Australian Curriculum teaching and learning

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https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/preparing-children-for-life/ Wed, 20 Mar 2019 02:33:21 +0000 http://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/?p=5994

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]]> In the early 19th century, industrialist, philanthropist and educational pioneer, Robert Owen, argued that an education was about preparing children for life. Two centuries on, Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Technology Sydney, Dr Don Carter, reflects on how these views are still evident in education today.

We tend to take for granted key assumptions about education, particularly the way in which we view children and the notion of childhood. Clearly, we love and value our children for many reasons but especially for who they are and what they might grow into. We acknowledge and celebrate their curiosity, innocence and vitality. And our contemporary views on childhood and the nature of the child can be traced back to assumptions about childhood evident over two centuries ago.

Notions of play, experimentation and explicit teaching have a long history in education. If we look at the 18th century, we can see a watershed in the fashioning of new, more modern attitudes to childhood, with education moving away from a religious, civic and institution-based regime to one that was more secularised, civil, social and experiential. Influential during this period was Genevan philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) and English philosopher John Locke (1632-1704). Rousseau’s conceptualisation of childhood centred on the status of the child being elevated to that of a person, a specific class of being with needs and desires and even individual rights, with the importance of independent thinking from an early age at the forefront, while Locke’s view of childhood held that the child’s natural state was a ‘tabula rasa’, founded on the hypothesis that all knowledge is acquired through sensory experience.

While specific notions of childhood had their advocates, the child as the source of uncorrupted wisdom and harmony that was both redemptive and healing for the adult was promoted through the poetry of William Wordsworth (1770-1850) who celebrated the transcendent and transfigured archetypal child and exerted a profound influence on philosophies of childhood and education during the Romantic period.

In fact, a version of the acclamation of childhood found expression in Scotland at the village of New Lanark, southeast of Glasgow, in 1776.
Established by David Dale (1739-1806), the village and factories were further developed by his son-in-law, Robert Owen (1771-1858) who established a school for the children of his mill workers. Here, Owen promoted a view that an effective education had to connect with children and their interests and like Rousseau, highlighted the significance of infancy and early childhood, emphasising these as the basis of a healthy and positive adulthood.

Influential in Owen’s thinking was the educational practice of Johann Pestalozzi (1746-1827). Owen visited Pestalozzi’s school at Yverdun in Switzerland in 1818 and was impressed with Pestalozzi’s approach. Here, children were engaged through ‘sense impressions’ where they examined the shapes and varieties of different objects and then named and interpreted these objects. Pestalozzi developed carefully graded lessons requiring children to move from the simple to the complex through the examination of minerals, animals, plants and human-made artefacts, emphasising natural science and geography. Children explored the local countryside, noting topography, flora and fauna and investigated issues and features of interest.

Owen set out his principles in A New View of Society (1813), a treatise heavily influenced by Enlightenment thinking where he consequently set about shortening the hours of his mill workers, repairing their houses and cleaning the streets of the village. In addition, he ensured that company stores stocked high quality goods to be sold at cost and children under the age of 10 were taken out of the factories and enrolled in the local school. And it was at this school that children were treated kindly and learned not through memorisation, but through the study of natural objects from the local woods, engaged in song and dance as well as precision drills and movements. As a result, the New Lanark site and school became an international phenomenon, attracting 20,000 visitors between 1815 and 1825.
More specifically, and during this era where usual educational practice often emphasised the rote learning of facts, Owen argued education was preparation for life, the development of character and the equipping of children to be able to think critically about information presented to them, rather than mere memorisation. He advocated education for the child from an early age with the teacher acting as a nurturer, to ensure that learning was as enjoyable and rewarding as possible.

Many of the sentiments evident in Owen’s era carried over into the 1905 NSW primary schools syllabus. In this syllabus, the interests of children were to be the basis of lessons; sense impressions appeared as Nature Knowledge where children observed the “nature of school surroundings” including “plant and animal life within reach of the children’s opportunities”. The development of character was expressed as “upright conduct” and “moral obligations… to the family, to society, and to the State”.

And more recently, the Australian Curriculum aims for children to “make informed decisions and act responsibly”, emphasising that “appreciation of the world is provided through exploratory, analytical and creative practices”. In addition, our national curriculum says that children’s “desire to make sense of the world provides a platform to plan and review their learning through interactions with others, experimentation, scaffolding, explicit teaching, practice and play in the classroom and beyond”. And the Melbourne Declaration Educational Goals for Young Australians (2008) aims to ensure that children “act with moral and ethical integrity” and “(be) prepared for their potential life roles as family, community and workforce members”.

Our valorisation of childhood in educational thinking can be traced back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries and we can certainly assign Robert Owen in Scotland as one of the pioneers whose work provided a strong educational inheritance still evident in curriculum today.

Dr Don Carter is senior lecturer in Education at the University of Technology Sydney. He has a PhD, Master of Education (Honours), Master of Education (Curriculum), Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma of Education. Dr Carter is a former Inspector, English at the NSW curriculum authority and led a range of projects including the English K-10 Syllabus. His research interests include the effects of standardised testing, literacy pedagogies and curriculum theory and history. Dr Carter has published extensively on a range of issues including curriculum reform, English education and standardised testing.

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https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/language-encounters/ Mon, 21 Jan 2019 00:29:16 +0000 http://localhost:8888/EducationMattersJan19/?p=5517 Senior lecturer in Education at the University of Technology Sydney, Dr Don Carter, examines the role that children’s rhymes and poetry play in their language development.

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]]> Senior lecturer in Education at the University of Technology Sydney, Dr Don Carter, examines the role that children’s rhymes and poetry play in their language development.

Maybe I’m old fashioned, but aren’t there lessons to be learnt from the past? And in education, shouldn’t we always be looking to draw on previous experience to inform the present and help shape our plans for the future? And here, I’m thinking of a seminal research project published in the 1950s which investigated oral traditions amongst schoolchildren throughout the United Kingdom.

Conducted by the English folklorists, Peter and Iona Opie and documented in their 1959 work The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren, the project surveyed and interviewed some 5000 children in 70 schools across England, Scotland, Wales and Dublin about the patterns of oral language demonstrated by these children. The Opies found that children use oral language in the form of rhymes such as nonsense, satirical and playground rhymes; street jeers; riddles; tongue twisters; parodies; puns and joke rhymes for different purposes and effects.

