In 2024, an invite group of Year 10 Students completed a 100 hour elective in Critical Thinking in a pioneering blended learning approach, facilitated by the Catholic Education Office, Diocese of Wollongong. In doing so, they were forced out of any comfort zone, into a unique student centred, independent learning framework. On Thursday 5th December, they participated in their final cross school immersion day at the Emmaus Centre, Campbelltown, where in front of their peers, family, CEDoW Staff, myself and their Year Coordinator Mr Matthew Dowdell, they presented their pitch, and their final e-portfolios, to showcase their amazing achievements in 2024.

Please see below the link to the inaugural e-Magazine, “The Critical Thinker”, in which the students, each contributed a free choice article:

‘The Critical Thinker’

Students: Isla Attard, Angelina Bampton, Lachlan Chadwick and Lachlan Campbell

Mr Chris Ferry

Teacher Mentor

Student Reflections

I really enjoyed the Critical Thinking course. It was an incredible opportunity and a really fun chance to push myself and explore topics and fields I wasn't yet interested in or aware of. I especially loved engaging with some of the guest speakers during the course's immersion days, including asking questions about their professions and fields of study (psychology, science philosophy and epidemiology). 

I liked the freedom of the blended learning approach, but it did challenge me to work on my time management so that my schoolwork didn't get away from me. I found this especially difficult during exam periods, and alongside one of my more time-consuming extracurricular competitions. I also loved the freedom to integrate my interests into the content, choosing to explore both creative writing and history in my assessments and research tasks. 

The ePortfolio was especially fun. I was proud to be able to go through my work from the year and find the items I was proud of, rather than more restrictive assessments. Presenting it to friends and family was also nice!

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of the critical thinking course. It was a very rewarding opportunity, and most importantly allowed me to push myself to do well in ways I was personally proud of. 

Isla Attard

The blended learning approach has been a transformative experience, pushing me to develop adaptability, time management, and problem-solving skills. Balancing independent tasks with collaborative projects taught me the importance of setting goals and embracing flexibility. I learned to utilise digital tools effectively, refining my ability to think critically and work efficiently, skills I’ll carry forward in both academic and professional settings.

A highlight of this journey was assisting my team in developing a business plan to create an innovative product that solved a real-world challenge. Although I unfortunately couldn’t attend the CEDoW Showcase, fully contributing throughout the process, taught me the value of collaboration, effective communication, and creative thinking. Seeing our hard work come together was incredibly rewarding, even from a distance.

Another achievement was contributing to our e-Magazine, which showcased our collective talents. Create a final product that demonstrated our attention to detail in addressing the importance of current societal issues. I contributed an article which discussed the challenges of immigration and how it is being portrayed in our society.

I am grateful to my class and mentors for their support. This journey has strengthened my skills, deepened friendships, and inspired me to take on future challenges with confidence.

Lachlan Campbell