Can therapy dogs decrease anxiety and stress in students, and improve school attendance? These are just some of the questions Monash University academics Dr Linda Henderson and Dr Christine Grove from the Faculty of Education are trying to answer as they push for more research in this area.

A new research study has compiled a list of the 500 most frequently used words written by students in Australia in their first three years of schooling. What influences their word choices? Are there any gender differences? And, how has the list changed in a decade?

Chapter three of the Gonski report discusses the value of excellent teachers, the importance of upgrading their professional practice, and the need for expert educators ‘who foster the learning growth of their students through collaboration, mentoring and continuous learning’.

Educators across Australia are always trying new ways to improve outcomes for their students. Not all changes result in improvements. Is there a way that we increase the likelihood of a change leading to improvement?

In this fortnightly series, Teacher takes a closer look at some of the Gonski recommendations and what they might look like in practice. Today we explore the role of education research and evidence in driving practice and innovation to improve student outcomes.

Student expectations of their future in education are shifting, a report released today has found. The report – which analyses PISA results from 2003 to 2015 – has shown an overall decline in the proportion expecting to go on to tertiary education.

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) measures Year 4 students’ reading literacy achievement. When the last study cycle was conducted in 2016, students in the Russian Federation outperformed their peers in all 50 participating countries and 11 benchmarking regions.

A school-based survey has been designed to help schools assess the effectiveness of school-wide program implementation, particularly programs based on mental health. Teacher takes a look at how educators could use this tool to gain a clearer idea of how valuable their current social-emotional health promotion is for students.

A new paper published in the Australian Journal of Education explores the reasons why many students, especially girls, choose not to study advanced mathematics in Australian secondary schools. Author Dr Helen Law joins Teacher to share her findings.

Discussions and debate around the education of refugee students can often focus on the challenges and difficulties. Finnish researcher Mervi Kaukko has come to Australia to explore the other side of the story – how are teachers helping students to be successful at school?