Engaging Students during the Early Years of Secondary School. This project aims to design, test and share sustainable strategies to support teachers and enable students from low socioeconomic communities to achieve success. The greatest decreases in students’ interest and effort occur when they transition into secondary school, with students from low socioeconomic communities at greatest risk of disengagement. What can teachers do to engage their students during this key life transition? This pr ....Engaging Students during the Early Years of Secondary School. This project aims to design, test and share sustainable strategies to support teachers and enable students from low socioeconomic communities to achieve success. The greatest decreases in students’ interest and effort occur when they transition into secondary school, with students from low socioeconomic communities at greatest risk of disengagement. What can teachers do to engage their students during this key life transition? This project plans to identify teacher behaviours that motivate students in their first year at secondary school. Using an experimental design with a representative sample of 150 teachers and 1500 students in low socioeconomic areas across three states, the project plans to test whether an online professional learning program for teachers can improve student engagement and achievement. This cost-effective and scalable intervention is designed for widespread dissemination to Australian teachers.Read moreRead less
Culturally Responsive Schooling. Australian schools are struggling to respond positively to the increasing cultural diversity of the student cohort. The aim of this study is to research how schools become culturally responsive and specifically explores how the affective environments of schools attend to the diverse cultural, academic and emotional needs of their communities. This this study brings together methods borrowed from educational ethnography, critical policy analysis, and educational ....Culturally Responsive Schooling. Australian schools are struggling to respond positively to the increasing cultural diversity of the student cohort. The aim of this study is to research how schools become culturally responsive and specifically explores how the affective environments of schools attend to the diverse cultural, academic and emotional needs of their communities. This this study brings together methods borrowed from educational ethnography, critical policy analysis, and educational action research. The study will inform curriculum and pedagogical reform in schools, changes to teacher education programs, and potentially ameliorate systemic inequality in Australian schooling. Read moreRead less
Mandated literacy assessment and the reorganisation of teachers' work. The study will inform practitioners, teacher educators and educational policy-makers about the ways that teachers' work is being changed by the introduction of mandated standardised assessment and reporting processes. The research will provide insights into the ways in which teachers need to adapt standardised processes and policies to account for the varied student and community populations they serve. This is significant fo ....Mandated literacy assessment and the reorganisation of teachers' work. The study will inform practitioners, teacher educators and educational policy-makers about the ways that teachers' work is being changed by the introduction of mandated standardised assessment and reporting processes. The research will provide insights into the ways in which teachers need to adapt standardised processes and policies to account for the varied student and community populations they serve. This is significant for educational policy as recent international studies of students' literacy performance suggest Australia is lagging in terms of equity for low SES students. Read moreRead less
Equipping Australian teachers today to face AI tomorrow. Applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are set to transform society, including how people work and learn. Yet there is very little research about what Australian teachers need to know in order to prepare students to thrive in an AI-rich society and workforce. This study aims to construct a foundational understanding for teaching with and about AI. It will also show how to develop effective networks to empower teachers as active chang ....Equipping Australian teachers today to face AI tomorrow. Applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are set to transform society, including how people work and learn. Yet there is very little research about what Australian teachers need to know in order to prepare students to thrive in an AI-rich society and workforce. This study aims to construct a foundational understanding for teaching with and about AI. It will also show how to develop effective networks to empower teachers as active change agents. The expected outcomes will equip teachers with the knowledge and resources to lead the development of Australia’s future AI capability, including through enhanced classroom practices and more creative teacher networks.Read moreRead less
Investigating the relationship between literacy teaching, research and policy. An expected outcome is contribution to the development of a national literacy research agenda that includes priority areas; conceptual frameworks for characterising literacy; research approaches that help illuminate key issues and practices in literacy teaching and policy; and means for dissemination amongst researchers, teachers and policy makers. Another outcome is establishment of an Australia-based journal that pu ....Investigating the relationship between literacy teaching, research and policy. An expected outcome is contribution to the development of a national literacy research agenda that includes priority areas; conceptual frameworks for characterising literacy; research approaches that help illuminate key issues and practices in literacy teaching and policy; and means for dissemination amongst researchers, teachers and policy makers. Another outcome is establishment of an Australia-based journal that publishes substantial literacy studies, which is not currently done in Australia. With a view to internationalisation of the journal, and encouragment of submissions that explore nexus of research, policy and practice, this journal would fulfil a significant function in assisting interaction among the three fields. Read moreRead less
