A Knowledge Sharing Resource for Victorians in Education

• What's On
• Research eLert
• Rich Picture Case Studies
• Browse Case Studies
  • Teacher Professional Leave
  • Student Learning
  • Building Leadership
  • Professional Learning
  • Whole School Improvement
  • Community Involvement and Partnerships
• How to Contribute

2006 Knowledge Bank Rich Picture Case Studies
Mooroolbark College - Digital Snapshots: Action Research

 

Name: Robyn Floyd
School: Mooroolbark College
Postal address: 186 Manchester Road, Mooroolbark, 3138
Telephone no: 9727 8100
Email: floyd.robyn.e@edumail.vic.gov.au

 

Tribes, STARS, frogs and VEGIEs - browse the fantastic array of Action Research resources put together as part of the Red Earth Cluster Expo.

The Red Earth Cluster (see School links) is focusing on developing student engagement and community connectedness through thinking strategies and tools. Yarra Valley e-Learning Community (YveLC) is a cluster of seven Yarra Valley secondary schools working collaboratively to develop ICT skills in teachers in secondary and local primary schools.

 

 

Case study focus

The Red Earth Cluster was awarded a Highly Commended Quality Schooling Award for the 2005 Action Research Expo. Over 200 teachers undertook action research projects and displayed them in a public exhibition. Our case study displays the Action Research Projects developed this year as part of the 2006 Teacher Shadowing Program for all teachers prep to VCE, not only in public exhibition but as digital snapshots of how action research and the opportunity to shadow impacts on teacher practice and student outcomes within classrooms.

Our teacher research will not only improve personal best practice but create a rich picture to support learning of colleagues.

 

What aspect of best practice will be the focus of the case study?

Best practice in areas of student engagement and connectedness as indicated in our student attitudes to school surveys is the focus of the case study.
Action Research projects will be displayed at the EXPO using digital technology. The case study encourages teachers to provide units of work, lessons and strategies in Word/Publisher/Photo Story/PhotoDraw/digital video and Flash including:

• Classroom organisation or change of structures to accommodate new technologies
• Teaching strategies using ICT
• Use of new resources, taxonomies, frameworks, materials with a focus on ICT
  

How does the case study intend to showcase or demonstrate best practice?

The case study aims to build the capability of teachers in the use of multimedia and online technologies to communicate best practice to colleagues through an interactive CD and website. ICT workshops provided by the YveLC Cluster are supporting the teachers within the cluster to develop multimedia and online technologies. Teachers will be able to download work samples which have been trialled and used in classrooms. Presentations by the teachers at our EXPO and at ICT Conferences,) and the development of the Auslan demonstrate our commitment to share collaboratively.

The form of the case study

Collection of resources - as indexed below:

Introduction

• Introduction

Responsibility to our community and environment

• Frog Bog: A whole school project [Word 473KB]
   
• VEGIE: A small group of students working together to create a community garden

Understanding and engagement within our local community

• MEGA Games: A whole school weekly activity in mixed age groups
   
• TRIBES: A whole school program infused into the school culture
   
• STARS: A whole school weekly activity in mixed age groups [Word 23KB]
   
  Overhead notes - Circle Time [Word 39KB]
  Consultative Rotation: Staff Minor Evaluation of the STARS program [Word 28KB]
  Rationale: STARS
  STARS Sample Lessons: A [Word 27KB] and B [Word 21KB]
  STARS Newsletter [Word 20KB]
  
  
• PASSIONS: A whole school activity in mixed age groups that follow YOUR passion [Word 1.2MB]
   
• Knitterbugs: An award-winning activity that involves students, teachers, parents and grandparents creating artworks [WMV 693KB]
   
• Girlfriends! Year 9 girls meet to develop friendship, teamwork and are mentored by community leaders [Word 30KB] and Girlfriends! website

 

Student leadership through organized community based activities

• Visual Storytelling Project: Creating bilingual books in Auslan (Australian sign language)and English, animated in Flash. Years 5-10 [Word 45KB](What is Auslan [Word 37.5KB]and Auslan statistics [Word 30KB])
   
• Walmsley Village: Year 5 students visit for regular games and conversation [Word 1.2MB]
   
• Community Volunteers: Year 9 students undertake a 6 hour project within our local community [Word 63KB]

Achieving through engagement

• VELS Integrated Units of Work (Levels 1 to 4)
   
• About Rubrics [Word 165KB] and Examples of rubrics

Thinking Curriculum

• Claymation
   
• Saving Energy (Science) (Level 5 ppt. signed in Auslan) [PPT 473KB]
   
• Multi-Age Days A whole school activity in mixed age groups [Word 335KB]. Examples: sample multi-age day program [Word 45KB]
  

What multimedia and/or online tools have been used?

Uses of Dreamweaver, digital video, webcam, Photo Story, iMovie and Flash are a few of the programs that will be used to develop the final product.

Engagement and benefits

The case study samples are authentic, readable and based on practical strategies for implementing best practice to improve student outcomes using ICT. As we have done for the Girlfriends! Website we will use a critical friend to evaluate our CD and website so that is it accessible, teacher-friendly and practical.

Students and teachers have access to a range of software and applications that will support curriculum development and improved teaching and learning practices. It is important to select the right software or application and understand what types of thinking, learning experiences and learning styles each ICT resource supports and how that software or application can best be used. The e-Learning coaches, provision of the Intel: Teach to the Future Course and individual experts will support our understanding of which tools to use to communicate best practice in this case study.

Our Expo was visited by 400 teachers and community members in 2005. Feedback indicated that positive changes in teaching and learning strategies
occurred in all cluster schools. This platform offers us the opportunity to reach a wider audience and provide a starting point for discussions on best practice at other schools.

The case study contributes to reform by:

• encouraging purposeful teaching strategies, matched to the learning styles and needs of students, based on student data and observation
  of teacher practise through shadowing.
   
• continuing to develop a common vision, values and objectives through collaboration, and discussion of teaching strategies within the
  cluster.
   
• improving the teaching-learning relationship, paying particular attention to developing the subject and pedagogical knowledge of
  teachers through research and reflection in the teacher shadowing process.

The case study supports the principles of effective professional learning.

Back to Top