1998 School Magazine

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Girls 6rammar ^iconol ;Brisbane 1998

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taff involved in the Technology Learning Centres have universities were most generous in their professional sharing of attended numerous conferences through the year to expertise and extended warm hospitality to their visitors. Mr

ensure that the school remains at the forefront of technological developments for education. Whether in Mathematics or Sci- ence, Languages or Information Technology, Music or Humani- ties, faculty staff have been actively involved in exploring new directions to improve student learning using technology One highlight of the year was the Technology Fact-finding Tour to California by Mrs Kay Kimber and Mr Netl Davissen Their visits to San Francisco State University's Center/or the Errb@ricement of Teaching, Stanford University's Edt, cat^^7241 Program/or Gined and Talented Yot, tb, University of Callfor- nia, Berkeley's Faculty of lustructio?Iai Technologyproved most stimulating in terms of ideas and contacts. Staff at those

Davissen and Mrs Kilnber also attended a week long conference at University of California, Sonoma, where two thousand delegates, both American and international; were presented with bestpmctice workshops and introduced to a range of new software packages. The keynote speaker at this conference, Sir John Damels, Vice-Chancellor of the British Open University, spoke of the growth in knowledge medi@ and the changing role for educators in ensuring that OUT students cope with its exponential growth. Students at Brisbane Girls Grammar School should benefit from the implementation of a number of these ideas gleaned from best practice in Australia and overseas

Library Moves

he library continues to be a bustling hive of activity every day as students tap into the book and non-book resources provided to augment classroom activities. Provision

There is also ongoing classroom support to famitiarize students with a variety of information resources appropriate to the curriculum, including the Internet, CD Roms and journal

of resources has been significantly en- hanced in the library this year in tenns of staff and services A new teacher librarian has been ap- pointed to focus on user services to both staff and students. To facititate this process, a separate infonnation desk with Internet and CD Rom facilities has been set up for individual reference assistance. This has resulted in more successfully me eong the inforrnational needs of individuals and small groups in relation to research assignments

indexes. At present the library is trialing access to a new periodical index through the University of Queensland. This shat- ing of a major resource, which is updated daily, has enabled many students - par- ticularly the senior girls - to use a wide range of journals in all subject areas. in addition the library catalogue has been upgraded to a new Windows-based system. The students find the new inter- face, called Nice, more user friendly and direct

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Ms Farr at the reference desk

Media Moments

he Media Department continues to offer increasing The same professional coursework support is now extended support within the resource spectrum through the to projects where preparation of non-print material is now

integration of technology in learning Media have integrated activities with the English Faculty in the Brisbane Central School Project. Participation included liaison, video documentation and production, especially in student contributions in the form of radio plays The Department provides specialised resources to students accepting the challenge of major assessment in forms other than print, through the "Negotiated Enterprises Welcomed" concept The number of students accepting the personal challenge of a "real-world" contractual learning experience has increased, especially with the requirement of non-print assessment work in some parts of the curriculum

mandatory for assessment, for example in SOSE Faculty. Media contribute to this curriculum activity by mentoring and support- ing these autonomous learners On-going contributions include activities and training in photography, especially of the official Student School Photog- Taphers. Techntcalsupport has included specffication of high-quality projection and multi-media facility for the Auditorium. The Auditorium's lighting complement was upgraded by the design and set by Media of music performance Iuminaires. The Parent and Friends' Association generously funded both these projects As part of the Resource Faculty team, Media continues to strongly support the learning experience at Girls Grammar

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