunately had to give literally more than half my class Friday detentions. (It wasn’t related to in-class behaviour, but rather addressing the apathy towards homework and effort that I believe was fostered in part, from my previously ‘relaxed’ teaching style). It’s important to know the students individually in how to manage behaviour, but there also has to be some element of autocracy in classroom rules and expectations. It’s something I’m sure I will continue to learn and improve for many years.

In any coaching relationship, the ability to listen deeply is just as important as asking the questions that count. Asking without listening and listening without asking does not create dialogue, but rather monologue. True dialogue is what facilitates the change process. Each partner needs to serve as a coach who can take the other beyond the ‘what and the how’ of teaching and leadership practice and into the metacognitive realm of critically thinking about that practice:

The experience has been rewarding. My coach fitted into the classroom easily and naturally. There was nothing awkward about his presence. He interacted with some of my students during the lesson, becoming involved in the lesson in similar ways to them. I have found the discussions which the lessons generated to be thought-provoking and questions; that is why a trusting ongoing learning relationship is so important.

Ultimately, when we’re asked questions that delve deep into our identity of what it means to teach or lead, we come right down to the basis of our depth of accountability to the students we have in our care. The 2018 TLC coaching strand feedback has shown coaches and coachees who are in strong coaching relationships not only feel a strengthening of their moral purpose, but also the agency and courage to act on it.

The ultimate outcome of having deep learning conversations set within deep learning relationships is that teachers tend not only to feel supported, but also have the opportunity to think critically through their current practice with a view to their future practice. With these supports and processes in place, they have the tools and confidence to develop their approaches to education that improve the quality of teaching and learning practice in ways that count.

References

Aas, M & Vavik, M. 2015, ‘Group coaching: a new way of constructing leadership identity?’, School Leadership & Management, vol 10, pp10- 80.

Robertson, J. 2013, ‘Learning leadership’, Leading and Managing, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 54-69.

Robertson, J & Earl, L. 2014, ‘Leadership Learning: Aspiring principals developing the dispositions that count’, Journal of Educational Leadership, Policy and Practice, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 3-17.

Robertson, J. 2015, ‘Deep learning conversations and how coaching relationships can enable them’, Australian Educational Leader, Vol. 37, No. 3, Sep 2015, pp10-15.

Collaborative Professional Learning in the Junior School

Nicky Cameron Year 5 Cordinator

Abstract

Learning in Practice 2018 Vol. 2 (1) © Barker Institute 2019

Schools may be full of good teachers, but many have been accustomed to working alone in silos. Professional development has traditionally focused on the individual teacher seeking growth in a particular area of content or practice with little impact on the school or student learning overall. Research supports collaborative approaches to professional learning as having a significant impact on school improvement. In 2018, Collaborative Professional Learning (CPL) was developed and implemented in the context of Barker College Junior School with all class teachers participating.

Why?

“Collaboration is the new chorus line for innovation and improvement. The OECD strongly promotes it, many teacher unions are behind it and more and more governments see the point in it. The evidence that, in general, professional collaboration benefits students and teachers alike is almost irrefutable. Professional collaboration boosts student achievement, increases teacher retention and enhances the implementation of innovation and change.” (Hargreaves A & O’Connor MT, p.vi, 2017).

It is clear that the current paradigm shift in teacher professional development is no longer that of supporting the acquisition of knowledge and skills, but rather involves teachers playing an active role in the construction and co-construction of professional knowledge. Evidence clearly shows that in order to have a positive impact upon the outcomes of learners, teachers need to engage in a clear and focused process of professional change.

Essentially, teachers need to work together to identify authentic teaching or learning issues that their students face. They subsequently need to work collaboratively and interdependently to identify new ways of solving these issues or problems. Finally, they need to trial and refine new pedagogical approaches before adding them to their own teaching repertoire or suggesting these approaches to others. To enable this to happen in the Junior School, I developed a model known as Collaborative Professional Learning (CPL), drawing upon evidence about effective professional learning to inform its design. CPL contains all of the elements that the research evidence supports, reflecting components of the Lesson Study framework and underpinned by a GROWTH coaching ideology.

