Mentone Girls' Grammar: 'Verius' Research Journal

VERIUS

MENTONE GIRLS’ GRAMMAR | RESEARCH JOURNAL | VOLUME 1, 2023

Contents Welcome iv

Artificial Intelligence

Laureate Professor John Hattie, University of Melbourne

Mr Ian Lyell, Humanities Teacher

Introduction to our Research Journal

v

Dr Karl Sebire, Director of Research & Practice

28

Reframing and Responding to AI within the Classroom 34 Ms Bridget Forster, Head of Kerferd Library, Reading Australia Fellow

Mentone Girls’ Grammar acknowledges the Bunurong People of the South-Eastern Kulin Nations for their connection to land, sea and community, and for their custodianship of the land on which we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Why Verius?

vi

Embracing Neurodiversity

2

Ms Camilla Gaff, 2023 Fellow Environmental Change Agents

4

Mr Christian Williams, Bursary Recipient International Kodály Symposium 2023

8

Ms Alahana Somerville, Bursary Recipient Breaking barriers, building leaders

14

Ms Lisa Hanlon, Head of Teaching & Learning Structured Literacy: The Pursuit of Excellence

Musico-Rhetorical Figures in the Music of Mozart

40

Mr Tony Toppi, Head of Creative Arts, PhD Candidate Creativity & Digital Disruption

46

Dr Jim Waller, Senior Visual Arts Teacher Holistic Education

50

Dr Karl Sebire, Director of Research & Practice Australia’s Sustainable Energy Transition to Biofuels

52

Meagan Ngo, Emilie Yu, Michelle Fong, Keira Puc

16

Mr Ross Halliday, Head of Junior School Wellbeing through Inclusion: Big Sister, Little Sister

18

Mrs Meg Adem, Deputy Principal / Head of Senior School Math Focus: Checking for Understanding

22

Mrs Melissa Ross, Head of Mathematics Targeted differentiation to improve outcomes

24

Mrs Kellie Saunders, Head of Science, ISV Fellow Enhancing outcomes for middle-band students

26

Mrs Julia Armstrong, Head of Humanities, ISV Fellow ii

iii

Welcome

Introduction to our Research Journal

Laureate Professor John Hattie, University of Melbourne

Dr Karl Sebire, Director of Research & Practice

During my time as a teacher, research discussions were

These same five skills are the essence of the enquiring

Teaching, at its heart, is fueled by a desire to share

This inaugural issue of ‘Verius’ is a testament to such

a rarity in schools. The current educational landscape,

and the research mind – of students and educators

knowledge, enriching those who receive it. This

a journey. It is a rich tapestry woven with diverse and

however, is immersed in the world of ‘evidence,’ and

The evolving use of these skills will spark debates in

sentiment, while inspirational, often becomes obscured

detailed contributions from our teaching staff. The

schools now consider research contributions and

schools, making a research mindset within a collegial

in the daily complexities of education. It reminds us

topics range from exploring neurodiversity in junior

evidence. Indeed, evidence has become a contested

climate crucial for success. The journal’s focus on

of the essential yet frequently overlooked connection

schools to examining the role of artificial intelligence

notion and has expanded beyond what is included in

teacher research, sharing academic insights, and fostering

between scholarly learning and classroom practice.

in media literacy, and the myriad benefits of learning

journal publications to include insights from teachers’

continuous learning is a commendable development –

observations, student artifacts, tests/assignments, and

our students will be the beneficiaries. The diverse topics

feedback on progress and attainment. This critical

covered in this inaugural issue, ranging from educational

engagement with research and evidence is the hallmark practices to cultural explorations and environmental of excellent schools, where collaborative debates,

sustainability, promise to stimulate considerable debate,

questioning, evaluation, and a focus on maximizing

critique, and meaningful impact. Congratulations

impact drive professional excitement and decisions.

on Mentone Girls’ Grammar, all current and future

A significant shift has occurred with the rise of the internet and the advent of artificial language

contributors, and long may the use and critique of research and evidence prosper.

programs like ChatGPT. While these developments bring complexities and pose challenges, they also offer opportunities. Regardless of how we incorporate these resources, students will need to develop skills in posing probing questions, assessing credibility, engaging in evaluative thinking, making informed choices, and enhancing oral fluency. (These skills surpass the traditional notion of ‘21st-century skills’).

iv

Professor John Hattie ONZM

For many educators, the last opportunity to deeply engage with academic literature was during university days. Theories from Bloom and Vygotsky, once staples of their educational diet, gradually recede into the

beyond the traditional classroom walls. The strength of this journal lies in the commitment of these educators who have formulated research questions and dedicated themselves to uncovering answers over the past year.

background as the realities of the classroom take

The insights shared within these pages are not just

precedence. But isn’t it in these very classrooms that

for academic consumption but are a resource for all

the true value of such theories is tested and realised?

educators seeking to enrich their practice. I extend

Reconnecting with this academic foundation is not just

my heartfelt gratitude to all contributors for their

a nostalgic exercise; it is a critical step in aligning our

invaluable research and insights. It is with great pride

practices with the evolving landscape of education.

and anticipation that I present to you ‘Verius.’ May

BEd, DipEd, MEd, PhD

Exemplary educators go beyond sporadic professional

Laureate Professor, University of Melbourne

development sessions and briefings on the latest trends. They cultivate a deeper hunger to interrogate,

the learnings contained here inspire you, as they have inspired us, to continuously evolve and enrich the educational experiences we provide.

reflect, and enhance their teaching methodologies.

They recognise that learning is a lifelong journey, where stagnation is the enemy of excellence.

Dr Karl Sebire

BComm, GradDipEd, MDes, MEd, PhD

Founding Editor

v

Why Verius?

As Mentone Girls’ Grammar enters its 125th year of

natural phonetic evolution. As the Romance languages

educating girls, its timely to interrogate the School’s

(like Spanish, French, and Italian) developed from Latin,

Latin motto; Vero Nihil Verius. It has sat unfurled, on

they largely adopted this [v] pronunciation, which is why

heraldic scroll, below the crest depicting the sand and

today’s Romance languages have a “v” sound instead of

waves synonymous with our bayside location,since 1899. a “w” sound for the letter “V.” As relevant then as it is now, our motto underpins the essence of what it means to obtain knowledge as a

History

Mentone Girl, translating to: Nothing Truer than Truth

The declarative circularity of this motto can be traced

The evolving truth of pronunciation

back to Edward de Vere, the seventeenth Earl of Oxford. Vere is derived from a Latin influence ‘Truth

The evolution of the pronunciation of the letter “V” in

or True’. It is now a dormant title in the Peerage of

Latin is a fascinating journey through linguistic history.

England, which was first created for Aubrey de Vere by

In Classical Latin, the letter “V” was pronounced as [w],

the Empress Matilda in 1141. His family was to hold the

similar to the English “w” in “wine.” This is why ancient

title for more than five and a half centuries, until the

inscriptions and texts often use “V” where we would

death of the 20th Earl in 1703.

expect a “W” sound. So for those misquoting Julius Caesar, it would actually be pronounced “weni, widi, wici”.

Coat of Arms of Edward de Vere (1574)

As a motto it is our call to acknowledge that we, as

From George Baker’s The composition or making of the moste excellent and pretious oil called oleum magistrale

educators, must equip students with the tools to create understanding from information. In a post-truth world,

However, as Latin evolved and spread across the Roman where it is increasingly difficult to separate the wheat

 Engraving (British Museum, 1632)

Empire, its pronunciation began to shift in various

from the chaff, the value of truth is more important

Portrait of Robert de Vere, nineteenth Earl of Oxford, half length to left in an oval, wearing collar, armour and sash; motto above, ‘Vero nihil verius’; coats of arms in upper spandrils, ship and sea-creature in lower spandrils.

regions. By the time of Late Latin and the early Middle

than ever.

Ages, in many areas, especially in Western Europe, the [w] sound began to harden into a [v] sound, similar to the English “v” in “vine.” This shift can be attributed

Jimenez, Ramon. “Vero Nihil Verius--Nothing Truer than What?” Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter, vol.

54, no. 1, winter 2018, pp. 16+. Gale Academic

to a combination of regional linguistic influences and vi

1

2023 MENTONE GIRLS’ GRAMMAR FELLOW

Ms Camilla Gaff, who has been a member of our community as a Junior School teacher since 2012 is our 2023 Mentone Girls’ Grammar Fellow. Ms Gaff conducted a sustained enquiry into social thinking clinical training through a range of initiatives, including travel to Santa Clara (California, US), to attend training.

This Fellowship output seeks to develop effective and practical supports for students, informed by the social competencies model.

Embracing Neurodiversity Ms Camilla Gaff, 2023 Fellow Every student, neurodivergent or neurotypical, brings a

Social Thinking® Methodology was developed by

thinking concepts: thinking thoughts and feeling feelings,

unique set of qualities, perspectives and strengths to our

Michelle Garcia-Winner, a highly experienced speech-

the group plan, thinking with your eyes, body in the

community. These diversities only serve to enhance our

language pathologist and social cognitive therapist.

group, whole body listening, expected and unexpected

As the proud recipient of the inaugural Mentone Girls’

community as they are the vibrant threads that weave

Her research led her to identify a range of social

behaviours, smart guesses, flexible and stuck thinking,

Grammar Fellowship in 2023, I had the incredible

together the fabric of our school. As educators, we

competencies that could be enhanced through explicit

size of the problem and sharing an imagination. These

opportunity to pursue further learning in an area

embrace the distinct qualities of every learner, not just

instruction. Furthermore, her work proved to be highly

are incredibly age-appropriate concepts that support

of professional interest. This bursary allowed me to

those who are neurodivergent.

effective for neurodivergent children and adults. She

our young learners as they learn how to thrive in a

now works with Dr. Pamela Crooke in developing a

social world. Gaining insight into their own, and others

range of well-respected resources and programs to

social behaviours and responses sets everyone up for

support the development of social competencies in

social success. This is achieved through the exploration

children and adults alike.

of rich literature, robust discussion and role playing to

CELEBRATING EVERY STUDENT’S UNIQUE QUALITIES

enhance my understanding of neurodiversity through my participation in Social Thinking Clinical Training in Santa Clara, California, and to assess the implications of this learning for our own school. Valuable learning such as this is essential for all educators so that we may truly nurture every child’s social, emotional, and academic growth. The clinical training involved observing, discussing and evaluating the implementation and use of Social Thinking® Methodology (STM) in a variety of settings. I was able to observe the STM being used to support neurodivergent children between the ages of 4 through to 18. It was a unique experience with a small group of participants from around the globe. It was learning that I could immediately implement into my own classroom, and knowledge I was able to share with my colleagues.

Neurodivergent children, and adults, often face unique social challenges that can make it difficult for them to navigate social or unsocial situations. These may include difficulty with nonverbal communication, such as interpreting facial expressions and body language,

Our own ELC and Junior School students have accessed

trouble with social cues and expectations and

a range of these programs and resources this year,

difficulty socialising and making and keeping friends.

with enormous benefits. The Zones of Regulation,

Additionally, neurodivergent people may experience

Social Thinking and We Thinkers! programs have

bullying, discrimination, and social exclusion due to

been engaging and effective resources to help our

their differences. These challenges can have a significant

students develop social competencies. Aside from the

impact on mental health and wellbeing, which in turn

explicit learning involved, we have developed a shared

can impact a student’s ability to fulfil their academic

language for us all to talk about the social hurdles we

potential. One of our main priorities as educators is to

may encounter. The learning accessed through these

create inclusive and understanding environments where

resources is shared with our parent community so that

everyone can thrive, not just our neurotypical students.

they too may access, utilise and reinforce this positive language. Whilst we have always addressed social

What is neurodiversity?

What is the Social Thinking® Methodology and how can it support learners?

Neurodiversity can be described as the array of

Social thinking is our meaning maker. It refers to the

neurological differences that make each person wonderfully unique. These neurological differences may

cognitive processes and skills that individuals use to understand and navigate social interactions and

which provided the opportunity for collaboration and

tapestry of human diversity.

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I have loved working with our Prep and Year One

It suggests that neurological differences are variations of lifelong skills such as: perspective taking, theory of mind, human diversity, rather than disorders. emotional intelligence, social problem solving and social Our own beautiful school is a microcosm of the rich

Developing strong social thinking skills not only enhances our students’ abilities to form and maintain healthy relationships but also brings about a myriad of benefits for their overall well-being and success. In the context of education, these skills are paramount for academic and personal growth. These include enhanced academic success, emotional regulation, increased selfconfidence, conflict resolution and the promotion of inclusivity.

Incorporating the Social Thinking® Methodology into gives all learners, neurotypical and neurodivergent, equal our educational toolkit at Mentone Girls’ Grammar access to the development of these lifelong skills. aligns with our commitment to providing each student students this year as we explored invaluable social

cognition.

What are the benefits for our students?

learning, we know that Social Thinking® Methodology

manifest in various ways, including ASD, ADHD, dyslexia, relationships. It also includes the capacity for individuals and more. Neurodiversity recognises and respects the to regulate their own behaviour in response to social natural variations in human brain function and behaviour. situations. Under the umbrella of social thinking are

ensure our learners see and practise these skills at work.

learning together. This group of 5–7-year-old students are largely developing the same social learning skills, peer-modelling. Using the We Thinkers! Program, we have developed a shared knowledge and understanding,

with the resources they need to thrive. It ensures that every student, whether neurotypical or neurodivergent, can unlock their full potential and lead fulfilling lives both within and beyond the school environment. By nurturing their social thinking skills, we are setting our students on a path to success, personal growth, and the realisation of their unique qualities.

along with a shared vocabulary for the following social 3

Environmental Change Agents Mr Christian Williams, Bursary Recipient

Introduction

Context

Methodology

In the picturesque seaside suburb of Mentone,

The context of our research project is intimately tied

Mentone Girls’ Grammar finds itself nestled within

to the unique and fragile ecosystem of Port Phillip

My methodology focused on fostering experiential

a mere 5-kilometre proximity to one of the world’s

Bay, which houses an array of endangered fish species

most bountiful marine ecosystems and marine parks,

threatened by habitat degradation and dwindling

under severe threat from the ever-encroaching perils

population numbers. Port Phillip Bay is home to a

of climate change and pollution. One of the most

diverse range of marine life, but its delicate balance has

glaring consequences of this environmental crisis is

been disrupted by the growing perils of climate change,

the precipitous decline in fish populations and species

pollution, and overfishing. The Australian Grayling and

diversity along the Mentone Beach. What’s especially

the Eastern Dwarf Galaxias represent just two of the

alarming is that this area serves as the last refuge for

many endangered species within the bay, both struggling

two critically endangered species, the Australian Grayling to survive due to environmental stressors. and the Eastern Dwarf Galaxias, teetering on the brink of extinction.

Creating an artificial reef within Mentone Bay offers a promising solution to address these challenges.

My research project stems from a commitment to

Such reefs can provide crucial shelter and breeding

addressing this issue head-on and students’ passion

grounds for a variety of fish species, helping to mitigate

for marine biology and the environment to explore

the effects of habitat loss and bolstering population

ways to make meaningful change. In collaboration with

resilience. Recent research by the Victorian Fisheries

MGG students I began the process of constructing an

Authority (2019) has highlighted the role of artificial

artificial reef within Port Phillip Bay. This endeavour is

reefs in enhancing fish populations in Port Phillip Bay,

poised to serve as a lifeline for endangered species

supporting their growth and reproduction. Additionally,

and simultaneously enhance marine biodiversity.

a study conducted by the Commonwealth Scientific

Furthermore, my project is intrinsically aligned with

and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in

our strategic pillars of sustainability and transformative

2017 underscores the importance of artificial reefs

technology, seeking innovative solutions to safeguard

in maintaining and increasing biodiversity in Australian

our local marine ecosystems in this pressing era of

coastal waters. This aligns with broader global

ecological transformation.

conservation efforts that emphasize the importance of

In the following report, I delve into the specifics of my research approach and findings, ultimately striving to offer a sustainable path forward for Mentone Bay’s fragile marine ecosystem.

creating protected areas for the preservation of marine biodiversity (Australian Government, 2015).

learning and active participation among the students selected to participate in the program while addressing the critical issue of declining marine biodiversity in Port Phillip Bay. To guide our students in their exploration of this problem, I adopted a multifaceted approach.

Understanding the Problem: The first step was to immerse students in a comprehensive understanding of the problem. This was done with facilitated discussions, research, and hands-on activities to elucidate the multifaceted challenges faced by the local marine ecosystem, emphasising the effects on climate change and overfishing on our local marine ecosystems.

Expert Guidance: Our methodology included close collaboration with Ben Cleveland, VIC Senior Program Manager for Ozfish, who possesses specialized knowledge in restoration ecology, particularly shellfish reef restoration in subtidal environments. Under his guidance, students identified suitable locations within Mentone Bay for the living reef and received expert insights into the intricacies of ecological restoration.

Construct Living Prototype: The culmination of our methodology involved students creating a living prototype of the oyster shell reef. Through this handson experience, students fine-tune their design based on real-time observations and feedback from experts. This is an ongoing process.

Recycled Oyster Shell Living Reef: In collaboration

Limitations

with students, we decided the concept of constructing

Navigating complex regulatory processes for marine

a living reef from recycled oyster shells, sourced locally from seafood restaurants would be the most effective and cheapest option for building an artificial reef that met Australian Maritime Laws & Regulations. This sustainable approach not only aids in the disposal of restaurant waste but also promotes the growth of natural reef environments, providing vital habitat for marine species.

Scuba Diving Training: Recognising the significance of underwater research, students were given the opportunity to learn scuba diving, facilitated by the

habitat restoration has proven to be a formidable obstacle. These regulations were designed to ensure environmental protection but can pose a hindrance to well-intentioned conservation efforts. The most significant limitations we encountered was the high cost of permits required from the Federal Government for constructing a new artificial reef. These expenses posed a considerable financial challenge for our project and threatened to impede progress.

The students’ decision to collaborate with Ozfish, a leading nonprofit organisation specialising in marine

expertise of Master Divers from the Academy of Scuba. habitat restoration, has been instrumental in overcoming This training equipped students with the necessary skills these challenges. to explore the subtidal environment of Port Phillip Bay, essential for reef development and underwater data collection.

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By attaching the student-created reef to an existing artificial reef under construction in Flinders on the Mornington Peninsula, we have navigated the cost and permitting issues imposed by the Federal Government.

This collaboration has not only reduced costs but also expanded the project’s impact to a broader regional scale.

Conclusion Our project offers a tangible and lasting benefit to the community by revitalising our marine ecosystem, while simultaneously nurturing a culture of environmental responsibility among our students. As we continue to innovate and collaborate, our reputation as a steward of sustainability and transformative solutions is further

This strategic partnership not only addresses the

solidified, positioning us as a leader in the field of

financial burden but also demonstrates the power of

environmental education and conservation.

collaboration in overcoming regulatory challenges. By expanding our efforts beyond Mentone Bay, we can extend our positive impact on marine biodiversity, benefiting a broader portion of Victoria’s coastal ecosystem.

The outcomes of our project, coupled with the lessons learned from its limitations, emphasise the importance of collaborative, sustainable, and student-driven initiatives in addressing environmental challenges.

By implementing a dynamic methodology, I aimed to

Outcome The primary outcome of the research project is that the students will indeed be contributing to the construct of an artificial reef and their efforts researching, recycling seafood restaurant waste and creating prototypes have led to their work playing a key role in the construction of an artificial reef in Flinders. By empowering students with a profound understanding of local environmental challenges and equipping them with practical skills

empower students with practical knowledge and skills, instilling a profound connection to their local marine environment while simultaneously addressing the issue of marine species decline. The synergy between expert guidance, immersive learning experiences, and a sustainable, innovative solution ensured that our project not only contributed to the conservation of marine life but also nurtured a generation of passionate environmental change agents.

in scuba diving and ecological restoration, we have cultivated a group of 12 passionate environmental advocates who now know their effort can make a difference. The construction of a living reef using recycled oyster shells stands as a beacon of innovation and sustainability, offering a solution to enhance marine biodiversity in the bay.

