Education Matters Primary September-October 2024

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A content rich, comprehensive, buyer’s guide for schools.

er 2024 r-Octob e b m te Sep

INSIDE

A LEAP year at Abbotsford The push to attract and recruit more teachers 20

Advice on ‘Bring Your Own Device’

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The importance of early intervention

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Conversations about AI continue My colleague Kylie Nothrop and I were fortunate to attend EduTECH Australia’s two-day congress and expo in August, the largest festival of education in the nation. It was the third consecutive year the event was hosted in Melbourne.

Next year, EduTECH will return to Sydney after the NSW Government, supported by Business Events Sydney, secured the event that will be held from 11-12 June 2025.

In Melbourne, the expo floor was bursting with ideas, innovation, and solutions to erstwhile problems across every factor of education imaginable.

In this issue, we hear from some of the exhibitors at the event, including a system software company which debunks the myths of switching to a new Student Information System.

Kylie and I enjoyed conversations with many teachers – including one from a small rural school with less than a dozen students, and another from a campus in the nation’s capital with only Year 11 and 12 students. As the professionals at the coal face of education, their voice is integral to raising the esteem of the profession, as Australian Primary Principals Association president Ms Angela Falkenberg explains in her regular column on page 18 in this issue.

I was also among the audience in the packed lecture theatre for Mr Sal Khan’s keynote address. The former hedge-fund analyst turned entrepreneur founded Khan Academy, a free online non-profit educational platform which has produced more than 6,500 video lessons teaching a wide spectrum of academic subjects. Last year he launched Khanmigo, an AI-powered teaching assistant. You can read more about his keynote address on page 38.

I also had the pleasure of interviewing Mr Hassan Baickdeli, Head of Emerging Technology and Solutions at Lenovo, while at EduTECH. He too had countless conversations with teachers at the event about how AI can work for them to reduce time spent on tasks such as lesson planning. My conversation with Mr Baickdeli is shared on page 34 in this issue.

It was also recently announced that eight schools in WA, including Harrisdale Primary School, are taking part in an AI pilot program to reduce teacher workloads and time spent lesson planning. The pilot is part of the Commonwealth’s $30 million Workload Reduction Fund under the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan which Education Ministers agreed to in December 2022. We look forward to reporting on the outcome.

We hope you enjoy this issue.

Rhiannon Bowman Editor – Education Matters rhiannon.bowman@primecreative.com.au

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Chief Operating Officer: Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au Publisher: Sarah Baker sarah.baker@primecreative.com.au Managing Editor: Myles Hume myles.hume@primecreative.com.au Editor: Rhiannon Bowman rhiannon.bowman@primecreative.com.au Art Director: Michelle Weston Media Bookings and Advertising: Kylie Nothrop kylie.nothrop@primecreative.com.au 0422 046 299 Client Success Manager: Louisa Stocks Education Matters is a division of Prime Creative Media Pty. Ltd. 379 Docklands Dr, Docklands, VIC Ph: (+61 3) 9690 8766 Subscriptions Education Matters is available by subscription from the publisher.

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by John Murphy. All material in Education Matters is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic, or mechanical including information retrieval systems) without the written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequenses arising from information published. The opinions of the magazine are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated. All photographs of schools (including students) depicted in feature articles and advertisements throughout this magazine have been supplied to the publisher (and approved) by the contributing school. All material supplied by schools is done so with the understanding that such images will be published in Education Matters and may also appear on the our website: www.edumatters.com.au.

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CONTENTS // EDUCATION MATTERS

20

FEATURES 30 Advice on ‘Bring Your Own Device’

Overcoming the challenges of equipping young students with the tools for success.

32 Building a successful AI program

Implementing a strategic approach to align with a school’s unique aims and needs.

33 Switching to a new SIS

A Student Information System plays a pivotal role in the daily operations of a school.

34 Supporting teachers in the driver’s seat How Lenovo is assisting schools to prepare for the promise of AI.

36 Using tech to add value to education

Can technology help overcome challenges associated with the teacher shortage?

38 A personal story steals the show

A review of EduTECH’s keynote address on the transformative impact of AI.

40 The benefits of virtual reality

Immersive technology can help students’ wellbeing and personal development.

41 A dream project

An Australian manufacturer has successfully incorporated Indigenous art and culture into outdoor furniture.

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42 Putting First Nations culture first

A Queensland school is lifting learning outcomes with an innovative model.

44 Crafting the perfect playground

The legacy of a poorly designed play area can be felt for a long time.

46 The importance of early intervention Struggling students need to be identified early and offered immediate help.

47 Learning how to learn: Case study

Strategic thinking and problem solving is at the heart of a new Australian study.

48 Teachers need more support

A study has shed light on how teachers conceptualise their wellbeing at work.

49 A modern approach to maths

Schools are helping ensure more students excel in mathematics.

50 Cyber safety message goes on tour A cyber security expert has been visiting schools as part of a six-week roadshow.

51 Stress less

A meditation program for students is expanding to teachers and principals.

52 Why governance matters Dr Stephen Brown explains.

education matters primary

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• • •

REGULARS

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04 Editor’s Note 08 News 16 ACARA update 18 APPA update 20 Hot Topic: Workforce 24 Principally Speaking:

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28 Teacher’s Voice 54 The Last Word 57 Calendar of Events 58 People on the Move

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NATIONAL EDUCATION NEWS

AI pilot to help tackle teacher workloads in WA

“Unnecessary administrative burdens must be reduced, and we hope this new pilot program can support our teachers and ease their workload.”

Tony Buti, WA Minister for Education

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the Australian Government in Western Australian public schools from 2025 to 2029.

“Teaching is the most important job in the world,” Minister for Education Jason Clare said. “The idea that teachers clock on at 9am and knock off at 3pm is rubbish.

“AI will never replace a great teacher, but it can help cut down the time they spend doing admin so they can spend more time in the classroom.

“That’s why the Albanese Government is investing $30 million in the Workload Reduction Fund so they can maximise their time with students,” he said.

WA Minister for Education Tony Buti said the state wants its teachers to be teaching its kids.

“To do this, unnecessary administrative burdens must be reduced, and we hope this new pilot program can support our teachers and ease their workload,” Mr Buti said.

“We are determined to create the right conditions for schools to get on with their jobs of providing a great education.” EM Image: Pixel-Shot/stock.adobe.com

The Australian and Western Australian Governments are co-funding an Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education pilot program to reduce teacher workloads in WA. The $4.7 million initiative will use AI at eight WA schools to reduce lesson planning time so teachers can spend more time in the classroom and less time doing admin. Schools in the AI pilot program are: • Harrisdale Primary School • Joseph Banks Secondary College • Lesmurdie Primary School • School of Isolated and Distance Education • Emmanuel Catholic College • Ursula Frayne Catholic College • Carey Baptist College • St James Anglican School The Department of Education will deliver the pilot in partnership with Catholic Education WA, the Association of Independent Schools WA, and the School Curriculum and Standards Authority.

The pilot will help reduce admin workloads for teachers by supporting things like drafting lesson plans and suggesting learning activities aligned to the national curriculum.

Commonwealth funding, under the Workload Reduction Fund, will be matched with co-investment from the Cook Government to implement the pilot.

The WA non-Government sector will also contribute $300,000 towards the pilot.

The pilot drew on consultation with teachers, principals and deputies, school support staff, peak bodies and unions.

It is part of the Commonwealth’s $30 million Workload Reduction Fund under the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan which Education Ministers agreed to in December 2022.

This initiative will be informed by the Australian Framework for Generative Artificial Intelligence in Schools which assists school communities use generative AI in a safe and effective way and is aligned with the Commonwealth Government’s work promoting safe and responsible AI. This builds on the recently signed Statement of Intent by the Australian and Western Australian Governments to fully and fairly fund all WA public schools by 2026.

Under the agreement, the most disadvantaged public schools in WA will be fully funded first. This represents an additional $777.4 million investment by

Eight schools in WA will use AI to reduce lesson planning time so teachers can spend more time in the classroom.

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NATIONAL EDUCATION NEWS

New Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership centre opens

“The Academy is bringing world-class professional learning to the doorsteps of local school staff to help deliver better outcomes for all our students, especially in regional Victoria.”

Dr Marcia Devlin, Victorian Academy of Teaching and Learning CEO

Teachers and school leaders in Ballarat and western Victoria can now undertake professional development at a new Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership centre.

Minister for Education Ben Carroll visited the Ballarat centre for its official opening in August.

The facility features a state-of-the-art professional learning space, a Design Thinking Lab ideal for workshops and sharing new ideas, plus three remote learning studios to connect to professional learning in small groups.

This new centre has seen a consistent increase in participation from teachers in the Central Highlands area. More than 200 teachers and school leaders have attended professional learning at the centre in the first half of 2024 with even more joining online from across Victoria.

It is one of seven regional centres opened as part of the Victorian government’s $17.8 million investment to bring the Academy’s high quality professional learning to educators across regional Victoria.

The seven centres are located in Bairnsdale, Ballarat,

Bendigo, Geelong, Mildura, Moe and Shepparton.

Twenty thousand rural and regional school staff have already boosted their teaching and leadership skills through professional learning at the local Academy centres, with many more set to attend by the end of the year.

The government invested an initial $148.2 million over four years to establish the Academy and its nine centres – including the original in East Melbourne – giving teachers and school leaders the opportunity to develop their skills and take student learning to the next level.

The Academy received an additional $10.3 million over six months in the Victorian Budget 2024/25 to continue offering evidence-informed professional learning to teachers and school leaders.

Victorian Academy of Teaching and Learning CEO Dr Marcia Devlin said it was exciting to see the statewide expansion continue with the Ballarat centre opening.

“The Academy is bringing world-class professional learning to the doorsteps of local school staff to help deliver better outcomes for all our students, especially in regional Victoria,” she said. EM

The International Expo Group (IEG) – which organises the National Education Summit – has announced a signed agreement with Woxsen University, Hyderabad (India), confirming the university’s status as IEG’s global education partner.

IEG CEO Ms Marie Kinsella said not only is Woxsen University recognised among the world’s leading educational institutions, it is home to some of the most respected academics, researchers and innovators, in fields ranging from business and law, to technology, sciences, architecture, design and the humanities.

“We are very proud to be a part of this global network of changemakers,” Ms Kinsella said.

According to the terms of the agreement, Woxsen University will provide high-profile senior members of its faculty to participate in each of the upcoming National Education Summit events. The 2025 events are scheduled to take place from 31 July to 1 August in Brisbane, and 28 to 29 August in Melbourne.

“The inclusion of Woxsen members in our line-up of National Education Summit presenters sets us apart, and enables us to deliver cutting-edge educational content,” Ms Kinsella said.

This partnership also facilitates collaboration between Australia and

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Image: International Expo Group

National Education Summit unveils new partnership

L-R: International Expo Group (IEG) CEO Marie Kinsella, Woxsen University Vice President Dr Raul Villamarin Rodriguez, IEG Creative Director Margo Metcalfe.

India, setting the foundations for further relationship building, knowledge sharing and development.

Dr Raul Villamarin Rodriguez, Vice President of Woxsen University, was among the presenters for the 2024 National Education Summit. His sessions addressed the intersection of talent and technology, highlighting both the challenges and opportunities for education leaders. EM

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NATIONAL EDUCATION NEWS

Tasmanian schools to lift literacy rates

More than 6,900 teachers have started Qualiteach training this year.

“Language and literacy expert Emina McLean has led specialised professional learning for both teachers and school leaders this year.”

Jo Palmer, Minister for Education, Tasmania

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of reading in all schools,” Ms Palmer said.

“Language and literacy expert Emina McLean has led specialised professional learning for both teachers and school leaders this year.

“Ms McLean’s sessions have explored the science and evidence around how the brain learns to read and how schools can harness this knowledge to ensure every student becomes a confident reader.”

All Tasmanian educators will undertake Qualiteach, a training package developed by the Department for Education, Children and Young People, which builds foundational knowledge in structured literacy and a multi-tiered system of supports for reading (MTSS).

MTSS is a framework for intervention that provides every student with the help they need with reading, when they need it.

More than 6,900 teachers have already started their Qualiteach training this year.

The professional learning is part of Tasmania’s Lifting Literacy Plan that mandates that by 2026, all Tasmanian students will be taught to read in a systematic and explicit way based on the latest research and evidence. EM Image: vectorfusionart/stock.adobe.com

Government primary schools in Tasmania will be required to teach at least one hour per day of structured literacy from 2025, as part of the 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future.

Minister for Education, Ms Jo Palmer, said all primary school teachers will deliver the structured literacy instruction for Prep to Year 6 aligned to the Australian Curriculum.

“We remain committed to ensuring that every young person will have the skills they need for life when they leave the school system, allowing them to thrive and reach their full potential,” Ms Palmer said.

“Tasmania is on the front-foot nationally with this work, which will see an impact to student outcomes in the coming years. Learning to read is foundational to all other learning.”

Tasmanian Government school principals gathered in August for a masterclass in literacy leadership with a language and literacy expert, to help them practically implement change in their school.

“I was pleased to attend the Tasmanian Government’s Northern Principal Forum to see first-hand how our principals are building their capacity to deliver a structured and nation-leading approach to the teaching

APPA president unanimously re-elected The Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA) has announced that Ms Angela Falkenberg has been re-elected unanimously to a second term as APPA President for 2025-2026.

Ms Falkenberg was re-elected unopposed by the national, state and territory sector principals’ associations that make up the National Advisory Council (NAC) of the Australian Primary Principals Association.

“I am mindful of the trust placed in me and the importance of advocating for the professional voice of Australia’s primary leaders to be at the table in determining education policy and practice,” Ms Falkenberg said.

She said research consistently highlights the crucial role that school leaders play in fostering positive student outcomes and in establishing the school culture that promotes belonging and connection.

“Leading a school can be the best job in the world and my focus as president is to ensure that primary principals have access to the system and community support that enables them to lead well, be

safe and for their job demands to be matched with the job resources,” she said.

“In an exciting development, Sally Ruston AM, was also elected to her third term as APPA Deputy President, again emphasising clearly the breadth and strength of APPA as a truly national association for primary principals, representative of all sectors and all jurisdictions.”

Ms Falkenberg has continually emphasised the strength of one ‘national voice’ through her work as APPA President and has used this approach as the foundation to forge strong and effective collaborative partnerships with many key stakeholders across the national education sector.

“I am looking forward to continuing APPA’s work, along with other peak national education bodies and principal associations, and particularly in continued liaison with the Federal Minister for Education, Jason Clare,” she said.

The Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA) represents over 7600 Government, Catholic and Independent primary school principals across Australia. EM

NATIONAL EDUCATION NEWS

Proposed Better and Fairer Schools Agreement ties funding to reforms

“There are no blank cheques here. I want to invest billions into our public schools and I want to make sure that money makes a difference to the kids who really need it.”

Image: Syda Productions/stock.adobe.com

Jason Clare, Minister for Education

States and territories have until the end of September to confirm they will sign a new funding agreement – or continue with current funding arrangements.

Released by the Australian Government at the end of July, the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement (BFSA) ties new funding to reforms to help lift student outcomes, sets targets and improves school funding transparency.

The BFSA is a 10-year agreement and has been developed in collaboration with state and territory governments, First Nations education representatives and non-government peak education bodies.

This has included 25 meetings with states and territories on the BFSA, six of which were attended

by First Nations and non-government education representatives, and 37 bilateral meetings between the Australian Government and individual states and territories.

The BFSA includes the following key reforms: • Year 1 phonics check and early years of schooling numeracy check to identify students who need additional help.

• Evidence-based teaching and targeted and intensive supports such as small-group or catch-up tutoring to help students who fall behind.

• Greater wellbeing support for learning and engagement, including through full-service schools, counsellors, wellbeing coordinators and mental

The agreement includes initiatives that help attract and retain teachers and school leaders.

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health workers.

Initiatives that help attract and retain teachers and school leaders, including rewarding and recognising experienced teachers to work in schools which need additional support.

• Providing access to high-quality and evidencebased professional learning for teachers and school leaders and providing quality-assured curriculum resources that have been developed in partnership with the teaching profession.

The new agreement sets a target for participating jurisdictions that by 2030, the proportion of students leaving school with a Year 12 certificate will increase to 83.8 per cent (by 2030), from 76.3 per cent in 2022.

This will be the highest rate of Year 12 certification ever achieved.

Other targets in the agreement include: • Reducing the proportion of students in the NAPLAN ‘Needs Additional Support’ proficiency level for reading and numeracy by 10 per cent and increasing the proportion of students in the ‘Strong’ and ‘Exceeding’ proficiency levels for reading and numeracy by 2030.

• Increasing the Student Attendance Rate to pre-Covid level levels (91.4 per cent) by 2030, from 88.6 per cent in 2023.

• Increasing the engagement rate (completed or still enrolled) of initial teacher education students to 71 per cent by 2035, from 61 per cent in 2022.

• Increasing the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (age 20-24) attaining a Year 12 or equivalent qualification to 96 per cent by 2031, up from 68.4 per cent in 2021, which reflects the target in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The BFSA is a key part of achieving the Australian Government’s tertiary education target set in the Budget of 80 per cent of the workforce having a university degree or TAFE qualification by 2050.

The new agreement also strengthens the reporting and public transparency requirements around how taxpayer funding is invested, without placing additional burden on schools.

This includes an annual report from the Commonwealth to the Australian Parliament on Commonwealth funding for government and nongovernment approved authorities, a new public reporting dashboard and requirements for states and territories •

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to outline how the additional money is being invested in the key reform areas.

The agreement has been informed by the work of the Productivity Commission and the Expert panel to inform a better and fairer education system, which visited 92 schools and consulted with school leaders, teachers, students and parents.

The Northern Territory has become the first jurisdiction to sign the BFSA, with Western Australia expected to be the next jurisdiction to sign on.

The remaining states and territories have until the end of September to confirm they will sign this agreement or continue with the current funding arrangements.

The Australian Government has put $16 billion of additional investment for public schools on the table and will continue to work with the remaining states and territories to fully fund public schools across Australia.

