Accelerate 2023: Empowering Students to Explore and Create

This student-centered initiative aims to foster creativity, critical thinking and enterprise skills, preparing young minds for the challenges of the future. The program kicked off with the Lift-Off event, a half-day immersion designed to inspire and guide students towards their self-identified objectives.
 

The Lift-Off event served as a platform for students to hear from successful creatives about their unique journeys. The guest speakers included Aunty Erica, traditional custodian from the Yugambeh language region who shared her story about the Bullongin clan, the traditional custodians of the land where the College is situated. Students had the opportunity to learn from leading industry professionals in various fields such as dance, illustration, IT, coding, and textile recycling. Through captivating talks and insightful discussions, the guest speakers shared their experiences, challenges and triumphs, igniting students' imagination and curiosity. By learning from real world examples, students were inspired to explore new areas of interest.

Following the guest speaker sessions, students participated in practical workshops.  These hands-on workshops provided an opportunity for students to translate their newfound inspiration into tangible projects. The workshops covered a wide range of topics, including slow stitching techniques and textile upcycling, cultural yarning and dilly bag weaving, augmented reality apps, contemporary dance, and sporting workshops with the Titans, focused on netball and rugby league. The aim was to encourage students to delve deeper into their areas of interest and begin their self-directed exploration within the Accelerate program.

Accelerate is an innovative program that challenges the traditional educational model. Unlike subject-aligned approaches, this program empowers students with the freedom to choose their own topics and learning products. By embracing project-based learning, students embark on a transformative journey driven by their passions and curiosity. The program places a strong emphasis on developing enterprise skills and transferability, ensuring that students not only acquire technical knowledge but also critical capabilities such as project management, teamwork, communication and problem-solving.

Assessment in Accelerate follows an informal approach informed by the general capabilities and project management skills. Students maintain a learning portfolio to document their progress, reflections and goals throughout the program. The emphasis is on self-assessment, with teachers providing feedback to foster a sense of ownership and responsibility for their learning journey. The goal is the creation of a learning product tailored to each student's project, showcasing their skills and creativity.

Accelerate accommodates a diverse range of learning products to suit students' interests and talents. Whether it's writing, media and visual arts, performing arts, technologies, design and engineering, or entrepreneurial endeavors, students are encouraged to explore their passions. They have the freedom to choose from a wide array of possibilities, such as writing novels or short films, developing virtual reality apps, creating fashion designs or even launching entrepreneurial ventures.

As one of the leading private schools on the Gold Coast, Coomera Anglican College is empowering students to explore and create, providing them with the skills, knowledge and experiences they need to succeed in an ever-changing world. By embracing personalised, project-based learning and fostering a culture of curiosity and innovation, the program is preparing students to become lifelong learners and adaptable problem solvers.