Short articles

A pioneering educator and acclaimed artist from India who has transformed neglected walls into hundreds of vibrant, open-air learning centres has won the $1 million 2026 Global Teacher Prize. Rouble Nagi creates large-scale, interactive educational murals teaching literacy, numeracy, science, hygiene, history, environmental awareness, and social responsibility.

‘Comedy scriptwriting doesn’t just teach literacy, it gives young people the confidence and creativity to see themselves as writers, performers and storytellers.’ Bridget Hanna – Education Manager at the Australian Children’s Television Foundation – shares how comedy scriptwriting brings energy, laughter and collaboration into the classroom and helps develop literacy and language skills.

‘Teaching is filled with social and emotional interactions. Supporting teachers to feel more confident in managing these situations appears to be vital for their wellbeing.’ In today’s article Rebecca J. Collie shares her new research that examines teachers’ social-emotional confidence, the role of school leader support in fostering it, and how this confidence is associated with wellbeing later on in the school term.

Our first Teacher’s Bookshelf of 2026 features the open-access guide How to Use Research Evidence Well In Education: A Guide For Educators and Leaders. This excerpt shares a school case study of what identifying a clear purpose looks like in action.

The Zayed Sustainability Prize is a global award that recognises organisations and high schools that are delivering practical, scalable solutions to some of the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges. Last week, the Prize announced the cohort of 2026 winners in a ceremony held during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. In today’s article, we learn more about the 6 winning high schools from 6 world regions.

The top 50 finalists for the US$1 million Global Teacher Prize have just been announced, bringing together nominees from 38 countries. They include 2 teachers from Australia – Colleen O'Rourke and Jade Bassett. Find out more in today’s article.

‘There is no shortage of professional commitment in schools, just hours in the day. So, what might it look like to craft professional learning in a way that tries to respect both time constraints and hunger for quality?’ In this reader contribution, Lia Sharma – Head of Professional Growth at Roseville College, NSW – shares a differentiated model.

Our annual Teacher magazine reader survey has concluded for another year. In this article, we’re delighted to share the winner of our $550 prize and provide you with an overview of the fantastic insights you shared with us through the survey.

‘The feedback from students reflects a growing desire for partnership. They aren’t just asking for permission to use AI, they’re asking for guidance, collaboration, and trust.’ Georgia Wignall shares new insights from a Queensland school research partnership on why students are leaning on AI tools and how they want teachers to support them.

From inside the classroom to the school’s outdoor spaces, there’s plenty to consider when it comes to learning spaces. In this edition of Researching education: 5 further readings, we share 5 resources on the topic of learning spaces.