PIPS and PICS Reports
PIPS at NGV
VAPS held its first Philosophy in Public Spaces for 2026 in June at the National Gallery of Victoria, Ian Potter Centre, which provided the perfect setting to develop their philosophical thinking skills.
Thirty middle-years students attended from two schools. Using artworks as stimuli, they discussed the concept of identity.
Students were put into groups and participated in three Communities of Inquiry. The day ended with students completing an artwork reflection on their thinking about identity and how it had evolved over the course of the day.
In a supportive setting, students were challenged to think critically and creatively about the concepts of ‘identity’. Many reflected on how personal beliefs and their personalities are shaped by what they experience and who they mix with. “Does my identity change depending on who I am with?” was a key question that was explored by participants.
One of the attending schools shared this feedback from parents of students who attended the event.
"Many schools do not do philosophy with the students, let alone give them the opportunity to get into a setting with other young people and discuss these concepts. We wholeheartedly love and support this program and feel so happy that our child has been part of it.
… our child has absolutely loved it and thrived in such a positive and noticeable way. We have spoken about it many times at the dinner table, and she has shared so much about what has been covered - giving us a chance to unpack it with her.
In our family, we really want our kids to be able to discuss things, be critical, analytical, and curious. We want them to engage with complex issues and not feel intimidated and confronted, and we are so pleased she had exposure to that in an educational setting. This has definitely planted some seeds for her; we have no doubt she will want to explore further.
If you are interested in attending a Philosophy in Public Spaces event, please look at the list of upcoming scheduled events, or reach out to us at vapscommittee@vaps.vic.edu.au to speak to us to see if we can tailor an event to your educational needs.
PICS from various schools
The VAPS PICS initiative was launched this year, and so far we have held over 10 PICS incursions, with many more booked in for 2026. These events are designed by our facilitators in collaboration with school-based educators to create bespoke philosophical experiences for students of any age and ability.
Groups of students from different year levels in both primary and secondary schools have engaged in Communities of Inquiry discussing wide-ranging topics and engaging in philosophical drama to experience thought experiments. Topics covered include identity, artificial intelligence, moral responsibility, and more. Students at Mt Eliza College got to pretend to be Schwanda and Dr Nefarious from Meredith Michaels famous thought experiment and think about what makes a 'person'. Students at Clunes Primary School wrote persuasive pieces to their principal, arguing that their school should get a naughtybot to detect 'bad' behaviour. Teachers from various schools were able to join a learning walk to see our facilitators in action.
