Framework for Learning Futures Project Report

[Executive Summary version] November 2016

Dr Janet Buchan

Director

Centre for Innovation, Teaching Excellence and Leadership

Lourdes Hill College

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Framework for Learning Futures Project Report [Executive Summary version]

October 2016

Project Report Authors

Dr Janet Buchan (Principal Researcher)

With input from Kath Perrier, Raelee Lewis, Joseph Abeya, Karen Davidson. Terms of Reference: Framework for Learning Futures Project

Strategic Leader – Ms Robyn Anderson, Executive Principal LHC

Operational Leader – Mr Terry Niebling – Deputy Principal, Senior School (Head of School) Advisory Group Membership Mr Terry Niebling Mrs Kath Perrier - Assistant Principal Learning & Teaching Mrs Cathy Hains – Head of Faculty of Differentiated Learning Dr Janet Buchan - Director Centre for Innovation, Teaching Excellence & Leadership; Adjunct Senior Lecturer James Cook University Mr Terry Gallagher Director Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, State Schools – Performance. Department of Education & Training, QLD. Working Party Membership Dr Janet Buchan & Mrs Kath Perrier (Co-chairs) Mrs Raelee Lewis – Director of Academic Mentoring Mr Joseph Abeya – Head of Faculty, Mathematics Ms Karen Davidson – Head of Faculty, Humanities

Acknowledgements

The vision and commitment of the College Leadership to actively creating the future of learning at LHC

formed the foundation of this research. We acknowledge the LHC Board for their support of CiTEL and

the Learning Futures Project. We thank the members of the Working Party, Advisory Group and all those

in our community who gave their time to share their experience and vision for learning at LHC. We are

grateful for the contributions of external learning leaders from QCEC, QCAA, QCT, QUT, USQ and CSU.

© 2016

Lourdes Hill College 86 Hawthorne Road Hawthorne, Queensland 4171

Website: http://lhc.qld.edu.au/Learning/Centre_for_Innovation,_Teaching_Excellence_and_Leadership_.html

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Table of Contents

Framework for Learning Futures Project Report [Executive Summary version] ...................................... 1

October 2016 ............................................................................................................................................ 1

Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................... 3

Findings ..................................................................................................................................................... 4

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 4

I. Recommendations for the LHC Learning Environment of the Future .......................................... 5

II. Operational recommendations: Enhancing current practice ....................................................... 9

III. Future Directions and the new LHC Framework for Learning and Teaching .......................... 12

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Executive Summary

“An LHC education worth having is balanced. It is holistic, strong in pastoral activities, underpinned by a Catholic ethos and the Good Samaritan philosophy and balances academic with co-curricular pursuits.

An education worth having creates independent learners and young women who value and actively participate in and contribute to a culture of learning. Such an education provides a personalised learning experience that promotes academic choice and caters for individual learning needs and styles.

Each individual student is known, valued, given opportunities and supported to achieve their potential both academically and in co-curricular areas. Students are prepared for life outside of and after school, including further study and/or the workplace.” (Learning Futures Project Report, Research version, 2016)

This statement synthesises and summarises the essence of what the LHC community values about a LHC education and gives a powerful insight into what learning and teaching might look like in our school into the future.

Lourdes Hill College is deeply committed to teaching excellence and providing a relevant and high quality, learning experience to prepare students for their future. As part of the future thinking and strategic planning for Lourdes Hill College, the following ‘problem’ has been deeply considered by the College Leadership Team: “What will teaching and learning look like in our classrooms of the future?”. To respond to this, a research project, the LHC Framework for Learning Futures Project, was established and conducted under CiTEL, Lourdes Hill College’s new Centre for Innovation, Teaching Excellence and Leadership. The Learning Futures Project Advisory Group provided operational and strategic direction for the Project and the Learning Futures Working Party that carried out the research initiative.

The key research questions posed to the Learning Futures Project team were: 1. What will be taught and learned at our school of the future, and how will it be taught? 2. What do we want our students to be like as adults? 3. What challenges do we and our young people face and how do we prepare students and staff

for learning into the future?

Conducting the research1: The data collection process took place between May and July 2016 and involved widespread consultation across the LHC College community and beyond. There were three methods of data collection, all of which involved gathering input and insights in response to a series of future-focused questions.

1. Interviews with external learning leaders - Six external learning leaders generously gave their

time to provide a broad spectrum of expertise to inform our Project goals.

