Integrated Inquiry Learning

“You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.” Clay P. Bedford

St Therese’s aims to empower students with a well-rounded knowledge and skill base. An inquiry-based classroom is a place where students are encouraged to search for answers to questions, create community links beyond the classroom, use technologies and develop deep understandings of the ideas embedded within the curriculum. 

The following learning strands from the Victorian Curriculum form the basis for units of work that students study on a two year cycle:

  • Science
  • The Humanities, including Geometry, History, Civics & Citizenship
  • The Arts, including Visual Arts, Media, Dance and Drama
  • Technologies, including Design Technology and Digital Technology
  • Capabilities, including Social and Personal, Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethics and Intercultural

Each term, teachers plan and implement Inquiry Unit/s, centered around broad concepts and understandings so that students will have the opportunity to develop deep questioning skills, articulation techniques, and higher-order thinking.

Digital Technology

Digital technologies enable students to become confident and creative developers of digital solutions.  Digital Technologies can be used to access, process, manage, present and communicate information with others. Students acquire a deep knowledge and understanding of digital systems by creating digital solutions so they can take up an active role in meeting the current and future needs of the world. 

Students at St Therese’s develop understandings and skills that will enable them to;

  • design, create, manage and evaluate sustainable and innovative digital solutions to meet and redefine current and future needs
  • confidently use digital systems to efficiently and effectively automate the transformation of data into information and to creatively communicate ideas in a range of settings
  • understand the implications of the use of digital technologies and their social and ethical responsibilities (cyberbullying) as users of digital technologies
  • express themselves in contemporary and socially relevant ways
  • communicate locally and globally to solve problems and to share knowledge

At St Therese’s, students have access to a range of devices and computer platforms, including desktop computers, iPads, and Chromebooks. Students in Years Five and Six are provided with 1-1 Chromebooks to use for learning purposes. 

Each classroom is equipped with an LCD screen and iPads. Robotics are explored and students are encouraged to code and program a range of robotics including Lego and Spheros.