12 minute read
Teaching and Learning
from The Barker #133
Critical Thinking
This year, four Year 11 students successfully completed the Critical Thinking Course, offered by Macquarie University as part of the university’s gifted and talented entry program.
The course is taught at tertiary level and focuses on teaching the foundations of critical thinking and reasoning. Students learn how to analyse and evaluate arguments, how to detect common fallacies in reasoning, and how to employ logic and creativity to their own thinking. The theoretical part of the course is then applied to arguments from the worlds of business, law, politics, philosophy, and the media. The course was completed by Chloe Lollback, Jess O’Bryan, Justin Ho and Nathan Mackrill. Jess went on to receive a High Distinction in the course - an excellent accomplishment. Having to balance school work and the course, the students were grateful for the experience as it allowed for a greater understanding of the expectations of university. Nathan has his eye on attending Macquarie University once he graduates, which helped with the decision to partake in this course. “I thought it would be a good way to test the waters at Macquarie, to see what their courses are like. It diversified my options of what to study after School,” said Nathan. Jess and Chloe were keen to learn more about what university is really like. Jess elaborated on how she was “excited about learning more about the whole university experience especially whilst at School as the thought of uni is quite scary.” “This was a good opportunity to have a taste of what it is like so when it comes around to it, I won’t be as nervous,” said Jess. Justin added it was a useful experience for the future and believes it’s “important to have an understanding of how university works with the benefit of being able to add it to your resume’.” The students commended the independent style of learning as it needed to be completed alongside other commitments as well as examining types of arguments and texts which would coincide and help with school studies. "It was good to be learning about different types of arguments and delving into the nuts and bolts of the arguments. We looked at texts, the internals and how it makes the reader think a certain way,” said Justin. “I liked that the lecturer put in a lot of effort; he wanted to teach, found good examples and shared good resources,” said Nathan. Jess added “It was up to me to motivate myself and to seek help if I needed it. I liked the independence aspect.” An enjoyable part for Chloe was how flexible it was to finish. “The lessons were pre-recorded, which made it convenient to plan around School.” They had the following advice for current Year 10 students who are interested in completing the course: Chloe: Think about all your commitments you already have and be sure you’ll be able to balance your workload. Jess: Be smart about your studies, stay on top and keep it manageable. Do the weekly activities for feedback, it’s very helpful in the long run! Justin: Make sure you write comprehensive and precise summary notes. Don’t do it the night before. Nathan: Watch the lectures at double speed as it is an efficient way to intake information and to use time effectively. If you are a current Year 10 student (2021) and you would like further information about completing this course, please contact Greg Longney by the end of Term 4 2021 at GLongney@barker.nsw.edu.au
Hannah McGrory Social Media Coordinator
Greg Longney Director of Teaching & Learning
Professional Learning during Online Learning
When teachers are thrust into the middle of a pandemic, what do they do?
They adapt to the circumstances, collaborate with colleagues and invest time into thinking about and learning how best to reach and teach their students behind a screen. Staff have engaged with a diverse range of professional learning opportunities to develop their skills to enhance learning outcomes for students during this period of online learning and beyond.
Thriving Online
Professional learning was guided by the five focus areas of Barker Thriving Online Framework.
Teachers researched, collaborated, tested, reflected and adjusted strategies to answer common questions such as; • How do we continue to build and maintain connections behind a screen? • How can students be both connected and accountable? • What content and skills should be prioritised? • How can we allow for student choice? • Should this be taught synchronously or asynchronously? • How can feedback be delivered efficiently and effectively?
Professional Learning Delivery
In this dynamic time of teaching, professional learning was an integral aspect of supporting teachers working at home. This required delivery through online mediums and included both live events and asynchronous access. Opportunities included; • Interactive Webinars • Live Events • Teach Meets • Online courses • Teams Chat for written Q&A • Video podcasts • Written articles
What we have learnt
The fundamentals of teaching and the need to foster the student-teacher relationship remained in the online world. Perhaps they became even clearer due to the greater difficulty to achieve them, without the face-to-face connections and interactions. Yet schools are flexible and dynamic. They are a place of learning, not only for students, but for teachers as well.
Sarah Clifton Director of Professional Learning
Embodying Values: What do they mean and where are they seen?
Imagine an employee who meets all of their responsibilities; a son who shows cares for his family and friends by checking-in with them despite physical distance; a daughter pushing herself to try new things and standing up for herself and others; a student who completes all activities regardless of whether they are being observed or assessed. Imagine a world full of people who genuinely listen and respect others views and beliefs.
Recent research has revealed that these are the ways our Barker students are demonstrating the School values in their lives. The five values of Barker College (commitment, compassion, courage, integrity and respect) are aspirational but also to be evident in each interaction within the School community. Through two research projects, the Barker Institute has been investigating the understanding and embodiment of values amongst the students. This has included interviews with Junior School students as part of a longitudinal study following a cohort of students as they journey through the School from Year 3 (2019) to Year 12 (2028), and focus groups and surveys of the Year 12 Class of 2021 in collaboration with external researchers MMG Education.
The character of Barker staff shapes the Barker students.
In 2019, the 66 Year 3 students spoke of the Barker staff always showing “kindness”. Probing questions revealed the students’ appreciation of the patience, compassion, care and respect shown by Junior School classroom teachers and School leaders Martin Lubrano and Phillip Heath AM. An analysis of student responses was published in the 2019 Barker Institute Journal. Now in 2021, these same students continue to see kindness, but also recognise their teachers’ integrity, respect, care and compassion. Most interestingly, they are also reporting how fellow Barker students are embodying these values especially while completing online learning during COVID-19 restrictions. While modelling values begins with the staff, the Year 5 students have been able to recognise the increasing role that fellow students play in shaping the positive values of individuals and a school.