The government will also introduce legislation into Parliament that will remove the current funding cap that stops the Commonwealth from providing additional funding to public schools.

“We have a good education system, but it can be a lot better and fairer,” Minister for Education Jason Clare said.

“NAPLAN results tell us that one in 10 young people at the moment

are below the minimum standard we have set and one in three kids from poor families are below that standard.”

Mr Clare said the number of kids finishing high school is going backwards.

“We’ve got to turn this around. That’s what this agreement is all about,” he said.

“I have made clear that the additional $16 billion of funding for public schools the government has put on the table will be tied to reforms.

These are the reforms. Reforms that will help kids catch up, keep up and finish school.”

He said reforms include practical things like phonics and numeracy checks, evidenced-based teaching and catch-up tutoring, to identify kids who need additional support and make sure they get it.

“There are no blank cheques here. I want to invest billions into our public schools and I want to make sure that money makes a difference to the kids who really need it. That means tying that funding to the sort of things will help more kids catch up, keep up and finish school,” Mr Clare said.

“The Northern Territory has signed up and Western Australia is expected to be the next to sign up. The remaining states and territories have until the end of September to confirm they will sign this agreement or continue with the current funding arrangements.” EM

6 R LEADERSHIP PROGRAM for Experienced Catholic School Principals

Overview of program phases and components: Phase 1:

Reflection and renewal: Individual self-reflection and whole group webinar.

Phase 2: Reflection and Renewal: Two day face to face workshop.

Phase 3: Reflection and Renewal: Executive Coaching Session (one hour per participant).

Phase 4: Relatedness: Adaptive Thriving School Cultures (Two day face-to-face workshop).

Phase 5: Refresh and Refine Executive Leadership to enable responsible stewardship of a Catholic School (Two day face-to-face workshop).

Phase 6: Refresh and Renew (One day).

Target audience: Current School Principals with a minimum of 3 years’ experience.

For more information or to register contact Helen Langborne on helen@thebrowncollective.com.au or 0427 219 664

The program has been designed by Dr Stephen Brown with input and advice from current school principals.

Dr Brown will facilitate the program scheduled for delivery in March 2025.

Professor Allan Walker, University of Hong Kong will oversight the optional ‘Reach Out’ study tour component of the program, scheduled for June 2025 (to be confirmed).

NAPLAN results paint broadly stable picture

Image: ACARA

ACARA // STEPHEN GNIEL

Mr Stephen Gniel, CEO of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, says the 2024 NAPLAN results were similar to last year.

More than halfway through the school year and well into Term 3, as a parent to three school aged children, I know it’s been a busy period. Parents and carers of students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 who participated in this year’s NAPLAN assessment in March will have by now received an Individual Student Report (ISR) of their child’s results from their school.

These reports provide useful information for parents and carers on a student’s results in reading, writing, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. The results are reported against proficiency standards, which are set at a challenging but reasonable expectation of what students know and can do at the time of testing. Along with other school assessment reports, parents and carers can use these NAPLAN reports to discuss their child’s progress with their teacher.

Last month, we released the 2024 NAPLAN National Results, which also included state and territory level data, as well as demographic information. Overall, the results in 2024 at a national level were similar to the results in 2023. With the school-level data to follow in December, this latest data shows that while there were small increases and decreases across domains and year levels, generally, the results were broadly stable. On average, across all year levels in reading, writing and numeracy, approximately twothirds of students met ‘challenging but reasonable’ expectations.

Over the last two years, schools have adjusted to both the earlier timing of the NAPLAN tests and the changed

16

reporting system with new proficiency standards. The fact that the results of Australian students have remained stable through these changes, with no significant difference in average scores, is an important achievement.

Before we take a closer look at some of this year’s key findings, it’s important to be clear that we need to be cautious in trying to interpret any clear trends at this early stage of reporting.

“Over the last two years, schools have adjusted to both the earlier timing of the NAPLAN tests and the changed reporting system with new proficiency standards.”

This is the second year of data on student performance following the resetting of the measurement scale in 2023 and these results are also from a different cohort of students across Australia. We know that national data rarely shows any significant change over a single year.

Over the coming years, we will have more information to look for any trends in literacy and numeracy achievement. For example, next year will provide important information about the performance of the same cohort who sat the assessments in 2023. From 2025 onwards, we will see growth data as cohorts of students move through their schooling.

What the 2024 results continue to show is strong performance from Australian

education matters primary

Stephen Gniel.

students in literacy and numeracy: • In reading, across all year levels, 67.0 per cent of students achieved ‘Exceeding’ and ‘Strong’ levels. This increased from Year 3 (66.3 per cent) to Year 5 (71.4 per cent) dropping in Year 7 (67.3 per cent) and again in Year 9 (63.0 per cent).

• In writing across all year levels, 67.6 per cent of students achieved ‘Exceeding’ and ‘Strong’ levels. There is a decrease from primary to high school from Year 3 (76.8 per cent) to Year 5 (67.3 per cent), to Year 7 (65.3 per cent) and dropping again in Year 9 (61 per cent).

• In numeracy, results are fairly consistent across all year levels with 65.5 per cent students achieving at ‘Exceeding’ and ‘Strong’ levels. This increased from Year 3 (63.5 per cent) to Year 5 (67.8 per cent), remaining relatively stable in in Year 7 (67.2 per cent) and then dropping in Year 9 (63.4 per cent).

The demographic results in this year’s tests reflect trends in other national assessments and previous NAPLAN results, with female students continuing to outperform male students in literacy and the opposite being the case in numeracy.

Female students outperformed male students in writing, achieving average NAPLAN scores above boys in every year

group. There were higher percentages of female students at ‘Strong’ or ‘Exceeding’ levels, which was particularly noticeable in Years 7 and 9.

By contrast, male students generally outperformed female students in numeracy.

There were around six per cent fewer female students in Years 3 and 5 achieving in the ‘Exceeding’ level compared to male students.

The 2024 results also provide clear information on those areas requiring our collective focus and effort for improvement.

The challenges remain with supporting those students identified in the ‘Needs additional support’ category and tackling the ongoing educational disparities for students from non-urban areas, First Nations Australian heritage and those with low socio-educational backgrounds.

To give one example, nationally, a lower proportion of students in very remote schools are rated as ‘Strong’ or ‘Exceeding’ meeting the challenging but achievable expectations compared with students in major city schools across all year groups. In reading, only 24.0 per cent of students from very remote schools are in this category, compared to 70.7 per cent of students from major city schools, while in numeracy, 22.4 per cent of students from very remote schools are in this category,

Image: smolaw11/stock.adobe.com

A record 4.4 million online tests were submitted by almost 1.3 million students.

compared to 69.3 per cent of students from major city schools.

To end on a positive note, the 2024 NAPLAN participation rates have held steady across the nation, increasing on the 2023 average by 0.1 percentage points across all years and domains to 93.4 per cent.

This is a really encouraging result as it builds on last year’s bounce back in NAPLAN participation rates and continues the reversal of the downward trend that was evident in recent years. The high level of participation in our national assessments also means that we can be confident in the information about the performance of our students through the NAPLAN results.

What the 2024 results demonstrate once again is the importance of NAPLAN as the only national assessment that allows us to see whether young Australians are developing critical literacy and numeracy skills for learning, using a national, objective scale.

We all want to see the proportion of students achieving at the ‘Exceeding’ and ‘Strong’ levels increase over time. That’s why the findings of the NAPLAN National Results are crucial in pointing to areas for further effort and improvement to make sure all our students are developing the literacy and numeracy skills they need now and in the future. EM

education matters primary

Need more information?

To learn more about NAPLAN results, visit www.acara.edu.au/naplanresults.

To keep up to date with ACARA’s work on the Australian Curriculum, the National Assessment Program and the reporting on schooling in Australia follow it on Facebook or LinkedIn and subscribe to its regular ACARA Update e-newsletter at www.acara. edu.au/news-and-media/subscribe-toacara-update.

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APPA // ANGELA FALKENBERG

Esteeming our own profession

Image: Angela Falkenberg

Despite the highly skilled, nuanced role of a teacher, and the importance of education as a foundation for an engaged society, the teaching profession struggles with outdated and disparaging perceptions, says APPA President Angela Falkenberg. But there are steps the profession can take to challenge those views.

Angela Falkenberg has held senior school leadership positions across both primary and secondary schools and has extensive experience in the education of First Nations children. APPA provides a voice to more than 7,600 public, Catholic and independent primary school principals across the country.

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Teaching is a complex and demanding profession. Tim Oates of Cambridge Assessment describes it as the process where teachers need to prepare for fundamentally changing the mental constructs of 30 children in 40 minutes.

They need to shift strategies during the lesson to achieve this change in mental state, engage in hundreds of speech acts, maintain order, and detect the engagement of each and every child, as well as carry responsibility for a range of administrative tasks.

Teachers are also responsible for delivering a curriculum that promotes not only discipline knowledge but also learning dispositions, capabilities, and crosscurriculum priorities.

Teachers serve as mentors, experts, and role models, and their educational relationship with children can profoundly transform lives. The significance of teaching is reflected in the demands of the job — requiring specialised expertise, strong interpersonal skills, adaptability, and a commitment to lifelong learning.

Currently, the teaching profession faces a significant crisis, with a notable shortage of teachers, particularly those from diverse backgrounds. According to UNESCO, the world will need an additional 69 million teachers by 2030.

Research consistently shows that having teachers from diverse backgrounds benefits all students, particularly those from vulnerable cohorts. The new Better and Fairer Schools Agreement recognises the vital role teachers play in achieving education goals for young Australians and emphasises the need to develop wellprepared pre-service teachers and build a

education matters primary

diverse educator workforce reflective of contemporary Australia.

With rapid technological change, teachers are crucial in fostering deep learning, developing critical thinking skills, and guiding students through uncertainties.

Despite the essential nature of their work, the education sector, and teaching specifically, are not seen as attractive career choices by many young people. The negative perceptions surrounding the profession influence public opinion and the self-esteem of current and prospective teachers.

Challenging the narrative Fortunately, recent developments have aimed at supporting the teaching profession. Policy changes, structural

Building trust and celebrating achievement with parents and the wider community will help elevate the profession.

Steps we can take 1. Interrupt negative narratives: We must challenge and change the disparaging public narratives about teaching. This involves providing visibility to the positive impact teachers have on students, families, and communities, even amidst challenges.

Highlighting stories of triumph and the

2.

3.

4.

5.

profound opportunities that teaching offers can shift the perception of the profession.

Encourage curiosity and provide support: When someone expresses an interest in teaching, we should respond with curiosity and support. By doing so, we can help shift the perception of teaching from a fallback option to a respected and desirable profession.

Trust teachers: Elevating the status of the profession also means trusting teachers, informing them, and giving them access to quality research. Listening to teachers about what works in their context is essential for spreading successful strategies.

Take ownership: As teachers and leaders, we must take ownership of the image and perception of our profession. We must rebuild our confidence in the essential work we do every day, serving our students and helping them reach their potential. Celebrating our successes, promoting World Teachers’ Day, nominating colleagues for awards, and seeking Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher certification are ways to reinforce our sense of purpose and professionalism.

Promote culturally responsive teaching: Creating conditions for culturally responsive teaching and learning is crucial for both teachers and students to thrive.

Image: Pixel-Shot/stock.adobe.com

reforms, and innovative programs, such as the federal government’s ‘Be that Teacher’ campaign, celebrate the great work teachers do every day.

Promoting the expertise and research underpinning teaching helps build community understanding and boosts teacher morale, which is crucial for elevating the profession.

Elevating the teaching profession does though require a concerted effort across all sectors of society. By interrupting negative narratives and encouraging supportive reactions to those who are or want to be teachers, we can restore the reverence and prestige teaching deserves.

This shift is essential not only for attracting new talent but also for ensuring that our education system continues to develop engaged and well-prepared citizens. And importantly, we don’t have to wait for others to do this; we can contribute to the change in narrative with our voice and our actions.

education matters primary

This fosters an environment of mutual respect and understanding.

6. Advocate for better conditions: Personal resilience alone is not enough to drive systemic change. We must advocate for better conditions within our schools, pressing policymakers to create environments where educators can thrive and feel safe. It is important to remind stakeholders that the effectiveness of teachers correlates with how supported, safe, and valued they feel.

7. Ensure teachers feel seen and heard: Teachers’ ability to show up for their students hinges on feeling seen, heard, and supported. Advocating for better support and resources is essential for creating a more sustainable and fulfilling teaching environment.

8. Activate our credentialed voice: We are professionals, having undertaken a formal process to verify our qualifications, experience, and professional standing.

Begin statements with “As a professional I believe that …, In my professional opinion …, My experience tells me that ….” Say this with confidence. Our goal is to build trust, so that when we say to parents and the wider community “It’s OK, we’ve got this”, it is heard and accepted.

In essence, while teaching is complex and demanding work, the specialised expertise, strong interpersonal skills, adaptability, and commitment to lifelong learning that teachers bring enables them to create engaging and quality learning experiences for children every day.

As education professionals we know this. Our challenge is to communicate this nuanced, relational work broadly and loudly as well as advocate for the conditions that enable everyone to be safe and thriving in their place of work.

Together we’ve got this. EM

Save the Date The 2025 Australian Primary Principals Association Conference will be held in Brisbane on 25–28 August 2025 and promises engaging speakers, impressive ideas and collaborative solution crafting.

Visit appa.asn.au for more information.

19

HOT TOPIC // WORKFORCE

Apply now: the push to attract and recruit more teachers Several state governments have this year announced funding to attract and retain more teachers to ease the workforce shortage. Education Matters analyses trends emerging in recruitment data.

The funding will expand the state’s Turn to Teaching Internship program with an additional 200 places, expand the Trade to Teach Internship program with an additional 30 places, and deliver $18.3 million to provide attraction and retention payments to teachers at regional schools who have met workforce criteria.

Queensland’s Minister for Education Ms Di Farmer said these measures focus on supporting people interested in turning to a career in teaching, those who are already studying teaching, and also to attract, recruit and retain Queensland’s teacher workforce in its highest priority locations in the state.

“Teaching is one of the most rewarding Dragana Gordic - stock.adobe.com

In December 2022, Australia’s Education Ministers agreed on a National Teacher Workforce Action Plan that set out a clear pathway to addressing the national issue of teacher workforce shortages.

The plan stipulated five areas of priority, including improving teacher supply, strengthening initial teacher education, keeping the teachers we have, elevating the profession and better understanding future teacher workforce needs.

In August 2024, the Queensland Government announced a $54.5 million commitment to support the state’s education workforce in specialist skills and regional, rural and remote communities.

The Tasmanian Government announced a pilot incentive package to attract teachers in July.

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education matters primary

careers and everyone, including teachers themselves, need to value their profession and we are determined to support our current workforce as well as attract and recruit even more teachers,” Ms Farmer said.

“We have listened and consulted widely with the sector to develop these measures that we believe will help deliver more teachers in Queensland state schools.”

In Tasmania, a pilot incentive package to attract teachers for hard-to-staff schools was announced by the state government in July. Tasmania’s Minister for Education Ms Jo Palmer said the package includes two incentive payments for staff who commit to working at an identified school for a minimum of one year.

“We know there is a national shortage of teachers and Tasmania is not immune to this issue,” Ms Palmer said.

“Our remote and regional areas can often face challenges when recruiting, which is why we already offer financial incentives for teachers who commit to working in isolated schools including Cape Barren Island, King Island District High School, Redpa Primary School and Zeehan Primary School.”

Once finalised and approved by the Tasmanian Industrial Commission, the incentive program will begin in Term 1, 2025, for a period of 12 months.

Earlier in the year, in May, the NSW Government announced it was continuing to address the teacher shortage with a program helping schools recruit teachers in hard-to-staff areas to expand by 40 per cent.

A further 26 regional schools have received additional support to engage quality teachers, bringing the total number of schools receiving intensive support to 111.

Long-standing vacancies at these schools can now be advertised with a recruitment bonus of up to $20,000, and a relocation support package of up to $8,000 for eligible teachers.

NSW’s Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Ms Prue Car said the government is committed to providing teachers where they are needed the most to ensure every student has the same educational opportunities, regardless of where they live.

“I think a very interesting and reliable statistic is evident in the ‘training benefits offered’ – where we see a clear increase in the number of roles offering training as a benefit in 2024.”

“Having a qualified teacher in front of every class is key to lifting student outcomes, and we are working hard to attract and retain teachers in areas where the teacher shortage is most acute.”

The program’s success is evident with 615 teachers placed in permanent positions in the past 12 months. Dubbo College alone has had 61 vacant positions filled across its three campuses while on the program. Further to the recruitment support, the NSW Government is also offering tailored housing support to teachers in regional areas.

However, despite the push to recruit more teachers, some in the education sector warn of the dangers.

While the Australian Secondary Principals’ Association (ASPA) acknowledges the intent of reforms to address recruitment and retention of teachers and school leaders, it emphasises the need for effective and sustainable solutions.

“While we appreciate the efforts being made to attract and retain teachers, particularly in hard-to-staff areas, we are seeing mixed results from current strategies,” ASPA President Mr Andy Mison said.

“Financial incentives need careful consideration to avoid unintended consequences. They must be substantial enough to offset the rising cost of living and housing challenges, and structured in a way that doesn’t alienate existing staff who may be ineligible for recruitment bonuses.”

Mr Mison said ASPA is also concerned that the arms race of recruitment incentives among states, territories and sectors will exacerbate shortages in disadvantaged schools.

Statistically speaking In his role as Chief Operating Officer at CareerOne, Mr Moussa Namini oversees sales, marketing and operations at the recruitment agency.

“I dive into the data as often as I can. I always look for insights and trends in particular industries, and your email prompted me to have a look at a couple of points of interest in education,” he says.

He says recent data analysis revealed an interesting statistic at a national level, but particularly evident in New South Wales.

“If you compare quarter two of the calendar year – April to June this year compared to last year – we’ve seen a 29 per cent increase in the engagement of candidates for teacher jobs in primary and secondary schools,” he says.

“That increase in engagement typically tells us that either there are fewer jobs in the market or candidates are more motivated to engage with and apply for particular jobs.