All Pre-Kindergarten to Stage 3 teachers were involved in the CPL process in 2018 with a clear purpose: to improve student learning outcomes and develop teaching practice, whereby we can become a community working to achieve a common goal, embedded in inquiry, responsive to feedback and always up for a good argument.

How?

The CPL process involved class teachers working in pairs through a series of steps:

1. identify a student learning need in their class

2. consult research and their own or others’ experience to hypothesise a solution

3. collaboratively develop a lesson or strategy through GROWTH coaching conversations - facilitating, clarifying and deepening each other’s thinking

4. one teacher teaches their lesson while the other observes, focusing on agreed criteria and aspects of student learning

5. swap roles

6. reflect upon and evaluate the lessons

7. share, document and apply new understandings

This form of teacher professional development encourages a learning culture. The 2016 OECD paper identified that a key factor to becoming a Learning Organisation is ‘learning to learn’, the notion of collective responsibility; the sense that all members have a stake in all students’ and each other’s learning, development and success. Our practice should be open to the scrutiny and feedback of others and we should regularly reflect together on how to solve student learning problems, learning how to enhance our practice. Whilst this sounds like an achievable outcome, the OECD findings recognise that teachers need the right conditions and support to make this happen. My aim was to develop these conditions, within the constraints of our busy timetable, as well as the many and varied responsibilities of our classroom teachers.

In the design of the CPL framework, provision of time allocated by the school was essential for collaborative working, collective learning and evaluation. Through the CPL process for each group of teachers, a schedule included staff meeting time allocated to meeting in stage groups, as well as time for teachers to meet within the school day for collaboration and reflection. Teachers were required to find time to observe one another teach the lessons they had planned collaboratively.

Challenges

The problem with collaboration is that it cannot be mandated; people either choose to cultivate their skills and attitudes, or they do not. They may be restricted by limited selfawareness. Regardless, collaboration in the form of CPL offered class teachers a way of ensuring that their professional learning makes a positive difference, where it matters most of all, in the classroom.

As with any initiative, time is indispensable. Success of the model required support from the Junior School executive to dedicate staff meetings and to allocate time within the school day. Whilst this was manageable in the short term, it posed numerous logistical challenges. It also meant that when teachers would ordinarily have been meeting to plan units of work, their focus was on the CPL, thus impacting their workload throughout that term.

Rewards

Hargreaves and O’Connor (2017) argue that collaborative professionalism should be “a culture that permeates the whole school or system, not just a set of meetings or task-driven teams”. It should promote regular, quality feedback; involve everyone and explicitly contribute to improvement. In collaborative professionalism, there is collective responsibility for teachers’ impact on students, so that it becomes about “our” students, not just “my” students. While it is about working together in a professional way, working hard for a good cause, it brings both joy and impact. It makes teaching more engaging and builds our sense of intrinsic motivation as we inspire others and show gratitude for opportunities to work with and learn from one another. Feedback of teachers involved in CPL showed that they valued:

• opportunities to have meaningful conversations about teaching practice

• opportunities to observe and learn from other approaches

• receiving positive feedback from colleagues

• opportunities to take action; to put a thought or idea into practice as opposed to merely thinking about it

• feeling supported and valued

• observing a different year group and appreciating where our students are heading or where they have come from

• taking something unexpected away from the experience that they will apply in their own classroom

• time to stop and ask yourself ‘why?’

Where to next?

Working closely with the College of Teachers to ensure alignment of its goals, I would like to evolve CPL into a more sustainable approach. For this to succeed, it will be essential that the Junior School executive team is involved in the design of the next iteration of collaborative professionalism and that it becomes an integral part of the professional learning strategy moving forward. We will continue to be informed by current research and practice in this area, with 2019 being an opportunity to design and implement a framework that is optimal in our context for evolving a community of expertise and service among teachers, built on collegial solidarity, open, thoughtful feedback and collective responsibility.