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REFERENCES Victorian Fisheries Authority. (2019). Port Phillip Bay Artificial Reef Development Plan 2018-2021.

Retrieved from https://vfa.vic.gov.au/about/publications-and-resources/reports/port-phillip-bay-artificial-reef-development-plan-2018-2021 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). (2017). Australian National Guidelines for the Establishment and Management of Artificial Reefs for Fisheries Purposes.

Retrieved from https://research.csiro.au/artificialreefs/ Australian Government. (2015). National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas.

Retrieved from https://www.environment.gov.au/topics/marine/marine-reserves/nrsmpa

“

The outcomes of our project emphasise the importance of collaborative, sustainable, and student-driven initiatives in addressing environmental challenges.

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International Kodály Symposium 2023 Ms Alahana Somerville, Bursary Recipient

During August, I was fortunate to be given the

Morning Sing

Dr Anna Dalos from Hungary, who explored the

beginnings and discovered there is little known about

opportunity to participate in the Golden Anniversary

Each day began with a morning sing, a delightful

utilization of various songs in Hungarian folk music.

the song’s origin. We asked questions about ‘Mary

of the International Kodály Symposium in Los Angeles,

tradition that fostered camaraderie and set a positive

Specifically, she discussed Kodály's research into the lives Mac’ including, is she the USS Merrimac ship? Is she a

California USA. I was delighted to take part in lectures,

tone for the day. I thoroughly enjoyed the morning

of peasants and how songs from these communities

coffin closed with the silver buttons? Is she a spiritual

workshops, and presentations by world class music

sing each day. This is something we could implement

have been organized into songbooks.

song? Any of these could have been an option and are

educators from around the globe. The following

at whole staff meetings to strengthen connections

Journal article aims to highlight resources, experiences,

between colleagues and focus our minds for the

repertoire and ideas gained from the symposium.

meeting ahead.

Opening Ceremony The symposium commenced on Monday 31st July, with

a Land Acknowledgment. We were then treated to a historical perspective by renowned American educator, Anne Laskey, who delved into the symposium's rich history. This year marked the 50th anniversary, and Anne shared memorable moments and photographs from the original delegates, including Australian Deanna Hoermann, the first president of the International Kodály Society in 1973. We then welcomed Dr Jerry L.

Ramos of Latin America, Gemma Arguelles of the

working on, ‘Connecting nature to place and the earth’

United States, Kata Körtvési of Hungry and Matthew

with the choirs for Big Art. Anne also shared Sam

she uses the Walk the Dog version and in Sixth Grade, she finishes with Sweet Honey and the Rock.

Susan Brumfield, USA

Commencing with physical movement and stretching

This happens to be the song the Prep, One, Two Choir

without singing, followed by a small warm up and

is currently preparing. I plan to share the insights I

then repertoire of a canon. This was encouraging as

gained from this keynote directly with the girls.

it confirms my prior personal research in running a successful choir rehearsal.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

they have accumulated over their careers. These

regarding the often-misinterpreted understanding of

distinguished speakers included:

to the symposium.

Mac, Fourth Grade, it is used once or twice. Fifth Grade,

variation of the familiar song, ‘The Green Grass Grew’.

with me was from American teacher, Lois Chocksy,

instruction. The Opening Ceremony was a fantastic start

Third to Sixth Grade. Third Grade, the original Mary

Whose Music is it Anyway?

each presenting a range of ideas, issues, and research

own teaching style, through the method of pedagogical

shared her sequence of how she uses the game from

Jackson Hopewell's 1945 version of ‘Beautiful Field’, a

address. One quote from his address which resonated

method.” Kodály’s vision was to be fluid with one's

beneficial to inquire into with students. Georgia also

followed a similar structure to the morning sing.

There were four keynote speakers at the symposium,

“Kodály’s philosophy has method, but it is not a

students through music. This topic strongly resonated with me, as it aligns with the theme I'm currently

Jaccard, the current president of the IKS who gave his

Kodály’s philosophy in classrooms. Chocksy stated,

on the connections between the world, teachers and

The morning sing conductors included, Ángel Vázquez-

an inspiring opening ceremony. Shelley Suminski Mahpar, Hanne of the United States. I found that they each the president of the organising committee, began with

Anne Laskey from the United States, who presented

and future of the Kodály movement. She shared

variety of books and resources on children’s music

inspiring efforts to collaborate with Ukrainian musicians games by Opie. She also shared a website which to collect, transcribe and preserve Ukrainian Folk Music, contained an archive of resources and updated links preventing its loss due to the ongoing war.

collected by the Opie family. Susan also shared her own new resource, Over the Garden Wall to which Ms Opie

WORKSHOPS I participated in fourteen workshops across the symposium, each with their own unique benefits and learnings. They were as follows:

For example, the Japanese national anthem is based on

was completed with her interactions with UK based academic and educator, Lorna Opie. Susan shared a

and heritage of music across global communities. countries and why they are composed in certain ways.

and games in the classroom. Much of her research

Susanna Saw from Malaysia discussed the past, present

Dr Shinji Inagi from Japan, who delved into the roots His analysis focused on national anthems from 198

Susan shared a research paper on children's songs

With Silver Buttons All Down her Back Georgia A Newlin, USA

‘re pentatonic’ which is the scale most Japanese cultural

Georgia presented a workshop sharing variations of

songs are built on.

how the classic pattycake game, ‘Miss Mary Mac’ could

wrote the preface for. Some magnificent quotes which I resonated with from Susan’s keynote address included the following: • “Learn to love happy chaos.”

• “Happy chaos is loud, I don’t need to rain that in, but I can if I need to.”

• “Through listening, watching and experiencing musical games, we create an environment where everyone is learning.”

be used in the classroom. We explored the song’s 8

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Music of My Hawaii

Part One & Two Teaching Music with Conscious and

Amazing Kodály Online Resources

• Warmup with a focus on technique.

Jana Kitamura Martin, USA/Japan

Instinctive Movement

Réka Tóth. Hungary

• Physical Warmups

Immediately following Réka’s previous workshop, she

• Learning to sing in Head voice

Jana shared a variety of resources of Hawaiian folk

Kata Körtvési, Hungary

songs and dances including the following:

In this double workshop, Kata explored the analysis of

presented a variety of further online resources created

• Interval Training

• Mele Oli – Ancient style Hawaiian chant

music through movement-based activities. Through the

by the Liszt Academy. These included:

• Discovering the chest voice

workshop, no one was sitting down. We were all up,

• Kodály Hub – A public knowledge centre and community of music teachers.

• Building Resonance

• Mele Hula – Ancient style chant with drums

listening to, feeling and observing the music together as • Hawaiian Chant Resources – Na Mele Hula Volume R & Nona Beamer one unit.

Songs she shared included:

Move Mi Music App

• Kahuli Aku

Réka Tóth, Hungary

• Maikali Kavali – Henry Waiav • Papu Hinu

This session was fantastic, and I hope to bring my learnings from this class back to school. Réka introduced

• Aloha ‘Oe - Liliuokalani

us to a resource developed by the Liszt Academy of

Kamay At Paa: Filipino Children’s Spoken Games

Music in Hungry called, Move Mi Music. This website

Anne K Cheng, Philippines Anne shared cultural games from various parts of the

has activities, resources and skill development stimuli, designed for students and teachers alike, to support a school based Kodály musicianship program. Being

Instrumental resources Favourite American Singing Games Jill Trinka, USA

• Upper Register Expansion • Unifying the sound Connecting Kodály Educators Across the Globe Maree Hennesy Australia/USA & Anne Laskey USA This workshop was a presentation and discussion of

Jill presented a practical workshop with the following

the history behind Holy Names University and the

musical games designed to support the development

inception of the International Kodály Society in 1973.

of musicianship (aural and theory skills). I have already commenced implementing these in my classes across the Junior School.

Hungarian Choral Repertoire Réka Csernyik, Hungary/Australia

Philippines. I will be using these in my classroom because web based, it works on any device and particularly

• Mazoo Mazoo

Réka presented a variety of new and classic repertoire

• Skating Away

from various Hungarian composers.

internalising the beat. The games included the following:

• Black Snake

The Application of Gender Neutrality in Music

• Liza Jane

Classrooms

• The Noble Duke of York

Amy Abbott USA

they promote and strengthen students’ understanding of works well with touch screens. Some of the resources demonstrated included:

• Sambutayog – A spoken game which involves moving • Rhythm Placement babies' limbs.

• Rhythmic Dictation • Pong Pong – another spoken game for babies’ gross • Melodic Contour motor skills.

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• Presto – A multimedia library of digital learning resources and videos o Classroom, Choral and

• I’ve been to Harlem

Amy gave a presentation on the use of gender-neutral

• Melodic Dictation • Pak Pak Senopak – Four individuals stack their feet together in the middle of a circle while standing back• Connecting Rhythmic and Melodic dictation to-back. Individuals then hop around the circle.

• Bingo – A recent version and game

• Bahaw Ginamos – A hand clapping game, like paper I am excited to implement this new resource into my scissors rock. - Piko Piko Golgorito – Catch the finger classes. game. - Chip Chop Choi – A hand clapping game.

Effective Warm Up Exercises Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Equatorial Guinea/USA

regardless of their individual identity and social group

• Bulan Test – Each participant takes off a shoe and lines it up on the floor. While chanting a rhyme, students jump over the shoes. Whichever shoe they land on is the shoe they take away from the line.

Gradually the shoes disappear making the game more challenging as the next line of students progresses.

Grammy award winning conductor of the Los Angeles

She shared Sam Kellerman's resource on ‘A Guide to

• Push the Business on

Childrens Choir, Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, lead an inspiring session of vocal warmup exercises for the mind, body and spirit in the following categories:

language and how it can be presented in the Music classroom. She discussed the meaning of social justice being an individual's, “Status in society where all people, should have an equitable chance at achieving success.”

Gender’ and discussed how some common songs which we use in the music classroom can be more gender inclusive.

11

Reconceptualizing Kodály in the Choral Rehearsal

music education worldwide. This sentiment echoed

Matthew Hanne

a conversation I had with Judy throughout the week,

Matthew presented a variety of resources and strategies which can be incorporated into a choral rehearsal through a Kodály lense. Matthew also shared the

where she also expressed her faith in me as part of the next generation of Kodály educators, eagerly anticipating my progress in my own career.

connection of the popular chords, I V VI IV chords and

I am enthusiastic about continuing my journey of

incorporated the use of solfa in the Senior Choral

learning and exploration in the realm of music

rehearsal to develop musicianship and connection to

education, and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to

contemporary music.

Mentone Girls' for affording me the opportunity to absorb knowledge on a global scale. This symposium

KATALIN FORRAI AWARD CEREMONY Attending the award ceremony was an absolute delight. The esteemed Australian figure, Judy Johnston, a trailblazer in introducing Kodály's profound music education philosophies to Australia, was honoured with the prestigious Katalin Forrai Award. Her acceptance of the award was met with an enthusiastic standing ovation, and her eloquent words about her career and personal journey left an impression. As I listened to her speak, I could not help but feel deeply moved, as she is the very reason, I have been able to achieve such success in my own music teaching endeavours.

The closing ceremony served as a remarkable finale to the symposium, encapsulating the essence of the entire week. Committee members shared cherished moments, along with captivating photos and anecdotes from the past week; allowing us all to relive the memorable experiences we had shared. The anticipation for the upcoming 2025 symposium was highly exciting, as we learned that it would take place in Kecskemet, Hungary, a city renowned as the home of the prestigious Liszt Academy of Music.

During this concluding session, we were treated to a

has undeniably etched itself into my memory, and I am eagerly looking forward to implementing these newfound resources in my teaching endeavours.

Attending the International Kodály Symposium in Los Angeles proved to be an immensely enriching experience that profoundly informed my teaching practice. The conference provided me with a wealth of teaching methodologies and a diverse array of insights from educators around the world. Through the experience, I gained new tools and innovative pedagogical strategies that have ignited my passion to experiment with new resources and ideas.

Thus far in my teaching practice, I have incorporated new elemental resources for teaching both solfege and rhythmic elements which have significantly enhanced my students’ musical literacy. Furthermore, I have embraced a deeper connection to integrating international cultural materials and songs into my teaching, fostering a heightened appreciation for global music traditions among my students.

In essence, this conference has refreshed my library of pedagogical repertoire which has translated into an enhanced music education in my classroom.

splendid performance by the Los Angeles Children's Choir, under the skilled baton of Fernando Malvar-Ruiz – the very same conductor whose illuminating workshop on warm-up techniques I had the privilege to attend.

What truly left an impression on me were the closing remarks delivered by Betsy Moll, a distinguished recipient of the Golden Honorée award from the USA. Her words deeply resonated with my own aspirations as she stressed the vital role of the next generation

“

This symposium has undeniably etched itself into my memory, and I am eagerly looking forward to implementing these newfound resources in my teaching endeavours.

of teachers in upholding the standard of quality 12

13

Breaking barriers, building leaders Ms Lisa Hanlon, Head of Teaching & Learning

Lest we think this is a phenomenon that was left

While the nuns and our Mentone Girls’ Grammar

behind in the 80s along with spiral perms, more recent

founders, the Simpson sisters, made education more

academic studies make it clear that “being interrupted,

accessible, their way of life also offered one of few

talked over, shut down or penalised for speaking out

available leadership models for women. They ran the

is nearly a universal experience for women when

schools, and in doing so, served as important role

they are outnumbered by men,” as highlighted in

models for leadership in a world that was bereft of

the provocatively titled New York Times article, “The

strong female role models. It was Marian Wright

Universal Phenomenon of Men Interrupting Women.”

Elderman, a children’s activist who said, “you can’t be

This 2017 article had a resurgence during the 2020 Presidential debate during which Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee was heard to repeat the phrase,

who attend girls’ schools are far more likely to see themselves as leaders. By comparison, data suggests that girls at coeducational schools become less interested

Hesitant as I am to begin a treatise on the benefits

ascend her class status was to marry well. Noted

of single sex girls’ education with a quote from a man

Australian feminist academic, Dale Spender, was the

who some might say was promoted well beyond his

same generation as my mother and passed away only

competence, it was Boris Johnson who declared that

recently at 80. She credited her success, and her

education is, “the silver bullet, this is the magic potion,

feminist roots, to the education she received by way

this is the panacea. This is the universal cure, this is

of a scholarship to Burwood Girls’ High School where

the Swiss Army knife, complete with Allen key and

she attained her leaving certificate, the VCE of its time.

screwdriver and everything else that can solve virtually

After graduating from Sydney University, Spender

every problem that afflicts humanity.” (Johnson, 2021).

commenced her first teaching role at a boys’ school,

Like Spender, the nuns, the Simpson sisters, and many

where the female teachers were expected to make

women and men before us, we continue to espouse

morning tea for the male teachers. Spender pursued

the tenants of feminism in our teaching. But it is not

further education, achieving an MA and a PhD. Perhaps

overt, in fact, I doubt the term ‘feminism’ has any more

unsurprisingly, her primary focus was the topic of girls’

currency for my students today than it did for me in the

education. Her ground-breaking research entitled

1980s. But it is evident in our classrooms. It is evident

‘Teacher Attention’ (1981) found that “teachers (in co-

in the teaching of Jane Eyre at Year 9, where Eyre as

Certainly, as educators, we understand that we are expected to alter or amend our curricula to cater for whatever ill it is that currently ails society. An increase in drownings? Swimming lessons for all students! A noticeable rise in anxiety in our young people? Start every class with a mindfulness session! And with the ever-increasing burden placed on time-poor families, this response is understandable. Yet the idea that education is a panacea remains all pervasive – and comes from a strong evidence base. The field of international development has long been lauding the importance of equality of access to education as a means by which to boost the economic production of developing countries, as it is proven that “investing in girls’ education

educational settings) overwhelmingly spend more time interacting with boys”. It was both this research, and her own personal experience, that propelled her life’s work – advocating for the advantages that girls receive from a single sex schooling experience. Her publication, Invisible Women: The Schooling Scandal, (Spender, 1982) a study of disadvantage and prejudice, still resonates today.

transforms communities, countries and the entire

Dr Dale Spender AM (1943-2023)

world.” (UNICEF, 2023). You do not have to be a

Spender was an Australian feminist writer, teacher, academic, and speaker. Having published over 30 books and being an internationally renowned speaker on women’s voice, she was known as the ‘feminist’s feminist’. As a campaigner for social justice, Spender saw feminism as a job where she sought to redress the imbalance of equality in society,

feminist to acknowledge that girls’ education benefits all, but it helps.

Our founding mothers acknowledged and sought to redress the fact that young girls of the past grew up with limited choices and low expectations. Even in my mother’s generation, higher education for girls was the domain of the very gifted, or the very fortunate.

If deprived of an education, a girl’s next best bet to 14

what you can’t see” and research affirms that girls

“Mr Vice President, I’m speaking, I’m speaking…”

in leadership positions with age (Kinzler, 2019). This conceptual change in gender and education is one that we know to be true, because it is part of our lived experience as teachers at Mentone Girls Grammar. This year, I had the privilege of being a Year 7 Tutor, and to our delight, almost one third of the cohort applied for a leadership position.

I was the fortunate recipient of a single sex education at a Catholic school, founded and run by Good Samaritan nuns. I did not know what feminism was until I got to university. I would hardly, in the 1980s, have referred to the nuns that taught me as feminists. In fact, I barely even saw them as women. What they were was revolutionaries, dedicating their lives to the education of girls. When they were teaching us about the lives of Saints (Joan of Arc – defended her nation, St Angela de Merici – traveled throughout Italy on a horse to tutor girls, St Catherine of Siena – comforted lepers when they were shunned) I did not realise that they were teaching me to have a voice, have a cause, to be an advocate for good, to find my strength. Strength and courage were upheld as virtues, and importantly, were seen as womanly virtues.

our literary heroine commands recognition of feminine fortitude, most markedly when she proclaims, “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will.” It is evident in the teaching of Persepolis in Year 10, where students learn about the rights that the women of Iran were stripped of during the revolution, one of which was education. And, it is evident in the teaching of Sunset Boulevard at Year 12, where Norma Desmond provides a painful portrayal of the dangers of associating one’s worth with one’s beauty. Thanks to the feminists who came before them, our students do not consider themselves privileged.

And nor should they, for they are merely accessing what has so long been denied to women and girls. In her death, Spender has been described as, “brilliantly controversial” and this is what we want for our students – may we help them to find their voice and use it.

15

Structured Literacy: The Pursuit of Excellence Mr Ross Halliday, Head of Junior School

In the pursuit of educational excellence, the significance based practices in education, especially in the realm of of literacy stands as an unassailable truth. As we navigate literacy instruction. The structured literacy approach has the complex landscape of 21st-century learning, it

gained prominence as the leading method for effectively

becomes increasingly evident that a solid foundation

teaching reading skills to primary school aged students.

in literacy is not merely a gateway to knowledge but the very bedrock upon which the pillars of academic achievement are built. It is in this context that we have turned our gaze toward a transformative paradigm in

literacy, the structured approach emerges not just as a methodology but as a strategic arsenal, empowering our

The following “big six” areas outline its vital components:

young children experience rich oral language by talking with and listening to adults and other children, they will have a large ‘bank’ of spoken vocabulary, words they understand when used in spoken communication.

Phonemic Awareness

Vocabulary Development A robust vocabulary is essential for comprehension.

Structured literacy incorporates explicit vocabulary instruction, ensuring that students not only recognise words but also understand their meanings in context.

