Southern Highland News, Monday, August 1, 2016 3
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Oxley teachers Olivia Cox, Kate Cunich, Lara Sheils and Michael Parker at the Visible Learning Conferencein Washington DC. Photo supplied
World examples in educationBy Claire Fenwicke
AN AUSTRALIAN-designed educationframework implemented at a Highlandsschool has spread across the globe.
Four Oxley College educators represent-ed Australia at the Visible LearningConference in Washington DC to demon-strate how the Visible Learning frameworkwas working in their school.
Oxley College teachers Olivia Cox andLara Sheils joined headmaster MichaelParker and deputy-principal Kate Cunich atthe July conference.
There were 1000 participants from ninecountries gathered at the conference tohear the latest educational speakers.
Oxley College is featured as a case studyin the book 'Visible Learning into Action', ateaching method focused on student feed-back in the classroom.
Mr Parker and Ms Cunich were speakersat the conference, and spoke about theongoing journey of how the school wasusing evidence to inform teaching andlearning cycles.
Ms Cunich said the framework wasintroduced to the school to provide the besteducation for students.
"It's about listening to the student voiceand use their feedback to inform teaching,"she said.
"It allows us to gather information onhow the students learn, to help us recogniseif they have learnt something and how theylearnt it."
Ms Cunich said feedback from students
was positive."Students tell us they are more engaged
and involved because of class discussion,"she said.
"They feel more empowered about theirlearning."
Mr Parker said the framework provided a"more holistic system" for schools and edu-cation.
"The guess work is taken out of educa-tion," he said.
"It gets teachers thinking about the wayswe hold lessons, particularly as we focusmore on those reforms that have a greatereffect size in the classroom."
He said the framework focused on theassessment of learning rather than assess-ment for learning.
"For example, instead of testing studentsat the end of a unit, what matters is check-ing where students are up to throughoutand finding out what gaps there are," hesaid.
"So rather than using assessment to seehow the students have gone, you're seeinghow you've gone teaching the content andhow they are progressing throughout theunit."
Many schools in Australia and globallyare increasingly using the 'Visible Learning'framework.
University students studying to becometeachers are being trained in the frameworkas well.
To learn more about 'Visible Learning',designed by Professor John Hattie, visit
http://visible-learning.org/
Another win for wineryCentennial Vineyards winemaker, Tony Cosgriff has added yet another trophy to this iconic winery'scollection.
By Linda Lambrechts
ADDING yet another win to its belt isCentennial Winery in Bowral.
Winemaker Tony Cosgriff was excitedwith the news that his Centennial Barbera2014 had won the Trophy for Best Red Winein the “Other Reds” category at theBoutique Wine Awards.
This northern Italian grape is popularamong wine producers looking for some-thing other than the usual varieties.
It is on-trend with the move towardsalternative grapes that suit cooler climatesin Australia.
“I enjoy breaking away from the main-stream to offer our consumers somethingunique,” Tony said.
“It’s also great fun to work with differentvarietals to learn about their unique char-acters and interpret a suitable wine style inkeeping with what the vineyard produces.
“The Barbera ticks all the boxes when itcomes to a silky, smooth, medium-bodied
red wine.”Tony said the grapes for this wine were
very ripe and flavoursome, and in pristinecondition.
“The end result is a ripe, plump, rich andsilky red wine,” he said.
“The Barbera vines are now around 14years old and produce some very good fruitfor us each year.”
The trophy for Best Other Red Wine is notthe first time Centennial Wines has beenhonoured in this category.
“We have won before at various showswith this wine,” Tony said.
“ It’s just such a satisfying example of agood red and obviously the judges like it.”
Very little French oak treatment wasgiven to the wine, allowing it to shinethrough on competition day, and showingdistinctive fruit and spice characters.
Centennial Winery also took out a silvermedal for their Tempranillo 2014 and a sil-ver medal for the highly awarded SparklingPinot Chardonnay Meunier blend.
Rate help for community servicesBy Victoria Lee
TWO community groups will benefitfrom council donations that will offsetthe cost of their rates.
Council adopted its Rate, Water andSewerage Access Subsidy Policy inNovember last year, under which localsporting organisations and religiousgroups could apply for rate subsidies.
Bong Bong Picnic Race Club Limitedand Moss Vale and District AH&I ShowSociety both applied for assistanceunder the policy and were granted $500each.
However, both entities wrote to coun-cil this year to ask that the level of assis-tance be reconsidered.
Bong Bong Picnic Race Clubrequested a waiver of $12,129 in annualrates for the 2015/16 year, while MossVale Show Society requested $12,307 tobe waived for the same period.
Councillors were required to decidewhether or not to waive the rates ofthese groups at last week's ordinarymeeting of council.
Mayor Larry Whipper said the deci-sion to waive rates or make a donationto the clubs would be inconsistent withexisting council policy.
"What I'm concerned about is thatthis is complete policy on the run," hesaid.
Cr Whipper said he would support a$6000 donation for Bong Bong PicnicRace Club if the motion included thatcouncil would review its subsidy policy.
Councillor Duncan Gair moved amotion that council provide Bong BongPicnic Race Club with a $6,000 one-offdonation, and Moss Vale Show Societywith a $12,000 one-off in order to assisteach club with their rate expenses.
"The reason being that Bong BongRace Club has already been payingrates, it's not as though this is out of leftfield for them," he said.
"But Moss Vale Showground hasnever paid rates, they've been sluggedfor the first time in their life: $12,000, andthat's where my sympathy is comingfrom."
Cr Gair said to find $12,000 for ratesand put on a show for the communitywould likely be a struggle for the com-munity group and encouraged council-lors to vote in favour of his motion.
"I think this is a one-off show of oursupport to the community," Cr Gair said.
Cr Gair's motion also noted thatthese donations were "contrary" toexisting council policy and requested areview of the Rate, Water and SewerageAccess Subsidy Policy, to be carried outby the next council.
Councillors voted unanimously tosupport the donations.
Petition presentedA PETITION with more than 15,000 signatureswas presented to the Member for GoulburnPru Goward.
The petition calls on the state governmentto protect the Southern Highlands from coalmining.
Battle for Berrima has coordinated thepetition over the past six months.
The petition was presented to Ms Gowardon the steps of the Berrima Courthouse.
Stephen Jones’s new positionFEDERAL member for Whitlam StephenJones has been appointed to Labor's shadowministry.
He has been appointed as shadow ministerfor regional services, territories and local gov-ernment, as well as shadow minister forregional communications.
Mr Jones said he understood the impor-tance of "boosting services available to peo-ple living outside of our major cities".
"I look forward to working closely with [theshadow minsters] to hold the government toaccount and provide positive alternatives forregional Australia," he said.
News in brief
