Learning spaces

School playgroups benefit children, their families, schools and communities. New Australian research has identified six key features of high-performing school playgroups.

A vertical school in Brisbane has been named one of the winners at the 2021 World Architecture Festival. In this article, we share the details of the school design, and other school projects from across the world that have been recognised for their innovative design concepts.

The leadership team at Suncoast Christian College in Queensland has been working hard to open up classrooms, encourage greater sharing of practice, and make the shift to a more collaborative model of planning, teaching and assessment. We find out more from Principal Greg Mattiske and Director of Teaching and Learning Haley Whitfield.

One of the most popular Teacher articles of all time includes a section on looking at things from a student perspective – for example, checking to see if they have an obstructed view of the board. As a teacher, you also need to be thinking about possible issues with students’ eyesight. Two recent studies from different parts of the world explore the topic of vision screening in schools.

The FlexiSpace initiative in Queensland is aimed at reconnecting disengaged students and supporting them to stay at school. Evaluations of the pilot and first phase of expansion provide early evidence of their effectiveness. Peter Kelly, Deputy Director-General at Queensland Department of Education, shares details of the approach, and the impact it’s having in participating schools.

The architecture and landscape design of the Mary Rice Early Learning Centre in Brisbane provides opportunities for children to experiment, discover, create and explore. In today’s article we speak to an educator and the architects who worked on the project to hear more about how the design of the centre facilitates learning and play.

A report from Education Services Australia has outlined a range of strategies for creating a gender inclusive STEM learning environment. In this video, we outline some of the recommendations on creating a gender-neutral learning environment.

There are many ways to approach decorating your classroom with wall displays. Here, we speak to Professor Peter Barrett about what the research says on how to utilise classroom displays to encourage student belonging and ownership.

Many opportunities lie in how teachers can use the walls, doors, ceiling and floors in their classroom to display student work and topic material throughout the school year. Here, we speak to Professor Peter Barrett about how to best utilise classroom displays to improve student learning.

An article published in the Journal of Professional Learning explores practical strategies teachers can implement in their classroom to support students with autism. The strategies include managing the physical environment of the classroom, the benefits of using visuals and treating changes in routine.