I didn’t attend this session but the question posed in the abstract is central to what happens next in new Zealand secondary education.

” What happens to teachers’ practice and our learning settings when we truly consider what it means to be a robust and resilient learner – a learner who follows their interests, is deeply involved in curious exploration, takes delights in communicating their thoughts and feelings and is prepared to take responsibility for their own learning and others’ learning? The possibilities are full of surprise, in this kind of learning and teaching setting teachers and children engage in meaningful complex learning that is driven by passionate explorers who are willing to take risks, puzzle over, investigate and build working theories about their world”

The answers to this question and the part emerging technologies have to play will determine the effectiveness of our education system and whether students leave it as lifelong learners or not. The session was presented by Lorraine Sands & Melissa Osmond of Greerton Early Childhood Centre. Not for the first time during the conference did I discover that my colleagues in Primary and Early Childhood are ahead of us in developing strategies for the 21st century.

Primary and Early childhood are not constrained by the institutional structures of the secondary sector (disciplines, departments timetables) or the assessment driven learning of NCEA that predetermines learning outcomes and stifles creativity. We have to find ways of better engaging students in the learning process