Category Archives: Collaborative Learning

Modelling Learning Dynamics

Posted on April 25, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Shaofu Huang presented his doctoral research at a seminar of the Centre for Systems Learning and Leadership on Wednesday 24th April. This is an exciting application of complexity theory and systems modelling in the social sciences and demonstrates that for teachers, engaging students in deep learning is complex and unpredictable – more like a design challenge than a script to be followed.

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Posted in Authentic Enquiry, Collaborative Learning, Community, Complexity, Learning Power, Pedagogy, Uncategorized

Taronga Zoo Break Out

Posted on April 22, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Taronga Zoo AnimalsTaronga Zoo Break Out 

Taronga Zoo Break out is a  story written by the Indigenous students of Singleton High School for the school Community in Singleton, New South Wales.  It is an example of how  symbol and metaphor can support the development of student self-awareness and engagement in the process of learning.  Developing a rich and local language for learning, that links to the collective consciousness of a community through metaphors and symbols, is a crucial prerequisite for deep inquiry-based learning. 

The story was  ratified by the Wonnaruah elders,  illustrations are byKerry-Anne at Black Butterfly Designs and the following people helped in the facilitation of the story writing: Tim Small, Bristol, UK and Deirdre Heitmeyer, Jennifer Campbell and Narelle McCormack of the Ka-Wul Indigenous Education Centre.

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Posted in Collaborative Learning, Community, Consultation, Culture, Uncategorized, Ways of Knowing

Professional Learning – Pathways to Impact in Social Science Research

Posted on March 7, 2013 by | Leave a comment

There is a strange dynamic going which on the one hand gives schools greater autonomy and on the other centralizes some of the key institutions and models of school improvement (such as the National College) into becoming another arm of Whitehall.

Dr Kate Reynolds talks about the relationships between research and practice in teacher education

 

To read the full text of Dr Reynolds talk click here

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Posted in Collaborative Learning, Community, Complexity, Uncategorized

Rethinking Educational Leadership: an open space symposium

Posted on January 23, 2013 by | Leave a comment

In January a group of   experienced practitioners and researchers in education and business met together in an Open Space Symposium designed to bring fresh thinking to the current challenges facing school leaders and to generate new ideas about leadership development.  The Open Space Technology provided a means of capturing the collective intelligence generated by the group in response to the core question. This report Rethinking School Leadership Bristol Leadership Forum Open Space Symposium Report January 2013 is the result of these two days.  It is designed as the beginning of an ongoing conversation.  

The following themes were identified by a thematic analysis of the Open Space Sessions. Key ideas were highlighted and abstracted from their context,  coded on post it notes and collected together. These were then organised into overall themes which cut across most or all Open Space Sessions and framed using the principles of Systems Designing .

  • Developing and maintaining constancy of purpose
  • Leadership which learns
  • Redesigning Curricula for Deep Learning: Learning Architectures
  • Co-Creating Sustainable Learning Systems
  • Deep Listening
  • The Inner World of the Leader
  • Creating Trust within Community
If you would like to join in the discussion and respond, please comment or email us at ruth.deakin-crick@bristol.ac.uk

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Posted in Authentic Enquiry, Collaborative Learning, Complexity, Leadership, organisational learning, Systems thinking, Uncategorized

Schools at the hub of community engagement

Posted on December 21, 2012 by | Leave a comment

This seminar given by Tess McPeake of the Smith Family in Australia, describes a programme which engages parents in learning for themselves and their families. Tess described the evaluation of the project and drew on extant research which identifies important elements of learning in the community, which enhance student well being and engagement. Lea 2012 Evaluation of Smith Family Girls inthe Middle UoS Emerson Fear Sanders parental-engagement-in-learning-and-schooling

A video about Parent Yarns can be viewed here……

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Posted in Collaborative Learning, Community, Culture, Language for Learning