Gowrie Victoria and Lady Gowrie Queensland have worked closely together over the past two years to strengthen our partnership, doing so through the creation of Study Tours. These study tours allow educators to engage in deep critical reflection and build on Lady Gowrie’s vision of an organisation which champions high-quality early childhood education and care.
The opportunity for the Study Tours emerged from a strategic discussion between Gowrie Victoria and Lady Gowrie Queensland around how innovative and flexible programs can promote high-quality practice in complex communities. From here, the Study Tours have been broadened to include Gowrie Victoria’s history of demonstrating high quality practice provision in a diverse range of contexts. The Study Tours highlight how each Gowrie Victoria service, although having the same purpose and values, is unique in the ways it meets the needs of its community. The success of this initial Study Tour led us to enhance the experience by including more professional development through workshops and small group experiences.
This August we held our fourth Study Tour, with participants from a range of services across Queensland. As more than just a professional learning event, the Study Tour was a demonstration of Gowrie’s shared values and our commitment to strengthening the early childhood sector through connection, practice-based learning, and reflection. There were twelve services represented across the July and August tours, with educators, teachers and advisors from the Kindy Uplift team.
A proud history of practice and demonstration
For more than 85 years, Gowrie organisations have been leaders in early childhood education and care. Our heritage of learning by seeing and doing continues to shape the way we engage educators in professional growth. The Study Tours extend this proud tradition, offering a chance for educators to move beyond theory and experience best practice in real, authentic contexts.
While many professionals seek continuous improvement through reading, research, or online training, Gowrie Victoria believes strongly in coupling theory with practice. Educators learn best when they can step out of their daily routines, immerse themselves in rich learning environments, and reflect alongside peers.
Adult learning in action: The 10-20-70 model
Gowrie’s heritage – as an organisation was created to demonstrate high-quality early childhood service provision – carries on to the adult learning principles enacted by Gowrie Victoria today. We aim to share our learning and enable others to see, hear and be inspired by high quality practice; always aiming to show, rather than tell.
Although our approach is rooted in theory and deeply evidence-informed, we aim to bring it to life on-site, where participants are fully immersed in authentic learning environment. Our Study Tour builds upon this philosophy, using the 10-20-70 model.
Our Study Tour model takes a blended approach, where participants:
- Learn 10% through structured learning
Workshops, panels, and presentations provided a framework for deeper exploration of practice. Formal sessions focused on key topics such as trauma-informed practice, embedding First Nations perspectives, leadership and capacity building, and project-based learning. A panel featuring representatives from across Gowrie Victoria further supported participants to unpack observations and strengthen their understanding of the learning journey.
- Learn 20% through social learning
Through peer-to-peer sharing, networking, and reflective conversations, participants engaged in small group discussions to share knowledge, clarify thinking, and consider different perspectives. These coaching-style interactions also created opportunities to set goals and identify actions to take back to their own contexts.
- Learn 70% through experience
Participants spent the majority of their time immersed in direct observation and hands-on learning, watching teachers and educators engage with children in real time. Observation booths supported this process, allowing for authentic insight into daily practice without disrupting the flow of programs. This experience carries on to participants own workplaces, as they take the learning with them to create change and reflect with their own teams. All educators will implement their learning in different ways, aiming to meet the needs of their own community and context.
This blended approach ensures that professional learning is holistic, practical, and relevant. It allows educators to connect what they see and hear with their own context, creating opportunities for meaningful shifts in practice. For one participant from Lady Gowrie Queensland, she found this approach wholly beneficial. “The sessions are good but seeing how these things are put into practice is what really supports educators on their journey.”
Translating theory into practice
The true impact of the Study Tour lies in what happens once participants return to their services. Small but powerful changes ripple through teams as educators bring fresh perspectives, new tools, and renewed enthusiasm for their work. One participant captured this sense of transformation well, reflecting that, “Being here in person allows me to see how an environment is set up, and how I can do it myself and bring it back to my workplace.”
While all six Gowrie organisations share a common history and values, each puts theory into practice in unique and innovative ways. These Study Tours are a model for how collaboration can strengthen our collective impact under Gowrie Australia.
Simone speaks passionately about the value that the Study Tours bring: “The Study Tours showcase the power of partnership between Gowrie Victoria and Lady Gowrie Queensland. They create space for educators to connect, to reflect, and to see high-quality practice in action. The Study Tours strengthen our sector together, by promoting shared learning which in turn inspires meaningful change for early childhood communities.”
As Holly, a participant from Journey Early Learning Queensland summed up, “I loved every second of it. It challenged my thinking, gave me passion and confidence, and made me feel seen. From here, I’m going to advocate and challenge more. I want to be the change.”
Read more: Gowrie Victoria partner with Lady Gowrie Queensland for a study tour
