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ISEA STUDY TOUR 2006
30
September - 15 October 2006
SUMMARY REPORT
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The ISEA’s second
international study-tour, recently conducted to the USA (Washington
State) and Canada (Alberta and British Columbia), was not only a great
learning experience but highly enjoyable as well, if the reports coming
in from the participants are any guide.
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Following on from the highly successful tour to the
UK and Germany in 2005 this year’s Group of ISEA members visited
schools, education authorities and universities in Seattle,
Olympia and Tacoma (Washington State), Lethbridge (Alberta) and
Victoria, |
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Saanichton and Sooke (British Columbia). and so the
opportunity was taken to spend visits to Calgary, Banff and the
Columbian
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The
visit spanned a long weekend in Canada a breath-taking 3 days
in the Rockies including Icefields.
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With Tour
members drawn from a range of DET functional areas, the focus of the
visits and the information gathered covered a wide-range of professional
interests including school improvement, school accountability, data-
gathering, leadership development, personnel practices, vocational
education and system - university cooperation.
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Group was received in a highly professional and collegial manner
wherever it went with senior officials and academics generously |
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giving
of their time and expertise available to host and address the Group.
In particular the Deputy Minister of Education (Director -General)
in British Columbia hosted and led a most informative, interactive
half-day session involving several of the Province’s senior
education officials.
As
British Columbia and Washington State are comparable to NSW in
geographical size, school and student numbers and shares many of its
social and educational challenges, it provided many excellent points
of reference for all of the ISEA tourists. Similarly in
Alberta, where the University of Lethbridge hosted a day-long
seminar involving teachers, ,principals, unionists, provincial and
district officials and leading |
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academics, the Group was able to explore many
issues of common interest with colleagues from across the Province.
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Visits to schools in each
of the locations allowed the Tour Group’s members to confirm and
explore the information and impressions gained from state,
provincial or district briefings.
As always, with visits to other school systems and schools the
fascination in North America was in observing the similarities and
differences in the issues confronted and the approaches adopted
compared with our compared with our own efforts in Australia. |
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One
common feature in each and every system and school visited was
the sincerity and earnestness of the educators met. There is a
lot to be learnt from, and share with, our colleagues throughout
the world.
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Materials (handbooks, organisational charts, kits and plans etc)
gathered from each of the systems or schools visited were
collected and will be made available for reference across the
DET in due course.
An illustrated full report of the tour, and a catalogue of
materials gathered, will appear on the ISEA website in the near
future.
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