Year-on-year advertised teacher positions by state ACT

NSW

NT

QLD

SA

TAS

VIC

WA

Jan

18

54

25

60

4

4

21

17

5

3

4

16

14

47

3

2023

11

13

9

9

2024

7

41

16

51

4

Feb

20

91

14

22

2

2023

14

40

8

11

2024

6

51

6

11

Mar

17

69

31

108

31

94

3

13

14

9

16

1

3

58

4

12

1

2023

7

25

2024

10

44

Apr

13

69

2023

5

20

4

51

38 2 12

7

6

2024

8

49

4

45

May

14

49

25

57

2023

8

24

25

28

Source: CareerOne

Image: Moussa Namini

Mr Moussa Namini.

7

9

3

29

1

3

46

3

7

31

3

7

2024

6

25

7

24

3

Jun

22

60

8

94

29 9

7

41

7

2023

13

27

8

63

9

1

14

5

2024

9

33

6

27

2

Jul

13

48

18

63

31 2

4

67

3

2023

8

27

16

34

2

4

38

3

2024

5

21

2

29

29

Advertised positions for teachers in primary and secondary schools has increased year-on-year.

education matters primary

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HOT TOPIC // WORKFORCE

NSW

NT

QLD

2022

1

2

1

8

2023

8

59

2024

32

SA

27

110

3

TAS

2

48

1

9

41

2

2022

13

1

ACT

79

2

NSW

99

4

NT

1

1

QLD

26

32

SA

3

2

VIC

35

WA

11

1

2023

996

778

ACT

127

6

NSW

363

136

49

ACT

NSW

NT

QLD

SA

TAS

VIC

WA

34

29

1

11

1

1

4

3

More teacher positions with leave benefits have been advertised in ACT and NSW than other states combined.

22

254

5

Positions advertised with leave benefits

“In this case, year on year, the job volumes were relatively steady, so what that tells me is that there seems to be a greater motivation for candidates who are looking for teacher roles to seek out those jobs.”

This year, the Queensland Department of Education launched its Love to Teach Queensland campaign to attract teachers to the Sunshine State, citing benefits such as job security, competitive salaries and incentives, and a balanced lifestyle.

“Queensland was not so pronounced as New South Wales and Victoria in terms of engagement with advertised roles but there are a lot of push and pull factors that could drive that,” Mr Namini says.

Although more anecdotal than factual, he has noticed other notable trends in data on teacher recruitment.

“I tend to rely on my instincts on this, having been in the online job board space for 13 years, and I’ve noticed that we’re seeing job titles start to include motivational content,” he says.

“For example, I was looking at a job ad today titled ‘Physics and specialist maths teacher – wonderful school’. Another job title had a similar approach, ‘Looking for a teacher – highly regarded school’.

“This type of behaviour, to try to sell the reputation of the school or the job itself in the job title, is something we tend to see when it starts to become a highly competitive environment.”

Typically, he says, advertisers include that type of motivational content in the job description, rather than in the job title.

“It could be a trend forming. In the same way a parent might wonder which school is

Public

WA

There has been a clear increase in the number of roles offering training as a benefit in 2024.

2024

Private

VIC

better when having to choose a school for their child, it stands to reason that a teacher might succumb to that same kind of thinking when choosing where they want to work,” he says.

Mr Namini’s data analysis also revealed that Queensland was over-indexing in teacher job volumes in the last 12 months.

“Typically and across the board we see volumes for both candidates and employers strongest in New South Wales, given it has the largest state population, but over the last period Queensland has strongly outperformed New South Wales in terms of teacher positions advertised so they’re certainly over-indexing compared to what we would expect.”

Mr Namini says an increase in job ads can be due to various reasons. “A school could be expanding, new schools could be opening up, or teachers could be leaving, and that gives rise to the need to post an ad in a particular school,” he says.

In fact, the increase in job ads for teachers in Victoria over the last six months aligns with several new primary and secondary schools opening in Melbourne’s fastest-growing suburbs.

The Victorian School Building Authority has opened 14 new schools in 2024, with a further six set to open in 2025, and 19 planned for 2026.

Principals for the six new schools opening in 2025 have already been appointed following a Department of Education recruitment process.

CareerOne’s job board also allows employers to showcase perks and benefits for particular roles they’re advertising.

“It could be things like free coffee, free parking, or training and the like. We see trends in this data as well, and those perks and

education matters primary

NT

75

112

QLD

238

284

SA

2

29

TAS

4

21

VIC

174

127

WA

13

63

2024

620

276

ACT

49

2

NSW

193

79

NT

4

24

QLD

159

55

SA

3

10

TAS

26

9

VIC

96

73

WA

2

24

The number of teacher positions advertised in private and public schools from 2022-2024.

Source: CareerOne

Private versus public

Positions advertised with training offered ACT

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benefits are sometimes indicative of how much effort organisations are going to in order to retain staff or attract staff,” Mr Namini says.

“In the education sector, I think a very interesting and reliable statistic is evident in the ‘training benefits offered’ – where we see a clear increase in the number of roles offering training as a benefit in 2024, along with trends of other benefits offered increasing.”

For example, in NSW, 59 advertised teacher positions offered training benefits in 2023. That figure almost doubled to 110 in 2024, according to CareerOne data. Similarly, in Victoria, 13 advertised teacher positions offered training in 2023. That figure jumped to 49 in 2024. EM

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PRINCIPALLY SPEAKING // ABBOTSFORD PUBLIC SCHOOL

Images: Abbotsford Public School

A LEAP year New-Zealand born Ms Chris Johnson has been Principal of Abbotsford Public School since 2012. She draws on her experience with an international leadership program to provide perspective on education to her school community and colleagues within the NSW Primary Principals’ Association.

Tell us about your career?

I graduated from Teachers College in New Zealand in 1978 and taught there for several years at a time when there was an over-supply of teachers in the profession.

I moved to Australia 30 years ago and was initially doing day-to-day casual teaching.

The style of teaching in New Zealand was quite different to that in Australia. I remember going into a classroom one day, and I had been left a lesson plan and was asked to have children draw koalas and create a wall display. One child had drawn the most beautiful purple koala. It was detailed, meticulous, and vibrant. I put it in

the centre of the wall. The teacher walked into the room and flicked it off and said, ‘Everyone knows there’s no such thing as purple koalas’. Teaching in New Zealand was much more intuitive and child-related.

When I came to Australia, I found the style difference a shock.

When I left New Zealand, I had been teaching in Pacific Island communities, including Samoan and Māori communities, where their native language was being used in kindergarten to support children and their learning. When I came to Australia, I found issues related to Aboriginal education and perception of Aboriginal people a stark

Abbotsford Public School has strong links to the Italian community.

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education matters primary

Ms Chris Johnson.

contrast to where we were in New Zealand in terms of First Nations recognition.

After a period of casual teaching, I was offered a position at Lakemba, a suburb in Western Sydney – I’d never even heard of the place. It was at a time when NSW had executive teacher positions and, after a period as a class teacher, moved into the role. It was a trainee apprenticeship for an assistant principal position.

I later became assistant principal at Lakemba and was encouraged to look at leadership positions. I did what was called the Principal Preparation Program, supported by the NSW Department of Education. I was paired with a principal mentor, Rod Megahey. Rod left his position at Athelstane Public to go to a larger school, and after about six months, the position came up, and I applied for it.

Athelstane Public is predominantly a Lebanese Muslim community, and they were adamant that they did not want a female principal. I went to the interview and by the time we were finished, I was offered the role. I was there for about 12 years. I was then approached in 2012, by the then regional director, Dr Phil Lambert, who asked whether I would relieve at Abbotsford Public School, which I accepted. At the time, the school presented a number of professional challenges in relation to professional learning opportunities for me and for staff.

What is the history of the school?

Abbotsford Public School opened in 1925 and is celebrating its centenary next year. When it was built, it was in amongst farming area. It was perceived as being quite a way out of the city on the Great North Road, whereas now it’s considered to be inner west, and highly desirable. Abbotsford then became an early settlement area for the Italian community. The Bushell’s factory was close by, and a large number of Italian women in particular worked at the factory. At one stage, most of the local shops were Italian owned – many still are. We have an Italian community language teacher at the school because of that strong Italian connection. Families are very settled here, and many generations have passed, and are still passing, through the school.

What is the school’s philosophy and how does it guide you and your staff?

Early on during my tenure as principal at Abbotsford Public School, I went to a conference in Singapore where educational theorist Sugata Mitra and Finnish educator Pasi Sahlberg were speaking. When I came back, we were looking at a mission statement to reformulate what our school vision was.

Inspired by the speakers, we now have a statement which says: at Abbotsford, students will discover the world around them and understand the world within.

Our strategic improvement plan is based around how we support children to develop the skills and competency they need to understand the world around them, and what are we doing to also support students in terms of their personal wellbeing and emotional development; they are the two pillars of what it is that we do.

I try to impress upon people that all teaching is relational, and unless children feel safe at school, they don’t learn. It’s really important to develop relationships with children so that they feel that the school environment is safe.

I was talking to a teacher recently about one child in her class who has complex needs. She said, ‘When I first came here, you said to me that it was pivotal that I develop a relationship with this child because if I didn’t, nothing else was going to work’. She said she didn’t really understand how significant or profound that comment was at the time.

But, she said, ‘I have made sure that I have done that. It is the linchpin of all the decisions that we make, so that when he’s not actively focused on learning, my redirection is around the relationship that I have.’

I have a terrific team of people – about 45 teaching and non-teaching staff – who understand what the school’s philosophy is and are going out of their way to make sure that we really focus on children. Everybody is aware of student need. We had a child the other day wanting to leave the school grounds, and it wasn’t a teacher who made the most impact on the day. It was the general assistant who had a quiet chat with the student.

People aren’t compartmentalised in terms of roles. Everybody has ownership of every child in the school. It’s not a case of ‘this child in your class’; we are a family in a village, and we work together.

What role do you play in the day-to-day activities of your students?

I look to get out at lunchtime and sit and watch the connections that students have, and who’s playing with who in the playground, and observe their behaviour.

At the moment, I’ve got six fishing rods in my office. They were given to me by a friend because he knows that we’ve got a cohort of children here who go fishing. I had a child who was late to school the other day, and when I asked why he was late, he said he went fishing.

It’s hard to chastise a child who got up at six

o’clock in the morning to go out fishing on the river. I stand at the gate most mornings and try and make connections with parents and students as they walk through the door. There’s lots of little incidental, anecdotal chats along the way which builds community.

Tell us about your involvement in LEAP, and how it helps you in your role as principal?

LEAP, which stands for Leading Educators Around the Planet, was established about 12 years ago by Dr Sue Lazenby and Dr Warren Marks, two former primary school principals,

Students’ emotional development is a key pillar at Abbotsford Public School.

Abbotsford invests in activities that support teacher welfare and wellbeing.

education matters primary

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PRINCIPALLY SPEAKING // ABBOTSFORD PUBLIC SCHOOL

The school’s garden is a source of pride among students.

now LEAP directors. Initially it was a peershadowing program where principals from Australia stayed with a principal in Canada initially and then Scotland or England, for two weeks, and there was a reciprocal arrangement.

Now the format is study tours. I have been to the UK, Finland, Singapore, Wales, Canada, Slovenia, and looked at schools – a group of 20-25 professional colleagues, mainly from public schools around NSW, view schools in each jurisdiction.

It’s helped me because it’s given me a perspective on what it is that we do here in New South Wales. It’s shown me on one hand how we could strategically improve systemic things, and at the same time it’s given me a reflection that what we’re doing is quality, and we are providing our students with good options.

I try and harness the activities and ideas that add value to our learning environment and work within Australian society. Not all ideas are easily transmissible into our way of life.

The idea of sending six-year-old children home on their own to open up the house and do homework or music practice until parents come home is anathema to our parents.

Being part of LEAP means that when I speak up, I have substance and knowledge

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The school’s entrance reflects its philosophy on diversity and inclusion.

of what I’m talking about, and I can make comments with reasonable substantiation.

I am Port Jackson Primary Principals’ Association president and I don’t feel I would have had the confidence to put myself up for the position if I had not had the LEAP experience and felt I had a comprehensive understanding of education in a number of jurisdictions. I have met the Federal Minister for Education Jason Clare and spoken with him about issues of teacher visas. I have met

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with our local member of parliament, and when she asks me questions around education and training issues, I have the confidence and substance to make statements which I feel reflect the wider principal community.

What are some of the challenges teachers face today?

I think it’s work/life balance. Teachers have to start being selfish; they can’t fill up other people’s cup if they don’t have their own filled.

Abbotsford Public School will celebrate its centenary in 2025.

Several generations of families have attended Abbotsford Public School.

We spend a lot of time doing a lot of activities that support teacher welfare and wellbeing. I spend a lot of time at night sending texts to teachers, checking in, making sure that they’re okay. There’s a lot of quiet moments that people never see, where you’re double checking on teacher welfare.

What has been your most memorable moment either as a teacher or principal?

The memorable moments are when I have been able to stand back and observe the sense of community which has been built in the school.

I work with an extraordinary group of parents.

Our Parents and Carers committee is amazing in supporting the school in its endeavours.

There is a coherent alignment with the values of the school with those who actively contribute their time and endless effort, to improve the educational opportunities we can provide.

Our fundraising committee have raised an extraordinary amount of money to upgrade the school playground. We are the biggest polling booth in the state, and they run a fundraising BBQ which at the last election raised $35,000.

We have a gardening group (a couple) who work on the site every weekend, tending to the lush vegetable gardens. The energy that they generate creates a dynamic school community.

We also have a not-for-profit OOSH with a parent committee and this also ensures that there are deep links to the school. There is a united desire to create a school which is inclusive and accepting of diversity. EM

Providing support and leadership Abbotsford Public School Deputy Principal Angela Noble describes Ms Chris Johnson’s leadership as intelligent and sustained with a good balance of styles, in particular instructional and transformational, that nurtures (not forces) change, always through the lens of evidence-informed studentcentred practices.

She said Ms Johnson demonstrates a great deal of leadership resilience, something which is especially required within a complex environment.

“Her leadership approach is always centred towards a positive work culture using her emotional intelligence and humour,” Ms Noble said.

“She has been able to communicate her moral purpose and what motivates her within education to staff and the wider community.

She has excellent consideration for the wellbeing of others, including staff and students/families, often going above and beyond to support.”

Ms Noble said establishing and maintaining broad collegial networks has been a strength with Ms Johnson’s membership and creation of local and PPA and LEAP groups.

“Remaining calm and responding professionally to the community is something Chris has always displayed. She evaluates all information related to complex problems

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before making important decisions,” Ms Noble said.

“Strategic resourcing and a clear understanding of aesthetics in leadership is used by her high degree of creativity to make learning and work environments more human and thoughtful.”

Ms Kate Anderson, Assistant Principal at Abbotsford Public School, said Ms Johnson is a vibrant leader who thinks outside the box and is always looking for creative ways to build school community and welcome and celebrate diversity.

“Chris is ethical and considered in all that she does and goes above and beyond for students and families. She strongly advocates for others, including staff, students and families, beyond the realm of a principal’s role – and in the face of opposition. She puts what is right before what is comfortable,” Ms Anderson said.

“She genuinely cares about the whole child. This is also the case with staff. Chris is genuine in her interactions; she seeks to understand and value people, not just academic outcomes.”

Ms Anderson said Abbotsford’s principal goes out of her way to get to know students and families.

“Chris makes small, deliberate decisions to interact with students across any given day to build trust and connection and find out what ‘makes them tick’.”

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TEACHER’S VOICE // ALEC SANTUCCI

What makes a good teacher great – a personal reflection When I was a student, I thought it was evident what made an excellent teacher.

Time and experience has modified some of these preliminary thoughts, while other principles have remained the same. Through my journey as a student and a teacher I’ve experienced a development of thinking on what constitutes effective instruction; this has been influenced by both professional experiences and student perspectives.

Growing up, I came across both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ teachers. When we make this judgement, we form a set of criteria which individually classifies what quality teaching is to us personally. One characteristic I admired was the sense of calm control which some teachers exuded, the ability to maintain order without being ‘strict’.

These teachers didn’t need to undermine students; they were fair and often respected.

Many of these individuals, with their kind dispositions, I considered ‘good’. In contrast, the more easily aggrieved instructors I often seemed to classify as ‘bad’, it wasn’t necessarily a judgement on their command of knowledge, which was satisfactory, but a reflection of their capacity to make students uneasy in their presence.

When people feel stressed or intimidated, this affects their capacity to learn best. Effective teachers understand that constructive learning environments have a positive effect on students learning.

These preliminary experiences would later influence my own practice.

Many young teachers who come out of university try to play the upright, ‘firm but fair’ persona. The mistake is going against one’s natural personality. The

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Image: Alec Santucci

History and English teacher Mr Alec Santucci explores how knowledge, passion and approachability contribute to what makes an effective teacher but ultimately concludes that great teaching is often due to a range of non-explicit characteristics underpinned by a deep sense of purpose, identity and care.

Alec Santucci.

thought is that to maintain order, one needs to maintain a firm authority. Indeed, to some extent this front may help with some elements of classroom management, however exchanging order at the cost of approachability only leads to neglecting one of the most important elements of education: the ability to positively connect with and impact students.

To have command and calmness takes years of dedicated classroom experience.

Deceivingly, great teachers will make teaching look effortless. This form of high engagement, and in some cases admiration, is quite unique. Certainly, this influence is distinctive among the professions, where few vocations provide such a profound sense of identity and purpose.

Effective teachers need to be

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knowledgeable and possess understanding over their subject matter. While not all teachers will have a specific expertise, it isn’t knowledge alone that is important, but the willingness of teachers to continually expand their own understanding, and model this to their students. Effective teachers embrace the role of continual reflection and growth in their professional lives.

These teachers’ sense of purpose is which differentiates them, an engagement not only in the promotion of learning but the personal absorption of it.

