From the Editor

The diversity of research within our educational community is inspiring to sample, with articles taking the reader more deeply into ways educators improve their practice and into the passion and motivation that drives each individual to study and to study further.”

Pymble Ladies’ College is proud to share the latest edition of Illuminate. In this collection of articles, readers are invited to explore the notion of research and practice through a range of different topics and lenses.

Professor Helen Timperley, a scholar with a long record of research in teachers’ professional learning, writes that for teachers, as well as for students, “emotion and motivation are the gatekeepers of learning” (2015, 7). She further asserts that “if leaders wish to make a difference, there is no more powerful approach to leading teaching and learning than through creating a culture of genuine curiosity about what is happening for learners and a systematic process to engage in deep inquiry in ways that create agency to make the difference” (2015, 9). In this edition, the diversity of research within our educational community is inspiring to sample, with articles taking the reader more deeply into ways educators improve their practice and into the passion and motivation that drives each individual to study and to study further. Readers will recognise the undoubtable commitment to growth among our staff and students through the vehicle of research. This takes shape through a combination of action research, literature review and

professional reflection, and is evident Readers of this edition will note the important across fields including Coding, teaching thread of action that is emerging from Mathematics and Outdoor Education. research. From all endeavours, be it a study In these areas, a range of articles captures tour, an exposition of programming or the journey of each author as they dedicate pedagogical exploration, the research and time to reflect on ways processes can be inquiry undertaken is applied to open up implemented or transformed to achieve new knowledge, to do things differently, and better outcomes for our students. better, in order to bring about a multitude of These teacher-researchers have crafted improvements for more and more people. inquiry questions, collected data from a There is, however, more to the research and wide range of sources, and created new inquiry process than applied actions and understandings, which further propel their quantifiable results. Research and scholarship practice and hopefully will changes us. It widens our horizons. inspire many others to do the same. From all endeavours, be it a study tour, an The magic of research is beautifully expressed by the Indigenous Also showcased in this exposition of programming Australian academic, Dr Doseena edition is the journey or pedagogical exploration, Fergie, a specialist in Nursing of secondary and the research and inquiry Research and Aboriginal Women’s postgraduate study in undertaken is applied to Business, and a Churchill Fellow, various research fields. We open up new knowledge, who expresses her own journey to share the perspectives of a group of our own Pymble to do things differently, and better, in order to bring about a multitude of her PhD as a ‘testing of the waters’ of her local world: “As a child who was students, former students, improvements for more and born on an island within the Torres staff and friends as they more people.” Straits of Australia, the surrounding embrace the complexity saltwater teemed of stories that had of formal research with been eloquently told ‘our way’ by the a generous commitment to sharing their Ancestors. Even though the sea was a familiar stories. Whether it be Senior School Science environment, I distinctly remember one students or staff attaining their Master or moment when I gazed out beyond the blue Doctorate degrees, the journey of research is ocean, I said thoughtfully ‘I wonder what lies characterised by increasing one’s confidence beyond that horizon?’” (2018, 290). and skill in looking outwards. This is a question for you, too. When you We are also fortunate in this edition to have consider your own motivations and where your the opportunity to learn from members of the emotions lie, what are you curious to explore? Department of Cognitive Science at Macquarie What lies beyond your own horizon? University. This article spans the creation of a new Bachelor course “that focuses on the DR SARAH LOCH cutting-edge and rapidly evolving fields of DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH cognitive science and neuroscience … but also AND DEVELOPMENT essential research skills, such as proficiency in science communication, critical thinking, programming and statistics” (De Wit and Callister-Hakewill, this edition, 56). References Fergie, D. (2018). “I wonder what lies beyond that horizon?” Australian Journal of Education, 62(3), 289–298. https://doi. org/10.1177/0004944118798659. Timperley, H. (2015). Leading teaching and learning through professional learning. Australian Educational Leader, 37(2), 6-9.