References

Hargreaves, A & O’Connor M.T 2017, Collaborative Professionalism, World Innovation Summit for Education, Qatar Foundation.

OECD 2016, What Makes a School a Learning Organisation? A guide for policy makers, school leaders and teachers, viewed 19/11/2018, http://www.oecd.org/education/school/ school-learning-organisation.pdf

Beyond Barker

Service Learning Partnerships

The Barker in Timor-Leste Program

Matthew Lloyd Head of Geography

Abstract

Learning in Practice

2018 Vol. 2 (1)

© Barker Institute 2019

In late September this year, 11 students and two staff went to Timor-Leste to spend some time in communities in and around the capital, Dili. They also spent a weekend at a youth leadership course at Liquica, 45 minutes from Dili. The Rotary Youth Program of Encouragement (RYPEN) was a chance for our students to engage with students their own age from the Liquica district. This was the third year of this service learning partnership between Timorese students and those of Barker College.

Matthew: Elo!

Becora Community: Hi!

Matthew: Hi!

Becora Community: Elo!

Matthew: Botarde. H’au nia naran Matthew Lloyd. H’au maistrie Geography iha Barker College, Sydney, Australia. Obrigadu ba imi nia atensaun. Obrigadu ba h’au iha Timor; ida ne hau mai Dala hat ona iha Timor. Obrigadu. (1)

So began each of the sessions we attended either at one of the four communities we visited or at RYPEN at Liquica. The greetings were of such warmth, that the ice was immediately broken, bonds were forged and we were off and running when it came to our key reasons for being there, creating links and encouraging students from a range of age groups in their pursuit of English language skills.

(FOOTNOTE 1) Hello. Good afternoon. My name is Matthew Lloyd. I teach Geography at Barker College, Sydney, Australia. Thank you for your attention. Thank you for having us in Timor. This is my fourth time in Timor. Thank you.

Service Learning has always been a part of how we do things at Barker. This is due to its potential to enhance student citizenship, to increase communication and reflective practice skills, to develop empathy and to extend student learning beyond the classroom (Bettencourt, 2015 in Walker, 2017). It is an aspect of education that closely aligns with many of the principles of Geography teaching in the 21st Century. Thus, when the opportunity arose to develop a program in Timor-Leste, it was jumped at.

Barker’s program in Timor-Leste has four main components:

1. Fund-raising

2. Learning about Timorese demographics, history and culture

3. RYPEN – a chance to participate in and enhance a residential youth leadership weekend and

4. Community visits – visits to volunteer-run communities in and around Dili and close to the locations selected for RYPEN.

Fund-raising

Barker students and staff sponsor the RYPEN that we attend in Timor. In order to do so, we need to raise circa $5000. Whilst this may seem somewhat of a challenge, the “bang for the buck” is phenomenal. Thus we set to raising funds via cake stalls and a Mufti Day. I am frequently encouraged by the acts of generosity of staff and students. A number of students (some being Barker Timor-Leste Alumni) came up to the cake stalls simply to make a donation, no calories attached. Likewise, a number of staff made generous donations to both the cake stall and Mufti Day. This is very affirming of the program as it illustrates that colleagues value what we set out to do. The pillar of Gratitude is sured up!

Another positive aspect of this year’s fundraising has been the success of the Mufti Day. On past occasions, students have been billed, or worse, many have worn casuals and not paid. Thanks to the efforts of the staff, students were held more accountable this year. This is important, not just for the extra funds raised, vital though that be. More so for the thought processes involved, for the conversations that ensued with regards to Gratitude and the relative wealth that we enjoy and for the concept of holding people responsible. A number of pastoral care staff were dogged in their follow-up of recalcitrant non-payers. I thank them for their efforts.

Left: a welcoming sign as we enter Becora Community, Dili.Right: community members await formalities at Becora.