The point I am making is that children learn about language by using language in contexts that are not only authentic and purposeful to them but are also often fun. And while we seem to be testing the daylights out of our children via the NAPLAN regime, in-school assessments and arguing about how we should teach and assess reading, we are forgetting that one of the most valuable resources for language development are children’s rhymes. And again, at the risk of sounding old fashioned, poetry. But first, back to the Opies.

Their research reported that oral rhymes fall into two broad categories, the first of which is those rhymes which are important in the regulation of games and relationships; and the second category, rhymes that act as expressions of exuberance. Children similarly develop a sense of belonging and security by joining in songs, chants and rhymes peculiar to groups such as boy scouts and girl guides.

The Opies also concluded that children use language – in the forms of rhymes – for a variety of purposes including the managing of confronting topics such as death and illness; having the last word; exploring vulgar topics; and developing a repertoire of quick-fire responses as they learn to be adept with the language because as the report asserted, “Schoolchildren, constantly fending for themselves amongst their fellows, acquire an armoury of ready responses.”

Their research, in my view, still resonates. Think about when you were young. Most of us are wordsmiths of a sort from an early age, chanting rhymes as we learn how to use language, reciting nursery rhymes, substituting and changing rhyming words to make our friends laugh or to be naughty. This was our introduction to poetry in an informal but fun way, the perfect lead-in for teachers who use rhymes and poetic forms to expose children to structures and forms of language and to teach them about how language works.

Learning to use language in a fun way through rhymes and rhythm provides a platform for the more formal study of poetry. Then to develop the student’s ability to use language in a concentrated and distilled manner – as required by poetry – is the next step. Perhaps in this digital age some might see the study of poetry as archaic but encouragingly, the popularity of slam poetry is on the rise clearly showing young people’s interest in exploring a range of social and personal issues through creative and exciting use of the English language.

Primary school teachers in particular know the benefits of children playing with language through nursery rhymes, chants and oral games. And the Australian Curriculum, for example, requires that Year 1 students need to “listen to, recite and perform poems, chants, rhymes and songs, imitating and inventing sound patterns including alliteration and rhyme.” Similarly, the NSW English syllabus, in the development of phonemic knowledge for kindergarten children, requires students to join in rhymes and chants as well as recognise rhymes, syllables and phonemes in spoken words.

And from these innocent and playful uses of language, teachers are able to build the critical capacities of students to not only use language effectively but also to identify how language is being used for a variety of purposes, including how it is used to manipulate behaviour and attitudes.

The development of student critical capacities was the focus of a recent research study in the United Kingdom released in June this year. Over a period of nine months in 2017, the ‘Commission on Fake News and the Teaching of Critical Literacy Skills in Schools’ surveyed over 2200 school students and 400 teachers to “explore the impact of fake news on young people in the UK” and to identify the approaches that support the teaching of critical literacy skills in schools. Amongst a series of findings, the project revealed that half of the students surveyed are worried they don’t have the skills to spot fake news and nearly two-thirds of their teachers believe that fake news is increasing student levels of anxiety, damaging self-esteem and distorting the world view of students.

Such findings not only require the analysis and critiquing of digital media platforms but also require the investigation of how language can influence and potentially skew attitudes, beliefs and behaviour.

So, once again – at the risk of sounding old fashioned, it’s worth identifying all the opportunities that engage children in meaningful language encounters. And it’s worth parents sparking family discussions around the dinner table to discuss the day’s events, for example. It’s also worth asking their children to put the laptops, iPhones or tablets away (as well as those of the parents) and play word games, recite jokes and limericks at home, in the car – in any context. And it will be worth it when children are able to activate their informed and highly developed critical capacities when inevitably they are confronted with misleading and spurious information.

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https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/promoting-healthy-relationships/ Tue, 15 Jan 2019 02:30:01 +0000 http://localhost:8888/EducationMattersJan19/?p=5553 A new teaching resource aims to educate young people about many of the topical issues they want addressed, but often feel too uncomfortable to ask.

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]]> A new teaching resource aims to educate young people about many of the topical issues they want addressed, but often feel too uncomfortable to ask.

From sexting to mental health, friendships to equality, Rosie in the Classroom is a series of lesson plans and education modules, launched in June 2018. It aims to fill a gap in secondary school education by helping teachers to talk about difficult topics with their students.

“Rosie in the Classroom is about resilience and respect,” says Executive Director of the Victorian Women’s Trust, Mary Crooks AO. “It is a way in which to address the triggers of violence against women by addressing it really early on and educating young people around respectful relationships.”

She points to the Royal Commission into Family Violence report that was released in 2016. “It showed a connection between low-level everyday violence such as cat calling, to violence against women. So I think Rosie in the Classroom is very important as it addresses these issues. It’s about how to have a healthy relationship, how to be respectful and how to look after yourself. It is about young people being able to form a sense of wellbeing and look after themselves.”

Rosie in the Classroom is an addition to Rosie (Rosie.org.au), created in 2014 as an online resource targeted towards girls and young women. Rosie is the flagship initiative of the Dugdale Trust for Women & Girls, a national harm-prevention organisation, of which the Victorian Women’s Trust is Trustee. Comprised of hundreds of articles, videos and blogs, Rosie was designed by staff members, Ally Oliver-Perham and Georgie Proud. It is named after the famous World War II poster known as Rosie the Riveter, which features the slogan “We can do it!” Now commonly seen as an icon of feminism, the poster represented the women who worked at the factories and shipyards during World War II – many of whom produced war supplies – replacing the men who had been sent to war.

Ms Crooks AO has been leading the Victorian Women’s Trust for over two decades, and in that time has advocated for innovative community approaches for improving the status of Australian women and girls. In 2005, the Victorian Women’s Trust developed Be the Hero!, an online respectful relationships program aimed at teenage boys, in consultation with Northcote High School students. It has also looked at ways of building the capacity and resilience of young women by other means too – in 2010, the Victorian Women’s Trust funded and implemented the hugely successful speech and debating competition for Year 9 girls, Vida’s Voices.

In more recent years, the Trust’s focus has moved to curating online resources for young people, recognising that much of the information available is riddled with misinformation and rarely written with the best interests of teenagers. Coupled with the fact that young people are looking online for answers to their more difficult questions, and a rapid increase in social media use among younger generations, Ms Crooks felt it was time for the Trust to act.

