Grammar Gazette- Issue 2, 2005

STAFF PROFILES

optimisingleaTFi!FloenVirOnments

Dr Farley's vision for

collaborative teaching and

learning experiences has

led to doctoral studies and

the opportunity to apply her

knowledge to the design of the

new Creative Learning Centre.

These led me to my thesis "An interpretive Inquiry into Factors Shaping the Transformation of a Secondary school towards a collaborative Culture of integration and Negotiation". it focussed on the identification of factors that would facilitate teacher collaboration for better learning experiences During the past ten years I have worked with a number of teachers to investigate innovative, collaborative projects. I used staff and student feedback and relevant literature to develop a concept for a Learning Centre of the Future. I envisaged students engaged in diverse tasks with simultaneous access to a range of learning resources and experiences. There would be individual choice, flexibility in delivery and spaces, negotiated and integrated evaluative experiences, collaboration, mentoring and a curriculum "framed" by "essential questions". In this ideal world boundaries, barriers and limitations would disappear You can imagine my excitement when I realised that one of the first challenges of my new role as Director of Technology and Learning was to move from the orising about such a Centre to the reality of an actual building - the creative Learning Centre. I am part of a team that has agonised over converting the empty spaces into welcoming places that encourage a flexible, creative, design based curriculum

The main focus of my Faculty 15 the Creative Technologies floor and we are seizing the opportunity to provide those essential elements which will provide the students with an environment that gives them every opportunity to think, dream and create. And what are the essential elements for such a learning environment? They begin with thought- provoking content that is relevant, engaging, open ended; design briefs that create opportunities and encourage rigorous research; recognition of possibilities, problem solving and decision making; skills that are transfersble across subjects, into university and future living Who would have known that those conversations with individual teachers all those years ago would have led me through over 100,000 words to a piece o paper and the realisation of a dream?

In my role as Resource and Learning Initiatives teacher, I frequently find myself in discussions with teachers that focus on creating the most optimal learning environment for individual students, classes and sometimes entire Year levels. Research and our personal experiences tell us that transition requires special attention. And what is secondary school about if not transition? our School is organised in faculties and yet we know that we teach many skills in common we recognise that learning throughout life is not compartment alised. To solve life's problems we need to mobilise the totality of our learning. This is why we are constantly concerned when our students don't appear to be able to transfer and apply skills learned in one subject to a problem posed in another subject Over the years we have trial led many initiatives designed to encourage an integrated approach to the development, reinforcement and transfer of skills

Dr Ann Farley Director of Technology and Learning

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