We are very excited to share some of the initiatives of the Pymble Institute, the College’s new home of research, innovation and professional learning.
Under the vision of Driving our Thinking, we have developed the following mission statement:
The Pymble Institute amplifies our capacity to make a positive impact in the lives of girls and women. We are driven by a commitment to building our own skills in research, innovation and education. What we learn is shared in ways that inspire others to drive their own thinking forward and to find new ways of doing.
Junior Journal Club by Charlotte and Lucy (Year 10)
This new club started in Term 3 and encourages students to read and discuss academic journal articles and to understand the publication process behind academic research.
The world of academia is one of fascination. It has the ability to captivate the interest of a diverse audience. After the parameters are understood, research can enable one to appreciate the many facets of the world around us. Academia is often viewed as secluded and ‘elite’, however it is important to spread the ideas and opinions from research throughout society. Throughout last year, we had the opportunity to interview Professor Mockler. This enabled us to understand the thought process of a journal editor, in terms of selecting articles and compiling information.
Through the process of interviewing Professor Mockler, we furthered our understanding of the academic world. We recognised its importance within the community. This experience inspired us to launch the Junior Journal Club to enable academia to reach a wider audience, specifically within the younger generation. At the launch of the club, Dr Hadwen shared her personal experience and knowledge of academia to motivate the girls. The club aims to educate the student community and encourage the idea that academia is not as daunting as it may seem. The club is largely discussion-based, enabling members to convey their thoughts whilst learning new information. We aim to keep it interesting, so we are currently exploring a paper regarding the likelihood of unicorns alongside the use of an abstract within journal articles.
What are students researching? The Lunchline/Young Entrepreneurs Society Project
Jessie, Sasha, Christy, Celine and Maya (Year 10) are members of the College’s Young Entrepreneurs Society. The team has been developing the concept for a new product to improve students’ experiences of ordering food through a canteen. This is a theoretical design to help students gain skills in all stages of the entrepreneurial thinking cycle, but it may one day come to fruition.
The group conducted research based on student experiences of food services which are based on our previous canteen provider. We’re looking forward to being back on campus and getting to know the exciting new options our new provider will have available. We are certain students will be watching with great interest.
The Lunchline team has prepared the following written and visual reports as a way of communicating their findings:
Over our years at Pymble, we’ve experienced the inconveniences of our current lunch-lines and canteens, from long waits to running out of food to other forms of troubles that take up the valuable recess/lunchtimes of our fellow students.
For the Young Entrepreneurs Society, our group has decided to establish a project aimed at improving the convenience and efficiency of school lunchtime services, starting with Pymble. Our initiative Lunchline is a food ordering online platform and provider for school canteens. We hold partnerships with schools for the convenience of lunchtime services through our ordering application and forthcoming lunch catering machinery. We aim to improve the quality and efficiency of school lunch ordering and receiving services for all students. Additionally, it is our duty to enhance the health and safety of our fellow peers while receiving food.
Read more about Pymble Institute on our website
