Jo Earp

‘The metaverse is upon us. Soon it will be as omnipresent as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook (now Meta).’ So reads the first line of a new Policy Brief exploring the potential of the metaverse to enhance teaching and learning in the future, and why we need to start planning for it now.

A new framework for learning through play has been developed to support teachers in the classroom and help guide policy and practice in the early years of schooling. The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and the LEGO Foundation have worked together to develop the framework.

How can you and your colleagues help students better prepare for the challenges and opportunities they’ll face in the future? A major new report looks at the global ‘megatrends’ shaping education. We’ve picked out 10 discussion points and suggestions for possible learning activities to inspire you and your colleagues, and get the conversation started.

We know that participating in sport and physical activity benefits health and wellbeing. New research has found it also has a small positive effect on students’ academic performance, particularly in mathematics and science.

‘How do you respond when leaders opt for optimism, in order to skim over dealing with the real issues that your school and community are cultivating, because it is easier to deny they exist?’ What happens when positivity gets out of hand, and how can we best respond to those who refuse to acknowledge the bad times?

What skills do students need in order to successfully navigate a diverse, complex and rapidly changing world? Seven countries from the Southeast Asia region participated in the PISA questionnaire on global competence, and the data offer some interesting insights.

One of the most popular Teacher articles of all time includes a section on looking at things from a student perspective – for example, checking to see if they have an obstructed view of the board. As a teacher, you also need to be thinking about possible issues with students’ eyesight. Two recent studies from different parts of the world explore the topic of vision screening in schools.

Algorithms are a key component of computational thinking, and the foundations for developing these skills starts in the early years. What are some of the day-to-day ‘unplugged activities’ that offer teachers easy opportunities for emphasising and building these skills?

Two educators from the Philippines are in the running for teaching’s biggest prize after being selected as finalists from over 8000 nominations. Grade school teacher Michelle Rubio and Science teacher Bryant Acar have both made the top 50 for the US$1 million Global Teacher Prize – the only finalists from the Southeast Asia region.

One of the great things about the teaching profession is the sharing of expertise, knowledge, skills and experience that happens regularly in schools and beyond, including through professional associations. Teacher caught up with members of IGI (Ikatan Guru Indonesia – the Indonesian Teacher Association) to talk about the benefits of being a part of these professional communities.