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Narrator  00:00:05 Dr Adrian Camm from Westbourne Grammar School, a proud winner of the 2024 educator 5-Star Innovative Schools award shares how they seamlessly blend cutting edge technology with traditional education, fostering a culture of innovation among staff and students. 

Kylie Speer  00:00:23 Hello and welcome to The Educator TV. I'm Kylie Speer and joining me today is a very familiar face to The Educator, Dr Adrian Camm,  Principal and Executive Director at Westbourne Grammar School. Westbourne Grammar has been named as one of the winners of the educator five star innovative schools, the 2024 Welcome to you, Adrian, lovely to see you again, and huge congratulations on another well deserved accolade. 

Adrian Camm  00:00:50 Hi Kylie, thank you, and it's great to be here.  

Kylie Speer  00:00:53 Well, firstly, Adrian, how does Westbourne balance the integration of cutting edge technology with the expectations of traditional education. 

Adrian Camm  00:01:03 Thanks, Kylie. I think oftentimes we see technology and traditional approaches to education as almost being in a dichotomy or holding binary positions. But I don't think they're mutually exclusive and and I think probably the question should be about, you know, it's not one versus the other, but the two existing in a state of symbiosis and and I firmly believe that current and emerging technologies provide really exciting context for deep and powerful learning, particularly when you see technology, both current and emerging technologies, as providing a mechanism or a platform for Young people to become the creators of tomorrow's technology today. So of course, young people still need to be highly literate and numerate, but the more we can tap into what excites and engages them, and the more we can tap into what's happening in the world around us, I think the more we can provide opportunities for young people to grapple with complexity and ultimately become better learners. 

Kylie Speer  00:02:02 What are the leadership techniques you use to cultivate a culture of innovation among staff and students? 

Adrian Camm  00:02:08 Once you establish an environment where people feel as though they can take calculated risks, it's a safe environment, and they have a safety net, so when they try new things and fail, it's okay, and we adopt a mindset that failure is actually an opportunity for further learning, then I think the simplest leadership principle you can adopt to create a culture of innovation is just to say yes. So what I mean by that is if people come to you with ideas or proposals, your default response should be yes, and it should be yes and go and go and trial it. What resources do you need? Then evaluate, then come back, and if it's something that's worth scaling or moving forward with in a particular way across the school, well, let's embrace that, and let's get behind that person. And that really creates that bold, bottom up culture of innovation.  

Kylie Speer  00:03:00 Do young people recognize the extent to which innovation will play a role in their future? 

Adrian Camm  00:03:07 It's a really difficult question. I think some do. But I think if we're being, you know, very general, I think innovation for young people is almost synonymous with like gadgets or platforms or new devices that they interact with, rather than having that broader view of society in terms of climate change, you know, renewable energy, health care, the future of work. But I think, you know, one of the things that we try and do here at the school is really place innovation and this mindset of change at the forefront of everything that we do, and I think it's creating a noticeable shift. And so the young people here at Westbourne are more likely, I think, to recognize that innovation is part of their future, and it's not just about technology, but it's also about solving complex problems that will define their world.  

Kylie Speer  00:03:56 Not all innovation is based in technology. What are some of the non tech innovations you've initiated?  

Adrian Camm  00:04:00 Yeah, it's a great question. We we're constantly looking to improve the things that we do and to do new things. I think that's, you know, defines innovation. And I think everything from reducing teacher workload to the introduction of allied health services on site, right down to providing dry cleaning services for staff so that they can just get a little bit more extra time in their week. I think innovation starts from, you know, the very big right down to the very small. And it's about everything that encompasses school life. So it's about teaching, learning, curriculum, business, operations, systems, structures, processes and the list goes on. 

Kylie Speer  00:04:44 Westbourne has a commitment to the development of student leadership. Have you seen any real impact from these initiatives? 

Adrian Camm  00:04:54 Absolutely, our vision at the school is shaping learners who inspire the world. But increasingly, we. Talking about shaping the next generation of leaders. And I couldn't be prouder of some of the work our student leaders are doing and have done, and they are involved in all aspects of school life, from sitting on interview panels to recruit teachers all the way through to coming up with their own leadership initiatives and then implementing those across the school. A great example is our student music, Captain Ruby. She wanted to create a platform for up and coming, aspiring musicians and performing artists, where they can have a safe space and be mentored by their peers who are older than them, and to really create a really robust and innovative program that extends over a period of six months, so that these young up and comers feel really supported, really empowered, and are given opportunities to exceed their potential. 

Kylie Speer  00:05:52 So where does the inspiration for innovation come from? What inspires new ideas and projects? 

Adrian Camm  00:06:00 Innovation, New ideas, it comes from everywhere. I think oftentimes schools or education can be quite insular. So I think it's really important for schools and for those who work in them, to to look outside of education, or look outside of schools, look at what different industries and sectors are doing, and to examine the global shifts that should be informing our work in schools, and I think by casting your net really widely embracing all ideas, I think only positive things can happen. 

Kylie Speer  00:06:30 Adrian, what are some of the most significant lessons you have learned leading innovation at Westbourne Grammar, and how have they informed your vision for the school's future? 

Adrian Camm  00:06:41 We don't sit still. We need to have one eye on the future. The world's changing at an increasingly rapid pace, driven by advancements in technology, and so we have to constantly be looking to innovate, to disrupt our status quo, because if we don't do that, someone will do it for us, but also maintaining a really strong connection to our history and tradition. But probably one of the most significant lessons that I've learned over over time is that some people just do not like change. It creates an anxiety or a fear response, and so it's really about bringing people along on that journey with you, collaborating, consulting, communicating, and making sure that even if people perhaps disagree with an innovation or a project that's being implemented for the benefit of the school, at least they understand the rationale and the outcomes that we're looking to achieve.  

