Illuminate, Edition 8 2023

Illuminate

Knowledge for a better world

From the Principal Page 3

From the Editor Page 5

Our Contributors Page 6

Making maths visible: Using vertical whiteboards to engage and encourage Year 10 girls to take risks when solving problems in Mathematics Page 9

How can developmental theories help teachers understand the needs of High Potential Learners?

Page 17

Translanguaging as a pedagogical asset in the classroom Page 21

Exploring the benefits of play in a transition to school context: What can Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) contribute? Page 28

“You can’t mix dance with maths!” Exploring how the kinaesthetic aspects of creative dance can be used to teach the mathematical concepts of patterns and algebra in a Stage One classroom

Looking beyond the classroom door: Rethinking the role of schools and teachers in the educational journey of young people

The enduring importance of philosophy

Page 35

Page 42

Page 45

In service to pre-service teachers Page 47

His / her-story: The value of historical literature in the History curriculum

Page 50

From the Principal

In 2021, the College began implementing our new Strategic Direction, Watch Us Change the World, to equip our students with the skills, character and mindset to thrive and make their mark in our rapidly changing world. One of our first strategic priorities under the Academic Intelligence pillar of the strategy was to launch the Pymble Institute research centre and establish it as a presence in school education, research and professional learning, with a focus on advancing outcomes for girls and women. In just two years, under the leadership of Dr Sarah Loch, the Pymble Institute has worked on a wide variety of research projects, established an ethics committee, hosted several research conferences for educators and a student-led research conference for students, and launched Perspective, our Student Research Journal and the complement to Illuminate, which shines a light on pedagogical research undertaken by Pymble staff.

While the Pymble Institute is only two years old, Illuminate is now in its sixth year of publication and, collectively, has featured a vast body of work by authors from all over the College – from Mathematics teachers to Dance coaches, Heads of Schools and Learning Areas, teachers studying post-graduate courses and after school care co-ordinators. It is a shining example of the passion and dedication of Pymble staff, and their commitment to delivering educational excellence for all in our learning community.

Educators who take the time to write about their teaching practice in research papers benefit our school in three key ways: by improving the quality of their own teaching, their colleagues’ teaching, and the learning outcomes of our students. Equally importantly, by modelling a commitment to their own professional learning and a love of knowledge, Pymble teachers inspire and motivate students to become engaged, curious and lifelong learners – qualities which, along with knowledge and skills, will be critical to their success in the future.

We are proud of our students’ achievements and recognise the critical role teaching staff play in helping them reach their potential. Our school’s strong academic performance is no accident; it reflects our incredible, ambitious, hardworking students coupled with the future-focused strategic direction from our leadership team and our amazing educators’ unwavering commitment to investigating, questioning, trying new things and failing, reflecting, learning, growing and continuing to improve their craft.

Congratulations to Dr Loch and all staff who contributed to this eighth enlightening edition of Illuminate. Our College is blessed to have such academic super stars in our midst.

Dr Kate Hadwen PhD, M.Ed, B.Teach, MNTCW PRINCIPAL

As the head of a school that prides itself on always looking to the future when it comes to teaching and learning, it can be incredibly rewarding to look back from time to time to see how far we have come.

From the Editor

The eighth edition of Illuminate: Research and Innovation is a very reflective and often personal collection of research. The articles celebrate teachers at all career stages, from those entering the profession, to those now educating a new generation of teachers, and tell stories reflecting the diverse art and craft of teachers’ practice. Continuing to explore the Strategic Pillar of Academic Intelligence, the process of writing for Illuminate has also given the authors some rare air by slowing their pace and taking them deeper.

The ‘slow scholarship’ movement is one now written about in many fields, but especially amongst feminist academics, who acknowledge the all-too-common fast and shallow pace at which we work. It’s like we yearn for the richer benefits of taking time to think, collaborate and review but we struggle against the clock to make that time. Pymble is proud to support educators to tell their story, even if finding the time to do so is a challenge. The nine papers in this edition represent a very real expression of the concept of ‘slow scholarship’ and one way practicing teachers put it into action. The articles themselves are artefacts of well-considered Academic Intelligence as the writers’ role model for their students the importance of forming a meaningful research question and moving through a series of drafts, into deeper and richer veins of understanding and expression.

Within this edition, readers will find papers emerging from formal courses which have involved assessment and critical appraisal, such as the paper about innovation in Mathematics teaching written by former staff member Katie Jackson as part of her International Coalition of Girls’ Schools Global Action Research Collaborative submission. Thomasina Buchner and Tessa Zwar’s articles come from their Honours and Masters courses, respectively, representing professional engagement in areas of passion which shape their practice. In the space of passion and personal interest, Sree Raniga writes of the

place of professional practicum placements following her experience as a tutor in a Faculty of Education; allowing her to connect with teacher education students at a critical time in their studies. Kristen McEvoy draws on her inherent curiosity to take our thinking deeper into ways of teaching gifted students. Anna To draws on professional learning that has inspired her to investigate a topic at the heart of identity and practice. A number of articles also help us progress in areas the College is developing; namely the new Philosophy course in the History, Society and Ethics Learning Area, as explored by Dr Alan Rome; a planned research project to be undertaken by Gabrielle Zolezzi following her award of a Pymble Parents’ Association professional learning grant and Karen Ahearn’s examination of play in the early learning years.

It is always my pleasure and privilege to work with teachers on their ideas and to see them become authors in the process. I am thankful for their openness and generosity amidst a typically busy, but post-pandemically tiring type of year. I commend each paper to readers of our journal as expressions of the diversity and depth of Academic Intelligence at Pymble and hope further ideas are sparked through engaging with them.

Dr Sarah Loch PhD, MEdSt, MTeach, BA DIRECTOR – PYMBLE INSTITUTE

Our Contributors

Karen commenced at Pymble Ladies’ College in 2013 as Head of Preparatory School and in 2022, was appointed as Head of Early Years as the College commenced the journey of establishing an Early Childhood Centre for children aged zero to five years. She has held significant leadership positions in independent girls’ schools in Sydney’s North Shore over the last 22 years and has contributed to professional networks including IPSHA Liaison Head for the Early Childhood Umbrella Group (2014 to 2021). Karen is dedicated to supporting colleagues in advancing understanding of early mathematical development in both early childhood and primary contexts and has been a conference presenter and guest lecturer in early Mathematics learning and practice. She sees ‘play’ as an opportunity to explore wonderings and understandings, to test and challenge hypotheses and to develop awareness of self and others.

Thomasina is commencing her career as a primary school teacher following completion of her Honours year in the School of Education and Social Work at the University of Sydney. Tommy is a Pymble dance teacher who has taught jazz, lyrical, hip hop, tap and a very enthusiastic, but slightly de-skilled, group of teachers for six years. She also has experience in special and inclusive education and feels very passionate about providing innovative pedagogical practices that are accessible for all students, rather than ‘most’. In 2021, Tommy undertook the role of Pymble Dance Assistant Program Coordinator where she was able to extend upon her experience in the dance education field. Tommy has become deeply interested in how students learn mathematics, as a key learning area in the primary curriculum. Her Honours research allowed her to combine her passion for dance and mathematics by focusing on a project involving Year 1 students.

Katie is the Director of Professional Learning at Oakhill College and is a former mathematics teacher at Pymble. She is a passionate teacher who believes that all students can learn and understand maths. Katie has worked in several educational settings, including Campbelltown Performing Arts High School and Ravenswood School for Girls, where she has been part of the wellbeing team and worked as a leader of STEM education. She has presented at educational conferences on flipped learning, STEM in mathematics and at the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools conference held in Boston in 2022. Katie was selected by the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools to undertake research through the Global Action Research Collaborative in 2021/22 and her love of research has led her to work on ways to improve teacher practice and students’ educational experiences.

Thomasina Buchner

Karen Ahearn

Katie Jackson

Kristen McEvoy

Kristen has been teaching secondary English for seven years and is currently completing her Experienced Teacher Accreditation. She has an interest in educational neuroscience, initially sparked by her Honours dissertation which explored some of the cognitive processes underpinning creative writing. Kristen has been passionate about teaching and learning from a young age, learning English and Greek from her grandmother who was also a teacher. Kristen is a strong advocate of reading and literacy and strives to inspire a love of learning in her students.

Sree Raniga

Sree began her educational journey by immersing herself in project, problem-based and flipped pedagogies. Sree is passionate about innovative teaching practices and has returned to being a sessional academic tutor at the School of Education at Macquarie University. In her role, she supports pre-service teachers in meeting learning outcomes, and mentors, teaches tutorials and marks assessments in preparation for pre-service teachers to meet the requirements of an accredited program of teacher education.

Alan teaches History, Legal Studies and Philosophy at Pymble. He achieved a PhD in intellectual history, exploring the history of early modern philosophy, from the University of Sydney and a Masters of Teaching with Excellence from UNSW. He has a particular pedagogical interest in providing intellectual challenge and in extending students. Along with Debbie Tarrant, Alan has overseen the introduction of the philosophy program at Pymble for Years 8 to 10. He believes in the vital importance of philosophy for building students’ character and their ways of thinking to prepare them for present and future challenges.

Dr Alan Rome

Anna To

In primary school, Anna realised she enjoyed teaching when she used the TV program Sale of the Century to teach her younger brothers fun facts and made a song and dance out of times tables. She has since taught across a spectrum of government and independent schools in Australia and abroad. Anna cares about creating engaging learning experiences for students and supporting their families. As an EAL/D teacher in the Junior School Learning Support team at Pymble, she draws on her personal and professional experiences in non-English speaking communities to help students and families form connections to their new language and culture while celebrating their own heritage.

Gabrielle Zolezzi

Gabrielle recently joined Pymble in the English Department and is the 2022 recipient of the Pymble Parents’ Association Professional Learning Grant. Her research is focusing on understanding and documenting the potential benefits of transdisciplinary learning through the study of established programs across a variety of schools. At her previous school, she was a member of the executive team, leading the design and implementation of cross-curricular programs, as well as the training of teaching teams in the adoption of future-focused pedagogy. Additionally, Gabrielle is a member of the advisory board for the University of Technology Sydney’s School of International Studies and Education, making recommendations regarding course design and partnership opportunities as a representative of schools, students and teachers.

Tess Zwar

Tessa is the Head of Library and Research Services K-12 at Pymble Ladies’ College. She is a passionate advocate for school libraries and their important role in enhancing student learning and literacy. She appreciates the privileged opportunity of the library to collaborate with teachers from all faculties and sections of the College in areas of student research, information fluency and critical thinking. The power of stories and their impact on cognition and empathy is a particular area of interest for Tessa, and she hopes to do more research in this area in the future. An educator for twenty years, she has held the roles of History teacher, Teacher-Librarian and academic and wellbeing leadership positions across a range of educational settings including Abbotsleigh and Sydney Boys’ High School.

The following paper was written by Katie Jackson as the final component of her Fellowship with the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools Global Action Research Collaborative on Girls’ Education (GARC), 2021-2022. Katie was one of twenty-two educators from around the world selected for the Fellowship. The GARC program is described as “the world’s first action research program that engages girls’ school educators from around the world in informed, collaborative and disciplined action

Making maths visible: Using vertical whiteboards to engage and encourage Year 10 girls to take risks when solving problems in Mathematics

Katie Jackson, Director of Professional Learning, Oakhill College

ABSTRACT

My action research project explored how making mathematics more visible and having girls working collaboratively in solving problems could encourage girls to take more risks and become better problem solvers. I changed my classroom practice from teacher-centric to having the girls as the knowledge owners. I randomly assigned groups using playing cards at the beginning of every lesson and had the girls out of their seats solving problems using vertical whiteboards mounted around the room. I wanted to see if working in random groups

encouraged the girls to talk more about mathematics and if making mathematics more visible using the impermanent whiteboards would encourage the girls to take risks and develop courage in problem solving. I undertook this project with 18 Year 10 girls over the last five weeks of the school year. Data was collected using a mixed-methods research design including peer observation, pre and post-survey, focus group interviews and my teacher observation journal. Analysis indicated that due to the whiteboards’ impermanent nature, risk taking increased. The collaboration and knowledge passing

around the room made the girls better at solving problems and more free to make mistakes. I also found that other faculties started using the whiteboards similarly to have their classes make their thinking visible. The results of this action research are significant in focusing my attention on collaboration in solving problems. Moreover, this project gave the girls a greater sense of autonomy and allowed them to understand that they could solve problems. This has an enormous implication for all teaching faculties in a school and there is excellent scope for having access to whiteboards in every room.

MAKING MATHS VISIBLE: USING VERTICAL WHITEBOARDS TO ENGAGE AND ENCOURAGE YEAR 10 GIRLS TO TAKE RISKS WHEN SOLVING PROBLEMS IN MATHEMATICS

The 2021/2022 action research topic of exploring strategies that build problem-solving willingness and capacity in girls provided me with the opportunity to change the traditional mathematics classroom to an environment to enhance confidence, resilience, and healthy risk taking. Atkins, et al. (1991) defined risk taking as “the preparedness of a student to attempt to answer a question when not certain of the result” (p. 297). This research, conducted at Pymble Ladies’ College in Sydney, Australia, during October and November 2021, aligned with the school’s statement of intent: Watch us change the world. This statement aims to instil courage in the young women we educate to create a future they want to see for themselves. To change the world, our girls need strong problem-solving skills and a belief in their ability to develop solutions along the way.

Skills in mathematics are highly desirable for the 21st-century workplace. Yet, many girls still see mathematics as challenging and appear reluctant to take the calculusbased courses needed for the future work environment. Despite having a growing school culture of looking at mistakes as desirable for learning, the girls are often perfectionists and see mistakes as failures rather than learning opportunities. My goal was to challenge this attitude and instil in the girls to have the courage to take risks, sit with uncertainty and work collaboratively to solve a problem.

I wondered if I could create change by making my students’

mathematical thinking more visible. According to Mertler (2020), action research is undertaken by teachers to study or closely examine an area of their teaching and classroom practice to improve or change it. As I wanted to change my classroom practice and see the impact of this on my current and future students’ problemsolving skills, action research was the most appropriate methodology. This led me to formulate my research question: How does the use of vertical whiteboards engage and encourage Year 10 girls to take risks when solving problems in Mathematics?

LITERATURE REVIEW

Girls need to understand mathematical concepts to go out into the world to solve problems they may face and add to the knowledge of addressing global issues. The ability to solve problems mathematically is linked to preparing students for tackling issues in real life (Halmos, 1980). Ayllón et al. (2016) suggest teaching mathematics aims to develop thinking, while the posing and solving of problems help strengthen what is learned. Girls must gain the confidence to take risks, come up against problems and work to resolve them. A study by Vermeer et al. (2000) found that when it came to problem solving, girls rated themselves lower than boys in confidence to solve problems and attributed poor results to a lack of ability or the difficulty of a task.

Collaboration is increasingly seen as an essential 21st-century skill for learning and has been widely researched around improving pedagogical outcomes. Retnowati et al. (2017) found that students working in groups performed significantly better in tests than those who

worked individually and that group work had substantial social and psychological benefits. Similarly, a study by Zambrano et al. (2019) shows that collaboration benefited learning compared to individual learning in complex tasks, but performance depended on the learner’s taskspecific prior knowledge. However, Pang et al. (2018) suggest that many students find working in groups dissatisfying, with teamwork the most frequently reported challenge.

There are many different definitions of problem solving. Hung and Jonassen (2012) define problem solving as “the process of articulating solutions to problems” (p. 2687). DeMatteo and Johanning (2010) refer to collaborative problem solving and suggest that working with peers pushes students to express their thinking, fostering fluency as they listen, explain and converse about their understanding of problems.

There has been much research into the area of teaching problem-solving skills in Mathematics. In one study, Emre-Akdogan and Argün (2016) taught problem-solving strategies to ten students. These skills consisted of working backwards; finding a pattern; adopting a different point of view; solving a more straight forward analogous problem; extreme cases; making a drawing; intelligent guessing and testing; accounting all possibilities; and organising data and logical reasoning. The result was that students improved on choosing and applying appropriate strategies. However, Tricot and Sweller (2014) suggest that problem solving is domain-specific, and individual skills cannot be taught as they rely on the solver’s prior knowledge. Woods (1987), for example, found that some engineering students who solved or

saw over 3,000 problems could not transfer the knowledge and become better problem solvers.

A way to bridge the gap between problem solving and deep mathematical knowledge to help with problem solving is to use vertical whiteboards. Forrester et al. (2017) define vertical whiteboards as whiteboards mounted around the walls in a classroom. They see this as a way of engaging students in a mathematics classroom. Their study shows that having the students out of their chairs and working on the whiteboards led to better student behaviour. Students were more engaged and getting through more

on paper, hence producing a polished final product. They found that tutorials were no longer quiet, passive places, but students were more involved and animated. Tutors responded to the questions from students instead of being the ones asking the questions. They conclude there was more collaboration, areas of weakness were easily seen and misconceptions could be addressed immediately.

Liljedahl (2016) takes the idea of collaborative working on whiteboards and introduces the notion of thinking classrooms and how these can be developed and maintained. The concept of the thinking classroom

students working on vertical whiteboards were faster to start work and more persistent and engaged than students working on the mini whiteboards and flip charts. The use of mini whiteboards still gave students a chance to hide work from the teacher, and the flip chart was more permanent, meaning students spent more time discussing before committing to writing.

Liljedahl also noted that the students working on the vertical whiteboards did not tend to erase their work; having the space they continued to refine their work, providing almost a timeline of their thinking.

work than in a standard mathematics lesson where they remained seated. The students could look at others’ work, seek assistance and collaborate about the mathematical problems they were trying to solve. The benefit to the teacher is they can easily see all the students’ work and thought processes and intervene when students need help.

Seaton et al. (2014) suggest that “active participation in mathematics is the key to learning” (p. 111). They discuss the idea of using blackboards (or whiteboards) in university tutorials. This process of learning mathematics invites the possibility for students to accept changes suggested either by their partners or tutor, fixing errors and false starts without the crossing out that comes when work is corrected

comes from the failure to implement problem solving into a maths classroom and the realisation that students do not have to think in a traditional, teacher-centric classroom. His studies show that early efforts to get students engaged with problemsolving were less than successful.

Liljedahl also observed that students who were unable to problem solve came from classrooms whose teacher’s practices did not have group work or problem solving as standard practices. To get students more involved in problem solving, the classroom space was redesigned with vertical whiteboards, mini whiteboards and flip charts used as surfaces for students to solve problems.

