South Australia – news – 24/07/09

Values and Curriculum Twilight Seminar

Eighty-seven teachers attended a twilight seminar, Values and Curriculum, on Thursday 26 March 2009 from 4.30pm to 6.30pm. Dr Leoni Degenhardt, an Australian educator with experience in ‘holistic curriculum and radical pedagogy’, was keynote speaker. Dr Degenhardt considered the following issues.

• What is the relationship between values and curriculum?
• Should the curriculum explicitly and implicitly reflect a school's values?
• What role do school and classroom practices have in relation to values education?
• What practical strategies can educators use to incorporate values into teaching and learning?

Dr Degenhardt’s presentation was enriched through the use of school-based examples from the Hills Montessori School, Seaford 6–12 School and St Joseph’s School, Hectorville.

Values Education and Student Engagement Twilight Seminar

Roger Holdsworth, from the Youth Research Centre, University of Melbourne, facilitated a twilight seminar for 100 South Australian educators on Tuesday 9 June from 4.30 – 6.30pm. The purpose was to explore how student participatory approaches have strong values foundations and how they can increase student engagement. The Youth Education Centre, a school participating in the Values in Action Schools Project, and Ocean View College presented case study examples of their work.

Regional Workshops: Values Education, Citizenship and Student Action

Two workshops were held in the regional centres of Mount Gambier and Whyalla on 10 and 11 June 2009. Roger Holdsworth, from the Youth Research Centre, University of Melbourne, explained how student participatory approaches have strong values foundations and how they can lead to the development of students as active and informed citizens capable of shaping their communities. Schools from the local area presented case study examples of their work. Of particular interest was the work undertaken with Indigenous students.

Coming Events:

Twilight Seminar Values Education, Multiple Perspectives

A values education twilight seminar, Values Education, Multiple Perspectives, will be held on Thursday 3 September 2009 at the Education Development Centre, Hindmarsh from 4.30pm – 6.30pm. A panel of speakers will discuss the ‘troika’ for effective learning – that is, the relationship between the teaching of values, the application of quality teaching criteria and practical citizenship driven by a well-crafted service learning component. The panel of speakers comprises:

• Adjunct Professor Ron Toomey – Australian Catholic University and Conjoint Professor at the University of Newcastle;
• Ms Mary Asikas – Principal, Seaford 6–12 School;
• Ms Lyn Moten – Director of Service Learning, Seymour College;
• Dr Sue Knight – Lecturer, School of Education, University of South Australia.

The panel discussion will be facilitated by Dr Thomas Nielsen, Faculty of Education, University of Canberra.

South Australian Conference: Values and Inclusion

The final South Australian Values Education Conference, Values and Inclusion, will be held on Monday 26 October 2009 at the Education Development Centre, Hindmarsh from 9am – 4pm. The Conference will provide the opportunity for the 31 grant school recipients to showcase their work. All grant schools have developed a strong emphasis on student-led processes, teaching pedagogies and methodologies to create a proactive and positive values curriculum. Strong community and school partnerships have also been developed through the projects and demonstrate the importance these relationships play in the education and wellbeing of students. A detailed program will be available in the near future.