Impact Learning Portal

One of the great things about learning at Donvale Christian College is the variety of different events, activities and opportunities that students have access to outside the classroom. On any given day there could be a Drama Club session, the Chess Club sending a team to compete at another school, a student-organised sports activity or a Debating Team practice. 

The amount and variety of opportunities available is thanks to our dedicated staff who are constantly finding new spaces for students to pursue their interests, as well as student leaders who are passionate about creating opportunities for other students to pursue their giftings and interests. At last count there were over 70 different events, clubs and competitions available through the year. 

With so many to choose from, we have created the Impact Learning Portal to help students and parents find the activities that best match their interests and passions. Each activity has its own page detailing the focus of the activity, whether it’s a club, competition or other type of activity, as well as other relevant information such as the time commitment. 

It is possible to express interest in an upcoming activity and contact the organising teacher with further questions, directly via the portal. You can also filter the activities by subject, activity type or by the learner capabilities that are developed through engagement in the activity. 

Running clubs as enrichment activities allows us to move beyond the curriculum into other areas of interest. There are subject-based clubs like the Science Club, the Junior Maths Problem Solving Club and the AV Club which allow students to dive deeper into subjects they enjoy through activities that, while valuable and interesting, might not conform neatly to the Victorian Curriculum. 

The Chess Club and Miniature Painting Club are examples of clubs that don’t have a clear link to a curriculum subject, but still teach creative and critical thinking skills. This can be a place to develop friendships, build resilience and perhaps discover a lifelong hobby. These practical and creative pursuits have a demonstrated benefit to mental health and can provide an avenue for meeting new people as students graduate and move out into the wider world. 

For students who want an extra challenge, we have a range of competitions offered for various subjects throughout the year. The German Poetry Competition is always an exciting event, and we love to hear how the Donvale team performs so well. In addition to this, students can choose to compete in “challenge” competitions that run over several weeks, such as the MAV Coding Challenge and the Melbourne Uni Mathematics and Statistics Competition. 

These competitions allow students to develop and showcase their skills through a series of activities or an extended project, providing a rich educational experience. We are continually looking for more of these opportunities and they are being added to the Impact Learning Portal all the time. 

At DCC, we believe that all experiences at school are learning experiences, and this includes our co-curricular program and the enrichment activities and events that are part of our Impact Learning Portal. 

With the help of the Portal, you can discover new opportunities, and maybe even uncover a new interest!