Learning about Timorese Demographics, History and Culture

Timor has a rich and interesting history and a fascinating culture. The events of its recent history are highly significant in shaping the people. The country is only 17 years old. Almost every family has a member who has disappeared, “Gone to lunch in Jakarta”, been killed or who starved to death during the privations of the Indonesian Occupation. Our students visit Christo Rei, a large statue of Jesus on a significant hill above Dili Harbour, The Museum of Resistance, the Indonesian Gaol, the Portuguese Gaol in Au Pele, the Sparrow Force Memorial at Dare, the Dutch Fort in Maubara, Dili’s Motael Church, the Santa Cruz Cemetery (site of the Santa Cruz Massacre) (2) and Timor-Leste’s only World Heritage Site – Max Stahl’s VHS collection. This year we met Max Stahl. His address to the students, and the questions that followed, were fascinating. We also visited the Australian Embassy to add some Civics to the program. This year we were fortunate to be hosted by the Ambassador, Mr Peter Roberts AM. Here too, his talk to the students, and the questions that followed, were intriguing.

RYPEN (Rotary Youth Program of Encouragement)

This program challenges our students. Many sessions are predominantly in Tetum. It is hot. Some activities are not clearly explained. Some sessions are conducted in a spartan classroom with all participants sitting on the floor. The toilets are squat toilets. It is difficult. However, these challenges when risen to, allow for growth. This year’s student group did a good job of raising their concerns in a respectful and positive fashion. “Respectful discourse” (Heath, 2017, p. 5) ensued. They participated well in the weekend’s activities. Many students listed the experience as a big positive when they evaluated the whole trip. Amongst a number of highlights was when the Timorese participants dressed our students in tais, the native dress, for the Saturday night concert. This was a great honour. Duckworth (2016) writes, “Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is having stamina.” In Liquica, grit was evident in more ways than one! I commend our students for sticking out the trying aspects of the program. Theirs was a very gritty performance.

(FOOTNOTE 2) On November 12, 1991, an estimated 270 East Timorese were massacred at the Santa Cruz cemetery in Dili, by Indonesian troops. The civilians were participating in a funeral precession marking the death of Sebastio Gomez, a young FRETLIN leader who had been killed by the Indonesian military. Footage taken by Max Stahl was smuggled out, changing the World’s view about happenings in East Timor at the time.

Left: Climbing the 585 steps to Christo Rei. Right: At the entrance to Santa Cruz Cemetery.

Community Visits

These are exhilarating experiences for all involved. The trips in to these communities certainly fall into the realm of Exploring New Territories. Typically they start with a gathering and welcome. A tais ceremony is standard. The local cloth, scarf like in appearance, is draped over the visitors’ shoulders and warm welcomes follow. Then the anthem Patria is sung. I wish every Barker student could experience this. The people of a new nation who have struggled, at huge cost, for independence sing their anthem in a manner that is exhilarating to the point of tears. After formalities, and often a bite to eat, everyone breaks into age-based groups. English language games, for example rousing renditions of, “Heads, shoulders, knees and toes” and the reading of basic primers or children’s books that we take, sees a rapid breakdown of any pre-existing barriers. Leaving is a one hour (minimum) process, such is the warmth of the bonds built.

The Benefits of Barker’s Participation in Timor-Leste

Of great concern to me when instituting this program was the fear of being FIFO Voluntourists. I was most concerned that the program be of an on-going value to the people of Timor, not just a feel good experience for some rich Australian kids. Measurement of this was to prove difficult. Some digging by a third party has allayed my fears. Feedback from folks on the ground in Timor has indicated that the program is achieving goals on both sides of the Timor Gap.

First, the Barker students’ participation in the RYPEN conference changes it from being a local event to being an “international” conference. This elevates the conference, making it more prestigious for the Timorese students who graduate. This will hopefully lead to broader job opportunities for RYPEN graduates in the long run or for a greater willingness for family members to financially invest in their education.

Second, the Timorese students have opportunities to improve their English speaking skills. A number of local students seek to spend significant time with Barker students and staff over the course of RYPEN in order to practise and expand their English language speaking. This also will hopefully lead to parents investing in education, particularly for English classes.

