Abstract:
This paper outlines a longitudinal study of a unique holistic Australian approach to educating Year 9 students in a residential setting provided by the School for Student Leadership (SSL). Located in three diverse regions of Victoria, it provides nine-week residential programs focusing on leadership, relationship building, and self awareness/acceptance. Underpinned by the principles of cooperative learning and informed by theoretical approaches related to experiential and service learning, the philosophy has continued to evolve since the school’s inception in 2000. A mixed methods approach was used to collect data through surveys and focus group interviews. Findings suggest that the cooperative learning approach utilized within the residential setting provides a unique platform for the development of positive attitudes towards learning.