Kylie Speer  00:07:40 What really distinguishes Westbourne's approach to education and innovation from other schools and are the distinctions important to the school's identity? 

Adrian Camm  00:07:52 I think so. Our school is 158 years old, and we have a long history and tradition, and yet we embrace innovation and we're constantly looking to push the boundaries of what is possible in schools. And I often talk about our unique selling proposition, if you if you want to use some some business language, is that we, we really celebrate the past. We we acknowledge the great work happening in the here and now, but we're constantly looking to the future so that we can set the path and direction for our future generations to come. 

Kylie Speer  00:08:21 And Adrian, how are you preparing the school to adapt and thrive in such a fast paced and evolving landscape? 

Adrian Camm  00:08:30 It's hard work. I think all schools are facing challenges right now. I think our forward thinking approach is about the cultivation of the skills, the tools, the attitudes, the attributes, the dispositions, for all members of our community. So students, staff and our parents and we do this via a range of proactive approaches that is firmly centered in progressive education. It's about empowerment and it's about collective learning. So we we definitely espouse, like many schools do, that the cliche that learning together is a lifelong pursuit, but now more than ever, we need to be embracing of that fact and seeing change is probably one of the only constants in the world. Right now. It's ubiquitous, and we need to have a mindset that allows us, or invites us to be able to sit in that space of change and actually be comfortable being a little bit uncomfortable in that space. 

Kylie Speer  00:09:33 What future trends are you excited about? Can you give us an insight into what you think is coming next?  

Adrian Camm  00:09:40 I think we're just getting started with AI, Artificial Intelligence. I really think we're at an inflection point right now, and we're about to see some real exponential growth in that area. I think it's equal parts exciting and scary. I think we're also at a period in time as a society where we're seeing this convergence or confluence of. Of multiple technologies. So So, of course, AI, but then things like nanotechnology and synthetic biology and, you know, neuro technology and all these sorts of things that are coming together. And I think what that means is that the future is going to arrive faster than we could imagine. And so for schools, I think the structures of schools moving over the next five to 10 years will probably remain unchanged, really, at least for the foreseeable future, but I think we'll most definitely start to see new curricular approaches emerge that really embrace these new disciplines and technologies.  

Kylie Speer  00:10:41 Speaking of AI on the school's website, there is an AI avatar of you that speaks 50 different languages with perfect translation and realistic facial expressions, body moves and gestures and utilizes an extensive knowledge base. How surreal is it seeing an AI version of yourself, and what do you feel this innovation brings to the school's community?  

Adrian Camm  00:11:04 It's definitely surreal. And you know, when I first started in this work and as a school, we were exploring this work around, you know, six to nine months ago, it was, I thought at the time it was a little bit self indulgent, you know, to almost create an AI avatar of yourself. But that's not really the intent nor the purpose. I think having an AI avatar capable of speaking 50 languages in real time, language translation, it's not just about breaking language barriers, but it's a way, I think, for leaders moving into the future to really amplify engagement, connection and visibility. And I've always been a big believer in harnessing innovation, new technologies, to really push the boundaries. And I think AI is definitely our future, and soon, everyone's going to have an avatar or a digital clone. They'll be ubiquitous. And I think it's great to be at the leading edge of this work and using it in ways to not just create efficiencies and do things in different ways, but to also educate our community about what's coming about, the challenges, but also the opportunities that it brings. 

Kylie Speer  00:12:16 Another area of innovation has been in your curriculum by incorporating offerings including futures thinking the metaverse, cryptocurrencies and autonomous vehicles, how do you deal with such complex topics and introduce them to your students? 

Adrian Camm  00:12:33 It's a great question. I think first and foremost, innovation is a mindset. So it's about cultivating a mindset. It's about not settling for what is, but it's about asking what could be. And so I think first and foremost, you have to have teachers or a staff member who's interested, who's passionate about the about the area, but also acknowledging that they don't have to be the expert in that area. They should have an interest and a passion, and ultimately, what they need to do is provide provocations for students, provide access to these new technologies and new ways of thinking, but then model for students that it's okay to learn alongside each other, as we investigate, as we inquire, as we embrace these new technologies. And if we do that, that's the spirit of innovation, and that's how we deal with complex topics and introduce them to the students and give them opportunities. And it's paying dividends. 

Kylie Speer  00:13:37 And finally, Adrian, Westbourne has its AI Academy for students from year five to year 12 to create their own artificially intelligent applications and products utilizing machine learning. How do you judge the balance between embracing AI and remaining true to the more traditional elements of education? 

Adrian Camm  00:13:59 Yeah, the AI Academy now is in its second year, and it's going from strength to strength, and I couldn't be prouder of the team of people involved and leading that work. It's really cutting edge stuff, but I think our philosophy is firmly of the position that we want to make our young people, the creators of tomorrow's technology, not just the consumers of tomorrow's technology. And so that's what drives us, and it's about creating interesting context for learning, giving students complex problems to solve, getting out of their way, and then just providing the scaffolding and support as required. And they do things that they never thought they could. And I think for me, that's the essence, or the spirit of innovation at Westbourne, having students exceed what they even thought was possible, and that's where the magic happens. 

Kylie Speer  00:14:53 Well, congratulations, and thank you once again for your time today. Adrian, it's always so brilliant to hear the latest new. Is from you and the team at Westbourne. 

Adrian Camm  00:15:03 Thanks, Kylie. Love our chats, and thank you so much for the opportunity. 

Kylie Speer  00:15:09 And thank you, of course, to our viewers for watching the latest episode of The Educator TV. We look forward to seeing you again soon.