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Melbourne Graduate School of Education

New Metrics for Success
Transforming what we value in schools

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New Metrics for Success is a collaborative research venture between The University of Melbourne and selected forward-thinking schools to work in partnership to address the meta-problems faced by Australian schools today and in the future.

University of Melbourne buildings

New Metrics for Success is an opportunity for innovative school leaders to join with academic experts and international trailblazers to reimagine and influence schooling in Australia – to move away from the ‘grammar of schooling’ that continues to lock our schools into many of the distinctive features of the 20th century version of education.

Australian schooling is ready for a paradigm shift and the development of new metrics to assess, credential and measure student, school and system success. Young people must now be educated and assessed in new ways so they are prepared for a very different future.

In this research-practice partnership, schools work with experts at the Assessment Research Centre to access University technology to support the creation and validation of new metrics.

The partnership provides the opportunity to:

  • work with progressive school leaders who have moved away from the traditional ‘grammar of schooling’
  • generate new and validated assessment tools for complex competencies
  • generate reports and learner profiles that recognise a broader range of what a learner knows and can do
  • influence the development of new policy
  • garner the necessary support to facilitate real change in schools
  • connect with national and international networks of like-minded leaders.

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Participants in New Metrics for Success work together on solutions to the big challenges that face Australian education, industry and partner schools. These challenges vary but often stem from the traditional organisation of learning, which includes:

  • curriculum devised around discipline content areas;
  • reliance on summative examinations to gauge success;
  • use of standardised testing in narrow areas of attainment to determine overall success; and
  • timetables organised around short time periods of instruction provided principally by subject experts.

The work of New Metrics for Success involves:

  1. Promoting alignment of policy and system reward and is influencing the development of new ideas about metrics for success for learners, schools and systems.

  2. Building the capacity and reputation of participants as innovative and progressive leaders.

  3. Accessing University technology and researchers to support the generation, collation and analysis of school-based data.

  4. Schools working with the University to develop and publish case studies that promote the program and the schools’ innovations.

  5. Professional learning for school staff to build their capacity to be leaders in the assessment and recognition of complex competencies.

  6. Participating in a range of events, including face-to-face and online seminars with University academics, industry leaders, system-level leaders, educational influencers and innovative school leaders.

  7. Collaboration with a wide range of schools, across systems and states/territories within Australia.

School partners have the opportunity to share their progress, receive critical feedback, and establish relationships with a range of schools, experts and influencers from across the education sector.

Download the New Metrics for Success brochure

More than a mark: how to measure learning success without ranks and tests

On 20 September 2022, MGSE Dean's Lecture Series invited Professor Sandra Milligan to explain new ways of assessing and credentialing, along with what they mean for learners, their teachers, employers and tertiary selectors.  Professor Milligan amplified the New Metrics for Success work by paying homage to the  New Metrics research-practice partnership schools and the big challenge that they are tackling.

Introductory webinar

In 2020, schools that had expressed an interest were invited to an introductory webinar in October with Enterprise Professor Sandra Milligan, Professor Yong Zhao and Laureate Professor John Hattie.

New Metrics for Success is a collaboration between progressive school leaders, nationally and internationally recognised academic researchers and thought-leaders, and system, sector and industry leaders.

  • 'First mover' school partners
  • Academic team
  • Academic mentors
  • Industry

'First mover' school partners

The University of Melbourne is proud to partner with the following forward-thinking Australian schools:

 School
State/Territory
Abbotsleigh School logo
Abbotsleigh School

NSW
All Saints' College logo

All Saints' College


WA
Barker College logo
Barker College

NSW
Bayside logo

Bayside P-12 College


VIC
Camberwell Girls logo

Camberwell Girls Grammar School


VIC
Carey College logo

Carey Baptist Grammar School


VIC
Clonard College logo
Clonard College

VIC
Dandenong High School logo
Dandenong High School

VIC
Genazzano logo
Genazzano FCJ College

VIC
Glenunga International High School logo

Glenunga International High School


SA
Greenvale Secondary College logo
Greenvale Secondary College

VIC
Heathfield High logo
Heathfield High School

SA
Hunter Sports logo

Hunter Sports High School


NSW
Marist Sion logo

Marist-Sion College


VIC
Melaleuca Park logo
Melaleuca Park Primary School

SA
Monivae logo

Monivae College


VIC
Mother Teresa logo

Mother Teresa Primary School


NSW
Naracoorte High

Naracoorte High School


SA
Nangiloc Colignan logo

Nangiloc Colignan & District Primary School


VIC
Newcastle school

Newcastle Community of Schools


NSW
Parramatta Marist High logo

Parramatta Marist High School


NSW
Princes Hill logo

Princes Hill Primary School


VIC
Prospect North Primary School logo

Prospect North Primary School


SA
Pulteney Grammar School logo

Pulteney Grammar School


SA
Santa Sophia logo

Santa Sophia Catholic College


NSW
Scotch Oakburn logo
Scotch Oakburn College

TAS
St Columba logo

St Columba Anglican School


NSW
St Josephs Echuca logo

St Joseph's College, Echuca


VIC
St Lukes logo

St Luke's Catholic College


NSW
St Michaels logo

St Michael's Grammar School


VIC
Knox School logo

The Knox School


VIC
Wesley College logo

Wesley College


VIC
Woodleigh School logo
Woodleigh School

VIC
Fitzroy High logo Wurun Senior Campus
(Collingwood College & Fitzroy High School)

VIC

Academic team

The Melbourne Graduate School of Education academic team will be led by members of the Graduate School’s professoriate:

