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CREATING A SUSTAINABLE PEDAGOGICAL CULTURE

Project Title	Creating a Sustainable Pedagogical Culture in the Canecutter Cluster of Schools
Project Team	Dr David Lake (SiMERR Queensland)
Period	July 07 – Incomplete
Funding Agency	Australian Schools Innovations in Science, Technology and Mathematics (ASISTM – Round 3)
Organisational Base	SiMERR Queensland

Description

Rural schools often need to work more closely in small clusters than do urban schools, where teachers from one school interact with teachers from a wide range of schools. Small groups of schools within a region often have specific needs and opportunities that require local materials that cannot be supplied by distant curriculum writers. At the same time, an individual school usually does not have sufficient resources, time or expertise to develop content, particularly science content that can be resource intensive without setting up collaborations.

This project focuses on creating and extending a sustainable pedagogical approach to the new Queensland Mathematics and Science syllabi. It provided an intellectually challenging environment inclusive of all students regardless of ability or past achievement. The project involved personnel from cluster schools and James Cook University. The Action/Learning model of professional development, SOLO taxonomy and 5E model provided innovation. The outcomes included the use of new practices and improvements in teacher practice and student learning, particularly in the middle years.

Participants

The project involved participants from cluster schools and James Cook University staff.

Findings

Interviews have been transcribed with participating in-service teachers. However, data analysis is not complete due to the extended illness of the PI. This project will be completed in late 2008.

Outcomes

Four sets of classroom ready resources, in-services of 16 teachers in SOLO as a teaching and assessment tool and the development of inquiry-based teaching resources have been put in place. In addition, two large scale in-services for teachers were conducted in the district. Once the data analysis is complete, a paper will be drafted about how teachers work in groups to produce resources and this will highlight both the strengths and the pitfalls of the new Queensland Mathematics and Science syllabi.

Sustainable-Pedagogical