Deputy Principal's update

Feedback and Shelly

Since introducing Shelly, our online Learning Management System (LMS), 18 months ago, we have been busy upskilling our students, parents and teaching staff on how to use Shelly to improve learning. Students are now using Shelly daily to support the work done in classes as well as receiving targeted information regarding notices, sport and co-curricular activities. Recently, parents have been introduced to the parent portal which supplies live and targeted information related to their child/children as well as access to academic reports. With a significant number of our parents having logged in, it is clearly becoming a valued resource.

Providing feedback to learners is one of the top ten strategies to improving learning according to Professor John Hattie of the University of Melbourne. While staff have always recognised the value in providing constructive feedback to students, Shelly has given us the means to do this in a varied and timely way. Throughout Semester 2, teachers will be embedding the use of both audio and written feedback for assessment pieces in addition to the formal grades as appropriate. This, in conjunction with items being added to the due work calendar, will help students prepare and improve using this ongoing and timely feedback. Parents and guardians will be introduced to grades and feedback from Term 1 in 2022. 

Recognising that much of our community consumes information using a mobile device, Shelford has now developed a mobile application which links directly with Shelly. This will allow everyone in the Shelford community to access targeted notifications and many other features with iOS and Android devices. Further information regarding this exciting new addition to our communication and feedback regime has been emailed to families, and is outlined in the School phone app article in this newsletter. 

As with all technology, it takes time to embed the use of an LMS but please encourage your daughters to adopt and embrace Shelly. This is equally important for parents and guardians.

Dan Belluz

Deputy Principal, Curriculum and Innovation