Fluency

language. Children with good phonemic awareness can

practice reading fluently in the early years of school,

hear:

teachers often ask them to read aloud easier or familiar

• words and word spaces in language

books. This lets children read confidently as they

• syllables (a unit of pronunciation with one vowel sound; for example, cat has one syllable, water has two syllables)

automatically and accurately recognise words, read at a

has the potential to revolutionise our Junior School landscape and equip our girls with the tools not only to read but to comprehend, analyse, and articulate thoughts with eloquence. It is a journey toward excellence that transcends mere words on a page, encapsulating the essence of empowerment, liberation, and the boundless horizons of knowledge.

It is a widely held view that strong literacy skills form the cornerstone of academic success. In recent years, we have witnessed a growing emphasis on evidence-

• rhyme (two or more words with the same ending sound; for example, ring, sing, thing) • alliteration (two or more words with the same beginning sound; for example, Peter Piper picked a pickled pepper) • phonemes (the individual sounds within a word; for example, dog has three phonemes, d-o-g).

Being able to hear or ‘isolate’ these sounds gives children a foundation for learning to manipulate the sounds of sentences and words as they learn to read and spell.

decoding skills compared to those using traditional approaches. Furthermore, longitudinal studies have indicated that students exposed to structured literacy instruction exhibit sustained improvements in reading comprehension and written expression.

The implementation of a structured literacy approach in our junior School is a vital step towards fostering strong foundational literacy skills in our girls. By systematically addressing the key components of oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and reading comprehension, our structured literacy practices framework for reading success.

the world.

rooted in systematic and evidence-based practices,

literacy programs showed significant gains in

read. When reading aloud, fluency is affected by accuracy, rate and expression. To assist children to

literacy approach. We explore how this approach,

2019 found that schools implementing structured

in our classrooms each day provide a comprehensive

Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear sounds within

and compelling evidence supporting our structured

For example, a meta-analysis by Spear-Swerling in

Reading fluency refers to the ease with which children

educators to sculpt literate minds capable of reshaping

In this article, we delve into the rationale, components,

16

decoding skills when reading unfamiliar words.

The words of Nelson Mandela echo with further

the methods by which we wield it. In the realm of

systematic and explicit phonics instruction, ensuring that

the foundational skills of reading, spelling, and writing.

Oral language is the foundation of all literacy skills. If

Yet, this formidable weapon is only as potent as

between letters and sounds. Structured literacy provides students understand alphabetic principles and can apply

Oral Language

weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Phonics instruction involves teaching the relationship

Structured literacy focuses on systematically teaching

our Junior School: the structured approach to literacy.

resounding truth: “Education is the most powerful

Phonics

rate that sounds more like spoken language, and use a range of expression, intonation, pauses and rhythm.

Language & Reading Comprehension While foundational skills are crucial, structured literacy goes beyond decoding by incorporating comprehension strategies. Teachers guide students in understanding and analysing texts, making connections, and building critical thinking skills.

So, as we continue to embark on this intellectual journey, let the words of Maya Angelou guide us: “Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of their deep and continuing needs, is good for them.” Our structured literacy approach is not just about decoding words but fostering a lifelong love for reading and writing. It is about instilling in our girls a hunger for knowledge, a thirst that can only be quenched through the pages of brilliant books, or at the end of a pencil, thus, unlocking a world of possibilities.

REFERENCES Spear-Swerling, Louise. (2018). Structured Literacy and Typical Literacy Practices: Understanding Differences to Create Instructional Opportunities. TEACHING Exceptional Children. 51.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of structured literacy in improving reading outcomes for primary school students.

17

Wellbeing through Inclusion: Big Sister, Little Sister Mrs Meg Adem, Deputy Principal / Head of Senior School

During 2023, the Wellbeing Team including our Heads of Year and Senior School Counsellor, Ms Julianne

WHY IS INCLUSION IMPORTANT?

Williams, led a pilot program for the reintroduction of a True inclusion is reliant on the fostering of reciprocal peer support program at our school. This program was and meaningful relationships between children piloted with our Year 7 and Year 11 girls, and following

particularly teenagers. They need help to do this

its success, we now look to roll the program out across especially when in a new environment. Formal programs the whole school. I thank Mr Ross Halliday, our Head that attempt to foster interaction such as peer support

programs improve the overall wellbeing of school-aged

increased awareness of others’ perspectives, and

children. Furthermore, studies overseas have shown

development of new friendships (Brookes, 2016).

peer support programs have been developed and implemented internationally as a method of supporting healthy development and youth mental health (Day et al., 2020). In the context of lost development during

strong relationships and leadership within our older girls. *In Term 1 this year, our Wellbeing Team successfully mapped out all the lunchtime clubs available to our girls

Schools report that peer support programs promote

WHY A PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM?

(and managed by our staff). It is really pleasing to note that our lunchtime clubs have been very positive, with

COVID-19, models like this are vital.

social and support networks for children beginning school and promote a sense of community and belonging in the school. A peer support program can also be helpful for families new to a school (Dept of

The purpose of a peer support program is inclusion

an increased number of staff volunteers for 2024. Our

and providing a warm welcome to our caring school

lunchtime clubs will continue to provide all our girls

Education, 2021).

community. At Mentone Girls’ Grammar, our Big Sister,

with important choices and options throughout each

Little Sister program will be a peer support program

week.

“While there is no silver bullet solution, peer-led

that supports a smooth transition for our new girls starting at our school, as well as the important transition WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY? from one year level to the next (such as Year 6s

becoming Year 7s). It creates a cultural immersion as well as provides our older girls a valuable opportunity

During adolescence, young people experience challenging biological changes, and these physical

to take care of a younger peer, and shoulder some of

developments are paired with new social demands, as

Grammar Way’.

of trying new experiences and activities that emphasise

A peer support program like ours helps our students

norms (Leung et al, 2014).

the responsibility of welcoming them to our community well as evolving personal expectations, which all increase peer influence. This developmental stage is also a time as well as teaching our new girls ‘The Mentone Girls’

feel valued and supported, teaches them important social and emotional skills, as well as creates a caring ethos in our school.

socialising with peers and conforming to peer group

Deakin University’s Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development (SEED) recently reviewed the efficacy of Peer Support Australia’s (PSA) evidence-based programs in Promoting positive youth development in schools: A program logic analysis of

Other benefits of buddy programs for students include

further support for the holistic model that peer support improved academic performance, personal growth,

of Junior School, for his support of what will be a highly programs and lunchtime school clubs* are really helpful positive and inclusive program that not only instills a (Ericsson, 2007). sense of community, but also provides opportunities for

18

Peer Support Australia report. The report’s findings

support programs can help build resilience, which is paramount to development” (Toumbourou, 2021) John Hattie (2009) has found peer-tutoring to be generally effective in promoting student learning (d = 0.52), and he also found that cross-age peertutoring was even more effective (d = 0.79). There are

More recently Orygen (2023) identified peer support programs as an important protective factor for mental health for youth, particularly in helping decrease the impact of depression and anxiety.

WHAT IS A PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM? Peer support programs are a process by which a student works one-on-one with another student to support, guide and encourage another student during the development of some aspect of knowledge, skill or product – whether it be social, emotional or academic (Goodlad & Hirst, 1989).

In 2024 we will be implementing our Big Sister, Little Sister program through the following year level partnerships: • Year 12s with Year 8s • Year 11s with Year 7s

important benefits as our Big Sister, Little Sister program • Year 10s with Year 6s • Year 9s with Year 4s & 5s across year levels has older girls acting as leaders and peer supporters for younger girls at the school.

• Year 8s with Year 2s & 3s

Peer support programs can help combat bullying

This program will enable peer support of the younger

and other forms of antisocial behaviour such as

sister whilst also allowing important leadership

teasing. Teaching pro-social values and skills through

development in our older girls, the older sisters.

a peer support program can also contribute to the development of resilience, which is a significant social protective factor for children’s mental health (Alannah & Madeline Foundation, 2021).

19

How might a Big Sister, Little Sister Sister program benefit our students?

our students to bond more closely with our school,

Being a new member to our school this year myself, building a

thereby increasing the likelihood of more positive social

sense of belonging through inclusion is a key aspect of a school

Peer support programs help teach and encourage

behaviour. Strategically, this program further promotes

community that lies close to my heart; and also sits at the

students to practise core values such as respect,

our support of wellbeing of our students and families.

philosophical heart of our Wellbeing Team’s leadership style.

Following many discussions with my team, we want to create an

integrity, and accountability as well as kindness, whilst also helping them understand diversity, responsibility, and friendship.

Through looking after and caring for each other, our girls will learn the skills associated with empathy and

IN SUMMARY The Big Sister Little Sister program will: • assist with student transition for all students entering the school as a new student

compassion supported by activities in the classroom and • support and develop leadership in our older students as Big Sisters, with our Year 12s as the most capable in the playground. We will therefore build structured and confident leaders and role models in the activities to be utilised through fortnightly period 4 program pastoral time, as well as shorter structured activities through the daily roll call time. Embedding these

• promote inclusion for all new students as all girls will have a ‘sister’

activities will be very positive for our school culture and, • support character education through structured activities that centre around our school values by extension, our Big Sister Little Sister program would • contribute to, and maintain, a positive and caring help us develop our students’ shared understanding of school culture at Mentone Girls’ Grammar School. core values through shared experiences and shared • encourage perspective-taking between the year levels. perspectives.

• help students learn how to build trust and rapport.

How might a Big Sister, Little Sister program benefit our school in return?

Peer support programs play an important role in creating safer school environments by challenging stereotypes, misconceptions or fears that students hold about peer groups. In our school environment, with our

• support equity and diversity • develop positive relationships and discourage bullying • develop self-efficacy and confidence for our Little Sisters • encourage Big Sisters to be positive role models at our single campus school.

• provides opportunities for peer tutoring, leadership, work in supporting our students to grow into successful gratitude, kindness, pride and care for our environment – both inside and outside the school young women (who are known, seen and heard), • provide a platform to explore our school values this would be an important part of our personalised pastoral care, and be a critical thread of our wellbeing

• develop pro-social values and skills.

framework.

• help new families feel cared for, and feel part of the community.

At Mentone Girls’ Grammar, our Big Sister Little Sister program will create connectedness that enables 20

• provide parents with examples of our personalised pastoral care.

environment at our school where the older girls feel they have an important part to play in helping our younger students acclimatise to the senior school setting, whilst also wanting our younger girls (such as Year 7s) feel a sense of welcome, comfort and belonging.

Our School Values RESPONSIBILITY RELATIONSHIPS

We are delighted with the progress we are making thus far, and

COMPASSION

look forward to working with our girls as Big and Little Sisters

INTEGRITY

next year.

REFERENCES & BIBLIOGRAPHY Alannah & Madeline Foundation (2023). eSmart Schools: Resources. Accessed 12 April 2023 from https://www. esmart.org.au/esmart-schools/resources-1/ Alannah & Madeline Foundation (2021). Better Buddies. Accessed 17 October 2021 from https://www.betterbuddies.org.au/bb-parents/benefits-to-your-child.phps

EMPATHY RESPECT JUSTICE TRUTH

Brookes, P. H. (2016). “A Win/Win for All Students”: Expert Q&A on Peer Buddy Programs. Accessed 12 April 2023 from https://blog.brookespublishing.com/a-winwin-for-all-students-expert-qa-on-peer-buddy-programs/ Cantwell, G., Blackburn, S., Pearman, J., Berlage, M., Sedgwick, S., Clancy, E., Rowland, B., Klettke, B., & Toumbourou, J.W. (2020). Promoting positive youth development in schools: A program logic analysis of Peer Support Australia.

Prepared for Peer Support Australia by the Consulting Team, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development (SEED). Deakin University. https://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30145389 Day, L., Campbell-Jack, D., & Bertolotto, E. (2020) Evaluation of the Peer Support for Mental Health and Wellbeing Pilots. UK Department for Education Research Report completed by Ecorys (UK). London, UK: Department for Education. Accessed 11 April 2023 from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/peer-support-for-mentalhealth-pilots-an-evaluation Department of Education (2021). Transition: A Positive Start to School. Accessed 10 April 2023 from https://www. education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhood/professionals/learning/trkpp6.pdf Ericsson, M. (2007). The Social Inclusion Project. Florida Department of Education. Accessed 17 October 2021 from http://flfcic.fmhi.usf.edu/docs/Social_Inclusion_Project_Manual_SIP.pdf Goodlad, S., & Hirst, B. (1989). Peer tutoring: A Guide to Learning by Teaching. New York: Nichols Publishing.

Hattie, J. A. C. (2009). Visible Learning: A Synthesis of over 800 Meta-Analyses relating to Achievement. Oxon: Routledge.

Hill, M., & Greive, C. (2011). The potential to promote social cohesion, self-efficacy and metacognitive activity: A case study of cross-age peer-tutoring. Teach, 5 (2). Accessed 12 April 2023 from https://research.avondale.edu.au/cgi/ viewcontent.cgi?article=1044&context=teach Leung, R., Hemphill, S., & Toumbourou, J.W. (2014) The effect of peer influence and selection processes on adolescent alcohol use: A systematic review of longitudinal studies. Health Psychology Review, 8 (4):426-457. http://dx.doi.org/1 0.1080/17437199.2011.587961 .

Orygen (2023). Peer Support: A Promising Intervention for Young People with Mental Ill-Health. Accessed 1 May 2023 from https://www.orygen.org.au/About/News-And-Events/2023/Peer-support-promising-intervention-for-young-peop Toumbourou, J.W. (2021). Rebuilding student resilience through peer support programs. Australian Council for Educational Research: Teachermagazine.com.au. Accessed 11 April 2023 from https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/ articles/rebuilding-student-resilience-through-peer-support-programs

21

Math Focus: Checking for Understanding Mrs Melissa Ross, Head of Mathematics

Checking for understanding is the process whereby

Checking for understanding can promote this growth

• Mini whiteboards

adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions–

the teacher verifies that the student understands

mindset by giving students opportunities to receive

• Voting systems

particularly when to use a common denominator. By

recent content that has been taught. Regular checks for

constructive feedback, learn from their mistakes,

having the students learn and practise the following

understanding provide a means to enable educators

and witness their own progress. In this way, regular

• Cold calling

to create a more inclusive and supportive classroom

assessment practices not only enhance mathematical

environment. This inclusivity can help diminish gender-

learning but also foster a positive mindset that is critical

related performance gaps in mathematics and

for girls’ education in mathematics.

encourage girls to develop a deeper and more lasting understanding of mathematical concepts.

A key focus area for professional development within the Mathematics Department for 2023 has been

• Partner talk • Group work Staff have enjoyed exploring the most effective implementation, regularly meeting to share and reflect on the best ways to implement these strategies to

The research of Hyde, Fennema, and Lamon (1990)

regarding best practice in checking for understanding.

suggests that girls may face lower self-confidence and

Exploring the most effective research informed

higher anxiety levels in mathematics compared to

methods that our students will engage with and inform

“From an educator’s perspective, I believe the

boys, which can impact their performance. Research

instructional practice. Staff have explored the most

classroom voting system encourages students to actively

maximise their effectiveness.

consistently highlights the crucial importance of regularly effective checking for understanding techniques which

engage with the material. This has led to noticeable

checking for understanding in mathematics classrooms.

provides immediate feedback to both teachers and

improvements in their understanding and retention

One study conducted by Hattie and Timperley (2007)

students alike, allowing educators to gauge whether

of concepts. Moreover, the voting system provides

found that formative assessment practices, which involve students have grasped the current concept or need

immediate insights into each student’s comprehension.

checking for understanding during instruction, have a

It ensures every student takes an active role, tackles

further explanation. Likewise, providing students an

lines, this has been largely overcome.” Ms Maria Spaziani – Call and response technique “By saying these rules out loud, it makes the information easily come to mind. When you are doing a test, the rule instantly comes to mind and allows you to finish the test quicker with a higher standard.” Student - Call and response technique Overall, teachers have found, checking for understanding fosters a more inclusive classroom environment by giving all students the opportunity to voice their questions or concerns. Teachers have appreciated the ability to swiftly identify misconceptions, allows them to address them promptly, preventing these misunderstandings from becoming entrenched.

significant positive impact on student learning outcomes. opportunity to reflect upon their own understanding,

mathematical problems, collaborates in small groups,

Ultimately, checking for understanding has empowered

In the context of mathematics education at Mentone

and expresses their viewpoint.” Ms Xin Li– Voting

both teachers and students, leading to improved

system

mathematical comprehension and a more effective

empowering them to take ownership for their learning

Girls’ Grammar, these assessments help teachers identify journey. This timely feedback has enabled teachers to misconceptions, gaps in knowledge, and individual

adjust their teaching strategies on the spot, ensuring

learning needs, allowing for timely and targeted

that students remain engaged and can progress

interventions. This research underscores the idea that

effectively. As Barton (2018) notes, “Without checking

without ongoing checks for understanding, students may for understanding, we are teaching in the dark, blindly

“The voting thing in maths is cool! It’s not just about the answer; it’s like a game where we all get to share and learn together. Plus, I feel super good when my vote matches the right answer!” Student – Voting system

learning experience. The Maths Department look forward to implementing these techniques in 2024 and exploring further ways as a department to continuously develop their teaching skills and employ best practice

struggle silently with mathematical concepts and miss

plowing through content, hoping for the best. With it,

out on valuable opportunities for support and growth.

we are in control.”

Furthermore, research by Boaler (2015) emphasises

Teachers have experimented with using a variety

that a growth mindset, where students believe that

of tools in their lessons, gauging the effectiveness

effort and perseverance can lead to improvements in

of these tools in enabling teachers to verify student

mathematics, is essential for all students, especially girls

understanding. The various techniques providing means

“This year we tried call and respond when studying

who might be more prone to negative stereotypes

for participation that have been employed including:

fractions. Over the years it has been difficult for

Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of educational research, 77(1), 81 112.

many students to remember the difference between

Hyde, J. S., Fennema, E., & Lamon, S. J. (1990). Gender differences in mathematics performance: a meta-analysis. Psychological bulletin, 107(2), 139.

about their mathematical abilities.

22

• Call and response

based on research.

“My experience using the whiteboards was good because you can work on your own and let the teacher see where you’re at with the skill without your classmates seeing” Student – Mini whiteboards

REFERENCES Barton, C. (2018). How I Wish I Had Taught Maths Reflections on research, conversations with experts, and 12 years of mistakes. John Catt Educational.

Boaler, J. (2015). Mathematical mindsets: Unleashing students’ potential through creative math, inspiring messages and innovative teaching. John Wiley & Sons.

23

Targeted differentiation to improve outcomes Mrs Kellie Saunders, Head of Science, ISV Fellow

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS VICTORIA FELLOWSHIP

Two team members were lost by the end of Term 2.

This sharing of research was gathered into a communal

to act on teacher feedback. Teacher derived assessment

This impacted the range of interventions that would be

OneNote that allowed for group discussion away from

demonstrated improved outcomes for the interventions

investigated by the group.

gathering times which were becoming more difficult to

cohort when compared with the control group.

The program is aimed at educators who are currently in

organise throughout the academic year as the urgent

a middle leadership role or aspiring towards leadership. Gathering inspiration

needs of the school became more competitive for time. Moving forward

Successful applicants will have an opportunity to:

Research into the area of best practice for average

• Lead a professional learning initiative aligned to your school’s specific interests, framed as action research

students did not yield the same level of resources as

Making a plan

• Lead a Teacher Inquiry Group of up to 18 teachers from Independent schools

those that are targeting high or low achieving students.

The Goldilocks method was used to develop a

For this reason, the group focused on overall best

narrowed focus for each inquiry, with a plan on how and

practices and drew on retrieval practice research

when each intervention would be implemented. One

from Kate Jones, science of learning strategies from

inquiry would be focused on multiple interventions,

Pooja Agarwal, formative practice from Dylan Wiliam,

used across the same cohort, with the same content

threshold concept work by Jan Meyers and Ray Land,

and a control group. Another inquiry would look into

habit development with James Clear and mindful

the same interventions, spaced out over the course

cognitive action research by Daniel Kahneman. Group

for a longer time period with one group of students.

members shared ideas from this work and from these

Another inquiry would focus on the use of targeted

selected interventions or strategies that would be used.

feedback that would be used with Grade 6 students. It

• Access the equivalent of three days of professional learning in leadership, team development, inquiry and adult learning • Join with others in a facilitated network to share experiences, problem-solve and troubleshoot issues • Contribute to associated action research.