She asserts that although the ways in which students use technology and social media have had an impact on the issues faced by the young women of today, many of the underlying problems have remained unchanged. “In some ways, many of the issues are universal. I often have quiet moments of reflection where I realise that young women today are dealing with many of the same issues I dealt with at high school. Objectification of women and girls, and being treated as a sexual object is still happening today.

“Although those things haven’t changed, the huge difference is in the way students use technology. As an example, easy access to pornography has had a big impact on how young people perceive a healthy relationship to function. I think there have been some significant impacts as a result of that. There are some practical things that are really disturbing such as an increase in inquiries about labiaplasty, because young people think that it’s normal for a vagina to look a certain way. This has an impact on young women’s relationships, and that is not only confined to heterosexual relationships. There is also the depiction of power relationships through pornography, where women are having things done to them rather being an active participant. It normalises violence.”

Ms Crooks adds that the proliferation of images online that depict women in a certain way has been heightened by image-focussed social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat. “This is something women are having to deal with today that they weren’t dealing with even as recently as 10 years ago,” she says.

“But although technology heightens many of the issues that were already there, I think access to technology has been a positive thing for women too, as it makes resources readily available. Something like the Rosie website offers a whole world of resources for young women.”

Ms Crooks believes Rosie in the Classroom contributes to what was a critical gap for students. “Last year was the first year that the Victorian Government launched the Respectful Relationships curriculum, and Rosie works beautifully alongside it. From my discussions with educators, depending what school you went to, you might get a little bit of information about the sorts of issues faced by young people, and in particular young women, but up until the past year or so, specific education about healthy relationships and looking after yourself was missing. This set of resources is really important because it is freely available online for teachers and it’s very easy to use. We know that teachers are often time poor, which is why we create resources that are ready to be implemented in the classroom,” she says.

Though Rosie in the Classroom has been written and designed for students from Years 7-10, Ms Crooks believes its appeal stretches much further. “There is no reason why it can’t be used during VCE too, especially the classes on meditation and yoga.”

The series includes seven flexible education modules that can be incorporated into a wide variety of subjects – from pastoral care and health, to English and Humanities classes. “One of the key aspects of Rosie in the Classroom was to ensure it was quite flexible in terms of where it can be used and where it can fit in,” adds Ms Crooks. “Any skillful educator would be able to clearly see the variety of ways these lesson plans can be incorporated into the curriculum.”

According to Ms Crooks, the benefits of Rosie in the Classroom extend far beyond each of the individual lesson plans. “These resources enable honest dialogue with young people, helping them to build the skills and capacities for transitioning to adulthood with greater ease.”

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https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/exploring-australias-democratic-freedoms/ Tue, 08 Jan 2019 02:04:48 +0000 http://localhost:8888/EducationMattersJan19/?p=5545 Offering engaging, interactive lessons for secondary students across Australia, a new online educational resource allows teachers to explore the nation’s democratic freedoms with their classes.

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]]> Offering engaging, interactive lessons for secondary students across Australia, a new online educational resource allows teachers to explore the nation’s democratic freedoms with their classes.

Created through a partnership between education not-for-profit Cool Australia and the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), The Story of Our Rights and Freedoms is linked to the Australian Curriculum.

Cool Australia helps teachers find fun ways to critically engage, involve and switch on young Australians to learn for life. The organisation offers 1200-plus free online lessons as well as 40-plus affordable professional development courses for early learning, primary and secondary educators.

Head of Education, Chris Vella, said the 18-lesson unit for Years 7-10 will broaden students’ understanding of democracy and its function throughout history with captivating curriculum for history, and civics and citizenship classes.

“Students need a deep understanding of democracy if they are to become active and informed citizens. All the lessons include videos and activities about human rights with a focus on relevant legislation and particular issues that affect people both locally and internationally,” he explained.

Cool Australia first teamed up with the AHRC in 2016 to launch Magna Carta – primary and secondary lessons exploring the evolution of democratic ideas and principles stemming from the Magna Carta.

“This experience showed us that teachers and students are hungry for more engaging content in this area,” Mr Vella says. “We strengthened this partnership and have worked together to create another 18 free lessons that explore key features of the Australian government, and how those systems act to protect the rights and freedoms of all Australians.”

The launch of the Story of Our Rights and Freedoms coincides with the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the defining document for human rights in the modern age.

AHRC President, Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AO, says education has the power to bring about positive change in communities across Australia. “Our newest series of resources, developed in partnership with the curriculum experts at Cool Australia, will support Australian teachers and students to deepen their understanding of the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and some of the other core elements that underpin the protection of our rights and freedoms in Australia today.”
The Story of Our Rights and Freedoms package is organised into units for each year level.

Year 7 lessons explore key features of our government, and how those systems act to protect the rights and freedoms of all Australians. The lesson Constitutional Referendum in Action makes connections between the referendum process and our rights and freedoms. Students role play the constitutional process from the moment a citizen raises a concern, through to voting ‘yes’ or ‘no’ in a referendum.

For Year 8 classes, students look at the rights of citizens and how we can actively and responsibly participate in democracy. The lesson Democratic Dissent considers the democratic right to vote, and what it feels like to be excluded from it. Students work in groups to research Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and women – two groups that struggled for the right to vote.

The Year 9 lessons examine systems of government and how our rights and freedoms are enshrined within them. In the lesson Understanding Conciliation, students consider what discrimination is and how it can be addressed. They look at discrimination case studies and explore situations where conciliation could be effective.

Year 10 classes explore the transformation of the world throughout the 20th century, with a focus on the demand for and realisation of rights and freedoms. The lesson Struggle for Rights and Freedoms Around the World focuses on the African American civil rights movement. Students organise key events within the USA civil rights movement into chronological order. They research significant figures and create exhibits for a class gallery walk.

During the lesson The Struggle for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Rights and Freedoms, students engage in a Socratic Seminar to discuss the influence of Charles Perkins on the struggle for rights. They also research the events that prompted the National Apology to the Stolen Generations.

The Story of Our Rights and Freedoms lessons are built with accessibility in mind and are compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0.

Like all Cool Australia lessons, this package builds 21st century skills to help young people to connect and contribute to an ever-changing world.

The lessons develop critical thinking, empathy, team work and cultural understanding. Importantly, students are taught to consider how their decisions impact on other people.

