Learning Creates Australia

“Your ATAR isn’t a measure of your schooling experience. If it was, it would acknowledge your diverse range of skills; the things you have learned; your strengths and capabilities.” In this article, Charlie Connell-Tobin, Mietta S., and Linh Dang - draw on their experiences as both young people and researchers on The Whole Learner Report. Through their work with young people across Australia, they heard loud and clear: ✨ Young people want recognition for all they bring - not just academic scores. ✨ Strong relationships with educators and mentors make students feel seen, valued, and strengthens their sense of self and worth. ✨ Broader recognition of learning breaks barriers, reduces stigma, and boosts resilience and self-esteem. Charlie, Mietta, and Linh challenge us to rethink what success looks like in education and to genuinely listen to young people.  ‘Our report delivers a clear message: it’s time for the education system to move beyond narrow academic results and genuinely recognise the whole learner.’ Read the full article ‘Take it from us, you are more than your ATAR…’ here: https://lnkd.in/dqduZPc2 #youngandresilientresearchcentre #YouthVoice #EducationMatters #BeyondATAR #WholeLearner #Leadership #RecognisingMore

How can you focus at school when you go to bed hungry or your lunchbox is empty? How do you succeed when your parents can’t afford the internet you need to finish your homework? Educational inequity isn’t about a lack of talent or effort – it’s about systemic barriers holding students back. Find out what our CEO, Doug Taylor, has to say about education inequity, poverty, and systemic disadvantage in Australia. Learning Creates Australia https://bit.ly/3ZSfw6j

Our Director of Engagement & Growth, Ross Raeburn, attended the Learning Creates Australia National Gathering this week, where he joined conversations about the future of education and skilling of young people in Australia.    Events like this play a vital role in shaping our understanding of industry trends and guiding impactful solutions.    See Ross' reflections here 👇    Megan Lilly Chris Harte  Jan Owen AM Hon DLitt   #FutureSkills #Innovation #Education 

The Whole Learner is out now for members of the Education ecosystem (i.e. every single one of us!) Education and young people are at the heart of emergence 🍃🌱 if we want to see a shift in our world, there is ripe opportunity for evolution in learning from our young people and how the way we scaffold, support and nurture them informs the way they walk through the world. Our education system is arguably the most rigid (yet alluringly innovative and creative) system we have created as a species - indeed we are all taught by it, shaped and morphed by its ideologies, structures and practice. This work with Learning Creates Australia in The Power of Recognising More is cultivating opportunity for a shift in this narrative by utilising how and why we recognise and value young people at the closing of their schooling journey as a lever for change. Linh Dang Charlie Connell-Tobin Philippa Collin Annette Cairnduff Pamela Tham Lauren Langley Bronwyn Lee and many more have come together and put in the head, heart and hands to conduct this work - all over Australia we have gathered the stories of young people through conversation circles and workshops. Young people talking with young people, yarning over what means something to them. It’s powerful when we come together as council. This is exciting. Pass it on. Have a read. Admire the ace illustrations crafted by one of the young people engaged in the work. Proud and grateful to be part of this team and vision - we welcome you along the journey in service of The Whole Learner.

Very excited to share our latest report, researched and co-authored by a team of Learning Creates Australia young Associates is out today! The Whole Learner: Young People on the Next Chapter in Learning Beyond Limits is a timely contribution as the #2024 ATAR results are released in #Australia. The report found many young people calling for an #education #system that values their full range of skills, strengths, and capabilities – not just a number ranking them against their peers. This report delivers a clear message: it’s time for the education system to move beyond narrow academic results and truly recognise the whole learner. Including participatory workshops and in-depth interviews this report reveals powerful insights: ✅️ Young people highly value recognition of their non-academic skills and strengths – those transferable qualities that shape who they are and align with what future employers and educators prioritise. ✅️ Recognition can happen formally or informally. Either way, young people thrive when they feel seen and valued as whole individuals, fostering self-awareness and resilience. ✅️ Recognition beyond grades and awards validates and motivates on a deeper level. ✅️ Connections with educators and mentors beyond the classroom builds a stronger sense of self and worth. ✅️ Embracing diverse learning and career paths empowers students to pursue goals aligned with their passions and talents. ✅️ Broadening recognition for students from disadvantaged backgrounds can break barriers, reduce stigma, and boost resilience and self-esteem. The Whole Learner’ report found students feel “torn between pursuing their passions or conforming to the narrative” by picking “bright subjects” that will optimise their ATAR, rather than subjects that interest them or contribute to a well-rounded education. Co-author #CharlieConnellTobin , himself a recent graduate having completed the International Baccalaureate in Victoria in 2023, said South Australia’s ‘learner profile’ pilot program proves alternatives are possible. “The people that we spoke to said the ATAR creates a really high pressure environment that inhibits their ability to enjoy learning, and it fails to recognise the diverse and capabilities they have,” he said in a Daily Telegraph interview. Young Researcher #MiettaSymmonsJoyce was part of the team that developed the report and says the approach is all about surfacing and understanding young people’s unique perspectives. “Our work is centred on young people’s lived experiences of learning. From design to delivery, young people are the heart and driving force behind this project.” she said. “By emphasising the importance of peer-to-peer connection in our research design we are uncovering honest and empowered stories of when, where, and how young people feel recognised for their knowledge and capabilities.” THE Report 👇🏼 Pls Share 👍 https://lnkd.in/gHzB8D-6

We're excited to be celebrating the launch of this report with our friends at LCA so we can help amplify calls from young people to create an education system that allows them to be seen as something more than an ATAR score. #learningcreatesaustralia

Some super valuable insights here from young people about how we can better support their learning journey. Wonderful work Learning Creates Australia, we are proud to support your work towards creating an equitable, inclusive, and dynamic learning system. Jenny McGregor AM, Miriam Silva AM Stephen Carpenter Jodi Kennedy Amanda Sartor Alexandra White Equity Trustees Emily Cormack

Addressing the challenges poverty creates for people benefits not just individuals but our whole society. Yet, our country's safety net is fraying, and the promise of a good life – if you get an education, work hard, and contribute – no longer holds true for many. Thank you, Learning Creates Australia, for the opportunity to tackle the question about whether education is a key to breaking cycles of poverty and disadvantage. And thanks also for your leadership in creating a better future for all young people. - Jan Owen AM Hon DLitt and Bronwyn Lee https://bit.ly/3ZSfw6j

The report is out! It has been an absolute pleasure collaborating with Mietta S. and Charlie Connell-Tobin on this research cycle, with invaluable support and guidance from Annette Cairnduff, Lauren Langley, Pamela Tham, Philippa Collin, Andrew and Lorraine Roberts. Most importantly, it was a privilege to listen to and learn from the lived experiences of young people across Australia, whose voices shaped this report. We hope that the insights delivered in this report inspires some meaningful conversations and actions among the community☀️