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Exploring system and school resilience in Asia
No full textNew research focusing on the experiences of principals, teachers, and parents in the Asia region highlights ‘bright spots’ in educational practice
Infographic: Young people experiencing homelessness
Get PDFMany students face personal challenges and hardship outside the school grounds, and this can have a negative impact on their health and education. Data published in 2023 explores 2021 Census data to give insight into the estimated number of people experiencing homelessness. Here, we share some of the data relating to those under the age of 18.https://research.acer.edu.au/teacher_graphics/1198/thumbnail.jp
Conceptual development: How do early educators and teachers support children\u27s early thinking in STEM?
Get PDFAs national and state-based reforms in early education roll-out across Australia, concern for building a well-qualified workforce to meet growing demand has intensified. In parallel with the reforms, teachers and educators are reminded by the recently released 2022 Early Years Learning Framework to design programs that support intentionality in play-based learning. However, the literature shows that despite the concept of intentional teaching being around since 2009, difficulties with how to do this remains. This presentation takes up this challenge, by 1) sharing the collective findings of 6 Australian Research Council-funded research projects into play and learning in STEM; and 2) presenting an evidence-informed model of a Conceptual PlayWorld that resulted from this foundational research. The model is currently being released across Australia (and internationally) to supports educators and teachers to create the conditions for conceptual development in children’s play. The model will be shared via video recordings alongside of findings from a spectrum of research that has been funded through the ARC Laureate Fellowship Scheme over 5 years
Navigating the nexus between health and education: Can we bring early children’s development and learning together?
No full textEarly childhood development is important to many different disciplines, however two dominate: early childhood education and health. Each domain adopts distinct approaches when it comes to supporting early childhood development, and while both have their merits, combining them can present challenges, especially when it comes to measurement. This presentation examines the differences in approach between the two, highlighting their respective pros and cons, as well as the difficulties that may arise when attempting to integrate these fields in support of children and families. Bringing together the fields can be complex, especially when it comes to the thorny debates around measurement. Challenges emerge due to differences in philosophy, language, professional training, and priorities. Alignment of goals, collaboration, and effective communication are crucial in bridging these fields. Overcoming these challenges requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach that recognises the interconnectedness of education and health in early childhood development, while understanding that different aspects of measurement all have their place, if used as intended. This involves creating shared spaces for collaboration, promoting cross-training and professional development opportunities, and implementing integrated policies and programs that prioritise holistic developmental outcomes. The recent policy advances towards universal 3-year-old preschool offers unique opportunities to fostering collaboration, promoting a multidisciplinary approach, and addressing systemic barriers. The presentation will aim to prompt the audience to reflect on their own attitudes and practices, with an aim to create deeper understandings and an openness to a more cohesive and comprehensive system of support for children and families, ensuring optimal early childhood development outcomes
Ensuring a safety net: Supporting low achievers in school contexts
No full textAn ongoing challenge in schools is the early identification of children who are struggling to learn to read, while at the same time not overtesting children who are progressing normally. In this talk, I will use a cognitive model of reading to provide a roadmap for teachers. This provides a safety net for struggling readers and guidelines for a detailed evidence-based evaluation of their difficulties, while also ensuring that initial screens are not onerous in the broader classroom context
Community-driven, technology-assisted support for Erub Mer language and early literacy in the Torres Strait: Practice and policy