Liljedahl (2016) also found that

In conclusion, it would appear that problem solving can be enhanced when students work in collaboration, can see the work of others and use the teacher to intervene at just the right moment, which can move the thinking forward. As Willingham (2009) asserts, “whatever students think about is what they will remember” (p. 54). More research is needed on using the vertical whiteboard in the classroom to see what happens to girls who use it for all their mathematics lessons; whether they start thinking more, approaching problems with confidence and sharing information.

RESEARCH CONTEXT

Pymble Ladies’ College is an independent, K–12 Uniting Church girls’ school in Sydney, Australia. The school has approximately 2,300 girls enrolled from Kindergarten to Year 12. The statement of intent at Pymble is “Watch Us Change the World.” Our girls are generally from affluent homes and numerous cultural backgrounds, including Indigenous Australians. The 18 girls who participated in my action research project were all from my Year 10

“Students were more engaged and getting through more work than in a standard mathematics lesson where they remained seated. The students could look at others’ work, seek assistance and collaborate about the mathematical problems they were trying to solve.”

mathematics class. I had taught this cohort of girls for three years so I had already established meaningful connections with them. The project took place over the last six weeks of the school year in late October and November 2021. This was not ideal, but COVID-19 lockdowns meant there were three months when I did not see my class in person. The Vertical Whiteboard project emerged from my commitment to engaging girls in learning maths with confidence and fostering enjoyment in problem solving.

The girls and their parents gave me written consent for their participation. This allowed me to film, photograph and interview them throughout the project. The students’ names have been omitted from this report to ensure anonymity.

THE ACTION

The use of vertical whiteboards was a significant change to my teaching strategy. The intervention took place over five weeks during 20 lessons. Every lesson was designed to have the girls working in different groups

randomly selected using playing cards. The focus of each lesson was to have the girls working on problems or concept ideas that I would introduce using the whiteboards only. The problems selected were unseen and required the students to use multiple mathematical concepts. The students had to draw upon their collective knowledge to develop a solution that made sense. Most of the problems relied upon their understanding of skills learned over the last three years. In some lessons, I introduced a new concept with minimal explanation and set the class off to explore concepts and ideas through a series of questions. The studies were designed to challenge the girls and encourage them to use the knowledge available in the room to arrive at a solution.

DATA COLLECTION

To see if my intervention of using vertical whiteboards improved my students’ problem-solving ability by encouraging them to take risks, develop thinking and strengthen what had been learned, I collected my data in various ways. The deliberate

use of various data sources aimed to polyangulate the data, increasing the trustworthiness of my findings while trying to account for bias (Mertler, 2020). I implemented the following data collection methods throughout my project:

• Research observations and field notes

• Peer observation

• Video recording of the class

• One-on-one interviews and focus groups

• Pre and post-surveys

I began the project by asking the class to complete a survey on their attitude to studying mathematics and solving problems, and how they felt they learned maths best. I was observed, by a colleague, teaching my class in a traditional way of being teacher-centric and watching how the students interrelated with me and each other. I then created my notes and observations and invited a colleague to my class to share her comments, which I compared to mitigate bias. These data provided an effective baseline of the students’ attitudes and engagement in a mathematics lesson. The

questionnaire used Likert scales and open-ended questions which provided excellent qualitative and quantitative data sources. Throughout the action research, I maintained a journal of my observations and video recorded some of the lessons to capture the lesson’s spirit and to see if other observations could be made. I chose a focus group of five students to meet at the end of the intervention to learn how they felt about problem solving and the change in classroom practice. The semi-structured interview with this group allowed me to further explore new information offered by the girls (Mertler, 2020) and gave the opportunity for the group to reflect on their experiences.

DATA ANALYSIS

Once data was collected, I began to organise iy utilising inductive analysis. I used Mertler’s (2020, p. 173) “organisation, description, and interpretation” technique. I developed a coding scheme that helped to establish patterns and identified themes to answer my research question. I discussed my interpretations of the data with a critical friend to help me focus on the themes I found.

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

After analysing the data generated by my research, I identified the following themes which aided in answering my research question as to how vertical whiteboards encourage Year 10 girls to take risks when solving problems in mathematics.

Knowledge was Shared by Making Thinking and Learning Visible on the Whiteboards

A key theme to emerge from the data analysis was that knowledge was shared by making thinking and

learning visible. The girls gained confidence in problem-solving skills; knowledge passed around the room more actively and noisily. Initially, the girls worked in their groups but did not look at what other groups were doing and found the experience, in the words of one student, “really weird.” Another student commented that it “felt forbidden” to look at other people’s work as “we are always taught that this is cheating.”

Once the class realised they could see what other groups were doing, making learning and thinking visible, I found that expertise moved around the room. The groups became quite mobile, moving around the classroom and asking questions to clarify understanding or approaches to the problems. There were many discussions about results, and students could spot mistakes or discuss why their answers might differ from another group. The girls appreciated this way of learning. Student comments included “certain people would do a problem completely different to how I would” and “sometimes their way might have been far more efficient than what I had done.” Another student observed “it also helped me immensely to see a new perspective on solving problems as I got an insight into how my peers do it.” The majority of the class benefited from looking at other perspectives, as noted in my journal entries and the focus group discussion.

Collaboratively Sharing Verbal Answers Enhanced Risk-Taking and Problem-Solving

Compared to a lesson observed before the action research intervention, the classroom was much louder when using the whiteboards. It seemed that talking

problems through was helpful for engagement and problem-solving. There seemed to be power in collaboration. The whiteboard lessons had all students on the task rather than some being less than attentive and talking about other things. All the conversations were about mathematics, and the students found it beneficial to have these conversations. One student commented, “It was definitely more relaxed because it was more about the learning experience rather than getting it right.”

From the pre and post-survey data, I found that the students changed their minds about problem solving due to this action. Initially, only eight of the 14 students felt that to solve problems, they needed to try multiple approaches to constructing a solution to a problem. After using the whiteboards and communicating in their groups, the post-survey showed that ten out of 13 students felt confident to try multiple approaches. This was also observed with the students trying numerous methods to solve the problems on the whiteboards. Pre-action, if a student got stuck on a problem, they asked the person next to them and then typically gave up if neither knew how to solve the problem. By contrast, there was no giving up using the whiteboards as the answers were visible in the room, and hints could be seen by looking at the other groups’ work or moving to a group to ask questions.

The girls found that using the whiteboards was an excellent way to share and consolidate their understanding. One student commented “solving problems using whiteboards also means that everyone has a chance to

understand the solutions well and that people have the opportunity to look at problems in different ways by observing others’ solutions.”

Observational data I collected reflected the findings of Forrester et al. (2017) and Seaton et al. (2014) that students using whiteboards are more involved with mathematics as there is more collaboration, and areas of weakness are quickly addressed. They listen, explain and converse about their understanding of problems.

Learning From Peers Increased Understanding and Consolidation of Mathematical Ideas

I found less reliance on the teacher as the students used the knowledge in the room to help move the problem solving forward. A student commented “in the smaller groups everyone gets to think about it. Then, if you get stuck, someone will have something to do next or some progressions that can get you closer to the answer.”

This way of making mathematics more visible through the use of vertical whiteboards was excellent to consolidate the understanding of mathematical ideas. I found that when asking groups about their solutions or why they had taken a particular approach, the lower attainment students had an excellent grasp of the ideas. They could articulate

the mathematics logically which showed that they had learned a great deal from their peers. There was a lot of peer tutoring, with no group moving on until they made sure that everyone understood the work. Many conversations included phrases such as “stop! How did you get that?” showing that the class took their learning seriously and they all wanted to get better at solving the problems.

Risk Taking Increased Related to the Impermanence of Writing on Whiteboards

The non-permanent nature of writing on the whiteboards encouraged the girls to take more risks. They were observed to be much faster to start work and were allowed to take chances on the whiteboards due to the ease of erasing incorrect work. One student commented “it was good, as we were allowed to be wrong.” Another stated “I also liked how we could try, write and erase different ways of solving the questions while using whiteboards.” As familiarity with using the whiteboards grew throughout the project, there was less erasing of mistakes, and the students left their work and continued working on the problems in another space. I believe this occurred because the girls no longer worried about being incorrect. They saw their mistakes as learning experiences, and the wrong

work was there as a reminder of the error and how they had moved their learning forward.

By working on the whiteboards, the students took risks by working in a group and were vulnerable by adding their understanding to the conversations. One student remarked “at first I didn’t know what was going on, and I felt like I didn’t understand … then I realised it was up to me to ask them to slow down and explain it to me.” Another student stated “I liked not being told how to do something. We could do it the way we wanted and get to the answer.”

Not all students enjoyed the risk. One commented “sometimes it could feel very tense and competitive.” One of my quieter, less-assured students did not like using the whiteboards at all. Even though she had good ideas to add to any assigned group, she generally stood back and would not participate unless I asked her direct questions. However, all the other class members soon became comfortable with the whiteboards, with all the girls commenting on how nice it was to “meet new people while working on something together.”

The survey and focus group data showed that the students’ overall impression of using the whiteboards to undertake problem solving was more engaging. Observational data confirmed this. The students were much louder, with mathematical conversations happening in every group. The following comment powerfully conveys the potential of using whiteboards in girls’ mathematics classrooms:

“I loved this experiment of using the whiteboards in small groups to solve problems. It allowed me to grow more confidence in my ability

“I loved this experiment of using the whiteboards in small groups to solve problems. It allowed me to grow more confidence in my ability to share my reasoning and working out with others. It also helped me immensely to see a new perspective on solving problems as I got an insight into how my peers do it.”

Making maths visible

to share my reasoning and working out with others. It also helped me immensely to see a new perspective on solving problems as I got an insight into how my peers do it.”

CONCLUSION

The use of vertical whiteboards in my mathematics classroom did encourage the girls to take risks when problem-solving. I answered the research question by identifying the four themes from the data analysis. After five weeks of using vertical whiteboards, the girls expressed more confidence in their ability to attack mathematical problems. The classroom was more animated and less passive than a teachercentric led lesson. The girls enjoyed robust conversations. They listened, explained, and conversed about their understanding of problems.

My role as a teacher changed as the students began to rely on each other for solutions rather than always asking me if they were correct. The students became critics of each others’ work by pointing out mistakes. As a teacher, the students’ mathematical thinking was visible. I was easily able to intervene as necessary or stop a lesson and draw the class’ attention to any misconceptions using one group’s solutions.

There is more research to be done on the use of a wall of whiteboards. This research was done with an accelerated Year 10 class with a good understanding of mathematics. I believe that further research is necessary for using this with a mixed ability or low attainment class. The classrooms at my school are shared spaces and I would often find other subject areas using the boards. I believe that further research

is needed to see if other facilities can utilise walls of whiteboards and whether whiteboards of this size and layout should be in all teaching spaces in a school.

REFLECTION STATEMENT

Undertaking this action research project has been an emotional, exciting and rewarding professional journey. I have been challenged to read the literature, change my teaching practice and observe the implications for my class. I have enjoyed the cyclical nature of action research, and I can see myself continuing this journey and refining my ideas for using vertical whiteboards in the classroom. As a mathematics teacher, I have always worried about problem solving in my classroom. When asked by parents “how do I get my daughter to be better at problem-solving?” I have often had no valuable solutions to give them. As a classroom teacher, I know that my classes can solve routine questions, but when faced with an unfamiliar problem, hands go up and they expect me to show them how to solve them, which does not require them to think. I have enjoyed challenging my class, taking a step back and letting the girls do more thinking and come up with solutions independently.

The professional learning I have gained from this GARC project has been immeasurable. It has pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and has introduced me to the world

of academic writing. This has given me the courage to pursue more study in educational psychology. I want to learn more about how students learn and how I can add that to my use of whiteboards. I want to thank Dr. Sarah Loch for her unabiding belief in me and her generous gift of time to help me throughout the project. I would also like to thank my principal, Dr. Kate Hadwen, for allowing me to be part of the GARC action research programme and for her support in providing the whiteboards for the classroom. Lastly, I would like to thank my research advisor, Dr. Carolyn Mak, who tirelessly read every draft, organised meetings and provided feedback and encouragement through every step of this project.

“My role as a teacher changed as the students began to rely on each other for solutions rather than always asking me if they were correct. The students became critics of each others’ work by pointing out mistakes.”

Making Maths Visible

References

Atkins, W. J., Leder, G. C., O’Halloran, P. J., Pollard, G. H., & Taylor, P. (1991). Measuring risk taking. Educational Studies in Mathematics 22(3), 297-308.

Ayllón, M. F., Gómez, I. A., & Ballesta-Claver, J. (2016). Mathematical thinking and creativity through mathematical problem posing and solving. Journal of Educational Psychology-Propósitos y Representaciones, 4(1), 195-218.

DeMatteo, R. W., & Johanning, D. (2010). Informing practice: A model approach to problem solving. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 16(3), 132–135. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41183494

Emre-Akdogan, E., & Argün, Z. (2016). Instructional design-based research on problem solving strategies. Acta Didactica Napocensia 9(4), 15-24.

Forrester, T., Sandison, C. E., & Denny, S. (2017). Vertical whiteboarding: Riding the wave of student activity in a mathematics classroom. Australian Mathematics Teacher, 73(4), 3–8.

Halmos, P. R. (1980). The heart of mathematics. The American Mathematical Monthly, 87(7), 519-524.

Hung, W., & Jonassen, D. (2012). Problem-based learning. In Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning (Vol. 6, pp. 2687–2690).

Johanning, D. I. (2010). Informing practice: Helping students develop capacity for transfer. MatheMatics teaching in the Middle school, 16(5), 260-264.

Liljedahl, P. (2016). Building thinking classrooms: Conditions for problem-solving. In P. Felmer, E. Pehkonen & J. Kilpatrick (Eds), Posing and solving mathematical problems (pp. 361-386). Springer.

Mertler, C.A. (2020). Action research: Improving schools and empowering educators (6th Edn). Sage.

Pang, C., Lau, J., Seah, C. P., Cheong, L., & Low, A. (2018). Socially challenged collaborative learning of secondary school students in Singapore. Education Sciences, 8(1), Article 24. https://doi. org/10.3390/educsci8010024

Retnowati, E., Ayres, P., & Sweller, J. (2017). Can collaborative learning improve the effectiveness of worked examples in learning mathematics? Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(5), 666.

Seaton, K. A., King, D. M., & Sandison, C. E. (2014). Flipping the maths tutorial: A tale of n departments. Gazette of the Australian Mathematical Society, 41(2), 99-113.

Tricot, A., & Sweller, J. (2014). Domain-specific knowledge and why teaching generic skills does not work. Educational Psychology Review 26(2), 265–283. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-013-9243-1

Vermeer, H. J., Boekaerts, M., & Seegers, G. (2000). Motivational and gender differences: Sixth-Grade students’ mathematical problemsolving behavior. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92(2), 308–315. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.92.2.308

Willingham, D. T. (2009). Why don’t students like school?: A cognitive scientist answers questions about how the mind works and what it means for your classroom. Jossey-Bass.

Woods, D. R. (1987). How might I teach problem solving? New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 30, 55-71.

Zambrano R, J., Kirschner, F., Sweller, J., & Kirschner, P. A. (2019). Effects of prior knowledge on collaborative and individual learning. Learning and Instruction, 63, Article 101214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. learninstruc.2019.05.011

How can developmental theories help teachers understand the needs of High Potential Learners?

Kristen McEvoy, English Teacher, Pymble Ladies’ College

CONTEXT

In my time teaching secondary English at Pymble, I’ve met some students who have exceeded my expectations based on my assumptions of their age and maturity level. I’ve found myself in an interesting position where, in some of my classes, extension opportunities make up the bulk of my lessons where students are being challenged to think critically far earlier than I’d expect. This has prompted me to examine the gulf of knowledge and skill that can exist between students seemingly at the same academic level and within the same classes. Whilst the student testing data, previous school reports and individual adjustment plans might

provide some insight into the skill set and maturity level of a student, it still couldn’t explain some of the disparities of knowledge I was seeing in my classes.

To understand how I can enrich the learning experience of all the students in my class, I examined some educational developmental theories to consider whether they might offer some explanation as to why some students seem to be so far beyond others in terms of their knowledge, skills and ability. I revisited Jean Piaget’s developmental framework alongside Vygotsky’s sociocultural development theory and found them to be limited in offering teachers tools to engage

with students who are outliers within developmental stages. I then explored a contested theory – dynamic systems theory – to see whether it might help me understand how students develop their knowledge at different rates and how I can account for this as a teacher.

CONSULTING EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY

I began with Piaget’s (1936) theory which uses developmental phases in accordance with approximated maturity levels of students to determine what could and couldn’t be understood by certain age groups, organised by a linear, progressive graph. In Piaget’s constructivist interpretation, development occurs

How can developmental theories help teachers understand the needs of High Potential Learners?

within stages of assimilation, accommodation, equilibrium and disequilibrium in which students develop new constructs in relation to pre-existing knowledge and strengthen the overall meaning of that concept. In a classroom setting, this constructivist approach is clear: to teach the child a new concept, link it to pre-existing knowledge and apply it in different circumstances so that this knowledge is solidified. Piaget expresses that ‘knowledge has to be constructed through the action of the mind and cannot simply be a result of perception’ (Moshman, 2011, p. 6). Therefore, students actively construct their own knowledge and teachers serve to make the connections between concepts clear and known. This theory was helpful in reflecting on my own practice in introducing new concepts to students and setting them on the right path in their learning process in its early stages. However, I was left questioning how I can use a constructivist framework to guide the learning of students who are ready to consolidate their knowledge, apply skills and extend their knowledge ahead of the class.

I revisited Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory which uses the differences between students’ development levels and the zone of proximal development to suggest a progressive pedagogy for teachers to use in their classrooms within certain parameters of ability. Vygotsky’s theory indicates that students learn best through imitation and internalisation within the zone of proximal development which allows them to learn effectively. It is by mirroring the steps shown by a more capable person that the student is able to rise to the challenge and learn, if learning is matched with the student’s development level. –

Ruler specifying the instructor’s goal

Time

Vygotsky’s ideology of teaching as the scaffolding supporting individual child development identifies the role of the teacher with great precision, upholding a practical theory for application. The nature in which learning takes place within a classroom environment is therefore dictated by the extent to which students are guided with the right scaffolding, helping them move through developmental phases easily. This theory provides a clear pedagogy for teachers to follow, using collaborative learning and scaffolding to enhance the learning of students through a more informed peer.