“Each lesson involves a range of dynamic activities that encourage students to communicate, collaborate, and take initiative to become more engaged citizens,” added Mr Vella. “The aim is for students to develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills to apply human rights in everyday life.”

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https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/curriculum-based-active-education-program/ Mon, 20 Aug 2018 01:29:47 +0000 http://localhost:8888/EducationMattersJan19/?p=5167 An adventure park in South Australia has launched an outdoor educational program that aims to highlight the mental and physical benefits of being outside to students.

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]]> Mega Adventure Aerial Park in South Australia has launched an outdoor educational program that aims to highlight the mental and physical benefits of being outside to students.

The curriculum-based outdoor program helps to get students active and encourages them to conquer their fears in a safe but challenging environment.

“Students learn transferable life skills through team building games, exercise, physical activity and exposure to unique emotional and social scenarios. Teachers should consider less homework time and more active time to enhance a child’s development,” said Stephen Grundy, General Manager of Mega Adventure Aerial Park.

He added that active learning is also a great way to get students away from devices. He highlighted a poll conducted by The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, in June 2017, which found Australian children aged 13 to 18 are spending an average of 43.6 hours a week behind screen devices.

“This is unacceptable,” Mr Grundy said. “It’s more than full time working hours for an adult. Over a third of children are spending excessive periods of time on social media, watching TV and playing video games and parents are concerned about the impact that will have.”

Mega Adventure has incorporated a range of activities that aim to provide tangible learning outcomes that encourage kids to take a break from screens.

The educational programs are in conjunction with the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER) learning outcomes for students from Year 6 through to Year 12.

Operations Manager, Rebecca Jarvis works closely with Adelaide schools to tailor the programs accordingly to maximise student’s learning and development on the day.

“It’s a great feeling seeing students coming to our park and working with their classmates as well as learning to take risks in a safe environment. Our programs are teaching kids valuable life skills and we get the gratification of seeing them leave Mega Adventure with a new found confidence to step out of their comfort zones,” Ms Jarvis said.

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https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/encouraging-engagement/ Thu, 21 Jun 2018 06:01:48 +0000 http://localhost:8888/EducationMattersJan19/?p=5007 With growing concern about engagement levels of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects by Australian students, Russell Tytler explores gaps in the curriculum.

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]]> Amid growing concern over the past decade about the levels of engagement with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects by Australian students, Deakin University’s Russell Tytler explores gaps in the STEM curriculum.

The fact that Australia has been slipping down the rankings in international testing such as PISA and TIMSS (Thomson, 2016) has given bite to these concerns, alongside figures showing decreasing participation in post-compulsory physical Science and Mathematics (Marginson et al., 2014). There is also a projected shortfall of the STEM skills needed to create and maintain wealth in a modern society. The concerns are therefore a real-world problem.

There are however cogent reasons, beyond the economics, for being concerned about students becoming disengaged with Mathematics and Science. They are major systems of thought that underpin many of the skills and understandings needed to function as literate citizens in contemporary society.

The problem-solving capabilities, critical reasoning and questioning that underpin the pursuit of understanding the natural world are of value not just in scientific research and development, but in many occupations and in everyday life. So what can we do better to engage students in quality Science thinking?

Resolving systemic problems

At a system level, primary Science has always suffered, along with other curriculum areas, as a poor cousin to literacy and numeracy as fundamental concerns.

This has meant that time devoted to Science has traditionally been well below that recommended (Crook & Wilson, 2015). It has meant that often, Science has been ‘integrated out’ of the curriculum. A lack of teacher enthusiasm for Science is commonly held to be due to a lack of confidence and competence, with few primary teachers having strong Science backgrounds or a “feeling” for Science.

So how can we support teachers to recognise the value of Science for children’s developing thinking, and the richness of learning associated with the subject? There is evidence that primary science teachers focus on exploratory activities that work (Appleton, 2002), but tend to stop short of orchestrating the deeper levels of reasoning and understanding that really engage children with the literacies of Science. This involves experimenting, modelling, discussion, and explanatory writing (Skamp & Peers, 2012).

More resources and support needed

Teachers need adequate resources and substantial support to foster engagement in the subject. This means modelling classroom pedagogies that engage students in substantial investigation, discussion and representation.

Over a number of projects, we have found students have the appropriate tools to learn when there is a Science leader/enthusiast in the school, trained to support teachers to plan and implement coherent learning sequences.

Research into the actions of these specialists in establishing Science as a school priority shows that the pathway to success is not straightforward, with schools harnessing a range of strategies to bring teachers on board. For many schools, the adoption of Primary Connections curriculum resources provided the impetus for planning a more comprehensive program. For some, this was a first step following which they injected their own contexts and sequences into the curriculum. Often the specialist began by taking Science lessons, then gradually withdrawing to a modelling and planning support role. Some schools built a renewed Science program around special projects, such as the monitoring and modification of local wetlands, or around special events such as family Science nights, or competitions. For some, links with local scientists or industries provided the necessary support, as well as the role-modelling of scientific processes (Tytler, Symington & Smith, 2011; Cripps Clark, Tytler, & Symington, 2014; Tytler et al., 2015).

Schools that established sustainable practices invariably had strong support from the leadership team. As a result, many schools are self-proclaimed STEM schools, with leadership driving the development of a vision that encompasses strong professional learning support for teachers to develop students’ scientific literacy.

Make science a priority

For the past few decades, scientific literacy has been promoted as the most important facet of Science education. It marks a shift from the previous focus of teaching budding Science professionals, to a concern instead for the education of citizens to participate in, understand and make decisions about Science in their lives (Fensham, 1985). The focus has included understanding how Science works to establish knowledge, what scientists do, as well as the knowledge of key concepts.

There have been criticisms of some versions of scientific literacy that emphasise interpretation of science in the media or to inform health decisions – rather than ‘doing’ science. But ‘doing’ has always had a strong place in the curriculum.

It has been argued that Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects have an important role to play in this area, and this underpins the push for the inclusion of engineering/technology design and digital literacies in an authentic-problem-focused STEM curriculum (English, 2016).

In a recent article co-authored in The Conversation (Tytler & Prain, 2017), I argued that the National Assessment Program Science literacy should be expanded to include these critical and creative reasoning elements, to encourage the involvement of students in meaningful problem-solving and imaginative reasoning that reflects the way scientists create knowledge.

