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Mission Statement

It is the goal of the AtarEdge program to maximise students study and exam experience in order to provide them with the best opportunity to realise their full potential.

The program achieves this by:​

  • Identifying the individual students current challenges regarding their study and exam strategies prior to starting the 5 module program. This will help to identify within the 5 modules the students strengths and weaknesses and to focus on these during the program.

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  • Reviewing participants in a holistic manner (sleep patterns, motivation, individual goals, study environment, emotional resilience and exam outcome expectations) to develop an individualised approach.

 

  • Maintaining small cohort numbers in order to encourage:

  1. Closer individual ties between the instructor and student.

  2. The creation of a peer culture within the cohort that is based on respect, support and encouragement.

  3. Foster/develop a learning environment.

  4. Collaborative connections between students for support outside of the teaching sessions. 

 

  • Providing research based psychological and educational tools to the task of learning.

                                                                   And

 

  • Providing a framework that can promote future personal growth.

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The inspiration for the AtarEdge program was initially a direct result of the increasing anxiety being experienced by students studying for and taking their ATAR exams. However, in the development of the program modules, it was quickly identified that all students could benefit from these cutting edge study techniques. So… while the name implies a direct response to the ATAR exam the program is designed to reach out and meet the needs of all secondary aged students.

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Research in the area of exam anxiety has indicated numbers from 30% in 2017 (ABC News) to a whopping 56% (School News Australia) in 2020. Up to 25% sought professional help to deal with their anxiety (ReachOut- 2020).

 

AtarEdge is not designed to provide tutoring assistance to students in specific subject material, there are many good programs providing this service. AtarEdge is designed to address the “how to” of studying and sitting exams and this is where the AtarEdge program stands apart.

Development of the AtarEdge program

The AtarEdge program was developed by Dr. Kevin Pyle (a PhD Clinical Psychologist) to inform the psychological aspects of the program while the educational component was developed by a Mr. Johann Schoeman (a senior teacher) based in Perth. Dr. Jennifer Donovan (PhD in Education, UK) also consulted in the construction of the educational components of the program.

 

Each of these professionals bring their substantial experience of working with secondary school aged students to the program.

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The emphasis of the five AtarEdge modules is to provide evidenced-based practical strategies that young people can draw on to maximise their exam outcomes.

 

This is why the developers of the AtarEdge are confident that the information and tools provided in the modules will provide essential support to teens approaching the stressful and important culminating years of their education.

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