1 A copy of the full, unabridged version of the LHC Learning Futures Report, Research version including

methodology, findings and data appendices is available on request.

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2. Focus groups with staff and parents - A series of focus groups was held to facilitate face to face discussions. These amounted to four staff groups (27 participants), two parent groups (8 participants) and one group of university students (2 participants). There were over 800 minutes of recordings from the interviews and focus groups which were professionally transcribed and qualitatively analysed.

3. Online surveys of LHC students, parents and staff - There was good community engagement with the surveys. The total numbers of survey returns surveys amounted to: Students – 1010; Parents – 285 and Staff – 62. (The 27 staff involved in focus groups did not necessarily also take part in the Survey).

The survey, focus group and interview data was combined and qualitative and quantitative thematic analysis carried out. The data collection was also informed by the contemporary literature and practice.

Findings

The key research findings draw a comprehensive picture of the current LHC Learning Environment and existing learning and teaching approaches. The input from the community identified what teaching excellence looks (and feels) like and what factors may contribute towards creating a relevant and high quality, learning experience that can prepare students for their future. Feedback highlighted many positive aspects of the LHC experience, which need celebrating. The feedback also provided insights into aspects of existing College initiatives and programs which can be further maximised or enhanced in order to realise the full potential of the College and our individual students (See Recommendations II below).

The findings and data are reported fully in the LHC Learning Futures Report, Research version (2016) which is available on request.

Conclusion

This Conclusion to the Framework for Learning Futures Project report describes a synthesis of the key research findings which draw a comprehensive picture of the LHC Learning Environment of the Future. The research evidence and insights from the Learning Futures Project will be used to inform the development of an innovative LHC Learning and Teaching Futures Framework to guide academic and teaching excellence at LHC into the future. The Learning Futures Working Party, together with the Advisory Group, will drive the development of the new Framework for a 2017 implementation.

The findings have been summarised into two sets of Recommendations and a set of five Pillars of Learning.

I. Recommendations for creating the LHC Learning Environment of the Future.

II. Operational Recommendations: Enhancing current practice.

III. Pillars of Learning for the new LHC Learning and Teaching Futures Framework.

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I. Recommendations for the LHC Learning Environment of the Future

1. What will be taught and learned at our school of the future, and how will it be taught?

Summary Teaching and learning at Lourdes Hill College into the future will be dynamic and responsive to ongoing changes in State and National Curriculum, the needs of our individual students and the availability of new technology, modes of delivery and pedagogical approaches. LHC will need to be at the forefront of pedagogical and curriculum development while remaining responsive to the external demands of the educational sector and the internal needs of our future generations of students and their families.

Curriculum and academics

At the heart of the LHC learning experience will be a well-designed and relevant curriculum. Students will be taught how to learn and will be supported to develop the relevant skills to

become independent, motivated learners. Students will be taught the Australian Curriculum designed within a personalised LHC context. Senior students will be prepared thoroughly for the new Queensland senior curriculum and

external assessment pathways.

Holistic learning and living

Students will develop as balanced and informed citizens. Students will continue to experience the LHC emphasis on holistic living and commitment to social justice.

Students and staff will continue to learn to live the Good Samaritan story with the Catholic ethos as a foundation.

Pillars of Learning for the new

LHC Learning and Teaching Futures Framework

PILLAR 1: Innovative Learning Environments both in the classroom and at home

PILLAR 2: Meaningful and Purposeful Curriculum

PILLAR 3: Relationships for Personalised Learning

PILLAR 4: Holistic Learning and Living

PILLAR 5: Teaching Excellence

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Students will develop key attributes and skills essential to becoming skilled learners and to prepare them for the future. can be broadly divided into the following areas: Learning to learn; Citizenship; Communication skills; Resilience; Personal values; Achievement; Know yourself - Attitude/happiness and Relationships. These will necessarily include those subject specific skills from the Australian Curriculum.

How curriculum will be taught to students

Mode of delivery

In-class teacher-contact time and active teaching will be prioritised. The positioning of students and the learning in a classroom space, however, will not necessarily

mean that ‘traditional’ teacher directed strategies will be employed. Blended learning approaches will be adopted and designed into the curriculum delivery. A common definition of blended learning within the LHC context will be developed to underpin

the new Framework. Sample below:

“Blended learning involves integration of different modes of delivery, models of teaching, and styles of learning through strategic and systematic use of technology, combined with the best features of face-to-face interaction.” (2016, Griffith University Accessed from https://intranet.secure.griffith.edu.au/computing/blended-learning-support)

Learning resources will be placed online and made accessible at school and at home as an extension of the face-to-face learning experience.

