Long reads

We’ve called on 2 of our expert colleagues here at the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) – Dr Tim Friedman and Bethany Davies – to look at what the latest Australian research says about teaching and learning with artificial intelligence, and what you can do in the classroom to address some of the challenges.

In this expert Q&A Amy Ayres – President of the Science Teachers’ Association of New South Wales – discusses integrating technology into science instruction and improving students’ critical thinking or inquiry skills. These were 2 areas of future PD need highlighted in the latest Australian TIMSS teacher questionnaire findings.

‘I wanted to make a meaningful change in how our kids see themselves as mathematicians.’ Mathematics teacher Holly Wedd has been making a significant difference to the way students at her school succeed in maths by boosting their confidence and reducing mathematics anxiety. 

Dr Dirk Hastedt, Executive Director of IEA, explores the value and impact of international large-scale assessments – from providing system-level data to countries and researchers, to insights that educators can use to make evidence-informed decisions about their own classroom practice.

Have you asked your students if they can see the writing on the board, in their own textbooks, or on devices clearly? Here, optometrists Amanda Lea and Rebecca Dang share common eye-related behaviours to look out for in the classroom and practical teacher tips for encouraging good visual behaviours at school. 

As a school leader, organising your school timetable might be a task you’re beginning to turn your mind to as we look ahead to the 2026 school year. In this article, we speak to 2 principals trialling major changes to their school calendar – one by moving to an 8-term model, and the other by introducing a 4-day learning week. 

Joy Russell, a teacher at Scotch Oakburn College in Tasmania, organised a professional learning event all about financial literacy earlier this year. In today’s Q&A, she explains how it helped participants to build a strong support network, share practical ideas through connections with local business leaders, and take valuable lessons back to their own classrooms.

Australia’s results from the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) have just been released. The survey captures the firsthand knowledge and experiences of school educators. Here we explore some of the key findings on staff wellbeing, collegiality, mentoring support, and use of AI.

‘While intergenerational trauma remains a reality, we are also seeing powerful examples of intergenerational success.’ Dr Jennet Hansen from Sevenoaks Senior College in Western Australia tells us about the Follow the Dream program, how she encourages students’ connections to their culture and Country, and the impact it has had on their learning, achievement and post-school pathways. 

The Australian Council for Educational Research’s (ACER’s) Pru Mitchell was named winner of the inaugural Victorian Library and Information Award (VLIA). Teacher editor Jo Earp sat down with her to talk about teaching and teacher librarianship, sharing knowledge and expertise, and the role of AI, technology and digital literacy in the classroom.