Student welfare

‘In a year that has seen a great deal of disruption to classes, the relationship between students and their teachers has become far more important.’ In her new column, Dr Sue Thomson explores the latest report from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and offers insights into how Australian students perceive their teachers.

New data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) show Australian students report having high levels of self-efficacy and competence, particularly in the face of adversity. In today’s article we take a close look at the new report that explores students’ experiences at school and how they relate to student performance.

In his latest Teacher column, Andreas Schleicher explores PISA data on teacher support and enthusiasm, school climate, student satisfaction with life and parent participation. ‘[The] most interesting lesson from PISA is that a higher sense of student wellbeing does not need to come at the expense of lower academic outcomes.’

During the period of remote learning in New South Wales, Mathematics teacher Holly Millican from South Grafton High School used several activities to keep her students engaged and accountable, and in today’s video, she shares them with Teacher readers.

What is biophilic design? How does it differ from sustainable design? And why should schools be taking a lead from early childhood settings in adopting this approach for projects and programs? Architect and author Sarah Scott discusses biophilic design and its benefits in today’s article.

A recent survey conducted by Mission Australia highlights how the experiences of young people with a disability differ to young people living without disability. Topics included inclusion, issues of personal concern and post-school plans. Here, we look at how some of their responses compare.

‘These are unprecedented times and teachers have done an incredible job adapting to the many challenges the pandemic has presented.’ In her latest Teacher article, Julia Gillard discusses how Australian schools have been putting a greater focus on mental health and wellbeing, and shares advice and resources to support staff, students and families.

Researchers from Macquarie University and QUT conducted a series of interviews with students to hear their memories of former teachers to determine the quality and consistency of these relationships over time. In today’s article, Associate Professor Penny Van Bergen shares some of the key findings to come from the research.

Teachers are being invited to participate in a trial of an online mental health training program developed by the Black Dog Institute. It’s hoped the training will help educators identify and respond to changes in students’ mental health. Here, we speak to the Chief Investigator of the project.

In this monthly series, we take a look at some further readings available on a particular topic, including open access research papers from various online catalogues. This month’s theme is digital literacy.