STTOP’s free, fast-paced sustainability program has landed in Aussie classrooms. What started as a series of fun, fast-paced YouTube videos has evolved into a national education program helping Aussie students take action and become advocates for a more sustainable future, right from the classroom.

In Episode 101 of The Research Files Teacher editor Jo Earp is joined by ACER Senior Research Fellow Dr Rebecca Taylor to explore survey data from 2 reports into music teaching and music education in primary schools, all about the ‘what’, ‘when’, and ‘how’ music learning is delivered.

‘I’m proud that Future Thinking has become a fantastic case study in how curriculum can evolve to meet the needs of the present and the possibilities of the future.’ Liam Bassett – Director of Digital Learning (P–12) at Westbourne Grammar School – shares details of a new year 9 subject designed to challenge, provoke and inspire.

‘Students are uniquely placed to bring to conversations something which only they can, their lived experience of what it means to be a learner in their school.’ In today’s article, John Cleary asks if ‘student voice’ is enough, and discusses how educators can instead partner with students to ensure their voices (and views) are heard and acted upon.

‘By focusing on future-orientated education, we can find innovative solutions to the megatrends our planet faces.’ In his first Teacher column for 2025, OECD Director for Education and Skills Andreas Schleicher shares finding from the latest Trends Shaping Education report, and the implications for teachers, school leaders, students and policymakers.

Last term, the 2024 recipients of the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Excellence in Science Teaching were announced. In this episode, Alice Leung and Daniel Edwards join us to share some of their favourite learning activities to run in the classroom, discuss why STEM is for everyone, and share how they use social media to connect with experts.

In his first Teacher column Professor Martin Westwell, Chief Executive of the South Australian Department for Education, discusses a worrying trend in education and PISA 2022 evidence that ‘our greatest strength in education is the professional judgement of our teachers’.

In this episode of The Research Files, Dr Claire Scoular joins us to unpack 2 new freely available frameworks that have been published as part of the essential skills suite – Communication and Self-regulation – and shares how they support classroom educators to develop these skills in the classroom. 

In his first Teacher column for 2025, Professor Geoff Masters AO poses these questions: will schooling be different for children born this year, and if so, how? He then offers 3 suggestions for how learning at school might evolve by 2040.

The Butterfly Foundation’s BodyKind Online Education program will be available to schools in early 2025. In today’s article, Head of Prevention at Butterfly Danni Rowlands discusses what the program is exactly, some of the results of the pilot evaluation of the program, and discusses how it supports a safer online experience for young people in Australia.