Developing literacy in practical terms

In our own research, we have developed a guided inquiry approach to Science that reflects contemporary understandings of the way that scientists collaboratively invent and refine multi-modal representational systems (ie figures, diagrams, visual resources) (Latour, 1999; Nersessian, 2008) to build and apply new knowledge. In this approach (Tytler, Prain, Hubber & Waldrip, 2013), students are strategically challenged to draw, construct models, role play or generate animations to explain phenomena, and then under the guidance of the teacher to discuss and refine these.

We have found that student engagement with the tasks and with ideas is enhanced, teachers attest that class discussion is enriched, and test results show considerable knowledge gains (Tytler & Hubber, 2016).

Underpinning our work is a view of student learning as an induction into the multimodal disciplinary literacies of Science – the ways of speaking, writing and representing that characterise scientific reasoning (Tytler, Prain & Hubber, in press).
Academics from the US, Richard Lehrer and Leona Schauble, have been demonstrating significant learning advantage in primary school Science and Mathematics through children inventing representational systems in a guided classroom environment. An example of their work is a unit on fast plants in which children became absorbed in tracking patterns of growth through representing it visually, and then mathematically.

Challenges

In designing units of work that engage students with the reasoning and idea generation characteristic of Science, I argue that these ‘representational challenges’ are true to the knowledge generation processes of scientists, and the multimodal literacies underpinning scientific thinking. Imaginative work in STEM does not only reside with technology design, but needs to be expressed through the way we challenge students to explore phenomena and generate and negotiate explanations.

Engaging students in authentic instances of thinking and working scientifically may involve them working on real-life problems such as exploring and protecting local environments, evaluating consumer products, working with school gardens, or designing go-carts in an engineering competition.

It can just as well, however, involve them becoming engrossed in exploring intrinsically interesting phenomena and generating representational explanatory systems.

The key is to structure and harness children’s ideas towards genuinely imaginative ends, rather than presenting pre-determined conclusions. Teacher knowledge and expert guidance is key.

Russell Tytler is Alfred Deakin Professor and Chair in Science Education at Deakin University. His research covers student learning and reasoning in Science, and extends to pedagogy and teacher and school change. He researches and writes on student engagement with Science and Mathematics, school-community partnerships and STEM curriculum policy.

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https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/acer-report-addresses-concerns-in-stem-curriculum/ Wed, 23 May 2018 01:11:01 +0000 http://localhost:8888/EducationMattersJan19/?p=4909 According to a new report released by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), an integrated curriculum, early intervention and a stronger teaching workforce are key to reversing Australia’s downward spiral in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching and learning.

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]]> According to a new report released by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), an integrated curriculum, early intervention and a stronger teaching workforce are key to reversing Australia’s downward spiral in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching and learning.

Released on 23 May 2018, the report, Challenges in STEM Learning in Australian Schools, identifies three specific areas in which the school sector has its strongest chance of making a difference to student outcomes in STEM: broadening access to and monitoring of STEM learning, rethinking the STEM curriculum and building the STEM teaching workforce.

Report co-author and ACER’s Director of Research Development and Quality Assurance, Dr Michael Timms, said in order to maximise the limited space for STEM in the crowded school curriculum, there must be a shift from the current focus on discrete learning areas to a modern conceptualisation of STEM as interdisciplinary and constantly evolving.

“Australia’s unbalanced and fragmented STEM curriculum is leading to declining interest among students. An integrated approach that focuses on practices, skills and capabilities, and not just disciplinary knowledge, will create a relevant context in which content can be learned,” Dr Timms explained.

In light of research showing that science achievement gaps begin very early in life, he added that equitable and early access to STEM is vital.

“Students’ opportunity to engage with STEM should not depend on their capacity to pay,” said Dr Timms. “Yet STEM learning is so often packaged as extracurricular activities with inherent barriers to access for less privileged learners. We must invest in creating the same level of engagement and excitement about STEM as part of the standard program in all early childhood centres and schools.”

The report notes that the Australian Government’s Early Learning STEM Australia (ELSA) project is developing play-based STEM programs for preschool children. For older students, the report’s authors recommend the establishment of a greater number of specialised STEM schools, such as the STEM career academy – or ‘school-within-a-school’ model.

In relation to the STEM teaching workforce, the report states that only around one quarter of primary school teachers have a strong background or tertiary qualifications in science or mathematics and, at the secondary level, the relatively small number of STEM specialists tend to teach senior students, leaving students in Years 7–10 to be taught by out-of-field teachers.

“We do not currently have the supply of qualified teachers we need to improve STEM learning,” Dr Timms added. “Incentives to attract people to STEM teaching are one way to address this, but we need better data to understand where in the teacher supply pipeline we might best target such policies, and to gauge the extent to which those policies are working.”

To view the full report, Challenges in STEM Learning in Australian Schools, Policy Insights 7, by Dr Michael Timms, Professor Kathryn Moyle, Dr Paul Weldon and Pru Mitchell, and published by ACER please click here.

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https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/promoting-a-spirit-of-inquiry/ Wed, 07 Feb 2018 00:32:58 +0000 http://localhost:8888/EducationMattersJan19/?p=4560 The Australian Academy of Science is at the forefront of an exciting project that aims to foster student curiosity and …

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]]> The Australian Academy of Science is at the forefront of an exciting project that aims to foster student curiosity and a desire to know why in mathematics, promoting what they refer to as a spirit of inquiry.

In his 2010 speech to young researchers in Mathematics at Cambridge University, renowned mathematician, Fields medallist and Abel Prize winner Sir Michael Atiyah looked back on 60 years of Mathematics. Upon reflection, Atiyah referred to the “views I have seen from the heights” and the “challenges [that] lie ahead for the next generation” (Atiyah, 2010). He suggested there were many more “mountain ranges” to explore in Mathematics, and talked about what motivates mathematicians: understanding, curiosity, exploration and ideas.

These concepts lie at the heart of an exciting new Australian government-funded project, managed by the Australian Academy of Science in collaboration with the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers. The project, reSolve: Maths by Inquiry, produces classroom and professional resources to promote a spirit of inquiry in school Mathematics from Foundation to Year 10. But what is a spirit of inquiry? The reSolve team describes it as a desire to know why an answer has been developed and a curiosity for this, as opposed to simply understanding the methodology behind each individual problem. It will also develop the knowledge and skills of more than 240 teachers across Australia who will become the champions to take the messages of the project out into the world.

