Grammar Gazette- Issue 1, 2003

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CAREER FOCUS

took advantage of the large network of motivated, interested parents and past students to provide twenty five high-quality speakers who presented at a variety of venues across both campuses. They addressed their own career paths as well as providing a wealth of alternatives to more than five hundred senior students who will soon be making career decisions of their own. The evening was hailed a tremendous success and feedback from students indicates their keen support of the “new innovation".

The first Combined Schools Careers Evening was held on Monday 12 May 2003. Upon her arrival at BGGS, Mrs Bell asked staff to consider ways in which the Brisbane Grammar Schools could interact together. Prior to that, BGS held the Careers Evening, and BGGS hosted the Careers Networking Breakfasts. Combining the events seemed a logical step after Mrs Bell's “call to consider", so the decision was taken, and in doing so, the physical resources and talent of both School communities were combined for the betterment of their student populations. Mr Girdham and Mr Seaha

Guest speakers for the combined BGGS and BGS career night (L- R): Ms Shireen Dumri - Interior Designer from Brown James Design, Ms Kaleen Knowles - Multimedia from Toadshow Pty Ltd, Mr Bruce Hateley - Walter Construction Group, Dr John Mewing - Dentist Private Practice, Mr Geoff Voller - Stockbroker from Morgans Pty Ltd and Mr Eugene Fung - solicitor from Phillips Fox.

TECHNOLOGY TRANSPLANTS

A new elective has been added to the Year 9 curriculum in 2003: Computing and Information Processing. For many years the School has integrated technology development across the curriculum through a planned programme of skill acquisition across subject areas. The new Year 9 CIP course adds an extra dimension to this skill progression. Students are taught to solve information problems rather than focus on narrow skills development using application programs. It introduces concepts and approaches that are developed in the senior school subjects and thus provides students with insight into the senior course. Students manipulate images through the use of graphics software, construct web pages, investigate 3 Dimensional modelling and spatial concepts using computer assisted design packages, and develop multimedia projects. A component of the course will also be the investigation of social and ethical issues relating to the use of information technology, for example computer fraud and unethical Internet usage. Recently, writers have begun to distinguish between the attitudes of Australians who will be users of Information Communication Technologies services from those who will create them. The importance of school-level IT studies is evident in the thinking of new economic strategists who are beginning to define the kinds of new industries that will determine Australia’s connected future and the skills which knowledge workers require. E-business and e-commerce as growth sectors, tell a story about new industries and skills: • information literacy skills • communication skills • team work • enterprise and organisational skills • problem solving and IT skills. Students from IT courses will have demonstrated evidence of the skills IT strategists claim are vital to the specialised workforce required to develop Australia’s IT future.

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