Learning activities

‘The metaverse is upon us. Soon it will be as omnipresent as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook (now Meta).’ So reads the first line of a new Policy Brief exploring the potential of the metaverse to enhance teaching and learning in the future, and why we need to start planning for it now.

How can we support reading aloud in the early years, at school and at home? And how does reading aloud affect our lives in the long term? Today, we’ll be speaking with Professor Emerita Rosemary Johnston AM, who shares some of the research on the benefits and joys of reading aloud and how we can continue to support reading aloud at school and at home.

A new framework for learning through play has been developed to support teachers in the classroom and help guide policy and practice in the early years of schooling. The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and the LEGO Foundation have worked together to develop the framework.

Mathematics teacher Holly Millican shares three fun classroom activities she uses with her students to help engage her students in learning algebra: Solve Me Mobiles, Digit Disguises and combining like terms.

Taking turns and sharing in early childhood develops children’s pro-social skills in the early years, helping them to thrive in school and later life. In the second part of a Q&A with Teacher, Lauren Armstrong – Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at the University of Tasmania – discusses how early years and primary teachers can support the development of these important skills.

Taking turns and sharing in early childhood develops children’s pro-social skills in the early years, helping them to thrive in school and later life. In the first instalment of a two-part Q&A, we speak with Lauren Armstrong – Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at the University of Tasmania – about the impact of these skills for school readiness, and the current research on the topic.

What is involved in moving museum content online for educational purposes? What are the benefits? What are the challenges? In this Q&A, we speak with Melina Mallos, former Education Manager at the Museum of Chinese Australian History, about the process of digitising museum content.

In her first video for 2022, Mathematics teacher Holly Millican shares three engaging activities for teaching lower secondary students about directed number. She also shares some resources and worksheets.

‘Long gone is the traditional view of a museum as being static and dusty. Contemporary museums promote interactive exhibits, experiential learning experiences and technological “open” accessibility.’ Dr Deb Cohen explains how teachers can use museum education programs to support classroom learning.

The two most recent winners of the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Excellence in Science Teaching join us in this podcast. They each share how they’re improving student outcomes in their own school settings and their top tips for other Science teachers across the country.