The Peter Underwood Centre is providing children and young people with a central role in the creation of learning experiences.
Our Limitless Learning team are currently working with Children’s University Tasmania members and the staff and volunteers from nine Learning Destinations in the development of activities for families to enjoy.
“Working together, Limitless Learning will enrich the quality and quantity of learning available outside of school hours,” said Peter Underwood Centre Deputy Director Aspirations and Attainment, Dr Becky Shelley said.
“Who better to tell us what they are interested in than the children themselves?”
The Limitless Learning project is all about children and young people:
- sharing ideas of what they love about the learning destination;
- co-designing and co-creating exciting new learning activities;
- and sharing the new activities for the community to enjoy.
Dr Shelley said the four-year project - funded by the Tasmanian Community Fund, the Jetty Foundation and the Cuthill Family Foundation – would develop a model for co-designing quality informal learning.
“Many learning organisations are operated by small teams of people, and are often reliant on volunteers,” she said.
“We want to help them in how they can work in this way.”
Other interested learning providers are invited to join our community of practice by contacting Educational Resources Co-designer Justin Smith or Community Co-designer Jesse Brennan, or by making a general inquiry to the Centre: underwoodcentre.enquiries@utas.edu.au
A Learning Destination is a place children can visit with their Passports to Learning and engage with quality learning experiences.
They are generally free or low-cost locations such as museums, art galleries, libraries and animal parks.
Learning Destinations are the cornerstone of the Children’s University Tasmanian program, which has more than 1200 active members in schools and learning hubs in the South, North, North-West and West Coast of the state.
Our partnership with TMAG
The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) has been a learning destination partner since the inception of Children’s University Tasmania.
TMAG offers free entry for self-directed learning and there is always a fascinating new exhibition or item to discover.
TMAG recently welcomed Huon Valley families for a school holiday program that included:
- a private viewing of a special shadow puppet story based on the ground breaking exhibition taypani milaythina-tu: Return to Country;
- learning how to draw feathers with Extinction Studies artist Lucienne Rickard;
- learning how to create shadow puppets;
- and taking the Tentacle Trail self-guided tour.
TMAG Senior Producer Learning Programs Kate Morris said Children’s University helped connect the community to their state museum and art gallery, and the TMAG team enjoyed their involvement in the partnership.
“Staff at TMAG enjoy watching and assisting students on their learning journeys,” she said.
“Encouraging people to visit TMAG and recognising those learning achievements is awesome.”
If your organisation is interested in becoming a Children’s University Learning Destination, we would love to hear from you.
Contact us: cu.tasmania@utas.edu.au