Building bridges for Bard students

Dr Liam Semler (centre) with Kate Flaherty (left) and Professor Penny Gay (right)

A million-dollar* collaboration between the University of Sydney and leading independent school Barker College could transform the way Shakespeare and English literatureare taught at high schools and universities.

Shakespeare Reloaded, a three year project funded by the Australian Research Council, aims to bridge the gulf between the often very different ways Shakespeare (and English literature more broadly) is taught at secondary and tertiary levels.

"First year university essays reveal that schools and universities teach and reward students very differently," says project director, Sydney University's Dr Liam Semler. "Terms and methods HSC students thought they understood turn out to be misunderstood or misapplied once they enter university. Previously top scoring students can be confused or angry when they receive a bare pass or credit."

But the incomprehension goes both ways. "Many university academics are illiterate in the language of Year 12 scholarship, which can limit their ability to judge the quality of first-year work."

To bring these two very different teaching and learning cultures together, the University will collaborate with project partner Barker College. University researchers and Shakespearian academics will be 'embedded' in the college, observing teaching as well as running post-graduate Shakespeare courses onsite at Barker for high school English teachers.

The centrepiece of the project, however, is a unique, open-access website that will host web forums and discussion for all Australian students of Shakespeare, providing students with authoritative links to the best and latest cutting edge Shakespeare research. "The aim of the website is to promote students' research skills, critical thinking and writing abilities," says Dr Semler.

"Barker College is well known as a leading school in the teaching of English and Drama, and the College has staged award-winning Shakespearean productions," said Dr Rod Kefford, Headmaster of Barker College.

Researchers will also link up with Barker's drama department, so teaching strategies can be applied to Shakespeare in performance as well as Shakespeare as text. "We see this as a two-way partnership: our English department of thirty teachers is comparable in size and dedication to the University's own English department.

"In our recently completed ten year plan we identified the effective use of English as a key learning goal, and developing and nurturing creative expression as crucial in preparing young people for adult life," said Dr Kefford.

At the end of the three year research project (commencing next year) the University and Barker College plan to host a joint conference with the Australian and New Zealand Shakespeare Association, where the project's key research findings will be delivered.

*Includes cash and in-kind support from the Australian Research Council, The University of Sydney and Barker College.

Contact: Kath Kenny

Phone: 02 9351 2261 or 0434 606 100