Third, varying degrees of effective leadership are modelled as the Australian students are often more confident and extroverted than their Timorese counterparts. Over the three years that the program has run, a number of our students have commented, in a respectful fashion, about the difference in skill levels when it comes to initiative and leadership activities. They comment that attributes and skills that they take for granted are not evident in many of the groups with which they are involved over the course of the weekend. As a consequence, our students express a new gratitude for the level of education that they have received.

Fourth, many leaders in Timor-Leste have historically been removed violently, meaning that the community as a whole is downward looking. Both the Portuguese and Indonesian occupations have left a cultural legacy wherein maintaining a low profile was prudent. As Timorese students interact with the Barker students, both at RYPEN, and also during community visits, there is a boosting of the Timorese students’ confidence.

Fifth, making friends with the Barker students and having international guests makes the Timorese students feel special and important. It helps them feel that their future is important. Both sets of students swap Facebook addresses and the relationships continue well after we are back in Australia. A sense of wonder and pride is expressed when we tell gatherings that we study Timor-Leste in our classes in Australia. They are rather chuffed at this revelation.

Finally, visiting the community projects which the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) graduates have started, elevates the projects in the eyes of the local community because international visitors have come specifically to see their program. There is a boost in the confidence of the organisers which will hopefully lead to additional community engagement and support. An example of this was a community centre in Dili. The area had had a history of gang related issues. The community centre that we visited was set up on the balcony of a local volunteer’s family house. Two (fairly dated) computers had been sourced and a number of RYLA graduates had volunteered their time to engage in a range of activities to upskill various sectors of this community. A drop in the gang crime rate had ensued and was clearly attributable, in part, to the work of the community centre. The pride with which we were shown through the centre was palpable. The simple act of listening and seeing cost us very little. The encouragement to the facilitators was clearly displayed. These folks have an amazing love and drive for their people. Barker students and staff are inspired by their generosity and love for their fellow citizens.

In each of the students’ evaluations, a form of, “I will definitely be more grateful for everything I have in my life in Sydney” was evident. Through service, inquiry and rhetoric gratitude was realised; thus enhancing thriving in Barker and in Timor-Leste.

References

Bettencourt, M., 2015. Supporting Student Learning Outcomes Through Service Learning. Foreign Langauge Annals, 48(3), 473 – 490. Wiley Online Library.

Duckworth, A., 2016. Grit: The Power and Passion of Perseverance, Random House: New York.

Heath, PJ., 2017. Thriving at Barker, Barker Print, Sydney.

Walker, S., 2017. Learning to Lead Through Service: Barker Service Partnerships, Learning in Practice, Vol. 1 (1) Barker Institute: Syd

Art, a Channel to Understanding and Appreciating Culture

Matthew Bentham Visual Arts Teacher Abstract

Learning in Practice 2018 Vol. 2 (1)

© Barker Institute 2019

An artwork can be viewed or more frequently glanced upon, without much of a thought from the spectator, as to what led the artist to create an image, object and a visual response to the world. Read about the passion, investigation and vision of two current student artists from Barker College and recognise the valuable insights they share through their artworks.

Key Terms

Aesthetic

Relating to or characterized by a concern with beauty or good taste (adjective); a particular taste or approach to the visual qualities of an object (noun) (Moma Learning Glossary)

Hegemony

The social, cultural, ideological, or economic influence exerted by a dominant group. (Merriam Webster)

On 21 March this year the Barker Institute hosted a panel with Head of Barker College, Phillip Heath AM, interviewing Rosalie Kunoth-Monks OAM as part of her visit to Barker College with other members of the Anmatjere community from Akaye (Mulga Bore) in the Northern Territory.