In-class time will be used to maximise student engagement in their learning by including active teaching, and interaction and collaboration between teachers and students. Appropriate and varied teaching strategies will be used to cater for all learning styles.

The locus of responsibility for learning will be shifted to the students who will be expected to take more responsibility and ownership for their learning (love learning).

Pedagogical approaches

Consistent pedagogical approaches will be adopted across the school. Pedagogical approaches will be Faculty-driven and will support the needs of individual discipline

areas. The locus of learning will be shifted to the students who will have increased responsibility for,

and control over, their own learning. Students will have control over their learning and study pathways through personalising their

learning. This could be done through choice of mode and style of learning, access to resources online as well as curriculum choices.

Learning analytics will be used to inform decisions about teaching approaches and to individualise student feedback.

Feedback and assessment will have a formative, diagnostic and developmental focus. A culture of evidence-based practice will be developed to ensure curriculum and teaching

approaches are informed by extensive feedback and research. Feedback to students will be prioritised in all classrooms to ensure students are empowered to

build their learning.

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Authentic and situated learning experiences will be offered. Situated learning requires that students experience an authentic learning environment, e.g. excursions to galleries, work places, engaging with students at other schools, immersion in different cultures and languages, overseas trips or working with visiting students.

Re-envisage the role (and name) of ‘homework’ in light of a blended learning experience and ensure it is purposeful, relevant and carefully integrated and designed as part of the learning experience.

Where curriculum will be taught and learned

Innovative learning environment

Students will learn in a dynamic and innovative learning environment. The LHC classrooms of the future will comprise just one part of the student learning

environment whereby students will participate in a rich learning experience that takes place in the classroom, learning spaces around the school, outside the school and connected to home and beyond.

Existing learning spaces and technology will be maximised and designed and integrated into the curriculum planning to provide varied and individualised learning experiences.

Our classrooms of the future will be designed to be flexible and to support a variety of types of learning; teacher-led, student-directed, individualized learning and will enhance opportunities for peer collaboration and student engagement.

Student learning at school will be supported by 24/7 access to comprehensive digital resources and there will be a seamless connection between classroom and home.

The use of existing learning spaces will be maximised to support appropriate pedagogical directions; through creative timetabling.

Use blended learning approaches and the online environment to create flexibility for including excursions and situated learning that are integral to particular discipline areas.

The classroom environment will be a learning place for staff to continually review and improve their practice through a culture of self-reflection and classroom observation.

By whom students will be taught

Students will be taught by teachers for the 21st Century who will be highly professional, highly competent, experienced and able to draw on in-depth knowledge in their subject areas.

Required qualities of teachers will include: being adaptable, resilient and reflective practitioners. Teachers will demonstrate professionalism, mutual and professional respect. Able to create a safe, relaxed and positive learning environment and with exceptional skills in

building productive relationships with students. Good listeners, engaging equally with all students, having no favourites Personal qualities of sense of humour, good communicators, passionate about their teaching,

respectful. Sound classroom and behaviour management skills. All staff will be active participants in a dynamic professional learning culture at the school.

Who supports the learning experience

School support services and strategies will be maximised.

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The student learning experience will be supported by engaging with home and family partnerships.

Opportunity for authentic and external input into supporting student learning will be maximised:

Parents/ family will become essential partners in the learning experience.

2. What do we want our students to be like as adults? Although the focus of some of the research questions was future-looking and preparing students for life after school, the feedback from parents of current students, especially the middle school students, reminded us of the importance of students being able to manage the ‘now’.

The skills needed include those for academic success and learning, navigating the social groups and becoming independent learners as students navigate high school from Years 7 through to Year 12.

The key aspects that this question highlighted were the following:

LHC has a responsibility to identify those personal attributes, qualities and skills that will prepare students as learners and global citizens for the 21st Century and to integrate these into the broader curriculum and learning experience at the school.

The personal qualities and skills that are needed to prepare our young people for the future fall into the following themes: Learning to learn; Citizenship; Communication skills; Resilience; Personal values; Achievement; Know yourself, Attitude/Happiness and Relationships.

Students will be prepared for the transition to life beyond school as they develop into adulthood.

Students will be aware of the challenges of the world with which they will be engaging and will be supported to develop appropriate skills to navigate those challenges.

