Applied Thinking Innovative subject introduced
In Semester 1 this year, Year 7s engaged with the new Middle School subject – Applied Thinking (AT) – an initiative underpinned by the principles of ETC.
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Applied Thinking helps develop students’:
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understanding of what constitutes learning and use of language for talking about it
Year 7 students are beginning an exciting deepening of their capacity to think in more abstract and self-regulated ways. They have surprised and delighted their Applied Thinking teachers with their capacity for honest and insightful reflection.
connected their experiences at Moogerah to learning dispositions in both video and written form •
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curiosity and inquiry
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self-regulatory capacities
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strategies to improve the effectiveness of their learning.
considered the role emotions play in learning
graphed their ability to focus over a period of time
To finish the term, the boys chose a personal learning project on a topic that interested them. As they set goals and reflected on their engagement, difficulties, and successes on this learning journey, they moved closer to realising the subject’s key objectives.
Importantly, students make connections between the ideas they explore in Applied Thinking and how they relate to their learning in other curriculum areas. Much of the learning in Applied Thinking is experiential. In Term 1, Year 7 boys:
Rebecca Campbell – Head of Middle School
collaborated to create a shelter while trapped in an Antarctic blizzard • created an Avatar to represent their perception of themselves as a learner •
Image: Head of Middle School Curriculum Ian Grice teaching his Year 7 Applied Thinking class.
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