These theories, whilst effective in providing some clarity around how students learn best in classroom environments, assume that all students exist within fairly predictable stages of cognitive development.

If I consider some of the incredibly advanced students I’ve taught, I’d argue that their learning, maturity and development may sit well outside the parameters of the stages in Piaget’s or Vygotsky’s theories based on their awareness, volition and skill.

APPRENTICE/ INSTRUCTOR IN THE DYNAMIC SYSTEMS THEORY

The dynamic systems theory involves aspects of both Piaget and Vygotsky’s developmental theories within a new framework that recognises the organic and unpredictable nature of learning. This theory examines the relationship between the instructor (teacher) and the apprentice (student) as part of a teachinglearning system where the learning of the student influences the teacher’s goal setting for them. The instructor accounts for the skill level, interest and potential for enrichment and growth within the apprentice and considers learning goals that are in reach based on this early evaluation. Within the classroom this evaluation might take the form of any pre-assessment of skills and prior knowledge such as a survey, reflection or quiz. As the apprentice engages with initial learning exercises intended to have them develop their skills, the instructor changes their level of instruction to align with the new skill level of the apprentice to ensure that knowledge and skills are developing. With

Figure 1 – Basic conceptual model of teaching and learning. Reproduced with permission (van Geert and Steenbeek, 2015, p. 4)

Instructor’s final Apprentice’s

consideration of Figure 1 (used by van Geert and Steenbeek, 2015), the instructor sets a series of goals that are within reach for the apprentice as they equip students with the knowledge necessary to ‘push’ them to the next stage of complexity in their understanding.

Figure 1 suggests that learning is an iterative process, as when the apprentice progresses, this motivates the instructor to enhance the level of instruction, enabling the apprentice to learn more as a result. This model prompts the instructor to be aware of certain educational parameters such as the progress rate of instruction and the distance between the current goal to the final learning goal. In considering these factors, the dynamic systems theory prompts the teacher to consider the variability in rates of learning and individual student characteristics which may influence their progress. At this stage of my research, this model seemed to mirror some of my experiences teaching high potential learners, as I’ve found that I’m often assessing student knowledge and motivation and considering their individual talents and abilities before setting them personal goals on either extension tasks or projects they are working on. For one student, a goal might be to analyse a language device and for another the goal might be to conduct a feminist or postcolonial reading of a text.

NOISE IN THE DATA

The dynamic systems theory seeks to address variability in research, accounting for the students who fall outside the mean of fixed developmental stages. In this context, diversity in data has been referred to as “noise” and “bad data”, suggesting that research favours

students who fit well into their developmental stage where their maturity and understanding aligns perfectly with their age and cohort (Kim & Sankey, 2010, p. 80). For example, some researchers posit that within adolescent development, some students with high fear of failure ‘tend to avoid the tasks that are well suited to their competence, whereas for other children these tasks are most motivating’ (Kunnen, 2012, p. 4), recognising the gulf of academic variance and motivation that teachers manage.

These outliers in data are perceived as unfavourable to researchers in theories of Piaget and Vygotsky which exclude things like mood swings and transitory behaviours, some of the most defining characteristics of adolescents. From an empirical perspective, experimental outliers are usually ignored due to their irrelevance to the correlation of popular data. This leaves us to question, is the exclusion of the messy variables found within child development data useful for teachers facing the demands and challenges presented by students in their classes?

Disregarding the ‘noise’ in the data allows researchers to overlook outliers of such experiments as they fall beyond what is considered the developmental norm. This reinforces that although certain data may not fit within the experimenter’s line of best fit, they present themselves as opportunities for teachers to assist students’ knowledge development. Teachers can therefore act as the necessary ‘scaffolding’ around the student with a purpose to both accommodate what the student already knows as well as a system within the guidelines of Vygotsky’s

Zone of Proximal Development (Berk, 2009). Challenging tasks within this zone of development promote the child’s maximum cognitive growth within their set parameters of developmental variability, indicating that teachers need to be exploring these outliers rather than ignoring them. Perhaps the ‘noise’ in our data represents some of our most enthusiastic and gifted students who thrive when challenging themselves beyond the parameters of class tasks. This data could also represent students with the potential to be extended and enriched, but are not experiencing the motivation, interest and enthusiasm of their peers.

This is highly significant in understanding developmental variability as Vygotsky’s (1978) interpretation of successful development takes into account what the student already knows whilst building upon this knowledge with the guidance of a higher skilled individual. If every child is taught in this way, a dynamic classroom environment can be created in which the perceptions of each child can enrich learning for the rest of the class (Vygotsky, 1987, p. 32). In terms of the implications for our high potential learners, Vygotsky’s (1978) theory suggests that it is important to promote student enthusiasm and encouragement through a healthy class environment where students are aligned by capability, and intellectually challenged by their teachers and peers.

STUDENTS WHO ARE OUTLIERS IN THE DATA

With this said, an awareness of students who are underperforming according to their development level is of vital importance, too, reinforcing that teachers ‘need to be

constantly aware of the danger of adopting a group-average mentality when describing the behaviour or ability of the group of children we teach’ (Kim & Sankey, 2010, p. 87). In adopting a group average mentality, Kim and Sankey clarify the extent to which differing ways of teaching encourages teachers to promote an inclusion of transitional events associated with the development of each student. By remembering that each child will cope with maturation differently, the dynamic systems theory ‘considers the origins and functions of variability as absolutely central for understanding change’ (Thelen & Smith, 1994, p. 67). Therefore, whilst our students might demonstrate a knack, talent or potential in a learning area, it is significant that we recognise their uniqueness as learners, their maturity and their personal context. For instance, we should consider how much of their knowledge has

References

been formed entirely within the walls of educational institutions and how this knowledge can be used to extend students. In teaching high potential learners, teachers might consider setting tasks with higher working memory demands, presenting incrementally challenging tasks as in Bloom’s taxonomy, offering lessons on topics beyond the regular curriculum and considering whether the student requires learning materials above their age or class level better aligned to their personal development stage. Gagné’s Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (2009) can also be used by teachers to allow them to conceptualise the various abilities, competencies and cognitive elements at play within the education of high potential learners.

CONCLUSION

In applying interpretations of learning and development within

Berk, L. E. (2009). Child development: Piagetian, core knowledge and Vygotskian perspectives. Pearson International Edition (Eighth Edition) pp. 223-269.

Gagné, F. (2009). Building gifts into talents: Brief overview of the DMGT 2.0, Leading change in gifted education, Université du Québec a Montréal, Canada, April edition, n.152, pp. 5-9.

Geake, J. G. (2009). The brain at school: Educational neuroscience in the classroom. Open University Press, McGraw-Hill Education. Maidenhead, England.

Kim, M. & Sankey, D. (2010). The dynamics of emergent selforganisation: Reconceptualising child development in teacher education. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 35(4). pp. 79-98.

Kunnen, S. E. (2012). A dynamic systems approach to adolescent development, Taylor & Francis Group, London. ProQuest Ebook

real classroom settings, teachers must take into account the different types of learners they will engage. Based on these comparisons, Piaget’s (1936) and Vygotsky’s (1978) theories provide some insight into the ways in which the majority of students learn. When considering the ways in which students can be challenged and extended, I found that a combination of Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development and the dynamic systems theory’s recognition of individualised learning and goal setting was most practical in helping me continue to extend high potential learners in my classes. The dynamic systems theory does offer some insights into the variations exhibited within the spectrum of learning and, as an educational theory, prompts teachers to consider the ways in which we can account for the vast range of learners in our classrooms.

Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/pymblelc/detail. action?docID=1099277.

Piaget, J. (1936). Origins of intelligence in the child. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

Thelen, E. & Smith, L. B. (2006). Dynamic systems theories in handbook of child psychology, Volume 1, Theoretical models of Human Development, Sixth Edition, William Damon (Editor), New Jersey, pp. 303-307.

van Geert, P. & Steenbeek H. (2015). Dynamic systems theory: a tool for understanding development and education, University of Groningen, Netherlands, pp. 2-12.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

How can developmental theories help teachers understand the needs of High Potential Learners?

Translanguaging as a pedagogical asset in the classroom

Anna To, English as an Additional Language/Dialect Teacher K-6, Pymble Ladies’ College

INTRODUCTION

Some of my earliest memories of Australia are of our tiny, red-bricked flat and our boxy 1980s TV with its four channels where I watched children’s programs like Sesame Street and Play School. I loved these shows, and this is where my curious ear picked up some first words of English. Our family, and later my Cabramatta school friends and I, were translanguaging long before it became a pedagogical framework for teaching language. Most of us had come during the late 1970s and early 1980s by boat, or if we were lucky, by plane, sponsored by family members who had made it across earlier on the more treacherous ocean journeys. By necessity, we fled with just the clothes on our backs and in bodies tightened by fear and hunger. With the absence of anything of material worth, people held tightly to the culture and language of homelands they had left behind.

But my parents and many others also carried something else with them. Tucked quietly under the trauma was hope. They hoped that the sacrifice and their immense courage would allow their families to start a new life. At home, we were only allowed to speak Chinese dialects or Mandarin. I shed my Vietnamese because my father insisted on loyalty to the Chinese identity that had carried us through generational displacement. There was no space at home for English either. This question of identity and loyalty-by-language would become a reoccurring theme in all our lives and one which I recognise students in my EAL/D (English as an Additional Language/Dialect) classes and their families also wrestle with.

According to Baker (2011), translanguaging is the process of making meaning, gaining understanding and knowledge using two, or more, languages. The confluence of different dialects and

languages in a single conversation was an everyday reality amongst my family and the immigrants within our community. My experience of the language of school, however, was a different reality. In the Australian classroom, the only acceptable language was standard Australian English, and we were defined by how well, or poorly, we grasped this. We implicitly felt that proficiency in English was required proof of our loyalty to the new country we now called home. But it left us, as young children, feeling conflicted about who were allowed to be, straddling as we did the distinct cultures of our home and school, each with their clear but conflicting rules about which language gained us acceptance.

This sense of otherness based around language is not unique to recent immigrants to Australia. Australia’s First Nations people have also been marginalised by the languages and dialects they do

Translanguaging as a pedagogical asset in the classroom

and do not speak, the disparities between the language of home and school, and the adherence to an assimilationist approach to language-use in the classroom. Like migrant communities, Aboriginal communities are historically multilingual and adept at using their full linguistic repertoire to communicate in socially appropriate and semantically sophisticated ways (Oliver et. al, 2021). Indeed, translanguaging is characteristic of multilingual communities around the world (Garcia & Li, 2014; Li, 2011).

To allow this as a pedagogy in our classrooms requires teachers to overcome the monolingual mindset that is a feature of our Australian identity (Clyne, 2006). It also requires teachers to value the role of home languages as a pedagogy for learning and growth that allows students to bring their whole selves to the classroom. It is likely my parents would have felt more at ease about allowing English at home if home languages were embraced at school. Instead, they steadfastly guarded against it, afraid that we would forget where we had come from, surrounded as we were by English in

a country that was still getting used to its new wave of immigrants.

TRANSLANGUAGING AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE MULTILINGUAL

To better understand translanguaging practices, imagine that languages are not discreet entities as such, but a unified linguistic system from which to draw (Otheguy et. al, 2015).

Cummins (1981) iceberg model of language interdependence illustrates this concept graphically, with the tips of the iceberg appearing disparate while, beneath the surface, the peaks converge into one mass. The nuanced and dynamic ways that we communicate become apparent when multilingual speakers use language in ways which go beyond the constraints of any one language. Singaporean English, known locally as Singlish, is a case in point. Singlish infuses English with Malay and the various Chinese dialects spoken within the population. Below is an excerpt of a conversation in Singlish between two friends from a paper by Li (2018). The above example of Singlish illustrates how being multilingual can also mean using multiple languages at once to communicate beyond the parametres of any one

language while harnessing the cultural semiotic nuances of each. Translanguaging practices challenge us to rethink the monolingual view of what multilingualism looks like, namely that bilinguals have two distinct systems of languages which are used separately (Warren, 2018). Indeed, away from this monoglossic view of language, there is room to learn a new language and become multilingual, rather than to remain monolingual as the acquired language displaces an existing one (Li, 2018).

The young EAL/D students that I work with translanguage naturally in lessons, moving across English and Mandarin, using gestures and sounds to punctuate what they mean. These practices, and multilingualism in general, can be actively supported in the classroom through the teacher’s pedagogical choices (Beiler, 2021; Celic & Seltzer, 2013). My own teaching experience suggests that the ‘silent period’ of language learning, which is widely covered in research (Gibbons, 1985; Jang, 2008; Saville-Troike, 1988), can be mitigated using translanguaging practices in the classroom.

Figure 1: Adapted from Cummins’ Iceberg Model of Language Interdependence, 1981.

Second Language Features

First Language Features

SEETOH:

Aiyoh (discourse particle), we are all <ka ki nang> (自己人 = own people, meaning ‘friends’), bian khe khi (别 客气 = don’t mention it). Ren lai jiu hao (人来就好 = good of you to come), why bring so many ‘barang barang’ (‘things’). Paiseh (歹劳 = I’m embarrassed). ‘Nei chan hai yau sum’ (你真的有心 = you are so considerate).

JAMIE:

Don’t say until like that. Now, you make me malu (‘shame’) only. You look after my daughter so for many years, mei you gong lao ye you ku lao (没有攻来也有苦劳 = you have done hard work even if you don’t want a prize). I feel so bad that I could not come earlier. ‘Mm hou yi si’ (不好意思 = I’m embarrassed). I was so shocked to hear about Seetoh, tsou lang ham ham (做人 ham ham – meaning life is unpredictable), jie ai shun bian (节哀顺变 = hope you will restrain your grief and go along with the changes).

SEETOH:

ta lin zou de shi hou hai zai guan nian Natalie (他连走的时候还在挂念 Natalie= He was thinking of Natalie, who was Jamie’s daughter, before he passed away). Of all your children, he ‘saying’ (love) her the most.

KEY

Bold: Hokkien < …> : ChaoZhou

Underlined: Mandarin

In double quotation marks: Malay

In single quotation marks: Cantonese Italics: Singlish

TRANSLANGUAGING AS A PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICE

New York City is one of the most linguistically diverse places in the world, with over 800 languages spoken within its five boroughs (World Atlas, 2022). It comes as little surprise that a project like City University of New York – New York State Initiative on Emergent Bilinguals (CUNY-NYSIEB), spearheaded by the Research Institute for Study of Language in Urban Society, came about in the city to popularise translanguaging pedagogy and turn a critical light on existing ideologies around language, power and identity. To highlight the shift in pedagogical approach, the term “English language learner” is replaced with “emergent bilingual” or “multilingual learner” to recognise students as having existing linguistic capital (Celic & Seltzer, 2013). It gives tacit permission for students and teachers to value languages other than English in

the classroom for teaching and learning purposes. How then, might translanguaging look in the classroom? And how does a teacher, without the benefit of proficiency in a student’s home language, manage teaching purposefully? Below are a few suggested ways for leveraging translanguaging as a pedagogical tool in the multilingual classroom. Further details and strategies can by explored on the CUNY-SYIEB website https://www.cuny-nysieb.org/.

CREATING A MULTILINGUAL ECOLOGY

To create a multilingual ecology is to design a learning environment where multilingual learners and their families, feel represented in the resources, content, topics, celebrations and discussions that take place (Celic & Seltzer, 2013). These include the use of culturally relevant texts that reflect a student’s background or lived experience. When I have mentioned the benefits

of using home language storybooks at home to parents of my EAL/D students, the sigh of relief is almost palpable. Aside from the benefits to students in the classroom, books in a language they understand gives parents the power to support and connect with their child on their language learning journey.

Another example is to produce identity texts where students create a bilingual text in English and their home language to share their cultural and linguistic identities and experiences (Cummins, 2005). Multilingual auditory texts, songs and chants which are especially appealing for younger students who are not able to read, but still highly engaging for older students, are also valuable multilingual resources in an inclusive classroom. Figure 2 is a diagram of a continuum showing how the shift towards a diverse language ecology in a classroom might occur.

Translanguaging as a pedagogical asset in the classroom

PROMPTS FOR COMPARATIVE LANGUAGE ANALYSIS

In my teaching practice with my EAL/D students, I have found comparative language analysis to be useful when discussing grammatical differences between a student’s home language and English. This appears to help students reflect on some of the reoccurring mistakes they might be making and hone in on the features of English of which they need to be more conscious. The table of comparative language analysis prompts below, taken from the CUNY-NYSIEB guidebook on translanguaging practices, provides suggestions on the types of questions you might ask to generate awareness in yourself as well as your students.

THE TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM AND HOME LANGUAGE USE

Translanguaging is very much a student-centred approach, where relationship and trust matters, as do intentionality and clear guidelines. Another possible strategy for bringing intentionality to a multilingual classroom, particularly when a teacher does not speak the students’ home language(s), is through a traffic light system for when home languages, English or both are

required for a classroom task.

For example, red-coded activities might be ones which require students to speak only in English. An example of this might be a presentation on content that has been covered over several lessons. An amber-coded activity might be one which allows students to choose which language to work in. An example might be a small group discussion around a given topic. A green-coded activity might be one which allows students to work exclusively in their home language. An example of this activity might be researching in-depth on a given topic.

The potential flip-side to using this traffic light analogy to moderate language use in the classroom is the implicit prohibition signaled by the colour red. Another imagery such as Figure 4 which illustrates the range of languages that is constructive for a given task, might be useful without the negative undertones. Allowing students to move in and out of languages also allows them to bring viewpoints that are unique to the linguistic features and cultural lens of their languaging repertoire. Not only is this a form of social justice that makes space for the languages and identities students

bring to the classroom, but also cognitive justice in recognising an alternate interpretation, adding to the richness of their individual and collective learning experience.

LANGUAGE PROFILES

As Oliver et. al (2021) pointed out, enacting translanguaging practices in the classroom require a number of enabling factors, including teacher awareness and recognition of a student’s existing language knowledge. Chik et. al (2018) authored a research paper called “Languages of Sydney: The People and The Passion” which used a simple human outline to create a ‘language portrait silhouette’ of student teachers. The idea behind the project was to celebrate the richness of our individual, as well as combined linguistic diversity, and to showcase the intimate connection between language and identity. In total, sixtysix language portrait silhouettes were curated, showing the tapestry of languaging practices in a cross section of Sydney. In a school setting, such language portraits would be instrumental in determining what language resources and cultural identities students are bringing to the classroom. From this, teachers can then design translanguaging learning activities to suit the needs of the class.

