GLENNIE ON DECK
Student athletes help out book authors
THE Glennie School athletes are playing a leading hand in the educational development of their fellow Queensland students.
Teachers Crystal Hede and Kate Russell are at the school alongside an Oxford University Press crew to develop the interactive elements of their award-winning textbook
Physical Education for Queensland Units 1 and 2 Student Book.
“We’re here with a team from Oxford University Press to film a series of videos that will accompany the text book,” teacher and book co-author Crystal Hede said.
“Kate and myself are from Toowoomba, and our other coauthor Ron Weatherby is from
Gatton, so we thought it would be a great idea to use some local talent.
“The Oxford crew has been filming the girls in a number of different sports for the videos that will accompany the text book.
“This resource will be used by 1000s of students and teachers right across Queensland
and we’re excited to be producing it.”
The videos will add an interactive layer to the educational text book which provides in-depth coverage of the new physical education syllabus for students and teachers.
The aim of the resource is to develop and deliver key skills and practical tips for success in the subject through media articles, case studies, practical sessions, learning pathways and exam preparation tools.
“It’s not just chalk and talk now,” Hede said.
“What we’re trying to do is give kids that ‘ahhh ha’ moment by providing them with different ways to learn.”
Russell said the key to producing that “ahhh ha” moment was the introduction of new technologies to the learning process.
“It’s been quite an experience for all of us involved,” Russell said.
“We’ve written a book previously, but this time round we tried to break the mould.
“Working with Oxford Uni
versity Press has been fantastic because it has given us the opportunity to do so much more.
“All of this has been driven by innovation and technology – there are a lot of interactive elements to the resource.
“We’ve found that learning through physical activity helps solidify that knowledge in the student’s mind, making it easier for them to recall in the future.”
The authors were also given extra reason to celebrate after their book picked up a major national award.
“It’s a big honour for us,” Hede said.
“We’re very pleased because it’s unusual for a physical education book to pick up an award in the category we were in which features books on a lot of different subjects.”