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Values in Action Schools Project Second Briefing Session

VASP Second National Briefing Session participantsThe second national briefing session for the Values in Action Schools Project (VASP) was held on 28 and 29 April 2009, prior to the 2009 National Values Education Conference in Canberra.

Participants included two representatives from each of the 15 school clusters, university advisor (UA) colleagues from 11 universities across Australia, eight State and Territory Values Education Contact Officers, Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations representatives, two project academic advisors, a consultant and the Curriculum Corporation VASP team.

Since the first national briefing session, there has been the appointment of a new cluster in the Northern Territory, Palmerston Values Cluster; and a restructured cluster in Queensland, Far North Queensland Cluster.

The objectives of the briefing were to:

  • inform clusters about the Most Significant Change (MSC) research technique and workshop key elements;
  • explore values education themes;
  • share progress of VASP cluster project work and provide cluster groups with time to work on their projects;
  • revisit VASP research components and reflect on the action research cycle;
  • prepare for the mid-project report;
  • provide an update on the Australian Government’s values education initiative.

 

VASP Second National Briefing SessionTracey Delaney, a consultant from Clear Horizons, explained the MSC technique, which is a form of qualitative participatory monitoring and evaluation being used in the VASP. The nature of the process was explored and cluster teams were involved in hands-on activities to practise, and gain some insight into, the technique.

Dr Julie Hamston, Senior Lecturer, Language and Literacy Education, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, and Academic Consultant and Researcher to the VASP, focused on the key research elements of the VASP project. She revisited the two levels operating in the research: the data to be collected for the DEEWR report, and the action-based research conduced at school/cluster level. She also reported on some of her observations of cluster work from her visits over the past four months, and opened up discussion about local research strategies such as:

  • artefact collection;
  • surveys;
  • focus groups;
  • journaling;
  • observations.

 

Participant evaluations expressed high levels of satisfaction with the briefing session program, particularly the opportunity for cluster teams to spend extended planning time together. The session dedicated to the presentation of brief project synopses was also appreciated as it gave participants the chance to reflect on their own work, network with others and build relationships with like projects.