The educational landscape in Australia is shifting, schools are trying to prepare their young people to enter a world that is changing so rapidly that what was previously valued in education is being questioned. Subject-specific information has – and will continue to be -critical in our society, but increasingly we are seeing industry, employers and tertiary institutions seeking students that bring with them a broad range of transferable skills.
Transferable skills are the abilities and qualities that can be applied in different situations, regardless of the field or subject. Unlike subject-specific skills, transferable skills are versatile and play a fundamental role in personal and academic growth.
In a rapidly changing world, transferable skills such as problem-solving, and creativity enable young people to tackle new challenges with confidence and embrace change rather than fear it. Critical thinking allows young people to analyse situations, evaluate information, and make informed decisions in both academic and real-world scenarios. Strong communication skills foster positive relationships, whether they’re collaborating on a school project, participating in group discussions, or communicating with staff or future employers. And skills like leadership and collaboration are vital for working effectively in teams.
At Investigator College, these skills have always been highly valued.
Our broad subject and co-curricular offerings provide students with the opportunity to develop transferable skills in a wide range of fields. From learning which combines the acquisition of new technology-based skillsets, such as robotics or coding, to the wide range of sporting opportunities which promote the development of teamwork, collaboration and respect, transferable skills are intrinsic to the teaching and learning that occurs at Investigator College on a daily basis.
To continue extending our focus on the development of key transferable skills, this year we have a team of staff from Years 6 and 7 working with the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia (AISSA) and other schools across the state in an ongoing learning project aiming to develop new ways of encouraging, measuring and evaluating the development of skills which transcend traditional subject divisions and help to empower students for successful learning across a broad range of subjects and contexts. Known as the Learning Impact Project, the work being undertaken also serves to help our teaching and learning staff to continually refine their daily classroom practices and their role in designing and delivering curriculum to help ensure that these skills are being championed in and through daily lessons.
Staff involved with the project have been exploring alternative ways to view learning, assessment and collaborative approaches to developing these transferable skills across subjects and year levels, leading to some exciting developments across our Year 6 and Year 7 curriculum, which will continue to evolve as new ideas are explored and shared.
I am looking forward to seeing where this exploration takes us and our students in the second half of 2023 and am very excited for the learning that will take place – both for our students, and for our staff – and I look forward to sharing more about our involvement with the Learning Impact Project, and the benefits it will hold for our learners in the near future.