The National English Curriculum: Understanding the development, interpretation and implementation of disciplinary knowledge. The National English Curriculum, the focus of this project, represents a renewed national effort to improve every students' educational achievements to the betterment of their social and economic participation in society. Explicating how knowledge about the subject English is institutionalised and implemented, and the role of social structures amongst those involved in the ....The National English Curriculum: Understanding the development, interpretation and implementation of disciplinary knowledge. The National English Curriculum, the focus of this project, represents a renewed national effort to improve every students' educational achievements to the betterment of their social and economic participation in society. Explicating how knowledge about the subject English is institutionalised and implemented, and the role of social structures amongst those involved in the curriculum in shaping this process, will be key outcomes. Examples of classroom implementation will document the intellectual challenges teachers present to students and give voice to teachers in terms of how policy works for them, the challenges they face, and the support they require.Read moreRead less
Capacitating student aspirations in classrooms and communities in a high poverty region. This project studies the aspirations of students in a disadvantaged area, as cultural resources for completing school, accessing higher education and realising desirable futures. It will produce new concepts and research methods for increasing social equity by working closely with students and families, and making links between schools and communities.
Teaching how to learn: promoting self-regulated learning in STEM classes. This project aims to investigate key factors that influence change in teacher practices and student achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It will involve the development and evaluation of interventions designed to help teachers create learning environments that promote student engagement and the development of the cognitive and metacognitive skills needed for success in STEM. The project w ....Teaching how to learn: promoting self-regulated learning in STEM classes. This project aims to investigate key factors that influence change in teacher practices and student achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It will involve the development and evaluation of interventions designed to help teachers create learning environments that promote student engagement and the development of the cognitive and metacognitive skills needed for success in STEM. The project will advance our understanding of how to increase the quality of teaching and learning in STEM subjects. Improving teacher capacity and student performance in STEM is a national priority with significant social and economic benefits to Australia.Read moreRead less
Teachers Investigate Unequal Literacy Outcomes: Cross Generational Perspectives. Unequal outcomes in literacy remains the most intractable problem facing our educational community. This research will investigate both historical and contemporary literacy practice in terms of its differential effects on primary school children. It recognises the teacher as the most significant factor in improving student outcomes and builds teacher researcher communities to document teaching that makes a differenc ....Teachers Investigate Unequal Literacy Outcomes: Cross Generational Perspectives. Unequal outcomes in literacy remains the most intractable problem facing our educational community. This research will investigate both historical and contemporary literacy practice in terms of its differential effects on primary school children. It recognises the teacher as the most significant factor in improving student outcomes and builds teacher researcher communities to document teaching that makes a difference for 'at risk' children. Its unique cross generational methodology will make overt links between one generation of teachers and the next and produce new knowledge about literacy and disadvantage. Practical applications for teacher education and professional mentoring across generations will be developed.Read moreRead less
Early years languages learning in Australia. This project aims to investigate early year’s language programs in Australian schools. The project will explore and analyse successful programs in the three states of NSW, Queensland and Victoria, policy, curricula and resources for languages teaching and learning, key stakeholder perspectives, and student progress in new primary language teaching degrees. The project expects to generate new knowledge of linked best practice program types, pedagogies, ....Early years languages learning in Australia. This project aims to investigate early year’s language programs in Australian schools. The project will explore and analyse successful programs in the three states of NSW, Queensland and Victoria, policy, curricula and resources for languages teaching and learning, key stakeholder perspectives, and student progress in new primary language teaching degrees. The project expects to generate new knowledge of linked best practice program types, pedagogies, and teacher requirements, to provide new data and ongoing research opportunities. Intended benefits include the education of more linguistically and culturally competent young Australians who are able to effectively engage in a plurilingual, globalised world.Read moreRead less