As part of the Pathways program at the College, students will be introduced to Augmented Learning (AL) in Term 2.
Augmented Learning enables a student to select an area of personal/vocational interest to pursue in education from many universities around the world through Coursera and EdEx or another provider sourced by the student. In addition, to personalising their learning, the courses can also be added to their resume to make them more attractive to employers/folios for university entrance (where appropriate and relevant).
Coursera
In an effort to democratize education, Coursera offers thousands of courses that are completely free to take. Many of Coursera’s offerings are in partnership with top universities like Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, and the University of Michigan, as well as companies like Facebook and Google. It also caters to a range of demographics, from high schoolers and college students to adults.
Students can audit a course, freely accessing all the lectures, readings, and discussion forums in a Coursera course. They can also opt to pay a fee (from $49 to a few hundred dollars, depending on the course) for features like graded homework or a certificate of completion to add to their LinkedIn profile or resume.
Taking free online courses can be a great option for those looking for an affordable alternative to traditional college, helping learners develop new skills for a career switch. They can also be a great tool for personal growth and discovering one’s passions, with classes ranging in topics from fashion to psychology.
Ed Ex
We want to bridge the college readiness gap – the difference between what you learn in high school and the knowledge you need to succeed at college and university.
We offer specially designed … introductory-level courses to help you get ahead of the game.
Covering subjects ranging from English language and composition to calculus, biology, statistics and computer science, our courses give students around the world the opportunity to access quality courses and materials regardless of financial resources.
EdEx, like Coursera, have both free and paid courses. Parents/Carers are responsible for fees required for paid courses. These range from $50 – $400.
How it works
Students explore what is on offer at either Coursera or Ed Ex for High School students or another provider. They select a course that is important to them either personally or vocationally. They complete the Application Form which will be put into their Team messages at the beginning of Term 2. Applications will be due by May 12. If approved, students will be notified by May 26. Students take out one of their electives to create room in their schedule to undertake this study, usually in the Brigidine Centre. An AL teacher will be appointed to check in on each student’s progress, two weeks after beginning the course.
These courses vary in length. The time of the elective at Year 9 is 5 periods per cycle or around 4 hours. Where the course requirements are shorter than a term, a student could choose another course to continue with AL or they return to their elective at a logical point in the learning cycle (where one area of study finishes and another begins).
What does it take to be an AL student?
It is important to note that AL requires students to have high levels of agency and personal responsibility. The application will require students to attach their competencies from New Metrics from Year 8 and have their Study teacher’s endorsement. Their Study teacher will have been able to note their capacity to work on their own in the learning that has been flipped to them by their English, Maths and Science teachers. AL is, essentially, flipping the learning wholly back to the student. In addition, students will need to use the New Metrics’ frameworks to identify what it is they hope to learn about themselves as learners through engaging in AL – particularly how they intend to work through obstacles and moments of difficulty to develop their resilience and persistence.
In addition, student attendance needs to be over 90% and all work must be submitted in all subjects as another measure of a young person’s capacity to undertake work on their own. This is because if a student cannot complete work at school with teacher support, it is unlikely that they will have the resilience to work alone. Students must be self-driven to undertake AL.
Then what?
Students create an account and begin learning in Term 3. Their AL teacher will check in cyclically to ensure that the student is coping with the course and make suggestions about how to persist when things get more difficult (if they get more difficult).
This opportunity expands to Year 10 in 2026 and operates in the same way, however, at Year 10 it must be linked to their vocational pathway. Therefore the application is slightly different because students will have to identify their vocational interest and how this course will enhance their understanding of it. This also has the benefit of enabling students to have a deeper understanding of their potential pathway to see if, indeed, it is what they want to pursue.
We hope you can see how AL is all about student agency and interest. We want students to begin to carve a pathway that is for them and about them as they move into the senior school and learn more about themselves, where they see their place in the world and use the competencies they have learned to ensure their experiences and results truly represent their efforts and capabilities.