The students’ own vision for the skills, and attributes and qualities needed to become the person they want/need to be are an important factor to consider.

3. What challenges do we and our young people face and how do we prepare students and staff for learning into the future?

The challenges facing staff and students fall broadly into the following categories:

External and future challenges – outside the school, becoming responsible citizens, getting a qualification and employment.

School and internal – achieving academically, managing day to day learning, learning how to learn from failing.

Personal challenges – health and wellbeing, anxiety and competition, achieving to the best of their ability, managing social relationships.

Family and friends – becoming socially aware, socially accepted and having relevant family support in their learning journey.

Interwoven across all the challenges was the importance of developing social resilience. Although this was not uppermost in the feedback, the long term impact that world events such as climate change, the changing work environment and political changes will have on our students is not to be underestimated.

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The demands of the world in 10 - 20 years’ time will be considerably different to today’s world and students and staff will need to become highly adaptable, resilient and caring individuals.

Preparing staff and students for the challenges

By identifying and understanding the key issues facing staff and students For staff - providing support and access to personalised professional learning opportunities to

develop resilient professionals who can manage those issues. For students – ensuring that the curriculum supports the development of key attributes and

skills.

The full data provides extensive commentary and evidence that supports each of these and through which the insights from the community can be further explored to understand how good teaching and learning might be achieved within our LHC context. It will be important in the implementation of the Framework that insights from the LHC context, i.e. the research data, are taken into consideration. This in turn will contribute to the development and implementation of the new Learning and Teaching Framework for Learning Futures.

II. Operational recommendations: Enhancing current practice

The Learning Futures Project highlighted a number of operational areas where LHC can do more to maximise its learning and teaching initiatives and outcomes. The following operational recommendations are intended to support action to maximise the initiatives already in place. The recommendations also foreground some of the work that needs to be done to build a foundation for a smooth transition to the new LHC Learning and Teaching Futures Framework.

Recommendation 1: Consolidate and optimise current LHC initiatives that support learning and teaching.

Continue to promote our learning support initiatives with parents and students through effective communication with key stakeholders.

Keep building on the Academic Mentoring Programme.

Continue to invest in the effective use of Dashboard and learning analytics for feedback-informed learning.

Keep building on the Differentiated Learning Programme.

Ensure that the LHC Guidelines for Good Practice in Assessment are fully implemented.

Recommendation 2: Curriculum enhancement Middle school curriculum: Review the selection of subjects for Year 9 to find ways to increase

the depth of curriculum offered in senior years.

Use blended learning approaches to provide flexibility for staff and students in curriculum design and delivery.

Develop expertise in learning design as the foundation for designing integrated and effective curriculum and effective and active classroom, situated and online learning experiences.

Curriculum planned to align with intentions and directions from required syllabuses. Curriculum

needs to cover knowledge, skills and processes to be learned and allow for continual

development of general capabilities for students to be successful citizens.

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Curriculum should engage students in real world scenarios and allow time for a range of levels

of learning and strategies.

Technology and digital literacy is seen as a general capability to underpin all curriculum areas.

Curriculum should be well-designed and relevant to create motivated and independent learners.

Students need to be thoroughly prepared for new senior curriculum and assessment pathways.

Recommendation 3: Professional Learning Continue to build on the CiTEL Professional Learning directions with a dynamic and responsive

internal (SCAD) PD programme.

Work towards personalised professional learning and maximum impact of professional learning by increasing the range of professional learning ‘modes’ that are recognized and taken up.

Build on integrating GARP with classroom observations and peer review as part of professional learning programme.

Increase opportunities for staff to engage with peers and experts from outside LHC to share their practice.

Develop staff skills and knowledge in learning design principles and applying those to creating effective student-centred learning.

Provide a range of professional learning opportunities for an in-depth focus on Assessment: constructive alignment, assessment for learning and feedback and assessment including the use of learning analytics.

Recommendation 4: Learning spaces Optimise the use of classroom arrangements and technology to engage students and support

student-centred blended learning, blended learning approaches and active classroom teaching and learning.

Research and review the use of new and retro-fitted learning spaces (D-Block, J-Block, K-block, Senior Hub) and gather pedagogically oriented evidence to inform more effective pedagogical use of the spaces and ongoing redesign of other classrooms.

Explore the development of middle school years ‘precincts’ for Years 7 and 8 to improve connectedness and home bases.

