1. Student Learning Initiatives

2. In this session Support available for future decision making, build on current knowledge of: the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) the Principles of Learning and Teaching Assessment and Reporting Advice A primary resource to support curriculum decisions: an overview of the Curriculum Planning Guidelines implementation of VELS

3. Recognising and responding to diverse student needs Blueprint for Government Schools, 2003 (page 2) Student Learning

4. Complexity of student diversity To ensure that students reach their full potential, effective planning should: consider student diversity while planning curriculum acknowledge and use the rich learning community of the school where students learn from each other identify and cater to the different needs of particular cohorts of students ensure that multiple learning preferences are offered

5. Our Educative Purpose What is powerful to learn? Victorian Essential Learning Standards What is powerful learning and what promotes it? Principles of Learning and Teaching Learner How do we know it has been learnt? Assessment Advice Who do we report to? Students Teachers Parents Community System

6. What is powerful to learn? Victorian Essential Learning Standards Our Educative Purpose

7. What is it powerful to learn? Victorian Essential Learning Standards Interrelated Strands: Physical, Personal and Social Learning Discipline-based Learning Interdisciplinary Learning Domains Dimensions Standards Post Compulsory Education and Training VCE: Victorian Certificate of Education VCAL: Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning Both certificates include VET (Vocational Education and Training) in Schools programs.

8. Structure of the Victorian Essential Learning Standards Strands 3 Strands Dimensions 4-7 domains, in each Strand. A learning focus statement for each domain includes suggestions for appropriate learning experiences. Domains 2–3 dimensions for most domains, with standards provided for each, describing essential knowledge, skills and behaviours.

10. Victorian Essential Learning Standards Three core, interrelated strands: Physical, Personal and Social Learning Discipline-based Learning Interdisciplinary Learning Victorian Essential Learning Standards Overview, 2005 (page 6)

11. Domain Knowledge, skills and behaviours in: Health and Physical Education Interpersonal Development Personal Learning Civics and Citizenship Strand Physical, Personal and Social Learning

12. Domain Knowledge, skills and behaviours in: The Arts English LOTE The Humanities Mathematics Science Strand Discipline-based Learning

13. Domain Strand Knowledge, skills and behaviours in: Communication Design, Creativity and Technology Information and Communications Technology Thinking Processes Interdisciplinary Learning

14. Strand Domain Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) -an example - Physical, Personal and Social Learning Personal Learning

15. Activity 1: Familiarisation (see Activity 1 Worksheet) Each pair/group has been given an envelope with all the standards from across all levels of the Personal Learning domain enclosed in random order. Each pair/group is to sort all of the standards into their correct order from the Level 1 to Level 6. Personal Learning Domain

16. This domain supports the development of autonomous learners, with a positive sense of themselves as learners, by providing all learners with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to: develop an understanding of their strengths and potential seek and respond appropriately to feedback from their teachers, peers and other members of the community develop skills of goal setting and time and resource management increasingly manage their own learning and growth by monitoring their learning, and setting and reflecting on their learning goals learn to understand and to manage their own emotions develop resilience and dispositions which support learning recognise and enact learning principles within and beyond the school prepare for lifelong learning Personal Learning Domain (Victorian Essential Learning Standards website: Personal Learning Pages 4 and 5).

17. LEVELLEARNING FOCUS STANDARDS 1YesNo 2YesNo 3Yes 4 5 6 Personal Learning Domain

18. This domain has two dimensions 1.The individual learner 2.Managing personal learning Personal Learning Dimensions

19. - Learning focus - This domain has a learning focus statement at each level which: outlines the focus for the learning that students will need in order to meet the standards at that level and progress in the domain suggests appropriate learning experiences rather than defining a syllabus or prescribing specific teaching methods. Personal Learning (Victorian Essential Learning Standards website: Personal Learning. Pages 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18)

20. Personal Learning Standards Note the progressive nature of the standard. Level 3 Students set short-term, achievable goals in relation to specific tasks, they: complete short tasks by planning and allocating appropriate time and resources undertake some multi-step, extended tasks independently comment on task progress and achievements manage their feelings in pursuit of goals and demonstrate a positive attitude towards their learning. (Victorian Essential Learning Standards website: Personal Learning http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/essential/personal/learning/level3.html) Managing Personal Learning

21. Level 4 Students develop and implement plans to complete short-term and long-term tasks within timeframes set by the teacher, utilising appropriate resources they: undertake some set tasks independently, identifying stages for completion describe task progress and achievements, suggesting how outcomes may have been improved persist when experiencing difficulty with learning tasks seek and use learning support when needed from peers, teachers and other adults practise positive self talk demonstrate a positive attitude to learning within and outside the classroom. (Victorian Essential Learning Standards: Personal Learning doc. Page 15) Personal Learning Standards Note the progressive nature of the standard. Managing Personal Learning

22. Level 5: Students set realistic short-term and long-term learning goals within a variety of tasks and describe their progress towards achieving these, they: complete competing short, extended and group tasks within set timeframes, prioritising their available time, utilising appropriate resources and demonstrating motivation initiate and undertake some tasks independently, within negotiated timeframes review the effectiveness of the management of tasks, identifying successes and suggesting strategies that would improve outcomes develop and use criteria to evaluate their work, and use these criteria to make appropriate refinements demonstrate a positive and structured approach to learning, identifying and using effective strategies that assist with study, both at school and at home. Personal Learning Standards Note the progressive nature of the standard. (Victorian Essential Learning Standards: Personal Learning doc. Page 17) Managing Personal Learning

