The Big Picture Co (Aus) and School of Education Murdoch University together with the Australian National Schools Network invite educators to enrol in a 5-day course on personalising learning.

Big Picture Education Relevance, Rigour and Relationships in a Personalised Curriculum.

January 21st to 25th 2008

Rockingham Campus
Murdoch University
Led by Viv White renowned educator and Director of the Big Picture Co Australia and Professor Barry Down, City of Rockingham Chair in Education Murdoch University.

The Big Picture philosophy is grounded in educating “one student at a time”, personalising education programs for each student while developing young people in a community of learners.

Big Picture Co Australia is a not for profit organisation that works to catalyse change in education by generating and sustaining innovative, personalised schools that work in tandem with the greater community.

The Big Picture Company was founded in the United States by Elliot Washor and Dennis Littky having previously worked with the US Coalition of Essential Schools based on the research and ideas of Ted Sizer. Big Picture Australia is working in collaboration with US colleagues. The Big Picture Company develops public schools based on research in new designs for education, trains educators to serve as leaders in their schools and communities, and actively engages the public as participants and decision makers in the education of our youth. This is based in the belief that true learning takes place when each student is an active participant in their education, when their course of study is personalised by teachers, parents and mentors who know them well, and when school-based learning is blended with outside experiences that heighten the student's interest.

The Course

The course will be led by Viv White from Big Picture Australia, and Professor Barry Down, Murdoch University.

It will provide opportunities for teachers to examine the Big Picture's rigorous and highly personalized approach to education that combines academic work with real-world learning. Participants will explore the focus on educating ‘one student at a time' that inverts the traditional education model by placing the student, their passions and their interest, at the centre of the learning process. The unit investigates the key design elements of Big Picture schools–highly personalized, adult world immersion, community connectedness, smooth post-secondary transition and intellectual rigor and a range of reflective processes and strategies that include public exhibitions, advisory groups, and journaling.

The five day course is supplemented by a component of applied inquiry in participants' work settings.

Cost Including GST

• $825 including GST per participant
• $715 including GST per participant if individual or school member of the ANSN
• $660 including GST per participant if individual or school member of the BPC (Aus)
• $550 including GST per participant if individual or school member of both the ANSN and the BPC.

NOTE:
The course will run if at least 10 people enrol by the end of the school term 4. That is, the 12th December 2008. Further enrolments will be accepted after that date but after the 12th December no refunds will be available to any person who has already enrolled.

Further Information about the course, the location etc will be forwarded to participants after their enrolment.

Tasmanian opportunities

There may very well be another course in Tasmania first week of February 2008 as well - stay posted.

Enrolling for Credit

Students successfully completing this course may submit an additional assessment item to be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning of up to 4 credit points, against the requirements
of the Master of Education offered by the Murdoch University School of Education.

Further details download the attached flyer.