 Apsley Falls |
CAP DISTRICT |
Small Schools Assessment in Literacy and Numeracy | Technology - Staff and Community Development
Scaffolding Literacy | Broadening Access Involvement Through Technology (BAITT) | Online in the Marshes
PROJECT TITLE: Maths on the Net (Primary)
COORDINATOR: Simon Parson, Burren Junction Public Telephone: 02 67 961 464 Fax: 02 67 961 458
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS: Burren Junction PS, Carinda PS, Quambone PS, St Bernard's Coonamble, St Joseph's Walgett
OUTLINE OF THE PROJECT:
Maths on the Net has been operating as a successful CAP initiative in both the Broken Hill and Deniliquin districts and the intent of this initiative is to extend the project to include these five small schools in the Moree district.
Action Plan:
* teachers and students undertake training in mathematical thinking, and working mathematically &emdash; open ended questions, problem solving strategies etc
* students form virtual teams
* students meet other team members prior to communication with them and are involved in a mathematics day to initiate the program
* schools/students use the internet to access mathematical problems
* students/teachers access email on the internet, develop appropriate language skills and protocols for using email and the internet
* students work cooperatively to solve mathematical problems
* students use various technologies to communicate with members of their virtual teams
* Maths Olympiad
Anticipated Outcomes:
* break down isolation
* network isolated schools ie communities, teachers and students
* students use mathematical problem solving skills to pose and solve problems
* achieve a whole school approach in thinking mathematically to solve problems
* students, teachers and parents will enhance their technological skills and will understand and use technology in communication
* students will increase knowledge and understanding of contextual and situational language
* students' peer group is broadened
* students and teachers access web pages
PROJECT TITLE: Maths on the Net (Secondary)
COORDINATOR: Di Bulgarelli, Wee Waa High School Telephone: 02 67 954 477 Fax: 02 67 953 005
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS: All central and high schools in the Moree CAP district:
Wee Waa HS, Walgett HS, Coonamble HS, Warialda HS, Tenterfield HS,
Gulargambone CS, Bingara CS, Boggabilla CS, Collarenebri CS, Goodooga
CS, Lightning Ridge CS, Mungindi CS, Ashford CS, Emmaville CS
Initiated by Wee Waa HS, Warialda HS, Goodooga CS, Lightning Ridge
CS, Coonamble HS
OUTLINE OF THE PROJECT:
Maths on the Net has been operating as a successful CAP initiative for primary schools in both the Broken Hill and Deniliquin districts and the intent of this initiative is to extend the project to develop a secondary component and include all secondary schools in the Moree CAP District.
Action Plan:
* teachers undertake training in mathematical thinking, and working mathematically
- open ended questions, problem solving strategies etc
* teachers develop sets of appropriate problem solving questions
* students undertake training in mathematical thinking, and working mathematically
- open ended questions, problem solving strategies etc
* students form virtual teams
* students meet other team members prior to communication with them and are involved in a mathematics day to initiate the program
* schools/students use the internet to access mathematical problems
* students/teachers access email on the internet, develop appropriate language skills and protocols for using email and the internet
* students work cooperatively to solve mathematical problems
* students use various technologies to communicate with members of their virtual teams
* Maths Olympiad
Anticipated Outcomes:
* break down isolation
* network isolated schools ie communities, teachers and students
* students use mathematical problem solving skills to pose and solve problems
* achieve a whole school approach in thinking mathematically to solve problems
* students, teachers and parents will enhance their technological skills and will understand and use technology in communication
* students will increase knowledge and understanding of contextual and situational language
* students' peer group is broadened
* students and teachers access web pages
PROJECT TITLE: Focus on Learning 2000
COORDINATOR: Bob Adams, Gilgai Public School Telephone: 02 67 231 309 Fax: 02 67 231 481
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS: The following PP5&emdash;PP6 (1&emdash;2 teacher schools) : Baan Baa, Bellata, St Mary's Bingara, Bonshaw, Boomi, Bullarah, Burren Junction, Carinda, St Bernard's Coonamble, Croppa Creek, Delungra, Drake, Fairfax, Garah, Gilgai, Gravesend, Gum Flat, Jennings, Mallawa, Millbank, Mingoola, Nowendoc, Pallamallawa, Quambone, Toomelah, Tulloona, Urbenville, St Joseph's Walgett, St Joseph's Warialda, Wytaliba, Yarrowitch, Yetman
OUTLINE OF THE PROJECT:
The small schools acknowledge the need for :