DIAGRAM ADAPTED FROM DE JONG & GAO, 2019

Figure 2: Continuum showing a shift towards diverse language ecologies in a classroom, adapted from de Jong & Gao, 2019.

Question/Prompt Example

How would you say this in (home language)? How is it different to what you wrote in English?

Do you notice any similarities between the sentence we just wrote and the way you’d say this in (home language)?

I learned that in (home language) you (aspect of home language syntax). Can you tell me more about that?

In English, we (aspect of English syntax). For example in English I would write ______. How would you say that idea in (home language)?

I’m noticing that when you write (aspect) of English syntax), you are (error student is making). Can you say this sentence in your home language? Does it say the same thing?

How would you say this in Chinese? How is that different to what we just wrote in English?

Do you notice any similarities between the sentence we just wrote and the way you’d say this in Russian?

I learned that in Arabic you don’t capitalise the beginnings of sentences. Can you tell me more about that?

In English we put our adjectives before our nouns. For example, in English I would write “She is a very smart student.” How would you say the same thing in Spanish?

I see here that when you wrote this question, “Why she do that?” you forgot the word “did”. Can you translate that sentence into Spanish? Does it say the same thing?

The first two language silhouettes below are examples completed by Pymble Ladies’ College colleagues to represent the connection they have with languages in their repertoire. Victoria, who completed the first silhouette, noted how much she enjoyed the process of delving into how language connected her to her Greek heritage and how this shaped her sense of self. Liv, who completed the second silhouette, noted that while she was of Italian heritage, she only spoke English. Yet her profile shows a respect for her heritage and an appreciation for the languages of the students in her class.

The third silhouette is by a Year 1 EAL/D student with Korean as her home language. Here my student has marked the places on her body where each language resides. English, a new language, is in her head, with green hair sprouting to show how it is helping her grow. She also includes things she associates with Australian culture. Korean, her home language, resides in her torso, surrounding her heart. Here, she has written the Korean and English words for different members of her family and the greeting “Hi”. Each of her limbs are adorned with the languages she uses or is learning, namely English, Chinese and Korean. For someone so young, she has shown an intimate understanding of the power of languaging in her life.

CONCLUSION

In a multicultural society such as Australia, there is a cognitive dissonance to teaching and learning English through a monoglossic, assimilationist approach that overlooks a student’s established linguistic repertoire. This narrowed view defines students in terms of what they are lacking and

Figure 3: CUNY-NYSIEB Translanguaging Guide, 2013.

Figure 5: Victoria’s language silhouette

English Only Most useful language(s) for task Home Language Use

Figure 4: Visual codes for use in the multilingual classroom

Translanguaging as a pedagogical asset in the classroom

requires them to leave their home languages, and a fundamental part of who they are, at the classroom door. Understandably, teachers may otherwise feel remiss for not maximising their students’ exposure to and practice with English, the target language. As EAL/D teachers, we are often asked the question, “is it alright for students to speak [insert home language] in class?” or “shouldn’t they only be speaking English at school?”.

Yet, students should be able to bring their whole selves to the classroom, and this means recognising the value of the languages they already have, not just the void of the English they do not have. When I was learning English in the 1980s, not long after the White Australia policy was finally abolished, this ‘speak English only’ stance was normative and unquestioned. Our current, residual imperative to ‘use English only’ is also a legacy of this part of our assimilationist, colonial history.

It is time to move on. To this end, translanguaging is a pedagogical asset. It challenges monolingual assumptions underlying language education policy and refers to pedagogical practices that views multilingualism as a resource rather than a deficit. In this way, translanguaging moves beyond traditional notions of multilingualism and additional language teaching and learning. To fully embrace the richness of our diverse human capital, translanguaging offers a shift from monoglossic views of how we see language towards an openness to the linguistic and cultural resources our students bring to the Australian classroom.

Figure 6: Liv’s language silhouette

Figure 7: Year 1 EAL/D student’s language silhouette

References

Baker, C. (2011). Foundations of bilingual education and bilingualism. 5th edition. Bristol: Multilingual Matters

Beiler, I. (2021). Marked and unmarked translanguaging in accelerated, mainstream, and sheltered English classrooms. Multilingua, 40(1), 107 – 138.

Celic, C. & Seltzer, K. (2013). Translanguaging: A CUNY-NYSIEB Guide for Educators. CUNY-NYSIEB, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York.

Chik, A., Markose, S., & Alperstein, D. (2018). Languages of Sydney: The people and the passion. Candlin & Mynard.

Clyne, M. (2006). The social responsibility and impact of the linguist/ applied linguist in Australia. In Allan, K.(ed.), Selected paper from the 2005 of the Australian Linguistic Society (pp.1 – 11). Australian Linguistic Society.

Cummins, J. (1981). Empirical and theoretical underpinnings of bilingual education. The Journal of Education, 163(1), 16–29.

Cummins, J. (2005). A proposal for action: Strategies for recognizing heritage language competence as a learning resource within the mainstream classroom. Modern Language Journal, 585-592.

de Gong, E. & Gao, J. (2019). Taking a multilingual stance: A continuum of practice. MinneTESOL Journal, 35(1).

Garcia, O. & Li, W. (2014) Translanguaging: Language, bilingualism and education. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan

Gibbons, J. (1985). The silent period: An examination. Language Learning, 35(2), 255-267.

Iddings, A. C. D., & Jang, E. Y. (2008). The mediational role of classroom practices during the silent period: A new-immigrant student learning the English language in a mainstream classroom. Tesol Quarterly, 42(4), 567-590.

Li, W. (2011). Moment analysis and translanguaging space: Discursive construction of identities by multilingual Chinese youth in Britain. Journal of Pragmatics, 43(5), 1222 – 1235.

Li, W. (2018). Translanguaging as a practical theory of language. Applied Linguistics, 39(1), 9–30

Oliver, R., Wigglesworth, G., Angelo, D. & Steele, C. (2021). Translating translanguaging into our classrooms: Possibilities and challenges. Language Teaching Research, Vol 25(1), 134 – 150.

Otheguy, R., García, O., & Reid, W. (2015). Clarifying translanguaging and deconstructing named languages: A perspective from linguistics. Applied Linguistics Review, 6(3), 281-307.

Saville-Troike, M. (1988). Private speech: Evidence for second language learning strategies during the ‘silent’ period. Journal of child language, 15(3), 567-590.

Warren, A. (2018). Monoglossic echoes in multilingual spaces: Language narratives from a Vietnamese community language school in Australia, Language Planning, 19(1), 42-61.

World Atlas, (2022). New York maps and facts. Accessed 19 November, 2022. https://www.worldatlas.com/maps/united-states/new-york

Exploring the benefits of play in a transition to school context: What can Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) contribute?

Karen Ahearn, Head of Early Years, Pymble Ladies’ College

ABSTRACT

The transition to formal school can be significant for both families and children. While educators have long recognised that the success of transition is reflective of many factors such as emotional readiness, language development and orientation opportunities, the impact of COVID has added additional considerations over the last few years.

To better respond to the needs of commencing cohorts, the College’s Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) initiative, Kindy Club, was examined to highlight the affordances of pedagogical alignment between early childhood experiences and the College context. The OSHC curriculum recognises children as capable co-constructors, who are encouraged to be curious about their interests and empowered to develop social competencies and identity through play.

This project considered observations

of Kindergarten children attending OSHC with a particular focus on social competencies during selfselected play activities. Interactions in the school playground and engagement in “risky play” were also considered. Five families who had participated in the Kindy Club program were interviewed, along with children and educators, to explore perceived outcomes. Data was reviewed as a component of reflective practice for improvement.

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

In 2009, the Australian Government introduced the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) to identify children’s development and readiness for learning across five domains as they commenced their first year of formal schooling. In the most recent census, undertaken in 2021, key findings identified that developmental vulnerability had increased significantly in the language and cognitive skills domain

and was at a peak since data was first collected in the physical health and wellbeing domain.

Additionally, the landscape of the College community has undergone some change over the last decade, reflective of our local population and specific needs of our families. The school community has seen a significant increase in the number of children commencing Kindergarten from language backgrounds other than English and many of our families had experienced very different schooling during their own childhood. An increase in children whose prior-to-school experiences are highly structured and scheduled has also been identified which has subsequently been reflected in high enrolment in co-curricular activities and outside of school tutoring as children commence Kindergarten. Limited opportunities for free play and a corresponding increase in sedentary, indoor activities, that

provide impact opportunity for outdoor play, has been evidenced as children share their play experiences beyond the school day. Play typically occurs, both within the school environment and beyond, at scheduled times and under close supervision, with adults regulating and prescribing activities. Family expectation that children will have dominantly positive experiences across daily interactions and will be supported in times of disagreement and challenge is reflected in responses to disagreements and physical and emotional challenges. Intervening during times of risky play and conflict with peers potentially disempowers the child in choice of strategies, reflection, creative thought and outcomes despite the best intentions.

Within this context, Kindy Club was initiated with the aim of providing additional opportunities for girls to explore relationships and ideas and build an understanding of the College campus and underpinning values. The curriculum augments orientation to school programs as students and their families transition from early childhood environments to a school context.

LEARNING WITHIN EARLY CHILDHOOD CONTEXTS

An early childhood context is one based on learning through play, negotiated risk, exploration of creativity, growing self-identity and opportunities to develop social competencies. However, the structure of schooling environments can reflect a very different learning environment, and much can be learnt from the Early Years Learning Framework and the Framework for School Age Care. Early childhood contexts are defined by a play-based

curriculum with the Early Years Learning Framework: Belonging, Being, Becoming fundamental to pedagogy and curriculum decisions. Learning is supported in environments that provide challenge and choice, with diversity of perspectives, prior experiences, beliefs and expectations crucial to how educators respect, respond to, and celebrate each child’s unique capabilities and qualities. Children are seen as co-constructors of learning, capable and creative in their approaches across social, cognitive and language domains. Genuine partnerships between families and educators sit at the core of secure and respectful relationships and assist in establishing true connectedness for children. Relationships where knowledge of the child is openly communicated, and parties regularly engage in shared decision making, enhances the cycle and continuity of learning for each child.

“To learn

is a satisfying experience….

Once children are helped to view themselves as authors or inventors,

once they are helped to discover the pleasure of inquiry, their motivation and interest explodes.”

Malaguzzi (1998a, p.67)

Learning Through Play

During play, children can create, imagine, explore, test and invent. Play is undertaken in social contexts and is based on a system of relationships with both environments and others: it engages, excites and motivates. As play is child centred and involves choice, it is both process orientated and self-motivating (Barblett, 2010; Shipley, 2008). Children have opportunities to develop and strengthen their unique skills and capabilities with particular emphasis on building communication and oral language skills. As they engage in play, social-emotional competencies are expanded and opportunities to deepen problem-solving skills and creative ideologies are extended. Overwhelmingly, play supports and promotes cognitive growth.

Risky Play

As identified by the World Health Organisation, in Western contexts:

Table 1: Using data from study by Storli and Sandseter (2019)

Exploring the benefits of play in a transition to school context

“Children’s opportunities for risky play are decreasing and at the same time, childhood inactivity and coinciding health concerns are on the rise.”

(WHO, 2016)

The prevalence of risky play in early childhood environments has been explored in a number of research projects. Sandseter (2010b) defines risky play as ‘thrilling and exciting forms of physical play that involves risk of physical injury’ and research has identified evidence of risky play across observed forms of chosen play from ages above one year (Kleppe et al., 2017; Sandseter 2007; Coster and Gleave 2008). Risky play promotes feelings of intense exhilaration (Cook et al., 1999) and a range of diverse and ambiguous feelings such as excitement, fear, thrill, achievement and pride (Sandseter 2010b; Coster and Gleave 2008). The most prevalent play categories, according to a study by Storli and Sandseter (2019), which examined the chosen forms of play both indoors and outdoors in Norwegian early childhood education and care services, is represented in Table 1. This study found that risky play was observed at a similar rate to symbolic play, one of the most common forms of play.

As schools consider the relevance of play in the development of capabilities for learning, much can be achieved from pedagogical alignment with the Early Years Learning Framework. Recommendations from Nurturing Wonder and Igniting Passion, designs for a new school curriculum: NSW Curriculum Review, published by NSW Education Standards Authority (2020), identified key elements for design of early years of formal

schooling curriculum. A significant recommendation identified inclusion of a curriculum that builds on the Early Years Learning Framework.

TRANSITION TO SCHOOL

“Transition is often characterized by discontinuity in relationships, pedagogy, curriculum, resources and support.”

(Dockett, 2010)

Transition is a period of change over time, as people move from one context to another. During transition from early years to formal schooling, much emphasis has historically been focused on school “readiness” and the provision of experiences that are schoollike. Yet, the most relevant aspects of preparing children, families and schools for these transitions is perhaps already significantly embedded in daily practice across early childhood services. Recognising children as capable and unique creators of knowledge, effective problem solvers and engaged learners who instigate and drive investigations is what early childhood pedagogy and curriculum holds at its core.

In Transition to School:

Communication and relationships , Hopps (2022) identifies the importance of making clear what is meant by the term ‘learning through play’ and changing the discussion from ’ready for school‘ to ’transitioning to school‘. Rather than introducing structures and experiences that replicate more traditional school environments in preparation for transition, the focus would be better aligned to highlighting the desired capabilities of the learner considered essential in contemporary education pedagogy and practice, where opportunities for deep learning are improved. The alignment of pedagogy, curriculum and resources between OSHC, early years services and formal school environments creates opportunities to strengthen and augment the experiences of children and families during this significant transition period. An essential component is highlighting the affordances of play as a vehicle to enhance learning and to strengthen capabilities for successful learners of the future.

“Ensuring that every child feels a sense of security and belonging within the school enables each child to accept and participate actively in transforming situations that are part of learning experiences.”

Loris Malaguzzi (saltmeadowacademy.wordpress.com)

Essential to the success of transition is the establishment of secure

following a period of extended restrictions and lockdowns due to COVID-19. Many children and parents had experienced limited opportunities to attend the College campus, with some families not being able to visit classrooms prior to their daughter’s commencement. Attendance at Kindy Club was additionally impacted during January 2022 with increases in positive

in selection of activities is available and interests are respected and extended through co-constructed learning opportunities.

Children are directly involved in contributing to intentional aspects of programs which celebrate diversity of perspectives, respect for the environment, sustainable practices and growth in knowledge and skills. Through the Quality Improvement Plan (QIP), educators engage in reflective practice to inform the planning cycle. Reflections are based on observations and the voices of children, families and co-educators as the cycle of further learning opportunities evolves.

relationships for children, families and educators. As children commence formal schooling, connections with parents need to be firmly established as a priority. Relationships between school management, teachers and the wider parent community reinforce the sense of belonging which impacts the connection of children and the securing of future partnerships. Parental anxiety about their child’s capacity to form positive friendships, to be known, cared for and valued and to experience positive outcomes in social and learning domains is reflective of the importance of trust relationships with the parent community, particularly during periods of transition. Like children, parents are also venturing into a new social group and connection is critical.

HOW CAN OSHC AND HOLIDAY PROGRAMS CONTRIBUTE TO THE TRANSITION TO SCHOOL?

Methodology

This action research project was undertaken at the start of 2022

cases and a significant decrease in the number of children attending from previous years. Five case studies, where children attended Kindy Club in the two weeks prior to the start of the school year, were undertaken with children, parents and teachers interviewed by the researcher. Qualitative data was gathered via interviews with parents and educators.

Alignment with the Early Years Learning Framework: Belonging, Being and Becoming OSHC practice and pedagogy is underpinned by learning through play, as evidenced by the nationally approved learning framework, My Time, Our Place: Framework for School

Aged Care in Australia

During a period of transition, the direct alignment with the Early Years Learning Framework: Belonging, Being, Becoming affords familiarity of values and pedagogy, enabling connection of expectations and experiences. Learning through play is both visible to parents and evidenced in daily activities. Choice

Fundamental to both frameworks is the importance placed on establishing a sense of belonging through building secure relationships, recognising and responding to cultural diversity and having and using voice in the choice of activity and shaping of experiences. Additional value is given to shared appreciation of individual capabilities and achievements and providing continuity in exploration of interests as a sense of connectedness is promoted. Through leveraging OSHC and holiday programs at the College, commencing and continuing students explore their environment as they engage in play-based and co-constructed learning across social, creative and interest-based opportunities. Through an immersive program that recognises the importance of play and the strength of connection, the values and daily routines of the College become both visible and established.

Kindy Club in Action

Kindy Club originated through an identified need to address

“Through an immersive program that recognises the importance of play and the strength of connection, the values and daily routines of the College become both visible and established.”

Exploring the benefits of play in a transition to school context

the specific requirements of commencing Kindergarten students attending the January OSHC Holiday Program prior to starting their first official day at Pymble Ladies’ College. The introduction of Kindy Club formed a component of the OSHC service’s Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) and is available to girls from mid-January until the first day of Kindergarten. Educators focus on empowering the girls to build connections and relationships with peers through games and activities, both structured and unstructured, and establish secure relationships with educators. Multi-age connections assist children in interacting with older peers as they explore and engage together during planned and spontaneous play opportunities.

OSHC educators’ understanding of individual children’s interests, strengths and areas for growth and challenge, are identified through teacher observations during orientation periods and continually enhanced through shared observational data gathered during planned and unstructured play opportunities. Increased familiarity with new environments and children’s knowledge of the school as a place of belonging is enhanced through group walks, investigative play and discovery opportunities.

Parents, as the first educators of the children, are recognised and celebrated with OSHC educators understanding the importance of communication of daily routines, sharing of child-led inquiries and outcomes of investigations. Creating a secure environment of belonging and partnership for families is fundamental to this period of transition and through establishment of respectful and valued interactions these intentions

were reflected in the conversations with families undertaken during the research project.

Extended partnerships were also evidenced as OSHC educators provided observational data to Kindergarten teachers and College staff at the start of the school year. This enabled teaching staff to have early insight into the interests, challenges and social behaviours of individual children and to quickly establish and enhance connection and trust. Specific children were supported during orientations and transition to school events, with OSHC educators accompanying reticent participants to classrooms, providing reassurance and security in being known.

