Professional Learning Communities

I am excited to share the latest updates on our ongoing professional learning activities. Over the past few months, our dedicated teaching and learning diversity staff have been engaged in an inquiry cycle research project, focusing on three pivotal areas:
Learning and Teaching: Understanding current methodologies and identifying areas for growth.
Powerful Teaching: Implementing strategies that foster engagement and deeper learning.
Assessment and Monitoring of Progress: Developing effective ways to measure student progress and inform instruction.

The Inquiry Cycle

Identifying Focus and Researching Best Practices
Each staff member participated in cross curricular groups and identified a specific focus based on student outcome and perception data. This formed the foundation of their inquiry. To ensure approaches were grounded in evidence-based practices, staff conducted thorough research on best practices. This phase was crucial in aligning goals with strategies that have demonstrated success in diverse educational settings.

Establishing Goals and Planning
With a clear focus and informed by data and research, staff established achievable and measurable goals. Detailed plans were crafted to guide the implementation of new strategies. These plans included step-by-step actions, timelines, and resources needed to support the initiatives.

Embedding Improvements
The next phase involved putting plans into action. Staff worked diligently to embed these strategies into their teaching practices.

Evaluation
Staff are now at the critical evaluation stage of the inquiry cycle and assessing the impact of the changes implemented, using both qualitative and quantitative data to gauge success. This reflective practice will identify both strengths and areas to refine.

Presentations
In a fortnight, staff will present their findings to colleagues. These presentations will be a wonderful opportunity to share successes, discuss challenges, and collaborate on future strategies. The collective wisdom gained from these experiences will undoubtedly continue to enhance student learning and outcomes at the College.

I am very much looking forward to the presentations and sharing the insights of staff with our College community.

Clare Kelly
Assistant Principal: Performance and Development