• Teacher Fellowships are an adjunct appointment for 1 year. Fellows continue to work at their school and take on the associated responsibilities in addition to their teaching role.

The work of Pooja Agarwal suggested that middle

CREATING THE GROUP Initial creation of the group was relatively easy – it was made up 3 members of the Science Teaching team and a Grade 6 teacher. The theme of targeting middle band students for improvement was well received and seen to be been a worthwhile enterprise.

Improvement of test groups across Physics unit at Year 10 40

% improvement

across the senior school.

FURTHER READING:

30 25 20 15 10 5 Interventions

Interventions + interleaving

would be complete by mid term 3.

banded students would best be assisted by an increase

Working with data

in review, targeted feedback, followed with additional

Collecting data was the most challenging part of

review. For this reason, most group members explored

this project. Teachers had devised various means for

an area that targeted an aspect of this process. Retrieval

collecting this and hit several road blocks, resulting in

practice techniques were identified as being fairly easy

changes to the planned methods for analysis. Student

to implement, coupled with targeted feedback.

surveys, national benchmarking and teacher derived assessment were used for analysis and demonstrated

Building inquiry skills Group gatherings consisted of sharing research into

35

Control group

the Science Team, with an eventual upskilling in this area

was intended that all interventions and data gathering

Developing an inquiry focus

0

Further work in the areas of retrieval practice within

the growth teachers had anecdotally known.

various retrieval practice strategies, methods for

Reflecting and sharing

gathering relevant data before and after implementation

Student surveys showed that the use of retrieval

of a strategy and then analysing this data, and useful

practice strategies increased student confidence in

feedback methods for different outcomes.

undertaking assessment and made them more willing

Test group

24

25

Enhancing outcomes for middle-band students Mrs Julia Armstrong, Head of Humanities, ISV Fellow

The inception of this endeavour was an invitation to

We desired to make our research Specific, Measurable,

Furthermore, this deep inquiry served as a conduit

embark on a research inquiry path with Independent

Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound, (SMART).

for a more profound understanding of our students.

Schools Victoria (ISV) by our Director of Research &

This undertaking afforded us a structured framework

Seeing strengths and development in and outside of our

Practice. Schools tend to exhibit excellent strategic

enabling us to accomplish the multifaceted inquiry -

subject areas over time was pleasing and satisfying.

direction, focus and funding towards gifted students

research, assess, intervene, re-assess, and evaluate in

and those encountering learning difficulties. Mentone

the time given. Furthermore, we implemented the

Girls’ Grammar is recognised for its high academic

Goldilocks test to ensure the focus was just right.

performance, and we wanted to focus on an often-

Concurrently, we refined our inquiry question and

overlooked demographic, the middle-band students.

considered how we could intervene and devise

Our aspiration, as encapsulated by our motto, was to

strategies to realise enhanced outcomes for the middle

ensure that this ‘middle- band’ is truly ‘known, seen and

band of student.

heard.’

overcome, and work ensued. The challenge of allocating time to focus on the inquiry was mitigated through making a scheduled fortnightly meeting time enabled us to remain focussed. A highlight was collaborating with other schools as we collectively posed questions and provided mutual support. The process of creating, planning, and conducting an inquiry, was a beneficial

Two Heads of Department took this on, and we invited set about implementing the ideas within the classroom.

experience. The entire process, from the inception

two other educators to commence the journey. My

of the inquiry to the formulation, execution, and

The focus students had been identified and data

particular focus group consisted of Humanities teachers obtained and analysed. We set about ensuring mixed-

culmination of interventions, has been an enriching

encompassing a spectrum of experience, with one

ability groups were formed as a pedagogical paradigm in

and edifying experience. Equally gratifying was the

member a recent graduate teacher and one boasting

normal classes and during appropriate assessment tasks.

enthusiastic reception of our students, who embraced

much experience in education in a range of schooling

Burke’s words underscored our mission, as collaborative

this journey with equal interest.

environments.

learning garnered prominence as a key principle,

Our first meeting provided an avenue to share our initial thoughts, perspectives, passion, formative concepts, and experience in relation to the inquiry question.

We began to consult relevant resources and gained a broader perspective on the topic of differentiation.

We drew inspiration from journals, literature, the guidance of ISV in conjunction with wisdom offered by colleagues to discern how to best use findings and data with a view to subsequently effectively implement

26

Once the ideas for intervention were established, we

Undoubtedly setbacks existed, yet these were

“Students who participate in collaborative learning get better grades, are more satisfied with their education,” (Burke) Moreover, our approach targeted the middleband students through focussing the curriculum, using non-threatening tone, personalising and using reciprocal teaching (summarising, questioning, clarifying and predicting). Through analysing results and the integration of student feedback mechanisms, tangible growth was evident.

evidence-based strategies aimed at ameliorating the

The utilisation of our school’s data dashboard and

outcomes of middle-band students. To this end, we

learning platform, which ranks students’ performance in

scrutinised student surveys, PAT data, Naplan results,

various tasks proved invaluable. The crafting of pre- and

and considered school assessed results to decide on

post-intervention surveys presented both challenges

which students needed the particular attention.

and insights.

The key findings will be disseminated with our Curriculum Committee and Senior School. We will move to implement select ideas into classes within the faculty. Department time will be enriched with discussion on various aspects of the research and inquiry. The inquiry stands as a testament to the profound impact of research and evidence-based interventions, substantiated by the meaningful progress we have collectively achieved.

REFERENCES Burke, A, (2011) The Journal of Effective Teaching, Vol. 11, No. 2, 2011, 87-95,

27

Artificial Intelligence Mr Ian Lyell, Humanities Teacher

I initially dismissed the hype about ChatGPT. As a teacher, it’s easy to become inured to the constant

WHAT CHATGPT CAN DO

deluge of fads and tools. Some offer useful learning

ChatGPT is the most popular of many large language

opportunities, but until this year, none had persuaded me that they could offer a fundamental change in the way that students learn.

However, that initial scepticism vanished after I

learning models (LLMs), which are sometimes described as artificial intelligence chatbots. I’ll explore how LLMs work later in this article, because the most practical way to understand how they work is to try one out and see

received my first essay written by ChatGPT. One

for yourself what it can do.

of my students put an essay question I had assigned

Most obviously, ChatGPT is capable of generating entire

into ChatGPT, transcribed the output by hand onto loose-leaf paper, and submitted it as her own work.

I was initially impressed by the clarity of her writing.

But my suspicious grew as I read further – the written voice differed from the student’s previous work; the introduction and conclusion offered irrelevant generalisations; the essay contained none of the

essays. Currently, the essays it generates are mechanical, generalised and refuse to adopt a definitive position.

However, it can be coached to generate better essays by adding guidance along with the essay question, or by asking it follow-up questions, like ‘Revise that essay you just wrote by adding a paragraph assessing the role of the State Duma in causing the revolution’ or ‘Revise that

evidence we had gathered as a class when planning our essay by adding three direct quotes from the text to essays. each paragraph that support the contention that justice I asked the student if she’d used ChatGPT to help her

is impossible to achieve’ and similar.

write the essay, and she admitted she did because she

My query: Write an essay responding to the question

had trouble starting. So, much like when we encounter students engaging in plagiarism, the root cause was a student feeling lost and lacking the confidence to seek help. Unlike the pastiche of irrelevant ideas in a

‘World War I was the immediate cause of the February Revolution of 1917.’ To what extent do you agree?

In this essay, mention specific battles Russia suffered defeats in, provide quotes from both contemporary

plagiarised essay, though, ChatGPT’s essay answered the figures and historians, and provide dates of key events. question I’d set.

ChatGPT’s response: The February Revolution of 1917 So, if you shared my initial complacence towards marked a critical turning point in Russian history, leading ChatGPT, then this article well help introduce you to

what it is, its implications for learning, and how you and your students can use it.

to the eventual downfall of the Romanov dynasty and the rise of the Bolsheviks. While there were many factors that contributed to the revolution, including economic inequality and social unrest, some argue that World War I was the immediate cause. In this essay, I

28

will explore the extent to which I agree with this claim.

One of the main arguments for the role of World War I in causing the February Revolution is the impact of military defeats on the Russian people. Russia suffered

Women’s Day on 23 February 1917. The events of the revolution were largely driven by internal factors, such as the leadership of the Petrograd Soviet and the influence of revolutionary figures like Vladimir Lenin.

a series of major losses on the Eastern Front, including

In conclusion, while World War I played a significant

the disastrous Battle of Tannenberg in August 1914

role in the lead up to the February Revolution of 1917,

and the crushing defeat at the hands of the Ottoman

it was not the immediate cause. The impact of military

Empire at the Battle of Sarikamish in December

defeats and economic upheaval certainly contributed

1914…. Contemporary figures, including Tsar Nicholas

to the sense of discontent among the Russian people,

II himself, acknowledged the impact of World War I

but poor leadership, social and economic inequality, and

on Russia’s domestic situation. In a letter to his wife

internal political factors also played a significant role. As

Tsarina Alexandra in 1915, Nicholas wrote, “The war

historian Ronald Suny notes, “The causes of the Russian

continues to develop so unfavourably. Everywhere

Revolution were complex and multifaceted, involving

there is disappointment and dissatisfaction, both in the

long-term social, economic, and political factors as well

army and in the country.” The Tsar’s own admission of

as immediate events.”

the deteriorating situation suggests that the war was a major factor in the lead up to the revolution.

ChatGPT is also capable of completing creative tasks. I have always liked using creative writing tasks in History,

However, while World War I undoubtedly contributed

because they help students develop their historical

to the revolution, it was not the sole cause. The poor

thinking skills by provoking them to empathise with

leadership and decision-making of the Tsar and his

people from different cultures and contexts, and

government, as well as the harsh conditions faced by

by challenging them to understand the world from

workers and peasants, also played a significant role.

different perspectives. But I also liked the fact that these

As historian Orlando Figes notes, “The Revolution of

tasks were immune to plagiarism, as students were

1917 was as much a crisis of political leadership as it

forced to synthesise research findings in their own

was a social and economic crisis.” The failure of the Tsar words. ChatGPT, however, can handle these tasks just to adequately address these issues, coupled with the impact of the war, led to widespread disillusionment and unrest.

fine: My query: Write an interview of with an Australian prisoner of war who worked on the Thai-Burma

Furthermore, the February Revolution itself was

Railway during World War II. In the interview, refer to

not directly caused by the war. The revolution was

specific locations, the climate, the food, and war crimes

sparked by a series of strikes and protests in Petrograd,

committed by the Imperial Japanese Army.

culminating in the mass demonstrations on International

29

ChatGPT’s response: Interviewer: Can you describe

discusses the challenges and achievements of women

your experience working on the Thai-Burma Railway?

workers in the USSR, including their struggle for equal

POW: One of the worst places we worked was Hellfire

pay and better working conditions.

Pass. It was a narrow cutting in the rock that we had

2. Yezhov, Nikolai. “On the Participation of Women in the

to excavate using only picks and shovels. The work was

Management of the National Economy.” Izvestiya, June 27,

grueling and dangerous, and many prisoners died from

1936.

injuries or exhaustion…

This primary source is a speech given by Nikolai Yezhov,

Working on the Thai-Burma Railway as an Australian

a Soviet politician and head of the NKVD (Soviet secret

POW was a horrific experience, and one that has

police) during the Stalin era. In the speech, Yezhov

stayed with me for the rest of my life. The conditions

discusses the importance of women’s participation

were terrible, the work was dangerous, and the

in the Soviet economy and calls for increased

Japanese guards showed no mercy or compassion

opportunities for women in management positions.

towards us. It was a living hell, and one that I hope no one ever has to endure again.

Interviewer: What was the food like?

POW: The food was terrible. We were given small rations of rice, sometimes mixed with vegetables or

Secondary Sources: 1. Fitzpatrick, Sheila. “Stalin and the Making of a New Elite, 1930-1945.” The Journal of Modern History 56, no. 2 (1984): 218-251.

by Sheila Fitzpatrick. For some reason, ChatGPT has

topic like the Russian Revolution, ChatGPT is able to

adapted the real article “Stalin and the Making of a New

predict, when asked a question about how World War

Elite, 1928-1939” published in Slavic Review in 1979

I led to the revolution, that it should use language that

into a fictitious article entitled “Stalin and the Making

establishes causational links between military defeats,

of a New Elite, 1930-1945” in The Journal of Modern

demoralisation, mutinies and the overthrow of the

History in 1984.

tsar. However, ChatGPT is not actually designed to

These fabrications pose two dangers. Firstly, they

This secondary source analyzes the ways in which

intelligently evaluate the quality or accuracy of the texts

Stalin’s policies impacted the social and economic status

it is trained on, nor is it trained to retrieve accurate

of women in the Soviet Union during the 1930s and

information. Its purpose is simply to look for patterns in

1940s.

language and emulate them.

since the Japanese guards would often punish us

You can even prompt ChatGPT to answer source-based

This creates ChatGPT’s biggest limitation: it will

crucial, transferrable skills, and will become vulnerable

severely for stealing or foraging.

questions. This takes multiple prompts – you must first

readily fabricate information (what its developers call

to misinformation and manipulation . Secondly, these

inform it you will be providing it with a source (e.g., ‘I

‘hallucinations’), and it will do so convincingly. In my

fabrications are good enough to defy casual observation

am going to show you an extract from Leon Trotsky’s

experiments, I found that as my requests of ChatGPT

– meaning that an overworked teacher who lacks the

history of the Russian Revolution.’), then copy and paste

became more specific, the responses it gave became

time to dig into the sources and evidence a student has

the text of the source, and then ask follow-up questions

less reliable.

used will be likely to reward it with a passing grade.

a small piece of meat if we were lucky. It was barely enough to sustain us, and we were constantly hungry.

We would scavenge for whatever we could find, like wild bananas or edible roots, but even that was risky

As with its essay writing skills, ChatGPT falls far short of what a skilled student of history can do. But once again, the work it produces would be considered satisfactory and could easily pass without close scrutiny.

(e.g., ‘Explain what Trotsky means when he claims the

ChatGPT is also capable of generating correctly-

tsarist regime made a ‘bloody settlement’ with workers

formatted references – even annotated bibliographies!

and peasants. Answer using quotes and evidence about

You can add prompts to use specific referencing styles,

the 1905 Revolution.’ or ‘To what extent do you agree

or give it a URL and ask it to generate

with Trotsky’s evaluation that ‘Although with a few

Query: Generate an annotated bibliography with 5 primary sources and 10 secondary sources about the

broken ribs, Tsarism came out of the experience of 1905 alive and strong enough”?’)

ChatGPT’s response: Primary Sources: 1. Kollontai, Alexandra. “Women Workers Struggle for their Rights.” Pravda, March 8, 1920.

This primary source is an article written by Alexandra Kollontai, a leading feminist and politician in the Soviet Union during the Stalin era. In the article, Kollontai

WHAT CHATGPT CAN’T DO

may seduce students into believing they can abdicate all responsibility for locating evidence, evaluating its reliability, and synthesising it to form conclusions. In doing so, they will forfeit the opportunity to develop

Consider the essay on the previous page . I specifically asked ChatGPT to include quotes in its essay, as this is a HOW CAN TEACHERS USE CHATGPT? form of evidence that we often encourage students to call upon. However, as far as I can tell, all of the quotes in its essay are fabricated – I couldn’t verify them either through an internet search or through a text search in ebook editions of the best-known texts by those authors.

experiences of women in the USSR under Stalin.

30

after reading thousands of books or webpages on a

Similarly, much of the annotated bibliography it

The popular description of tools like ChatGPT as

generated is fabricated. The first source from Kollontai

‘artificial intelligence’ is misleading. ChatGPT is a large

is authentic, but the date appears to be wrong. The

language model , a tool that is trained by examining

second source doesn’t seem to exist – I couldn’t find

huge quantities of text, identifying patterns in how

online any references to the sources described, or

language is used, and which then uses what it has

indeed references to anything resembling it. The third

learned to predict logical ways to assemble language

source, bizarrely, is almost a reference to a real article

Before we tackle this question, let’s take a step back and identify what it is, fundamentally, that ChatGPT changes about education. In essence, it is that ChatGPT essentially automates the process of gathering information and writing about it.

Automation is not inherently a bad thing. It can reduce cognitive load and eliminate valueless tasks, which has the potential to create new learning opportunities.

If we can identify when it is that writing becomes an obstacle to learning, then we have identified an opportunity to use ChatGPT as a learning tool.

when writing about a particular topic. For example, 31

For example, teachers could:

choice quizzes into the Excel spreadsheet formats

It may be helpful to show students in classroom, live,

needed to import these into Kahoot, Google Forms,

the process of ChatGPT getting something wrong, or to to prefer more sophisticated writing techniques, and

Quizizz and other learning tools. With far less time

expose it fabricating evidence. This will work best with

will be constrained by rules that limit the risk of them

investment than before, a teacher can generate a quick

a topic you have nuanced expertise on, and where you

fabricating information. This means that these tools will

learning tool to provide students with instant feedback

can easily spot the generalisations and misconceptions

grow more attractive to students, posing greater risks

on their understanding of a topic – and to create a fun,

that crop up in writing about this topic. You might show that students will forfeit the opportunity to acquire

competitive way to end a lesson of hard work.

students the process of Googling a highly specific claim

useful skills, and making it harder for educators to use

that ChatGPT made or a citation it generated and

assessment to use assessment to promote and measure

discovering that there are zero results, and thereby

learning. So this is definitely a technological leap that all

model to students both the process and the value of

educators must reflect on. As I see it, there are three

verifying claims.

questions we need to answer:

and it can lead to us choosing not to learn, master

You can also show students examples of ChatGPT’s

How do we teach students to value assessment as

Then, challenge students to revise ChatGPT’s

or maintain our proficiency in valuable skills (a

competition. Microsoft’s Bing Chat is much less

a vehicle for learning – so that they embrace the

response to add evidence, eliminate equivocation and

phenomenon known as deskilling ). ChatGPT automates

powerful than ChatGPT in terms of its writing skills,

challenges involved in fumbling their way towards

generalisations. This will help students engage in critical

not just the process of writing, but also a host of

but it has one fantastic feature that ChatGPT lacks: it

mastery of new skills?

and constructive discussion about what makes for a

associated skills: locating evidence, evaluating its reliability,

acknowledges its sources in footnotes. It is thus much

Provide ChatGPT with a text (e.g., an extract from an academic journal article a student has on JSTOR found during a historical inquiry, but has difficulty understanding) and ask it to summarise the text. It will usually extract the most pertinent points, and will break down academic language into plain English.

Ask students to generate responses to exam-format questions using ChatGPT. Compare these to an exemplar response written by a skilled student, or mark them using a mark scheme.

poses dangers. It can lead to us abdicating critical thinking skills because of our trust in an automated system (a phenomenon known as automation bias),

How do we teach students to question and

well-rounded argument – and will help them appreciate selecting relevant evidence, planning an argument, and

less likely to pass off fabricated evidence without it

how critical thinking and expert knowledge is needed to synthesising evidence to support that argument. So it’s

being questioned, and students are more likely to be

essential that we get students to understand the value

able to question the reliability of the sources used to

of these skills, and the costs of forfeiting them.

produce answers.

essay question using ChatGPT. From each, they should

In the longer term, we also need to consider that

And, of course, it may simply be useful to ask yourself

copy up to three sentences which could serve as topic

ChatGPT will change the world that our students will

when designing an assessment task ‘What can ChatGPT

sentences or sentence starters. Brainstorm as a group

enter as adults. Automation is changing the nature of

do with this?’ I am by no means endorsing the idea of

what evidence could be used to support these. This

the world of work. For example, CNET has already

abandoning historical research tasks and creative writing opportunity to embrace this technology, to teach

will help students who are paralysed by the struggle

seen the role of its editors shift from serving primarily

tasks, and exclusively using exam-based assessment.

students to use it critically and constructively, and to

to choose words, but who with sentence starters or

as researchers and writers to being fact-checkers

But it is certainly worth considering that if ChatGPT

prepare them for a future where automation plays an

writing scaffolds are able to build the confidence to

responsible for verifying AI-generated articles . It is

can easily answer a question, then there may be better

increasing role in work and life. But if we don’t take

show off their knowledge and skills.

therefore all the more important that the History

alternatives for promoting historical thinking skills.

advantage of this opportunity, then it is certain that at

generate high-quality historical writing.