Hearing the voices of our community

The research considered five case studies of five-year-old girls who had participated in the Kindy Club program in 2022. Students ranging in age from four to five years at the time of the interviews were selected by the OSHC co-ordinator based on the

the Kindy Club Holiday Program and observational data collected during the College’s orientation programs and enrolment interviews. Interviews with Kindergarten class teachers in Term 1 were undertaken with questions relating to social interactions and levels of confidence in unstructured play and learning environments. Opportunities to share observations of choice in activity during both unstructured play and learning environments were provided, along with the child’s observed behavioural responses to challenge.

Parents were asked to give feedback on factors they initially considered when enrolling their daughter in Kindy Club and any observed changes in confidence and engagement as a result of program participation. Specific questions relating to their daughter’s confidence in commencing school and noticeable change in her choice of play activity and social groupings were also provided.

Student interviews were conducted within the licensed premises of

number of days they enrolled in the Kindy Club Holiday Program. Families were interviewed, along with children and educators, to triangulate data and identify the perceived impact of the program and relevance to each child’s transition to school.

The researcher also reviewed historical observation notes of OSHC educators undertaken during

OSHC at Pymble Ladies’ College and responses collated with observational data undertaken by OSHC educators as a specific requirement of the National Quality Standards (NQS) and implementation of My Time, Our Place: Framework for School Aged Care in Australia. Responses were also reviewed by OSHC educators as an element of reflective practice and

“Increased familiarity with new environments and children’s knowledge of the school as a place of belonging is enhanced through group walks, investigative play and discovery opportunities.”

considered in the service’s Quality Improvement Plan (QIP).

Student responses indicated that the strength of relationships formed during Kindy Club assisted in developing familiarity with their new school environment and increased their confidence to participate in daily routines and activities. Additional observational data indicated evidence of increased diversity in social groupings as children engaged with both sameage and multi-age peer groups.

The students identified that they felt more confident to try new things and that they had established connections with new friends, specifically educators and peers. Comments also indicated a sense of being a part of a community and feeling more secure in knowing the environment and specific places within the College grounds that both excited and challenged.

“The educators are like friends to us, and they help us to be brave.”

Parents identified the open and welcoming approach of OSHC educators during the January holiday program as an essential component of their family’s developing sense of security, belonging and trust in the College. This was especially beneficial to families during a period of restrictions due to COVID-19 which impacted Kindergarten orientation programs and visits to the College. Parents also commented on additional benefits of the Kindy Club program including increased capacity for families to connect with other families and for parents to be known and welcomed by their child’s peers.

“My child was a little anxious about leaving us at the start of the day. Now she is not prepared to miss a single day of OSHC or holiday program and loves school.”

Some parents identified a noticeable change in the confidence of their daughter to attempt more riskorientated activities and try new things. Greater emotional control, with less inclination to become distressed when

faced with challenge or conflict, was also indicated, accompanied by an increased ability to respond positively to the emotions and needs of others. Connections with older children, particularly as a factor in strengthening a sense of belonging to the College community, was observed by one of the families who celebrated their daughter’s pride and open sharing in being a Pymble girl.

“…made connections with older children and seems to have strengthened her confidence, even identifying and welcoming parents of other children. She walks up to others in shopping centres who are wearing the school uniform to introduce herself.”

During interviews with Kindergarten teachers in mid-Term 1, responses aligned significantly with parent observations. It is acknowledged that the children who attended the Kindy Club continued to attend the OSHC service at the commencement of Kindergarten and further participation in the program may have enhanced outcomes.

Evidence of a desire for greater social connection with peers and an observed increase in social awareness was recognised for a number of students. Additionally, taking cues from peers when attempting new things and being encouraged by their successes, was specifically identified as a recent change for a less confident child. Over a few weeks, teachers had also observed a number of the children directly seeking clarity from teachers when frustrated in play and in the learning environment. Students were noticed as being more emotionally robust and enjoying greater physical connection with others, particularly

in unstructured play and outdoor environments.

“Loves engaging with nature and has a strong sense of social justice. Enjoys outdoor activity and physical connection with others.”

Teachers also commented on noticeable changes in social confidence particularly when individual students were engaged in unstructured play. Observed increases in engagement with a wider social circle and participation in more adventurous and risky play

References

were highlighted for one child in particular whose parents had also identified a significant shift in engagement and confidence in the types of play undertaken.

CONCLUSION

Successful transitions are crucial to securing a sense of belonging and engagement. The affordances of utilising the alignment of pedagogy, curriculum and practices for OSHC and early childhood education and care services can provide strong connection as children transition to school environments, particularly

Brussoni, M., Gibbons, R., Gray, C., Ishikawa, T., Sandseter, E., Bienenstock, A., et al. (2015). What is the relationship between risky outdoor play and health in children? A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(6), 6423–6454. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph1206 06423.

Brussoni, M., Ishikawa, T., Brunelle, S. & Herrington, S. (2017). Landscapes for play: Effects of an intervention to promote naturebased risky play in early childhood centres. Journal of Environmental Psychology,54,139-150.

Barblett, L. (2010). Why play-based learning? Every Child Magazine Early Childhood Australia. 16(3), 4-5. https://search.informit.org/ doi/10.3316/informit.960046192255856

Barnett, Lynn A., Developmental Benefits of Play for Children, Journal of Leisure Research, 22:2 (1990), 138.

Cook, S. C., Peterson, L., & DiLillo, D. (1999). Fear and exhilaration in response to risk: An extension of a model of injury risk in a real-world context. Behavior Therapy, 30, 5–15.

Coster, D., & Gleave, J. (2008). Give us a go! Children and young people’s views on play and risk-taking. Retrieved from https://www. playday.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/give_us_a_go___ children_and_young_peoples_views_on_play_and_risk_takin g.pdf

Dockett, S. (2010). The challenge of play for early childhood educators. In S. Rogers (Ed.) Rethinking play and pedagogy in early childhood education, 40-55. Routledge.

Dockett, S., & Perry, B. (Eds.). (2001). Beginning school together: Sharing strengths. Canberra, ACT: Australian Early Childhood Association

Dockett, S., & Perry, B. (2009). Readiness for school: A relational construct. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 34(1), 20–26.

Dockett, S. & Perry, B. (2014). Continuity of Learning: A resource to support effective transition to school and school age care. Canberra, ACT: Australian Government Department of Education.

Hopps, K. (2019). Transition to school: Communication and relationships. Research in Practice Series, 26(1). Canberra, ACT: Early Childhood Australia.

Kindergarten. When schools work in close partnership with OSHC educators, opportunity to augment the capacity of schools to establish trusted and robust relationships in the early weeks of Kindergarten are enhanced. These relationships have the potential to remove the anxiety of children and parents, change perceptions of what is valued in the learning process amongst parents and teachers and foster a strong sense of belonging for both families and children.

Kleppe, R., Melhuish, E., & Sandseter, E. B. H. (2017). Identifying and characterizing risky play in the age one-to-three years. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 25(3), 370–385. https://doi.or g/10.1080/1350293X.2017.1308163.

Malaguzzi, L. (1994). Your image of the child: where teaching begins. Child Care Information Exchange, 52.

Masters G. (2020). Nurturing Wonder and Igniting Passion, designs for a new school curriculum: NSW Curriculum Review. NSW Education Standards Authority.

OECD. Publishing. (2017). Starting Strong V-Transitions from Early Childhood Education and Care to Primary Education. OECD Publishing.

Sando, O.J. & Sandseter, E.B.H, (2020). Affordances for physical activity and well-being in the ECEC outdoor environment. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 69, 101430.

Sandseter, E. B. H. (2007). Categorizing risky play—How can we identify risk-taking in children’s play? European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 15(2), 237–252.

Sandseter, E. B. H. (2009a). Affordances for risky play in preschool: The importance of features in the play environment. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(5), 439–446.

Sandseter, E.B.H.; Cordovil, R.; Hagen, T.L., & Lopes, F. (2020). Barriers for outdoor play in early childhood education and care (ECEC) Institutions: Perception of Risk in Children’s Play among European Parents and ECEC Practitioners. Child Care Pr. 26, 111–129.

Sandseter, E. B. H. (2010b). Scaryfunny: A qualitative study of risky play among preschool children. Trondheim: Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Storli, R., & Sandseter, E.B.H.( 2019,) Children’s play, well-being and involvement: How children play indoors and outdoors in Norwegian early childhood education and care institutions. International Journal of Play. 8, 65–78.

Shipley, D. (2008). Empowering children: Play based curriculum for lifelong learning. (4th ed.). Nelson Education.

Exploring the benefits of play in a transition to school context

INTRODUCTION

Current literature advocates that movement and gesture can be used in the generalist classroom to effectively teach a range of key learning areas (Hardiman, Rinne & Yarmolinskaya, 2014; Koff & Warner, 2001; Peppler, Powell, Thompson & Catterall, 2014). This Honours project was developed to further investigate meaningful and innovative pedagogical practices that promote dance integration to deepen student

learning experiences. Specifically, this small-scale research study explored how creative dance could be used to teach the foundational mathematical concepts of making and noticing patterns in a Stage One classroom. This Honours project has been guided by the following research question: How can the kinaesthetic aspects of creative dance be used to teach mathematical concepts (patterns and algebra) in a Stage One classroom?

LITERATURE REVIEW

1.1 The academic benefits of learning through the arts

The nineteenth and twentieth centuries viewed ‘good’ education as, “the 3Rs – reading, writing and ’rithmetic” (Gibson & Ewing, 2020, p. 22) viewing pedagogical practices such as rote learning and memorisation as essential for classroom learning. Formal education in the 21st century has seen a shift away from traditional

“You can’t mix dance with maths!” Exploring how the kinaesthetic aspects of creative dance can be used to teach the mathematical concepts of patterns and algebra in a Stage One classroom

Thomasina Buchner, K-6 Classroom Teacher, Pymble Ladies’ College

This article is an excerpt from Thomasina Buchner’s Bachelor of Education (Honours) thesis. It was supervised by Professor Robyn Gibson, School of Education and Social Work, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, The University of Sydney.

teaching strategies as the purpose of education has moved beyond simply training for employment. Instead, emphasis is now placed on the development of “the 4Cs –critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity” (Gibson & Ewing, 2020, p. 23; NEA, 2013), a necessary skillset for student learning in the 21st century (Eisner, 2002; Gibson & Ewing, 2020; Silton, 2017). Many educational researchers maintain that these skills can be developed through rich arts experiences and advocate for creativity to be valued as a core skill alongside literacy and numeracy (Gibson & Ewing, 2020; Koff & Warner, 2001). However, despite strong research that demonstrates how engagement in the Arts directly impacts students’ cognitive and academic abilities, the Arts still lack priority in the curriculum and are often not recognised/valued as essential subjects in many schools (Adams & Owens, 2016; Knutson, Okada & Crowley, 2020; Rooney, 2004).

There is a clear divide between the arts and other disciplines in Australia, as the creative arts account for only six to ten per cent of a students’ weekly curriculum requirements and are routinely reserved for cocurricular engagement (NESA, 2018). This is counter to extensive research and advocacy in the field. For example, The National Arts Education Association [NAEA] (1994) maintains that the role of the Arts is “to connect person and experience directly, to build the bridge between verbal and nonverbal, between the strictly logical and the emotional - the better to gain an understanding of the whole” (p. 2). The low profile of the Arts in many educational contexts is noteworthy, as many students are

being denied rich arts experiences in their formative schooling years.

International research demonstrates that arts education promotes numerous positive cognitive habits and enriches student learning (Alter, Hays & O’Hara, 2009). Research by Gara and Winsler (2020) found clear evidence that involvement in the arts leads to improved results in other academic disciplines. The researchers specifically explored dance as “an artform that has been relatively understudied in the literature” (p. 445). The findings from their longitudinal study highlighted that students who partook in regular, quality dance classes gained improved academic results in the key learning areas of English and mathematics (Gara & Winsler, 2020). Such findings are supported by many in the field showing the value of deep and continuous participation with the arts and associated academic benefits (Alter et al., 2009; Silton, 2017).

Paradoxically, Bryce, Mendelovits, Beavis, McQueen and Adams (2004) evaluated several school-based arts education programs to address the impact of the arts on students’ academic progress. Bryce et al. (2004) found substantial evidence to support that the arts have a positive effect on student engagement with learning. However, they were unable to obtain significant data to suggest an improvement in academic results. Advocates of the arts propose that these results relate to a myriad of factors including the very nature and quality of the arts programs themselves or the short length of their engagement. Such studies indicate the difficulty in capturing sufficient outcomes from arts programs through ‘conventional

correlational studies’ (Eisner, 1972) due to the complex and often unique nature of the arts.

1.2 Integration of

the arts

Arts integration can have positive effects on academic performance across a range of disciplines with improved connections to learning, deeper understanding of content and increased memory retention (Dewey, Barnes, Buermeyer, Mullen & de Mazie, 1947; Peppler, Powell, Thompson & Catterall, 2014). Arts integration is often advocated by educational researchers. For example, Elliot Eisner (2002) focuses on arts learning processes and less on artistic product as “the arts can serve as a model for teaching the subjects we usually think of as academic” (p. 169). Arts integration fosters a positive relationship between the learning of the arts and other disciplines. Koff and Warner (2001), for instance, maintain that “integration is the key to enabling students to make connections and to see the relevance of what they are learning in the classroom” (p. 144).

Arts researchers have explored the correlation between arts integration and deeper connections to academic content in specific disciplines often demonstrated by the outputs required in the subject (Adams & Owens, 2016; Knutson, Okada & Crowley, 2020). For example, Vaughan, Harris and Caldwell (2011) assessed the impact of The Song Room Program; a long-term music and arts-based program for children in disadvantaged communities. The study demonstrated that students who took part in the music program received higher NAPLAN results for literacy and numeracy than those who did not (Vaughan et al., 2011). Clearly arts integration in the primary

“You can’t mix dance with maths!”

context can lead to improved retention of content with deeper connections to learning and better academic outcomes.

1.3 The relationship between dance and mathematics

Creative dance can be used to teach the foundations of mathematics content by learning through doing (Arias, 2018; Koff & Warner, 2001; Wood, 2008). Embodied learning allows students to use sensorimotor activity in learning, knowing and reasoning (Abrahamson & Bakker, 2016). Educational researchers suggest this form of learning plays a vital role for the teaching of cognitive sciences (Senior, 2016; Werner, 2001) as movement skills grant the ability to “encode spatial relationships in the world around you and this visuospatial skill predicts mathematical competency” (Senior, 2016, p. 2). Research in the field suggests that creative dance as a form of embodied and kinaesthetic learning can help students to develop and use mathematical thinking skills in measurement and geometry including spatial reasoning and awareness, and making and noticing patterns (Arias, 2018; Koff & Warner, 2001; Mannone & Turchet, 2019; Wood, 2008).

The Queensland University of Technology produced the YuMi Deadly Maths program to improve mathematics education for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students by adapting their methods to cater their specific needs (Ewing, Cooper, Baturo, Matthews & Sun, 2010). The program maintains that mathematics involves creating symbols and putting them together to represent the real world (Ewing et al., 2010). The program explores such content through the form of

Aboriginal dance and storytelling. As a result of implementation, the Queensland University of Technology researchers found clear success in improved attendance, engagement and academic performance from the student participants. Similarly, Wood (2008) examined how core mathematical concepts can be clarified using movement, especially regarding shape in the areas of number, measurement, chance and data. By learning through doing, students aged five to eight years gained a deeper understanding of target knowledge and showed improvement in their academic results in the directed areas of mathematics (Wood, 2008).

Malke Rosenfeld (2013) developed the Math In Your Feet (MIYF) program upon finding connections between creative dance and primary mathematics as the best way to illustrate ideas to younger students. The program was designed to move beyond rote memorisation and procedure and into the real processes of learning mathematics by using foot-based dance patterns (Rosenfeld, 2013). Students of the program increased their understanding of mathematical geometry topics such as manipulation and analysis of complex patterns, symmetry and mapping through the problemsolving process of creating their own creative dance patterns (Rosenfeld, 2013). The success of this program to learn measurement and geometry through movement is supported by similar studies by Kim, Roth and Thom (2010). These researchers found that learning through gestures has cognitive benefits when applied to geometry, with additional improvements in spatial reasoning and awareness. Engagement in the program enabled students to gain a

deeper understanding of geometry and patterns through understanding how their bodies moved in space. These findings demonstrate that children are able to think and learn through their bodies (Kim et al., 2010).

METHODOLOGY

2.1 Methodology and theoretical considerations

i) Embodied learning

This arts-based research study is underpinned by embodied and kinaesthetic learning theory within a qualitative paradigm. Embodied and kinaesthetic theoretical concepts have been informed by Gardner’s (1993) multiple intelligences theory, proposing that kinaesthetic intelligence successfully engages the body to improve the processing and communication of information. Embodied learning rejects the sole use of traditional learning methods and instead advocates the incorporation of the physical body to generate deeper learning experiences (Stolz, 2015). It is argued that the kinaesthetic aspects of creative dance experiences can foster improved knowledge acquisition through embodied learning (Blumenfeld-Jones, 2009; Grant, 1985).

ii) Qualitative methodology

Research in the arts, specifically creative dance as a form of embodied learning, lends itself to a qualitative methodology due to the complex artistic processes and artistic expressions used to understand and examine such experiences (Eisner, 2002). Barone and Eisner (2012) advocate that artsbased research is concerned with the “generation of forms of feeling” (p. 7) as such research is “not simply a quantitative disclosure of an array

of variables” (p. 7). In this instance, the teacher/researcher has utilised a qualitative case study strategy of inquiry to explore the relationship between creative dance and maths and its relationship to student learning.

iii) Case study

The research design has drawn upon case study (Stake, 1995) as a suitable qualitative research method for this project. Yin (2009) defines case study as an “inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon in depth and within its real-life context” (p. 18). A small-scale case study was designed to explore students’ experiences of a creative dancebased intervention and its impact on mathematical understanding in a Stage One classroom. The study explored the ways in which creative dance, as an embodied learning approach, might improve academic learning experiences in the NSW K-6 Mathematics Syllabus, namely Patterns and Algebra 2 (NESA, 2012). The case study addressed the following syllabus outcomes:

• Describes mathematical situations and methods using everyday and some mathematical language, actions, materials, diagrams and symbols MA1-1WM;

• Supports conclusions by explaining or demonstrating how answers were obtained MA1-3WM;

• Creates, represents and continues a variety of patterns with numbers and objects MA1-8NA (NESA, 2012, p. 95).

