Marsden Teacher to Represent NZ in Global Research

Margaret Adeane, Academic Director at Samuel Marsden Collegiate School, has been selected to represent NZ on the Global Action Research Collaborative pilot programme in partnership with the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools (US), Girls’ Schools Association and Girls’ Day School Trust (UK), and other participating organisations and schools. This exciting initiative will involve a small pilot cohort of nine teachers from girls’ schools from around the world undertaking action research projects on the theme: ‘Feedback to move forward, thrive and grow’.

In light of the growing stress experienced by students around the world in response to assessment, testing and examinations, the Global Action Research Collaborative’s pilot program will investigate different modes of feedback and assessment designed to increase girls’ confidence and resilience, while reducing anxiety and improving emotional wellbeing.

Nine teachers from girls’ schools in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain and South Africa have been selected to form the pilot cohort.

Margaret will investigate teaching girls to fail and thrive in unstructured contexts so they develop the skillsets needed for the technologically disruptive workplaces of the future. A key aim will be to develop the right language to help girls learn the ‘right way to fail’ and connect these classroom lessons to learning for life. “It is exciting to be part of the project, coming at a key moment in Marsden School’s own journey which strongly focuses on student wellbeing”, says Margaret. “We are searching for the right way to understand and articulate learning through the lens of today’s critical skillset so it is fantastic to be sharing learning and experience with educators of girls from around the world”.

The nine teachers participating in the pilot program have commenced an 18-month programme of training and action research. Online training will be delivered by lecturers from the Professional and Graduate Education faculty of Mount Holyoke College, a liberal arts women’s college in Boston. Pilot programme teachers will also attend a training workshop in Philadelphia in June 2020 and present their research findings at the Global Forum III on Girls’ Education in Boston in June 2021.

Loren Bridge, Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australasia Executive Officer says ‘The calibre of the candidates and their proposed action research projects is outstanding. The benefits that will accrue to the girls’ schools taking part in the Global Action Research Collaborative cannot be understated.’

We congratulate Margaret on being selected from an outstanding pool of applicants for this project.