Learning to Learn in Australia

At this year's BERA conference our researchers weren't the only ones talking about learning to learn. A team from Australia were also at the confernce talking about their learning to learn project in Southern Australia. Dr Rosie Le Cornu and Dr Judy Peters from the University of South Australia and Margot Foster, Robyn Barratt and Jacqueline Stratfold from the Learning to Learn Initiative at the Department of Education and Children's Services presented on What constitutes significant change in reforming schools? a paper based on their L2L project experiences.

The Learning to Learn Initative a government funded project has been running since 1999 and is in its third phase. The specific objectives of the project are to:

• reconnect teachers and leaders to their vocation, reigniting their passion as learners
• develop deeper understandings of learning, pedagogy and curriculum to transform
• engagement and classroom practice
• build new concepts of learning communities through a culture of inquiry.

The findings after 6 years of the Australian project are similar to those of the Campaign's project to date.

The outcomes of Learning to Learn at this stage are indicating that preschool/school reform, driven by a focus on learning and attention to relationships and cultural change, can succeed. Engaging in deep learning about constructivist learning theory and pedagogy can bring about improvements in the vital areas of:

• Improving Student engagement and wellbeing
• Enhancing student achievement
• Revisiting teacher professionalism and pedagogy
• Building system-wide learning

The excerpts here have been taken from the Learning to Learn Initiative's project website where you can find out further information about the project.

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