A report released by the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment, addresses the unique challenges faced by school leaders in regional, rural and remote schools and outlines four key qualities of school leaders achieving high impact in these settings.

Several states have banned financial institutions from delivering banking and branded education programs in schools, paving the way for school-led programs free from commercial interests. In today’s reader submission Carly Sawatzki, Jill Brown, and Peter Saffin outline some guiding criteria to help schools consider ways to strengthen their financial education programs.

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.

‘Climate change is likely the biggest test facing humanity. Equipping young people with solid scientific knowledge and understanding of environmental issues is key to their realistic appreciation of the environmental threats ahead.’ In his final Teacher column for 2021, Andreas Schleicher discusses student awareness and knowledge of environment issues, and how schools can develop their sense of empowerment and agency to make a difference.

We’re delighted to let you know our annual reader survey is opening today. It’s the seventh year in a row we have invited you to share your feedback, and this year, if you complete our survey you’ll go into the draw to win a $500 VISA prepaid gift card.

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.

‘In a digital society threatened by various disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic, lifelong learning attitudes have become even more crucial in fostering the resilience and adaptation of youngsters.’ In his latest Teacher column, Andreas Schleicher discusses how teachers, schools, education systems and parents can influence the development of lifelong learning attitudes.

Findings from an action research project in three West Australian schools suggest the use of quality mentor texts when explicitly teaching how to write narratives can improve students’ storytelling ability. Ron Gorman and Dr Sandy Heldsinger share more details about the teaching and assessment strategies used, and samples of student writing.

‘[Our school] vision is to develop young people who are active, resilient, lifelong learners. One of the priorities in our strategic plan relates to promoting student voice and agency…’ Richmond High School Principal Dr Lars Andersson shares how staff are working to ensure students are active participants in their learning.