Ask students to generate several responses to an

Provide ChatGPT with a text (e.g., a textbook extract, summary notes or text from a PowerPoint) and ask it to generate multiple choice questions with answers. You now have a quick end-of-lesson learning activity. There are even tools that can convert plain-text multiple 32

However, we also need to recognise that automation

They will be trained to evaluate the reliability of sources,

classroom is a space where students are developing transferrable critical thinking skills – ones that will enable them to succeed in a workforce where tasks are increasingly automated and workers are valuable primarily for being to do what AI cannot.

corroborate the information that is provided to them on demand – so they can distinguish between convincing fabrications and verifiable evidence?

Above all, how do we use this technology to promote learning?

Educators are at a unique crossroads. We have the

least some of our students will – and we will be leaving

SO WHAT DOES CHATGPT MEAN FOR EDUCATORS?

it up to them to decide what skills they will and will not be learning.

There is no doubt that ChatGPT and similar tools will grow in sophistication and capabilities over time.

33

Reframing and Responding to AI within the Classroom Ms Bridget Forster, Head of Kerferd Library, Reading Australia Fellow

Research Context In response to the emergence of AI technology and its potential to reshape aspects of secondary education, I embarked on a research inquiry into strategies for using AI in the classroom. In particular, I sought to interrogate the notion of an Australian literary voice and its place within this emerging context. Supported by a Reading Australia Fellowship, I attended the World Library and Information Conference in Rotterdam and consulted various experts in London and Edinburgh to further my research including Dr Vaughan Connolly from the University of Cambridge, Dr. Jane Secker from City

that are specific, relevant, and fit for purpose. While educators will inevitably need to equip students to become adept users of these new tools, we must educate students to engage with this technology with eyes wide open, maintaining a critical awareness of their biases and limitations.

‘Language matters’ – Agency, Identity and Metacognition As UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Education, Stefania Giannini wrote in her report ‘Generative AI and the Future of Education’:

University, London, and Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish “language matters. It is what distinguishes us from Book Trust. While my inquiry centred on the Australian

other animals. It is at the heart of identity and cultural

voice, the broader implications of equipping students to diversity. It gives meaning to the world around us and become critical and ethical users of this new technology inspires our actions. It is the basis of everything we do in lay within the scope of this research and is a significant priority within the context of maintaining integrity within a progressive education supporting liberal, egalitarian values. The following is a discussion paper exploring issues raised with regard to language, creativity and bias in generative AI and proposing some possible strategies for reframing these concerns and responding within the classroom.

The Issue The advent of publicly available Large Language Models (LLM) bridges the gap between people and machines, enabling those with no coding ability to create content and applications through prompts using natural language. The term ‘prompt engineering’ refers to a new skill set that will enable users to harness the computational might of LLMs to generate outputs 34

education and in almost every other sphere of life.”[1] To craft a sentence and use language to persuade, or indeed, for any chosen purpose, is an act of human agency. It is a power we should not be too eager to relinquish for the sake of convenience or efficiency.

In exercising this capability, we also become adept at recognising when language is weaponised or employed to confound or manipulate. Perhaps this concern about AI’s role in the potential erosion of skill is why Director of Digital Learning and Innovation at Wimbledon High School, Rachel Evans, advises students to avoid “using ChatGPT or similar tools as a short cut to knowledge and skills with which they are not already familiar.”[2] Thus, Evans questions the expediency of engaging with this technology, promoting a longer path to acquiring ‘knowledge and skills’ for the metacognitive skill development inherent in such a process.

Culture Recognising the inherent link between language and cultural identity, Scotland has seen a reclamation of their traditional spoken and written voice. This has led to a resurgence of books published in Scots and a reinvigoration of their cultural life. During my visit to the Scottish Book Trust, I was able to see how it promoted works that celebrated the language and syntax unique to Scottish voices. Yet, the increased use of Large Language Models such as ChatGPT threatens to stifle these voices, offering a homogenised voice that reflects the predominantly Western male perspective emanating from the datasets from which it is trained.

In February The Guardian challenged readers to identify AI generated content in samples of Australian politicians’ speeches.[3] The authentic Australian voices were easily and intuitively distinguishable. In contrast, the AI generated prose was dense, characterless, and workmanlike. New Zealand, which has seen a revival of the Maori language, is concerned that when Indigenous languages are scraped from the internet from indiscriminate sources to train LLMs, the outputs can be contextually inappropriate and damaging. Maori Ethicist Karaitiana Taiuru warns, “there are real risks that generative technologies could teach false Indigenous histories and stories, create and re-create biases and make it impossible for Indigenous peoples to reclaim sovereignty of their data.”[4] Professor of Digital Culture, Jill Walker from the University of Bergen in Norway found that despite being multi-lingual, ChatGPT is essentially monocultural, reflecting American values and knowledge.[5] In fact Dodge et al. found that over fifty percent of websites in the Common Crawl – a

key data source - were hosted in the United States compared with the next three largest English speaking countries (India, Pakistan and Nigeria), hosting measly proportions of between 0.03% and 3.4%.[6] Thus, the monocultural bias of the data sources, as well as the homogenising tendencies of the technology are not only limiting and a cause for concern, but have the capacity to stifle voices that are an authentic unique cultural expression of a community.

Reframing and responding for students An effective way for students to gain an appreciation for their own regional literature is to compare it to AI generated samples, noting the aspects that seem sterile, tone deaf or lacking in contextual detail. Like Jill Walker, students can quiz Chatbots about Australian mores and culture – not only to assess its credibility, but also as a means of reflecting on their own conception of Australian identity. By challenging students to write fiction inspired by their own experiences, landscape, and culture, and then comparing the results to AI generated works, students might gain an appreciation of the authenticity and value of their own writing and unique voice. Indeed, we want every student to cultivate their own authentic written voice and value its importance as an expression of identity.

Bias in the data As democratic governments are slowly taking initiatives, such as commissioning statues of prominent women, to reshape their cities to be more representative of women, the digital landscape remains far less progressive.

35

COPYRIGHT AGENCY ANNOUNCES 2023 AUSTRALIAN READING FELLOW

Bridget Forster, a Victorian teacher with more than 20 years of experience, is the 2023 Reading Australia Fellow for Teachers of English and Literacy and teacher librarians.

Bridget is the Head of Kerferd Library and VCE Literature Teacher at Mentone Girls Grammar. The Reading Australia Fellowship provides $15,000 to a leading English and/or literacy teacher or teacher librarian to undertake a career-enhancing research project that will benefit the successful Fellow as well as the education sector.

Large language models such as ChatGPT are trained

the nurse because she was late. Who was late?” When

Computer scientists from MIT’s Computer Science and

Like a cassette taped over too many times, quality

on datasets – the largest being the Common Crawl –

the pronoun ‘she’ is used, LLMs usually answers ‘the

Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) found that

is lost.”[16] Copyright offices across the world are

that reflect a predominantly Western, male perspective. nurse”. However, switch the pronoun to “he” and the

“concerning emotions, a language model thinks that

grappling with issues pertaining to AI and human

Moreover, the tech professionals involved in training

probability of the answer being “the doctor” dramatically

‘anxious, ‘depressed,’ and ‘devastated’ are feminine.”[14]

creativity right now, as they assess applications for AI

LLM’s are far more likely to be male (in 2018 only 6%

increases. As with all sources, the skills of critical literacy

Indeed, professional qualities such as ‘patience’,

assisted or generated works. In nearly all jurisdictions

of AI developers were women), further exacerbating

need to be applied to LLMs to expose gender, racial

‘compliance’, ‘efficiency’, have typically been attributed to human authorship is a condition of copyright, and

this issue.[7] Even the users of LLMs – who continue

and cultural bias. Cambridge academic Dr. Vaughan

female employees in performance reviews while men

arguably it is the human element that is essential to art

to shape the technology through queries and feedback,

Connolly suggests that students need to assess outputs

are more often described as ‘successful’ and ‘proactive’

and creativity. Technology commentator LM Sacasas

which continues to train the models - skew towards the from generative AI by simply asking whose views are

according to an analysis by Lexalytics.[15] These

talks about the importance of “human care”[17], with

male gender. As the AI Now Institute reported:

being presented and, importantly, whose views are

gendered judgements find their way into LLMs and are

effort being its currency[18], and Nick Cave likens art’s

absent.[11]

worth testing by students in prompts also. A prompt

necessary suffering to “the complex, internal human

“Bias can . . . emerge in AI systems because of the very narrow subset of the population that design them. AI

Significantly, students can also, as Miami University’s

developers are mostly male, generally highly paid, and

Howe Centre for Writing Excellence suggests, ask LLM’s

similarly technically educated. Their interests, needs, and

what bias might appear in their output and evaluate

life experiences will necessarily be reflected in the AI

the response.[12] In response to this query, ChatGPT

they create.”[8]

3.5 outlined nine different types of bias, including

Oxford based firm, Aligned AI produced a study showing significant gender bias in LLMs, with outputs changing according to the gender of the input.[9] Bias emerged in both professional and fictional texts. It is no surprise then, that the names and default voices for subservient AI assistants such as Siri, Alexa and Cortana are all female. Indeed, a Sydney academic’s recent request of Midjourney to create a visualisation of traits of a strong leader returned an image of a man in a suit

confirmation bias, cultural, gender and racial bias, and a predisposition towards sensationalism and controversy.

The Chatbot also warned users to “critically evaluate the information” provided and to combine “AIgenerated information with human judgment and diverse sources of information…to mitigate bias”.[13] Thus, AI can be used self-reflexively to bring attention to its own bias.

Not only can students expose gender bias by

standing in a power pose, fist in the air, atop a mountain. composing prompts asking for fictional texts featuring [10]

gendered careers, such as flight attendant, secretary, lawyer and judge, they can also test out emotions.

Reframing and Responding for Students

engineering task challenging students to design prompts struggle of creation.”[19] Again, the inherent value in that expose bias can invite meaningful reflection and

the ‘effort’ required in the complex human process of

discussion about assumptions society makes about race, creativity, as in learning, is emphasised and valued here. gender and culture.

Reframing and Responding for Students Creativity vs ‘A 21st Century Mix-tape’

To this end, we need to equip students with a new

Generative AI is a useful foil for students to consider

vocabulary with which to discuss the products of

the notion and value of creativity. Large language

generative AI. Terms such as ‘simulacra’, and ‘derivative’

models cannot think or create independently – they

might help students to grasp the difference between

are computational tools that identify patterns in data

human-made art and AI generated content. Head of

and predict the most likely result. They can rehash,

Information Literacy for Chartered Institute of Library

reconfigure and regurgitate; they cannot create

and Information Professionals Jane Secker suggests one

something new, indeed, they lack the capacity to

way of bringing to light generative AI’s limitations is by

look forward and are bound by the currency of their

asking it to write several songs. The first one seems

datasets. A literary critic Geordie Williamson wrote

impressive, but by the fourth, one can sense a formula

in The Australian recently, “without human-generated

at play. It might then be interesting to take a song like

material to feed into the models, AI degrades over time. ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ – something that completely defies any formula - and compare it to AI Generated works.[20] After all great art tends to defy or break

We need to teach students to interrogate and expose

with established conventions, making it unique and

biases within these models so that they can apply a

progressive.

critical lens to their use. A simple way of introducing this is to replicate Aligned AI’s query, “The doctor yelled at 36

37

“ Figure 1: A Recent Entrance to Paradise

Figure 2: Zarya of the Dawn

It may also be useful for students to consider case studies of recent copyright applications to consider the

Figure 3: Suryast

by Andrew Selbst and Solon Barocas. AI Now Institute, October 18, 2017. https://ainowinstitute.org/ AI_Now_2017_Report.html.

[9] Aligned AI. (13 September 2023). Using faAIr to measure gender bias in LLMs. Aligned AI. Retrieved October 31, 2023 from https://buildaligned.ai/blog/using-faair-to-measure-gender-

threshold for human and creative input in claiming rights bias-in-llms to works of art and literature. Topical cases include Thaler vs. Perlmutter regarding the work, A Recent Entrance to Paradise[21]; Kristina Kashtanova’s Zarya of the Dawn (a graphic novel in which only the text could be copyrighted, as the images were AI generated)[22]; and Ankit Sahni’s derivative piece, Suryast[23].

[10] Bryant, P. (2023). Navigating the complexity of disruption: the ethics opportunities and hype of generative AI. In World Library and Information Congress. [Symposium] IFLA, Rotterdam.

[11] Connolly, V. (2023, August 29). Interview. Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge.

[12] Bulanda, R., & Roebuck Bulanda, J. (2023). Confronting Bias in Generative AI. Miami University. Retrieved November 06, 2023 from https://miamioh.edu/howe-center/hwac/teaching-support/ resources-for-teaching-writing/ai-lesson-plans-and-background/confronting-bias-in-generative-ai.html [13] OpenAI. (2023). What kinds of bias might appear in your output? [Response by ChatGPT].

Retrieved from https://chat.openai.com/c/d77921b0-4d1d-4216-8b18-e9c1f0e7d347 [14] Gordon R (March 3 2023) Large language models are biased. Can logic help save them? MIT News https://news.mit.edu/2023/large-language-models-are-biased-can-logic-help-save-them-0303

Conclusion

[15] Understanding Bias in Machine Learning - Lexalytics. (2022, May 12). Lexalytics. Retrieved October 31, 2023 from https://www.lexalytics.com/resources/understand-bias-machine-learning/

The intention of teaching students to scrutinise the

[16] Williamson, G. (2023, September 9). Does AI mean the death of books, culture and humanity? The Australian.

functionality and output of generative AI, is not to demonise the technology. Rather, it is to equip students to be critical and ethical users, who might one day contribute to shaping this technology to align with their human, democratic, egalitarian values. By understanding the workings of large language models, together with their limitations, students can reap the benefits of this emerging technology whilst mitigating its risks.

REFERENCES [1] Giannini S. (2023). Reflections on generative AI and the future of education. © UNESCO. [2] Evans A. & Pett S. (2023). Our position on Generative Artificial Intelligence and other related technologies. Wimbledon High School.

[3] Hepworth, S. (2023, February 10). Who said it: An Australian MP or ChatGPT? The Guardian. Retrieved October 27, 2023 from https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/11/ who-said-it-an-australian-mp-or-chatgpt [4] Chandran, R. (2023, April 03). Indigenous groups in NZ, US fear colonisation as AI learns their languages. Reuters. Retrieved November 09, 2023 from https://www.reuters.com/article/newzealand-tech-lawmaking-idUSL8N2UQ0EC [5] Walker Rettberg, J. (2022, December 06). ChatGPT is multilingual but monocultural, and it’s learning your values. Jill/txt. Retrieved December 08, 2023 from https://jilltxt.net/right-now-chatgptis-multilingual-but-monocultural-but-its-learning-your-values/ [6] Dodge, J., Marasovic, A., Ilharco, G., Groeneveld, D., Mitchell, M., & Gardner, M. (2021). Documenting Large Webtext Corpora: A Case Study on the Colossal Clean Crawled Corpus. Conference on Empirical Methods in Natural Language Processing.

[7] West M. Kraut R. Chew H. E. (2019) I’d blush if I could: closing gender divides in digital skills through education. UNESCO, EQUALS Skills Coalition.

The intention of teaching students to scrutinise the functionality and output of generative AI, is not to demonise the technology. Rather, it is to equip students to be critical and ethical users, who might one day contribute to shaping this technology to align with their human, democratic, egalitarian values.

[17] Sacasas, L. M. (2023, May 12). Waste Your Time, Your Life May Depend On It. The Convivial Society. Retrieved November 06, 2023 from https://theconvivialsociety.substack.com/p/waste-yourtime-your-life-may-depend [18] Selinger, E. (2013, March 26). We’re Turning Digital Natives Into Etiquette Sociopaths. WIRED. Retrieved November 06, 2023 from https://www.wired.com/2013/03/digital-natives-etiquette-be-damned/ [19] Madarang, C. (2023, January 16). Nick Cave Slams AI Attempts at Nick Cave Songs. Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 06, 2023 from https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/ai-chatbot-chatgpt-writes-song-nick-cave-style-1234661842/ [20] Secker, J. (2023, August 30). Interview. Dept. of Learning Enhancement and Development. City, University of London.

[21] Small, Z. (2023, August 21). As Fight Over A.I. Artwork Unfolds, Judge Rejects Copyright Claim. The New York Times. Retrieved November 06, 2023 from https://www.nytimes. com/2023/08/21/arts/design/copyright-ai-artwork.html [22] Zarya of the Dawn: How AI is Changing the Landscape of Copyright Protection. (2023, March 06). Harvard Journal of Law & Technology. Retrieved November 06, 2023 from https://jolt. law.harvard.edu/digest/zarya-of-the-dawn-how-ai-is-changing-the-landscape-of-copyright-protection [23] Chaturvedi, G. (2023, March 31). A.I. Paintings: Registrable Copyright? Lessons from Ankit Sahni IP Osgoode. IP Osgood Intellectual Law and Technology Program. Retrieved November 06, 2023 from https://www.iposgoode.ca/2023/03/a-i-paintings-registrable-copyright-lessons-from-ankit-sahni/

APPENDICES Figure 1: Dr Thaler’s Creativity Machine. (2012) A Recent Entrance to Paradise. Retrieved December 08, 2023 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A_Recent_Entrance_to_Paradise.jpg Figure 2: Kashtanova K. using Midjourney AI (2022) Zarya of the Dawn. Retrieved December 08, 2023 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zarya_of_the_Dawn#/media/File:Zarya_of_the_Dawn_ cover.webp Figure 3: Sahni, A. using RAGHAV (2021) Suryast. Retrieved December 08. 2023 from https://www. iposgoode.ca/2022/03/canadas-first-ai-authored-copyright-registration-paints-a-picture-of-uncertainty/

This project is supported by the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund.

[8] Campolo, A. Sanfilippo, M. Whittaker, M and Crawford, K. (2017) AI Now 2017 Report. Edited

38

39

Musico-Rhetorical Figures in the Music of Mozart Mr Tony Toppi, Head of Creative Arts, PhD Candidate

Although it is accepted that music can arouse an

with the formalist view that meaning in music is purely intellectual. rests and cadences and provides examples to support his ideas.

emotional response, how it does so is an area of

Later in my PhD study, a listening test will be administered in

Mattheson goes on to include melodic equivalents for other

That principals of literary rhetoric are present in music

interest to researchers.

which participants will be asked to identify their emotional

punctuation such as questions and exclamations.

is evidenced by such writers as Johann Mattheson

Exactly how music can express or arouse emotional

ABSTRACT

(1681–1764), Johann Joachim Quantz (1697–1773), and Johann Nikolaus Forkel (1749–1818), German music theorists who identified pertinent links between rhetorical figures and music. These theorists used the principals of literary rhetoric ¬¬that were codified by philosophers such as Aristotle (384–322 B.C.), Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 B.C.), and Marcus Fabius Quintilianus (ca.35–100 A.D.), to identify equivalent figures—musico-rhetorical figures—in music of the Baroque era. What is less examined is how these rhetorical figures were adapted in the music of the Classic era. This paper addresses the topic of musicorhetorical figures in music by using Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–91) as a case study. The possible connections between rhetorical figures and the music of two of Mozart’s operas, Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni, are explored. The use of music with text serves as a catalyst to identifying the use of musico-

response is an area in which many musicologists, musicians and psychologists are divided. On one hand there are those who believe that music only elicits an emotional response through some sort of representation to the extramusical; while, on the other hand, there are those who propose that music can be emotional without the need for representation.

