MOUNT Gambier High School is being prepared for changes with the development of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) spaces set to begin later this year.
Receiving a total of $2.5m from the State Government as part of the STEM Works project, principal Chris Edmonds said the renovations will help to increase student engagement and problem-based learning.
“This funding looks at science, technology, engineering and maths and uses those curriculum areas to enable learning opportunities for students when they work together,” he said.
Exploring their creativity, Mr Edmonds said it was a chance to really make an impact with a design change.
“We weren’t allowed to add buildings, we had to change what we already had, which means knocking out walls, changing walkways and re-imagining spaces,” he said.
“Our brief was to make spaces where teachers from different curriculums have the opportunity to work together.”
After thorough discussions, the school leadership has decided to redevelop three significant spaces on the grounds, including knocking down part of the English and social sciences building and “gutting” the woodwork and library areas.
“I have a strong primary school background and I look at what we are designing and think that’s how a grade 2/3 classroom works and that’s how students engage the best,” Mr Edmonds said.
“We know that practice is just as valuable for 15 and 16 year olds and have taken a lot of inspiration from the Mount Gambier Library.”
Mr Edmonds said the school has already begun to overhaul practices in the classroom with teachers working across curriculum areas.
“Our physical education faculty is working with our tech faculty redesigning machines for human movement which is really exciting,” he said.
“We are a high school so there is still a lot of traditional sitting at the desk and learning from text books, which serves a purpose and our SACE demands that, but we are looking for opportunities for students to be working together across subject areas and year levels.
“We know that is best practice in education.”
The final plans were sent off last week with builders expected to make contact with the school early next term and building to begin before the end of the year.
“It will be bright, fresh, purposeful, new and students will access to technology more than we have had previously,” Mr Edmonds said.