THE PROTOCOL

The guiding principles behind the project
 are described in what the reSolve team has
 called the Protocol – a vision for the teaching
 of Mathematics and numeracy that emphasises mathematical purpose, challenge and access, and a collaborative knowledge-building culture. The three principal elements of the Protocol stress that Mathematics is more than covering content, that if we design tasks well, everyone can be part of a rich mathematical experience, and that classrooms are learning environments focused on developing deep understanding.

Here is one example of how the reSolve resources promote a spirit of inquiry in school Mathematics.

ADDITION CHAIN

Addition Chain is an algebra activity aimed at the early years of secondary school. It commences with a “trick” that students are invited to explain. Students write down any two numbers, add them to make a third number, add the third to the second to make the fourth and soon. They complete an Addition Chain 10 numbers long, such as:

5, 7, 12, 19, 31, 50, 81, 131, 212, 343.

They then add the 10 numbers, which in this case is 891. Before they even add the numbers, the teacher can tell them the answer, which is 11 times the seventh number.

The explanation, of course, lies in algebra. If the first two numbers are a and b, the seventh is 5a + 8b, and the sum of the 10 numbers is 55a + 88b.

This is by no means an original activity, and is shown on a number of websites and YouTube clips. But what the reSolve lesson does next is invite students 
to find and explain other relationships, such as if you add six numbers, you get four times the fifth number, or if you add 14 numbers you get 29 times the ninth number. When reSolve developed the activity it looked at the sequence of relationships, which are:

s2 = 1t3

s6 = 4t5

s10 = 11t7

s14 = 29t9

s18 = 76t11

The reSolve team said it had never seen 
these results anywhere, and were curious about 
the sequence of numbers (1, 4, 11, 29, 76). They
typed them into the Online Encyclopaedia of Integer Sequences and found that they are the even numbered terms in the Lucas sequence: 2, 1, 3, 4, 7, 11, 18, 29. The Lucas sequence is an integer sequence named after 19th century mathematician François Édouard Anatole Lucas. reSolve have since managed to
explain why the relationships work and what the link is with the Lucas sequence. Students can start with Mathematics that everyone can do, and then move in a direction that is new and exciting.

THE RESOURCES

reSolve: Maths by Inquiry is developing three types of resources that capture the spirit of inquiry in Maths, exemplify the Protocol and promote fluency, deep understanding, strategic problem solving and mathematical reasoning.

More than 88 exemplary lesson plans will highlight key ideas in every strand of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics, at every year level from Foundation to Year 10. Each lesson plan is carefully designed to develop a progressive understanding through tasks that promote a spirit of inquiry.

The special topics are significant resources that address the needs of 21st century learners. They provide imaginative opportunities for creatively using new technologies in real-world contexts such as coding, modelling and engineering.

The professional resources provide the link between the Protocol and the teaching and learning resources. They are designed to inform individual teacher and whole-school change.

CONCLUSION

The example above captures the spirit of inquiry that reSolve hopes will permeates all its resources.

The resources do not eliminate the need for carefully constructed intentional teaching, nor do they eliminate the need for activities that will sustain the learning.

But like the young mathematicians addressed by Sir Michael Atiyah, through activities such as these, reSolve hopes that students begin to find their own mountain ranges to explore, motivated by understanding, curiosity, exploration and ideas. It hopes that they too, can experience the joy and delight of mathematical discovery.

reSolve invites you and your colleagues to join us in the exciting venture that is reSolve: Maths by Inquiry. Visit our website at www.resolve.edu.au or email us at mbi@science.org.au.

References
Atiyah, M. (2010). A Panoramic View of Mathematics. Retrieved from http://sms.cam.ac.uk/media/753316;jsessioni d=30C071FEDDCBD0EBBE3014FB9797C443
OEIS (2017). Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences. Retreived from https://oeis.org/

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https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/australias-three-dimensional-curriculum/ Tue, 09 Jan 2018 22:28:11 +0000 http://localhost:8888/EducationMattersJan19/?p=4441 ACARA’s Tracy Zilm explains how the Australian curriculum prepares students for a complex and uncertain future.

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]]> ACARA’s Tracy Zilm explains how the Australian curriculum prepares students for a complex and uncertain future.

How well do you remember 2005? Internationally renowned burns specialist Dr Fiona Wood was named Australian of the year, England won the Ashes for the first time since 1987 and a video- sharing website called YouTube was launched.

For the high school graduates of 2017, 2005 also marked the start of their secondary education. The world has changed a great deal since.

Students who began their first year of schooling in 2017 will graduate from high school in 2029. They will enter a workforce full of occupations and opportunities that don’t exist. The education they receive over the next 13 years will need to equip them with the skills to thrive in and shape that unknown future world.

In 2008, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) commenced the development of the latest iteration of the national curriculum for Australia. The process that followed involved thousands of educators drafting, writing, trialling and refining what students were to learn in schools across the country.

Last year, ACARA completed the first iteration of the Australian Curriculum for students in Foundation to Year 10 – the Auslan and Classical Languages curricula. The national web-based curriculum can be accessed by teachers, parents, students and educators across the country and internationally. It sets the expectations of learning for all Australian students, regardless of their location or background.

Countries and organisations around the world are working to design curricula that are deliberate, comprehensive and systematic in supporting and developing young people. The Australian Curriculum, with its three-dimensional structure, is leading the way. A three-dimensional curriculum means that it must be an evolving product. If we accept, as the evidence all around us indicates, that students need to be creative, critical thinkers and responsible citizens who can manage rapid technological and social change, then our curriculum design needs to reflect this and should continue to be updated.

Part of this three-dimensional structure is an understanding that international educators and governments are emphasising 21st century skills as essential to curriculum design. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is one of many international forums leading the exchange of research and ideas, and ACARA is contributing on Australia’s behalf. More than 30 countries around the world are participating in this project to explore curriculum design and its implementation. Key to this is defining the learning priorities and objectives that educators and policymakers must consider during their curriculum development process.

“So how does a national curriculum prepare Australians for a globalised world that is complex, uncertain and volatile?” (Taguma, 2016).

The Australian Curriculum was developed with a three-dimensional approach to learning:
it integrates eight learning areas, seven general capabilities and three cross-curriculum priorities. General capabilities equip students to engage effectively with global, national and local issues. Cross-curriculum priorities give a focus across subjects on priorities critical to Australia’s future. Learning areas focus on the inclusion of staple topics such as English, Science and the Arts.