23. Level 6 Students initiate personal short-term and long-term learning goals and negotiate appropriate courses of action to achieve them. Students allocate appropriate time and identify and utilise appropriate resources to manage competing priorities and complete tasks, including learner-directed projects, within set timeframes, they: initiate and negotiate a range of independent activities with their teachers, providing progress and summary reports for teachers and stakeholders monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their task and resource management skills, reflecting on their progress and suggesting and implementing appropriate management strategies for improvement…….. Personal Learning Standards Note the progressive nature of the standard. (Victorian Essential Learning Standards: Personal Learning doc. Page 19) Managing Personal Learning

24. Prep to Year 4 (Early Years) - laying the foundations Years 5 to 8 (Middle Years) - building breadth and depth Years 9 & 10 (Later Years) - developing pathways Victorian Essential Learning Standards Overview, 2005 (page 2) Stages of Learning

25. Activity 2: Stages of Learning (see Activity 2 Handouts) Focus on a particular stage of learning Highlight the key points What supports and challenges your values, beliefs and understandings about this stage of learning? Stages of Learning

26. What is powerful learning and what promotes it? Principles of Learning and Teaching Our Educative Purpose

27. Principles of Learning and Teaching P-12 1.The learning environment is supportive and productive 2.The learning environment promotes independence, interdependence and self-motivation 3.Students’ needs, backgrounds, perspectives and interests are reflected in the learning program 4.Students are challenged and supported to develop deep levels of thinking and application 5.Assessment practices are an integral part of teaching and learning 6.Learning connects strongly with communities and practice beyond the classroom. What promotes powerful learning?

28. Activity 3: Familiarisation, Principles of Learning and Teaching (see Activity 3 Worksheet) Read through all of the Principles of Learning and Teaching Read through the descriptors on the handout, these descriptors are not in order Draw a line linking each Principle to the matching descriptor. What promotes powerful learning?

29. Activity 4: Unpacking the Principles of Learning and Teaching (See Activity 4 Worksheet) What promotes powerful learning? Principle 3: Students’ needs, backgrounds, perspectives and interests are reflected in the learning program. How is this principle demonstrated in your learning program?

30. Principle 3: Students’ needs, backgrounds, perspectives and interests are reflected in the learning program. In learning environments that reflect this principle the teacher: 3.1 uses strategies that are flexible and responsive to the values, needs and interests of individual students 3.2 uses a range of strategies that support the different ways of thinking and learning 3.3 builds on students’ prior experiences, knowledge and skills 3.4 capitalises on students’ experiences of a technology rich world. What promotes powerful learning? Activity 4 continued

31. 3.2 The teacher utilises a range of teaching strategies that support different ways of thinking and learning. This component is demonstrated by teachers: Providing variations in tasks to allow student choice on mode of presentation or type of approach ….. The component is NOT demonstrated when: All students cover the same material with few opportunities for varied work ….. Examples to illustrate the component: A teacher surveys students to determine their learning preferences and Styles... What promotes powerful learning? Activity 4 continued

32. How do we know it has been learnt? Assessment Advice Our Educative Purpose

33. Assessment is the ongoing process of gathering, analysing and reflecting on evidence to make informed and consistent judgements to improve future student learning. Assessment for learning – occurs when teachers use their inferences about student learning to inform their teaching (formative) Assessment as learning - occurs when students reflect on and monitor their progress to inform their future learning goals (formative) Assessment of learning – occurs when teachers use evidence of student learning to make judgments about student achievement against goals and standard (summative) How do we know if it has been learnt?

34. Achievement gains associated with the use of formative assessment have been characterised among the largest ever reported for educational interventions (OECD, 2005). The gains are usually greater for lower achieving students and so reduce the range of achievements while raising achievement overall (OECD, 2005). How do we know if it has been learnt?

35. Who do we report to? Students Teachers Parents Community System Our Educative Purpose

36. Reporting is the process by which assessment information is communicated in ways that assist students, parents, teachers and the system in making decisions by providing information about what students know and can do, along with recommendations for their future learning. Who do we report to?

37. DoE will seek to promote school and sector reporting on student achievement which addresses: the progress the student has made over the relevant period (term, semester, year) how well the student is progressing in relation to what is expected at that year level, including in terms of any national benchmarks which apply what the student, the parent and the teacher need do to improve that student's performance. (http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/reporting/index.html) What will reports address?

38. Implementation of VELS requires whole school curriculum planning

39. construct curriculum in line with the Victorian Essential Learning Standards and the post compulsory education and training pathways provide curriculum planning considerations – Principles of Learning and Teaching, assessment processes and reporting practices ensure that curriculum planning takes into account student diversity, organisational arrangements and resourcing promote discussion about curriculum issues and build on planning processes provide tools to support curriculum planning in schools Curriculum Planning Guidelines

40. Curriculum Planning Model http://www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/curriculum/default.htm

41. Phase 1: Understanding the context Phase 2: Planning & resourcing Phase 3: Implementation Phase 4: Continuous monitoring Phase 5: Evaluation & review Curriculum Planning Model

42. Students are the focus of planning Student diversity Alignment between what is essential to learn, pedagogy, assessment and reporting. VELS requires whole school planning Student Learning initiatives Key messages