Developed by the Blended Learning Team | www.uws.edu.au/qilt February 2015

QiLT Case study: Jane Hunter & Kaylene Kritharides

OLT Citation Winners, 2013: For outstanding innovation in teaching Human Society and Its Environment to primary teacher education students with a view to creating inspirational next generation classroom practitioners.

Jane Hunter and Kaylene Kritharides of the School of Education model innovative technology integration practices for primary pre-service teachers. Using motivational blended approaches, various cool tools and digital resources they influence, inspire and engage students to experiment with technology at the level of personal and professional practice. Jane and Kaylene link pre-service teachers to exemplary teachers in local schools, as well as, education professionals in cultural institutions like the National Maritime Museum, Taronga Zoo, the State Library and Department of Education & Communities Environmental Education Centres whose professional association they take with them into classrooms upon graduation.

Key innovations in Jane and Kaylene’s approaches to teaching and learning:

A team approach to planning is the hallmark of student success in the Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) unit. The team designs blended learning methods that focus on content and pedagogy using technology to drive how pre-service teachers might consider creating their own classrooms in the future. Inquiry-based approaches using big ideas and questions in ‘hands on’ student centred tutorials develop students’ curiosity and knowledge of the subject matter they must teach in schools. Participation in an authentic field study task at the start of the unit where they are placed in the role of a teacher planning an excursion to a cultural site provides a model for pre-service teachers to know how to initiate ‘experiential learning’ when they teach in schools. Following the field study, students present their work to peers in a workshop using various technology applications including the development of a creative artefact that would be suitable for learning in the classroom. Students report this experience “as transformational” to their professional learning about what it means to take responsibility and develop independent decision-making as apre-serviceteacher. Feedback from two school principals recently noted that primary teacher education graduates from the School of Education at UWS were employed on the basis of their “cutting-edge technology approach to teaching HSIE”. Project-based learning (PBL) using technology, geocaching, Google Earth, QR codes and various apps are used by the team and in 2014* the #101582HSIE Twitter hash tag for the unit extended the availability of HSIE resources, content experts and the team’s own professional learning to pre-service teachers in the course.

* The HSIE team in 2015 includes another innovative teacher: Jacqueline Humphries @HumJacqui

Profile

Developed by the Blended Learning Team | www.uws.edu.au/qilt February 2015

QiLT Case study: Jane Hunter & Kaylene Kritharides

Learning from HSIE experts: Making interviews in iMovies with exemplary teachers

Jackie Scott using skills learned in HSIE in 2013 with the program Minecraft to create a train station with primary school students. Here she is in April 2014 at the Ministerial launch of a digital education resources package created for primary schools North West Rail Link Project

Students at the State Library waiting to tour the exhibitions

HSIE students at the completion of their field study project

Meeting with HSIE experts: World famous anthropologist Professor Jane Goodall with Dr Jane Hunter at Taronga Zoo

Photos

Apps

Geospatial technology is excellent in teaching geography as a key content area in HSIE – we use geocaching (Kaylene is a mad keen geocacher)

We also played around with Google Earth in class, Aurasma and QR codes (see example from recent scavenger hunt on vUWS)

Developed by the Blended Learning Team | www.uws.edu.au/qilt February 2015

QiLT Case study: Jane Hunter & Kaylene Kritharides

Videos

Twitter

Quotes

Animoto : Introduction to the unit in 2015https://animoto.com/play/598iMaqCm9GigpkYT8WtmA

@janehunter01

Introduction to the unit in 2014https://animoto.com/play/zyp51U3dHhSRJbPDm06tgw

@PrimaryHSIE

Field Site Group Presentations by UWS pre-service teachers

https://animoto.com/play/FhesJfwG19MhKZNprFIcjw

101582HSIE

Quote from an exemplary primary school teacher who worked with the HSIE team in 2014 and spoke to pre-service teachers, she

also brought two of her Stage 2 students and a parent who addressed us.

Danielle Cheuk, Epping West Public School.

Here l am at my desk watching my beautiful class busily at work on their respective projects. It has been such a great year and l believe that l and my students have benefitted from moving towards a project based approach. There’s been much more enthusiasm, deeper learning and so many more opportunities for leadership and team work. At the moment, there’s a group that’s working on their puppet show which they will be performing to an audience, others are finishing their research on an Australian plant, while the rest create PowerPoints or write extended stories. There’s such a nice ‘buzz’ in the room. The concept of ‘unfinished work’ is one that l have taken on board. I have found that the children enjoy having responsibility for their own work and determining what they will do next.

Developed by the Blended Learning Team | www.uws.edu.au/qilt February 2015

QiLT Case study: Jane Hunter & Kaylene Kritharides

Quotes

Quotes from our students

Quote from an education officer at a cultural site

Jenny 1H: 26/04/2014

Pauline Fitzgerald, Senior Education Officer - Learning Services, 29/5/2014

Yanna 2H: 12/10/2014

I also wanted to say thank you to you and Kaylene for your dedication, passion and enthusiasm for HSIE. I have found this unit extremely rewarding and am taking away many useful skills and look forward to the time ahead when I have my own class and can implement this amazing style of HSIE teaching.

For the past three years Jane has been bringing students to the State Library of NSW for a presentation from Learning Services staff. Jane approached the Library with a proposal that she believed would be valuable to her students. With each visit the number of students attending increases and the feedback has been extremely positive. Jane is the only lecturer, and UWS the only institution, seeking this very valuable experience for students. The relationship with UWS is greatly valued by the State Library. It is clear from observing the interaction between Jane, Kaylene and the students that they enjoy a very positive relationship. These educators lead by example and their professionalism, enthusiasm and passion for teaching and learning are obvious.

I came to your office to drop these assignments and to say goodbye to you as you are one of my best teachers at the University of Western Sydney. I am very much inspired and deeply impressed from the excellent way you taught the subject of HSIE during your lectures and the tutorials - thank you very much.