Curriculum

Mathematics Remote Learning - The New Norm?

Recent lockdowns have undoubtedly challenged school communities and disrupted regular learning patterns for students. Nonetheless, studies have revealed that one positive outcome demonstrated by students in this time has been an increased motivation to learn through the use of engaging online technology.

At St Patrick’s College, the focus on traditional academic skills remains a core element of all Mathematics courses. At the same time, it has become increasingly accepted that remote learning can develop skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and adaptability. Indeed, e-learning is likely to become the ‘new normal’ as teachers explore its potential in the remote setting.

Many teachers feel that remote learning has forced adaptation ‘on the fly’ – almost like constructing an aircraft while it is flying in the air. There is, though, a perceived merit in a hybrid and flexible approach to learning. Often, the emphasis in Mathematics rests on ‘knowing that’. Remote learning can move beyond this and enable students to develop ‘knowing how’. The higher order skills (which can be thought of as ‘knowing how’ habits) require interaction and practice. This is where parents can contribute actively. At the end of a Mathematics lesson, your son could be asked:

• How is the work in today’s lesson different and when/where can you use these results?
• How or where do you use these skills in other subjects?
• How can you model this process using Excel?

These questions make learning in Mathematics more than just rote information processing and can enhance student outcomes. In this way, Mathematics can be viewed as a powerful tool to describe not only pattern and form, but a model for real life situations.

John Wheatley

Mathematics Faculty Leader

Home is Where the Art Is!

The recent move to remote learning unfortunately caused the postponement of two key Visual Arts events; Enhance III, an enrichment day for Year 8 students and our 2021 Artist in Residence Program. Arrangements had been made for contemporary ceramic artist Ebony Russell to join us in Week 3 providing in-class support to students, an adult learning class and insights into her studio practice. Russell, an accomplished ceramist, is represented by Artereal Gallery in Rozelle and is a recent finalist in the 2021 Blake Prize. It is hoped that once face-to-face learning returns, so too will these Visual Arts initiatives. Russell’s functional objects can be viewed on her Piped Dream Studio website, while her porcelain sculptures can be viewed through Artereal Gallery. 

During remote learning, students have taken extremely well to the task of exploring their creativity and making skills with materials found in their pencil case, objects they have around the house or digital software easily accessible online.

Year 7 have been exploring the postmodern practice of appropriation and recently completed the VanGo Yourself Challenge. Students were given time to choose a famous artwork and source/make props to then recreate their own version of the artwork with themselves as the subject. 

Year 8 have been exploring the drawing technique of linear perspective; a spatial concept that allows artists to create the illusion of depth and distance within a picture plane. Students will apply their knowledge of perspective in the design and composition of a comic illustration which, in turn will be further enhanced through Photoshop. 

Year 9 Visual Arts have begun an in-depth analysis of the Pop Art movement, reviewing the work and practices of Andy Warhol. Students recreated Warhol’s factory screen printing process digitally making highly stylised celebrity pop portraits. Year 9 Photographic and Digital Media (PDM) have been learning about key elements and conventions of the horror film genre and the significant influence offered by the early twentieth century art movement of German Expressionism. 

Year 10 Visual Arts have begun an investigation into the role of protest, propaganda, and postmodern art practices. They have been challenged to use their art practice as an ‘antidote’ to the ills currently faced by society. In the lead up to the creation of their own short film Year 10 PDM have begun an investigation into the art of filmmaking. They have explored cinematography techniques, camera shots, angles, movement, framing and composition. This knowledge will contribute to their upcoming short film. 'A Day in a Life at Home'. 

Year 11 Visual Arts have investigated how the body is represented in art history and explored it as stimulus, participating in life drawing classes using a digital avatar. The Year 11 Visual Design class have been exploring the elements and principles associated with Interior Design. Students have put these into practice through the creation of themed/styled rooms, an activity that furthers student understanding of how lived-in spaces can manipulate emotion and create atmosphere. 

The challenge of delivering a practical based course remotely is one the faculty and students have risen to. It has also allowed students to engage further in the dynamic world of art criticism and art history, investigating the role of intertextuality and the symbiotic nature of the artworld. 

Nicholas Phillipson

Visual Arts Faculty Leader

Year 12 Online Open-Book Final Assessments

With the cancellation of on-site Trial HSC Examinations due to the current pandemic lockdown, our HSC students will instead commence online open-book final assessments next week on Tuesday 17 August. The online assessments will conclude on Thursday 2 September with this day being an examination ‘catch up’ day for those students, for whatever medically valid reason, missed a scheduled assessment.

The Year 12 Online Open-Book Final Assessments Timetable was emailed to students and their parents/cares along with Online Open-Book Assessment Rules for Senior Students. Both documents are also available on Canvas. Students are reminded to thoroughly familiarise themselves with this documentation, as well as the College’s Assessment Policy issued to the students last year in Term 4.

Ignorance of the College’s Assessment Policy or online assessment rules will not constitute a valid excuse and penalties will be incurred for breaches of policy and procedures.

In particular, in the event of absenteeism due to illness or misadventure during the online assessment block, parents/carers and students are reminded that a telephone call to the Year Coordinator, Mr Texeira, must be made no less than 30 minutes before the scheduled start of the assessment. Where possible, an alternate task for the missed assessment will be arranged within the assessment block period. Immediately on the student’s return, a medical certificate for the illness or misadventure must be submitted to Mr Texeira and the relevant Faculty Leader.

I would like to wish all our HSC students well for these very important examinations.

Michael Cutrupi 

Director of Curriculum