Quality teachers possess a form of passion in their vocation. Passionate teaching is as observable as it is descriptive. They will often have a philosophy of education; whether it be a deep care for helping others, a belief in the importance of future generations or a passion for sharing disciplinary knowledge in a certain area. These teachers’ deep understanding of why they teach is what underpins the auxiliary dispositions they utilise in their classroom instruction.

My History teacher possessed many of the qualities that makes an effective teacher. He had knowledge in his subject area, an approachable nature and a clear, if not subdued, passion for what he did.

Teachers like this seem to stand out. In some lessons he would enter the classroom without saying a word, he would take out a whiteboard marker and commence writing on the board. Providing a subtextual clue, he would turn to his students as if to say, ‘begin copying down what is written’. He was able to write historically accurate notes purely from memory.

Young people can find it difficult to quantify what makes an effective teacher.

But when a student says, ‘My science teacher really knows her stuff!’ or, ‘I like my health teacher because he makes the lessons fun’ or ‘I feel that Mr Smith really wants me to do well’, you know they’re describing the attributes of a quality teacher. Good teachers are not only accustomed to integrating effective strategies into their practice but seem to do so with an underlying sense of care and purpose within their work.

Explicitly teaching, encouraging collaborative learning or instilling questioning models; these are all emphasised methodologies of quality instruction, but great teaching seems to go beyond this. What good is employing these models if there is no underlying care for students? What difference does it make if the teacher doesn’t connect authentically with the content? Effective teachers will utilise a range of high impact strategies and embed these into their practice, but these strategies are mute if an underlying element of care is not present.

Many of the strategies employed by experienced teachers come from practical trial and error and experimenting with forms of presentation. Great teachers personify much of what educational theory tells

Image: Alec Santucci

While he was not the type to show his passion in the traditional sense of how people imagine this quality; not being especially loud or particularly overbearing, the passion for his subject was clear in the manner of his delivery.

Comfortable at his desk, you could always sense a gentle approachableness about him which never intimidated a student to ask for help. He was both a great and an ordinary teacher; he possessed no notable physical differences to the other teachers at the school and went about his days quietly, in this sense he was not indifferent to the scores of others.

Like many teachers he didn’t go about seeking praise or adulation. He was keen to do his job well, his reward was the growth of his students.

Years had passed when I saw this teacher again, by this time I was teaching, and he had aged considerably. We exchanged warmly and I thanked him for his service. His teaching would prove a great professional reference point in my own career. Great teachers have the capacity to be remembered.

Schools don’t determine what makes a great teacher, teaching itself is what defines what makes a great teacher. It matters not who you are, or where you come from, or your wealth or status, your skill defines your capacity to teach; this perhaps is one of the great levellers in our profession.

Alec Santucci teaches at Hills Christian Community School in the Adelaide Hills and is currently completing his Highly Accomplished Teacher Certification.

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us. When a teacher encourages students to discuss or share their thinking, they’re encouraging collaborative learning. If they’re promoting students to peer assess, they’re engaging in peer feedback. An engaging and informative PowerPoint presentation which is able to clearly communicate information is a form of explicit teaching. Many great teachers use such high impact strategies regularly and authentically in their classes. In the same way that the person who first learns to drive a car needs to think consciously about changing gears, turning on an indicator or adjusting speed, eventually with experience and practice, these actions become automated.

The same process happens with teachers, what once may have been a conscious effort to include certain methodologies, eventually becomes natural. Adjusting to the present moment or circumstance becomes second nature. Teaching does not become easier over time; instead, it is the gradual improvement of a practitioner’s ability to respond to and adjust to the challenges of teaching which develops.

It is the increase in skill, not the decrease of complexity that changes.

While the dedication required to teach effectively is high and this commitment can sometimes appear lost, it is felt through the individual stories, the memories of what made those influential teachers so impactful individually. Most people seem to have a certain teacher that left an impression on them, an impact which is likely remembered.

Great teaching accumulates through clear attributes, but it is constructed on a foundation of care, purpose and identity. A teacher unable to look out for the individual interests of students, ultimately goes empty in finding true meaning in their vocation. While this can be intensive, it can also be liberating, because the investment in the satisfaction of others can only lead to greater satisfaction in one’s own life.

The role of an educator is not simply the transfer of information, but the ability to inspire a love of learning. The care to make a difference may be what underpins excellent teaching practice. Great teachers who respond to the needs of their students become fuller because of it, not because it yields any extra material gain, but because of the impact it can create for years to come. EM

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TECHNOLOGY // JB HI-FI

The benefits of a BYOD program In today’s digitally-driven world, primary schools face new and changing challenges when adequately equipping young students with the skills and tools necessary for success.

JB Hi-Fi Education’s ‘Bring Your Own Device’ program offers a solution.

Matters that the BYOD program includes an online portal where school-approved devices, tablets and accessories can be purchased at commercial pricing.

Ms McGrath said this convenient portal access permits students to be ready and able to connect, collaborate and learn from day one.

The BYOD program from JB Hi-Fi Education provides technologies that work seamlessly and securely in the classroom, on-the-go or at home.

“With JB Hi-Fi Education, parents can confidently make their device selection with the certainty that they’re choosing from a shortlist of devices and accessories preselected by their child’s school to support the best learning outcomes for their child,” Ms McGrath said.

“Our BYOD program also ensures parents are getting the best quality and prices available with hand-picked products from our best partners at special pricing.”

Every year, JB Hi-Fi Education revisits

Images: JB Hi-Fi Education

To streamline and clarify student technology for both schools and parents, JB Hi-Fi Education’s ‘Bring Your Own Device’ (BYOD) program has been developed to enable schools to plan and deliver education outcomes to students using consistent, education-specific devices, tailored to a school’s learning environment.

Learning to study and work effectively online is essential for students to access information and allow their curiosity and inquisitive natures to question the world around them.

The JB Hi-Fi Education BYOD program is designed for schools from primary to higher education, and takes the stress out of choosing the right technology for students, giving them and their families easy access to the right devices, at commercial pricing, to support students’ education.

JB Hi-Fi Education’s Commercial State Manager for Victoria and Tasmania, Ms Michelle McGrath, explained to Education

School-approved devices, tablets and accessories can be purchased at commercial pricing.

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and updates the BYOD program with the latest and best technologies from leading brands such as Apple, Microsoft, and Chromebook (and many more) to address the evolving needs of schools.

Ms McGrath notes on behalf of the BYOD program that JB Hi-Fi Education is also very aware of the rough daily usage of devices by students. She advises that parents can take comfort in the knowledge that devices purchased through JB Hi-Fi Education and its BYOD program are suited to their child’s education environment, and can come with appropriate warranty and device protections.

In fact, the BYOD program offers peace of mind to parents with options to add replacement cover, warranties and insurances when purchasing through the portal to prevent for those unplanned accidents, damages, losses or thefts (depending on the type of option purchased).

JB Hi-Fi Education also provides a unique device repair or refresh solution called Tech Care+, a care product whereby a student can replace or repair their device for any reason, at any time within the plan term.

“We have delivered thousands of BYOD programs to Australian schools providing a comprehensive and innovative range of education-specific products at educationspecific pricing,” Ms McGrath said.

“We have a wide range of educationspecific devices and services, a dedicated team of experts, an education portal for easy procurement and support, and a national network that provides timely fulfilment.”

Within the portal, schools have a specific access to view order reports. This

The benefits of integrating a BYOD program in your school • Education specific devices: tech, accessories and programs designed for education and students • Simplified IT procurement and management • Dedicated portal for each school • Reduce parent workload and stress when selecting a device for their child • Tailor solutions based on your school’s needs: select the devices that are best suited to your curriculum access provides a school with the visibility to ensure students are being adequately equipped with the right devices.

One of the biggest challenges teachers face in the classroom with BYOD programs is device consistency. Not having a consistent deployment of devices can potentially lead to disruptions to student learning experiences.

To minimise this risk, JB Hi-Fi Education collaborates with schools to ensure a set list of products are made available for purchase via the portal, ensuring a consistent classroom experience.

JB Hi-Fi Education partners with schools to address challenges and aspirations for introducing 21st century learning.

“Creating a modern learning environment is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s about enabling classrooms with the right mix of solutions that help teachers reach and engage students. With professional advice, education-specific products and strategically tailored solutions, schools, universities, and institutions can achieve outstanding outcomes from their information and communications technology, or ICT, programs,” Ms McGrath said.

How the JB Hi-Fi Education BYOD program works for schools 1. To start their own BYOD portal, schools connect with JB Hi-Fi Education’s experts to design a program that aligns with their pedagogy and device requirements in mind.

2. Once the equipment and accessories have been identified, the JB Hi-Fi Education team will generate a code for schools to provide to parents. This code grants the user the most up-to-date access to the school’s BYOD

Products purchased through JB Hi-Fi Education’s BYOD program come with appropriate warranty and device protections.

Program via the online portal.

3. Parents then select and purchase the tech products and services that are fully compatible with the school’s systems and curriculum.

4. JB Hi-Fi Education handles all the sales and deliveries of equipment (with options for pick-up in-store or home delivery) and provides supports materials and FAQs for parents.

JB Hi-Fi Education’s BYOD portal provides families access to a wide range of education specific laptops, tablets, accessories, warranty, insurance, and device protection solutions.

Each product has been selected and approved to work within schools’ ICT infrastructure which, Michelle says, is JB Hi-Fi Education’s way of helping families get the best technology deals for their children’s learning.

The portal is designed with busy parents in mind. Through the portal, a user can browse a selection of education-grade devices, suitable for the child’s learning needs. JB Hi-Fi Education’s goal is to ensure students are never without a working computer to facilitate their learning experience.

The portal has been recently upgraded to enhance the parents’ journey through a refreshed look, and a mobile responsive design that will enable secure and convenient purchases. Specific payment options such as buy now pay later will be also available in the coming year.

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In addition, parents can choose the best delivery option to suit their needs, either home delivery or pick up in one of the 200+ JB Hi-Fi stores across Australia. Dedicated customer services are also available from Monday to Friday to assist with purchases through delivery and insurances.

“JB Hi-Fi Education utilises new and innovative technologies to reflect the curriculum and pedagogical objectives of students in a way that engages and inspires the education community,” Ms McGrath said. “It is our objective to provide schools with a superior service level that extends beyond simply supplying a device.”

The JB Hi-Fi Education BYOD program also offers a comprehensive and innovative solution for primary schools looking to integrate technology into their classrooms.

JB Hi-Fi Education is committed to supporting schools, teachers, students, and parents along every step of their purchasing journey, ensuring a seamless integration of technology into student’s curriculum experience.

Embrace the future of education with JB Hi-Fi Education’s BYOD program and unlock the full potential of digital learning for your students. Contact JB Hi-Fi Education to talk about BYOD at jbeducation@ jbhifi.com au or scan the QR code to get the BYOD conversation started. EM

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TECHNOLOGY // JB HI-FI

Building a successful AI program As school leaders explore these possibilities, it is crucial for education institutions to proactively address these challenges and risks, ensuring a responsible and successful adoption of AI into education. A successful AI execution demands a strategic approach to align with a school’s unique aims and needs.

Before initiating any technological deployment, it’s crucial to understand each school’s bespoke and unique requirements, aspirations, and values. Each education institution should ask itself: what challenges are hindering our education processes?

Where can AI be most effectively leveraged to create the most significant impact? Are our goals focused on improving student outcomes, streamlining administrative tasks or increasing efficiencies for our teachers? A comprehensive full assessment can present the potential applications of generative AI to schools and guide the development of a tailored strategy.

Once a schools’ objectives are clearly defined, another key initiative is to establish robust frameworks and guidelines that are essential for the use of generative AI. A proactive approach has been taken in Australia with the creation of the National AI in Schools Taskforce. The taskforce is composed of experts from major Australian education jurisdictions and in AI ethics, and developed the nation’s first comprehensive framework for AI in education: the Australian Framework for Generative Artificial Intelligence in Schools.

The framework offers guidance to help education institutions understand, use, and respond to generative AI through appropriate and inappropriate use cases at schools. The taskforce outlines three primary goals in the framework: education outcomes, ethical practices and equity and inclusion. These

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Image: JB Hi-Fi Education

Artificial Intelligence holds immense potential to transform teaching, improve student learning and reduce administrative workloads. Yet, any great change is accompanied by challenges, and the growing accessibility of AI for schools is no exception, says JB Hi-Fi Education.

Microsoft Copilot data is encrypted, and user prompts are not saved or stored.

goals are the basis of six core principles developed in the framework. Following the recommended guidelines outlined in the framework will assist Australian schools introduce generative AI for responsible and ethical use, with a focus on maximising student benefits.

Data privacy and protection are critical requirements to integrating AI tools in education. Robust data governance policies are essential to safeguard a user’s data and personal information. Some generative AI solutions, such as Microsoft Copilot, have been developed with protections of this nature embedded within its systems.

When a user logs in to a Microsoft Copilot via a school account, all data is encrypted, user prompts are not saved or stored, and Microsoft’s program has no ability to access or view chat data generated

by Copilot. The prompts and data inputted to Copilot’s chat function is also never used to train Copilot’s language model. These safeguards ensure the privacy and security of school data as a fundamental aspect of AI deployment and fosters a safe learning environment.

Building a supportive community around generative AI is another essential step in

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its successful implementation. Engaging with stakeholders, including school leaders, administrators, educators, students, and parents, is crucial. Cultivating an open dialogue about the potential benefits and challenges of AI will also create a shared contextual understanding. Gathering feedback and input from all stakeholders will provide valuable insights for improvement.

According to AI In Education: A Microsoft Special Report (November 2023), most students, educators and education leaders have already used AI for school purposes but only a few of them are strongly familiar with it. To address this, investing in comprehensive training and development for all key stakeholders will ensure the features of generative AI are used to its highest potential. Equipping stakeholders with the necessary skills will maximise the generative AI capabilities and benefits. By teaching students and educators about AI concepts and empowering them to use AI tools responsibly, schools can cultivate digital literacy and prepare students for their future.

By comprehending an education institution’s specific needs, establishing clear principles and goals, and effectively engaging all key stakeholders, schools can build a robust AI program. By evaluating the use and benefits of generative AI, and exploring how generative AI can enhance learning, Australian schools can be firstmovers to advantage their students in AI. To understand more about the benefits and applications generative AI can bring to the classroom, download JB Hi-Fi Education’s guide to AI: www.jbhifi.education/jbbusiness-ai-in-education. EM Sources: Australian Framework for Generative Artificial Intelligence in Schools, AI In Education: A Microsoft Special Report, Microsoft Education AI toolkit.

Debunking the myths: switching to a new SIS

Images: iSAMS

ISAMS // TECHNOLOGY

iSAMS offers comprehensive training options and a bespoke e-learning platform for continuous learning.

A Student Information System (SIS) plays a pivotal role in the daily operations of a school, making it essential to choose the most suitable system tailored to its specific needs, system software company iSAMS explains.

Despite the clear benefits, many schools are reluctant to switch their SIS system, often deterred by the perceived complexities of the migration process. This hesitation is fuelled by numerous misconceptions about transitioning to a new SIS. Whether due to past negative experiences or a lack of familiarity with the migration process, it’s crucial to understand that changing a SIS can be a smooth and stress-free experience.

With more than two decades of experience supporting independent schools in the UK, iSAMS collaborate closely to develop a customised SIS migration and change management strategy that addresses the unique requirements of each school and its key stakeholders.

“We strive to ensure schools are fully confident throughout the migration process and aim to debunk common myths that surround SIS transitions, helping schools make the best software choice for their institution,” the company says.

Trusted by 1,500 schools spanning 90 countries, it says concerns such as prolonged migration times, disruption to school operations, challenges for staff

iSAMS prioritise minimising disruption when completing migrations.

during the switch, and data accessibility issues are common, yet manageable with the right approach.

Myth 1: Migrating takes too long iSAMS says the duration of an SIS migration varies as each school has different data volumes and system complexities. While some schools may have integrated systems, others might not, affecting the migration timeline. Typically, transitioning to iSAMS cloud-based SIS takes about three to six months, but this can vary based on each school’s specific needs. Cleaner data facilitates a faster switch, and the iSAMS dedicated installs team is ready to assist with data cleaning and any other inquiries to expedite the process.

Myth 2: Migration will disrupt the school iSAMS prioritise minimising disruption by completing migrations within a few months. Timing the migration during school breaks, such as the summer vacation, can further reduce impact, allowing for a smooth transition and readiness for the new academic year.

“We understand the importance of maintaining uninterrupted educational services and work diligently to find the optimal migration period without rushing a school’s decision,” the company says.

Myth 3: Staff will find it too challenging Managing change is challenging but can be effectively handled with proper staff training and a tailored change management plan. It’s important to identify daily challenges faced by different departments and address these

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with specific solutions. Gaining initial buy-in is crucial, followed by ongoing training and support to ensure staff are comfortable and can fully utilise the new system. iSAMS offers comprehensive training options, from initial sessions to a bespoke e-learning platform for continuous learning.

Myth 4: Access to data will be restricted Switching software systems is not a one-size-fits-all process. Each school has unique data needs and access requirements. The iSAMS approach is customised; it works with each school to identify critical data and ensure it remains accessible post-migration. Many older systems contain redundant data, and a key part of iSAMS migration process is to streamline and prioritise essential data. By addressing these concerns and providing tailored solutions, iSAMS ensures a seamless transition to a new SIS, supporting each school’s needs every step of the way.

With a suite of portals and apps for managing academic, wellbeing, HR, administrative, and financial information, iSAMS features a module-based approach for customisation, real-time tracking of admissions and student data, and convenient access to information. EM

Scan the QR code to learn more about iSAMS migration process or visit www.isams.com.au.

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TECHNOLOGY // LENOVO

Image: Hassan Baickdeli

Supporting teachers in the driver’s seat Mr Hassan Baickdeli, Head of Emerging Technology and Solutions at Lenovo, sat down with Education Matters at EduTECH to share his thoughts on using AI to personalise professional development for educators.

understanding of how they can leverage artificial intelligence, especially with our key partnerships with organisations like Microsoft and what they’re bringing forward, in terms of Copilot and its capabilities.”

AI, and Microsoft Copilot specifically, is alleviating challenges associated with lesson planning and marking assessments on time.