Listening to Rosalie was both enlightening and inspiring. She spoke openly about Indigenous issues, her life and her people. As an art teacher, I was very eager to hear about her cultural experiences. I wanted to hear the role art has for Indigenous Australians. Rosalie emphasised that art was more than just creating images to be viewed on a wall. She emphasised that art was not just made for display as it has a much more substantial purpose for Indigenous cultures. While she referred to canvas paintings on stage, it occurred to me how deeply rooted these images seen on top of the painted surface lie. From a Western perspective, we do not see the entire picture or grasp its extensive meaning and significance and the image is much more than just a representation. When viewing an acrylic painting such as Steven Bird’s “Bush Plum Seed” and Akaye Mulga Bore (see image below), I appreciate the artwork for its aesthetic qualities and I attempt to draw meaning from the signs and symbols that are composed as lines and dots and colours, whilst Indigenous people recognise the stories

held within and there is a bank of knowledge that extends to generations well before our time and place. We need to be more considerate in our attempts to engage in developing an understanding for artworks and consider that there is more to the surface than meets the eye. My own presumption is not misguided or unusual. Even curators at the MET lack cultural context and this view and other people’s understanding of Indigenous art can be assumed to be a product of commercialism and Western hegemony (Chunxiao, 2016).

In a not dissimilar way, a large and supportive audience of friends and family attended this year’s HSC Visual Arts exhibition in August. They were treated to a tremendous display of assorted works, images and technical skills. Even though the audience embraced the occasion and supported our young artists, for many the artists’ intentions and personal, cultural insights were mostly overlooked. In reality, friends enjoyed meeting and talking to others, ate delectable canapés and desserts before casting their vote for their favourite artwork in the People’s Choice Award. Like most opening nights at art exhibitions, food and wine flows and the artworks are viewed through a jostling, swarming crowd. Glimpses of paintings on walls and sculptures on plinths are seen for less than a minute or two each! Unfortunately, we the audience, can miss much of the artist’s ideas and intentions. More consideration is needed to appreciate the artist’s intentions and insights. Consider that artworks represent countless hours of investigation, research as well as the completion of numerous preparatory works that lead up to a fully-resolved artwork. In our world of constant distractions, we need to slow down and use our eyes, minds and experience to decode the layers of significant meaning held within artworks. Murphy (1995, p.111) highlights that “instead, we must first understand the questions facing global art and seek out resolutions drawn from our own resources. Diversity is sharing unique cultural resources”.

Visual Arts provides students with the medium and the opportunity for students to develop a greater appreciation of themselves and develop an understanding of events from around the world and beyond the Mint Gates. The Visual Arts’ syllabus highlights that, “Visual Arts acknowledges the need to respect cultural diversity within Australia and in other regions and cultures” (Board of Studies, 2001, p.25). This year, Michael Jones (Year 10 Visual Arts) investigated traces of Australian history and links to his own ancestry through his artwork

Bush Plum Seed (Stephen Bird)

titled, Indelible. Michael combined ceramic sculpture and projected photographs to create his artworks. In this artwork, Michael connected with his cultural history, beliefs, perceptions and views. This is one of Michael’s artworks displayed at Barker during NAIDOC week which proved to be a talking point among students and teachers who viewed it in the Kefford building foyer.

Indelible (Michael Jones, Year 10)

An excerpt from Michael’s artist statement reads as follows:

The purpose of this sculpture is to recognise the rich history of Indigenous culture that has been obscured by the dominating disregard of Captain James Cook and other British colonists. The bust of Cook represents all British colonists whilst the projections depict the art and culture which has been disrupted by their disregarding ways.

This citation provides the in-depth cultural understanding that can be derived from viewing artworks with consideration to the symbology and the layers of meaning constructed in artworks. It also requires the viewer to be willing to cast aside their own aesthetic persuasions and allow themselves to look and thus see more closely.

Liyadhalinymirr Elder Yiiya Guyula said, “We must take our children back to the land”. This statement has significance for artists like Michael in Year 10, but it also has relevance to countless others, because all students need to know where we have come from and exist in the present before they can develop new ideas and be insightful, especially through art. The importance of connections cannot be underestimated. Take Year 11 student, Sophie Whitehead, who created an acrylic painting on canvas, titled, Burn Hollywood Burn. She deeply investigated the #metoo movement and explored the power relationship between the co-founder and film producer from Miramax and actor, Uma Thurman.