* access for newer PP5 and PP6 staff to teaching and learning research
* parental exposure for researched teaching strategies
* dealing with the over crowded curriculum especially for teachers of composite classes
* exposure to ideas from "experts" in teaching research
* involvement in the development of small school Core Curriculum
* development of shared teaching program units that use strategies for effective teaching and learning
* collegial action research on teaching content and strategies
Action Plan
* survey of teachers/parents using Herrmann Brain Dominance Index
* two-day conference (Friday-Saturday) at Coffs Harbour with focus on:
- conditions for effective learning
- action research on effective teaching and learning
- HBDI profiles and brain research
- Board of Studies Links Project
- formation of collegial groups and initial development of action plans
* collegial group meetings
* one-day seminar with Glenn Capelli in Moree on 6 October 2000
* one-day seminar with Dr Julia Aitkin in Moree early in 2001
* sharing/reporting at a conference at the end of the two year project
* development of ways of using technology to share programs and other outcomes of the project
Anticipated outcomes:
* levels of sharing among/between schools will increase
* teachers will participate in collegial networks
* there will be changes to current planning/teaching practice due to input from"expert" researchers
* school communities will be able to articulate more clearly their understandings about effective teaching and learning
PROJECT TITLE: Small Schools Assessment in Literacy and Numeracy
COORDINATOR: John Hingston - Gravesend Public School Telephone: 02 67 297 159 Fax: 02 67 297 064
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS: Bullarah PS, Boomi PS, Croppa Creek PS, Garah PS, Gravesend PS, North Star PS, Pallamallawa PS, Toomelah PS, Tulloona PS, Yetman PS
OUTLINE OF THE PROJECT:
There is a need in small rural schools for valid and reliable assessment of student learning, particularly in years 4 and 6, the non-Basic Skills Test years. The geographic and professional isolation of staff in small, rural schools means there is no time or place for the common planning of assessment strategies or the sharing and comparison of the various programs used. Students often have small peer groups and some community perceptions are that these can limit opportunities and result in lowered expectations of application and performance. Common assessment tools will help to address this perception by providing quality information.
Action Plan:
* combined planning and information session at Moree
- presentation by Dr David Cullen from Narrabri West Public School- presentation of assessment strategies based on a range of resources
- materials viewed and common topics of study identified
* progressive implementation of assessment strategies with feedback and sharing via email, fax or mail as appropriate
* combined review of procedures and exchange of findings at Moree
- joint evaluation of project to date and sharing of student work on agreed topics.
Anticipated outcomes:
* participating schools implement common assessment procedures and share results
* schools share student work on common topics/themes using technology
* teachers networking across schools using email
* student profiles record assessment data
* assessment results used to program for further development
* reports to parents include data obtained from shared assessment program
PROJECT TITLE: Technology - Staff and Community Development
COORDINATOR: Les McMahon - Boggabri Public School Telephone: 02 67 434 526 Fax: 02 67 434 276
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS:
Boggabri PS, Mullaley PS, Sacred Heart PS (Dubbo District), and Baan
Baa PS, Fairfax PS (Moree CAP District)
OUTLINE OF THE PROJECT:
This initiative aims to address the following issues:
* increase the effective use of existing technologies
* the need to increase training and development opportunities to enhance teacher and community understandings of available technologies and their potential
* increase community confidence in technologies available in local schools, and therefore, how to assist their children in their own homes
* raise the awareness of the potential and relevance of computers in education
Action Plan:
Staff and community members will actively participate in technology workshops conducted at each school. The workshop will cover teaching and learning strategies for the effective implementation of a K&emdash;6 skills development program for computers, internet, email, digital cameras, scanners, and video conferencing equipment to improve learning outcomes.
The workshops will cover activities to inspire students, enable the participants to actively explore and solve problems when using technology and enable questions to be answered by an expert. It is anticipated that the training and development will provide a range of ideas and strategies to improve current levels of technology outcomes within each school.