Collaboratively develop guidelines (Curriculum Committee) for classroom space sharing and use of walls and noticeboards for subject display in shared classrooms to maximise and personalise the students’ learning experience.

Recommendation 5: Learning Technology Develop a College ICT Systems Strategy (Director of ICT) that will support the future directions

in Learning and Teaching at the College. The ICT Systems Strategy will include mapping the LHC Learning Technologies Landscape grounded in the pedagogical use of technology.

Develop an eLearning Action Plan (Head of eLearning) that helps to optimise current initiatives and provides a foundation for the new Framework for Learning & Teaching. The Action Plan will support the consistent and effective use of learning technology to meet pedagogical outcomes.

o Develop accessible, user friendly, pedagogically oriented guidelines for staff for the use of our current e-learning systems.

o Professional learning: Make the application of technology in teaching a part of the personal professional development of all staff to meet certain criteria/standards (GARP).

o Develop accessible information for parents and students about the use of current learning technology systems.

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Review and map the current use of learning technology in curriculum across all faculties. (Heads of Faculty, AP Learning & Teaching, Director CiTEL).

Recommendation 7: Benchmarking and KPIs Implement Phases 3 and 4 of the Learning Futures Project (Appendix 1) which involves

benchmarking the current learning environment and operational aspects of learning and teaching at the College.

Develop KPIs for evaluating the impact of the professional learning programme and the implementation of the new Framework for Learning and Teaching.

Recommendation 8: Develop and implement a new LHC Learning and Teaching Framework Use the findings from the Learning Futures Project to underpin the development of a new LHC

Learning and Teaching Framework.

The Learning Futures Working Party lead the development of the new Framework.

Provide professional learning opportunities through CiTEL to support staff in using the new Framework to redesign learning approaches.

Draw on a distributed leadership model with AP Learning and Teaching working closely with Heads of Faculty and CiTEL to implement the new Framework.

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III. Future Directions and the new LHC Framework for Learning and Teaching The Pillars of Learning will be used to inform the development of the new LHC Learning and Teaching

Futures Framework by the Learning Futures Working Party.

Pillars of Learning for the new LHC Learning and Teaching Futures Framework

PILLAR 1 Innovative Learning Environment both in the classroom and at home: Design and create the in-class learning environment according to student and curriculum needs. The student learning environment is supported through school - based strategies and ‘LHC Virtual’ to give 24/7 access to comprehensive digital resources as part of a blended learning experience that enhances student achievement. The learning environment enhances the opportunities for choice and personalised learning as well as allowing for the development of collaboration skills.

PILLAR 2 Meaningful and Purposeful Curriculum: Offer a collaborative approach to developing an uncrowded curriculum that motivates, challenges and engages students in deep thinking and understanding of both knowledge and "how to learn". Curriculum supports critical thinking and creative skills, development of strong mind habits and prepares students for the rigour of Senior Schooling and post-school pathways.

PILLAR 3 Relationships for Personalised Learning: Create an environment where students can experience strong teacher relationships supported by strategies to receive regular and meaningful teacher feedback to inform their learning. Students reflect, set goals and consolidate their learning, by taking ownership of their learning and maximising their potential. Students are consistently tracked, monitored and supported in making improvements towards achieving their best.

PILLAR 4 Holistic Learning and Living: Nurture a culture that stimulates an authentic love of learning and prepares students for the future. The learning experience develops the whole person to engage in action that supports the mission of Good Samaritan Education and leads to dynamic future interests and career pathways. Supported by good mind habits, students develop capabilities, attributes and qualities that empower them to be resilient, skilled and socially aware citizens for the 21st Century who are good role models in their community.

PILLAR 5 Teaching Excellence: Develop a culture of teaching excellence with staff who are committed to being instructional leaders and working towards the highest professional standards for teachers. Staff participate in a culture of professional learning and reflective practice and take on board feedback from peers and students to inform ongoing improvement in their teaching and impact on student achievement. Teachers apply student-centred approaches and appropriate pedagogy and strategies to cater for individual student learning styles and needs.

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The 2016 LHC Learning Futures Project afforded a unique opportunity to work with the LHC community to gain valuable and productive insights into the student, parent and staff experience of learning and teaching at LHC. The community appeared to embrace the opportunity to have a voice in the future of learning and teaching at the College. The Project achieved its objective of providing the College with evidence and insights into the shared vision and aspirations of the current students, parents and staff at LHC that will underpin the development of the new LHC Learning and Teaching Futures Framework to guide the student experience into the future.