Michael Campbell teaches across a number of disciplines at Scotch College and is keen to encourage his students to transform their learning experiences using creative approaches across each of the learning areas of Science, Mathematics and Physical Education. Michael uses Clips with his class to create instructional videos and for the students to create and share their learning. Students can redefine their learning by using multiple environments and spaces to leverage deeper learning within each subject area. The ease and functionality of the Clips app enables students to achieve a creatively published video in a short period of time.

As part of learning in Science, Toby Robinson would generally ask students to complete a handwritten dichotomous key in their Science journals.  However, Toby encouraged the students to use the app Popplet, which was distributed through the use of Classwork, to organise their thinking and classification of organisms.  Exploring new teaching and learning opportunities in the area of Science has allowed for students to show more creativity and personalisation using higher-order thinking tasks.  Using the Classwork and Classroom app, has given Toby the ability to recognise students who have misunderstandings as they complete their work and frees him to have time to check in with specific students.  The ease of submission through the Classwork app also provides timely feedback.

Students in Year 7 at Scotch College utilised the functionality within Garageband to respond to their research about the invasion of cane toads in Western Australia by creating collaborative podcasts. Initially, the students worked together through a scaffolded activity in Pages to research, plan and create their scripts for the activity. Once familiar with Garageband, the students worked collaboratively within jam sessions and real-time collaboration to create their podcasts. Previously, teacher Andrew Arbuckle, would have asked the students to complete a hand-written report.  In reflecting on the activity Andrew has been excited by the engagement of the students and the quality of their learning.

Podcast Below

Year 5 students at Scotch College are adept at navigating several systems in Andrew Well’s Year 5 class. The use of Classroom and Classwork have become an integral platform to allow for a multi-faceted approach to learning which incorporates the use of a variety of apps for each specific learning task.  Classwork as a mode of delivery benefits both teacher and student in the ability to allow accessibility options and methods of interaction with speech-to-text, audio, video and app interaction available to be submitted in the space.  Independence and choice in utilising a number of different apps and integrating their use allows for creativity and personalisation of the learning journey. Students are connected via Classwork when suitable to the task and can share their ideas and collaborate through iWork.

Working with clay in visual arts takes continued and consistent practice to finalise an artwork which matches the image in a student’s imagination.  Utilising the options and opportunities the iPad presents, Year 8 students, working with direction from Visual Arts teacher, Scott Bycroft, were given the opportunity to practice and create their sculpting skills through the app Sculptura; giving endless opportunities for change and redesign.  Student learning is redefined in approaching their inquiry through research communicated through video and audio in their Numbers documentation and presented their final sculpture through the medium of 3D printing.

Student agency has been the driver in transforming the learning experience for Michael Brinsden’s Year 6 Physical Education and Health students at Scotch College. Prior to the introduction of the analysis of sprinting Keynote activity, students would be observed on a one-to-one or group basis and annotations taken as students performed, proving both time-consuming and offering students limited chance as success.

Redefining the learning experience by personalising and putting the ownership in the hands of the students freed Michael to spend more time individually to focus on skill development and to be given the opportunity to assess students at what they identified as their best. Student, working collaboratively, were able to share their goals, planning, performance and reflection through the use of the Keynote scaffold as their documentation tool. With clear prompts and breadth for differentiation, the students had ownership in their own success and opportunity to consolidate their approaches to learning in self-management, reflection and communication skills

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