Burn Hollywood Burn (Sophie Whitehead, Year 11)

Sophie outlines some of her choices and actions, using sophisticated levels of symbolism in depicting an image that insightfully refers to the many allegations directed towards Harvey Weinstein:

The collage on the left presents old and original Hollywood comic clippings featuring women seen as victims just like Uma Thurman. On the right, I chose to feature images of men and onto the shirt she is wearing, to show their influence and impact on female actors.

Here, you can appreciate the level of knowledge and understanding of the world she has experienced and articulated through this painting.

Both Michael and Sophie and many other student artworks from Year 7 to Year 12 at Barker College refer to their own perspective within a fast-paced world and a globalising culture in flux. Please recognise the valuable insights artists are making to inspire, inform, share, confront and contribute to our community.

I urge you to take a moment during your busy lives to contemplate not only the effort made, but also the vision encapsulated within the artwork. Pay closer attention to the artworks created by your own child. Ask your daughter or son what they were trying to show and communicate and consider that there is more to the surface than meets the eye.

References

Board of Studies, March 2001, Stage 6 Visual Arts Syllabus, p.25 Board Bulletin/Official Notices Vol 10 No 1, Board of Studies NSW, Sydney http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning- areas/ stage-6-creative-arts/visual-arts-syllabus Viewed 16/10/18

Chunxiao, Hang. November 2016, The International Art magazine of Contemporary China LEAP Ink the Void, Modern Media, Shanghai.

Crispin, Judith. May 2018, Yiiya Guyula on Country, Kurdijiapp.wordpress.com https:// kurdijiapp.wordpress.com/2017/05/28/yiiya-guyula-on-country/ Viewed 19/9/18.

Hwang Lynch, Grace. May 16, 2012, The Importance of Art in a Child’s’ Development http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/the-importance-of-art-in-childdevelopment/ Viewed 27/09/18.

Moma Learning Glossary https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/glossary/ Viewed 17/10/18.

Merriam Webster https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hegemony Viewed 17/10/18.

Murphy, Bernice. 1995, Guan Wei Brochure, Sherman Galleries Goodhope, Sherman Galleries, Sydney.

Michael Jones and Sophie Whitehead have permitted me to share their artworks and voices for this essay.

About the Authors

Matthew Bentham teaches Visual Arts to years 7 – 12. He has been teaching at Barker for 14 years and he is enthusiastic in sharing his passion for art and art history in meaningful ways. Matthew is a member of the College of Teachers, where he coaches colleagues who wish to extend their teaching practice, include developing further engaging teaching and learning strategies. One of his goals is to impart in students a life-long appreciation for Visual Arts as it a subject that enhances critical thinking and which is also an appropriate medium to learn from other culture and belief systems.

Dr Greg Cunningham is currently the Director of Teacher Development and Accreditation and the College of Teachers. His PhD investigated the influence of reading on student response to visual texts. He has been a visiting educator in the United States and in the United Kingdom and he has presented papers that consider approaches to teaching and learning, particularly in understanding, pedagogy and teacher professional learning. He has represented the Independent Schools of NSW on the Professional Learning Committee at the NSW Education Standards’ Authority. His interests include English teaching, teacher coaching and professional accreditation. A Fellow of Trinity College of Music London, he has also given organ recitals in London, Sydney and South Africa.

Amanda Eastman is an English and History teacher, but she is passionate about a range of KLAs. This interest has led her to various cross-curricula roles. From 2012 – 2014 she was the Assistant to the Director of Studies, overseeing the implementation of the Australian Curriculum. In 2016 she worked in the Learning Support Department, teaching Fundamentals of English and supporting students with specific learning needs. In 2017, she began working as the Assistant to the Director of the Barker Institute. She has also enjoyed participating in the co-curricular life of the School, having coached Softball and Touch football and been acting CCC of Hockey, Assistant CCC of Snowsports and a Boarding Duty Officer.

