At Grafton High School Year 9 students in the Select and Gold classes will complete a course of Inquiry Based Learning. Students' work in Semester 1 incorporates the skill development for project work in groups, culminating in a group project based on the Essential Question "Together we can..?" Semester 2 will involve students working on an individual project based around an area of personal interest and passion.
Projects have a threefold rationale:
HSC Skill Development: Inquiry Based Learning provides students with a relevant context for their knowledge and so makes it more meaningful, memorable and motivating. Students who have experienced Inquiry Based Learning in the junior school will enter the HSC with a deeper understanding of core concepts across all subjects, an enhanced understanding of the significance of these concepts in the real world, and the metacognitive skills and tools that they will need to flourish as independent lifelong learners. In particular, providing them with a substantial skill set to develop their Stage 6 major works across a range of curriculum courses.
Skills for the 21st Century: Traditional schooling was designed to prepare students for jobs built around routine and repetitive tasks. The number of such jobs in our economy has sharply declined over the past half-century. As the need to do new things in new ways has become paramount in many fields, the skills required by Project work - creativity, communication, teamwork, problem-solving, information processing computer literacy and the ability to think reflectively - have become essential to a successful career.
Effective Global Citizenship: In our rapidly changing world, global forces are playing an increasingly influential role. Many of the most pressing problems faced by this generation of students are problems which transcend national boundaries. Through their engagement with real world issues in Inquiry Based Learning, students will arrive at a deeper understanding of the opportunities, challenges, and responsibilities of Effective Global Citizenship.