The series of workshops to be conducted by Westley Field of In Time Solutions will include:
* multimedia in the classroom
* awareness of major programs being run in schools (for teachers)
* advanced operations - your computer operations and environment
* parent pack
* computing quickstart (basic operation of Mac/IBM and troubleshooting)
* publishing "on the web" for teachers
* application training for all school staff
* educational games for teachers/parents/students
* what is the internet?
* using the internet for better communication
Anticipated outcomes:
* increased teacher confidence in the integration of their school's technology in the classroom
* increased student confidence in the use of computer technologies
* increased use of small school network to allow communication and sharing of teaching and learning experiences
* increased parent/community support for students in the area of multimedia presentation and communication
* reduced feelings of isolation often associated with small schools
PROJECT TITLE: Scaffolding Literacy
COORDINATOR: Greg Simmonds - Boggabilla Central School Telephone: 07 46 762 104 Fax: 07 46 762 442
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS: Boggabilla CS, Toomelah PS, Goodooga CS - then to be extended to other schools in 2001
OUTLINE OF THE PROJECT:
Issues to be addressed by the initiative:
* the need to access more appropriate pedagogy to effectively address the literacy needs of indigenous students, with such pedagogy being based on current action research
* the need to extend opportunities for effective training and development for teachers
What is Scaffolding Literacy?
The Scaffolding Literacy program aims to lift reading and writing performance of students to their stage level in a very short time. It achieves this, not by working with texts at current reading levels of the students, but by working with texts at the appropriate stage level. Scaffolding is provided in the form of a number of specific explicit teaching strategies that build layer upon layer of meaning for all students.
The sequence of these strategies repeated daily in the 1.5 hour literacy session are:
* low order book orientation
* high order book orientation
* transformations - deconstruction of a paragraph
* scaffolded spelling - words from the paragraph
* reconstructed writing
* text patterning
Significant changes in classroom pedagogy have become obvious at Yipirinya following implementation of this program.
The attributes of Scaffolding Literacy include:
* teaching strategies drawn from a range of best practices
* a whole class approach
* a non threatening learning climate
* the strategy sequence
* texts used are at the students age and maturity level
* the strategy can be used effectively with students from pre school to secondary level
* Aboriginal Classroom Assistants now assist students mainly with the task of learning
Action Plan:
* prior to the commencement of this initiative, one school principal and the Moree District Literacy Consultant will have visited the Scaffolding Literacy project site as developed at Yipirinya Community School in Alice Springs
*presentation of their report to Boggabilla and Toomelah Public Schools' staff and viewing of video to gain whole staff commitment
* initial visit to Boggabilla and Toomelah by the Scaffolding Literacy team, for initial inservice training and demonstration lessons
* selection of Literacy Project Officer (from within existing staffing)
* training of Literacy Project Officer and District Literacy Consultant at Yipirinya - this involves from four to six trips to Alice Springs
* commence Scaffolding Literacy lessons in classrooms
* further site visits to schools involved, by the Scaffolding Literacy team for training, support, evaluation and planning for 2001
* other district schools commence training and implementation (Note: Goodooga CS has become involved in the program)
* weekly planning, training and review meetings
Anticipated Outcomes:
* indigenous students reading at their expected stage level
* improved student attendance
* improved levels of engagement and achievement in all KLAs
PROJECT TITLE: Broadening Access Involvement Through Technology (BAITT)
COORDINATOR: Julie Murkins - Mungindi Central School Telephone: 02 67 532 207 Fax: 02 67 532 346
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS: Mungindi CS, Collarenebri CS, Goodooga CS, Boggabilla CS
OUTLINE OF THE PROJECT:
The four schools involved in this initiative form the Northern Border Senior Access (NBSA) group of schools, in which curriculum in years 11 and 12 is delivered to students with all four schools connected via telematics.
The schools have identified that a major obstacle to effective learning over distance is the "add on" nature of telematics learning in the senior secondary. Students undertake a telematics orientation towards the end of Year 10 as a lead in to their senior studies the following year. It is recognised that what is needed is a much deeper and systematic approach to Access learning which begins at the very least in Year 7.
Successful Access students are those who can work with technology which, is at once, both transparent and a vehicle for learning. They need to be effective listeners and speakers if they are to maximise their telematic lessons. Senior secondary is "held back" to a great extent by having to teach students how to learn in this environment. There is a need to inculcate this type of learning in Access schools, as opposed to it happening only in Access classes.