I show commitment in my devotion to my studies.
I show courage by pushing myself to try new things.
I show commitment by adhering to my co-curricular obligations.
I show courage by standing up for myself and others.
I show compassion by helping my friends and family when they are in need.
I show integrity by completing my schoolwork even when it is not checked.
I show compassion by staying in touch with my friends despite physical separation.
I show respect by listening to people and respecting them and their views, beliefs and values.
The Year 5 students’ astute observations are consistent with those of the current Class of Year 12 2021. Independent research from MMG education revealed the Year 12 students see their values as influenced primarily by their teachers (54%), the Head of Barker College (31%) and their peers (13%). The report states three key observations: “Values are taught less through rote learning and more by living them day-to-day. Staff role model the values and acknowledge students when they display the values. Values start from the top.”
Barker students living the Barker values.
Criteria for selecting a school will always include far more than academic results. Parents want their children to be developing noble values and demonstrating these even as students. So, what does courage look like in the lives of a current Year 12 Barker student? How do our students show compassion, respect, commitment or integrity? It is worth celebrating how positive values transcend one specific activity. The students display the School’s values in both their own attitudes but also their relationships (at home and at school), in both the academic and co-curricular domain, and during normal and COVID-19 socially distant times. Because of this, we can be optimistic that these characteristics will continue to define Barker students as they graduate and go beyond the Mint Gates and the post-school impact of the Barker values will be an area for future research in the Barker Institute.
The unparalleled opportunities in sport and co-curricular activities at Barker.
Sport and other co-curricular activities have always been an essential part of the Barker Experience and this recent research validates its importance especially in modelling and embodying the School’s values. In the research, Year 12 students overwhelmingly reported that it was on the sporting field, at trainings, on camps, through Cadets, Footprint, CRU, Chapel and Robotics that they see and practise values. They still believe it is the teachers who they learn their values from, but to them it occurs when relationships deepen beyond the classroom. As for the Year 3 - 5 students, we learned they find immense joy and opportunity in the co-curricular offerings. So we eagerly await how these joyful times can turn in to character-shaping moments over the next decade as they participate in the full Barker experience.
Dr Matthew Hill Director of the Barker Institute
Research for Learning
Connecting academic research to the teaching faculty through the Barker Institute’s new Research for Learning community.
Community and connection have been repeatedly highlighted as important in these present, challenging times. They sustain us, helping us to develop and grow. Fostering community and connection remain significant parts of the Barker Institute’s work as an educational research centre as research is fundamentally a collaborative pursuit. To best facilitate collaborative practices amongst research-invested staff, this year the Barker Institute launched a Research for Learning Community (RLC). This community is a network of like-minded members of staff seeking to pursue deeper understanding of teaching and learning through conducting and interpreting research. It is also a forum for professional learning, enabling individuals to enhance their own practice. Members of the RLC come from different walks of life: current postgraduate research students, recently graduated PhDs and those who have held that qualification for longer, teachers and non-teaching staff just interested in hearing what others are studying. All share a passion for driving, developing and supporting education, and creating new knowledge. The RLC has had a positive start in what has been a challenging year. There have been online and face-to-face opportunities for the exchange of ideas, including topics such as the development of philosophies of learning, the importance of home languages in the classroom, and the experiences of working alongside Barker student researchers, such as students in the Year 12 Science Extension course. It has also hosted guest presenters, including a former Barker Headmaster presenting on his own doctoral research journey! Members have been active in representing the School at educational conferences such as the National Boys' Education Conference, as well as submitting articles for publication to journals external to Barker. Research-informed practice will continue to grow as the RLC grows, enriching every classroom and student learning experience.
To learn more about Research at Barker or the Research for Learning community including viewing publications from students and staff visit www. barkerinstitute.com.au/research/barker-institutejournal.
Dr Timothy Scott Barker Institute Research Fellow
Dr Matthew Hill Director of the Barker Institute
PM’s Prize for Excellence
Barker’s Head of Agriculture, Mr Scott Graham, has received the Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools in the 2021 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science.
During his time at the School, Scott has continued to develop unique programs to engage students and to emphasise the positive difference agriculture makes to society. Scott’s aim is to highlight how agriculture can lead to diverse and unique careers across a range of both urban and rural industries. He draws on 12 years of teaching experience to educate students about the importance of agriculture in Australia and employment opportunities in this scientific and business-driven field. Student enrolments in Agriculture at Barker College have tripled over the past seven years. The School has more than double the number of Year 12 agriculture students than any other school in Australia. Around 30 per cent of these students have gone on to pursue agriculture-related degrees at a university level. “We teach predominantly urban students at Barker,” Scott explained. “Even if these students don’t pursue a career in agriculture, they are still going to have at least four interactions with agriculture every day. This could be anything from the food they eat to the clothes they wear. Agriculture will have something to do with students every day for the rest of their lives, so it’s important they have something to do with agriculture. We want them to be informed about the decisions they make.” “One of our strategies has been to develop a range of resources and teaching materials that make students think about how agriculture fits into the bigger picture. Whether it’s dealing with food security or climate change, we want students to be involved in making a difference.” “To be recognised in the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science acknowledges not only the importance of teaching and education, but the integral role of agriculture for our nation. I hope this recognition inspires students across Australia to take up agriculture, and teachers to continue to support the subject in schools across the country.”
Julie McAllister Editor
