For the remainder of the year, all Year 7 students will be working on a Challenge Based Learning Project on the topic of sustainability. This is the second year the project has been run and this year, it is an integrated, cross-curricular project that will extend across all academic subjects. The aim of this project is for students to work collaboratively, to identify an issue within the school or local environment, and respond by developing a suitable plan for action.

With this year’s academic focus for teachers being on developing a holistic approach towards learning, this year’s Challenge Based Learning Project has provided the perfect opportunity for teachers to deploy principles in the Newington Learning and Teaching Framework  to guide boys in self-directed, inquisitive and reflective learning processes in real-life scenarios.

Stage 1 of the month-long program kicked off on Monday 10 November with a presentation from the ABC’s Surfing Scientist Ruben Meerman in the Old Boys Lecture Theatre. Mr Meerman spoke to Year 7 about the science behind Climate Change before the boys broke off into smaller groups to complete practical exercises in Geography and Science to broaden their understanding of the term ‘sustainability’.

In Stage 2 students are working through a “Learning Matrix”. This means that boys will participate in a number of activities that draw on a range of subject areas and concentrate on the eight focus areas of sustainability. The project culminates with all students in groups identifying a challenge regarding sustainability here at the College which they will then work on with others to come up with a realistic solution. The presentation of their solutions will be given publicly to their peers, teachers, parents and guests.

As an added incentive, the best solutions will be taken up by the Newington College Sustainability Committee in 2015 where they will be put into action.

Mr Sean Corcoran
Head of Learning and Teaching