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This semester has seen an exciting development in the way curriculum is offered to year 9 students at Cobden Technical  School.While data regarding the engagement and attendance of Year 9 students at Cobden Technical School has traditionally been quite positive, research has indicated that Year 9 can be very difficult time for students as they go through transition from junior school to senior school.

This year, 40 of our Year 9 students are participating in an Inquiry Based Learning trial under the banner of the "Catchment to Coast" theme.

The school is trialling a new homework program called Mathletics.  This is an online program which allows your child to complete their homework and receive instant feedback on how they are going.

Every student from Years 7-11 will be set some homework to complete online.  This homework will be set weekly and be related to the topic being completed in class.  Once they have completed the activity, they get instant feedback.  The students must achieve a result of over 80% or they will need to press try again.

The good thing about this program is if they do not understand something, there is a question mark which they can press which takes them through the question step-by-step.

Mathletics is a worldwide program and this week the Technical School had a class at number 38 in Australia and number 50 in the world.  So far the trial has been very positive.

Those students not having access to a computer at home have opportunity to utilise the school computers.
The teacher implementing this program is Ellen Podbury, she is very energetic within our maths department and extremely focused on our students doing well in maths.

When our Year 12 Biology students travelled to the Gene Technology Access Centre in Parkville on Tuesday, 27th July, they were provided with the opportunity to use equipment and techniques to manipulate DNA which are not ordinarily available to them at school.

The group managed to insert a gene for antibiotic resistance into some E.coli bacteria and used "DNA cutting machines" called restriction enzymes to cut DNA into fragments and run them through an electrophoresis gel. Some beautiful biology!

We also managed to fit in lunch at Melbourne Uni while soaking up the atmosphere and checked out the "Amazing Bodies" exhibition at Docklands where, amongst other things, we were able to see real human bodies sliced into 3mm thicknesses and set in resin.

Gory, but, fascinating!

Thursday, 24th June
At 9:30 am on the 24th of June, 2010, everyone arrived at Colac Police Station to start the 2010 B.R.A.T. (Beechy Rail Trail). Everyone arrived excited and nervous. All 22 boys lined up and got a B.R.A.T. number, drink bottle, badge and a hat. At 9:45, we all got in the bus and headed for the Beechy Rail Trail. At 10:30 am, we arrived at the start of our 40km walk back to Colac. We then got our drink bottles and filled them up with cordial. After we had a group photo, we started our walk. We got up the trail but then had to get back on the bus because of the loggers. Once we got past the loggers, we got off the bus and walked.