Dr Forwood, our Director of Learning Design & Development, explains our learning architecture.
We recognise the vital importance of preparing our girls for life and work in a rapidly changing world. Being intentional and explicit about our design of learning matters if we want young people to thrive.
Developed over two years by a dedicated in-house team, the group took into consideration relevant data and research around global trends in both the workplace and education. Launched in 2020, this unique architecture underpins all teaching and learning at CGGS and provides our students with an extraordinary transferable skillset, not only for school but for life.
Our learning architecture is robust and it allows us to respond to the ever-evolving needs of the students and our changing world.
BY DESIGN Focuses on Eight Key Transferable Skills
At CGGS we believe that educating young women for their future means more than just building discipline-specific knowledge and skills. We want each learning experience to also enable our students to develop the transferable skills they will need in their lives, no matter what career path they choose.
Transferable Skills:Â Portable skills that are needed for life.
Conveying information, ideas, options and responses to others in written, verbal, visual and other forms.
Acting without prompting. Being able to see and seize opportunity with energy and inventiveness.
Working with others in a respectful, supporting manner to develop ideas, solutions and responses.
Motivating, inspiring and mobilising others.
Coordinating and structuring activities and tasks. Managing time and resources.
Understanding and responding to challenges. Evaluating and reviewing options to enact the best solution.
Perceiving the world in new ways. Making interpretations. Generating original connections & solutions.
Questioning, reflecting, analysing, identifying and evaluating information to inform reliable judgment.
BY DESIGN describes our context (who we are and what is important to us), the elements of teaching and learning that we value (how we design) and the opportunities that it affords (what we do and why we do it). It embraces the school’s fundamental characteristics of connection, grit, growth and sustainability.
It recognises the need to connect learning to real-world experiences and assists students to understand the ‘why’ of what they are learning as well as the ‘how’. It helps students to see the purpose in their learning more clearly than ever.
We constantly look for and create opportunities.
Ongoing Learning, Seasonal Learning and Pop Up Learning experiences are all planned using our bespoke BY DESIGN App, with teachers ensuring that knowledge, skills and values are explicitly taught within the context of that discipline or experience.
BY DESIGN allows us to constantly look for and create opportunities, and to tailor programs year-to-year. It is a way of viewing the world, anticipating change and leveraging opportunities. A way of making sense of things, adding value to community, practising wellbeing and taking responsibility as learners – it’s a very dynamic approach to teaching and learning to ensure our CGGS girls are ready for life beyond the school gates.
Case Studies
In the videos that follow, we showcase some learning experiences which were designed using the BY DESIGN learning architecture. We hope this helps you understand and appreciate this new way of looking at learning and preparing our students for their future.
Presented by Charlotte Forwood, Director of Learning Design & Development, Karoline Walter, Head of Geography, Micah Wilkins, Head of Digital Learning & Innovation and Nektaria, Current Student.
Presented by Daniel Loff, Mathematics Teacher and Anthony Pasinati, Head of Mathematics.
