Shifting centres: Pedagogical relations in the Era of Big Data

This paper presents a cautious argument for re-thinking both the nature and the centrality of the one-to-one teacher/student relationship in contemporary pedagogy. A case is made that learning in and for our times requires us to broaden our understanding of pedagogical relations beyond the singularity of the teacher/student binary and to promote the connected teacher as better placed to lead learning for these times. The argument proceeds in three parts: first, a characterization of our times as defined increasingly by the digital knowledge explosion of Big Data; second, a re-thinking of the nature of pedagogical relationships in the context of Big Data; and third, an account of the ways in which leaders can support their teachers to become more effective in leading learning by being more closely connected to their professional colleagues.

Literacy learning: Designing and enacting inclusive pedagogical practices in classrooms

In this chapter we detail our understandings of inclusive pedagogical practices that enable all students to assemble complex literate repertoires. We discuss generative concepts from international related literature (eg Au, Dyson, Janks, Luke, McNaughton, Moll, Thomson,). We then present descriptions of two lessons as examples of how inclusive pedagogical practices might look in primary and secondary classrooms. The focus will be on how texts work to represent the world in particular ways and not others – and the implications of this for the inclusion of diverse student cohorts in developing complex literate repertoires.

Inquiry learning: A pedagogical and curriculum framework for information literacy

This chapter presents an inquiry learning framework that can be used as a pathway for the development of information literacy in both K-12 and higher education. Inquiry learning is advocated as an authentic and active approach that draws upon students’ natural curiosity. The pedagogical and curriculum framework incorporates three major elements: questioning frameworks, information literacy and an iterative research cycle. Models and strategies for the elements of the framework are presented and discussed. The chapter ends with an acknowledgement of the challenges associated with implementing inquiry learning.