Date: Thursday, April 26, 2007
To:
Stephen Spahn, Chancellor
Anthony Foster, IB Coordinator,
Kari Loya, Development Director
Basil Kolani, Technology Director
From: Terrell Neuage tneuage@dwight.edu
Re: Dwight School Foundation Professional Development Grants
International Baccalaureate Professional Development
Additional information for summer grant application
Benefits to Dwight School
Firstly, I believe that the Middle school at Dwight would benefit from an integrated
approach to technology, where technology becomes a part of all areas of the curriculum.
I would like to investigate such programs in other schools, and this is certainly an
approach in many Australian Schools.
Secondly, I would like to broaden the global perspective of our students, in keeping with
the mission of Dwight School, by setting up a collaborative, knowledge building
community in our classrooms, together with a similar community of students in an
Australian school.
Thirdly, I would like to do a feasibility study, under the capable leadership of my
department chair, of implementing an IB Computer Curriculum in the high school at
Dwight.
Fourthly, I see this as a beginning to setting up a networking group of students
internationally, giving them the potential to expand their learning beyond the
conventional educational “frame”.
Specifically:
1. A collaboration project for 7th grade English and History (with the
cooperation of Mr Chris Cunningham) and Computing students at
Dwight, working with students from Wesley College, Melbourne. The
subject and specifics of this project will be discussed on my visit.
2. A collaboration project involving the 8th grade Computing students at
Dwight (working with Mr Andre Theisen) interacting with 8th graders
from The American International School in Sydney, Australia.
3. A short technology project involving 6th grades called “An
Introduction to Online Communication”, using a Moodle platform
with students from one of the schools I will visit.
Working with Mr Basil Kolani at Dwight for long term planning; to explore the
possibility of designing a high school IB Technology Curriculum offering for Dwight
School to be implemented in the coming years.
Procedure and Timeline
Monday July 23
Morning: Travel from Adelaide to Melbourne
Afternoon:Visit
Wesley College
DP Coordinator
577 St Kilda Road
Observe classes in middle school and upper school computing
Tuesday July 24
Morning: Meeting with Mr Frank Concilla (Head of Information Technology) at
Wesley College, to discuss setting up an online collaboration project involving
M/S students at Dwight School and students at Wesley College, Melbourne
Wednesday July 25
Meeting with Mark Byre at the Cornish Campus of St Leonard’s College to
discuss their program of integrating computing into all areas of the curriculum.
Afternoon: Observe IB classes at St Leonards College, Melbourne.
Thursday July 26
Drive to Macedon Grammar School, Macedon, Victoria (one hour north of
Melbourne)
Observe classes, and meet with Ronald Drewitz, Diploma Coordinator to discuss
the senior IB computing program.
Thursday August 16
Travel from Adelaide to Sydney, Australia
Visit American International School, Sydney. Observe
classes, and discuss collaboration project with Ms Shannan
Godfrey, Diploma coordinator. American International
School also makes yearly trips to Chang Mai, Thailand where
I will be visiting prior to arriving in Australia.
Visit Trinity Grammar School, Sydney. Meeting with David
Kermode, Head of Computing Studies.
Presentation
All meetings, findings and notes will be blogged in the Dwight Moodle.
Funding
Since I have already paid for my travel and I will be based with my family in Adelaide,
South Australia for five weeks, the only segment I would add to my itinerary (and for
which I will be seeking funding) would be to visit Melbourne for 4 days and Sydney for
two days, each of which there are a number of IB schools. I am applying for a
professional development summer grant and my costs are estimated to be $2350:
Round trip flight from Adelaide (my ‘home’ base in Australia) to Melbourne
approximately $300.00.
Car rental for Melbourne/Victoria. (4 days) approximately $80/day.
Food $50/day.
Accommodation for 4 nights in Melbourne Approx $650.00.
One way trip Adelaide to Sydney approx $250
Two nights in Sydney at $300
Car rental to visit country schools, approximately $200
Food at $50 per day.