  • Profile picture of Jim Watterston
    Jim Watterston

    Dean of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education

    Phone: +61383448331
    Email: jim.watterston@unimelb.edu.au

  • Profile picture of John Hattie
    John Hattie

    Laureate Professor Emeritus

    Email: jhattie@unimelb.edu.au

  • Profile picture of Sandra Milligan
    Sandra Milligan

    Enterprise Professor

    Phone: +61390357801
    Email: s.milligan@unimelb.edu.au

  • Profile picture of Helen Cahill
    Professor Helen Cahill

    Phone: +61383449641
    Email: h.cahill@unimelb.edu.au

  • Profile picture of Lea Waters
    Professor Lea Waters

    Email: l.waters@unimelb.edu.au

  • Profile picture of Yong Zhao
    Professor Yong Zhao

  • Profile picture of Larissa McLean Davies
    Professor Larissa McLean Davies

    Professor of Teacher Education

    Phone: +61383448610
    Email: l.mcleandavies@unimelb.edu.au

  • Profile picture of Peggy Kern
    Associate Professor Peggy Kern

    Associate Professor in Wellbeing Science

    Phone: +61383443402
    Email: peggy.kern@unimelb.edu.au

  • Profile picture of John Quay
    Associate Professor John Quay

    Associate Professor in Physical Education

    Phone: +61383448533
    Email: jquay@unimelb.edu.au

Participants will be connected to the leadership team’s extensive local and international network, including luminaries such as Professor Emeritus Michael Fullan (Canada) and Professor David Ng (Singapore).

Academic mentors

Throughout the partnership, schools are mentored by a team from the Assessment Research Centre:



Enterprise Professor Sandra Milligan
Director of the Assessment Research Centre



Angela Pollock
Director of New Metrics for Success



Lynn Davie
Partnership Lead



Jayne Johnston
Partnership Lead

Bruce Beswick



Dr Bruce Beswick

Kate Lafferty



Dr Kate Lafferty

Megan Collins



Megan Collins

Narelle English



Narelle English



Dr Rebekah Luo

Jason Pietzner



Dr Jason Pietzner



Ben Reeves

Melissa Bao


Melissa Bao
Project Manager

Industry

The Assessment Research Centre is proud to have a relationship with:

Big Picture logo ALS NPDL MTC LVA logo St Paul's logo Victoria Government logo

The University is continually updating and advancing support resources for partner schools.

New Metrics has developed resource kits to support the assessment and recognition of a range of complex competencies. These resource kits are designed to be used in conjunction with the University's assessment platform to assess a learner's level of attainment and growth in an area of competence. New Metrics resource kits contain:

  • competence definitions
  • breakdowns of 'elements' of competence
  • sample learning progressions
  • sample indicative behaviours
  • guidance on designing opportunities for evidence collection

Sample resources

Please find here a sample resource kit for Agency in Learning and a compilation of some ‘taster’ resources for additional competencies, including:

  • Acting Ethically
  • Active Citizenship
  • Character
  • Collaboration
  • Communication
  • Quality Thinking

Introduction to assessing a range of competencies

Agency in Learning sample kit

New Metrics resource kit sample

The New Metrics Partner Portal

For Existing 'First mover' research practice partnership schools

Access the partnership's online resources and seminars, and stay up to date with the latest news and events.

Launch partner portal

Please note: For issues relating to the partner portal, please contact technical support.

Australian school teams are invited to join the University’s community, contribute to an influential evidence-base, and broaden the assessment and recognition of complex competencies in their learners.

Engage with the work

There are four ways to join the growing eco-system of those leading assessment and recognition of complex competencies:

  • The 'First Mover' research-practice partnership
  • The Melbourne Assessment community
  • University support for existing networks
  • Online professional learning (for individuals)

New Metrics partner banner

By invitation only, school partners work alongside University academics at the global cutting-edge to:

  • develop, test and refine new metrics
  • advance the cross-sectorial national agenda for improved and broader recognition systems
  • generate customisable learner profiles for their students
  • Engage directly with policy-makers, industry leaders and global innovative practitioners

Program details

2023 intake

Enquiries relating to joining the New Metrics research-practice partnership in 2023 are currently closed. We encourage you to fill in our Expression of Interest Form so to be kept up to date once opportunities for 2024 become available.

In the meantime, we invite you to become a member of our Melbourne Assessment community to gain access to our collection of assessment materials and tools, and to join the growing eco-system of educators leveraging the assessment and reporting of complex competencies to transform schooling.

EOI here

Melbourne Assessment community

Schools with a strategic interest in improving their assessment and reporting practices are welcome to join the University's community, to:

  • Broaden the way complex competencies are taught, assessed and reported on in their settings
  • Engage in professional learning to build staff capacity to lead and respond to new assessment practices
  • Learn from pioneer school leaders, academics and industry leaders
  • Contribute to the growing evidence-base for systemic change in Australia

Program details

Register here

Schools with <50 enrolled students, please contact us to discuss engagement opportunities

Engagements for established networks

Do you lead, or are you part of, an existing network that has an interest in working collaboratively to improve the assessment and recognition of learners' complex competencies?

The University can work with your network leadership to provide:

  • professional learning to a network of schools
  • access to University assessment tools and resources
  • measurement and credentialing expertise to match the network's ambitions
  • project guidance and support

Contact us to discuss available options.

Online short courses

Interested individuals or teams of staff can engage in our online courses on Transforming Assessment Design to learn about and become accredited in the ‘why,’ ‘what’ and ‘how’ of assessing and recognising complex competencies.

Find out more and enrol here

FutureLearn course banner

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