2.2 Research design i) Intervention

An intervention of four to six tailored creative dance sessions was conducted. Each session was approximately half an hour in duration and utilised embodied

learning approaches (NESA, 2012). These intervention sessions followed a dance class structure, allowing for physical engagement with the mathematical concepts identified. In lessons one and two, the students explored a range of repeating patterns (AB, ABC, AAB and ABCD) through movement sequencing activities. This included working in small groups to create their own dance-based repeating patterns. Lessons three and four explored growing patterns through movement and body percussion based whole class activities where students used their bodies to count by 2s, 3s and 4s.

ii) Participants

The participants for the research project consisted of a small group of students (five or six participants) aged between six and eight years from a Stage One class.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 The arts and academic benefits National and international literature advocates the integral role of the Arts in the curriculum to promote academic achievement (Eisner, 2002; Rooney, 2004). The ‘Affirmation of continuing commitment to arts education’ report argues that the “study of one or more art forms develops intellect and provides unique access to meaning”

(Consortium of National Arts Education Associations, 2001, p. 121). The Stage One participants involved in this study demonstrated academic improvement in their mathematics knowledge after regular involvement in creative dance classes. Preintervention benchmarking revealed that six participants could describe patterns using shapes and could successfully continue a range of pattern types by drawing the next

shape in the sequence. However, the students were not familiar with the correct mathematical terminology used to identify and determine the type of repeating pattern e.g., AB, AAB, or ABC patterns (NESA, 2012). Two participants displayed a limited understanding of growing patterns and/or were unable to determine and define two-, three- or fourpatterns with verbal description such as ‘it goes up by twos, threes or fours’ respectively. Post-intervention benchmarking indicated that by the end of the intervention, all students could successfully identify, create and continue a range of repeating and growing patterns. These findings suggest that improved academic achievement in Stage One mathematics patterns could be related to the arts-based learning experiences embedded in creative dance sessions.

Other important findings from the research study address the argument that through involvement with the Arts, students’ experiences improved creative and higher order thinking, engagement and participation with their learning. The participants in lesson one showed improved creative and higher order thinking throughout the ‘follow the leader’ activity. The girls successfully observed, processed and embodied a range of repeating patterns along with better oral communication of the pattern type they were performing. As an example, the teacher/researcher performed a jump and a clap as an AB pattern example. Students repeated back the movement and verbalised “A” and “B” with each corresponding movement. Subsequently, all students displayed an improved understanding of AB, AAB and ABC patterns. Similar research by Gara and Winsler

“You can’t mix dance with maths!”

(2020) found strong evidence that involvement in the arts particularly creative dance leads to improved results in other academic disciplines by improving the students’ cognitive abilities, interest and engagement.

Gara and Winsler’s (2020) longitudinal study found that students who took part in regular, quality dance classes experienced higher English and mathematics scores.

3.2 Integration of the Arts

The beneficial role of arts integration in learning was another significant finding of this small-scale study. All students deepened their knowledge of repeating and growing patterns when engaging with the content through embodied learning approaches. For example, in lesson two, the girls in groups of four were asked to create their own repeating pattern sequences. One group formed an embodied ABCA pattern whereby Student A performed a star jump, Student B did the splits, Student C tried a pencil jump, and Student D did a star jump as per the ABCA pattern continuum (see Figure 1). Clearly, this dance-based mathematics activity allowed the students to connect their body and mind when processing, determining and communicating different

pattern types thus deepening their comprehension of the specific mathematical pattern.

The effectiveness of combining dance and mathematics to better understand patterns is supported by relevant literature in the field particularly that of Malke Rosenfeld (2013). Rosenfeld’s Math In Your Feet (MINYF) program utilises developed foot-based dance movement to explicitly teach mathematical geometry concepts through dance. As in the current study, students involved in the MINYF program displayed deepened knowledge and understanding of the pedagogical content.

There was a clear improvement in key mathematical thinking skills with the use of kinaesthetic intelligence to identify and create patterns through dance. For example, when exploring repeating patterns in the group task in lesson two, the students were asked to identify the pattern type being performed by their peers. The girls were only provided with embodied patterns through movement, that is, without written or verbal prompts. All the participants used kinaesthetic intelligence to successfully determine and

identify the embodied patterns. Two students even stood up and copied the pattern being presented to assist with their response. These findings showcase that the Stage One students deepened their mathematical content knowledge and cognitive thinking skills by engaging with the concepts through creative dance movement activities. Research supports the effectiveness of arts integration in the foundational years of learning. A comparable study by Lai Kuen and Hunt (2006) investigated the impact of a creative dance unit on a class of Year One students’ use of kinaesthetic intelligence to solve problems in another academic discipline. Their research confirmed that by learning through creative dance, the children displayed higher order thinking through problemsolving and creativity. Likewise, the teacher/researcher of the current project found that learning through moving can engage higher-order cognitive thinking that extends beyond rote memorisation.

Renowned dance educator, Judith Hanna (2002) contends that creative dance experiences can foster the development of sensory awareness, self-confidence and intellectual engagement; skills necessary for young learners to experience academic achievement in the 21st century. One student in particular, Kylie* (*pseudonym used) displayed limited intellectual engagement with growing patterns in the preintervention benchmarking. Her number sense was lacking and her interest in written mathematical work was low. At the conclusion of the intervention, Kylie was able to showcase a proficient understanding of growing patterns and skip counting when communicating

Figure 1: Students embodying patterns in their actions

through the form of creative dance. To highlight this improvement, in lesson three, the students engaged in a dance-based game where they used body percussion such as claps and stomps, to skip count by twos, threes and fours. As a result of engaging with mathematical concepts through an embodied approach, Kylie successfully counted by twos, threes and fours through creative movement. Later in the focus group interview, Kylie stated that, “it didn’t even feel like I was doing maths!” Such comments indicate that the participants self-confidence and intellectual engagement improved when engaged in mathematical learning via a kinaesthetic form such as dance.

3.3 The relationship between the kinaesthetic aspects of creative dance and patterns and algebra in Stage One mathematics

Findings from this project support growing evidence into the nexus between mathematics and the kinaesthetic aspects of creative dance. When initially informed that they would be learning about maths in a dance class, the participants were sceptical. Reactions from the Stage One learners ranged from shock, concern to utter disbelief. In fact, one student remarked,

References

“You can’t mix dance and maths!” At the conclusion of the dance warm-up to begin the intervention, the teacher/researcher posed the question, “What maths did you find in the dance warm-up?” Upon reflection, the girls discovered that almost every moment in the simple dance warm-up could be related to foundational mathematics concepts. For example, the students successfully identified whole numbers when counting the timing of the movement, space and geometry when moving their arms and feet, and patterns in repetitive movement. Such observations clearly establish the relationship between dance and mathematics thereby providing a solid foundation in which students can interpret and engage with the world around them (Alter, Hays & O’Hara, 2009). The students involved in the current study were able to make deep connections between the two disciplines, mathematics and dance, and demonstrate higher order thinking and creative thinking processes as a result of the intervention.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the findings from this small-scale study highlight the significant impact of arts integration

to promote learning, specifically in the field of creative dance. These findings align with other arts-based research proposing that creative dance can assist students to develop competency and confidence in using mathematical thinking skills (Mannone & Turchet, 2019; Wood, 2008). As noted, there is still limited research into the impact of dance-integrated teaching for academic achievement in the areas of number and algebra, specifically making and noticing patterns. This study provides some evidence that such integration can enhance student knowledge acquisition and understanding. Although it included a small sample size, the findings offer a comprehensive and deep understanding of the impact of the creative dance on the participants’ learning. It is hoped that these findings could be revisited by preservice and classroom teachers to foster positive educational outcomes for young learners through authentic arts integration, such as dance/ mathematics. What remains clear is that students can experience improved academic outcomes in the learning of foundational mathematical concepts by engaging with the content through the form of creative dance.

Abrahamson, D., & Bakker, A. (2016). Making sense of movement in embodied design for mathematics learning. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 1(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235016-0034-3

Adams, J., & Owens, A. (2016). Creativity and democracy in education: Practices and politics of learning through the arts (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315815404

Alter, F., Hays, T., & O’Hara, R. (2009). Creative arts teaching and practice: Critical reflections of primary school teachers in Australia. International Journal of Education & the Arts, 10(9), http://www.ijea. org/v10n9/v10n9.pdf

Arias, J. (2018). Space of gestures are function spaces. Journal of Mathematics and Music, 2(12), 89-105. https://doi.org/10.1080/17459 737.2018.1496489

Barone, T., & Eisner, E. W. (2012). Arts based research. SAGE Publications Ltd. https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.library. sydney.edu.au/lib/usyd/reader.action?docID=996367

Blumenfeld-Jones, D. (2009). Bodily-kinaesthetic intelligence and dance education: Critique, revision, and potentials for the democratic ideal. The Journal of Aesthetic Education, 43(1), 59–76. https://doi. org/10.1353/jae.0.0029

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Bryce, J., Mendelovits, J., Beavis, A., McQueen, J., & Adams, I. (2004). Evaluation of school-based arts education programmes in Australian schools. Australian Council for Educational Research. https://research. acer.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&amp;context=policy_ analysis_misc

Consortium of National Arts Education Associations (AATE, M. (2001). To move forward: An affirmation of continuing commitment to arts education. Journal of Dance Education, 1(3), 121–124. https://doi.org/1 0.1080/15290824.2001.10387190

Dewey, J., Barnes, A., Buermeyer, L., Mullen, M., & de Mazia, V. (1947). Art and education. The Journal of Philosophy, 44(20), 558–. https:// doi.org/10.2307/2019056

Eisner, E. W. (1972). Educating artistic vision. Macmillan. http://dx.doi. org/10.14221/ajte.1977v2n2.5

Eisner, E. W. (2002). What the arts do for the young. (Moving Forward). School Arts, 102(1), 16+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A91040489/ ITOF?u=usyd&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b4101cc8

Ewing, B., Cooper, T., J., Baturo, A. R., Matthews, C., & Sun, H. (2010). Contextualising the teaching and learning of measurement within Torres Strait Islander schools. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 39(1), 11-23. https://search-informit-org.ezproxy.library. sydney.edu.au/doi/10.3316/informit.633447472507788

Gara, T. V., & Winsler, A. (2020). Selection into, and academic benefits from, middle school dance elective courses among urban youth. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 14(4), 433–450. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000250

Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple intelligences: the theory in practice. Basic Books.

Gibson, R., & Ewing, R. (2020). Transforming the curriculum through the arts. Springer International Publishing AG.

Grant, S. M. (1985). The kinesthetic approach to teaching: Building a foundation for learning. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 18(8), 455–462. https://doi.org/10.1177/002221948501800803

Hanna, J. L. (2002). Dance Education Workshop. Research in Dance Education, 3(1), 47–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/14647890220129113

Hardiman, M., Rinne, L., & Yarmolinskaya, J. (2014). The effects of arts integration on long-term retention of academic content. Mind, Brain and Education, 8(3), 144–148. https://doi.org/10.1111/mbe.12053

Kim, M., Roth, W. M., & Thom, J. (2010). Children’s gestures and the embodied knowledge of geometry. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 9(1), 207–238. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10763-010-9240-5

Knutson, K., Okada, T., & Crowley, K. (2020). Multidisciplinary approaches to art learning and creativity: Fostering artistic exploration in formal and informal settings. Routledge. https://doi. org/10.4324/9781351114035

Koff, S. R., & Warner, M. J. (2001). Curriculum integration: Teaching in, through, and about dance in primary and secondary education. Journal of Dance Education, 1(4), 142–147. https://doi.org/10.1080/15 290824.2001.10387195

Lai Keun, L., & Hunt, P. (2006). Creative dance: Singapore children’s creative thinking and problem-solving responses. Research in Dance Education, 7(1), 35–65. https://doi.org/10.1080/14617890600610661

Mannone, M., & Turchet, L. (2019). Shall we (math and) dance? Mathematics and computation in music, 84–97. https://doi. org/10.1007/978-3-030-21392-3_7

National Art Education Association [NAEA]. (1994). The national visual arts standards. https://www.saschina.org/uploaded/Activities/naea_

natl_visual_standards1-2.pdf

National Education Association [NEA]. (2013). Preparing 21st century students for a global society: An educator’s guide to the “Four Cs” https://pdf4pro.com/view/an-educator-s-guideto-the-four-cs-neaorg-39c8.html

NSW Education Standards Authority [NESA]. (2012). Mathematics K-10 Syllabus. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/ nesa/k-10/learning- areas/mathematics/mathematics-k-10

NSW Education Standards Authority [NESA]. (2018). Creative arts K–6 directions for syllabus development. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/wcm/ connect/57b9830d-2560-4b87-a37b-7ae62586d966/ creative-arts-k-10-directions-for-syllabus-development-2018. PDF?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=&fbclid=IwAR3Urb1C1AEt7cYa5WE_ SvsiALQxF8A3qDOdYJEk6tgB4GBmY3MqDMNhBIA

Peppler, K., Powell, C., Thompson, N.& Catterall, J. (2014). Positive impact of arts integration on student academic achievement in English language arts. The Educational Forum, 78(4), 364–377. https:// doi.org/10.1080/00131725.2014.941124

Rooney, R. (2004). Arts-based teaching and learning. VSA Arts. https:// www.academia.edu/19887928/Arts_Based_Teachingand_Learning.

Rosenfeld, M. (2013). Making math and making dance: A closer look at integration. Teaching Artist Journal, 11(4), 205–214. https://doi.org/10.1 080/15411796.2013.815542

Senior, C. (2016). Innovation in education. Commentary: Teaching statistics using dance and movement and a case for neuroscience in mathematics education. Frontiers in Psychology, 7(5), 694–694. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00694

Silton, N. R. (2017). Exploring the benefits of creativity in education, media, and the arts. IGI Global. https://ebookcentralproquest-com.ezproxy.library.sydney.edu.au/lib/usyd/reader. action?docID=4585257&query=

Stake, R. E. (1995). The art of case study research SAGE Publications Ltd. https://books.google.com.au/ books?printsec=frontcover&vid=LCCN95004979&redir_ esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

Stolz, S. A. (2015). Embodied learning. Educational philosophy and theory, 47(5), 474-487. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131857.2013.879694

Vaughan, T., Harris, J., & Caldwell, B. J. (2011). Bridging the gap in school achievement through the Arts: Summary report. The Song Room. https://www.songroom.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/ Bridging-the-Gap-in-School-Achievement-through-the-Arts.pdf

Werner, L. (2001). Changing student attitudes toward math: Using dance to teach math. The Centre for Applied Research and Educational Improvement. https://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/ handle/11299/143714/mathattitude.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Wood, K. (2008). Mathematics through movement: An investigation of the links between kinaesthetic and conceptual learning. Australian primary mathematics classroom, 13(1), 18-22. https://files.eric.ed.gov/ fulltext/EJ793993.pdf

Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (Vol. 5). SAGE Publications Ltd. https://books.google.com.au/ books?hl=en&lr=&id=FzawIAdilHkC&oi=fnd&pg=PR1&ots= l_0R8boY-v&sig=c3v3vOlVs_y0-9w0WHJPbo-ulcw&redir_ esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

Looking beyond the classroom door: Rethinking the role of schools and teachers in the educational journey of young people

Gabrielle Zolezzi, English Teacher, Pymble Ladies’ College

There has been increasing discussion amongst educators and academics around the need to modernise education to better prepare students for the ever-changing demands of the modern world.1 As the Harvardbased thought leader, Tony Wagner, warns, our world today does not just care about what you know, but about what you are able to do with that knowledge. To best prepare students to meet this shifting definition of success, he stipulates that the overarching goal of education today should be to immerse students in

the beauty and inspiration of their surrounding world.2 But to do this, we, as educators, need to reconsider how we situate our schools within the broader educational journeys of our students. This is the foundation of the research project I will be commencing as the recipient of the Pymble Parents’ Association (PPA) Professional Learning Grant in which I will be collecting data on how transdisciplinary programs are designed and delivered across schools and the impact these programs have on student outcomes

and their sense of educational purpose. I will be essentially asking the question: What and how should we be teaching to best equip our students for success in the 21st century?

The starting point of my research has been into the notion of metacognition, or how we think about ‘thinking’, and the role of adaptive thinking structures in shaping the pedagogy of a futurefocused education. Developing a focus on metacognition is essential

Flexibleknowledge Expertise

Educationalagency Skills Educationalagency Resultsdriven

to develop student expertise and creativity to establish lifelong learning habits that impress the transferable nature of knowledge across subjects.3 Charles Fadel, global education thought leader and founder of the Foundation Helvetica Educatio in Geneva (2015), expresses that education needs to be “both broad, in a relevant way, as well as deep in judiciously chosen areas,’’4 suggesting that it is by applying rigorous content knowledge to new and broader contexts that knowledge is truly developed (See Figure 1). Thus, it is by eroding this artificial separation between subject content and its application across broader contexts that students develop a more tangible relationship between knowledge and application5 in a way that results in more sustained engagement and a stronger sense of educational purpose. This development of student agency is crucial in education, but as 21st century learning expert Bernie Trilling stipulates,6 developing this sense of educational ownership for students is not something that will just ‘happen’, but can only occur as a result of intentional learning strategies and programs at the

behest of the redesign of school culture. Thus, it is crucial that schools continue rethinking their role in the broader educational journeys of our students. We must continue reaching out beyond traditional subject-knowledge structures to form symbiotic relationships across faculties and with individuals and businesses to emphasise to students that learning and the pursuit of knowledge does not simply stop or start at the classroom door.

The importance of collaborating between subjects and beyond the school system is well documented. Research reveals that drawing on the expertise, research and experience found across the domains of subject areas, universities and within the broader community is among

the most important elements in increasing the educational experiences for students to better prepare them for life and learning beyond graduation.7 8 Educational philosophy has long stipulated the importance of collaboration, with influential theorists, such as Vygotsky, arguing that all knowledge is co-constructed and based on experiences beyond the classroom9 whereby all participants learn with and from each other.10 Further, Piaget’s cognitive development theory highlights that knowledge is shaped as young people increase their understanding of the world and their place within it,11 12 highlighting the importance of extending classroom content to broader context within our immediate and global community. Although the value of collaborative practice seems to be well known, research also reveals that teachers, as a profession, do not always have sufficient opportunities to collaborate beyond their ‘subject-defined’ classroom doors to explore the potential benefits and insights available from experts in other domains.13

It is becoming increasingly important that subjects within schools, and in their relationship with universities, work with a sense of common purpose14 to ensure young people are best prepared for the demands of a modern workforce. Through

Figure 1: The extension of subject specific content knowledge to authentic challenges is critical for the development of student agency and educational purpose.