“AI is driving search and capability for educators to inform themselves of new ways of finding information. Newer technology such as Neural Processing Units, NPUs, really enhance that from an on-device perspective as well, instead of polling back to the cloud,” Mr Baickdeli says.

“As a technology provider, where we’re focusing our strengths and striving to provide differentiation to schools and

Images: Lenovo

Artificial intelligence, and how it can be applied to education, was the unofficial theme at the two-day EduTECH Australia Congress and Expo in Melbourne in August.

For Mr Hassan Baickdeli, Head of Emerging Technology and Solutions at Lenovo, who was at the event, understanding what AI can deliver for the individual educator – and students and educational institutions – and how data needs to be structured for them to leverage that, is of the upmost importance.

“It’s all about preparing for the promise of AI,” Mr Baickdeli says.

“Our capabilities, including our services and software solutions, are able to assist with that, but we’re also focusing on professional development,” he says.

“We’re giving educators an

Lenovo is helping schools prepare for the promise of AI.

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Hassan Baickdeli.

educational institutions is how they prepare for AI, and where different elements of AI make sense for them.”

Lenovo’s booth at EduTECH was designed around preparing for the promise of AI, professional development for educators, and preparation for the real world, including how to support students to put their best foot forward outside of education.

Lenovo’s booth also showcased its high-end solutions in the professional workstation space and the esports arena, including grass roots esports inside schools.

Beyond its traditional range of solutions, partnered with its one-to-one programs for educators and students, Mr Baickdeli says Lenovo is focused on where it is taking tech’s capabilities off the back of what its customers need, such as tailored lesson plans.

“Leveraging elements of Microsoft Copilot and searching not only what’s available on their own stack but going out to the web and getting examples of what might be relevant for a specific module for a specific lesson, is key,” he says.

“It’s no longer a web search – it’s a Copilot search, whether that be on Microsoft Edge, or whether they’ve got Copilot as part of their Microsoft 365 license. It’s something they can leverage the web for, or something they can search internally for. So, for example, if there are any educators at that school or institution who might have had a subject that they’ve created a lesson plan

for that’s been relevant, they can search that, and it’s all structured in a way where it presents both searches from the web and from their own internal infrastructure as well.”

Microsoft Copilot is not only a tool for educators; Mr Baickdeli also uses it. He leverages it as part of Microsoft Teams, using it to search what’s on his own Lenovo network infrastructure and provide him information that he has access to and that’s been authorised for his user profile, plus run a web search as well, essentially conducting a two-pronged search.

Mr Baickdeli says, for Lenovo, AI in education is focused on the educator.

“AI at this stage is more for the educator and we’re focusing on assisting educators in how to leverage it. Just like VR [virtual reality] when it first came out, it was not recommended for kids under the age of 13. AI is unchartered territory. Everybody is talking about it. It’s a big buzz, just like people 15 years ago were talking about Cloud and the promise that came with Cloud – now it’s standard, everybody’s got it,” Mr Baickdeli says.

“It’s about understanding where AI is going to make a difference for the educator.

No two schools are the same, let alone two classrooms, so it’s about understanding the majority of the capability that would come with a profile of an educator, and then making everything accessible and available at their fingertips.”

Visiting schools and meeting with teachers as part of his solutions-based role, Mr Baickdeli says he’s seeing a paradigm shift

with traditional ways of teaching and learning transforming to digital ways of teaching and learning.

“With AI comes a whole lot of capability and enablement that could ‘talk’ to assisting educators, providing independent curated learning journeys for students through those educators, around security inside school campuses,” he says.

“When you say ‘AI’, it talks to so many different things, and I think that’s where schools are at the moment – they’re trying to understand how it’s going to make a difference for them, and at what part of their organisation, not necessarily the educator or the student but the broad spectrum beyond.”

Mr Baickdeli says schools are coming to grips with understanding how AI is going to make a positive impact. With something as powerful as AI, school leaders want to do their due diligence to ensure that they’ve taken the time to understand its capabilities. Due diligence is par for the course for Mr Baickdeli.

“I leverage artificial intelligence on a daily basis – I use it to provide guidance on particular things that I’m unfamiliar with. If I’m learning about a new piece of technology or new processes with regards to implementation of technology, I ask it for guidance. For example, I ask AI what would be some considerations when implementing x,y,z, and then it provides me with prompts, and I go and do my due diligence. I still do my research, but it provides me a guide,” he says.

Mr Baickdeli is also piloting Microsoft

The Lenovo 13w Yoga Gen 2.

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Copilot as part of his role as Head of Emerging Technology and Solutions.

“I don’t need to write meeting notes anymore. When I’m hosting a Microsoft Teams meetings with people from all different parts of the globe, I hit the record and transcribe button five minutes before the end of my meeting. It provides comprehensive meeting notes and follow-up action items assigned to people on the call. That’s where it makes my life easier,” he says.

But will AI make educators lives easier? Mr Baickdeli believes so, despite teachers’ varied age demographic, different levels of digital literacy, and traditional ways of teaching and learning.

“My advice to any educator out there – and I’ve worked with multiple schools and implemented different kinds of technologies within schools – is have a go. Don’t be afraid to at least try it out, because it’s here, it’s becoming mainstream. To at least gain an understanding of whether it’s going to benefit you or not is the first step,” he says.

“My personal view is that in 12 months’ time, with the Neural Processing Units that are coming out on Windows-enabled PCs, there’s going to be a whole lot more capability because at the moment, AI polls back to the Cloud to do all its computing, whereas with NPUs, it’s going to be able to do a whole lot more on the device, which will provide the user with faster responses, better levels of security, more customisation and so forth.

“I think that’s going to be really compelling because it will start to learn ‘you’ and provide more responses that are relevant for ‘you’. It’ll start to cater and curate content for ‘you’. I’m genuinely excited for it, because it’ll be more personalised and more customised to what matters to me as an individual.”

Combined with Microsoft learning, security, and IT management solutions, Lenovo’s innovative technology is shaping the future of education. The Lenovo 13w Yoga Gen 2, powered by Windows 11 Pro, supports instructors and administrators across every hybrid learning environment.

Upgradable memory and storage options easily adapt to increased workloads, providing faster connectivity for virtual lessons and peer collaboration. Windows 11 makes it easier for everyone. EM

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TECHNOLOGY // SAMSUNG

Using tech to add value to education There is no denying the impact the teacher shortage is having on Australian teachers. New research and product development experts suggest technology can play a leading role in overcoming some of the key challenges associated with this ongoing problem.

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Series is reflected in the results of a recent survey Samsung commissioned.2 In July 2024, it released new insights revealing the impact the teacher shortage is having on Australian teachers, and the role that technology can play in overcoming some of the key challenges.

Samsung’s survey found that 75 per cent of Australian educators report being impacted by the teacher shortage, with 61 per cent having to take on more responsibilities as a result. Almost half (49 per cent) of teachers agree that technology has the potential to help teaching staff overcome some of the issues raised by this workforce problem.

The majority (71 per cent) say that increased technology usage can improve the quality of learning opportunities they’re able to provide for students.

Mr Phil Gaut, Senior Director and Head of Display and Memory Solutions Division at Samsung Electronics Australia, says the survey results highlight the critical need to future-proof Australia’s education system.

“Educators agree that technology is key to providing productive, accessible and highquality learning experiences for all students,” Mr Gaut says.

“We see tech as the ultimate enabler of top-tier learning experiences, and our suite of education products are crafted with teachers’ needs in mind, ensuring they help address the sectors current challenges and deliver effective solutions to help instil meaningful change to Australian classrooms.”

Technology is part of the solution Samsung’s survey found that 71 per cent of teachers agreed the integration of technology within classrooms will improve the quality of learning opportunities they’re able to provide their students. This includes being able to provide students with greater accessibility to educational resources, enhance digital knowledge and expertise, offer future-proofing skills development and drive higher engagement with lesson content.

Images: Samsung

A maths teacher at a school in NSW who purchased a video camera to demonstrate to students in real-time how to use a protractor says she no longer has a need for the cumbersome equipment, after the school installed Samsung’s new WAD Series Interactive Display. As the teacher told Ms Penelope Tserpes, Business Development Manager in K-12 Education at Samsung Electronics Australia, the new WAD Series allows her to teach geometry and trigonometry using the Google Play apps included in the interactive display.1 Ms Tserpes is leading a project working with several schools in NSW currently trialling the WAD Series. She has been providing on-site training and support at a range of independent schools across NSW. She is also collating feedback from the teachers trialling the WAD Series Interactive Display, including the maths teacher who has found the WAD’s capabilities have made her classroom camera redundant.

As a former secondary school teacher, Ms Tserpes understands how important it is for teachers to quickly get to grips with new technology.

“Teachers want to teach. They don’t want to waste valuable time in the classroom navigating hard-to-use technology which hinders rather than helps their primary task of teaching,” Ms Tserpes says.

“Whether they’re teaching in the same classroom everyday, or moving between different classrooms within a school, or teaching anywhere at anytime as a casual relief teacher, they want intuitive technology they can securely access from the get-go.

They want technology to add value to their lesson, not detract.”

The anecdotal feedback Ms Tserpes is receiving from schools using the new WAD

The WAD Series Interactive Display is EDLA-certified.

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For many educators, integrating technology in some format is already commonplace in the classroom. Almost three quarters of respondents (72 per cent) turn to tech for lesson content (such as screens or presentations), followed by 64 per cent that use interactive tools, or similar, for student engagement in lessons. Through increased digitisation, Samsung notes that educators are already feeling the Students today are active learners benefits technology can have on learning. and more technically adept.

“As outlined in the NSW Department of Education’s Schools Digital Strategy report, digitalisation has freed up time in the abundantly clear, Mr Gaut says. teachers’ day allowing more time for one-on“We asked a group of eight teachers to one student support, and greater capacity to be bring a lesson plan to our focus group. Without more present in the classroom for effective and fail, each of those eight teachers brought their engaging teaching,” Samsung says. lesson plan in a different format – Word docs, It knows teachers frequently find Excel spreadsheets, Powerpoint presentations, themselves adapting to new environments, PDFs,” he says. moving between classrooms or even schools, “It highlighted that technology needs to be requiring technology that is intuitive and easy accessible, first and foremost, so teachers can to learn. begin their lesson on time, every time, whether “Incorporating technology into the their lesson plan is a document on a laptop, curriculum allows for diverse and flexible a slide deck on a USB, a PDF on a tablet or delivery of educational content, catering to multimedia on their phone.” different learning styles and needs, as well as He says the WAD Interactive Display’s simplifying the admin for teachers so they can usability and compatibility are designed to focus on the lesson at hand,” Samsung says. make it easy for teachers to leverage education “Inside the classroom, tools including apps and features that optimise lessons.

Samsung’s Flip Pro Interactive Display and WAD “Teachers, whether they’re full-time, partInteractive eBoard, help captivate students time or casual, and wherever they are, can with features such as high-resolution screens, sign in and out of the display using a Samsung powerful speakers, and realistic pen-to-paper Interactive account for personalisation and writing making the learning experience more security when moving between boards and engaging and collaborative.” locations. Teachers can create an account at no additional cost to them or the school,” Mr Gaut says.

More accessible technology “And it doesn’t matter what format they Samsung’s insights show some of the biggest bring their lesson plan because the WAD Series challenges to integrating technology within has a USB Type-C (3-in-1) connection with 65W schools lies with affordability and educators’ charging, an HDMI out3 for projecting to another personal time constraints for learning/ upskilling in technology tools. display in the classroom, and instant access to Regionally, the data shows a lack of cloud storage for a PC-free lesson experience4.” proficiency or confidence in technology is The WAD Series also has multi-screen one of the biggest barriers facing Victorian mode options, including split screen and educators, compared to Queensland and New multiwindow, allowing teachers to display and South Wales. Over the past two years, Samsung read multiple windows at the same time on the has taken a deep dive into how to make WAD Display.5 technology more accessible in the K-12 sector Powerful screen sharing capabilities in Australia. A meeting with a focus group mean teachers can share up to nine screens early in Samsung’s research made one thing simultaneously for maximum productivity in

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real time. Speaking from her years of experience in the classroom, Ms Tserpes says this feature undoubtedly heightens engagement in group work.

“This feature helps ensure students are included and engaged with content that can be shared both ways between the WAD Display and individual devices.

It reduces the traditional ‘one group at a time’ method of sharing group work,” she says.

Screen-sharing can be used on iOS, Mac, Windows, Android, or Chrome OS. This new feature means teachers can give touch access to users sharing their screen to interact with the display from afar. Screenshared devices can also have their screen floating to still have access to note app. The WAD Series is also compatible with Android devices and with Enterprise Devices Licensing Agreement (EDLA) certification for access to Google Play store apps.

“The WAD Series has been designed in partnership with Google Education; it works seamlessly with the Google Education environment, across the whole syllabus,” Mr Gaut says.

Samsung believes that the role of technology in the classroom is to supplement teachers and future-proof education, offering them the tools to automate, create and optimise their daily professions, enabling them to free up their time to focus on teaching itself.

“Interactive technologies not only have the potential to streamline efficiencies but also foster collaboration, engagement and accessibility across the education ecosystem, benefiting teachers, students and institutions,” the company says. EM References 1. Sign in to Google account is required for access to certain Google apps and services. App charges and fees may apply.

2. Quantitative Survey Report for Ogilvy PR: Samsung Eductech Survey: Teaching Decision Makers RFQ A-60349 based on 500 participants. Conducted July 2024.

3. HDMI Out supports FHD/UHD 60Hz. 4. Cloud-based DMS solution is provided free of charge for one year. Pricing policies are subject to change. Please contact your account manager for more details.

5. WAD series provides an on-prem DMS solution, allowing customers to choose an option that best fits their local area network requirements. App availability and content may change without notice.

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TECHNOLOGY // EDUTECH

A personal story steals the show at EduTECH Venue staff had to carefully manage seating capacity for keynote speaker, Mr Sal Khan, with his address on the transformative impact of AI on education filling seats faster than anticipated. as word of his cousin’s success spread, he started tutoring more students – family at first, and then friends of family – and started seeing a pattern emerging.

“They had gaps in their learning,” he said.

He started writing software and creating practice problems for his students to solve – while still working at his ‘day job’.

A conversation at a dinner party one evening prompted Mr Khan to start recording his lessons in under-10-minute videos to upload on YouTube.

Feedback from his cousins, he said, highlighted the convenience of on-demand tutorials, allowing him to spend more time on each individual students’ motivation and engagement.

Images: New Point Of View

Twenty years ago in Boston, Californiabased Mr Sal Khan, the founder and CEO of not-for-profit Khan Academy, was working as an analyst at a hedge-fund, as his ‘day job’. After a visit from family based in New Orleans, Mr Khan agreed to tutor his cousin who was having trouble with maths, having not performed as well as she’d hoped on a test.

After spending his evenings tutoring his cousin in New Orleans, she re-took the test.

Not only did she pass, but she then went into an advanced maths class.

This anecdote formed the opening of Mr Khan’s exclusive speaking engagement at EduTECH Australia, to a full house. Mr Khan then went on to tell the audience that

Keynote speaker Sal Khan.

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The plenary sessions drew strong attendance.

Mr Khan started noticing his videos on YouTube gaining more views, beyond his family members. In 2009, he set up Khan Academy, quit his ‘day job’, and began seeking philanthropic support to back his vision to “use technology to raise the ceiling, create a safety net education system, and scale-up personalisation”.

He began working with OpenAI, an American artificial intelligence research organisation based in California, on a potential AI tutor assistant but then, in November 2022, ChatGPT came out.

“I was bummed,” he told the audience in Melbourne. He said ChatGPT was almost immediately branded a cheating tool, and he feared the AI-tutor assistant he was developing with OpenAI would be tarred with the same brush.

“I thought it was going to be a case of throwing the baby out with the bath water.”

Khanmigo, an AI powered tool Khan Academy launched Khanmigo in March 2023. It is an AI-powered personal tutor and teaching assistant. Unlike other AI tools such as ChatGPT, Khanmigo doesn’t just give answers. Instead, with limitless patience, it guides learners to find the answer themselves.

More than 250 exhibitors and 40 start-ups filled the expo floor.

In addition, Khanmigo is the only AI tool that is incorporated with Khan Academy’s world-class content library that covers math, humanities, coding, social studies, and more.

As Mr Khan explained to his audience at EduTECH, when students inevitably type in, ‘Why do I need to learn this?’, Khanmigo engages with them on a personal level, asking ‘What do you care about?’.

“Khanmigo’s answer ties into the student’s response; it’s personalising an answer to, ‘Why do I need to learn this?’,” he said.

“It’s not just a call-and-response tool. It goes deeper into conversation and debate with the learner.”

Mr Khan conceded there are fears of AIenabled cheating, especially on writing tasks, and dedicates a chapter in his book, Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and Why That’s a Good Thing), released in May 2024, to cheating.

For teachers, Khanmigo is designed to make their role less about busy work. What normally takes hours can be done quickly with Khanmigo: creating lesson plans, quiz questions, student groupings, and more.

“Khanmigo is available for all teachers, anywhere in the world, with a grant from Microsoft,” Mr Khan said.

“If I had to pick between an amazing

teacher and amazing technology, I would choose technology – but we don’t need to make that trade off.”

In his closing remarks, Mr Khan acknowledged that AI can have positive and negative uses.

“It’s about intent – lean in to AI to amplify its positive intent,” the former hedge-analyst said.

Curtain closes on Melbourne as host city of EduTECH Australia The curtain has come down on Melbourne’s three-year stint hosting EduTECH Australia, the largest festival of education in the nation.

The two-day event took place from 13-14 August at Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. It was the third consecutive year the event was hosted in Melbourne.

Next year, EduTECH will return to Sydney after the NSW Government, supported by Business Events Sydney (BESydney), secured the event, which will be held from 11-12 June 2025 at the International Convention Centre Sydney. The event will highlight NSW as a world-leading edtech destination and showcase local businesses to investors and global clients to support their growth and exports into new international markets.

