Jo Earp

Considerable progress has been made in defining 21st Century skills, but curriculum implementation is the next hurdle. That was one of the messages to come out of the first webinar revisiting the ‘big five’ education challenges facing Australian schools.

The findings of Australia’s annual snapshot of principal health and wellbeing have just been released. And, if you’re an educator you won’t be surprised to hear that ‘extremely long hours and constant exposure to stress’ left school leaders exhausted in 2020, as first fires, then floods, then a pandemic pushed them to their limits.

What should and should not be the responsibility of schools? A nationwide poll by the Australian National University asked parents and carers to consider this question in relation to 15 statements. Today’s infographic takes a look at the results.

Reducing the disparities in the schooling experiences of students was one of the issues identified by Teacher columnist Professor Geoff Masters AO in his influential series on the ‘big five’ education challenges facing Australian schools. What does the latest evidence say, and where do we go to from here?

Our connections with others have an influence on our own behaviour. Social networks form in lots of different contexts, including at school and in the workplace. Social Network Analysis (SNA) is now offering insights into these important, but often invisible relationships.

In Australia, one of the aims of civics and citizenship education is to develop understanding and appreciation of Indigenous histories and cultures. This infographic looks at students’ attitudes towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, traditions and peoples.

What opportunities do school students have to learn about other cultures, perspectives, and global events? Students participating in PISA 2018 were asked 10 questions about the different learning activities they are exposed to. Today’s infographic looks at the OECD average results.

Pamela Macklin and Vic Zbar have just released an updated second edition of Driving School Improvement: Practical strategies and tools. In this Q&A they discuss a common improvement challenge faced by leaders, and share examples of how different schools are meeting this challenge.

Video gaming and non-academic internet use can improve student achievement, but moderation and timing are key, according to a new Australian study by researchers from the University of Southern Queensland and UNSW Sydney.

Leaders and teachers moved swiftly to ensure continuity of children’s learning during the COVID pandemic, and parents and carers in Australia certainly appreciated their efforts, with a new survey showing high levels of satisfaction with how schools adapted.