Heatherhill Primary School

Melbourne

hhps@heatherhillps.vic.edu.au

Project Description:

To contribute to the understanding of how Learning Technologies can improve student learning, in particular for those students from a Non English Speaking Background.

To research the exploration of relationships between text and image to enhance communication, in particular documenting how students from a Non English Speaking Background use their beginning, emerging and competent receptive and communicative skills.

To research how English Texts for Learning Technologies are constructed using a small range of computer Software and to document the information retrieval and evaluation skills of students from a Non English Speaking Background. And through the publication and presentation of this Case Study contribute to the broad understanding of the potential for Learning Technologies { Computer Software Programs } to improve student learning outcomes.

Core Management Team:

Mr. Alan Morris

Mrs Margaret Connell

Ms Gillian Harris

Mrs Friedericke Druitt

Mrs Margaret McGregor

Team Profile:

Principal, Heatherhill Primary

Curriculum Co ordinator

Computer Co Ordinator

ESL Co ordinator

External Facilitatori Consultant

Alan Morris has had extensive experience in presenting in a wide variety of settings including Seminars, Conferences and Collegiate Groups. As the principal he will be able to bring to the group exemplary skills in developing documentation that is able to assist teachers in the use of Learning Technologies and its relationship to the classroom practice. As the principal he is keenly interested in making a contribution to a longitudinal study which documents improvements to students learning particularly in the area of Learning technology and specifically computer software and in the key Learning are of English.

Margaret Connell has had extensive experience in presenting at Conferences seminars in conducting Curriculum days for staff in metropolitan and rural settings. She several Reference groups for both the DOE and the Board of Studies. She in developing and using assessment tools and program evaluation. Margaret currently teaches in the Middle School.

Gillian Harris has had extensive experience in budget management and accountability procedures and will be able to use these planning skills to facilitate the financial and Timeline management of this project. As a skilled Leading Teacher she will bring to this group, practical approaches to the Action research Project thus making links between the research and classroom a 'Hands On Reality'. Gillian currently teaches in the Senior School.

Friedericke Druitt is responsible for the development of the Teaching and learning Programs form the First Phase learners of students from a Non English Speaking background at Heatherhill Primary.

She has completed specialist qualifications in this area and is keen to use her expertise in this area to further document student's learning. She has limited experience in presenting to audiences.

However it is one of her personal goals to continue her professional development in this area.

Margaret McGregor Facilitator / Co - Researcher

Margaret has until recently been the KLAC English coordinator for the Board Of Studies and was responsible for the development of the English information technology Matrix and is most interested to be a facilitator in developing their use within a primary Classroom and in Particular one that is a 5 Multi cultural as this school's. She has extensive experience as a researcher, writer presenter and developer of Exemplary Materials in the key learning are Of English. She is currently acting as a consultant to the Department Of Education for Projects within the Keys to Life Team. She is an active member of the English Club and is able to bring to the project and extensive network of contacts to facilitate this research. Her outstanding skills in Text deconstruction will be invaluable for this project. She has indicated not only enthusiasm and commitment to this project but has begun to research for recent publications within this brief description.

This is the Core management learn who will be responsible for the management of this Project.

At Heatherhill Primary School, we have a long history of being involved with Research Projects and are currently participating in the Early Literacy Project.

As a consequence of these involvement the Staff are highly skilled in documenting their practice and other members of the staff would be also keen to present their findings in a variety of Forums. All areas of the school would be involved, Junior Middle Senior as well as staff from the support programs of English as Second Language { ESL } and those for Students with disabilities and Impairments and Disabilities.

It is our belief that this project would provide complimentary and valid information for the provision of a comprehensive pathway for supporting the range of literacy needs of our students.

Research methodology:

A case Study using the research principles of Action research. The data will be collected using a variety of both Quantitative and Qualitative methods. The evidence will be collected by building a matrix in the following way:

Demonstrable expertise, recent research findings, existing records, observations skill profiles, portfolios and other items as the teachers may consider professionally relevant.

Goals:

To research the exploration of the relationship between text and image to enhance communication and how this variable impacts on learning of students from a non-English speaking background.

To research how English texts used in a small range of computer programs are constructed and how this variable impacts on classroom programs.

To increase understanding of how Learning Technologies can improve student learning.

To document by a profile description, students from a non-English speaking background in the stages of development of skills in information retrieval and evaluation skills.