Talking Teaching University of Melbourne

The release of the Universities Accord earlier this year marks a pivotal moment in higher education policy. Its recommendations address crucial aspects of the evolving higher ed landscape, including equity, funding, HECS/HELP, and living costs. These changes could profoundly influence the decisions of first-year students transitioning from school to higher ed, emphasising the pivotal role schools play in shaping their future trajectories.

In this episode, Associate Professor Gwilym Croucher, an expert in Higher Education Policy, joins Principal Annette Rome of St. Margaret's Berwick in a dynamic dialogue. Together, they explore the potential impacts of the Accord, strategies for preparing school students for making decisions around their future, and how we ensure good outcomes for everyone.

Australian schools are recognising the growing importance of fostering inclusive spaces for neurodiverse students. Teachers play a vital role in creating belonging for these students. But how can we support teachers, to support neurodivergent students in the classroom?

We speak to experts Jess Rowlings and Dr Matt Harrison, co-directors of Next Level Collaboration and passionate researchers in neurodiversity, about how teachers can support the learning of their neurodivergent students. We explore what neurodiversity is, how it presents in young people and practical strategies teachers can use in their classrooms.

In a world abundant with content, how can we harness literary education as a form of social change? How can we re-invigorate schools to be spaces to engage with uncomfortable truths and delicate subject matter in a respectful way?

In this episode, Faculty of Education Deputy Dean and co-founder of the Literary Education Lab, Professor Larissa Mclean Davies, and English teacher and PhD candidate, Allayne Horton, help us uncover the vibrant world of literary education and explore how schools and teachers can effectively engage with texts to mould future perspectives.

In this episode, we are joined by two experts, to discuss the Nation School Reform Agreement, currently up for renegotiation. This joint agreement between the Commonwealth, states and territories is designed to lift student outcomes in Australian schools and plays a pivotal role in school funding and addressing equity in education. Prof. Pasi Sahlberg and A/Prof. Glenn Savage, both influential in Australian educational policy, help us explore the future of the Agreement, its implications for teachers, and what we can hope for when deliberation concludes in December 2024.

In this episode, we learn how to bolster both climate and sustainability literacy, and support climate action in the classroom. Listeners will discover how we can empower students to not only understand the science but also engage in meaningful conversations about our changing planet. We explore how teachers can create safe spaces for students to process their feelings about climate change and how schools are implementing sustainable practices, fostering a sense of agency and hope.

We speak with three academics from the Faculty of Education: Professor Marcia McKenzie, the Associate Dean (Sustainability) and Director of the MECCE Project, as well as Associate Professor Kate Coleman and Dr. Sarah Healy, the co-directors of the Speculative Wanderings in Space and Place (SWISP) Lab. Additionally, Jenny Williams, Principal of Firbank Grammar, shares insights from a school perspective.

In this episode, we delve into the future of education in Australia, exploring ideas to reimagine the purpose of schools by shifting the focus from academic achievement to whole-child development, paving the way for healthier, more equitable futures for all students.

With insights from experts A/Prof, Jon Quach from the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne and Prof. Sharon Goldfeld from Centre for Community Child Health at the Royal Children’s Hospital, along with educators Erin Brass from St. Ambrose Parish School and Karlie Price from St. Peters Primary School, we'll discuss the importance of equally prioritising health and wellbeing with academic achievement within Australian schools.