Pymble Institute

from Pymbulletin Semester 2 2021

105 Objects in 105 years

Dr Sarah Loch, Director of Research and Development at the College has been working hard over the past 12 months to establish the Pymble Institute (P.I.). The P.I. is the College’s home of research, innovation and professional learning and an element of the new Strategic Direction in the Academic Intelligence domain.

INTRODUCING THE PYMBLE INSTITUTE

The overall goal of the Academic Intelligence pillar, of which the P.I. is a part, is to inspire students to explore what matters to them and to see themselves in futures they may not have imagined. The P.I. holds the goal of conducting, sharing and applying research and professional learning which can drive our thinking forward.

Innovation is a perfect partner with research and professional learning as it brings to mind the importance of using learning and research to explore new and better ways of doing things in an increasingly diverse and complex world.

How do students connect with the Pymble Institute? The initials – P.I. – give a clue! As ‘Pymble Investigators’, Preparatory School students will soon begin exploring inquiry in scientific thinking. They will use a specially designed Pymble Research Curriculum and themes which include Researchers as Curious Thinkers, Researchers as Detectives and Researchers take Action.

Junior School students have recently completed a whole-College survey on student wellbeing. Exploring Research as an Academic Skill, another part of the Pymble Research Curriculum, a group of students will work alongside Dr Sarah Loch, Mrs Kate Brown and Mrs Nerissa Davey to consider their results to questions in the survey relating to bullying. The Junior School has a strong culture of kindness and friendship which makes bullying and conflict stand out.

We are curious about what students think of their results in this area and what action they would like to take to continue to improve their school community.

In Year 10 Elective Geography, the concept of transdisciplinary thinking is being explored with Mr Liam Hume and Ms Debra Owens. The teachers and students in the Future Thinking workshop study are also connecting with Dr Susanne Pratt from UTS who is helping develop the initiative and support the teachers in their research of their practice. This is an example of Researchers seeking a better way, another theme of the Pymble Research Curriculum.

Gender policy is an important area and one in the spotlight across the nation. The NSW Association of Independent Schools has partnered with experienced researchers from Western Sydney University to enable schools to participate in a project about genderrelated issues in schools and society. The team hope to contribute to new approaches to understanding gender (such as updating policy and practices relating to gender in the school setting). Their full study, Gender Matters, involves input from young people and teachers. A small group of teachers and Year 11 students have the option of participating in a phase of this large study.

The Pymble Institute recently hosted our second Pymble Research Conference on 7 October 2021. The theme was ‘Making time for research’ and this is something researchers and would-be-researchers certainly need to do, no matter how experienced you are in your field.

Dr Sarah Loch

Director of Research and Development

The Pymble Institute drives our thinking forward with research

We make it possible for Pymble students and staff to learn and extend their skills in inquiry and research so they can instigate and contribute to research now and into the future. As the hub of research at the College, the Pymble Institute welcomes connections with universities and other research institutions. The Pymble Institute amplifies our capacity to make a positive impact in the lives of girls and women. We are driven by a commitment to building our own skills in research, innovation and education. Grow, connect and engageImage to be supplied 8 July 2021 Line and page design to be tweaked once image has been provided. The Pymble Institute drives our thinking forward with research

What we learn is shared in ways that inspire others to drive their own thinking forward and to find new ways of doing.

We make it possible for Pymble students and staff to learn and extend their skills in inquiry and research so they can instigate and contribute to research now and into the future. Pymble Institute As the hub of research at the College, the Pymble Institute welcomes connections with universities and other research institutions.

Driving thinking forward