The Flinders Discovery Institute enables
Matthew Flinders Anglican College to build a strong culture of collaboration and innovation with leading innovators, tertiary educators and researchers.
The Institute will share research initiatives, insights and data to enhance policy and practice within and beyond Flinders.
Learn more about the Flinders Discovery Institute from Dr Louise McCuaig, Head of the Institute.
The Flinders Discovery Institute brings together students, staff, parents and a diverse range of researchers and experts to:
- drive innovation
- conduct research
- inspire learning, and
- build resourcing.
The Flinders Discovery Institute enables Matthew Flinders Anglican College to drive and nurture innovation according to the FIRE principles of:
- Futures-oriented vision
- Inspiring curiosity
- Research investment
- Engaging communities
Who benefits?
The Flinders Discovery Institute will benefit students, staff, parents and the broader education and research communities.
Research initiatives, insights and data will be shared
to enhance policy and practice within and beyond Flinders.
Flinders Students
Students will benefit from:
- being involved in cutting-edge research and real-world experiences at Flinders and beyond
- connecting with visiting researchers and PhD scholars
- attending conferences, think tanks, blue-sky workshops, immersion programs and residencies
- being inspired to explore exciting study and career paths beyond graduation.
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Student Learning
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- Establish collaborative partnerships between students, teachers and researchers to design and evaluate innovative responses to contemporary life and learning challenges in school settings
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- Build young people’s research curiosity, skills, resources and capacity to be change-makers
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- Participate in a suite of events under the ‘Inspiring Futures’ brand to identify, empower and nurture our talented and curious Senior Flinders students into leadership and future pathways
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- Participate in Inspiring Women in Science and Health (I-WiSH) conference, which offers participating girls an authentic and unique opportunity to problem-solve, collaborate with internationally recognised HeR-STEM women researchers.
Flinders Staff
Staff will:
- build confidence in engaging with researchers and research institutions
- learn how to conduct, interpret and translate research findings
- use the research findings to grow their professional skills and enhance their teaching practice.
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Staff Learning:
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- Promote participant’s skills in accessing, consuming, translating and critiquing others' research
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- Enhance participant’s confidence to engage with researchers and research institutions
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- Provide the skills and knowledge to promote engagement with and pursuit of research and/or postgraduate study
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- Consume research effectively, translate research into practice and teach about and for research
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- Conduct their own research projects and collaborate on research projects.
Flinders Parents
Parents will:
- have opportunities to be involved with exciting research to enhance communities
- be able to use the research findings to positively support them in growing skills and awareness as parents leading their families
- be involved with or discover research findings that support their professional skills and/or their personal health and wellbeing
- support their children in having access to real-world science and research opportunities.
Visiting Researchers
Visiting researchers and PhD scholars will be able to:
- connect with Flinders through College immersion and residency programs
- invite Flinders staff, students and parents to participate in their research projects to gain valuable data of authentic school settings
- present information papers detailing project findings to the Flinders community
- host events, such as ‘Evening with an Expert’, to share research and connect with the Flinders community.
INNOVATION
The Institute will enable the College to:
- provide the human and intellectual resources to devise, nurture and scale innovative responses to life and learning challenges.
Strategies seeking to drive innovation include:
- partnering with experts by facilitating immersion programs and residencies for researchers and PhD scholars
- summarising contemporary research and findings
- promoting think-tanks and blue-sky workshops.
Current Innovation Projects at Flinders
- Learning Wellbeing
- Year to RISE (Year 9 curriculum)
- English - Excellence in Writing Skills Project
- Science - Metacognition in Science education
- Health and Physical Education - Pain Education in Schools
- Design and Technologies: Pathways to manufacturing excellence in Australia with the Flinders Powered by Design conference
- Flinders Inspiring Women in Science and Health (I-WiSH) conference
RESEARCH
Research projects conducted through the Flinders Discovery Institute aim to achieve three objectives:
- Generate robust and valid evidence detailing the impact of innovative programs and projects implemented at Flinders
- Provide new knowledge, skills and expertise about hot topics and contemporary issues underpinning research projects
- Embrace opportunities to inform policy and practice in Australian schools and schooling.
Current Research Projects at Flinders
1. Year to RISE Program: Understanding Student Engagement (2023 - 2025)
- Research Team: Australian Catholic University - Institute for Positive Psychology and Education
- Lead Researcher: Professor Johnmarshall Reeve
2. Impact of curriculum innovation on the learning wellbeing of middle years students (2023 - 2024)
- Research Team: University of Sunshine Coast - LAUNCH Grant
- Lead Researcher: Professor Merrilyn Goos
3. Teacher-led pain science education in schools (2023 - Secondary Health and Physical Education Department Initiative)
- Doctoral Study: Mrs Rebecca Fechner, Paediatric Physiotherapist and University of Technology, Sydney Doctoral Student
- Supervisor: Dr Joshua Pate - Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy and Pain Researcher at University of Technology, Sydney
MORE INFORMATION
For more information, contact the Head of the Flinders Discovery Institute, Dr Louise McCuaig via email lmccuaig@mfac.edu.au
Latest news from the Flinders Discovery Institute
- Flinders Discovery Institute (FDI) launched to build research capacity in Australian schools
Matthew Flinders Anglican College officially launched its new research institute, the Flinders Discovery Institute (FDI), on Thursday, 12 October on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. The launch event was part ofRead More - Flinders I-WiSH Conference for Girls in Health and STEM to Celebrate National Science Week
It was declared “The best Flinders I-WiSH yet!” to celebrate National Science Week (NSW). On Tuesday, 15 August, Matthew Flinders Anglican College on the Sunshine Coast wrapped up its thirdRead More - Flinders Hosts Third I-WiSH Conference on Tuesday, 15 August
Matthew Flinders Anglican College will host its third annual Inspiring Women in Science and Health (I-WiSH) conference for its Senior School students on Tuesday, 15 August to celebrate National ScienceRead More