Action Plan:
* establish teacher teams across the four schools to develop a unit or project of work to be delivered to small groups of students , Years 7-10
- it is anticipated that each school will divide its 7&emdash;8 cohort into four equal sized groups and the same will apply to 9-10 cohorts
* groups will work on their project for a double period each week for four weeks
- classroom teachers will be involved in the project- a designated school will coordinate the first project
- responsibility for project coordination will shift to another school with the commencement of each new project
- this will facilitate the professional development of teachers and will give greater ownership of the program
* delivery of the project:
- 20 minute - lead in time - telematic skills- 30 minute &emdash; on line time - communicating with other schools
- 20 minute - follow up time - continued assigned work
- 10 minute - administration time
* evaluation processes established to gauge student and staff familiarity with and confidence in using the technology
* ongoing implementation plans
- investigate the feasibility of extending the initiative to include years 5/6- promotion of whole school oracy development and independent learning
Anticipated Outcomes:
* improve the oral communication skills of secondary students
* independent learning in the secondary curriculum
* the use of technology and specialist software to build up a group identity across distant sites
* use of existing network of schools to foster collegial and professional support for teachers
PROJECT TITLE: Online in the Marshes
COORDINATOR: Jane Kibble - Quambone Public School Telephone: 02 68 242 046 Fax: 02 68 242 017
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS: Quambone PS, Carinda PS, Coonamble PS and Marra Creek PS (Dubbo District)
OUTLINE OF THE PROJECT:
Technology in schools can become a source of increasing stress for teachers and community members alike if confidence and skills are insufficient to cope with the increased technological expectations from community and schools alike. Few students have access to cutting edge technology and any access is limited by the geographical isolation factor as it impinges on telecommunications. A small number of students have access to the internet at home but it is slow and unreliable. Parents and community members alike are unsure about the implications of technology on their children's future and are feeling out of touch. Schools and communities in isolated rural areas need to claim information technology and make it their own.
Action Plan:
* computer trainer will be employed to conduct technology workshops with staff, students and parents
* workshops will be conducted at each school
* students will have:
- hands on multi media training- training in web page development
- training in managing school networks
- "Train the Trainer" workshops
* staff will have:
- hands-on multi media training- training in web page development
- training in managing school networks
- training and development in using the internet and incorporating information technology into the classroom
* community members will have:
- training in the use of information technology- training in using the internet
- increased awareness of technological/management issues facing schools, staff and students in the new millenium
Anticipated Outcomes:
* students will become familiar with multi media presentation and complete presentations of their own
* staff will feel confident with information technology and multi media presentations
* students will become trainers for other students
* community members will develop an awareness and appreciation of the technologies with which their children are expected to be familiar and competent
PROJECT TITLE: Combined Small Schools Gifted and Talented Program
COORDINATOR: Dorothee Lean - Rowena Public School Telephone: 02 67 965 145 Fax: 02 67 965 271
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS: Rowena PS, Bellata PS, Mallawa PS, Walgett PS Distance Education Centre
OUTLINE OF THE PROJECT:
Due to the geographic isolation of these schools, there is a need to provide gifted and talented students within participating schools with the opportunity to meet with other gifted and talented students for involvement in a variety of programs. This initiative allows for the participation of students, depending on each individual's talent, as well as training and development opportunities for teachers involved.
Action Plan:
* identify students to be involved
* each participating school determined a target area during teleconferences and proceeded to organise this component &emdash; four target areas identified
* expert personnel in the four target areas identified &emdash; to be employed to conduct the programs
* The four day program:
Walgett PS DEC - Literacy
Presenters: author/ illustrator and performance poetBellata PS - Science and Technology
Presenters: secondary science teachersRowena PS - Creative and Practical Arts
Presenters: potter, art teacher, folk artists, stained glass and mosaic artistMallawa PS - Sport, PE and Gymnastics
Presenter: qualified instructors
Anticipated Outcomes:
* students, parents and staff receive expert instruction in a range of activities small schools usually cannot provide
* parents supported in their involvement with their children's learning
* provision of aspects of quality comprehensive education in conjunction with local communities
* provision of peer group experiences for targeted gifted and talented children, within which children will work cooperatively and productively with others