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mackellar PRIMARY SCHOOL

CASE STUDY | snapshot February 2021


Mackellar Primary School is a government school situated in Metro Melbourne, within the Brimbank Melton area (SE region). They have approximately 420 students and the class structure is single stream year levels.

Mackellar Primary School has a dedicated STEM space called The Hive. The Digital Technologies curriculum is implemented deliberately through this STEM / Maker Space. Classrooms and classroom teachers are provided with a timetabled slot to use The Hive. The dedicated Digital Learning Coach and STEM Specialist teacher oversee the program. Classroom teachers deliver the lessons.

Mackellar Primary have been reporting on the Digital Technologies curriculum since 2019. Along with a 1:1 BYOD iPad program, they also have a range of hardware including: Bloxels, Sphero EDU, micro:bits, Dash n Dot, BeeBots, Lego Mindstorms, Makey Makey, MakeDo (for Cardboard Challenge). Software that is commonly used includes Bloxels Builder, Sphero and code.org.

Professional learning
The school has an Apple Distinguished School accreditation. This provides a platform to connect and learn from other schools across the globe. Teachers are provided with STEM Coaching which is embedded into a weekly program.

Our biggest success

Student and teacher publishing – units of work and student projects.

Our biggest challenge

Within a BYOD program you don’t have control over the age of the student devices.

CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION

Levels 5-6
Unit Overview 

 


Spotlighted Unit: Bloxels - the Healthy Eating challenge (Levels 5-6)

Focussed topics: Design process, Creating Digital Solutions

GOING FORWARD

3 things we would avoid or do differently

1. We published all of the learning materials as iTunes U courses, but this is not being supported beyond 2021. eBooks are a longer-term option.

2. Budgeting for replacement of ageing equipment is an ongoing challenge.

3. Continued development of staff for longevity of the program as staff come and go, and making sure this task doesn't fall on one person.

INPUT FROM DLTV and ACS

NOTE: This advice is relevant to this school snapshot as at February 2021, with documents provided at that time.

starting out   >   building practices   >   consolidating practices

Mackellar Primary School has adopted an approach that sees classroom teachers empowered to take ownership of the DigiTech curriculum with regular coaching from specialists within a dedicated STEM space.

The Unit overview for Levels 5-6 shows that students are engaged in a broad range of hands-on project work, aligning with the core curriculum concept of Creating Digital Solutions.

To fully address all content descriptors, Mackellar might consider a deliberate task - including assessment - for the Data and Information strand, especially the collection, manipulation and visualisation of data. For example, a set of tasks relating to data could be integrated into the research phase of a project like the spotlighted Healthy Eating game development unit, with students utilising an online survey and spreadsheet software to discover preferences for game design features. The final communication of information can be very capably addressed through the use of the Apple software students are already being familiarised with, such as Book Creator.

CONTACT

School contact: Phill Cristofaro (Digital Learning Coach) and Dean Darmanin (STEM Specialist / Assistant Principal)

Phone: (03) 9364 0200  (school office)

Email: mackellar.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au, subject line: ‘Attention: Phill Cristofaro DT Implementation’

© Digital Learning and Teaching Victoria

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