From the Principal

to allow students to deepen their A prime example is the increasing Its graduates will be equipped with understanding of the fundamentals need for data literacy skills. As was in-depth scientific knowledge and behind human perception and highlighted in March 2020 (Hastie, trained to confidently evaluate sensation through active and 2020), businesses are expected to information, come up with new exploratory learning. Similar to the move into a world that is become ideas and voice their thoughts and human-brain imaging lab, the VR lab increasingly data-driven. With a plans in a variety of ways. Together, Welcome to Illuminate, is structured around lab sessions that link to the subject’s lecture content. current shortage of data literate employees, data literacy is expected these build a solid foundation for any future career, whether that is our publication designed to shine a For example, in the second-year ‘Cognitive Neuroscience’ subject to become the most valuable commodity in the future. a research career in academic or a career in industry. light on the details and data behind teaching and learning at Pymble. One of the things – and there are many! – that makes me so proud to be the leader of this amazing school is that our educators do so much more than teach; they never stop learning. They take the time to reflect on and review the teaching and learning process and to renew aspects that can be enhanced to deepen the experience for our girls. They do this in many ways and, as a result, research is becoming an integral part of a Pymble teacher’s DNA. As teacher-researchers, our educators are co-learners, alongside their peers and students, who believe in the value of sharing their learnings with fellow educators within the College and the wider community. This edition covers a wide range of topics, from experiential learning to tertiary study but there is also a common theme running through, and that’s who engage in, explore and research applied learning can demonstrate mastery of skills in new ways and gain practical application of new skills and knowledge. Thank you to all the staff and students who contributed to this edition. It is wonderful to see such a variety of insights and experiences from teachers across a range of subjects including Dance, STEM, Mathematics, History, Out of School Hours Care and Experiential Learning. I am especially thrilled to hear so many student voices coming through these pages – from current students, to recent graduates at university to ex-students who have gone on to become educators of a new generation of Pymble girls. My warmest congratulations go to our Director – Research and Development, Dr Sarah Loch, for once again curating a diverse range of articles students learn about how the brain integrates information from different senses such as sight and touch – a concept referred to multisensory integration. The lab session uses virtual reality to allow students to test some of the factors that might contribute to this integration, such as the role of visual feedback. The VR lab uses the Oculus Rift – a wireless headset that is primarily used for gaming but has recently also been used in research conducted by some researchers from the Department of Cognitive Science. As with the other lab, multiple headsets can be used in one classroom at the time to give students the best possible interactive experience. This lab is currently offered in a subject that has more than 150 students enrolled. PREPARING FOR THE UNKNOWN This begs the question as to how programs can prepare their students for “unknown” life after university. Curricula should aim to train students in anticipation of these jobs. The premise behind the Bachelor of Cognitive and Brain Sciences is to foster the development of skills and capabilities that are known to be highly transferable, including problem solving, critical analysis of data and information, and effective Science communication. For example, going back to the example of data literacy skills, students will actively learn to interact with data through participation in authentic research activities that include data processing and data analysis. References Badcock, N. A., Preece, K. A., de Wit, B., Glenn, K., Fieder, N., Thie, J., & McArthur, G. (2015). Validation of the Emotiv EPOC EEG system for research quality auditory event-related potentials in children. PeerJ, 3, e907. https:// doi.org/ 10.7717/peerj.907 Boitano, J. J., & Seyal, A. A. (2001). Neuroscience curricula for undergraduates: a survey. The Neuroscientist, 7(3), 202-206. https://doi.org/10.1177/107385840100700305 De Wit, B., Badcock, N. A., Grootswagers, T., Hardwick, K., Teichmann, L., Wehrman, J., Williams, M., & Kaplan, D. M. (2017). Neurogaming technology meets neuroscience education: A cost-effective, scalable, and highly portable undergraduate teaching laboratory for neuroscience. Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education, 15(2), A104. Griffin, J. D. (2003). Technology in the teaching of neuroscience: Enhanced student learning. Advances in physiology education, 27(3), 146-155. https://doi.org/10.1152/ advan.00059.2002 Hastie, E. (2020). The ability to “speak data” ‘real world’ or ‘applied’ learning. exploring practice and research across so many different Throughout the curriculum, strong could land you a six-figure salary. www.news. Within schools, we often find ourselves speaking of “the real world” as if it were something quite separate to what we are doing in our practice with our students. We hear ourselves saying to our students, “when you are out in the real world, you’ll find…”, “in the real world, you’ll need…” or even, “this is a real world task which gives you a chance to…”. What we are aiming for at Pymble is to blur the line between what happens within lessons and learning experiences, and what is happening in workplaces, businesses, institutions and organisations outside of our campus. Ultimately, our purpose is to set up our girls for life beyond school. Applied learning is an area of continued research and understanding, with many definitions and approaches subjects and learning stages. As you will read in the article on page 50, Dr Loch is currently leading a very special project – the establishment of our very own research centre at the College. Our vision is to create a space where Pymble educators and students engage with academics, peers and industry collaborators from organisations within Australia and around the world to conduct, share and apply research to explore new challenges, find solutions and pathways and create real change in our world. Can you just imagine the possibilities for our girls and our educators? Exciting times indeed! I look forward to sharing more news about the Pymble Institute in due course. For now, enjoy this deep dive into learning at Pymble. TO INFINITY AND BEYOND One of the more frequent questions students (and parents) ask at academic advisory events such as Macquarie University’s Open Day is “what will person X be once they graduate?” While this is a reasonable question, there is no straight-forward answer to this question. The options are limitless! The reality is that careers change. Jobs are ever evolving, especially in technology fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and human-computer interfaces, as well as human-facing fields such emphasis is placed on scientific data-driven communication, with students expected to clearly and effectively report on data in various formats and to different audiences through assessment tasks that range from writing blogs and research reports to giving research presentations and creating marketing slogans. Conclusively, Macquarie University has been recognised nationally as a trailblazer in implementing innovative learning and teaching practices to nurture skills that are applicable within the real-world com.au/finance/work/careers/the-abilityto-speak-data-could-land-you-a-sixfiguresalary/news-story/293ebad28062e34d6b781 62d70d03666 Kahn, P., & O’Rourke, K. (2004). Guide to curriculum design: Enquiry-based learning. Higher Education Academy, 30(2), 3-30. http://www.ceebl.manchester.ac.uk/ resources/guides/kahn_2004.pdf Macquarie University, Department of Cognitive Science. (2020a). Bachelor of Cogntitive and Brain Sciences. courses.mq.edu.au/2020/ domestic/undergraduate/bachelor-ofcognitive-and-brain-sciences Macquarie University, Department of Cogntiive Science. (2020b). Department of Cognitive Science. mq.edu.au/dept/cognitive-science/ McNeal, A. P., & D’Avanzo, C. (1997). Studentactive science: Models of innovation in college science teaching. Centers for Teaching and Technology - Book Library. 112. but, essentially, applied learning sees students use as the health industry, with jobs beyond undergraduate studies. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ knowledge and skills to solve real world problems. being available now that were The new Bachelor of Cognitive and ct2-library/112 Educators work in the space between classrooms and the ‘outside world’, too. Applied learning involves DR KATE HADWEN unimaginable a few years ago. Brain Sciences is a prime example of this practice. National Research Council. (2000). Inquiry and the national science education standards. Washington, DC: The National Academies engaging in meaningful and authentic experiences both PRINCIPAL Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/9596 in the classroom and beyond. Students and educators