Those who have entered this discussion are broadly divided into two categories––the formalists and the expressionists. Composer, author, and philosopher Leonard B. Meyer, in his book Emotion and Meaning in Music, defines the two groups: [T]he formalist [contends] that the meaning of music lies in the perception and understanding of the musical relationships set forth in the work of art and that meaning in music is primarily intellectual, while the expressionist would argue that these same relationships are in some sense capable of exciting feelings and emotions in the listener.

how Mozart coded emotion––emotional coding––into his music. The study investigates key affect, topic theory, and partimento as contributing factors to Mozart’s emotional coding.

of the test will determine if the intellectual meaning in Mozart’s music corresponds with the listener’s response. To establish a link between music and text, it is prudent to have an understanding of rhetoric, that is, the study of language and its components. As this presentation will demonstrate, there exist musical patterns that have been associated with figures and patterns found in rhetoric.

These rhetorical figures and patterns found have been deemed by literary theorists to carry emotional or affective properties, and composers—particularly those of the 17th and 18th centuries—sought to find or create equivalent musical patterns.

METHODOLOGY AND PURPOSE What the ensuing paper, and subsequentially my broader PhD study, seeks to demonstrate is that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–91) codified emotion into his music. By analysing 2 of Mozart’s

It is generally accepted that music can express emotions operas––Le Nozze di Figaro (KV492) and Don

Mattheson identifies three types of exclamations: astonishment, expressed through lively and rapid movements, and large and wide intervals; wishes, expressed through rapid and fast sound, large, uncommon intervals, and sometimes small and extraordinary intervals; and true screams, expressed through confused intervals, and a frenzied accompaniment. These and other types of musical equivalents for rhetorical figures will hereafter be referred to as musico-rhetorical figures. In the following discussion, the relationship between text and affect will be analysed through the lens of musico-rhetorical figures.

Philosophers and composers such as Aristotle, Quintilianus,

Rhetoric and Music

Johann Joachim Quantz (1697–1773) and Mattheson,

Rhetoric, as previously mentioned, is the study of language and its documented that rhetoric and music––composition and components––such as syntax and figures of speech. Rhetoric has performance––are strongly connected. The connections can be its roots in classical Greek culture with Aristotle (384–322 B.C.) and Roman philosopher, Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 B.C.).

In the first century A.D. Marcus Fabius Quintilianus (ca.35–100 A.D.) codified the principles of Greek and Roman rhetoric in his Institutio Oratoria. These principles were understood as being

rhetorical figures in Mozart’s music that is not textbased. This paper is part of a PhD study that concerns

response to particular excerpts of Mozart’s music. The result

necessary for an oration or discourse to be both convincing and persuasive; ideally, an oration was expected to be intelligible–– achieved through structure––and convincing––achieved by a manipulation of the emotions of the listener through the artful use of exclamations, inflections, speed of delivery, pauses, and figures of speech.

and arouse an emotional response––one only need turn Giovanni (KV527)––I seek to find relationships between

Figures of speech and their musical equivalents are discussed

to the many psychological studies concerning the use of music and text. The relationship between music and

by Johann Mattheson (1681–1764) in his Der vollkommene

music in therapy to appreciate the effects of music.

text will suggest that the music carries the emotional

Capellmeister. Among other topics, Mattheson discusses the use

properties suggested by the text. Therefore, aligning

of caesuras––for examples, commas and colons––in music and

found globally in structure down to micro figures. The use of

literary rhetoric as a tool for music composition is evident in the works of the Baroque era, in particular the works of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750). Bach’s musical output provided composers who came after him with a solid foundation in affective and rhetorical compositional practice.

Scholars such as Ursula Kirkendale (1932–2013) and Dietrich Bartel (1953–), have identified the use of musico-rhetorical figures in the works of Bach. In is his book, Musica Poetica, Bartel provides a comprehensive list of musico-rhetorical figures that summarises the work of many primary sources by authors such as, Joachim Burmeister (1564–1629), Athanasius Kircher (1601–80), and Johann Mattheson. The list defines and describes the musico-rhetorical figures as well as identifying their rhetorical equivalents and affective properties.

rhetoric. He suggests that caesuras are musically interpreted with 40

41

It is understood from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s letters to and

As motioned above, Dietrich Bartel summarized the plethora

from his father, Leopold Mozart (1719–1787), that he, Wolfgang, of sources that pertain to the use of rhetorical figures in music. was trained by his father. Little evidence exists that suggests that

Here I will illustrate a selection of these musico-rhetorical figures,

Wolfgang had a traditional school-based education; however, it

namely the epizeuxis, ascensus and descensus, and imitatio.

is understood that Wolfgang learnt composition by writing out Minuets composed by J. S. Bach, and Leopold would explain the rules of harmony and melody-writing. This suggests, to a certain degree, that Wolfgang learnt composition by rote rather than attend a formal educational institution. Nonetheless, given Wolfgang’s extensive and impressive musical output, Leopold’s method must have worked. That there are musical connections

As defined by Bartel, the epizeuxis is “an immediate and emphatic repetition of a word, note, motif, or phrase.” The epizeuxis carries affective properties both in literary rhetoric and music.

It is a contiguous and passionate repetition of the same word [or note, motif, or phrase] for the sake of greater vehemence or amplification.

between Wolfgang’s music and that of Bach’s is evidenced through The ascensus is “an ascending musical passage which expresses his compositions.

Given that W. A. Mozart’s musical education seems to be centred on studying compositions by composers of the Baroque era, it can be assumed that he was not consciously aware of the rhetorical vocabulary and terminology that was commonplace during the 17th century. As such, it is reasonable to look to

ascending or exalted images or affections.” Contrastingly, the descensus is “a descending musical passage which expresses descending, lowly, or negative images or affections.” The ascensus and descensus are not part of literary rhetoric but are used in music to recreate, as Bartel’s definitions suggest, exalted images or affections, and lowly or negative images or affections respectively.

sources from the 17th-century, and earlier, as well as secondary

Finally, Imitatio is an approximate rather than strict imitation of

sources concerning musical rhetoric of the 17th century for

a subject at different pitches. In the context of literary rhetoric,

appropriate rhetorical vocabulary and terminology to describe W. imitatio is the “imitation of someone by mimicking their speech, A. Mozart’s compositional elements.

Baroque composers and musicians were trained as orators in that music was/is a form or oration and that the composer or musician cannot compose or perform a convincing work by ignoring the principals of rhetoric. Quantz in his treatise On Playing the Flute states Musical execution may be compared with the delivery of an orator. The orator and the musician have the same aim in regard to both the preparation and the final execution of their productions, namely to make themselves masters of the hearts of their listeners, [and] to arouse or still their passions.

mannerisms, and gestures in an oration.”

The Musico-Rhetorical Figures in Mozart’s Music The epizeuxis as mentioned adds emphasis by exactly and immediately repeating a musical phrase. It does not carry affective properties, but it is a tool used by Mozart to emphasise a portion of text or add clarity to the text. That is, Mozart may choose to repeat both text and music, therefore, emphasising that portion of text, or he may choose to repeat music but set it to a different portion of text.

The aria, Venite inginiocchiatevi from Le Nozze di Figaro is very wordy, therefore, to make the text clearer, Mozart employs

In this next part of this paper, I provide evidence that Wolfgang–– the epizeuxis so that the amount of new information––text or hereafter referred to as simply Mozart––incorporated musicomusic––delivered to the listener is limited. As can be seen by rhetorical figures in two of his operas: Le Nozze di Figaro and

Don Giovanni. The purpose of this identification, in the context of my PhD study, is to link the musico-rhetorical figures to affect and to see if consistencies are present between the two operas and then link those consistencies with selected chamber works by Mozart.

42

the coloured shading, the epizeuxis exists, in this example, in the music only.

“

Musical execution may be compared with the delivery of an orator. The orator and the musician have the same aim in regard to both the preparation and the final execution of their productions, namely to make themselves masters of the hearts of their listeners, and to arouse or still their passions.

43

“descending image”. That is, the image of flowers, presumably

The aria, Via resti servita, is a duet between Susanna and

flower petals, falling to the ground.

Marcellina. The pair are trying to dominate each other while attempting to maintain a degree of decorum. During the aria, Mozart exploits the drama with the use of the imitation, identified by the coloured shading. Here Marcellina sings her opening phrase and Susanna repeats it––albeit with different text––3.5 beats later. While no affective state is attributed to the imitatio, Mozart’s use of the imitatio aligns with Bartel’s idea that it is a “contemptuous imitation”; the imitation is used as a tool to show the characters poking fun at each other.

Example 5. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Le Nozze di Figaro, KV492, ‘Via resti servita’,

Example 1. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Le Nozze di Figaro, KV492, ‘Venite inginocchiatevi’, mm. 83–90: epizeuxis––indicated by the green shading. English translation of the text: look at the little rascal! Look how handsome he is! What a cunning vision! What charm, how foolish.

Example 3. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Le Nozze di Figaro, KV492, ‘Giovani liete’, mm.

9–12: ascensus––indicated by the red shading; and descensus––indicated by the green shading. English translation of the text: happy youths scatter flowers.

In the next example, Non to fidar, o misera from Don Giovanni,

In the following excerpt, Sola sola in buio loco from Don

the epizeuxis is a repetition of both music and text. In this

Giovanni, the ascensus and descensus are used for the same

Example 6. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Don Giovanni, KV527, ‘Là ci darm la mano’, mm. 1–16: imitatio––indicated by the green shading. English translation of the text: (Don Giovanni) Over there we will give each other our hands, there you will tell me ‘yes’; see it is not far, let us go, my dear, from here. (Zerlina) I want to, and I don’t want to, my heart is a little troubled; it’s true, I would be happy but it [her heart] could still mock me.

Conclusion

instance, the epizeuxis ephasises the sentiment of the of the text, portion of text “cheto, cheto, io vo’ partir”. Here the ascensus in this case, one of pity.

At this point in my PhD study, it is clear that Mozart has used

creates for the text a sense of anticipation whereas the descensus

musico-rhetorical figures in these two operas. It is apparent

gives the same text a sense of retreat and subtlety.

that the musico-rhetorical figures align with standard Baroque compositional practice as well as align with their associated affective properties. The next phase of the study will be to identify these musico-rhetorical figures in selected chamber works by Mozart. By identifying the musico-rhetorical figures, conclusions Example 5. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Le Nozze di Figaro, KV492, ‘Via resti servita’, mm. 9–12: imitatio––indicated by the green shading. English translation of the text: (Marcellina) Take your leave magnificent lady, I am your servant. (Susanna) I would not be so daring, graceless lady.

In this portion of Là ci darem la mano from Don Giovanni, Zerlina imitates Don Giovanni’s melody. The use of the imitatio here is to show that Zerlina will go along with Don Giovanni’s desire to marry her, even though she is not convinced.

Example 2. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Don Giovanni, KV527, ‘Non ti fidar, o misera’, mm. 16–19: epizeuxis¬––indicated by the green shading. English translation of the text: they fill me with pity.

Bartel, Dietrich. Musica Poetica: Musical-Rhetorical Figures in German Baroque Music. USA: University of Nebraska Press, 1997.

Kirkendale, Ursula. “The Source for Bach’s “Musical Offering”: The “Institutio Oratoria” of Quintilian.” Journal of the American Musicological Society 33, no. 1 (Spring 1980): 88–141. Accessed March 4, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/ stable/831204

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. Don Giovanni, Kv527. Kassel: Bärenreiter-Verlag Karl Vötterle GmbH & Co Kg, 2005.

text “Giovani liete” Mozart employs ascensus––indicated by red

Le Nozze Di Figaro, Kv492. Kassel: Bärenreiter-Verlag Karl Vötterle GmbH & Co. KG, 1999.

shading. The “ascending image” can be presumed to be the giovani

Quantz, Johann Joachim. On Playing the Flute: A Complete Translation with an Introduction and Notes by Edward R. Reilly. London: Faber and Faber, 1966.

liete because of their state of happiness.

are shaded green. While the action of scattering flowers is not

REFERENCES

Meyer, Leonard B. Emotion and Meaning in Music. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1956.

is established with the opening sung text, “Giovani liete.” On the

text, Mozart employs the descensus––the main notes of which

drawn.

Mattheson, Johann, and Ernest Charles Harriss. Johann Mattheson’s Der Vollkommene Capellmeister: A Revised Translation with Critical Commentary. Translated by Ernest Charles Harriss. Ann Arbor, Mich.: UMI Research Press, 1981.

Giovani liete is the first chorus of Figaro. The affect of happiness

The latter half of the opening phrase is “fiori spargete”. For this

concerning the affective intent of the chamber works will be

Quintilianus, Marcus Fabius. Quintilian’s Institutes of Oratory; or, Education of an Orator. Translated by Rev. John Selby Watson. 12 vols. London: George Bell and Sons, 1903.

Example 4. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Don Giovanni, KV527, ‘Sola sola in buio loco’, mm. 65–68: ascensus––indicated by the green shading; and descensus––indicated by the red shading. English translation of the text: I see a door over there, I will leave quietly.

Spaethling, Robert. Mozart’s Letters, Mozart’s Life. Edited by Robert Spaethling. USA: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc, 2000.

necessarily at “lowly image”, it does, however, align with Bartel’s 44

45

Creativity & Digital Disruption Dr Jim Waller, Senior Visual Arts Teacher

Defining Artificial Intelligence (AI) In its simplest terms, AI refers to machines performing a task that would usually be reliant on human intelligence.

Tasks such as understanding language, recognising patterns, and making decisions are now all becoming the domain of increasingly capable AI. In the latter part of the 20th century, machine learning (ML) emerged, which enabled machines to learn from sets of data rather than being explicitly programmed. AI has come a long way since the development of a computer* program to play checkers was developed by IBM in the 1950s. From autocorrect to facial recognition, navigation to digital assistants, AI is now so firmly embedded in our day to day lives, that its presence is often relatively innocuous. *The 1952 term ‘computer’ is a significantly different piece of hardware from today, once requiring an entire room, rather than the palm of the user’s hand.

However, in recent months, rapid developments in language models have highlighted the significant rate at which AI is accelerating, and the groundswell of attention that platforms such as ChatGPT (the fastest growing app of all time) have garnered are cause for interrogation in educational communities.

What is ChatGPT There has been an upsurge in more mainstream discourse within the last few months about AI, albeit a field of science that has existed since last century.

Due to its accessibility, simplicity, and astounding results,

46

ChatGPT is a natural language processing tool driven

conversation has gathered pace in the education sector. it’s heft is significant. She contended that while AI might

by AI technology that allows you to have human-like

Katherine Schulten, once English teacher and now

(and now does) have the capacity to produce a creative

conversations and much more with a chatbot. The

an editor at The New York Times, outlines a range of

artefact, whether that be music*, visual, or literature,

language model can answer questions, and assist you

practical techniques that educators can implement into

its limitation comes in not being able to evaluate it

with tasks such as composing emails, essays, and code.

their practice.

through the human lens by which we all as educators

Usage is currently open to public free of charge because

understand works (Chatterjee, 2022). Therefore,

ChatGPT is in its research and feedback-collection

Creativity and Thinking

interpretivist perspectives, as opposed to positivistism

phase. (Ortiz, 2023)

Current commentary would suggest that an existential

(where observable facts are not dependent on

Why does it matter?

crisis is either emerging, exists, or is now well beyond

the lid of Pandora’s box, when it comes to AI’s influence and making meaning of that which we create.

Within an educational context, the most significant

or impediment to creative and original thought. As

concern has been that this tool (a Large Language

someone who has worked as a creative and is now

Model) will inevitably replace the deep learning and

teaching the same skills to others, there oft can be a

inquiry that we ask of students to answer questions,

recurring theme from individuals when lamenting their

respond to prompts, interrogate ideas, and formulate

“lack of creativity”. I have lost count of the amount of

opinions. With a generation wired for efficiency and

Parent Teacher Interviews where one has exclaimed “I

expediency, what impetus is there for the student

don’t know where she gets it from”, as if the ability to

pressed to a deadline to construct their own prose,

draw, sing or compose is genetically inherited. Creativity,

when a few cleverly worded prompts into the Chatbot

like literacy, numeracy, or physical fitness, is part of our

will take care of it in an instant?

human capacity that needs nurturing and effort to grow.

The Brookings Institute, an American based research institute, declares that AI is not a futuristic vision, but a matter for the present that needs attention as we reorganise the way we think, communicate, and make decisions (Susskind, 2023). West and Allen (2018) state As AI applications accelerate across many sectors, it is vital that we reimagine our educational institutions for a world where AI will be ubiquitous and students need a different kind of training than they currently receive.

ChatGPT has contributed to AI now sharply being in

Although this technology plays a significant role across

the sights of education across all sectors. According to

economics, policy, and governance, it is only now that

ZDnet;

it has implications for teaching and learning that the

individual philosophy) remain key to our understanding

Cognitive scientist, Professor Margaret Boden OBE stated:

*See Nick Cave’s response to an AI generated song in the artist’s timbre.

Teaching Example As previously mentioned, creativity is a cognitive skill that can be developed; however, the development of skills and techniques to execute creative thought are not always commensurate. I use the below example (Figure 1), from my own teaching experience often. It depicts the divide between what some might determine as innate ability, and learned ability (Ritter, Gu, Crijns, & Biekens, 2020).

Creativity is not a special “faculty”, nor a psychological

• The context Year 8 Art property confined to a tiny elite. Rather, it is a feature of • The theory: Learn about the history of The Archibald Prize, and portraiture throughout time human intelligence in general. It is grounded in everyday capacities such as the association of ideas, reminding, perception, analogical thinking, searching a structured problem-space, and reflective self-criticism. (Boden, 1998) The fact that Boden made these remarks before the turn of the millennium is not of any great significance out of cultural context, but when one considers that she was referring 25 years ago to AI’s impact on creativity,

• The exercise: Create a portrait of a teacher you admire, as part of a portraiture prize (while learning about The Archibald Prize) • The implementation: Two students nominated the same teacher, and with the teacher’s participation they were provided with a posed photograph to work from. Both students were given the same instruction, materials, time, and resources.

• The results: The two portraits, displayed and then presented to a teacher both students admired, are presented in Figure 1: 47

‘A rising tide lifts all boats’ Image created using DALL·E 2

these two key human characteristics are outside that of an algorithm. Beyond the metaphysical, however, one

understanding, where flexible knowledge and the ability REFERENCES

can engage with AI creative tools for entertainment,

to interpret underpin the way we learn. Of Kranzberg’s

Boden, M. A. (1998). Creativity and artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence, 103(1-2), 347-356.

gimmickry, or simply to source or create content that

most important of the 6 Laws of technology, he

Chatterjee, A. (2022). Art in an age of artificial intelligence. Front Psychol, 13, 1024449. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1024449

they couldn’t otherwise access. There is no shortage of

stated that “Technology is neither good nor bad; nor

individuals who may have a creative concept in their

is it neutral” (Fickers, 2014; Kranzberg, 1995). In its

mind, but are hindered by the absence of skills to realise it.

simplest forms, this alludes to the fact that it is the user

Some creative tools you may wish to explore further DALL-E2

Best overall AI art generator

The challenge for educators, when assessing students’

Craiyon

Best completely free AI art generator

work, is how does one create assessment that extends

Dream

Best AI art generator for your phone

Figure 1

the individual’s capacity to interpret, evaluate, and comment on matters of meaning? A prompt on what were the most significant moments in the Battle of Hastings; theological recounting of world religions in chronological order, explaining the difference between a

Midjourney

Best AI generator for high quality

photos

Conclusion

bicameral and unicameral system; or even writing a love The role of educators is to instil ethical, honest, and story set on the moon in tone of Jane Austen, are all

meaningful approaches to learning in our students.

child’s play for AI. It is therefore incumbent upon us to

Eric Hudson, from the Global Online Academy,

1) determine how this tool can be embraced and not

recommends that integrating AI should be given the

feared, and 2) how it can enhance teaching and learning, same consideration that technological innovations have instead of simply be perceived as a threat.

