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- 10 May 2007
Western Sydney Connected Classrooms Program
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Page: 263
Mrs KARYN PALUZZANO (Penrith) [4.30 p.m.]: I congratulate you, Mr Acting-Speaker, on your appointment. As a former teacher prior to being elected to this House as the member for Penrith, I am able to state that innovative education is a very proud tradition in Western Sydney. In 2006, in collaboration with the Centre for Learning Innovation, the Western Sydney region implemented the connected classrooms trial. The Connected Classrooms Program involves classes of students from two or more schools who receive teaching and learning through live interaction, the use of videoconferencing equipment and shared interactive whiteboards across a wide Department of Education and Training network.
A combination of individual mainstream technologies create a motivating Connected Classrooms learning environment that is more powerful than the sum of the individual technology components. Students do not engage in virtual classrooms but, rather, they participate in one extended connected classroom. Students at all sites are able to see and interact with materials and simultaneously engage in shared brainstorming, discussions and active learning with their peers and a shared teacher. The focus is not on passive delivery of content but on student participation and engagement in learning. It should be noted that the teaching and learning is conducted in real time and is live. Whatever is written on the interactive whiteboard at one school can be seen in real time at the other schools. I was fortunate to experience this innovative approach twice prior to the commencement of Parliament—once accompanying the former Minister for Education and Training and on another occasion accompanying the Premier—and we were able to participate in a connected classroom. We spoke to the students and participated in the interactive lessons. The experience was quite empowering.
I congratulate the school education director of Penrith Valley, Francesca Molluso, the connected classes project officer, Michelle Wood, the regional director, Lindsay Wasson, and the 22 teachers involved in the original trial. The seven participating schools are Colyton, Cranebrook, Evans, Jamison, Nepean, Plumpton high schools and St Marys Senior High School. I commend the principal of the Colyton High School, Bob Hindmarsh, the former principal of the Cranebrook High School, Keith Miles, the principal of Evans High School, Karen Bryant, the principle of Jamison High School, Graham Hodgkins, the principal of Nepean High School, Tony Baldacchino, the principal of Plumpton High School, Eric Jamieson, and the principal of St Marys High School, Kris Beasley. Due to the success of the trial, the Western Sydney education region has moved to embed the program into school practice. This year physics, extension history and extension mathematics for year 11 students are offered.
Cranebrook and Plumpton high schools have continued to videoconference lessons for year 12 information processes and technology classes. The focus will be on the development of interactive lessons to demonstrate higher order thinking and the use of technology in engaging students in a collaborative learning environment. That was the lesson that the Premier and I participated in. A year 11 physics class has been established between Colyton and Nepean high schools to meet the needs of small candidature groups in each school and expand the curriculum offered to students. I pause to note that I attended the Nepean High School as a student. It is good to know that a school with a small number of candidates for a particular subject can provide instruction and interaction in that subject in conjunction with other schools.
Extension history lessons are being developed between St Marys Senior High School and Jamison High School to deliver an enriched learning environment for students in small candidature courses. I participated in that lesson with the former Minister for Education and Training at Jamison school and we were interacting and speaking with students at St Marys Senior High School. Links between Plumpton and Evans high schools are being developed to increase student numbers in extension mathematics and provide a broad learning environment for talented mathematics students. Teachers are motivated to re-examine their teaching practices in the light of new technologies and are able to adopt new pedagogical approaches. The Western Sydney education region is innovative. The participating teachers receive training in the use of the Connected Classrooms technologies, mentoring in the classroom and collegial support across subject networks.
It was pleasing that during our visit to the Cranebrook High School on 16 March the Premier announced the rollout of interactive whiteboards across all schools in New South Wales. As the member for Penrith, I look forward to participating in the rollout of Connected Classrooms in the all the schools in the Penrith electorate and throughout Western Sydney. It is great to see an innovation from Western Sydney being rolled out across the State. Students and teachers in remote, regional and urban areas will be able to be connected to one another in a network. This is especially advantageous for high schools where there may be a number of students wanting to undertake a subject that is not offered at the school because there are insufficient students to form a cohort. Connected Classrooms will enable students from one school to combine with students from other schools to increase their knowledge and participate in the subjects they are required to study for the Higher School Certificate. I commend all those involved in the Connected Classrooms Program.
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