Introduction
About this page
The Implementation model of the Innovations and Excellence Project across Victorian schools has embedded within it some clearly defined guidelines for clusters to focus upon:
- A link to previous research
- Links to the wider community and especially the broader education community
- The adoption of an action research model as the framework for project actions
- Project actions should be embedded in classroom practice, using a "bottom up" focus
- An emphasis upon primary / secondary collaboration within the cluster model
The development of the Kew Cluster initiatives can be related to each of these focus guidelines.
Links to previous research.
The outcomes of the following major research projects have underpinned the development of the Kew Cluster I&E initiatives:
The Middle Years Research and Development Project (MYPRAD) which demonstrated that a challenging curriculum, literacy and positive relationships are at the core of high student achievement and engagement.
The Queensland School Reform Longitudinal Study that demonstrated that productive pedagogies and rich integrated learning tasks is key elements to the improvement of school improvement.
The Middle Years Literacy Research Project that demonstrated that literacy underpins all learning.
Links to the wider community and especially the broader education community.
The cluster actively sought the assistance of external facilitation and expertise in the development of its research focus, research model and management structures and processes.
- Neville Johnson, Melbourne University, was approached to become the cluster mentor with respect to the research design and focus areas.
- The cluster successfully applied to Deakin University for inclusion within the Improving Middle Years Maths and Science Project. This research project is an extension of the Science in Schools Research Project, providing direction and support for reforming pedagogical practice in mathematics and science. Over the two year life of the project middle years teachers will have the opportunity to reflect upon and develop their classroom practices in maths and science, develop professional action learning teams and to promote whole school change in the teaching of these two learning areas.
- The cluster similarly successfully applied for inclusion within the Middle Years Pedagogy Research and Development Project (MYPRAD) which is a joint DET /
The research model developed for both Imyms and Myprad is essentially the same, the key differences between the two beings the specific focus on maths and science teaching within the Imyms project. Both projects rely upon component mapping of teachers and student surveys to identify the key improvement areas and both projects require action learning and the monitoring of learning resulting from these investigations.
Action Research as a Research Model
The Cluster was very much influenced by Neville Johnson?s concept of action research, which is explained in more detail in the attached links. This model was particularly attractive in that it replicates what class teachers already do in their day to day work ? they reflect upon their work, identify areas of need / improvement, initiate an action in response to that need and reflect again upon what has changed. This reflection leads to further needs being identified and actions taken as part of an endless on-going process. This is the Johnson "Ready, Fire, Aim" sequence which has become fundamental to the way the cluster teams function.
The attached Action Research Planner has been developed for cluster teams to document their various investigations consistent with this research model.
Links to: 1. Some perspectives upon action research
Cluster Action planning Document.
Defining the areas of investigation ? identifying the improvement areas using a "bottom up" approach.
The Myprad and the Imyms Projects share two common features.
Firstly, they nominate components of effective teaching and learning:
The Seven MYPRAD Components
- The learning environment is supportive and productive.
- Teaching practice encourages adolescent learners to be independent and self motivated.
- Students are challenged and supported to develop deeper levels of thinking and application.
- Teaching strategies cater for adolescent?s interests and individual learning paths.
- Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning.
- Learning connects strongly to with communities and practice beyond the classroom.
- Learning technologies are used to expand learning possibilities and develop multi-literacy skills.
The Nine IMYMS Components
- The learning environment promotes a culture of value and respect.
- Students are encouraged to be independent and self-motivated learners.
- Students are encouraged to extend their understandings.
- Students are supported to develop meaningful understandings.
- Students are encouraged to see themselves as mathematical and scientific thinkers.
- Mathematics and science content is linked with students lives and interests.
- Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning.
- Learning connects strongly with communities and practice beyond the classroom.
- Learning technologies are used to enhance student learning.
Each of these components is then further expanded into a number of sub-components that elaborate upon the component theme.
These components provide an explicit picture of what effective middle years teaching and learning look like, provides a set of guidelines for teachers in terms of strategies and provides a set of principles against which teacher practice and curriculum planning can be audited.
Secondly, the curriculum audit:
An audit of existing practice is done through the component mapping process. Teachers complete an extensive questionnaire which questions them in terms of how they believe they currently meet each aspect of the effective components now, and how they would like to meet each component in three years time. Teachers then bring the completed questionnaire to an interview with a co-ordinator and together they will complete the component map to identify the position on each component that best describes the teachers practice.
The interview provides an opportunity to acknowledge and affirm the teacher?s expertise and professionalism as well as encouraging teachers to elaborate or extend upon their practice.
In addition to the component mapping exercise, there are four further audits taken. Two student surveys are given?.the Student Perceptions survey which probes the perceptions of the students concerning the teaching practices they experience, and the Student Learning Preferences Survey which asks students to think about the types of activities they feel help them to learn best.
Finally, the Middle Years Strategic Practice Questionnaire is intended as an auditing tool and discussion starter for schools to consider the extent to which their practice is in line with Middle Years principles, and to discuss ways forward. The Middle Years Curriculum Audit enables teachers to make a judgement about the extent to which each component is embedded part of the school curriculum in general.
It has been this audit process, with respect to the components of effective teaching, across the six cluster schools which has led to the schools creating Professional Action Learning Teams across the cluster. This is explained within the cluster overview model document.