The South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) is the culmination of years of schooling for young people. In the global context of 2020 and beyond, SACE students are entitled to much more than a checklist of knowledge, skills and values – they are entitled to thrive.
Play video Download the storyWe need to reframe the SACE so that a thriving learner is what matters most in a SACE education.
To do this, we need to be clear on our purpose.
Play videoThe SACE is a promise to every student that they will finish their school experience with evidence of their own unique ability to thrive.
Drawing on research and policy statements such as The Alice Springs Mparntwe Education Declaration , we have identified six elements that we believe students are entitled to 'say, think, feel, and do' to be a thriving learner.
We are not providing strict definitions of these elements of a thriving learner, because that will limit what they might mean to you and how you see them in your own context.
Instead, we've added some resources, ideas and anecdotes about these elements to get you thinking about why it's these elements that we believe make up a thriving learner.
Zest for life and lifelong learning go hand-in-hand. Some phrases used to characterise a person with a zest for life include 'being curious, asking questions, engaging with the head and the heart, seeking connections'. Is zest for life intrinsic in a thriving learner?
Here are some links to get you thinking about this element. They are meant to spark debate and discussion about how – as an education community – we will characterise a thriving learner. Take a look.
Listen to students in the OECD future of education and skills 2030 project talk about what they want in their future life.
View the video on the OECD website
How do we make this element come alive in our classrooms, and in our lives? Add to our examples.
Explore the other elementsSome teachers say that deep understanding and skilful action happens when classrooms are student-centred, where they can take charge of their learning and make connections to their world outside the classroom. How do we reach a deeper level of understanding? And can you see the connections with the other elements of thrive?
Here are some links to get you thinking about this element. They are meant to spark debate and discussion about how – as an education community – we will characterise a thriving learner. Take a look.
How do we make this element come alive in our classrooms, and in our lives? Add to our examples.
Explore the other elementsTransfer can be defined as the ability to adapt prior learning and apply it in new situations and circumstances. Is embedding transfer in students core business for educators in the 21st century?
Here are some links to get you thinking about this element. They are meant to spark debate and discussion about how – as an education community – we will characterise a thriving learner. Take a look.
How do we make this element come alive in our classrooms, and in our lives? Add to our examples.
Explore the other elementsHaving agency means participating in active learning rather than passive learning, and trying to work things out for yourself. It's also being willing to experiment, learn, fail, and then try again. What is agency to you? Do we foster it in the SACE?
Here are some links to get you thinking about this element. They are meant to spark debate and discussion about how – as an education community – we will characterise a thriving learner. Take a look.
How do we make this element come alive in our classrooms, and in our lives? Add to our examples.
Explore the other elementsHere's some food for thought: 'When there is human connectedness, there is a place for everyone at the table.' 'Fostering human connection fosters learning.' 'It's the opposite of individualism'. What is human connectedness to you? Is it the glue that sticks all the elements of a thriving learner together?
Here are some links to get you thinking about this element. They are meant to spark debate and discussion about how – as an education community – we will characterise a thriving learner. Take a look.
How do we make this element come alive in our classrooms, and in our lives? Add to our examples.
Explore the other elementsBelonging is about being included, and feeling included. A person with belonging says 'we will do better if we work together'. It can draw a person towards where they can make the most effective contribution. Without a sense of belonging, can anyone really thrive in this world?
Here are some links to get you thinking about this element. They are meant to spark debate and discussion about how – as an education community – we will characterise a thriving learner. Take a look.
How do we make this element come alive in our classrooms, and in our lives? Add to our examples.
Explore the other elementsSomeone who asks questions and is engaged in deep learning so they can apply their knowledge to different situations.
A thriving learner feels confident in class, is encouraged by peers and supported by a teacher with open and honest communication.
A thriving learner is someone with a passion for learning and a strong work ethic, and who cares about their future.
Someone whose head and heart are both engaged in the learning, and is surrounded by a supportive environment.
Someone who is constantly taking the initiative to try new things, and immersing themselves in their work and their community.
Someone who knows their strengths and weaknesses, knows what they’re capable of and is always looking to improve and grow.
I want to leave school with a thirst for knowledge, and to learn skills for life.
To learn lifelong skills that will prepare me for my future.
I want to be a well-rounded person, not just book-wise.
I want to learn more about myself, what I’m interested in and the way I learn.
I want to always be interested in learning more, and keep connected with my community.
Adaptable skills, being able to figure new problems out with the techniques and skills that I’ve learnt in school.
I want to be set up for my future, with both knowledge and the skills that I will need for a career and beyond.
We are enacting thrive through three strategic priorities.
We will further develop the SACE Board as a leader in education and as an exemplary public service agency.
We will be agile in our work, collaborative in our approach, and have beneficial impact on education and on our students
We will further develop a qualification through which students can thrive and provides evidence of their knowledge, skills, capabilities and other attributes that will connect them to industry sectors and other pathways.
We will lead the development of learners who, with the six elements of thrive, can develop with vigour in whatever context they find themselves.
Through a series of key projects, we are reframing the SACE, using the six elements of a thriving learner as our guide to enact change.
To assist us in this work, we established the SACE Change Network (SCN) that connects school leaders, educators, and students with dedicated SACE teams to tackle these projects.
Together, the network has been exploring new approaches and opportunities to develop solutions to support thriving 21st century learners.
If you would like your school to partner with us to bring about change, we invite you to join the SCN now.
A podcast by the SACE Board
Tune into our podcast series where we will unpack the our vision for a thriving learner and talk, in practical terms, how we can create and provide evidence of a thriving learner in senior secondary curriculum and assessment.
Episode Two: Will the ATAR die?
In episode two, our host Professor Martin Westwell chats with Professor Peter Shergold, Chair of the Education Council’s review panel into senior secondary pathways, as he discusses the national focus for a Learner Profile, the future of the ATAR, and how we might overcome disadvantage by focusing on skills and capabilities.
The SACE Board is committed to working in partnership with schools, industry and the community so that together we lead the changes needed to support a thriving learner.
That is why we are excited to introduce Prescient, our new professional learning service. Prescient builds on the strong foundations of the Institute of Educational Assessors to bring educators together from all sectors for transformative professional learning.
Forging new pathways, supporting teachers in an ever-evolving landscape, Prescient will empower educators to drive the future of education.
More about Prescient