Memorandum submitted by Kaye Fletcher, Executive Director, Australian Centre for Effective Partnerships (ACEP)

 

REPORT ON THE IMPACT OF UK CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS PROJECT ON TEACHING PRACTICE IN AUSTRALIA

 

1. The Australian Centre for Effective Partnerships (ACEP) included a study of the UK Creative Partnerships project as part of its research to inform its local Creative Partnerships pilot project conducted in government schools in Melbourne, Australia in 2006. The Creative Partnerships pilot was funded by a private foundation with support funding from the Department of Education, Victoria. ACEP Executive Directors, Maureen O'Rourke and Kaye Fletcher met with Steve Moffitt on two occasions and shared observations and recommendations on the projects being conducted in UK and Australia.

2. ACEP is the licensed provider of the Victorian state government's Principles of Learning and Teaching (PoLT) program, and under the coordination of Kaye Fletcher conducts ongoing intensive professional learning programs involving in excess of 150 schools in metropolitan and regional areas in Victoria and Queensland. These professional learning programs have drawn on the learning and the resources produced through the UK Creative Partnerships in addition to those of the Australian project. ACEP has considered all opportunities available for linking the Creative Partnerships approach with other initiatives introduced by the Department of Education Victoria, in particular, links to the Victorian Essential Learning Standards and the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PoLT). (For more information about this initiative, visit the Department of Education, Victoria website at www.education.vic.gov.au )

3. The focus of ACEP's PoLT program is on reflecting on pedagogy, collecting data at class, whole-school and cluster levels and collaborative planning to improve practice. Teachers are supported through a reflection process involving a form of self-assessment of their practice using the six principles of learning and teaching as a guide for their reflection. An important part of the professional learning is the challenge of broadening the perspective of teachers in their understanding of what is 'preferred practice' in line with the six principles. The teachers participating in the PoLT program in 2006 and 2007 in Australia have used the evidence from the Creative Partnerships projects to reflect on their pedagogy. Extracts from the UK Creative Partnerships DVD, Six Shorts, have been viewed by teachers across Australia throughout 2006 and 2007. The participants have commented on the demonstration of the rich pedagogy in these school stories. They have noted the adherence to all of the Principles of Learning and Teaching that can be seen in the Creative Partnership projects. The school stories shown most frequently are:

· Etching the DLR

· Building a Learning Environment Through Partnerships

· The World Was All Before Them

4. ACEP has made strong connections between the professional learning programs it delivers and the learning from both the UK Creative Partnerships project and our local Creative Partnerships pilot.

5. CHANGES IN PEDAGOGY

Whereas there is evidence of all six of the Principles of Learning and Teaching to be found in many of the school stories that have been shared through the Six Shorts DVD, one of the Principles that has particular relevance is:

Principle 4: Students are challenged and supported to develop deep levels of thinking and application

In learning environments that reflect this principle, the teacher:

4.1 plans sequences to promote sustained learning that builds over time and emphasizes connections between ideas

4.2 promotes substantive discussion of ideas

4.3 emphasises the quality of learning with high expectations of achievement

4.4 uses strategies that challenge and support students to question and reflect

4.5 uses strategies to develop investigating and problem-solving skills

4.6 uses strategies to foster imagination and creativity

6. ACEP has captured some of the teacher comments from those involved in the Creative Partnerships program in Australia in 2006:

'Unless we, as teachers, are exposed to new ways of working, we won't change our practice.'

'I evaluate my students by the questions they ask, not the answers they give, if they are curious, observant. I think they stay with you more when you bring different approaches to learning.'

'There is now a different dynamic within the group and the kids are opening up and talking through things...relating better to each other.'

'It's good modeling for students to see the collaboration between creative practitioners and the teacher.'

7. RECOMMENDATIONS

In working towards broadening teacher perspectives on the kinds of pedagogy that leads most effectively to developing deep levels of thinking and application with a focus on creativity, the following recommendations are offered:

Conditions for developing creativity through the Creative Partnerships approach:

· Creating opportunities for collaboration between students, teachers, creative practitioners and the broader school community

· Broadening the approach to creativity throughout the school

· Enthusiasm and passion of the teacher/s involved

· Good match of teacher/s and creative practitioner/s

· Creating strong links to other classroom programs

· Ongoing commitment from the school leadership with direct involvement of Assistant principal/Deputy Head in the program

· Training and preparation for the teachers taking on project coordination role in schools

· Clarification of the roles of school-based project coordinators.

'Those affected by the decisions should be involved in the decision-making.'

The documentary materials and other resources produced as part of the UK Creative Partnership project have had a significant impact on the ways in which Australian teachers have gained a broader understanding of new approaches to learning and teaching that can support the development of creativity in schools. On behalf of ACEP, I would like to thank Steve Moffitt and others involved in UK Creative Partnerships for sharing their learning with teachers within education systems in Australia.

 

July 2007