Reader submission

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.

‘[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.

When you think about student agency, do you picture classroom tasks and surroundings? What about ‘free play’ areas, such as the playground or oval? Here, Rachael Jamieson-Newton and Benjamin Newton share details of a review into primary students’ play at St Paul's Grammar in Sydney, New South Wales.

‘What can we learn from one school that is showing the way in supporting sustainable education using a whole-school approach throughout its entire systems and operations?’ Julie Bosevska and Dr Jeana Kriewaldt, from the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, share four ‘lighthouse practices’ to help schools strengthen their approach to sustainability.

In this reader submission, teacher Martin Poeder makes a case for why Steiner education’s imaginative curriculum delivery is well positioned to meet the future demands of a transforming world, sharing practical examples of students’ engagement with the natural world from his own school in Bairnsdale, Regional Victoria.

In education research, an ‘effect size’ has traditionally been used to sell the promise of improved outcomes, for both teachers and students, in the lucrative professional development market. However, critiquing the quality of research is more important than relying on a single measure, writes Dr Drew Miller.

Teachers at Kalkie State School have designed and delivered a pilot STEM program aimed at increasing student engagement in science and technologies and improving digital literacy for both staff and students. Digital Technologies teacher Samantha Ephraims shares the details in today’s reader submission.

At Skillset Senior College, a senior secondary school educating young people experiencing barriers to schooling, Dr Martin Hughes has been investigating the efficacy of the wellbeing and mental health strategies they have in place. Here, he shares more about his research and some of the early findings.

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.

Reading for pleasure has been shown to have a powerful influence on children’s learning. In our latest reader submission about learning during lockdown, Junior School Curriculum Director Vanessa Collins shares details of the ‘Just Read’ action research project to build a culture of reading at Sydney’s Queenwood School for Girls, and ignite in students a love of reading for pleasure.