For the creative industries, the complexity of what it means to actually be creative and the skills required to answer questions that might not yet be known is now being heavily scrutinised. Producing detailed artwork, labouring over a pithy line in a screenplay, or crafting a melodic composition, are now all skillsets not threatened by AI, but challenged. Like art, our interpretation of a work (from any other field) can be considered through agency and intentionality (Chatterjee, 2022). It therefore can be argued that 48

However, information must not be conflated with

always required, ever since the printing press. That is; “technology gives students the power to find and build

who determines the output of the tool in their hand.

Contrary to technological determinism, which purports that technology shapes the way society behaves (Smith & Marx, 1994), I contend we have greater agency as educators. Two people can hold a hammer. One can use it to build something great. The other can use it to knock it down. Ultimately, we as teachers must foster a desire to build and create, lest the wreckage begins.

Fickers, A. (2014). Neither good, nor bad; nor neutral’: The historical dispositif of communication technologies. Journalism and Technological Change: Historical Perspectives, Contemporary Trends.

Frankfurt, 30, 52.

Hudson, E. (2022). How AI Can Support Agency in Our Students, and in Us. Global Online Academy.

Retrieved from https://globalonlineacademy.org/insights/articles/how-ai-can-support-agency-in-ourstudents-and-in-us Kranzberg, M. (1995). Technology and History:” Kranzberg’s Laws”. Bulletin of science, technology & society, 15(1), 5-13.

Ortiz, S. (2023). What is ChatGPT and why does it matter? Here’s everything you need to know.

Retrieved from https://www.zdnet.com/article/what-is-chatgpt-and-why-does-it-matter-heres-everything-you-need-to-know/ Ritter, S. M., Gu, X., Crijns, M., & Biekens, P. (2020). Fostering students’ creative thinking skills by means of a one-year creativity training program. PLoS One, 15(3), e0229773. doi:10.1371/journal. pone.0229773 Smith, M. R., & Marx, L. (1994). Does technology drive history?: The dilemma of technological determinism: Mit Press.

Susskind, D. (2023). Work and meaning in the age of AI. West, D., & Allen, J. (2018). How artificial intelligence is transforming the world. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/research/how-artificial-intelligence-is-transforming-the-world/#_edn2

FURTHER READING: • What is ChatGPT and why does it matter? Here’s everything you need to know • When AI can make art – what does it mean for creativity? (The Guardian, 2022) • ChatGPT appears to pass medical school exams.

Educators are now rethinking assessments • Did you notice the red sail boat on Mentone Bay in this journal? It was created with generative AI

knowledge on their own. The work of schools is to help them use that power well” (Hudson, 2022). We are all cognisant of technology’s capacity to outsource parts of our brain that were once relied upon to store key dates, directions, or even the name of that film you saw last month. One now doesn’t need to sort to the back of their cognitive filing cabinet for that “a-ha” moment, when the answer is more easily accessed at their digital fingertips.

49

Holistic Education Dr Karl Sebire, Director of Research & Practice

Outdoor learning offers the opportunity to foster

Beyond our immediate location, our priority is to ensure

Learning outdoors facilitates cooperation and comfort

Nature-specific outdoor learning has measurable socio-

key skills and perspectives outlined in the Australian

that all students have a local focus, with a global outlook.

between students and teachers, perhaps by providing a

emotional, academic and wellbeing benefits, and should

Curriculum, developing personal and social proficiency,

Opportunities to travel to various destinations around

more level playing-field wherein the teacher is seen as a be incorporated into every child’s school experience

innovative and reflective thinking, ethical awareness,

Australia, and internationally, ensure that a Mentone

partner in learning (Scott et al., 2013)

Indigenous views of land and country, and sustainability.

Girls’ graduate leaves with a rich understanding of a

In the context of girls’ education, this type of learning

culturally diverse world that calls them to explore.

becomes even more significant. Through outdoor

As schools emerge gleefully from a period that saw

education, girls can develop self-reliance, learn to work

classrooms move to online calls and excursions, trips

interdependently, and begin to adopt leadership roles. It and tours cancelled wholesale, it’s exciting to be able to instils an adventurous spirit and helps our students learn offer a raft of opportunities to students who are ready to manage personal risks, ensuring safe encounters with for adventure again. nature. Moreover, it underlines the worth of lifelong outdoor recreational activities for pleasure, health, and overall well-being.

Our pedagogical approach, whether within the classroom or beyond, is one that ensures empirical evidence and research complements our strategic goals.

Celebrating a holistic education, a pillar of our strategic

Some key factors that inform and support our approach

plan, ensures that Mentone Girls’ Grammar embraces

to education beyond the school gates are listed below:

the myriad benefits that extend beyond traditional academic environments. It strives to foster growth in all aspects of a student’s life, emphasising emotional, social, physical, and mental development alongside academic learning. Our bayside setting, a unique feature of this school, enables students to have first-hand

In school settings, incorporating nature in instruction improves academic achievement over traditional instruction. In a randomized controlled trial of school

peers taking traditional classes; moreover, the more

Beightol, J., Jevertson, J., Carter, S., Gray, S., & Gass, M. (2012). Adventure education and resilience enhancement. Journal of Experiential Education, 35(2), 307-325.

garden-based instruction, the larger the gains (Wells et al., 2015) Experiences of nature seem to contribute to additional outcomes. First, not only do experiences of nature enhance academic learning, but they seem to foster personal development – the acquisition of intrapersonal

Harun, M. T., & Salamuddin, N. (2014). Promoting social skills through outdoor education and assessing its’ effects. Asian Social Science, 10(5), 71.

Jostad, J., Paisley, K., & Gookin, J. (2012). Wilderness-based semester learning: Understanding the NOLS experience. Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership, 4(1), 16-26.

Kochanowski, L., & Carr, V. (2014). Nature playscapes as contexts for fostering self-determination.

Children Youth and Environments, 24(2), 146-167.

they are calmer and quieter, because they foster

M., Barnes, M., & Jordan, C. (2019). Do experiences with nature promote learning? Converging thinking, leadership, and communication skills. (Kuo et al., Kuo, evidence of a cause-and-effect relationship. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 305.

warmer relationships, and because the combination of

2019)

“loose parts” and relative autonomy elicits particularly beneficial forms of play. (Kuo et al., 2019)

Teachers, parents, and students report that wilderness and other nature experiences boost self-confidence, Carr, 2014; Truong et al., 2016) as well as leadership

ecology that lives and breathes on our doorstep. Such

(Chawla et al., 2014; Maynard et al., 2013; Warber et al.,

and communication skills such as making important

an educational approach allows girls to learn in a setting 2015; White, 2012)

decisions, listening to others, and voicing opinions in a

that nurtures their unique perspectives and encourages

group (Cooley et al., 2014; Jostad et al., 2012)

overall self-esteem and preparing them for real-world

Cooley, S. J., Holland, M. J., Cumming, J., Novakovic, E. G., & Burns, V. E. (2014). Introducing the use of a semi-structured video diary room to investigate students’ learning experiences during an outdoor adventure education groupwork skills course. Higher Education, 67, 105-121.

and interpersonal assets such as perseverance, critical

meaningful and trusting friendships between peers

self-awareness, and resilience, contributing to girls’

Chawla, L., Keena, K., Pevec, I., & Stanley, E. (2014). Green schoolyards as havens from stress and resources for resilience in childhood and adolescence. Health & place, 28, 1-13.

Greener environments may foster learning because

sustainability, environmental causes, marine life and

education emphasises social-emotional skills, empathy,

learning (Chawla et al., 2014).

REFERENCES

critical thinking, and problem-solving (Kochanowski &

(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths). A holistic

focus on how natural settings can be used effectively for

students gained more knowledge than waitlist control

Greener settings are tied to the development of

traditionally male-dominated areas of study like STEM

service and in-service education needs to include a

garden-based instruction involving over 3,000 students,

contact with an environment that teaches them about

their full participation, both critically important in

with reference to their local context. Teacher pre-

Learning in greener settings has been consistently tied to the bridging of both socio-cultural differences and

Students emerge more resilient, with a greater capacity

interpersonal barriers (e.g., personality conflicts) that

to meet challenges and thrive in adverse situations

can interfere with group functioning in the classroom

(Beightol et al., 2012; Cooley et al., 2014; Harun &

(Cooley et al., 2014; Warber et al., 2015; White, 2012)

Salamuddin, 2014; Richmond et al., 2018; Warber et al.,

Maynard, T., Waters, J., & Clement, J. (2013). Child-initiated learning, the outdoor environment and the ‘underachieving’child. Early years, 33(3), 212-225.

Richmond, D., Sibthorp, J., Gookin, J., Annarella, S., & Ferri, S. (2018). Complementing classroom learning through outdoor adventure education: Out-of-school-time experiences that make a difference.

Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 18(1), 36-52.

Scott, G., Boyd, M., & Colquhoun, D. (2013). Changing spaces, changing relationships: the positive impact. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 17(1), 47-53.

Truong, S., Gray, T., & Ward, K. (2016). “ Sowing and Growing” Life Skills Through Garden-Based Learning to Reengage Disengaged Youth. LEARNing landscapes, 10(1), 361-385.

Warber, S. L., DeHudy, A. A., Bialko, M. F., Marselle, M. R., & Irvine, K. N. (2015). Addressing “nature-deficit disorder”: A mixed methods pilot study of young adults attending a wilderness camp.

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015.

Wells, N. M., Myers, B. M., Todd, L. E., Barale, K., Gaolach, B., Ferenz, G., . . . Pattison, K. O. (2015). The effects of school gardens on children’s science knowledge: a randomized controlled trial of low-income elementary schools. International Journal of Science Education, 37(17), 2858-2878.

White, R. (2012). A sociocultural investigation of the efficacy of outdoor education to improve learner engagement. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 17(1), 13-23.

2015)

challenges.

50

51

Australia’s Sustainable Energy Transition to Biofuels Meagan Ngo, Emilie Yu, Michelle Fong, Keira Puc

Despite this, geothermal energy systems are not yet

Abstract In the midst of a global climate crisis, finding renewable energy sources is pivotal to a more sustainable future.

There is a growing trend across the planet to phase out fossil fuels in favour of energy sources that reduce carbon emissions. Although Australia can be considered a mineral and energy resource rich country, oil and petroleum transport fuels represent a major weakness in the nation’s energy and resource portfolio. Australia’s current energy consumption is dominated by coal with 92% of Australia’s energy demand in 2020-21 accounted for by fossil fuels, such as oil, coal and gas. It is anticipated that Australia’s domestic oil reserves will be exhausted in 1015 years. Establishing a nationwide goal of replacing dependence on fossil fuels with renewable fuels over the next

power systems [5]. Moreover, methods of biofuel

adoption of renewable fuels whilst simultaneously

production are still being researched and are yet to

eliminating disincentives such as fossil fuel tax rebates

be fully established. Within Australia, there is minimal

[9]. The long-standing fossil fuels rebates have been

development and use of biofuel in the energy sector,

sustaining Australia’s mining sector, reflecting the

with it being the source of a mere 4% of Australia’s total government’s political interests and their reticence to energy consumption.

Australia is a leading producer and exporter of coal

and global scale. Our aim is to accelerate Australia’s transition towards renewable energy and to meet net zero

and liquified natural gas (LNG). The country’s exports

by 2050, by integrating biofuels (including bioethanol, biodiesel and biogas) into the transport sector, converting

of these non-renewable energy sources account for

biofuel technology and application from lab to commercial use. Biofuels are the source of chemical energy derived

more than two-thirds of total production. As one of the

from biomass (organic feedstocks from plant and animals) and the production of this energy involves anaerobic

largest exporters of coal in the world [6], the trading

fermentation. This paper will provide an overview of the scientific processes involved in producing biofuels, and a

of fossil fuels significantly contributes to the country’s

case for their feasible implementation into the aviation and transport sector. We have analyzed scientific literature

economic prosperity. Australia’s energy imports include

and conducted secondary research to create a framework of how Australia can integrate biofuels as a step

refined petroleum products primarily from countries

towards a more sustainable future and net zero.

in Asia, such as Singapore, which in 2021, Australia imported $6.57 billion in refined petroleum form [7].

Crude oil is another imported source of energy that

Australia, biofuels, feedstocks, organic waste, decarbonisation

INTRODUCTION Australia’s current energy systems are made up of various sources, but predominantly include fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil. In 2020-21, non-renewables were responsible for 71% of all electricity production in the nation [1] Plentiful gas resources are found offshore in coastal basins and there is an abundance of coal and gas in Australia, with black and brown coal deposits located across the country. However, despite contributing 51% to the nation’s total energy generation [2], in the past ten years, coal consumption has fallen an average of 2.4% whilst renewables have 52

fully developed and thus do not contribute to Australia’s the government to introduce incentives for industry

50 years would offer an equally wide range of multi-economic, infrastructure, and social benefits on a national

Keywords grown 4.6% [3]. Renewable energy resources in Australia primarily consist of solar power, hydro, wind and geothermal power plants. Hydro energy structures

fuels Australia’s transportation sector. In 2020-21, the COVID-19 pandemic and international restrictions led to a 6% decrease in Australia’s energy exports and imports [8], partly due to lowered demand.

are strongly developed in Australia, with over 120 hydroelectric power stations currently using flowing water to generate around 7% of the nation’s electricity.

Furthermore, large-scale wind farms throughout

To accelerate this, there should be a demand on

PROPOSED TRANSITION FOR AUSTRALIAN ENERGY SYSTEM:

Australia hold immense potential, with wind energy

POLICY

rapidly increasing in use. In 2021, it accounted for 10%

Nationwide fuel blending mandates should be in place

of electricity generation [4], a figure which continues to

to provide a standard that increases both effectiveness

surge as more infrastructure is developed. Geothermal

and productivity of the integration of biofuels. As of

energy also appears promising, as major potential

currently there are separate mandates per state which

resources have been investigated and located.

have varying requirements of the types of fuels sold.

change. Thus, for Australia to remain accountable and contribute its share to the Paris agreement (the global commitment “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, before 2050”) [10], there must be a price placed on burning traditional diesels and a push for policies and processes to change.

DEVELOPMENT and INFRASTRUCTURE Investments in co-location of 1st and 2nd generation biofuel plants. These are also known as biorefinery systems that use a combination of the two, allowing both low-carbon and economic sustainable solutions to be met [11]. This decreases the high funding involved in advanced biofuels whilst increases the effectiveness of reaching decarbonising goals (in comparison to using primarily conventional biofuels). The application of “drop in” fuels align with existing infrastructure and engine platforms. Furthermore, the implementation of biorefinery systems not only enables the production of biofuel but a wide range of other valuable resources such as bioelectricity, bioheat, biochemicals and proteinbased feed. These investments enable Australia to take advantage of the Australian resources that biofuel demands (to grow its feedstocks) whilst limiting the land degradation. Moreover, this infrastructure stimulates regional development and overall increases Australia’s fuel security.

53

TRADE Feedstocks including cereals, maize, sugar beet, sugar cane, and rapeseed should be exported globally on a larger scale to support the economy. Exporting feedstocks will aid the transition of fossil fuel exportation as it becomes obsolete.

To facilitate phasing out the fossil fuel exportation, our plan acknowledges the importance in supporting those who are currently working in mining companies and helping them potentially relocate to alternative jobs created by the development of the biofuel industry.

This promotes the support of the public who may be concerned regarding the stability of their employment and income. In hopes to increase the demand for relocation and financial support from the government, wider education campaigns will be implemented.

Due to the biofuels compatibility with current oil fuel infrastructures, it allows fuels to be easily implemented

How are biofuels produced?

a processing plant, triglycerides are combined with

Biofuels are the result of anaerobic fermentation

alcohol, usually methanol, to separate the fatty acid

by plants and yeast. In all living organisms, glucose,

chains from the glycerol molecule. The long-chain esters

produced from photosynthesis or derived from food,

produced have similar appearance and qualities to the

is converted into ATP energy, through the process of

hydrocarbons that make up regular diesel. However,

cellular respiration. In the absence of oxygen, organisms

biodiesel has limited viability in Australia as it has very

bypass the Krebs Cycle and the Electron Transport

different properties to regular diesel. It has a low cloud

Chain, and instead undergo anaerobic fermentation.

point, since it is derived from fatty acids, and becomes

This occurs in the cytoplasm of cells and begins with

more viscous as temperature drops. These properties

Glycolysis. Glucose is converted into two pyruvate

hinder its ability to function like regular diesel [13].

molecules, with two ATP molecules also being produced. Pyruvate is then used to produce carbon dioxide and ethanol, which can be blended with gasoline to become a fuel [12]. This process can be described by Eq.(1).

C6H12O6 ---> 2C2H5OH + 2CO2+ 2ATP

(1)

Figure 1: An overview of different biofuel feedstocks.

maritime sectors. Application of biofuels in these

The term biogas describes a mixture of gases,

industries alleviates some of the pressure caused by

consisting of approximately 60% methane and 40%

carbon emissions taxes placed on transport companies

carbon dioxide, that are the products of anaerobic

(including major airlines and courier services).

digestion. This process occurs in a large gas-sealed

and educational sectors that support the development involved in biofuels to equip Australians with experts in the industry and provide more job opportunities.

RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS Increasing community engagement is a pivotal step in gaining support for the transition to bioenergy.

container known as a digester. Gas is generated from the fermentation of organic matter, such as manure, sewage, food waste and agriculture waste, by a range

Education campaigns must be employed to communicate to the public that biofuels are safe and viable for long-term use. One particular example of this is promoting the potential of biofuels in sustainable aviation.

crops such as cereals, maize, sugar beet, sugar cane, and rapeseed which are commonly used in Europe to produce biodiesel [14]. Australia is the third largest

Advanced Biofuels vs. Conventional Biofuels Australia should aim to develop and use sustainable, low-carbon, advanced biofuels (2nd, 3rd or 4th generation biofuels, depending on the type of feedstock) rather than conventional biofuels (1st generation biofuels).

sugar cane producer worldwide and a leader in the

Conventional biofuels are typically derived from

production of oil crops such as canola, which puts

vegetable oils and sugarcane, corn, and wheat. Blends

the country in an advantageous position to generate

with petroleum are limited due to high oxygen and

biofuels and export feedstocks. Australia is already

moisture content, sedimentation, and cold flow issues

sustainably producing enough crop for bioenergy

(when solid material deforms after mechanical stress)

but around half of its canola produce is being sold to

involved in these feedstocks. This causes existing fuel

European biofuel markets where policies are driving

infrastructure and existing vehicles such as planes and

greater and more positive demand.

ships to reject this form of fuel. Moreover, conventional biofuels are produced almost exclusively from the

Second generation processes are still being developed

oxygen. The biomass provides a source of ‘food’ for the

but will revolutionise the industry as they are

bacteria to anaerobically convert into energy, producing

produced from the waste products of other industries.

carbon dioxide and methane as byproducts. The gases

Lignocellulose, for example, is the thick lignin cellulose

produced, which chemically resemble natural gas, are

complex found in cell walls of plants. The forestry

collected through pipes on the top of the digester and

and agriculture industry generate large amounts of

On the other hand, advanced biofuels are renewable

lignocellulosic wastes but fortunately, these can be

and present notable advantages that elevate its appeal

converted in biofuel. As newspapers become obsolete

over conventional production. Diesel, green diesel,

describe the leftover solid feedstocks after anaerobic

and the paper industry declines, lignocellulosic waste

Fischer–Tropsch (FT)-diesel, bio-jet fuel, and bio-gasoline

digestion has occurred. It is a valuable fertilizer and a

could especially become more plentiful. Organic wastes are liquid advanced biofuels derived from sustainable

sustainable substitute to petroleum-based fertilizers,

and residues are the by-products of other industries.

sources of organic matter that do not compete with

such ammonium nitrate.

