NAIDOC Week is an annual celebration that honours the cultures, histories and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In today’s article, we explore the 2026 theme 50 Years of Deadly, share links to the free resources that have been developed for teachers, and highlight 3 schools around the country who are celebrating NAIDOC Week in their own unique way. 

In this episode of The Research Files, editor Jo Earp is joined by Professor Sandra Gattenhof and Dr John Nicholas Saunders who share findings from their study exploring declining enrolment numbers in year 12 arts subjects in Australia. They also talk about the implications for schools, including the arts educator pipeline, and practical supports for out-of-field teachers.

Participating in professional learning can be energising and inspiring, but introducing what you’ve learned into your own practice – and sustaining it over the long term – can be hard. Taking small, simple steps on a regular basis was a key feature of what endured for teachers in a recent Australian research study of music-based approaches to nurture wellbeing.

Findings from an Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) survey commissioned by Alberts and The Tony Foundation of over 700 primary school teachers across 95 schools in New South Wales highlight the different ways music education is being offered. Teachers were asked: ‘In what form(s) is music education provided at your school?’. Find out more in today’s infographic.

‘The challenge facing many primary educators is not whether music education matters, but how to deliver quality music programs when they lack the specialised training, resources, or confidence to teach music effectively.’ Find out more about the Fun Music Company’s teacher-friendly, curriculum-aligned programs making quality music education accessible to every primary 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.

Recent research reveals a decline in high-quality music education availability, and that music teachers are particularly vulnerable to burnout. In response to these challenges, Gradus Software has developed MusicApprentice through extensive consultation with music educators over several years. 

With the advent of ChatGPT and the emergence of similar generative AI tools, the teaching and learning landscape is facing a major challenge as it considers how schools might respond to generative AI. To guide schools with their investigation and implementation of generative AI, the Australian Government released the ‘Australian Framework for Generative Artificial Intelligence in Schools’ to guide the responsible and ethical use of generative AI tools.

‘Successful learning is built on people recognising your abilities and strengths and helping you to build on them.’ We speak to Sue Lowry, winner of the Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award, about how she is delivering quality music education to students with special needs, and how they’re smashing expectations.

The longstanding Prime Minister’s Prizes for Excellence in Science Teaching recognise one primary and one secondary STEM teacher for their outstanding contribution to the field. The 2023 winners were announced late last year and in this episode, we speak with them both about the work they’ve been recognised for.