Select any school across the length and breadth of this state and you’ll find great work going on behind the scenes: teachers adapting the flood of new technology to meet classroom needs, teachers developing new ways to engage students and teachers thinking their way through a diversity of challenges. Every school has its innovators, and just some of these people were on display last month at the Melbourne Convention Centre as part of the 2011 Innovation Showcase, presented by DEECD.

This annual event presents a selection of keynote speakers and workshop presentations by teachers, outstanding students and various educational organisations. The Showcase was abuzz with inspiring ideas, collegial knowledge-sharing, and a real sense of collective energy emanating from these everyday heroes of the classroom.

Certain themes clearly predominated. New technology was always going to be a focus, but it was inspiring to see the way teachers have shaped technology to energise curriculum, rather than just as empty trinkets of modernity. ‘Learning through Games’ was an all-day experiential session run by teachers from primary schools at Meredith, Pentland, Ringwood North and Dallas. All four schools use the gaming environment to engage students and deliver authentic learning experiences. At Dallas, for instance, the students participate in a collaborative global project entitled ‘DeforestACTION’. In another presentation River Gum Primary School demonstrated how their students and teachers are now using multimedia in their classrooms each week, linking it to all areas of the curriculum.

Various forms of virtual learning were also on display, indicating how teachers have thought laterally and adapted the widescreen communication potential of technology like Skype, Wikis and elluminate.

The work of the Country Education Project at various schools was highlighted, including the global learning taking place at Hawkesdale Primary School (which was featured in the last edition of Professional Practice) and the ‘eKids VCE BiologyM’ developed in partnership with a number of rural schools. In support of such innovation, DEECD demonstrated ‘FUSE’, a website with a range of teaching and learning content and Web 2.0 tools.

However, to counteract the impression that innovation simply means ‘technology’, there were many other fascinating and highly instructive examples of teachers and schools finding new ways to meet the needs of their students. Dr Cheryl McKenzie from Ashburton Primary School gave insights into the ‘World Wise’ program, which takes students along an investigative journey over five continents to look at global interdependence, diverse cultures, human rights, peace building and sustainable futures. The Victorian Institute of SRC Teacher Advisors discussed a range of issues, including how the work of student councils can extend beyond the school fence boundary.

There were examples of schools dealing with the diverse issues of the student community. These included Gisborne Secondary College’s ‘Live4Life’ whole-of-school approach to student mental health and wellbeing; Warracknabeal Secondary College’s ‘Turning Point’ satellite VCAL program to encourage disengaged youth back to a relevant education; an enlightening demonstration of learning in the dance space at Sunshine Special Developmental School; and the educational partnership developed between Eltham High School, Doreen and Arthur’s Creek Primary Schools and the Indigenous schools and communities of Donydji and Gapuwiyak in North East Arnhem Land. Closer to home, the challenges of teaching in a community of over 30 different cultures were explored in a presentation about Footscray Primary School’s bilingual education immersion program.

Of course this is only a snapshot of the work going on in classrooms across the state, and as a DEECD initiative, its focus was government schools. But it is indicative of how visionary thinking is being applied by teachers to meet the demands of an ever challenging profession.

The Innovation Showcase demonstrated the capacity of some truly bright educational minds, and provided an eye-opening experience and lots of great ideas for all educators. It is well worth marking next year’s showcase in your calendar.

The March 2008 issue of iteach contained a story on video games in the classroom. The online article also contained some further reading.