Changes to Learning Module Structure - Semester 2 2020

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The changes to learning that occurred due to the COVID-19 Lockdown have given us the opportunity to pause and reflect on what it is we consider important knowledge, skills and understanding, and how we can best design learning experiences that maximise students learning these.

We value deep, rich authentic learning contexts and experiences, and we value learner agency. “One way of thinking of learner agency is when learners have the ‘power to act’. When learners move from being passive recipients to being much more active in the learning process, and actively involved in the decisions about the learning, then they have greater agency.” Derek Wenmoth, CORE Education 10 Trends Video

From 2020 Semester 2, our Learning Module design process will change to allow learners to have more opportunity to connect their learning - to their lives, their experiences, contexts that are of interest to them or ideas they would like to explore more. This process will also provide us with the opportunity to more explicitly support them to learn key learning and living competencies.

Year 7&8 Semester 2 Learning Module Structure

  • As usual, our Year 7&8 Learning Module classes (Sets) will remain together as a group, and they will retain the same English and Mathematics teachers, for consistency in these key Learning Areas.

  • They will still have 2 kaiako (teachers) teaching them in each block during the Learning Module timetable.

  • Year 7&8 learners will also continue to learn 6 Learning Areas of the New Zealand Curriculum in the Semester. These are chosen for them in Semester 2 to ensure a ‘broad and balanced’ curriculum experience.

  • What will change, is that learners will be supported, as the semester progresses, to connect 2 or more of their learning areas together under an authentic context or ‘big idea’ that is of interest to them. This integration under one context has previously been designed by the teachers of the module.

  • The expected learning intentions for each Learning Area will be clear (to learners and teachers), these are guided by both the New Zealand Curriculum and our RJHS 2 Year Curriculum Framework.


Year 9&10 Semester 2 Learning Module Structure

In 2019 we introduced a new optional Learning Module structure called Tautoro. This year, all Year 9&10 students have a Tautoro Learning Module as one of their 3 Learning Modules. From 2020 Semester 2 onwards, all 3 Learning Modules in the Year 9&10 timetable will be the Tautoro structure.

  • They will continue to focus on only 2 Learning Areas per course, but there will be far more opportunities for learners to connect 2 Learning Areas they are most interested in, or have not yet studied, than there was under our existing structure, where there were limited pairings.

  • As with Year 7&8, the expected learning intentions for each Learning Area will be clear and based on both the New Zealand Curriculum and our RJHS two year Curriculum Framework.

  • We have found that this module structure affords students many more opportunities to learn key CLOAK skills and capabilities that will better set them up for success in the senior years of schooling and life after school.

  • The course selection process will look different for Year 9&10 students. Instead of selecting modules, they will identify their pathway & curriculum interests and gaps, and will then suggest Learning Area connections they are most interested in studying next semester. We will then place them in Tautoro modules that offer these combinations.

  • This module structure change has also allowed us to provide opportunities for students to focus on areas of particular interest. 3 of the 12 Tautoro will have a specific (but not compulsory) focus: STEAM (Design and Engineering learning in Science, Technology, English, Arts and Mathematics), Performing Arts and Te Ao Māori. More details will be provided in the Course Booklet (released Friday 12 June)


Year 9&10 Semester 2 Flight Time Structure

Year 9&10 learners will continue to have 3 Flight Time courses in their timetable for the semester. Flight Times are an opportunity for students to have exposure to areas of passion, interest, need or gaps. This year, in Semester 2, we will more explicitly indicate Flight Times that are designed to stretch students into learning at Level 6 of the New Zealand curriculum, and we will ensure we have these available in every Flight Time block in every Learning Area.