Transforming Learning and Schools

In 2011 the Origin Foundation funded a three-year evaluation to discover three things about the design:

In what significant ways is Big Picture Education different from the default model of schooling?

How close to the design are Big Picture schools operating?

Are Big Picture schools supporting student success across a range of cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes?

The results of this work are the subject of this webpage. We can now tell the story about the success of Big Picture learning. The evaluation has been a complex task: while the Big Picture design is well defined and consistent, its implementation is taking place in a wide variety of schools operating in very diverse contexts.

Acknowledgements

Big Picture Education Australia wishes to thank the following people for their contributions to this evaluation:

The Big Picture Research and Evaluation Committee

Mr Chris Bonnor AM – Convenor
Associate Professor Debra Hayes BSc, PhD, MA, DipEd
Professor Barry Down BSocSc, Grad Dip Ed, BEd, MEd, PhD
Ms Vivian White, CEO Big Picture Education Australia
Mr John Hogan, CEO Big Picture Education Australia
Mr Stephen Wally, Project Officer
Mr Neil Day MA, Dip Data Analysis, BA (Hons) Dip Ed
Mr Joe Wickert, Big Picture Education Australia

Research team

Associate Professor Debra Hayes, The University of Sydney
Professor Barry Down, Murdoch University
Dr Kathryn Choules, Murdoch University
Ms Deb Talbot, The University of Sydney

Others

Adjunct Professor Margaret Vickers, DEd, Med, MSc, BSc
Adjunct Associate Professor Mo McCarthy, PhD
Tony Luttrell, ‎Director Educational Performance Services at Department of Education, Tasmania
Andrew Oakley Principal Educational Review Officer
Educational Performance Services, Department of Education, Tasmania
Chris Ryan, PSM, Chair, Big Picture Education Australia
Peter Young, Big Picture Education Australia
Sean Barrett, Head of Foundation, Origin Foundation
Tom Keenan, Manager Grant Programs, Origin Foundation
Emma Barton, Manager, Community and Partner Advocacy, Origin Foundation
A special thanks to the many principals, teachers – especially the Big Picture co-ordinators - in Big Picture schools for contributing information for this evaluation. Also students and ex-students for telling their stories.