New Pedagogies for Deep Learning - Update

Update

Term One went by in a flash and some may have wondered if we had forgotten about our journey to bring Deep Learning experiences to our kura.  We finished 2023 with a number of different deep learning projects engaging our Year 7-10 students and sharing our learning in various ways.   All new learning comes with challenges, continued growth and problem solving, as well as successes to celebrate. For our first attempts in Term 4 last year, students and teachers gave similar feedback:

• More enjoyment was had when students were able to make choices about their topics. 

• Teachers enjoyed having the time, freedom and space to engage in collaborative teaching and learning with colleagues from different departments. 

• Students gained powerful experience and confidence, engaging with the public and learning partners throughout their deep learning projects.

• The “transferrable” or “soft,” skills  - also called Deep Learning Competencies - are where most of the learning occurred for students.  Many student reflections shared comments with strengths in these areas and a willingness to be more active in developing them further.

Are you new to Ōtaki College, or need a refresher about our New Pedagogies for Deep Learning ? 

Introductory information on the NPDL community, lead team members, projects, and competencies can be found here:

Student & Whanau Intro to Deep Learning  

And on both our Ōtaki College Deep Learning Website and the Global NPDL Website.

What’s happening in 2024?

As we continue our journey adding Deep Learning projects and competencies to our student experiences, our staff and students will be engaged in the following:

·         Staff are currently working on designing Year 9 and 10  semester courses to offer greater choice for students in 2025.  Watch this space for updates soon.

·         The English department is trialling this semester approach with Year 11 classes.  We are excited to work with students choosing their courses. Check out English L1 Semester 1 Choices.  New themes and contexts will be offered in Semester 2.

·         Deep Learning projects are being integrated into varied classes for years 7-10 throughout the year.

·         Deep Learning Competencies are being included in a wide range of learning from Years 7-13, continuing the work from previous years.

Jess Wilson,  Pou Te Ara Poutama  | NPDL Development Leader