Research news

A report examining the effects of taking students on excursions to see live theatre has shown that it produces significant educational benefits, including higher levels of tolerance and stronger command of the plot of those plays. Co-author of the report, Distinguished Professor Jay P. Greene shares more about the findings.

How early should educators be introducing children to the basics of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and engaging them in STEM-related learning activities? An Australia-wide research project is zeroing in on preschool.

How can we teach and assess general capabilities such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and research skills? Dr Claire Scoular and Jonathan Heard share details of a research project aiming to develop practical tools for use in the classroom.

Dr John Halsey joins Teacher for this episode of The Research Files. His final report on the Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education here in Australia explores the key issues, challenges and barriers affecting student learning outcomes and suggests four priority areas for action.

'Reading is much more than a tool for education or work.' What do Year 4 students think about reading? Is it fun? Do they think they learn anything? Dr Sue Thomson explores these questions in her first Teacher column.

Students who have parents deployed to a war zone are more vulnerable to a range of psychological, emotional and social issues. A new report published in the Australian Journal of Education looks at the processes employed by schools to support these children.

Associate Professor Lynn Barnett-Morris joins Teacher to discuss her longitudinal study The education of playful boys: class clowns in the classroom. For the last three years she’s been researching Kindergarten-aged children to determine how playfulness in the classroom is viewed by the children themselves, their classmates and their teachers.

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) released a report that found that 40 per cent of high school students in Australia have not participated in any organised sport in the past 12 months. Here, we look at what the report says may prevent students from being active.

In a recent Teacher article, two schools discussed their differing policies on mobile phone use during school hours. Here, we look at a range of studies that have explored the positives and negatives of allowing mobile phones to be used in class.

Can being confused actually be a beneficial part of the learning process? And in what ways can teachers allow for more uncertainty in their classrooms? These are questions being explored by researchers at the Science of Learning Research Centre.