The Australian Curriculum is both structured and agile. Teachers can adapt its content to the needs of their communities and students. For example, teachers in a regional school community may focus a unit of work on local geography, agriculture, sustainability, and critical and creative thinking.

An inner-city school may focus on the impact of urbanisation on the environment, with a focus on sustainability and personal and social capability, while accessing the same curriculum dimensions.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE AIMS OF THE THREE DIMENSIONS

The learning areas (Mathematics, English, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, Technologies, the Arts, Languages, and Health and Physical Education) are widely recognised as the basis of teaching, learning and timetable structures in schools. Each learning area outlines the knowledge, skills, understandings and values of successful learners, as described in the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians in 2008.

The general capabilities aim to develop the skills of young people to:
• be critical and creative thinkers who are innovative, enterprising and adaptable
• have a strong ethical understanding, and can reason, investigate, evaluate and reflect
• be confident, competent and safe information and communication technology users and creators
• be empathetic, responsible young Australians with intercultural understanding, and respect their own and others’ cultures
• have the personal and social capability to effectively communicate and collaborate, and display resilience and leadership
• be literate and numerate, and be able to develop a deep understanding of subject content

Cross-curriculum priorities include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures, Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia, and Sustainability.

These priorities each give students the tools, values and language to engage with, and better understand, their world. They are developed through learning area content, which specifies what is learned in a topic. Incorporating the priorities in teaching and learning also encourages conversations between students, educators and the wider community.

NAVIGATING THE AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM

ACARA produces a number of online tools and resources to support schools and teachers in engaging with the Australian Curriculum.

ACARA works with schools, industry, and states and territories to develop the ‘curriculum connections’ – resources that demonstrate ways to organise and deliver content in the Australian Curriculum. Resources are available in the areas of consumer and financial literacy, food and fibre, food and wellbeing and outdoor learning. Each curriculum connection has been designed to demonstrate how content can be organised:
• within and across subjects or learning areas
• across one or more of the general capabilities
• across one or more of the cross-curriculum priorities
• to support connected and personalised learning

The Curriculum connections can be accessed at: resources.australiancurriculum.edu.au/curriculum- connections

ACHIEVEMENT STANDARDS AND WORK SAMPLES

From Foundation to Year 10, the Australian Curriculum’s achievement standards show the expected breadth and depth of learning that students should typically demonstrate by a particular age or stage. The achievement standards are accompanied by portfolios of student work that illustrate this, allowing educators to make judgements about whether students have achieved the standard.

Schools can use these work samples as a basis for moderation conversations or professional learning activities. Work samples contribute to a shared understanding of standards, and build consistency and confidence in making judgements about students’ progress and performance. When teachers have a solid understanding of the design and intent of achievement standards they can make connections to the other dimensions of the curriculum.

The student work samples can be accessed at: resources.australiancurriculum.edu.au/worksamples

STEM CONNECTIONS

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education has recently become the focus of considerable political, industry and media commentary in Australia and overseas. ACARA’s STEM Connections project presents a cross-disciplinary approach to the teaching of STEM subjects. The resources illustrate how schools can increase student interest in STEM-related learning, while improving students’ problem-solving and critical analysis skills. They are another demonstration of how the three dimensions of the Australian Curriculum work together.

STEM illustrations of practice explore the experiences of five Australian schools and can be accessed at: resources.australiancurriculum.edu.au/ stem/

ILLUSTRATIONS OF PRACTICE

ACARA has developed illustrations of practice to support the implementation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross- curriculum priority. The illustrations of practice have been gathered from a diverse group of Australian schools that have shared their stories of innovation and inclusion. Illustrations of practice cover a range of learning areas such as Science, Work Studies, HASS and Technologies, demonstrating how the three dimensions of the Australian Curriculum can work together in any classroom setting. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student enrolment varies across the schools. Educators can be inspired by the creative and effective approaches used by these schools.

DIFFERENTIATING THE 3D CURRICULUM FOR ALL STUDENTS

Student Diversity materials guide school leaders and teachers on how they can use the three-dimensional design to differentiate curriculum for all students.

Teachers are guided by a flow chart which outlines the process for personalising learning for all students. Additional advice is available to help teachers plan programs for students with disability, gifted and talented students, as well as English as a second language students.

Illustrations of practice show authentic examples of how schools are using the exible design of the Australian Curriculum to meet the diverse learning needs of students.

While the world was a vastly different place in 2005, ACARA’s development of the Australian Curriculum as a multifaceted and exible framework will remain relevant for decades to come. The design of the curriculum ensures that teachers and students can understand, adapt to and take action within the ever-changing reality of their lives, regardless of whether YouTube remains in the fold.

REFERENCES:
ACARA. (2012). Curriculum Development Process, Version 6. Sydney: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. ACARA. (2012). The Shape of the Australian Curriculum version 4. Sydney: Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).
ACARA. (2013). Curriculum Design Paper v3.1. Sydney: ACARA.
Ministerial Council for Education, E. C. (2008). Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. Canberrra: MCEECDYA.
OECD. (2013). Synergies for Better Learning, an International Perspective on Evaluation and Assessment. Paris: OECD publishing. Taguma, M. &. (2016). E2030 Conceptual Framework: Key competencies for 2030 (DeSeCo 2.0). Paris: OECD, Directorate for Education and Skills.

Tracy Zilm is the Curriculum Specialist, Health and Physical Education, at the Australian, Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. She manages ongoing development, monitoring, research and stakeholder engagement in order to support the implementation and enhance the effectiveness of the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education.

Tracy has more than 40 years’ experience within a variety of settings and leadership roles across Australia and overseas. She has taught in city and country high schools, held a national leadership role with MindMatters (the national mental health in schools initiative) and lectured at universities and tertiary institutions in South Australia and England. She has spent years developing, presenting and monitoring professional development tools and training activities that encourage educators, school communities and other organisations to re ect on and plan how they support learning.

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https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/achieving-the-light-bulb-moment/ Wed, 13 Dec 2017 00:52:18 +0000 http://localhost:8888/EducationMattersJan19/?p=4377 Queensland’s Redcliffe State High School has significantly lifted student interest and results in Mathematics through a unique learning model.