Examples of these are livestock residues, such as

food production. The feedstocks are non-edible biomass,

manure, as well as wastes from municipal solid waste,

derived from the residue and waste of agricultural

construction and demolition and commercial and

sectors (straw, cotton trash, sawdust and vegetation

industrial sectors. Currently in Australia, 22% of organic

removed by agricultural thinning), rubber content,

Biodiesel is derived from plant oils or animal fats, inclusive of cooking oil and grease. The chemical structure of fats and oils consists of chains of organic molecules, known as fatty acids, connected to a glycerol molecule. This compound is termed triglyceride. Within

54

technologies are known as first generation processes.

Figure 2: A breakdown of Australia’s biofuel resource potential.

of bacteria and microorganisms in the absence of

It is important to raise the profile of bioenergy solutions can be used to generate electricity to power cities and fuel for transport. Digestate is the term used to and ensure that successful case studies are wellrepresented in the media.

Currently the most commercially viable biofuel These describe feedstocks derived directly from

into aviation construction, heavy transport and

Furthermore, our plan seeks to invest in technological

Potential Sources and Processes for Producing Biofuels

human food chain, which ultimately takes food resources away from the population. This becomes especially impractical as the population continues to grow and world hunger statistics increase.

wastes and residues are sent to landfill and only 7% are mining tires, grease, and demolition waste. This increases used for energy recovery [15].

the sustainability as it mitigates waste production, offsetting more carbon emissions (e.g. methane that 55

would have been emitted from landfill). It may also

variety of oils, paving the way as part of transport sector

Region Alliance in Victoria and Daintree Bio Precinct in

use high yield grass and woody biomass as feedstocks

decarbonisation. However, amount of appropriate

Queensland are in development to become bioenergy

which can be grown in high yields and on semi-arable

feedstock is limited, preventing the production of

hubs strategically located in areas that maximise

land (land which is not capable of sustaining crops on

sufficient quantities of drop in fuels to be produced to

availability for resources and minimise the need for

a regular basis). This ensures no food sources are being

cover all projected biofuel demand in the transport

transportation [19].

sacrificed for fuels, whilst limiting land degradation.

sector. Therefore, the use of cheaper and more readily

Furthermore, byproducts of advanced biofuel

available feedstock such as lignocellulosic feedstocks has

Biofuel Currently in Australia and Application Aviation sector

production including bioelectricity, bioheat, biochemicals proved a more desirable option. This development is and protein-based feed which may also be sold to

currently underway with focusses on thermochemical,

At the moment the nation’s leader in biofuel policies is

compensate for the investment of infrastructure and

biochemical and hybrid pathways.

Queensland. They have partnered with various sectors (including aviation, construction, heavy transport and

production. Another advantage is that cellulosic ethanol, bio-CNG, bio-LNG are other forms of biofuels which

Benefits for Australia

have a much higher potential to reduce emissions [16].

Australia has the potential to benefit greatly from the

Some of these are termed “drop-in fuels” as they can be transition to bioenergy in areas of waste reduction, applied in existing distribution infrastructure and engine meeting emissions reduction targets and economic platforms. Therefore, the use of advanced biofuels and growth. According to Bioenergy Australia, by the implementation of biorefinery systems not only opens up a diverse range of different biomass sources but is also compatible with existing infrastructures designed for petroleum inputs and transport, increasing the

beginning of 2030, Australia’s bioenergy sector could contribute an additional $10 billion to the country’s annual GDP and create 26,200 new jobs by supporting long-term regional employment. This number increases

efficiency of transporting to commercial markets. These to an extra 10,000 jobs by 2050 [17]. As the majority long-term benefits are why Australia should invest in of feedstocks for biofuels are derived from the the advanced biofuel facilities rather than conventional biofuel options. However, some economic challenges still prevail; advanced biofuels are currently more costly in comparison to their counterpart, partially due to the

agricultural sector, investments in bioenergy provide additional revenue streams for regional farmers and support economic stability in local communities.

By locally producing biofuels, Australia’s reliance on

cost of enzymes which must be tailor made for the type imported oil and petroleum fuels is reduced, improving of feedstock during the production of cellulosic ethanol. the country’s overall fuel stability, especially in times Though current research is focused on reducing these of conflict and widespread disease. Deriving energy costs, it is estimated that the investment required for production facilities alone is estimated to be $25-30 billion [16].

Drop-in fuels Drop-in fuels, also termed renewable gasoline, are alternative fuels that can be used as direct replacements for conventional fossil fuels without significant modifications to existing engines or infrastructure. As they consist of similar properties and energy densities as the fossil fuel counterparts, they are compatible with current combustion engines and distribution systems.

These specific biofuels do not require blending with petroleum unlike most biofuel consumption that occurs as a blend with gasoline, diesel fuel and heating oil.

Drop in fuels are currently produced using lipids from a 56

from organic wastes and residues offers a novel and alternate method of waste treatment. Resources, such as lignocellulosic waste, would otherwise have been burned withoutany attempt at energy recovery, ultimately increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

The most obvious benefit to this transition is the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. As a renewable source of energy for generating electricity, heat, gas and transport, biofuels redirect our energy sector away from burning fossil fuels. It is estimated that by 2030, bioenergy could abate emissions by 9% nationwide [18].

Issues for Consideration in the Transition to Biofuels Cultivation of land for biofuel production may result in dire environmental consequences. The conversion of natural vegetation to cultivate biofuel feedstocks risks releasing a significant amount of carbon from soil and plant biomass. Other environmental impacts include soil erosion, nutrient depletion, water consumption and loss of biodiversity which should be taken into account if it

maritime) in taking their steps towards integrating biofuels into these industries [20]. The Queensland government encourages more biofuel plant locations because it would help achieve decarbonization goals, increase fuel security and create job opportunities.

Specifically, the Mercurious biorefinery pilot plant in Mackay (Queensland University of Technology Renewable Bio Commodities Pilot Plant) makes sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel [21].

is planned to enlarge the biofuel industry to a greater

The most common organic matter being used to

scale. Land use changes in relation to biofuels can

process biofuels is easily fermentable sugars from grain

occur in 2 ways: indirect and direct. Direct refers to the

sorghum, used cooking oil, molasses from sugar cane

transformation of previously uncultivated areas, such

processing. The location of these bio plants would be

as grasslands or forests, into croplands for feedstock

effective and efficient as Queensland is responsible for

production for only biofuel use. Indirect land use change 95% of Australia’s sugarcane grown and produced [22].

Cutting transport distances leads to an increase in the refers to using previous land areas for crop and food production to produce biofuels, whilst inducing the displacement of these crops to new land areas. The ‘food versus fuel’ debate is an ongoing dispute that emerges from utilising grains and oilseeds for biofuel production instead of for human and animal food. As the global population increases at an alarming rate, and hunger and malnutrition become more prevalent issues, our land use must be evaluated critically. It is estimated that 100 million hectares of land are needed for feedstocks to meet the 2060 target. This figure will increase as a growing population seeks more land to produce food and biofuels.

net surplus of sustainable energy.

The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) are helping the Queensland government to reach their decarbonization goals as they contribute to the production of biofuel blends for jets and other engines, as the biofuel produced is carbon negative. Since the organic matter requires photosynthesis involving the uptake of CO2, once the biofuel is burned, it reaches net zero CO2 emissions. This becomes crucial for the aviation sector as aeroplanes alone contribute to a total of 1 billion tons of CO2 per year, which is more than the emissions of most countries including Australia [23]

Transport and storage costs also have an influence on

which emits approximately 463.9 million metric tons.

the economic viability of bioenergy. The transport of

[24]. The aviation sector contributes to 2.5% of the

raw materials over long distances to reach processing

world’s total carbon emissions.

plants is costly, but the establishment of biohubs appears as an optimistic solution. The G21 Geelong 57

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap Biofuels are critical to the decarbonization of the aviation sector. To minimise their carbon emissions, Qantas and Airbus have invested in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and have plans to build a $400 million ethanol-based fuel facility in North Queensland that

such as equipment required for agricultural cultivation

Technology knowledge: Australia’s transition to biofuels Singapore [31]. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has

and harvesting, transporting biomass, refueling, and

means the country will gain expertise and knowledge

revealed critical vulnerabilities that show that we need

other tasks. When all of these factors are taken into

in sustainable agriculture and biofuel production which

to enhance our nation’s self-sufficiency and reduce

consideration, bioderived fuels, while not emission-

could be shared with countries, promoting the adoption dependance on petroleum imports, so that we are

free, are nonetheless projected to give a decrease in

of ecofriendly practices and fostering innovation.

emissions overall when compared to fossil fuels.

is expected to finish construction in 2026. The facility

The Qantas group is currently sourcing its SAF overseas,

nations: Developing countries, many being located

will transform crops, such as sugarcane into jet fuel

but domestically producing bioethanol will represent

in Africa, may have a lot to gain from Australia’s

through anaerobic fermentation to produce bioethanol. a significant milestone towards net zero emissions by

experience, as they also are rich in biowaste as well

According to Queensland’s deputy premier, Steven

2025. Qantas became the first Australian airline to

as having enormous natural resources in the form of

Miles, this project is in line with the state’s Energy and

continuously acquire SAF in December 2021, delivered

biomass. Our nation’s transition to biofuels motivates

Jobs plan and will revolutionise the state’s economy and at London Heathrow airport. 3.2 million gallons of

and provides an insight into an effective plan along with

decarbonization ambitions [25]. With their rich supply

SAF was purchased at London Heathrow in the

potential points of improvement.

of feedstocks, Queensland is in the perfect position

financial year 2022. The implementation of Sustainable

to capitalize on the global shift to green jet fuels and

Aviation Fuel is increasing across in the globe, but

become the leader of a local SAF industry. Queensland

especially in Europe, the UK, and the US. Businesses and

could be producing the millions of litres of SAF needed

governments are collaborating to find ways to gradually

to power flights across Australia and around the globe,

decarbonize the aviation sector through government

creating more regional jobs in the process.

fuel subsidies, SAF blending mandates, financial

The International Air Transport Association states that SAF may offer over 65% of the emissions reductions

incentives (e.g. capital grants, loans, tax incentives), and additional project-based funding [27].

required for aviation to attain net zero by 2050 [26].

The development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in

Reducing these emissions improves local air quality,

Australia is just one prime example of how biofuels

particularly in areas with a high density of flight

have a growing importance in our journey towards Net

movements, such as airports. Additionally, bio-derived

Zero.

fuels reduce CO2 emissions throughout their lifespan compared to fossil-derived fuels. The quantity of CO2 taken up by plants throughout the development of their biomass is about similar to when fuel is consumed in a combustion engine, producing carbon that is merely returning to the atmosphere. As a result, these lifespan phases cancel one another out. The manufacturing of bioderived fuels does, however, result in extra pollutants, 58

Encouraging the transition of biofuels in developing

Australia’s Impact on Other Countries

Rural development: It is expected that if the 2060 biofuel production goal is reached in Australia, more than 250,000–400,000 new employment roles will be available [28], creating job opportunities and improving livelihoods in regions that may be struggling economically.

International trade: It is estimated that biofuels could contribute around 10 billion to Australia’s economy by 2030 [29]. The globally decreasing demand for coal will gradually limit the amount exported by Australia. $112.8 billion worth of coal was exported by Australia in 2022 [30], which is currently the third largest exporter of fossil fuels. Mining less coal may negatively affect Australia’s economy and standing as a major coal

Global energy security: Increased biofuel production in

exporter and disrupt relationship with other countries

Australia will contribute to global energy diversification,

dependent on trade partnerships.

mostly targeting the reduction of dependence of fossil fuels and mitigating geopolitical risks associated with oil rich regions

Minimise reliance on international importations: Currently Australia imports 90% of its petroleum fuel from overseas, with a significant 25% coming from

not at risk of supply constraints during times of global or political upheaval. However, reducing importations may also impact the economic growth and activity of petroleum exports in the nations that we currently depend on.

Conclusion Currently, humans are facing a massive crisis due to augmentation of global energy demand and simultaneous increase of CO2 emissions due to the overconsumption of fossil fuels, triggering alarm to both humankind and the environment. The depletion of petroleum derived fuel has created exigencies for a more sustainable, reliable, and renewable fuel source.

Australia’s vast landmass presents a great potential for a generous supply of biofuel production, however, as highlighted in this discussion, the nation stands far behind amongst countries who have already seen to its extensive implementation. The clear pathway to the transition of biofuels lies in several key elements highlighted prior in our discussion: implementation of policy framework and national tax rebates that incite use of biofuel blending in transportation fuels, the development of advanced biorefinery systems as both an economic and sustainable production strategy, and exporting the nation’s generous feedstock internationally to further increase the adoption of biofuels as fossil fuels become obsolete. Overall, the proposed transition plan sits well within the nation’s reach. By meticulously implementing this plan, Australia 59

can not only significantly reduce its carbon footprint but also

[12] Silvester, H., Hawthorne, A, & Edwards, S.(2021). Biology For VCE Units 3&4. Oxford University Press

contribute to global sustainability efforts, thus inspiring other

[13] Lipman, M. (2023, January 24). Biodiesel: The afterlife of oil. TED-Ed. https://ed.ted.com/lessons/biodiesel-theafterlife-of-oil-natascia-radice

nations to follow suit and collectively work together towards a greener and more resilient planet.

Acknowledgements To Professor Akshat Tanksale of the Department of Chemical and

[14] O’Connell, D., & Batten, D. (2007). Biofuels in Australia – issues and prospects [PDF]. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/B-Keating-2/publication/235758457_Biofuels_in_Australia_---_issues_and_prospects/links/56706a5c08ae2b1f87ace5ee/Biofuels-in-Australia---issues-andprospects.pdf [15] Enea and Deloitte for ARENA. (2021). Australia’s Bioenergy Roadmap [PDF]. Appendix -Resource Availability. https://arena.gov.au/assets/2021/11/appendix-resource-availability-australias-bioenergy-roadmap.pdf [16] ARENA. (n.d.) Biofuels and Transport: An Australian opportunity, A special report from the CEFC and ARENA. https://arena.gov.au/assets/2019/11/biofuels-and-transport-an-australian-opportunity.pdf

17] Australia’s Renewable Energy Agency. (2021). Australia’s Bioenergy Roadmap Appendix - Public Policy. [online] Biological Engineering at Monash University, our deepest gratitude ‌[https://arena.gov.au/assets/2021/11/appendix-public-policy-australias-bioenergy-roadmap.pdf

for taking the time to review our paper and giving us generous advice that has been instrumental to our research. His expertise as the Carbon Theme Leader of the Woodside-Monash Energy Partnership and Deputy Director of the newly launched ARC Research Hub for Carbon Utilisation and Recycling has provided us with crucial insights to the research and viability of biofuels within the industry.

We would also like to give a sincere thank you to our wonderful teacher Mrs. Bridget Forster for her unwavering support throughout this project. As the Head of Kerferd Library and the

[18] Australia’s Renewable Energy Agency. (2021). Appendix -Community Support and Benefits. https://arena.gov.au/ assets/2021/11/appendix-community-support-and-benefits-australias-bioenergy-roadmap.pdf [19] Food vs. Fuel Debate. (2023). Www.etipbioenergy.eu. https://www.etipbioenergy.eu/sustainability/food-vs-fueldebate [20] Queensland Government. (2022, June 16). What are biofuels? How we make and use biofuels in Queensland | State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning. Www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au. https://www. statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/news/what-are-biofuels-how-we-make-and-use-biofuels-in-queensland [21] Queensland government; State Development, I. (2022, June 3). Turning sugar cane waste into biojet fuel: how a biorefinery is propelling Queensland into the future. State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning. https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/news/turning-sugar-cane-waste-into-biojet-fuel-how-a-biorefineryis-propelling-queensland-into-the-future [22] Sugar - DAFF. (2014). Agriculture.gov.au. https://www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/farm-food-drought/ crops/sugar#:~:text=The%20Australian%20sugar%20industry%20produces [23] Kimbrough, L. (2022, April 6). How much does air travel warm the planet? New study gives a figure. Mongabay Environmental News. https://news.mongabay.com/2022/04/how-much-does-air-travel-warm-the-planet-new-studygives-a-figure/#:~:text=Airplanes%20emit%20around%20100%20times [24] Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions: December 2022 quarterly update. (2022). DAWE. https://www.dcceew.

2023 Reading Australia Fellow for Teachers of English and Literacy gov.au/about/news/australias-greenhouse-gas-emissions-dec-2022-quarterly-update#:~:text=The%20report%20 shows%20emissions%20were and Teacher Librarians, Mrs. Forster has kindly lent her time and

effort to make this report possible, and she has provided us with the opportunity to extend our knowledge and participate in this project.

Finally, we thank the organisers at GALESS, for holding this conference and encouraging bright young minds to be a part of the solution to a complex and global problem.

[25] Jordan-Peters, C. (2023, February 26). Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap. Towards Net Zero Mission. https:// research.csiro.au/tnz/sustainable-aviation-fuel-roadmap/ [26]CSIRO (2011). Towards establishing a sustainable aviation fuels industry in Australia and New Zealand Flight path to Sustainable Aviation Sustainable Aviation Fuel Road Map Acknowledgements. (https://publications.csiro.au/ rpr/download?pid=csiro:EP107203&dsid=DS3 [27] Sustainable Aviation Fuel | Qantas Group. (2021). Qantas.com. https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-group/ sustainability/our-planet/sustainable-aviation-fuel.html

mentonegirls.vic.edu.au/research

[28] ARENA. (n.d.). Biofuels and Transport: An Australian opportunity A special report from the CEFC and ARENA. https://arena.gov.au/assets/2019/11/biofuels-and-transport-an-australian-opportunity.pdf [29] Australia’s Australia’s Bioenergy, R., & Bioenergy, R. (2021). https://arena.gov.au/assets/2021/11/australia-bioenergy-roadmap-report.pdf [30] Minerals Council of Australia (2023). Coal: building Australia’s future. [online] Minerals Council of Australia.

Available at: https://minerals.org.au/about/mining-facts/mineral-coal/.

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[31] Australian Institute of Petroleum. (2017, September 1). Imports of Transport Fuels [online] Www.aip.com.au. https://www.aip.com.au/resources/imports-transport-fuels

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APPENDIX Figure 1: ARENA (2021) Australia’s Resource Availability [online] https://arena.gov.au/assets/2021/11/appendix-resource-availability-australias-bioenergy-roadmap.pdf Figure 2: ARENA (2021) Australia’s Resource Availability [online] https://arena.gov.au/assets/2021/11/appendix-resource-availability-australias-bioenergy-roadmap.pdf

[5] Australia Government, Department of Geoscience (2023). Geothermal Energy Resources. [online] www.ga.gov.au.

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[6] Geoscience Australia (2023). Overview. [online] www.ga.gov.au. Available at: https://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/energy/overview.

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[8] Commonwealth of Australia. (2022). Australian Energy Update 2022. [PDF]. Energy.gov.au. https://www.energy. gov.au/sites/default/files/Australian%20Energy%20Statistics%202022%20Energy%20Update%20Report.pdf [9] Biofuels and Transport: An Australian opportunity A special report from the CEFC and ARENA. (n.d.). https:// arena.gov.au/assets/2019/11/biofuels-and-transport-an-australian-opportunity.pdf [10] Unfccc.int (2023).The Paris Agreement https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement#:~:text=Its%20overarching%20goal%20is%20to [11] Zaky, A. S. (2021). Introducing a Marine Biorefinery System for the Integrated Production of Biofuels, High-Value-Chemicals, and Co-Products: A Path Forward to a Sustainable Future. Processes, 9(10), 1841. https://doi. org/10.3390/pr9101841

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