A primary teacher from Queensland and a secondary teacher from Sydney were last night recognised for their contribution to STEM and agricultural science education by being named winners of the Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching. Here, we share details of the work they’re doing in their schools.

What are the future directions of teaching writing? Do students write differently when supported by ICT? And, how often do teachers teach writing? In this edition of Researching education: Five further readings, we’re sharing resources on the topic of teaching writing that seek to answer these questions.

As Australia marks World Teachers’ Day, a new survey report released to coincide with the celebrations shines a light on school educators’ passion for and dedication to the profession and lifelong learning. But it also reveals how the job is taking a toll on their wellbeing.

Algorithms are a key component of computational thinking, and the foundations for developing these skills starts in the early years. What are some of the day-to-day ‘unplugged activities’ that offer teachers easy opportunities for emphasising and building these skills?

What are the key characteristics and concepts of computational thinking? And, how can a student’s performance of computational thinking be assessed? In this edition of Researching education: Five further readings, we are sharing a range of resources which seek to answer these questions and more.

‘The change over the last 20 years in what and how students read has emphasised the importance not only of assessing students’ capacity to read, but also what they have learned about the credibility of what they read.’ In her latest Teacher column, Dr Sue Thomson delves into international PISA 2018 data on reading literacy and digital literacy skills.

In their series for Teacher on Virtual Reality in education, Dr Susan O’Donnell and Adrian Rayner have explored the potential of VR technology and five elements of a successful school program. In this final instalment, they share feedback from students and staff who have been using the technology in their learning and teaching.

Dr Gary Stager joins Teacher to discuss his 30-year study into laptop use in schools. We discuss the challenges they faced in the early 1990s in the implementation of the program, how students engaged with the technology in the early days, but also what he’s learned about the way computers are used in schools today.

‘[Virtual Reality] cannot be an outcome in itself but needs to be a tool that creates meaningful, authentic and integrated learning opportunities when fully embedded with the curriculum.’ Dr Susan O’Donnell and Adrian Rayner share the five pillars of a successful VR program in education.

Australian schools and teachers will be better equipped to help young people navigate the online world safely with the launch of a new national online safety education framework from eSafety.