Event organiser, Terrapinn Australia, said this year’s event in Melbourne drew more than

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10,000 registered participants, with more than 150 from New Zealand.

Greg Hitchen, Terrapinn Global CEO who is based in London, attended the event.

“Greg was impressed with the atmosphere at EduTECH, and highlighted the sentiment that if you’re in education, you need to be here,” a company spokesperson said.

More than 250 exhibitors and 40 startups filled the expo floor, while in the plenary sessions, venue staff had to carefully manage seating capacity for the keynote speaker, Sal Khan, with his address on the transformative impact of AI on education in high-demand.

The gala dinner on the eve of Day 1, hosted by comedian Claire Hooper, was sold out.

A spokesperson from Terrapinn Australia said EduTECH Australia in 2025 will have a different look and feel, with the event to be rebranded to align with EduTECH Asia.

EduTECH in Sydney will also be the anchor event for the NSW EdTech Summit, creating a week-long opportunity for teachers to complete their Professional Development. EM

Save the date

EduTECH Australia will take place from 11-12 June 2025 at the International Convention Centre Sydney.

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TECHNOLOGY // AVANTIS EDUCATION

The power of VR/AR in the classroom

Today’s students have grown up in a digital world, and virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) harnesses their familiarity with technology to create immersive educational experiences. Through the power of extended reality, students aren’t only passive recipients of information, but active participants in their own learning.

This ultimately leads to increased student engagement and improved learning outcomes in a world where there is no limit to achieving individual potential.

Equity of education access VR/AR helps to level the educational playing field by facilitating equity of access. Breaking down financial and geographical barriers, extended reality gives students access to experiences that might not otherwise be available to them. By removing physical barriers, all students can visit the same historical sites and events, as well as experience diverse cultures, countries, and environments.

St Mark’s Anglican Community School in Perth has been using ClassVR to maximise the student experience by considering physical, emotional, and social development, in addition to academic needs. By sharing ClassVR across the school, all teachers have access to its powerful AR and VR capabilities.

Its flexibility for cross-curricular use has also proven a valuable benefit: “Without exception, ClassVR can be used in every subject throughout the school,” Ms Kelly Curran, Head of Digital Learning at the school, says.

As one of the teachers forming part of this global community, Ms Curran shares

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Image: Avantis

Virtual and augmented reality is delivering a wide range of benefits, including for students’ wellbeing and personal development, explains Avantis Education, creators of ClassVR. ClassVR is the world’s first virtual and augmented reality solution designed exclusively for education.

why St Mark’s wouldn’t be without ClassVR now: “Students love it! They are just so positive about the learning experiences ClassVR brings. From my perspective as a teacher, ClassVR gives students deeper understanding of so many things. Take the solar system. We can’t go on a trip to space, but we can take them there with ClassVR.” Virtual reality is also a pivotal tool in fostering inclusivity for SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) students.

Virtual learning experiences can be tailored to meet individual sensory needs and learning styles, whilst aligning with curriculum content. By creating lived experiences, VR/AR can help SEND students to develop central coherence and executive functioning skills.

Moreover, the simulation of real-world environments such as supermarkets and cafes can help to prepare students for work experience placements or simply a social outing. In doing so, the technology helps to reduce anxiety and improve wellbeing.

VR/AR can also help neurotypical students better appreciate challenges which their neurodiverse peers may face in a school environment. In doing so, this builds greater understanding and empathy.

Learning and engagement Research has found that compared with learners taught with traditional teaching methods, VR learners are four times more focused, four times quicker to retain knowledge, over three times more

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emotionally connected to lessons, and 275 per cent more confident when applying their learnings (PwC).

The immersive and interactive nature of VR/AR also encourages students to problem solve and think critically in real time, and in a wide range of situations. This active engagement in their own learning enables the development of deeper cognitive skills.

VR/AR technology is particularly powerful as it engages the spatial intelligence of learners. Spatial learning is important as it holistically engages more areas of the brain, leading to deeper understanding. The three-dimensional nature of extended reality also supports a more meaningful understanding of complex concepts found in subjects such as maths, science and physics.

The growing use of VR/AR in education is delivering far reaching benefits, not only for curriculum-led subjects and learning outcomes, but with the softer skills and personal development that help everyone achieve their full potential. Giving teachers a powerful tool to engage every student, whatever their socio-economic status or learning ability, VR/AR is helping to positively evolve the educational landscape – and the journey has only just started. EM

Need more information?

To learn more about ClassVR or to start your VR/AR journey, visit www.classvr.com.

A dream project

Award-winning Indigenous artist Mr Brett Parker (Billyara).

Image: Felton Industries

FELTON INDUSTRIES // FIRST NATIONS

Incorporating Indigenous art and culture into outdoor furniture has not been an easy task for Australian-owned manufacturer Felton Industries, but it has persisted, and in the process provided a unique resource teachers can use to create outdoor learning opportunities.

A new outdoor furniture range featuring artwork by award-winning artist Mr Brett Parker (Billyara) is providing schools and community spaces with a resource that celebrates Indigenous history and culture.

The new Caring for Country range, from Felton Industries, consists of a contemporary-style outdoor setting, bench seat with backrest and bin enclosure, with more products soon to be released.

The range is made from premium quality aluminium, with a woodgrain finish that provides a canvas for Billyara’s art.

An Australian-owned family business based in Condobolin, NSW, Felton Industries has been designing, manufacturing and supplying aluminium outdoor furniture in Australia for more than 20 years.

Ms Bailey Salter, the company’s Educational Team Leader, says the company has had a long-standing desire to bring something a little different into its outdoor furniture range.

“We are so proud to be 100% Australian made and to support regional communities with employment, but we really wanted to incorporate the rich and proud Indigenous history into our outdoor furniture,” she says.

The company puzzled over how it could represent Indigenous art and culture while still delivering premium quality outdoor furniture for schools and communities.

“It was not an easy task. After some lessons learnt innovating other outdoor furniture products, Peter Wiggins, founder

and owner of Felton Industries, knew it was the right time to begin his dream project. He started on the road to finding an Indigenous artist to partner with, one who could create spectacular artwork for the new range. That’s when he met Billyara,” Ms Salter says.

Billyara is from the Wiradjuri tribe of Murrumbidgee River people and has been working as an artist and educator in schools and organisations for more than 30 years.

“I’m a proud Wiradjuri man and my art gives me an opportunity to educate children and others about our rich history and culture.

For all my paintings, I draw inspiration from nature and unique land. Each artwork has a story, a meaning I love to tell,” Billyara says.

Billyara first met the team at Felton Industries about 18 months ago and was keen to be part of their new project.

“When I was approached by Felton Industries to work on this project, they were genuinely excited to be collaborating with an Indigenous artist,” he says.

“They have been great to work with, my designs and meaningful artwork being well received and appreciated. Their energetic and positive approach to this project has been refreshing and they’ll be delivering the highest quality outdoor furniture with Indigenous designs which I’m so proud to be a part of.”

Ms Patricia Voss, Project Officer at Felton Industries, says the company wanted its new range to serve a greater purpose beyond its physical function.

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“One of the things we wanted to capture with the Caring for Country range was not just the jaw-dropping beauty of the art and a celebration of Indigenous culture, but to offer an educational window into First Nations culture,” she says.

“We came up with the unique idea of using a QR code on the outdoor furniture. On each of the Caring for Country range, there’s a different artwork and an associated story.

“While sitting on or using the outdoor furniture, people can scan the QR code to watch a video of Billyara discussing how he created the art and the meaning explored within.”

Ms Voss says this aspect adds another dimension of value to the range.

“Caring for Country explores the sustainable land management practices that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples undertake, and the key role that these practices play in continuing their culture,” Ms Voss says.

She says replicating Billyara’s detailed, intricate art onto outdoor furniture was a complex process.

“We’ve worked with experts in the field to ensure this has been meticulously done.

The results are truly stunning, and we are excited to bring this product to schools. It’s going to look fantastic in schools and parks, as well as corporate and community outdoor spaces,” she says.

“The Caring for Country range offers a new opportunity to connect people and place, turning empty spaces into meeting places.” EM

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Images: Independent Schools Australia

FIRST NATIONS // HYMBA YUMBA INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

Hymba Yumba Chief Executive Officer Ms Karla Brady.

Innovative model puts First Nations culture first A south-east Queensland school is lifting learning outcomes by putting culture and traditional knowledge at the centre of its curriculum, demonstrating the success of innovation in the Independent school sector.

Demand for Hymba Yumba Independent School, on the traditional land of the Jagera, Yuggera and Ugarapul people, is rising each year, reflecting the consistent growth of Independent school enrolments in Queensland.

The school has introduced several programs to improve student outcomes and attendance, including therapy dogs, cultural classes, and Bunji (brother) and Tidda (sister) groups.

Hymba Yumba Chief Executive Officer Ms Karla Brady said the school embedded First Nations culture into its teaching and was focused on setting its jarjum (child/

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children) up for success.

“What we are trying to create at Hymba Yumba is a unique educational experience for First Nations people that the standard curriculum doesn’t deliver,” she said.

“First Nations knowledge and perspectives come first for us. We’re drawing on ways of knowing, learning and doing that have been around for over 3,000 generations. Instead of having culture fitted into a curriculum, we have flipped the model so the curriculum fits into culture.”

“Our First Nations jarjum deserve to see themselves in everything they see and do, including in the curriculum. Through this

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Junior and senior science labs are part of Hymba Yumba’s STEAM facilities.

approach we can engage and support them on whatever path they choose.”

Hymba Yumba opened in 2011 with 50 jarjum and eight staff. It now has almost 300 jarjum, more than 50 staff and waitlists across primary and high school. The school doesn’t charge tuition fees and families are asked to pay only a Resource Levy of between $225 and $425.

“There is a lot of excitement for what we’re doing here, because our innovative approach is delivering results,” Mrs Brady said.

“We have proven that our model works, however we don’t have the space to grow and expand any further.”

“We need the land beside us returned so we can fulfil our master plan of a First Nations education precinct that offers opportunities for Closing the Gap, authentic First Nations engagement, and broader community experiences, employment and self-sustained funding.”

Enrolments of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students have grown at an average rate of more than 6 per cent per year over the past decade. There are 46 Independent schools where the majority of students are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, including 10 in Queensland.

Enrolments at Independent schools in Queensland increased 22 per cent between 2018 and 2023, with more than 16 per cent of school students in the electorate of Blair attending an Independent school.

Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann said the success of Hymba Yumba is a testament to the passion and skills of the teachers and their commitment to providing a tailored learning experience for their students.

“Australia has the oldest living culture in the world and Hymba Yumba is drawing on that knowledge to nurture the next generation of First Nations leaders in our communities,” he said.

Hymba Yumba is one of 10 case studies included in Independent Schools Australia’s recent report Improving Outcomes For All: Leading Reform Through Innovation, which illustrated innovative approaches to the national school reform priority areas of equity, wellbeing and workforce.

Independent Schools Australia Chief Executive Officer Graham Catt said Hymba Yumba’s dynamic approach to education was delivering clear benefits to its students and the community.

“Hymba Yumba is a powerful example

of how Independent schools can innovate to provide exceptional learning environments for their students,” he said.

“The Independent sector plays an important role in educating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in rural, remote and urban areas.”

“It’s crucial that schools such as Hymba Yumba have access to adequate funding and resources to maintain the positive impact they have on our communities.”

Mr Catt said ISA would continue to collaborate with the Australian Government to ensure Independent schools receive the support necessary to serve their communities and deliver strong learning outcomes. EM

About Independent Schools Australia Independent Schools Australia (ISA) represents the national interests of the Independent school sector. ISA works closely with member associations to promote choice, diversity and partnership in education, and it advocates for ongoing and sustainable Australian Government support and fair funding.

Cultural classes are part of the Hymba Yumba curriculum.

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM // WILLPLAY

Beyond play: the art of crafting the perfect playground Playgrounds are often seen as hallowed grounds of joy, learning, and social development for children. But not all playgrounds are created equal, explains Mr Nathan Lee, General Manager of playground equipment manufacturer WillPlay.

Solandra Park in Regents Park, Queensland.

Mr Lee says the design, material selection, and location of manufacture often determines a playground’s quality, longevity, environmental impact, and sheer fun it promises.

“A top-notch playground should flaunt an assortment of suitable play elements for all age groups. From swings and slides to climbing structures, every feature should stimulate engagement and enjoyment for children,” he says.

“The layout too should encourage independent play as well as socialising, letting young minds explore freely.”

Good playground equipment marries safety with durability. The choice of materials – plastic, metal, or wood – offer unique advantages, each playing a crucial role in shaping the playground’s quality.

“For instance,” Mr Lee says, “plastic components are durable with low maintenance needs, but wooden components, while eco-friendly, need regular maintenance.

“Selecting premium materials like aluminium and stainless steel adds longevity and safety to the playground. Our structural elements are all aluminium and stainless steel, eliminating the problems

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of rust and the need for expensive maintenance on timber elements.”

An all-embracing playground not only reflects the age of its users, but also their different abilities. It’s critical to introduce elements that appeal to children across a variety of developmental stages and physical capabilities.

Based on his experience, Mr Lee says inclusion and accessibility should be at the heart of playground design.

“Considerations for older children might include higher access points, taller climbing structures, and more challenging play areas. For younger children, lower access points, more activity-based play, and sensory and musical elements might be appropriate,” he says.

“Buzzwords shouldn’t lead your design process. While something you see in a magazine or hear about at a conference might generate some ideas, don’t let it direct your whole project.”

– Mr Nathan Lee Playgrounds should also be mindful of children with varying physical and cognitive abilities. Ramps for wheelchair users, sensory play equipment for children with sensory processing disorders, and safe, quiet spaces

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for those who might become overwhelmed offer an inclusive play experience.

“This approach ensures every child, regardless of age or ability, will find the playground inviting, engaging, and most importantly, fun,” Mr Lee says.

“An often-forgotten ingredient in the design of playgrounds is the kids. Too often, the aesthetic or perceived social pressures can lead the design process. It is easy to end up with a play area that looks pretty or ticks a few boxes, but it’s just not fun.”

Playgrounds are long term investments, and if not well-designed, the legacy of a poorly thought-out play area will be felt for a long time.

“Buzzwords shouldn’t lead your design process,” Mr Lee warns. “While something you see in a magazine or hear about at a conference might generate some ideas, don’t let it direct your whole project.

“Often simple is best and how previous generations enjoyed play still works today.

Kids know what they like. We recommend including them in the process – but don’t let them dominate the design,” he says.

‘Trifecta of benefits’ The manufacturing location of playground equipment plays a pivotal role in its quality and safety standards.

Mr Lee points out that while some imported products may be inviting due to their design or price point, not all imported systems meet the Australian standards.

Images: WillPlay

“Spare parts from imported manufacturers may not be readily available in Australia which can lead to long-term equipment closures and expensive air freight costs to get parts,” he says.

“Australian made equipment manufacturers like WillPlay carry stock of spare parts and have access to local staff to undertake all repair and maintenance needs.”

He also recommends assessing a manufacturer’s reputation for quality and safety.

“Choosing Australian manufactured playground equipment holds a significant advantage. Not only are you assured of compliance with domestic safety standards, but you’re also actively supporting local businesses. Purchasing from Australian manufacturers means you’re contributing directly to the Australian economy.”

“In essence, opting for Australian-made promises a trifecta of benefits – superior quality, local economic support, and robust after-sales service,” Mr Lee says.

Eco-friendly designs and materials can help playgrounds strike a balance with the environment. Using strategies like natural shade structures and selecting materials that are recyclable ensures sustainability, Mr Lee adds.

“As a manufacturer, WillPlay uses recycled plastic and timber/plastic composites where

Summit Street Park in Belmont, Queensland.

possible, ensuring that our play and fitness equipment is sustainable, and every material used is recyclable at end of life.”

Safety is paramount in playground design and ensuring all equipment meets stringent safety standards cannot be overstated.

Mr Lee says regular inspections and maintenance routines are crucial to address wear and tear, ensuring that all components remain safe and functional.

“The installation process also demands careful attention, with professional installers ensuring that all equipment is securely anchored and properly aligned,” he says.

“Beyond physical safety, the psychological wellbeing of children should be considered as well, with spaces designed to reduce stress and encourage positive interactions.

“By prioritising safety at every stage – from design to installation and maintenance – playgrounds become not only places of joy but also safe havens where children can explore, learn, and grow without undue risk.”

Designing a playground is both art and science, and meticulously considering a multitude of factors can make the difference between a run-of-the-mill playground and a standout one.

“It’s not merely play – it’s about crafting an enchanting world of exploration and growth.” EM

Need more information?

Visit www.willplay.com.au/ willplayplaygroundinspiration.

Goodwood State School in Queensland.

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM // KIP MCGRATH

NAPLAN results underscore importance of early intervention According to 2024 results, one in 10 students need additional support to progress satisfactorily. Providing that additional support early is crucial to long-term success, explains a tutor from Kip McGrath Education Centres.

“It is simply too late to wait until Year 3 to find out that one in three students is not on track. Struggling students need to be identified early and offered immediate help, to prevent years of academic challenges,” the Grattan Institute said.

It is a point of view shared by tutoring franchise, Kip McGrath Education Centres.

Founded in 1976, the network has grown to more than 500 centres worldwide. It has 150 centres across Australia and New Zealand, offering both online and in-person tuition in maths and English.

Ms Tegan Chambers, a Head Tutor and Hub Manager at Kip McGrath Regents Park, speaks from first-hand experience about why early intervention when students are struggling with maths or English is key to their long-term success and confidence in the classroom.

“I enjoy being able to explain to children and their parents the importance of early

Image: Kip McGrath

When the 2024 National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results were released in August, the data revealed that about one in three students fell short of the proficiency benchmark.

According to the Grattan Institute, that’s about 450,000 students across the country who have not made sufficient progress in literacy and numeracy: skills that are crucial for their wellbeing and their future.

The results also revealed that Indigenous students are twice as likely to fall short of proficiency benchmarks as their nonIndigenous peers. In remote schools, nearly 60 per cent of students on average failed to meet the benchmark.