The post Achieving the ‘light bulb’ moment appeared first on Education Matters Magazine.

]]> One of the rewards of being a Mathematics teacher is seeing that “light bulb moment”, as students finally begin to understand a problem.

That’s according to Michelle Fry, Acting Head of Department Mathematics at Redcliffe State High School, who is championing the Maths Pathway teaching and learning model at the Queensland school. The hands-on program has led to a dramatic increase in enthusiasm in Mathematics across the school, Michelle explains, with the journey beginning last year.

Michelle says that she and numeracy coach Lauren Martin-Gaskell were looking for a Mathematics program that centred on targeted learning and instruction, collaborative group work and one-on-one feedback.

As part of her role on the Head of Department discussion group, Michelle was invited by Maths Pathway founder Justin Matthys to hear about the program. The discovery led Michelle and Lauren to participate in an engaging two-day presentation last year, where they learnt about the program’s tailored and personalised approach to Mathematics.

The model means that students can work at their own pace, whether they are advanced, behind, or on par for their year level, unleashing their full potential. Maths Pathway caters to each student’s individual level by identifying their knowledge, as well as any gaps in their learning, across the F-10 curriculum. No assumptions are made of student knowledge based on their age, meaning a Year 5 student could be learning Year 10 algebra. Diagnostic, formative and summative assessments provide data that feeds into an online platform, which provides students with work in their zone of proximal development.

When you consider the classic learning model, and the way many of us were educated, teachers have typically been required to teach all students the same curriculum level content.

For years, standardised testing and whole-class lectures have been the norm for most Australian students. The outcomes of this approach can create major obstacles to progress.

Maths Pathway is driven by the belief that all students should be able to learn Maths in a way that allows them to thrive. Through its program, student learning is supported with content tailored to the Australian and state curriculums and a model which encourages independent learning alongside peer collaboration.

Students complete fortnightly tests to check in with their progress and as they demonstrate mastery of the concepts, the content that they are ready for next is automatically generated for each student.

Phillip Morrison, Maths teacher at Redcliffe State High School, is pleased with the results.

“The biggest challenge with being a teacher is manipulating the curriculum so each student identifies with it and they can all engage and learn,” Phillip says.

“In the past, understanding the knowledge your students have on what you are teaching was sometimes like guesswork.

“With Maths for example, if you’re teaching Year 7 fractions and the student has missed something in Year 5 or 6, you often don’t know at what point they stopped understanding. Was it multiplication tables or highest common factor?

“I then had to differentiate for them so they understand it, all the while making it harder for those at a different level.”

Michelle says the state high school, of more than 1300 Year 7-12 students, introduced Maths Pathway in 2016. Before Maths Pathway, students were placed into groups based on their individual capability.

She explains that Maths Pathway’s focus on personalised tests has been key to each student’s personal development. The regular assessment enables teachers to obtain instant data on each student and allows teachers to plan more effectively for individual learning needs.

She says this would otherwise have been difficult, and not to mention time consuming, in a traditional classroom setting.

“Maths Pathway is an incredible program. It is designed in a way for a student to achieve success at their level. The curriculum is so large and there’s so many iterations but Maths Pathway has it all there,” Michelle says.

Maths Pathway has documented high results in its 2016 Impact Report, which found that Year 7 students grew an average of 218 per cent faster than they were before they started using the program.

Maths Pathway attributes this to an individualised learning platform that allows teachers to know exactly how their students are understanding and learning their lessons.

After students have completed a diagnostic test, the program creates modules to build on their knowledge and fill in any gaps in their learning. Michelle says that because teachers are aware of the levels and growth rates of each of their students, they are able to provide informed, targeted feedback.

“We have found our students are keen to get feedback from their teachers. Even if it’s the fourth lesson in the day, students are insisting, as they’re so motivated to grow. These students are not what we’d typically call ‘high achieving’,” Michelle says.

“In terms of the growth, if they have a minimum of 133 percent all year, that means that they are achieving more than one year of growth in a year.

“Under the old model, we’d only achieve half a year of growth. The ability to observe instant data is truly phenomenal.”

Phillip says the school runs a bring-your-own-device program, which ensures students are familiar with their devices and can work on their program at home.

“I had one student last cycle who had completed 17 modules and had 467 per cent growth in their learning. They could see the gaps in their learning and wouldn’t have been able to complete so many modules at school.”

Phillip says that each week, he will have at least three students achieving more than 400 per cent growth and another five around the 300 mark, and only two to three achieving less than 100 per cent growth. Students love a competition, he says, which bolsters results.

Most importantly, it demonstrates to students that they can determine their own path and breaks down the fallacy that they are either ‘good’ or ‘bad’ at Maths.

It’s not all computer based, Michelle adds, as the model offers a healthy balance of book-work, rich tasks, and longer projects. Students are encouraged to develop their independent learning skills, while teachers are there to assist them with targeted instruction and one-on-one feedback should they encounter any difficulties.

To further strengthen their independence, Michelle adds that this contemporary teaching and learning model encourages students to constantly justify their thinking, allowing them to reflect on the reasons for their decisions.

Teachers also plan for students to be involved in small focused learning groups, as well as incorporating rich learning tasks that promote investigative and collaborative learning.

It all returns to Carol Dweck’s theory of the growth mindset. The critically-acclaimed author theorised that our intelligence is not a fixed trait, but can be developed through effort, quality teaching and persistence. The results are documented in her 2007 book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

“If students have a growth mindset they know that they need to develop. Before Maths Pathway, some students did have a fixed mindset and they hated Maths. If students don’t understand it, they’re simply not going to engage,” Michelle says.

“Under Maths Pathway, students have quickly discovered pleasure from the subject without any of the leftover unhappiness or confusion from before.

It’s really important students find their love of Maths as it’s the higher Mathematical subjects that will solve the problems of today’s world.”

Michelle says that teachers who warmly embrace mistakes, praise effort and strategies, and avoid labelling their students as either good or bad at Maths have the best chance of fostering a growth mindset.

Year 8 student Isabelle Costello says her strength was once in English, but thanks to Maths Pathway, her interest in Mathematics has increased greatly, providing her with a well-rounded education.

“Maths is a lot more enjoyable now because it focuses on my individual requirements. The most challenging part of learning before Maths Pathway was I felt some areas of my lesson were rushed. Now I can finally focus on the areas I need to improve on.”

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