ConnecTED Learning

Year 7 commenced their school year with two transition days, taking part in workshops on technology, inquiry learning and peer support. 

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ConnecTED Learning is a year long program that introduces Year to contemporary learning at Mater Dei. Its focus is preparing students for a lifetime of learning.

In Year 7 students study the same English, History, Geography and Religious Education syllabi as all other schools but it is organisation and pedagogy of those learning experiences that make ConneCTED learning so powerful and enjoyable for our students.

We use inquiry based learning for every unit so that students can clearly see the process of learning. ConnecTED learning includes explicit teaching of skills and knowledge followed by modelling and independent practice and because they recognise that pattern of learning, we have confident students who no longer say... What do I do? They ask more strategic questions that start with...Can I try ...? Would I be able to…? Do you think I could…?  

Students work in teams for some of their ConneCTED Learning lessons, which sees the whole year group operating in teams in the Glasshouse, which is a flexible learning space. Students know they can go to any teacher or adult in the Glasshouse for help and feedback.  We even have student experts in the Glasshouse because sometimes your peers are the best people to ask for help.

Students experience what it’s like to lead and what it’s like to have responsibilities and to be accountable for them. We encourage students to take risks and allow for the fact that sometimes it doesn’t matter what the end product looks like, it was the failures they encountered that were most important and what they learned from the most.

Technology is a big part of our learning and students develop skills to find appropriate, useful, relevant information and they’re taught how to use it to show their depth of understanding. Using peer and self assessment, students are constantly gauging where they are at in their learning and setting achievable goals to improve themselves.  

It has been an exciting time in ConnecTED learning as we have started Term 1 2020 and we’d like to share a few of the highlights with you. We have launched our Initiation and Belonging unit, which has a Religious Education focus. The level of engagement and participation of students is to be commended, students shared what they already knew about belonging, learned from the responses of classmates and built on their viewing, comprehension and notetaking skills to add more to their understanding. We are looking forward to an amazing year.

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Mr Rod Buik | Acting Leader ConnecTED Learning