The Grattan Institute said research shows that with high-quality teaching and support, almost all students can learn to read proficiently. It recommends earlier and better screening of student progress in reading and numeracy.

Early intervention when students are struggling with maths or English is key to their long-term success and confidence in the classroom.

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intervention and also explain exactly how we are going to achieve that,” she says.

By identifying and addressing learning gaps early on, Ms Chambers says students can build a strong foundation in core subjects like maths and English.

“This proactive approach not only boosts confidence but also prevents struggles from snowballing into larger obstacles later in a student’s academic journey,” she says.

“So often I hear parents say, ‘We wish we enrolled years ago’. Early intervention leads to greater success and parents should be encouraged to have their students assessed at the first sign that they are struggling.”

Ms Chambers says the sooner tutors can begin filling in the gaps identified in an initial assessment, the sooner the student can be on track with their learning and the risk to their confidence is less.

“I think this is something I have noticed quite often in students who have not had access to intervention before their gaps become significant, is that their learning dispositions and confidence are now also impeding on their learning growth,” she says.

Ms Chambers recalls one young girl who was behind in her reading.

“This student continued to work hard each week. Before long, her school noted they had seen a difference in this student in class and I believe it was because we were able to intervene before she was too far behind her peers. Her confidence grew quickly and she proudly read aloud because she felt safe to give it a go. This confidence and the support of the Kip McGrath program meant she progressed through the reading program on track and ‘graduated’ to a Keep Up student before we knew it,” Ms Chambers says. EM

RESEARCH // BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

Learning how to learn: case study A collaboration between the SA Department for Education and the University of South Australia, the fiveyear study will engage 4,000 students in Years 2, 4 and 6, across 57 South Australian primary schools to determine the benefits of teaching self-regulated learning.

Funded by the NHMRC and the Department for Education, the study will build on an initial project undertaken in Europe. The randomised control trial will teach self-regulated learning techniques to primary school-aged children, providing them with specific skills to manage their own learning in a way that is expected to have a positive long-term impact over their educational journey.

Self-regulated learning practices teaches children how to modify and manage goal setting, including creating Professor Sally Brinkman. sub-goals, monitoring their progress, and planning what to do if difficulties arise.

The practices equip students with the ability to strategically adapt their learning “It embraces goal setting, strategies in response to challenges or scaffolding problems setbacks, and adaptability fosters resilience and the capacity to overcome obstacles. into smaller achievable Chief investigator, UniSA’s Professor tasks, and learning how Sally Brinkman, says self-regulated learning to identify gaps in their teaches students how to be successful learners. knowledge or where they “Self-regulated learning teaches need more practice.” students to take control of their learning by setting goals, planning, monitoring, how to manage problems and when to ask evaluating, and adjusting their strategies,” for help.”

Professor Brinkman says.

However, she says, self-regulated “It embraces goal setting, scaffolding learning isn’t something that has problems into smaller achievable tasks, traditionally been taught at school. and learning how to identify gaps in their “Given the success of this style of knowledge or where they need more learning overseas, we’re keen to see how it practice. It also recognises student effort, could work in Australia, which is exactly the builds self-belief, and helps students learn

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Image: University of South Australia

Strategic thinking and problem solving is at the heart of a new study that aims to improve learning and boost academic performance across South Australian schools.

focus of our study.

“We have high hopes that a selfregulated learning approach will have a positive impact for all students, supporting them in their learning journey throughout life.”

Participating teachers have already received training in Term 1 this year, with participating students receiving age-specific methods of self-regulated learning lessons in Term 2. Researchers will then measure student outcomes against those in a control group who have not received self-regulated learning lessons.

Department for Education Chief Executive Professor Martin Westwell says the project presents a unique opportunity for high quality science to inform teachers, schools and education systems in South Australia.

“The teaching of self-regulated learning skills as early as possible in primary school offers a significant opportunity to shift the learning and developmental trajectory for significant numbers of children,” Professor Westwell says.

“In the European trial, students who received instruction in self-regulated learning demonstrated significant enhancements in both their self-regulated learning skills and impulse control – and consequently their academic performance improved significantly.

“Providing this assistance to all children, regardless of their background, is ultimately an issue of equity.

“Learning how to be a successful learner at school is an indicator of future success later in life. We want to ensure that every South Australian children has the opportunity to succeed.” EM

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Study reveals Australian teachers need more support for wellbeing at work A Monash University study has shed light on how Australian teachers conceptualise their wellbeing at work, offering insights that could shape future policies and interventions for improving educational workplaces nationwide.

The study, which was published in Teaching and Teacher Education, aims to understand whether an ideal representation of teacher wellbeing at work exists and to identify which components of wellbeing are considered most important by teachers themselves.

Conducted in three phases, the research included the participation of nearly 1,000 teachers across Australia. The study revealed what an ideal model of teacher wellbeing at work looks like, including what teachers identified as core components that are consistently viewed as essential to their wellbeing. These included feeling safe, supported, valued and trusted, as well as achieving a work/life balance.

The research was led by Ms Duyen Vo from the School of Educational Psychology and Counselling at Monash University’s Faculty of Education.

“Our research offers a detailed understanding of what teacher wellbeing looks like from the perspective of teachers themselves,” Ms Vo said.

“By identifying the core components of wellbeing, we can better support teachers and create healthier, more productive work environments.”

The study’s results indicate that fostering a supportive and trusting environment, ensuring teachers feel valued, and promoting a healthy work/life

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balance are critical to enhancing teacher wellbeing. These insights provide a valuable foundation for schools and policymakers to design targeted interventions and develop policies that promote a thriving educational environment.

Mr Tristan Lanarus, Principal of Westall Secondary College in Melbourne’s southeast, which typically attracts students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, said the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need to support teachers.

“Understanding the specific aspects of teacher wellbeing helps focus our efforts at a school level to create a more supportive and effective educational environment for both teachers and students,” he said.

Ms Vo said this study shows teacher wellbeing is crucial not only for the individual health of teachers but also for the overall functioning of education systems.

“It affects teacher recruitment, retention and the quality of education provided to students. High levels of teacher stress, anxiety and burnout, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, highlight the urgent need for focused systemic efforts to support teachers’ wellbeing.”

Ms Vo said the findings provide a clear framework for measuring teacher wellbeing and evaluating the success of interventions.

“By adopting a bottom-up approach, the

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study captures the authentic experiences and perceptions of teachers. This ensures that any interventions or policies developed are grounded in the real needs and priorities of those they aim to support,” she said.

Associate Professor Kelly-Ann Allen from the School of Educational Psychology and Counselling at Monash University’s Faculty of Education says this research emphasises the significance of focusing on teacher wellbeing as a proactive approach that benefits educators in their workplaces and shows the depth of knowledge that exists within the teaching profession.

“For decades, school leaders and teachers have focused on student wellbeing, now it is time to broaden this focus to consider all staff as well. Research has repeatedly demonstrated the link between the wellbeing and mental health of teachers and children’s academic outcomes and their own mental health,” Associate Professor Allen said.

“At a time when media portrayals often overlook these positives, reinforcing teacher wellbeing is going to be a critical way forward for the future of education in Australia.”

Professor Andrea Reupert from Monash Faculty of Education was also involved in the research.

To view the research paper, visit: doi. org/10.1016/j.tate.2024.104653. EM

Image: Freedomz/stock.adobe.com

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM // RESEARCH

MATHEMATICS // BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

Image: Newcastle Permanent Primary Maths Competition

Year 5 and 6 students from Hamilton Public School in NSW participated in a maths competition in July.

Modern problem-solving for students and staffing Schools in New South Wales and Victoria are taking a modern approach to helping ensure more students excel in mathematics.

How much would Alice be paid for delivering 400 pamphlets if she is paid six cents per pamphlet? A paddock on a farm is a rectangle 1.2km long and 200m wide. What is the area of the paddock?

These are some of the questions that thousands of Year 5 and 6 students from more than 350 schools across New South Wales attempted to answer when they took part in the Newcastle Permanent Primary School Mathematics Competition in July.

The week-long competition is one of Australia’s largest and longest-running primary school mathematics contests of its kind, and was overseen this year by new director, Mr Zak Nicholls.

“It’s an honour to take on the stewardship of this long-standing competition. As a kid, I participated in maths competitions myself, and it ignited my passion for the subject, even if I didn’t solve every problem perfectly back then,” Mr Nicholls said.

“Maths is fascinating because it’s a part of everything we do. This year, our questionnaire has taken a leap into the world of modern, real-life mathematics.

Careers in engineering and advanced technology fields are on the rise, and a strong foundation in mathematics is an excellent starting point for budding young minds.”

With 45 minutes on the clock, students tackle 35 challenging questions. The

problems, inspired by real-life scenarios like measuring ingredients for a recipe or balancing a household budget, ensure practical maths skills are in play.

In keeping with tradition, the competition remains steadfast in its rules – no calculators and no rulers.

“The Newcastle Permanent Mathematics Competition is all about giving it a go – even if you don’t get all the questions right,” Mr Nicholls said.

“My favourite thing about being a maths tutor is witnessing that ‘lightbulb’ moment when students grasp a concept. So for primary school kids, this competition is about learning, improving and hopefully having a few of those lightbulb moments.”

More mathematics specialists The Victorian Government is providing support for more primary school teachers to become mathematics specialists.

In August, Minister for Education Ben Carroll announced a further 100 government school teachers will become mathematics education specialists through the Primary Mathematics and Science Specialists (PMSS) initiative.

The more than $20 million initiative is part of the Victorian Government’s plan to deliver teaching excellence in maths and science and will ensure more students excel in both subjects.

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“Mathematics is a vital skill and we’re ensuring students are taught by the best maths teachers so they can achieve their full potential at school and in life,” Mr Carroll said.

“We’re making sure more schools have access to maths specialists – ensuring that more kids can get the best education and develop a passion for mathematics.”

The teachers will be trained over the next two years – giving them expert knowledge and skills to teach and assess mathematics.

They’ll use the skills to boost primary students’ engagement and achievement in mathematics – an underpinning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

Evaluations of previous PMSS cohorts show the training of teachers as specialists results in student achievement going up at all year levels in mathematics and science.

Teachers reported training was more consistent, integrated and effective, leading to improved results in the classroom.

PMSS is ensuring more Victorian primary school students benefit from having STEM leaders in their schools to provide them with the skills needed for the jobs of the future.

The next 100 teachers to become maths specialists will follow in the footsteps of the 800 teachers from 430 schools who have already completed the training and are now leaders in STEM knowledge and delivery within their schools.

A similar program in NSW is also retraining primary and secondary teachers to bridge the gap between the supply and demand for qualified maths teachers. EM

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM // CYBER SAFETY

Image: Kirra Pendergast

On the road with a cyber security expert CEO of Safe on Social, Kirra Pendergast, has been visiting multiple schools as part of a six-week roadshow talking to students about the importance of cyber safety.

Morning assembly is a routine part of the day for 250 students at New England Girls School in Armidale. In February, they were joined by guest speaker Ms Kirra Pendergast, cyber safety expert and CEO of Safe on Social. Guiding students through a maze of online threats, Ms Pendergast discusses assault in online games, deepfakes and synthetic relationships, and the latest scam selling crypto currency. Her presentation is part of a six-week roadshow advising teachers, kids and parents on the top cyber threats facing them today.

Ms Pendergast starts by asking students about the popular game Roblox, which she likens to a shopping centre where kids can wander unsupervised, playing games developed by amateur coders and chat to anyone with no age restrictions.

“Has anyone ever offered you Robux to be their girlfriend on Roblox?,” Ms Pendergast asks the students, to a solid show of hands.

“Were you ever asked to follow people off platform to Snapchat or TikTok?” Again, hands go up. Most admit to being in primary school when first approached.

Ms Pendergast says there are concerning behaviours being normalised on Roblox, such as children’s avatars lying next to strangers’ avatars in underwear.

“Kids under ten often struggle to distinguish what is happening to their real body and their online body,” she says.

“Assaults on avatars are becoming more common and the trauma is as real as if it happened in the real world. Some kids are even lured into sextortion, where they are tricked into sending explicit pictures

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online with threats to reveal them if they don’t send money.”

The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation says more than 1,000 Australian children a month fall victim to this cyber crime and the numbers are growing.

“Get your kids to teach you how the game works so you can have conversations about the games being played and set privacy locks to steer your kids away from age-inappropriate games,” she says.

“The problem starts when kids are transitioned out of the game onto other platforms, which was the subject of the 2023 government enquiry into child exploitation material.”

Ms Pendergast shows the girls at New England’s assembly a deepfake image of herself looking the same age as the girls in front of her, but wearing far less uniform.

“This is already in full swing in every school across the world. When you morph a face onto another body doing explicit acts – this is highly illegal. If someone tries to do it to you, your anti-risk strategies are simple: protect your image. Wear glasses and hats in photos, don’t reveal your full face and set your accounts to private,” she advises.

“Who has a ‘synthetic relationship’?”

Ms Pendergast asks, referring to the term used to describe a relationship between a human and a non-human imitation.

“I’ve got one on Snapchat,” one student calls out, “she asked me to go to the beach the other day.”

Ms Pendergast then shows a video of American model Kendall Jenner’s doppelganger Chatbot, ‘Billie’, one of Meta’s 27 celebrity AI’s being rolled out this year.

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Ms Kirra Pendergast, CEO, Safe on Social.

“Think how much data on you these fake AI friends are harvesting with every conversation. Online, if anything is free, you are the product. It would take you 50 hours a month to read the changes to the terms and conditions of Tik-Tok,” she says.

In an IT career spanning 33 years, which has included writing one of the first government social media policies in 2009, Ms Pendergast’s decades of experience means she can relate to the thousands of kids experiencing the risks of the online world. Ten years ago, she herself was cyberbullied by an ex-business partner to the point that she considered taking her own life.

“It broke me into a million pieces,” she says. “Then my 16-year-old son texted me, asking what was for dinner. I put the key in the ignition and started my company, Safe on Social, the next day. My experience became my superpower to build a company that would protect people from cyberbullying.”

At New England Girls School’s assembly, Ms Pendergast is emphatic about the importance of cyber safety.

“AI is massively accelerating risk for you all, in every area of your lives. If you post a deepfake of a teacher and they decide to sue, your parents may have to cover the costs of a defamation case against you,” she warns. “We need to prepare you for your future, not our past.” EM This article was contributed by freelancer Philipa Tlaskal.

DR PETA STAPLETON // EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR

School meditation teaches kids how to stress less

Image: Dr Peta Stapleton

A meditation program designed to calm school students has been so successful it is now being expanded to cover stressed Queensland teachers and principals.

Dr Peta Stapleton is a registered clinical and health psychologist and Professor at Bond University (Queensland, Australia).

She is a world leading researcher and in 2019 was named Australian Psychologist of the Year. Dr Stapleton is an accomplished speaker and presenter and has been featured on more than 100 podcasts worldwide. She has presented at more than 100 Australian and international conferences.

The 10-week daily meditation program for primary schoolers found just five minutes for 4–8-year-olds and about seven minutes for 9–12-year-olds of meditation daily could be the key to less stress and anxiety.

Dr Peta Stapleton, a professor and clinical psychologist from Bond University, said other schools picked up on her findings and several principals then asked her to tailor the meditation program for school leaders.

The student program indicated meditation can be a powerful tool towards improving the children’s wellbeing through increased happiness.

The 10-week mindfulness program was conducted by a meditation expert for 552 children aged 4–8 (Group 1) and 287 children aged 9–12 (Group 2).

“Results for the 4–8 years group showed daily meditation of five minutes predicted an increase in happiness and self-reported school performance, and a decrease in emotional and behavioural difficulties,” she said.

“In the 9–11 years group, seven minutes of meditation predicted an increase in emotional awareness and a decrease in emotional and behavioural difficulties as measured by scores from baseline to post-intervention.

“In Australia, there is growing awareness about the high prevalence rates of psychological distress in school-aged children,” she said.

The National Mental Health Commission report just released stated one of the biggest challenges that schools are facing is the mental health of children.

“What really is the school’s role in providing mental health support? If we give children the best start, they will grow into happier and healthier adults.”

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“We weren’t looking at expanding (the program) but the demand from the education sector was strong,” Dr Stapleton said.

She said she plans to produce stressreduction videos which she hopes to roll out to 50 principals and senior teachers in a new study.

“Hopefully they will walk away with useful strategies. We don’t have a magic wand to wave but we are confident this is a good start.”

Dr Stapleton said stress could filter down from school leaders to teachers to students and needed to be addressed at all levels.

“We need to get buy-in from school leaders and have them deliver clearer messages to teachers.

“We’re going to give them five stressreduction technique videos once a day for five weeks.”

The videos will include instruction on Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT or ‘tapping’) and tips for improving sleep.

EFT is a brief, self-applied stress-reduction technique involving physical stimulation of acupuncture points.

Dr Stapleton said she hoped the meditation study with educators could help stem the loss of teachers from the profession due to stress and mounting workloads.

“We’re seeing a clear drift away from the status of teaching being something to aspire to, and the fade in students targeting university studies,” she said.

In recent weeks there have been thousands of social media contributions to the ‘TeacherQuit-Tok’ tag and ‘TeacherBurnout’ where young Australian ex-teachers cited the ‘never-ending’ juggle of different needs among their classrooms as reasons to quit. EM

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EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR // DR STEPHEN BROWN

Governance matters The Brown Collective MD Dr Stephen Brown says the need for quality strategic and operational governance practices at a school and system level has never been more important.

Dr Stephen Brown is the Managing Director of The Brown Collective, focused on the formation of educational leaders and partnering with schools, networks and system to enable sustainable impact.

The organisation reflects both his collective experience over 40 years in policy, strategy and leadership development – and that of the remarkable global network he has developed during this career.

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We are all living, working and engaging in a VUCA world; one that is increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and with growing degrees of ambiguity. The leadership and governance of schools and systemic entities that oversight the provision of schooling are being buffered by waves of societal, economic, technological, political and regulatory trends that bring into focus the importance of quality, active, responsive governance.