“We must continue reaching out beyond traditional subject-knowledge structures to form symbiotic relationships across faculties and with individuals and businesses to emphasise to students that learning and the pursuit of knowledge does not simply stop or start at the classroom door.”

TRANSDISCIPLINARY SUBJECT-SPECIFIC RigorousContentKnowledge BrowserContextualApplication

Looking beyond the classroom door

my research, I hope to define what this ‘common purpose’ should be and what it might look like in course design. My initial readings have only further confirmed for me the truth of Wagner’s statement and the importance of flexible knowledge in our modern world. My research aims to document, observe and collect data on already established school programs that seek to unify subjects, universities and communities to facilitate the application of content knowledge in broader contexts beyond the classroom door. Through this, I hope to understand the impact transdisciplinary approaches can have on student outcomes and success to inform the design of tailored learning programs for

References

students here at Pymble

This reframing of our view of schools as not just a space that houses isolated subjects, but rather a zone of innovation focused on metacognition and the development of flexible knowledge, is something I have been reflecting on since sitting as a member of the University of Technology Sydney’s Advisory Board for their School of International Studies and Education over the last couple of years. In my role, I act as a representative of schools and teachers to provide evidence-based advice around the pedagogical design, content and delivery of courses to identify and develop collaborative opportunities between schools, students and this tertiary

1 McKinney de Royston et al. (2020). Rethinking schools, Rethinking learning. The Phi Delta Kappan (102.3). Phi Delta Kappa International.

2 Wagner, T and Dintersmith, T. (2015). Most likely to succeed: Preparing our kids for the innovation era. New York, NY: Scribner.

3 Fadel C. (2015). 21st century curriculum: A Global Imperative. Deeper learning: Beyond 21st century skills. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

4 Fadel C. (2015). 21st Century Curriculum: A Global Imperative Deeper Learning: Beyond 21st century skills. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

5 Boss, S. (2012). Bringing innovation to school: Empowering students to thrive in a changing world. IN: Solution Tree Press.

6 Trilling, B. (2015). Road Maps to Deeper Learning. Deeper learning: Beyond 21st century skills. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

7 Norris, K. & Martin, G. (2021). Creating an elementary to college education pipeline through a university-school-community partnership

institution. Hearing from experts from a range of fields discussing the demands of their industries, and the skills they consider important in graduates, has only further confirmed for me the importance of imbuing in our students an ability to apply, test and clearly communicate their knowledge critically and creatively across a range of contexts. Thus, to best prepare our Pymble students for these demands, it is critical we continue to rethink our role, ensuring that we accompany our delivery of rigorous content knowledge with opportunities to extend this knowledge across broader contexts through active collaboration between disciplines, universities and community.

8 Heishman, A., & Kochhar-Bryant, C. A. (2010). Effective collaboration for educating the whole child. United States: SAGE Publications.

9 Richard-Amato, P. A. (2010). Toward a sociocultural/cognitive model. Making it happen: From interactive to participatory language teaching: evolving theory and practice (4th Ed., pp. 66-91). NY, White Plains: Pearson Education.

10 Wells, G. (1999). Dialogic inquiry: Toward a sociocultural practice and theory of education. MA: Cambridge University Press.

11 Brainerd, C. (1978). Piaget’s theory of intelligence. Edgewood cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

12 Piaget, J. (1969.) The mechanisms of perception. London: Rutledge.

13 Washington, A., Goings, R., & Henfield, M. (2019). Creating and sustaining effective K-12 partnerships: First hand accounts of promising practices

14 Lindley, D. (1989). Some thoughts on the relationships of school and university. Critical Survey. 1(1). 77-83.

The enduring importance of philosophy

Dr Alan Rome, Philosophy, Legal Studies and History Teacher, Pymble Ladies’ College

Philosophy is literally the ‘love of wisdom’, the search for the fundamental truths about the nature of the world and what it means to be human. It is about questioning our most deeply held prejudices and assumptions, trying to place all our beliefs and actions on as solid foundations as possible, and developing the best solutions to the most pressing questions that face us today. Aristotle therefore believed it to be the discipline of disciplines or the science of the sciences.1 It was traditionally placed at the summit of the educational curriculum, where a ‘doctorate of philosophy’ would be the culmination of a long course of study of the liberal arts.2 Indeed, it still retains this position in the French baccalaureate and in many prestigious tertiary degrees around the world.

Yet, philosophy today is not even offered at the majority of schools in New South Wales. Nor is it possible

to study it in the senior years of the Higher School Certificate. Along with the humanities more generally, philosophy is often now considered as having become outdated or replaced by the remarkable achievements of the natural sciences. What, after all, does philosophy have left to teach in an age when computers seem to outdistance human capabilities, when we can peer down to ever more microscopic levels of reality and out to ever further reaches of the universe?3

But it is precisely because of these unprecedented capacities that philosophy has become more essential than ever. Our science and technologies tend to be, in

Thoreau’s words, ‘improved means to unimproved ends’.4 As our technological capacities increase, things begin to ‘ride mankind’, to become their own driving force and to occlude reflection on what will or will not better our lives. Science and technology realise our dreams of righting many of the world’s ills but also realise our nightmares of toxic social media, governmental oversight, nuclear warfare and climate change. The sciences, after all, deal with matters of fact; they cannot answer matters of value or meaning. For them to truly benefit us, we must go beyond them and reflect on what our ends should be. The great lesson that the psychologist Viktor Frankl learned by surviving

“The sciences, after all, deal with matters of fact; they cannot answer matters of value or meaning. For them to truly benefit us, we must go beyond them and reflect on what our ends should be.”

The enduring importance of philosophy

the horrors of the Holocaust was that our wellbeing is dependent on having a firmly established meaning in life.5 As Nietzsche said, someone ‘who has a why to live for can bear almost any how’.6 The only subject interested in exploring this meaning, the only subject interested in the ultimate values or ends of our lives, is philosophy.

Philosophy explores and touches on every question and every discipline. Its concerns are not abstruse and technical intellectual games but inform and enrich all other disciplines and pursuits. Its questions about the

References

1 Aristotle, Metaphysics.

nature of meaning, the good life, morality and values are essential to forming good people and good citizens. Its interest in the nature of reality and of the status of knowledge underpins all contemporary knowledge and science and can complicate, challenge and further empirical research. And its questions about values, truth and beauty underlie any meaningful engagement with art, the humanities and life itself.

Philosophy is far more than an opportunity for critical thinking. Its pursuit of the deepest questions compels us to realise that much of

2 Eva Brann, Paradoxes of Education in a Republic, University of Chicago Press, 1979, p. 17. See also John Ruskin, Sesame and Lilies, 1865.

3 Cf such claims as that of Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow, The Grand Design, Bantam Books, 2010. The claim is also often implicit in such futurist or popular science books as Yuval Noah Harari,

Further Reading

what we think of as being natural and inevitable is not. It compels us to go back to the most basic principles and foundations of our beliefs, principles that are often hidden from us, and to establish our knowledge and actions on firmer foundations. It compels rigour, openness and consistency in the beliefs we hold, the arguments we make, and the conversations we have with others. It is the ultimate school of tolerance and diversity of opinion. Indeed, as Socrates claimed when on trial for his philosophic way of life: ‘the unexamined life is not worth living’.7

Homo Deus, Harper Collins, 2017.

4 Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854, Ch. 1.

5 Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, Beacon Press, 1959.

6 Frederick Nietzsche, Twilight of the Gods, as cited by Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning.

7 Plato, The Apology of Socrates, 38a5–6.

The following are a few suggested works - sometimes provocative, as philosophical works should be - for further exploration of the importance of a philosophical education:

Blackburn, S. Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy, Oxford University Press, 1999.

Bloom, A. The Closing of the American Mind: How Higher Education Has Failed Democracy and Impoverished the Souls of Today’s Students, Simon & Schuster, 2012.

Boethius, The Consolations of Philosophy

Brann, E. Paradoxes of Education in a Republic, University of Chicago Press, 1989.

Cam, P. Philosophical Inquiry: Combining the Tools of Philosophy with Inquiry-based Teaching and Learning (Big Ideas for Young Thinkers), Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2020.

Jensen, B. & Kennedy-White, K., ‘The Case for Philosophical Inquiry in the K-12 Classroom’, Scan 14, 33:2, 2014, pp. 6-11.

Nagel, T. What Does It All Mean: A Very Short Introduction to Philosophy, Oxford University Press, 1987.

Nussbaum, M. Cultivating Humanity: A Classical Defense of Reform in Liberal Education, Harvard University Press, 1998.

Plato, The Apology of Socrates.

In service to pre-service teachers

Sree Raniga, English Teacher, Pymble Ladies’ College

This year, I have extended my expertise to work as an academic tutor and marker at Macquarie University’s School of Education. This entails working collaboratively with senior lecturers Dr Kerry-Ann O’Sullivan and Dr Janet Dutton to design tutorials and assessments for pre-service teachers to meet the requirements of an accredited program of teacher education. The experience catalysed my reflection on how, as teachers, we identify ourselves as lifelong learners. This reflection provoked the realisation of the importance of imparting our knowledge and expertise to strengthen the capacity of incoming teachers who will educate future generations.

As educators, our core business entails imparting knowledge to our students, participating in faculty

meetings saturated with learning conversations about pedagogical and strategic implementations and engaging in well-being discussions to support the learning and welfare of students. Often, our day gets busy with ‘everyday business’, and when the call for taking practicum students comes knocking at our door, we sometimes think twice before accepting the request. I, for one, was very much in that situation, and it wasn’t until I returned to academic tutoring that I realised the importance of supporting pre-service teachers.

In my role as an academic tutor, it became apparent that pre-service teachers commonly identified themselves as being ready to set foot into the real world, brimming with the desire to observe, learn and mirror pedagogical approaches from their experienced mentor

teachers, yearning to learn strategies to construct the most effective learning environment for their future students. It also became clear to me the pricelessness of this experience. The value is indeed immeasurable to the pre-service teacher as they watch, listen, and learn from their experienced, mentor teachers. This then instigated my curiosity to better understand the frequency of the two professionals crossing paths and conduct further research on the value of making deliberate collaborative connections between mentor and pre-service teachers.

THE VALUE OF PRACTICUM EXPERIENCES

For pre-service teachers to reach their optimum potential, research findings identify the value of practicum experiences to best prepare them methodologically, and to allow them to evaluate self-constructed perceptions about teaching that they commonly uphold at this stage of their teacher training. Their practicum program is designed to increase subject knowledge to best prepare them to teach in specified key learning

“We want the education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded and by which one can stand on one’s own feet.”

– SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

In service to pre-service teachers

areas and experiment with teaching strategies, whilst also building their resilience and adaptive attributes to manage within the context of the assigned school (Opfer & Pedder, 2011). In tandem with the practicum experience, the graduation date nears, and the reality of meeting academic and practicum requirements dawns on them, making them eager to get their institute numbers and pursue job applications. This increases their determination to take on ‘any role’ offered as a beginning teacher.

As I designed tutorials and supported my pre-service students, I began to reflect on their learning experiences, and I initiated deeper considerations about their journey: ‘where to from here?’ The big leap from practicum to professional experience became quite apparent to me. Upon reflection, though my pre-service students demonstrated emerging subject knowledge during tutorials, it was the anecdotal discussions that made the impact and reliance on practical experience in shaping and preparing them to be teacher ready evident. When we reflect on the many theories of learning, it can be understood that learning may occur through situational and contextual circumstances and from interactions with other individuals, such as when a parent engages with a child. The above reflection about learning signifies the role of a mentor teacher, establishing a common understanding of how they provide specific mastery of learning experiences for the preservice teacher.

MENTORING ALLOWS PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS TO DEVELOP SELF-INQUIRY

This reinforces my argument about the importance for mentor teachers to provide purposeful and

meaningful practicum experiences that are not only about pedagogy, but also develop an understanding of the commitment made to students and about educational policies and responsibilities surrounding recruitment (Ball & Forzani, 2009).

In my experience of mentoring pre-service teachers, they often communicate their desire to collaborate with experienced teachers to:

• discuss pedagogical approaches

• clarify dilemmas that emerge from students’ values

• engage with the complexities of managing a work-life balance to prevent burnout.

Research findings identify that mentoring pre-service teachers position them to develop curriculum and strategies which are central to their teacher training, situating them to use self-inquiry strategies and success of implementation tools gained through their ‘field-based experience’ (Wang & Odell, 2002). Further, by applying Kolb’s model to the teaching practicum experience, the value of experiential learning is evident, identifying how concrete experience and the formation of abstract concepts which emerge from reflective observation allow pre-service teachers to test new practices through active pedagogical experiences. The correlations drawn from the experiential model and practicum experiences prompt insights about how preservice teachers develop their professionalism through close examination of their field-based experience. The recurring feedback

from their mentor teachers thus presents an effective strategy to best prepare them for their journey ahead as educators.

An effective practicum experience is when pre-service teachers are exposed to strategies to facilitate learning beyond the classroom, fostering inquiry, communicating with students’ support network, and integrating pedagogical knowledge with professional collegial experience that can only be gained through practical experience (Ball & Forzani, 2009). This cements the above point of how practicum experiences afford a realistic reflection of what the profession entails, thus also encouraging a higher job retention rate through this transparency.

THE IMPACT OF MENTOR TEACHERS

Through the presentation of the above findings, the intrinsic role a mentor teacher plays are evident in shaping the practicum experience to be a transformative learning curve for pre-service teachers. The expertise of mentor teachers and the imparting of knowledge plays a vital part in developing the capabilities and skills of preservice teachers, equipping them with pedagogical practices, and developing subject knowledge and awareness of the school systems (Reshmad’sa & Vijayakumari, 2017). Through engaging with academic literature and anecdotal reflections of my preservice students, the impact of experiential learning enables and empowers them to develop professional capabilities and reflect on their success as they emerge as budding professionals.

“The value is indeed immeasurable to the preservice teacher as they watch, listen and learn from their experienced, mentor teachers.”

This article has been written to accentuate the urgency for experienced teachers to engage in professional training to prepare and enhance the skills of pre-service teachers. In doing so, this also

References

creates a mind shift of perceiving teaching as an exceedingly skilled practice, requiring explicit training, thus drawing greater esteem to the profession (Ball & Forzani, 2009). The shaping of successful educators

is not an intrinsic experience, but together with the expertise and collaboration of mentor teachers, it is a collective step forward in developing effective and successful educators for future generations.

Ball, D. and Forzani, M. (2009) The Work of Teaching and the Challenge for Teacher Education, Journal of Teacher Education, 60( 5), 497–511.

Opfer V. D., and Pedder D. (2011). Conceptualizing teacher professional learning. Review of Educational Research, 81(3), 376–407.

Reshmad’sa, L., and Vijayakumari, S.N. (2017). Effect of Kolb’s experiential learning strategy on enhancing pedagogical skills of pre-

service teachers of secondary school level. i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 13(2), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.26634/ jsch.13.2.13825.

Wang, J., & Odell, S. J. (2002). Mentored learning to teach according to standards-based reform: A critical review. Review of Educational Research, 72(3), 481–546. https://doi. org/10.3102/00346543072003481.

His / her-story: The value of historical literature in the History curriculum

Tessa Zwar, Head of Library and Research Services, K-12, Pymble Ladies’ College

ABSTRACT

History as a school subject has experienced some wins but also some losses in recent years. While it was identified as one of the four key learning areas in the Australian Curriculum, there has been a decline in school and university students opting to study history as an elective. This article explores the value of historical literature to historical learning and literacy within schools. In particular, the role of the teacher librarian in promoting the reading of historical literature and its use as a resource within the classroom is a key focus. Could the use of historical fiction as a pedagogical tool prove to be an effective strategy in luring students back to the study of history?

INTRODUCTION

The term ‘historical fiction’ can be

defined as realistic fiction that is set in a historical setting (Crawford and Zygouris-Coe, 2008, p.198). While the value of historical fiction in the history classroom has long been debated (Howell, 2014, p.4), the focus of this article is on the benefits historical literature can bring to the 21stcentury curriculum with the teacher librarian as a key facilitator. These benefits include student engagement, increased historical literacy, enhanced empathetic understanding and a greater connectedness to citizenship. These issues are explored regarding secondary History – Stages 4, 5 and 6.

KEY ISSUES – HISTORY IN THE PRESENT

To judge the value of historical fiction in the History curriculum, it is necessary to first explore some of the recent developments and trends in history education. Firstly, the national roll-out of the Australian

Curriculum for Kindergarten to Year 12, implemented from 2013, has brought with it a set of fresh challenges for History educators.

History was identified as one of the core key learning areas, alongside English, Mathematics and Science. While this was welcomed by many in the history community (Howell, 2014, p.5), it also raised some concern as student numbers in non-compulsory History stages has been declining. For example, a study of enrolment patterns over the last five years in senior Ancient History in New South Wales shows that there has been a steady decline in student numbers. The subject has lost approximately 45 per cent of its candidature between 2010 and 2022 (NSW Education Standards Authority, 2022). This pattern has also been replicated at the tertiary level with a decrease in the number of History

pre-service teachers (Howell, 2014, p.5). Alarmingly, Rodwell (2013, p.10-11) uses words such as “bored” and “ill-trained” to describe student teachers training to teach history in school. This downturn in popularity, coupled with the renewed focus on STEM skills and subjects, has history academics and educators questioning what can be done to reverse this trend.

Another issue that arises from recent developments in education is the recognition of multiple literacies. The definition of literacy has evolved from the ability to read and write to a far more complex concept. This is a result of changes in educational theory and rapid technological developments. Donnelly explains that the definition of literacy today includes “visual, media, digital and internet literacy and the ability to move with fluidity between communication platforms” (2017, p.43-44). She stresses that it is this ability that allows individuals to be active citizens in their community. Similarly, the concept of historical literacy has expanded from an understanding of dates, people and events to a more multi-layered model. Students are expected to consider a multitude of historical sources (textual, visual, digital) in a critical manner to ascertain the ideological meaning behind these sources (Donnelly, 2017, p.44). This is reinforced in the document developed by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) on the aims of the national History curriculum. It summarises that “students develop a critical perspective on … versions of the past” (2009, p.5). In the already crowded curriculum, educators are tasked with not only with teaching

students to read and write but also to be critical thinkers.

