Research news

School closures have undoubtedly affected all students. However, some impacts have been more pronounced for students experiencing disadvantage. A recent study looks at the unequal impacts of COVID-19 school closures on the attendance rates of high-SES and low-SES secondary students in a quasi-experimental analysis.

New research assesses the nature and consequences of student vaping in primary and secondary schools in Australia. In this infographic, we explore the responses from a national sample of 196 school staff, surveyed about their perceptions of students’ e-cigarette use.

In this episode in our Action Research series, we hear from Sarah Durack, a secondary Science and Mathematics teacher based in Sydney. Sarah shares her experience of combining researching part-time with a full-time teaching job, and shares some of the findings from her study on school to university transition.

Most schools will have students who experience some level of menstrual pain during their schooling years. So, how well are teachers prepared to deliver menstrual health education, and how can they better support students whose education may be impacted by menstrual pain?

It’s well-known that teaching is a stressful career. Finding the time to discuss challenging matters and to reflect on your practice might seem impossible. New research shows a reflective circles peer support model has a positive impact on educators. We speak with lead researcher Fiona Gardner in this article to find out more.

Findings from a cross-sectional survey looking into young Australian women’s experiences of menstruation and dysmenorrhea indicate the need for better menstrual health education in Australian schools. Find out more about the survey responses in relation to menstrual health in Australian Health and Physical Education in today’s infographic.

Research shows that pragmatic and evidence-based consent education in schools can have both immediate and lasting effects in reducing gender-based violence. In this article, we outline 5 further readings which explore consent education in Australia.

‘Understanding how students construct information from their prior knowledge … allows classroom educators to determine the extent and type of unlearning needed before introducing new, challenging and truthful information.’ Associate Lecturer Justine Grogan shares some of the findings of her research in Indigenous Education.

‘Best literacy practices in specialist schools look very different to best practice in regular classrooms.’ New research published in the Australian Journal of Education explores the different observational tools needed to understand effective literacy environments in specialist schools.

In this episode in our School Improvement series, we hear from Dr Jason Zagami from Griffith University, who shares some of the current challenges and opportunities of computer education in Australian schools, and how teachers can better prepare for future technological advances.