A lot of interest has been attached to the recent, and second, report of David Gonski in regard to changing Australian education systems.
Our reading of parts of the report, and commentary about it, concludes that this report talks about tools for change that may occur in the future depending on whether legislators adopt the report, whether it is funded well in the view of all stakeholders, and whether its objectives are actually adopted at line level.
We like to create change now.
The push to more tailored, individualized and differentiated learning is a something that Hear and Learn is very conscious of in the context of classroom audio technology. In collaboration with Lightspeed Technologies in the United States, we have been very focused in developing software and hardware that compliments this trend. And to compliment the continual evolution of Australian curriculum underpinned by documents including the Melbourne Declaration on Education Goals for young Australians (2008) which expects students to interact effectively with their peers in collaborative groups.
In short, classroom audio technology must be able to optimise listening conditions in the context of whole group instruction, but also where teachers are promoting children to work in small groups with each group working on different concepts.
Real change can occur now, and is by many schools around Australia by virtue of their adoption of Flexcat classroom audio technology. Learn more at www.flexcathaslanded.com
Leading educators are creating change now, and not if and when proposals of Mr Gonksi actually eventuate.
One such leader is Dr Janelle Wills. She supports the use of Hear and Learn classroom audio technology to compliment:
- Classroom design and layout needs to promote effective collaborative practices
- Teachers need tools to easily monitor group interaction and the ability to provide re- direction if required
- Students need a way of communicating directly with the teacher so that they can resolve issues and quickly return to the task at hand
Dr Janelle Wills is an Education Consultant for Hear and Learn. She has over thirty years of teaching and leadership experience and has developed and led significant initiatives at both a school and sector level. Her PhD focused on self-efficacy and contributed to multiple fields of knowledge including gifted education, assessment and feedback. Janelle works extensively with schools, regions and systems throughout Australia.
Hear and Learn welcomes any enquiry about our classroom audio technology.