David Gonski noted in a presentation to the independent schools’ sector (2018) that ‘governance properly administered is very important. Conversely, if governance is not properly implemented it can act as a retardant and indeed cause misery for all involved’.

Nationally, there have been very public cases reported of governance failures involving school boards, headmasters, principals, parents and students related to a plethora of matters.

Sadly, in my experience, the ones that attract publicity are only the tip of the iceberg and don’t reflect the number of governance breakdowns that result in prolonged and significant professional and reputational damage at an individual and organisational level.

Governance arrangements frame how decisions are made and implemented, and are influenced by an organisation’s mission and purpose, its history and its culture. Good governance requires affective and effective leadership which ingrains an ethical culture; consideration of all impacted by its decisions, and accountability and transparency, including adequate clear communication (The Lights from the Southern Cross Report, May 2020).

The term ‘governance’ is not new; it is derived from the Greek verb κυβερνάω [kubernáo] meaning ‘to steer’. The derivate of the word ‘steerage’ is a marine one referring

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to the inner workings of a ship located near the rudder. Robert Tricker (2019) in his text, Corporate Governance: principles, policies and practices, suggests that the governance of any organisation should be taken from four key perspectives: 1. Agency, having clarity about who can make decisions and the associated procedures, processes and delegations for making them.

2. Stewardship, individuals and groups are temporary custodians of the organisation and with this in mind need to ensure they act in the best interest of the organisation to enable a sustainable future.

3. Resource dependency, the attraction and prudent management of all forms of organisational resources.

4. Stakeholders and decision makers need to consider the views and perspectives of the diversity of any organisation’s constituency.

‘Good governance’ is typified by the following maxims: participatory; consensus orientated; accountable; transparent; responsive; effective; efficient; equitable; inclusive and follows the law (OECD, 2015).

Moreover, quality governance practices must be embedded in the culture of a school by leaders, stakeholders and others with responsibilities, accountabilities and agency.

Good governance is a key enabler in insuring and assuring others about any school’s purpose and core accountabilities such as child safety, professional standards of teaching practice, student performance and behaviour.

Quality governance practices should be aspirational, clearly articulated but never static, always open to refinement, nuance and continuous improvement.

In working with school leaders and the

culture: Good governance is a symptom or indicator of a positive culture. McHale (2020, p.2) notes that an organisation’s culture is “the patterns or agreements that determine how the business (school) operates or simply, “how things work (or are done) around here”. School leaders set the culture. They should be the ‘first class noticers’ of culture, noticing things, looking

and scanning inside and outside the school – a process that never stops given that the nurturing of culture is an ongoing priority (Brown, S, 2022).

In short, good governance informs decision making, enables strong professional relationships with stakeholders, and sets the organisational culture (University of York,2023).

Governance programs Dr Stephen Brown and The Brown Collective (www.thebrowncollective.com.au) deliver governance programs to the schooling sector across Australia. It has two flagship programs; Leading with Integrity for Excellence (LWIE) governance program, and the Professional Practices program that it has delivered to thousands of school and system leaders to assist with the maturation of governance practices.

In addition to these, The Brown Collective design customised responses to contextual governance needs at a school, network and system level. Dr Brown is currently the Deputy Chair of the Council of Edmund Rice Australia. His acumen, practical and authentic understanding of strategic governance is highly regarded and ensures any formation responses are reflective of the reality of governance in the schooling sector. EM Image: FS-Stock/stock.adobe.com

system there are several priorities that need to be addressed and actioned to enable better governance practices. These are: • Understanding the nature of the authorising environment (after Moore): Leaders understanding the regulatory and compliance requirements in which they make decisions.

• Capacity building of leaders: Leaders need to be provided with high quality and ongoing formation in areas such as strategic thinking, stakeholder and relationship management; financial management, reporting and performance leadership.

• Role clarity, expectations, behaviours, communication and associated accountabilities: Leaders in collaboration with staff and the broader community need to articulate and enforce codes of conduct; outline accountability and reporting relationships and requirements • Understanding the nature of decision making: Ninety per cent of decision making is based on emotion before reason (Comaford, 2017). Leaders and actors in the activity of governance need to be mindful of the assumptions and heuristics they have in making judgements that will impact on the school.

• Establishing and nurturing a positive school

Image: LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS/stock.adobe.com

The Brown Collective has two flagship governance programs.

Good governance informs decision making and sets the organisational culture.

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Image: Maria Vieira

THE LAST WORD // UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

How can educators navigate AI cheating?

In an era where students can submit essays with just one click, Maria Vieira, lecturer in Education Futures at UniSA, questions how educators can assess the authenticity of their work.

Image: UniSA

How can we ensure that we are educating students to thrive in a future where AI is a fundamental part of our lives? Instead of resisting AI, the solution may lie in changing our approach to education.

It was in November 2022 that we first began to hear about a new AI chatbot that promised to change education forever. Now, nearly two years later, ChatGPT (and similar generative AI chatbots) have solidified its place in the world. And while some have embraced the technology, others have struggled to delineate between authentic or AI-enhanced content.

Since then, some schools and teachers have called for a complete ban on AI, while others have advocated to adopt and adapt to it. Yet, the reality is that most Australian educators are still struggling to understand the basics of AI, and while many are exploring ways to address its challenges, there’s still a long way to go.

One potential solution is Design Thinking. A structured yet flexible problemsolving framework, Design Thinking can be

Students are using the Design Thinking strategy.

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easily integrated into any K-12 classroom.

It builds student creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration – skills that cannot easily be replicated by AI – while concurrently enabling teachers to monitor and assess student learning in a formative manner.

My first encounter with this framework was about 10 years ago while working at a tech giant. I remember being amazed by this new way of thinking and reflecting on the significant gap between what I learned in the classroom and how problems could be approached in real life. Design Thinking connects the two.

In practice, Design Thinking involves guiding students through a series of iterative steps: Empathising, Defining the Problem, Ideating, Prototyping, Testing, and Evaluating. And because there is no single correct answer to these problems, teachers must learn to act more as facilitators than lecturers, allowing students greater autonomy in their learning process.

For each of those phases, students produce a great variety of outputs such as mind maps, models, and research work, which can be assessed individually or in groups. With teachers acting as facilitators, they have more time to observe their students and track their progress. Both outputs and observations enable teachers to assess their students formatively in a more authentic manner. Rather than waiting until the end of the term or the year to evaluate students, teachers can assess and provide real-time feedback as the process unfolds.

While Design Thinking may seem like a different approach to teaching and learning, the past decade has seen many educators around the world incorporate this ‘real-world’

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methodology into their classrooms to help students solve open-ended problems.

So, does this mean that we should ignore ChatGPT completely and replace it by colourful sticky notes in the classroom? Not really. Design Thinking also allows room for human-AI collaboration to be stimulated in a positive manner to support the problemsolving process. For example, during the Ideation phase, students can use AI to generate a wide range of ideas, which they can then refine and develop further through discussion and critical evaluation. This helps students view AI as a tool to enhance their essential 21st-century skills, rather than replace them.

While it may not be the only solution for the future of education, Design Thinking can be a straightforward approach for teachers learning to navigate changes posed by AI. By implementing this framework, teachers also adopt its mindset: openness to taking risks, collaboration, and understanding failure as part of the creative process.

Why not give it a try? After working with Design Thinking for years, I have discovered some golden rules: start with a small project, seek help from experienced teachers, and be transparent with your students. You will find it exciting to see your classroom transformed into a hub of innovation, with integrity issues becoming a problem of the past. EM

Image: Dr Ragnar Purje.

CQUNIVERSITY AUSTRALIA // THE LAST WORD

Are you multitasking?

Think again Dr Ragnar Purje, Adjunct Senior Lecturer in the School of Education and the Arts at CQUniversity Australia, says research has shown that what we often think of as multitasking is in fact task-switching.

Allport; and also, Joshua Rubinstein, Jeffrey Evans and David Meyer, all reported that the action of multitasking, and what it ‘declares’ is a fallacy.

The findings of this type of research suggest that the human brain is wired for

“Even predictable switching between tasks can slow performance, as demonstrated by experiments conducted by psychologists Robert Rogers and Stephen Monsell.”

Image: Paul Bradbury/Caia Image - stock.adobe.com

The concept of multitasking, which implies that a person can perform multiple tasks simultaneously with equal focus, is what could be described as being socially acceptable and popular. However, research informs that the action of multitasking should be more accurately described as being an urban myth.

Therefore, from an educational and learning perspective, avoid engaging in multitasking when studying; that is because, as the evidence informs, effective learning and retention are at their highest when multitasking is not taking place.

When individuals attempt to do more than one task at a time, they are not multitasking but are instead switching their attention from one task to another.

Importantly, this task-switching comes with a cognitive cost, as the brain has to ‘change gears’ from the ‘rules’ and the ‘demands’, i.e., the cognitive and associated physical skill that is taking place of one task to those of another; what this then does is that it leads to a decrease in cognitive efficiency, with an associated increase in the likelihood of errors being made.

Task complexity and familiarity also play a role in the cost of task-switching.

What that means is that more complex and less familiar tasks require more cognitive resources, thus increasing the time and effort needed to switch between them.

However, even predictable switching between tasks can slow performance, as demonstrated by experiments conducted by psychologists Robert Rogers and Stephen Monsell. Other studies, such as those undertaken by Renata Meuter and Alan

Task complexity and familiarity play a role in the cost of task-switching.

education matters primary

more sequential task handling rather than parallel processing. This challenges the popular notion of multitasking, which, in fact, does not actually exist, as the evidence informs.

In terms of sequence learning, according to Haibo He, citing John Anderson, Ron Sun and C. Lee Giles, plus Darryl Schneider and Gordon Logan, Haibo He emphasised that “sequence learning is presumably among one of the most important components of human intelligence” – that is because “most human behaviours are in the sequential format.”

Further, according to Tim Curran and Steven Keele, sequence learning is “[a] fundamental type of learning in which humans excel [as a result of] the sequential [learning] patterns of behaviour” that are taking place.

This includes language development, reasoning and planning, speech recognition, the development of writing, the acquisition of all skills, and the advancement of knowledge and creativity not only in education, such as the sciences, humanities, music, the arts and sports, but also in all trades, professions, disciplines, social circumstances and cultures.

Therefore, even though multitasking is a popular social term, being popular does not mean it is accurate or that it actually exists, which, as noted, it does not. EM

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Experiential learning: transforming education for a brighter future University of South Australia’s Dr Rebecca Marrone describes how emerging technologies are playing transformative roles in experiential learning.

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital advancements progress, the need to retain vast amounts of information is becoming less crucial. Instead, the focus is shifting towards cultivating skills that can be applied across various contexts and industries. In this rapidly evolving world, skills such as creativity, critical thinking, and communication are becoming increasingly important.

What is experiential learning?

Experiential learning is an educational approach that emphasises learning through direct experience. Rather than passively receiving information, students actively engage with the material, applying their knowledge to real-world scenarios. This method has gained substantial attention for its potential to transform education. For instance, Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) is a specific type of experiential learning where students work on industry projects to solve complex problems. This hands-on approach not only enriches the learning process but also fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, there-by preparing learners for the complexities of the real world.

The roots of experiential learning can be traced back to educational theorists like John Dewey and Jean Piaget, who all emphasised the importance of experience in the learning process. Key principles of experiential learning include active engagement, reflection, and the application of concepts in real-world contexts. Learning Analytics (LA) is emerging as a powerful tool to assess these complex skills and competencies, providing timely and formative feedback.

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Real-life applications Emerging technologies such as virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) are playing transformative roles in experiential learning.

These technologies create immersive environments that bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and tangible, realworld experience. For example, students can virtually walk through ancient Rome, explore the human circulatory system, or even stand on Mars, making abstract concepts tangible and memorable.

In Adelaide, Lumination is leading the way by integrating VR/AR into smart classrooms, facilitating experiential learning across all subjects. Similarly, at Ruhr University Bochum, an innovative teachinglearning infrastructure for entrepreneurship education has been developed in partnership with Think Square, a local escape room provider. This project allows students to explore scenarios simulating the uncertainties of starting a business, such as time constraints and resource management.

Design Thinking is another approach gaining traction in classrooms. At the University of South Australia, Design Thinking has been woven into outreach initiatives like the STEM Girls Academy program. By addressing real-world problemsolving challenges, these young women are encouraged to take risks, deal with uncertainty, and collaborate, bolstering their creative confidence and engagement in STEM disciplines.

The future of experiential learning The future of experiential learning lies in building partnerships and harnessing advanced technology. Aligning experiential learning opportunities with industry trends

education matters primary

Image: Dr Rebecca Marrone

THE LAST WORD // UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

ensures that learners acquire the requisite skills and expertise. Strong connections between academia and industry, along with community engagement, are crucial for creating fruitful experiential learning encounters.

As technology continues to evolve, educational institutions might harness advanced platforms that allow for more immersive and globally connected learning experiences. AI-driven personalised learning could tailor experiential activities to each learner’s pace, focusing on fostering creativity, critical thinking, and global collaboration.

Transformative education starts today Embracing experiential learning can address the motivational and connection issues many students face. By making learning more hands-on, engaging, and meaningful, we enhance knowledge retention and equip students with essential skills, preparing them for the complexities of the modern world. As we continue to innovate and adapt our educational practices, experiential learning stands out as a powerful tool for creating a more effective and relevant education system.

By embracing this transformative approach, we can ensure that our education system not only meets the needs of today but also prepares students for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. EM

CALENDAR

To list an event in our calendar, email rhiannon.bowman@primecreative.com.au

2024

2025

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

MARCH

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It Takes a Spark STEM conference – Victoria 24 October spark-educonferences.com.au/ victoria-2024

National Recycling Week 11-17 November recyclingnearyou.com.au/ nationalrecyclingweek

Victorian Careers and Employment Expo 20-22 March, Melbourne Showgrounds careersemploymentexpo.com.au

It Takes a Spark STEM conference – Tasmania 29 November spark-educonferences.com.au/ tasmania-2024

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National Education Summit Brisbane 31 July – 1 August, Brisbane nationaleducationsummit.com.au/ brisbane/about

Australian International Education Conference 22-25 October, Melbourne aiec.idp.com World Teacher’s Day 25 October worldteachersday.edu.au

EduTECH Asia 5-7 November, Singapore terrapinn.com/exhibition/edutechasia/index.stm

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Education Fair 24 May, Brisbane educationfair.com.au/2025brisbane

APPA National Conference 26-29 August, Brisbane appa.asn.au/conferences/2025brisbane-conference

JUNE EduTECH Congress and Expo 11-12 June, Sydney terrapinn.com/exhibition/edutechaustralia/index.stm

National Education Summit Melbourne 28-29 August, Melbourne nationaleducationsummit.com.au/ melbourne/about

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EDUCATION MATTERS

People on the Move Welcome to People on the Move, Education Matters’ bulletin to keep the Australian education sector updated on new appointments and personnel changes.

Former Kmart Group executive to lead Campion Group Australia’s largest supplier of education resources has appointed Mr Tom Bradley as its new CEO. Formerly General Manager of Customer Experience at Kmart Group Ltd, Mr Bradley will lead Campion Group’s businesses, which include education supplier Campion Education, publisher Insight Publications, library supplier The Book House, and education technology specialist EdSoft.

New Board Chair appointed to strengthen the future of alternative education EREA Flexible Schools (Flexis) has appointed Mr Peter Pearce as its new Board Chair, strengthening the organisation’s governance and leadership expertise. Most recently, Mr Pearce was Director and Chairperson of Common Ground Queensland for nine years. He has also held senior leadership positions at LifeFlight and the Anglican Church of Southern Queensland.

New Chief Executive of Independent Schools Victoria Independent Schools Victoria has appointed Ms Rachel Holthouse as its new Chief Executive. Ms Holthouse has more than 20 years’ experience in education, including senior appointments at RMIT University and the University of Melbourne. Her work has included a particular focus on providing pathways for students into higher education.

Proven leader steps up to Deputy Principal Ms Jade Baker has been appointed Deputy Principal of Australian Christian College (ACC) Darling Downs. Prior to joining ACC Darling Downs, Mrs Baker held the position of Head of Secondary at Australian Christian College Southlands in Albany. In addition to her leadership role, she also taught English and Humanities and Social Science to both on-campus and Distance Education students.

Image: Campion Group

Image: EREA Flexible Schools Ltd

Image: Independent Schools Victoria

Image: Australian Christian College

New Head of Senior School at Barker College Mr Nicholas Moss commenced as the new Head of Senior School at Barker College at the beginning of Term 3 2024, replacing long-serving incumbent, Mr David Giltrap, after 23 years. Mr Moss was Assistant Principal Curriculum at Radford College in the ACT, a school he served for the past 17 years in a range of positions. Mr Moss teaches Geography and Global Studies.

Change of roles in Barker Middle School History teacher Mr Tim Eastman has been appointed as the Head for Years 7–9 at Barker College. Well-known across the Barker community for his effective leadership, Mr Eastman is also Dean of the Middle School. Mr Eastman’s appointment follows the move of outgoing Head of Middle School, Mr James Denton, into the newly created position at Barker of Director of Academic High Performance.

New AITSL CEO appointed Mr Tim Bullard has been appointed CEO of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership for a period of five years, commencing 21 October 2024. Mr Bullard will join AITSL from the Department for Education, Children and Young People in Tasmania, where he is currently the Secretary. Having recently been an AITSL board member, Mr Bullard is familiar with the company and its operations, the insitute said.

New Principal appointed at St Laurence’s College In conjunction with EREA Colleges, St Laurence’s College, an independent Catholic primary and secondary school for boys located in Brisbane, has affirmed the appointment of Mr Ben Lowrie as College Principal, replacing Mr Chris Leadbetter. Mr Lowrie has served as Deputy Principal at the College since January 2021. He said he was humbled and honoured to accept his new position.

Image: Barker College

Image: Barker College

Image: AITSL

Image: St Laurence’s College

If you’d like to tell the sector about a new person in your school, company, institute or not-for-profit, please send the person’s name, position, image and a short description about their role to editor Rhiannon Bowman for consideration at rhiannon.bowman@primecreative.com.au.

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