While values education is not a new concept within the teaching of History, the Australian Curriculum certainly places renewed focus upon the values History can instil. The New South Wales Education Standard Authority’s K-10 History Syllabus clearly states its hope that the study of History will bring about the opportunity for students to “contribute to a democratic and socially just society through informed citizenship” (2012, p.12). In addition to informed citizenship, the syllabus also highlights the desire to develop “empathetic understanding” (p.1921) in students. Teaching an abstract emotion such as empathy is not easily done. Lip service is often paid to empathy within history education, but it is difficult to gauge just how empathetic students are feeling towards past peoples or events. Martin and Brooke (2002) discuss the challenges of teaching empathy and highlight the “criticism levelled at empathy” (p.30) due to superficial empathy writing exercises.

VALUE TO THE COLLECTION - SO WHAT DOES HISTORICAL LITERATURE HAVE TO DO WITH ANY OF THIS?

The integration of historical literature into the History curriculum is a promising and exciting opportunity to help tackle the challenges mentioned above (alongside the excellent work of many Australian History teachers to foster a love of history and develop

historical literacy amongst students). The school library and teacher librarian can play a pivotal role here. A varied and up-to-date historical fiction section can aid in building student engagement in history, enhance historical literacy and elicit empathy from student readers.

At its essence, history is about the story of people from the past. It is only natural that story is used to tap into the human experience and build connections between people of the past and the present day. An increasingly loud chorus of academics champion the use of historical fiction to place the sometimes-dry content of history within a more human narrative. As Rycick and Rosler (2009, p.163) so eloquently explain “reading historical fiction provides students with a vicarious experience for places and people they could otherwise never know”. It broadens their understanding by placing a possibly unfamiliar setting and people within the familiar patterns of story. Stories are often more enjoyable than a list of facts (Crawford and ZygourisCoe, 2008, p.197-198). This is the starting point for the significant value of historical fiction within the curriculum. An illustrative example of this is Barb Alexander’s (2015) narrative on the Tudor dynasty, The Tudor Tutor: Your Cheeky Guide to the Dynasty. While a work of nonfiction, Alexander tells the story of the Tudor family with hilarity and modern-day, colloquial language,

“At its essence, history is about the story of people from the past. It is only natural that story is used to tap into the human experience and build connections between people of the past and the present day.”

His / her-story: The value of historical literature in the History curriculum

appealing to socially connected teen readers. By embedding the details, dates and facts of the ruling Tudors within an amusing story, it provides a much more memorable learning experience than a textbook, especially for differentiating between the many Thomases and Katherines of the period! The many watercolouresque illustrations throughout, further maintain student interest and literally paint a picture of these intriguing historical figures.

of two fictional Pompeiian locals affected by the disaster. Although this is a book originally written for a younger audience, older students still enjoy the nostalgia of being read to, the graphic illustrations of the destruction and the familiarity of the story pattern.

Story continues to have an important place throughout an historical unit. It helps to consolidate historical details and assist students to make meaning

Broadcasting Corporation’s app Gallipoli, The First Day (2015) is an outstanding resource that evocatively brings to life the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli. Using simulated animation and minimal text, the app walks the viewer through the stages of the failed landing. Perfect for Stage 5 World War I History, students are caught up in actions of the ANZACS and Turks. This historical recreation is far more powerful in making historical meaning than reading a textbook. It also elicits great empathy for the ANZACS and Turks as their perspective is brilliantly portrayed in the animations.

Haven’s studies on the efficacy of story (2007, p.90) reinforce this. He concludes that individuals more readily comprehend and retain information when it is presented in story form. This suggests a promising foundation for the use of historical fiction in the history curriculum in helping students to understand detail in the first place and recall it at a later date. Story can play an important role in triggering prior knowledge. Therefore, the use of historical fiction to introduce a topic can be a positive way to help students feel engaged and connected with the content and stimulate excitement.

For example, Christina Bailit’s (2003) picture book Escape From Pompeii makes for a memorable start to the core HSC Ancient History topic on Pompeii and Herculaneum. It stirs students’ prior knowledge and provides historically accurate narrative of the eruption of Vesuvius, while following the experience

of these details, thereby stimulating higher-order historical understanding (Rodwell, 2019, p.194-195). For a content heavy subject like History, this is vitally important. The graphic nonfiction novel Cleopatra: The Life of an Egyptian Queen (Jeffrey and Ganeri, 2005) is a helpful teaching tool for students studying Cleopatra as a personality in upper Stage 5 History. The combination of the text telling the story of Cleopatra with the comic style illustrations by Ross Watson, help unpack the somewhat confusing tale of the Egyptian queen. The graphically presented dialogue and thought processes of the characters encourage students to better understand the actions and motivations of these foreign people who lived 2,000 years ago. The theory behind this is nicely summed up by Haven, “the use of story structure facilitates and enhances the creation of meaning” (p.108). Leaping ahead in time, the Australian

Historical fiction plays an important role in creating empathetic understanding in students. By following the actions and feelings of fictional and non-fictional characters in an historical setting, students can forge a more emotional, and therefore empathetic, connection with the past. While discussing fiction in general, Gaiman (2013) passionately links fiction and empathy, “you get to feel things, visit places and worlds you would never otherwise know. You learn that everyone else out there is a me, as well”. This beautifully encapsulates the intent of the previously mentioned NESA Syllabus (2012) regarding the empathetic understanding of students with the past. While a fictional account, the novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (Boyne, 2006) provides the opportunity for great empathetic understanding with victims of the Holocaust set against the backdrop of the horrors of the Final Solution. Similarly, the interactive website designed by the Anne Frank House Museum allows individuals to conduct a virtual walk through of the annex in which the Franks lived

“Historical fiction plays an important role in creating empathetic understanding in students. By following the actions and feelings of fictional and non-fictional characters in an historical setting, students can forge a more emotional, and therefore empathetic, connection with the past.”

in hiding from the Nazis. Extracts from Anne’s Diary accompany the journey through the house. The combination of the visuals from the house, with the first-hand accounts provided by Anne, vividly bring to life the experience of their years in hiding and elicit a profound empathetic understanding.

Like empathy, the spirit of citizenship can be more successfully promoted through stories, rather than simply telling students they need to be informed citizens of Australia and the world. The Australian History section of the Stage 5 Syllabus (NESA, p.79) provides great opportunity here. Historical fiction based on the experiences of Australian soldiers (and their foes) during World War I reinforces historical understanding (as previously discussed) and helps students to explore the actions of Australians who have come before that have contributed towards nation building. Picture books such as The Soldier’s Gift (Palmer and Tanner, 2014) and My Gallipoli (Starke, 2015) can be used in class to generate discussion on the qualities of citizenship demonstrated in the texts. This could be part of a broader exploration of the ANZAC Legend.

THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER LIBRARIAN

It is quite easy for a History teacher to use a few pieces of historical literature in their methodology. However, to really tap into the significant benefits outlined above, a collaborative working relationship between teacher librarian and history teacher is vital. Firstly, it is important for the teacher librarian and classroom teachers to discuss topics under study so that the school library can curate a quality historical literature section that reflects the topics being taught. The result of

this is that teachers will have a good selection of literary resources they can use within their methodology and students have a broad collection of titles they can read for pleasure and to deepen their historical literacy. Ideally, the literary works will be a mix of text types to suit different tastes and learning styles.

The relationship between teacher librarian and classroom teacher can, and should, run deeper in utilising historical literature in the curriculum. The teacher librarian is a great resource for the history teacher to work with to develop units

detail. The next step is to make personal meaning and connections. A more sophisticated step, especially focused on in secondary school history, is to think critically about these details. In other words, to consider if the details and perspective in the source can be trusted. This is an area in which the teacher librarian can be most helpful. With their strength in digital literacy, combined with their knowledge of the historical literature genre, the teacher librarian can assist teachers and students to question the validity of historical literature. Their role could range from supporting the classroom practitioner

and activities on student historical literacy using historical literature. The foundation of literacy (Haven, p.104), in this case historical literacy, is comprehension of the historical

with sourcing appropriate literature and resources to team teaching critical literacy skills alongside the history teacher. An activity that could work well in a team-teaching

“With their strength in digital literacy, combined with their knowledge of the historical literature genre, the teacher librarian can assist teachers and students to question the validity of historical literature.”

His / her-story: The value of historical literature in the History curriculum

scenario is where students apply their knowledge gained from the classroom and more traditional historical sources to a piece of historical literature on the same topic (Fink, 2018). The text is critically analysed for its value as a source.

Taking this critical literacy a step further, student construction of historical fiction provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge of an historical period and historical veracity. As the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy suggests, to create is the pinnacle of critical thinking (University of British Columbia, 2011). The library as the hub for learning within a school is in a prime position to facilitate an historical fiction writing project or competition. Cross-curricular collaboration with the History and English departments

English that a teacher librarian could help facilitate.

The physical space of the school library can be used to promote historical literature. Teacher librarians can create engaging displays promoting historical literature in general or focus on a particular historical period. This could be linked to a topic being covered in history classes at the time to encourage students to read some related literature and immerse themselves in a story set in that time. The library fiction shelves could be more permanently reorganised to group works according to genre, including an historical fiction section. There are a range of benefits to this, as highlighted by The National Library of New Zealand (n.d), such as a less daunting fiction collection, increased useability as students can more

as reading guides and reader polls. Teacher librarians can curate reading guides of new and/or favourite works of historical fiction. These can be printed and placed in a highly visible part of the library and advertised on the library homepage. The guides can be organised according to topic, again linking to the topics covered in Stages 4, 5 and 6 of the History courses. Online polls can also be implemented to encourage students to vote for their favourite works on historical fiction, with the results to be showcased in the library and on the library homepage. The aim of this is to generate some buzz around historical fiction, raise its profile and have some fun.

CONCLUSION

Historical literature has a place within the History curriculum. It is proven to increase student engagement with the subject, improve historical understanding and help develop historical literacy. Straddling the two worlds of literature and curriculum, the teacher librarian is in a key position to facilitate the increased use of historical literature within the curriculum.

would be ideal. The Each Project in the UK (Martin and Boothe, 2002 p.30) promotes the writing of historical fiction in schools to further student historical understanding and empathy. Their approach “stresses the importance of rigorous historical research and careful attention to style and genre” (Martin and Boothe, 2002 p.30) therefore highlighting the overlap between history and

easily find a book in a genre they enjoy, and the teacher librarian can easily showcase books in a particular genre. Interestingly, libraries that have moved to a genre arrangement have seen an increase in borrowing (National Library of New Zealand).

The teacher librarian can instigate other initiatives to promote the profile and value of historical fiction such

“The physical space of the school library can be used to promote historical literature. Teacher librarians can create engaging displays promoting historical literature in general or focus on a particular historical period. This could be linked to a topic being covered in history classes at the time to encourage students to read some related literature and immerse themselves in a story set in that time.”

Alexander, B. (2015). The Tudor tutor: Your cheeky guide to the dynasty. New York: Skyhorse Publishing

Anne Frank House (n.d). The secret annex. https://www.annefrank. org/en/anne-frank/secret-annex/

Australian Broadcasting Corporation. (2015). Gallipoli: the first day. http://www.abc.net.au/ww1-anzac/gallipoli/story-of-theday/200021730.html

Balit, C. (2013). Escape from Pompeii. London: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

References

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2009). Shape of the Australian Curriculum: History. http://www.acara.edu.au/ verve/_resources/Australian_Curriculum_-_History.pdf

Crawford, P., & Zygouris-Coe, V. (2008). Those were the days: learning about history through literature. Childhood Education, 84(4), 197-203. doi: 10.1080/00094056.2008.10523007

Donnelly, D. (2017). Multi-platformed historical fiction: Literacy, engagement and historical understanding. Scan, 36(2), 43-47. https:// education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/professional-learning/ scan/past-issues/vol-36,-2017/connecting-beyond-the-classroommove-from-local-to-global-learning-modes

Fink, L.S. (2018). Looking for the history in historical fiction: An epidemic for reading. Read, Write, Think. http://www.readwritethink. org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/looking-history-historicalfiction-404.html?tab=5#tabs

Gaiman, N. (2013, Oct 16). Why our futures depend on libraries, reading and daydreaming. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian. com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-readingdaydreaming

Haven, K.F. (2007). Story proof: The science behind the startling power of story. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group

Howell, J. (2014). Popularising history: Re-igniting pre-service teacher and student interest in history via historical fiction. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39(12), 1-12. https://search-informit-com-au. ezproxy.csu.edu.au/fullText;dn=852300554461530;res=IELAPA

Martin, D., & Brooke, B. (2002). Getting personal: Making effective use of historical fiction in the history classroom. Teaching History, 108, 30-35. https://search-proquest-com. ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/213504816?accountid=10344&rfr_ id=info%3Axri%2Fsid%3Aprimo

Boyne, J. (2006). The boy in the striped pyjamas. London: Random House

Jeffrey, G. & Ganeri, A. (2005). Cleopatra: The life of an Egyptian queen. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group

Palmer, T. & Tanner, J. (2014). The soldier’s gift. Melbourne: Penguin Group

Starke, R. (2015). My Gallipoli. Adelaide: Working Title Press

The National Library of New Zealand (n.d). Arranging library fiction by genre. Services to Schools. https://natlib.govt.nz/schools/readingengagement/libraries-supporting-readers/arranging-library-fiction-bygenre

NSW Education Standards Authority. (2012). History K-10 syllabus. http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/wcm/ connect/55f81fec-7312-45ff-b7a7-0a92a868c675/history-k10-syllabus. pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=

NSW Education Standards Authority. (2013). HSC 2013 – the numbers. Media guides – HSC and SC. http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/ bos_stats/media-guide-2013/numbers.html

NSW Education Standards Authority. (2022). 2022 HSC enrolments by course. NSW Education Standards Authority. https:// educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/hsc/aboutHSC/HSC-facts-figures/HSC-course-enrolments

Rodwell, G. (2019). Using fiction to develop higher-order historical understanding. In Historical Thinking for History Teachers. Routledge. Rodwell, G. (2013). Whose History? Engaging History students through historical fiction. Adelaide: University of Adelaide Press. https://www. adelaide.edu.au/press/titles/whose-history/whose-history-ebook.pdf

Rycik, M.T., & Rosler, B. (2009). The return of historical fiction. The Reading Teacher, 63(2), 163–166. DOI:10.1598/RT.63.2.8

University of British Columbia. (2011). Documentation: supporting critical thinking online / promoting critical thinking. UBC Wiki. https:// wiki.ubc.ca/Documentation:Supporting_Critical_Thinking_Online/ Promoting_Critical_Thinking

An update from the

Pymble Institute

How do students and staff connect with the Pymble Institute?

Pymble Institute (PI) helps curious students and staff answer questions through research. With the establishment of the Pymble Institute (PI) in 2021, the College community is more aware of the services available to support research and the possibilities that can come from the PI’s services. Using our experience as teachers and researchers, we can help teachers with action research to improve their teaching practices, or connect them to research or researchers in their field of inquiry. The PI also works closely with the library and professional learning teams to offer support to staff undertaking postgraduate qualifications.

Pymble Institute links academics to teachers and students

The College receives many requests to join national and city-wide research projects involving children and teachers. The PI acts as a gateway to filter research projects which will be relevant and valuable to our community through the lens of our Strategic Pillars: Social Intelligence, Digital Intelligence, Academic Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence. How is this achieved? It is important to weigh up the benefits of participation against undesirable ‘participation fatigue’, and our student and teacher Ethics Committee plays an important role.

Pymble Perspectives

The 3rd edition of the Pymble student research journal, Perspective, was launched with a celebration of student voice. The edition contains over 30 items of student inquiry including historical research, scientific papers, transcripts of speeches, science posters and creative explorations. Guest speaker, Gracie Abadee (ex-student and journalist), highlighted the importance of combining interests in research and communications, and the diversity of voices in the media. She encouraged students to maximise their curiosity and ways of developing their perspectives.

This edition was edited, compiled and designed by a team of students who threw themselves into the editorial process, learning from the ground up. The subcategories of English, Science, History and Politics/Philosophy/Economics were formed to cater for the articles submitted with younger students looking over and editing the work of older girls. This was a new experience and highlighted issues of

the power editors of journals hold. One of the Editors reflected:

“A highlight of my experience with the PI was when I was involved with editing the Perspective journal. It was so inspiring to see the high quality of work that my peers were producing and I was able to get an understanding of what it would be like to be an editor”.

The digital edition of Perspective is available on the Pymble Institute website.

If you are interested in researching with Pymble, contact us at pymbleinstitute@pymblelc.nsw.edu.

Celebrating Learning with Data Science

What is better than starting a research project? Being together for discussion when the results are in!

There was an energetic buzz in the room when the Pymble Data Science teaching team and academics from UTS Education and International Studies and UTS Data Science Institute, held a focus group to discuss emerging results of the facial recognition project. The pilot project investigated how we can use Artificial Intelligence to better understand student engagement in online tasks. Technology developed by Dr Yu, Dr Dong and colleagues from the UTS Data Science Institute can track where students look on the screen, for how long, where they move the cursor, how intensely they focus, and facial expressions including eye and head movement which suggest concentration and distraction. The data collected was not in video, nor photo form but was transferred into code. The code helped the researchers understand student engagement and was amplified when matched with qualitative feedback from student focus groups. The coded data was

aligned with focus group data from a subgroup of participating students.

The buzz in the room arose as the teachers responded to the academics’ work which highlighted three ‘personas’ of Data Science students. One of the academics commented: “I have rarely been part of a group that was so energised and filled with such infectious enthusiasm for research findings!”

The teachers resonated with the student engagement profiles of the Whizz, the Worrier and the Worker. Teachers and researchers could see how students clustered into these categories at different times during the task and how elements from all three are essential in educating future data scientists.

The next steps are for Pymble’s Data Science students to go ‘behind the scenes’ with the UTS team as they learn more about the technology and how research is utilised.

And as great research results, it produced more questions and tangents of inquiry we may wish to pursue!