No full textThe United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states that ‘Indigenous people have the right to revitalise, use, develop and transmit to future generations their histories, languages, oral traditions, philosophies, writing systems and literatures.’ It is also well documented that language and identity are intrinsically linked, and that communities implementing bilingual education programs have reported improvements in wellbeing factors as well as in engagement and learning (Calma & Fillmore, 2020). This paper will focus upon the efforts of the Erub community (Darnley Island, Torres Strait) to foster language and literacy teaching and learning in the Erub Mer Language. This case study of community-driven development and implementation of First Language resources and teaching with learners of all ages includes a key focus on supporting the intergenerational transmission of Erub Mer for the benefit of children’s development. It will examine how the development of a digital Language resource, a mobile early literacy game, a draft grammar guide and teaching practices have encouraged engagement with Erub Mer throughout the whole community (within preschool, school, home and community contexts) to the benefit of children. The paper will update previously published work (Fillmore et al., 2019); reflect on resource development and implementation since that time; examine the enabling factors that have assisted the community; any barriers/obstacles; and the direct and indirect outcomes for children and their families; and place this work with the framework of the recent Queensland Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Protocol for the teaching of Aboriginal languages and Torres Strait Islander languages (2022). This case study presents an exemplar of the many circumstances where English is not children’s home language, and how formative assessments can shine a light on early language and literacy growth in the early years for such children, in preparation for schooling in English
Themes, resources and uptake of ACER’s Science in the Early Years suite
Get PDFThe Science in the early years series was developed to assist preschool and Foundation to year 2 primary educators to incorporate the latest research in science learning into their programs and teaching practice. This paper focuses on the educator resources developed to support early years educators implement activities to assist children to develop science concepts and inquiry skills. The activities are underpinned by evidence-based research that revealed 4 themes in the early years’ science literature
Assessment is coming and the early childhood sector must lead the way
Get PDFAssessment is a core component of quality early childhood practice. It is explicitly highlighted in the new Early Years Leanring Framework V2.0 and is a standard within Quality Area 1 of the National Quality Standard. In everyday early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings, and in initial teacher education, assessment is often limited to observational and narrative-driven approaches. Recent reviews of the literature highlight that there are few other assessment tools readily available to educators. What assessment looks like in early childhood is changing. The Commonwealth, as part of the Preschool Reform Funding Agreement, is developing, trialling, and implementing a preschool outcomes measure. The jurisdictions, too, are driving change: the Victorian Early Years Assessment and Learning Tool is an assessment designed to make consistent observations and assessments of children’s learning in preschool settings. The current state of assessment practices in early childhood settings, and the coming reforms, are provoking a debate about the purpose of assessment and the time invested in conducting assessment. Typically, distinctions are made between formative and summative assessments, as well as population measurement or reporting. Different tools are used for each – educators may imagine soon writing learning stories, completing a transition statement, and undertaking a new preschool outcome assessment for each child in their preschool setting. This paper highlights the latest trends and research in assessment in the early years and discusses a new model of early childhood assessment
Transdisciplinary STEM enactment: An exploratory case study in the Queensland context
Get PDFEnacting STEM education in Australian schools is an ambitious task, in a climate of unclear definitions and little implementation advice. Should STEM education simply refer to an umbrella-term of subjects that Australian students need to improve in, or could a cross-disciplinary pedagogy that engages students in authentic problem-solving be realised? This poster outlines a project in which Parklands Christian College designed and enacted a transdisciplinary student-centred ideology of STEM education in 2017. The program has continually evolved using a transdisciplinary pedagogical framework
Summary report. Being and becoming global citizens: Measuring progress toward SDG 4.7. Phase I: Monitoring teacher and school readiness to enact global citizenship in the Asia-Pacific region
Get PDFThe relationship between global citizenship and education quality was established almost a decade ago, when it was described as a target under United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.7 – to ‘ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.’ Despite efforts to define and frame global citizenship education (GCED), systems continue to grapple with understanding, enacting, and measuring it in ways that reflect changing local and global conditions for students, teachers and schools. This study responds to an identified need for tools and resources for systems to enact, monitor and evaluate GCED, particularly in primary school in the Asia-Pacific region. Presented here is a draft framework for monitoring effective GCED, which is relevant to systems, schools, and staff supporting upper primary school students. This was developed through a review of existing instruments and literature, consultation with experts, and data collected through questionnaires and focus group workshops with teachers from Australia, South Korea, and the Philippines