Sally Filtness is a Head of Butters House - Senior for Butters and has been a senior pastoral carer at Barker College since 2002. She has a Master’s degree in Technology Teaching and is a Nationally Accredited Highly Accomplished Teacher. She has been a member of the ISTAA Experienced and Highly Accomplished Teacher Assessment Panel and she has written three textbooks on Design and Technology, Stage 4, 5 and 6. Sally is a member of the College of Teachers and is currently finishing off her Doctorate in Education based on Online Learning Resources in the Design and Technology classroom. When not doing all of the above she enjoys playing with her four year old identical twin girls, Zara and Chloe.

Dean Johnston is a Science teacher, specialising in Physics, and recently was appointed as Assistant Coordinator of Science (Stage 4) from 2019. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Physics) and Diploma of Education from Macquarie University. Dean was excited to join the teaching staff in 2017, particularly as he is a former student whose character and intellect was substantially developed by the teaching and guidance he received whilst at Barker. He is passionate about instilling a deeper appreciation of science in young students and is continually seeking ways to challenge the status quo of science education in secondary school.

Dr Matthew Hill is currently Developer of Hearts and Minds Research at Barker College. His PhD promoted the importance of students’ developing representational fluency for learning and communication in order to be able to succeed in science education. He has worked in research, teaching and educational leadership at The University of Sydney and the University Western Sydney, publishing in academic journals related to each of these areas before coming to Barker in 2016. While maintaining a specific interest in physics’ education research, his work now focusses on developing student capacity in thinking, discussion, philosophical reasoning and personal development.

Greg Longney is a teacher of History and the Head of Academic Enrichment and Extension. His Masters of Education (Research) focused on how History teachers understand disciplinary knowledge and how they communicate it to their students. In 2017 Greg has been part of the National Emerging Leaders Program and in 2018 he has worked with a team of staff on the Elevate program to investigate high potential learning at Barker College. Greg continues to teach History from 7-12 and still regards the classroom experience as the most rewarding aspect of his role.

Matthew Lloyd is Head of Geography and Co-curricular Co-ordinator of Surf Life Saving at Barker College where he is teaching for his 18th year. Prior to his time at Barker, Matthew worked in the timber industry and then the Music industry for a promoter and as a manager of a band. He commenced teaching with the Department of Education in the Met SouthWest in 1987. Since then he has taught at Peninsula Anglican Boys’ School, Peninsula Grammar School and St Luke’s Grammar School. Matthew’s family has always had a strong focus on community activities. Instigator of PGS and St Luke’s Bike For Bibles Sydney to Canberra Rides to raise money for global literacy projects, Matthew has been able to turn his attention to service through Surf Life Saving and the Timor-Leste Project at Barker. Matthew has coached Rugby and Basketball, is a Rugby Referee (despite his knees!) and is a member of The College of Teachers at Barker College.

Martin Lubrano – Head of Junior School

Ainslie Breckenridge – Director of Primary Curriculum

Sarah Dickson – Director of Early Learning Pre-K – Year 2

Martin Conway – Director of Students Years 3 – 6

Dr Brad Merrick is currently Director of Research in Learning and the Barker Institute. His PhD examined the influence of motivation and self-regulation on student understanding and learning. He has co-authored several music textbooks combined with scholarly chapters, articles and papers that explore emerging approaches to teaching and learning, most recently in the ‘Oxford Handbook of Music Education’ and ‘The Routledge Companion to Music, Technology and Education’. He is the immediate Past Chair of the National Executive of the Australian Society for Music Education. His passion is examining new research, pedagogy and emerging practice in education.

Andrew Mifsud is an ICT Integrator and music teacher. He is currently researching student perceptions and experiences of secondary school blended learning environments as part of his Doctor of Education studies at The University of Sydney. He has also been involved in a number of action research projects based on social learning sites and he has presented his work at national and international education conferences. Andrew is the NSW Secretary of the Australian Society for Music Education and he is a past recipient of the ASME Music Educating for Life Award for his work promoting professional learning in the music educator community.