Is it possible for a teacher to “feel” the motivation of a student? The kind and intensity of motivation? It depends on the empathetic skills of the teacher. Usually the responses of the student – cognitive, behavioural and emotional – ...

I was delighted recently when, through Education Minister Dan Tehan, I was asked by COAG’s Education Council to chair a review of how to improve senior secondary pathways into training, future education and work. So, I know, were the other ...

Australia's high school leaving certificates are holding back our entire education system. They’re a disservice to schools, teachers, and students because how we test affects how we teach. Unfortunately, the current testing regime is geared largely towards testing a student’s ...

A new report is proposing a rethink on how educators approach senior schooling and tertiary education, and calls ­for the ATAR to be supplemented with a more comprehensive “learning profile”. The Australian Learning Lecture (ALL) position paper, titled Beyond ATAR: ...

The wisdom of the aphorism ‘you don't fatten a pig by weighing it more’ might have finally dawned on at least three state education ministers. Last month, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria announced a review of NAPLAN, with the ...

It’s not often a book comes along that encapsulates the myriad ways in which Australia’s school system has changed since its inception during the colonial era. But Alan Reid’s new book, Changing Australian Education: How policy is taking us backwards and ...

The students of today are the leaders of tomorrow, so we really should be doing everything we can to foster positive and meaningful learning encounters. Part of this is encouraging partnerships with local community members who may be able to ...

You would have to be profoundly deaf, blind or unobservant not to realise that something big was happening around Sydney’s CBD last Friday. Scores of students, still dutifully dressed in their school uniforms, started to snake their way through the ...

Mark Tedeschi AM QC recently handed down a disturbing report on the way alleged teacher misconduct is handled in NSW. The comprehensive report, Review into the Functions and Operations of the Employee Performance and Conduct Directorate (or EPAC as it is ...

As a culture, we have made great strides when it comes to our understanding and acceptance of mental health. Even just a few decades ago, mental health was rarely mentioned during a student’s time at school, let alone dealt with ...