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The value of social history
By Sandra Watkins
Issue 96, Term 1 2016
shine Route and the other rail lines in the state. I had never been on a train, nor had I visited or even seen pictures of these places. Although the teaching and learning of history (formerly social studies, then SOSE) has developed magnificently with the inquiry approach, we still learn the facts
Teaching Australian Cinema with Rabbit-Proof Fence
By Dr Stephen Gaunson
Issue 92, Term 1 2015
The biggest issue with teaching Australian films is the inherent problem that many students (and teachers) approach them as being boring, dull, or bad. Rather than engage with the films, most view the experience as a civic duty that one must simply 'endure'. While there are no excuses for bad Austr
An inquiry-based approach to exploring Australian history
By Deborah Abela
Issue 99, Term 4 2016
In the last few years, we have witnessed the largest movement of people since World War II, and both periods resonate with themes of fear, persecution, escape, identity, and hope. This made me think of my own family’s history and how, when my father was a young boy, he left his war-ravaged home of
Supercharge students' digital literacy skills with content curation
By Kay Oddone
Issue 105, Term 2 2018
digital literacy strategies. Breaking down each of these steps makes it possible to identify just what these strategies are and demonstrates the rich teaching opportunities embedded in them. Finding the information Creating a curated collection of high-quality information requires more than a si
Engaging reluctant readers: Gamification through an interactive detective case file
By Gabrielle Mace, Cassandra Scott
Issue 131, Term 4, 2024
In the ever-evolving landscape of education, engaging students – particularly those who are reluctant readers – poses a constant challenge. At St Augustine’s College in Sydney, we implemented a long-running Murder Mystery game to captivate students who resist traditional reading methods, leveraging
Transmedia storytelling: narratives like real life
By Martin Gray
Issue 95, Term 4 2015
What is Transmedia Storytelling? Prof. Henry Jenkins, M.I.T. 2003. 'a process where integral elements of a fiction get dispersed systematically across multiple delivery channels for the purpose of creating a unified and coordinated entertainment experience.' http://www.pil-network.ie/blog/tra
Website and app reviews
By Nigel Paull
Issue 120, Term 1 2022
er Mathematics Alliance Astima.com ATSIMA is an Indigenous-led charity that seeks to develop innovative techniques and resources to enhance the teaching of mathematics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Content includes professional learning, resources, events and news. SCIS
School Library Spotlight: St Stephen's School
By Lise Legg
Issue 120, Term 1 2022
eracy, information literacy and reading classes on one campus. Our very able team of teacher librarians collaborate with classroom teachers to ensure teaching programs are supported in all four libraries. 2. What is the most rewarding aspect of working in a school library, and why? Working with
School Library Spotlight: Xavier College, Burke Hall
By Fiona O'Rourke
Issue 119, Term 4 2021
d by Guy Claxton, emeritus Professor of the Learning Sciences at the University of Winchester, well-known for his Building Learning Power approach to teaching. Information has grown exponentially, and it is important to give learners the tools to be discerning when selecting content. It is rewarding
The future is bright
By Authored by Future You and SCIS
Issue 121, Term 2 2022
Children begin to aspire to careers in early primary school. However, their teachers often lack the confidence to explain science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) careers, and there are societal expectations about careers and gender that can put girls off STEM. This can affect children’s a
EAL/D in school libraries
By Nicki Moore, Martin Gray
Issue 121, Term 2 2022
r research, language skills, targeted subject areas and technological support with translation services. This collaboration between key specialist teaching staff ensures that the students are supported every day of their schooling lives, and not just the days that the EAL/D specialist is present
A Good Lesson To Learn: New Systematic Synthetic Phonics Lesson Packs For F–2
Issue 132, Term 1, 2025
The phonics tide of change Phonics teaching is often in the headlines. Recently, the focus has been on curriculum changes that align with the teaching of systematic synthetic phonics (SSP), an evidence-based approach that is now supported across Australian states and territories. These change
Digital literacy: using Wikipedia as a fact-checking tool
By Mathieu O'Neil, Rachel Cunneen
Issue 121, Term 2 2022
view of Wikipedia, which they were taught in school. Given the usefulness of Wikipedia as both a source of information and as a media literacy teaching tool, this article was intended to change the narrative around Wikipedia. It represented the first step in a pilot project investigating the
Interview with Gabrielle Wang, Australian Children's Laureate
By Gabrielle Wang
Issue 122, Term 3 2022
eachers – I think we all have a teacher we’ll never forget because they had such an impact on our lives. He was one of the teachers who have a unique teaching style. I was helping out in the library and he brought his students in and he grabbed a book off the shelf, just seemingly at random. And it
Dystopian literature: more than just the end of the world to teens
By Jessica Finden
Issue 123, Term 4 2022
t ways to do so is to engage staff (Buchan, 2020) and this is made easier by showing staff the benefits of using literature within their learning and teaching frameworks. Bringing about change Setting the wheels in motion for the use of dystopian fiction beyond the English department is no easy
School library spotlight: University High School, Melbourne
By Stephanie Ward
Issue 123, Term 4 2022
ltimately do most of the purchasing but we talk about acquisitions together. I attend a lot of the structured meetings with the school leadership and teaching teams, so my role is around liaising with teacher teams, heads of learning areas and school leadership to advocate for the library, resources
The Information Fluency Framework
By Carmel Grimmett
Issue 123, Term 4 2022
Use the IFF outcomes for inspiration and focus as you design the learning resources. Using picture books with sophisticated themes is a powerful teaching practice to engage older students. There are loads of great curriculum-linked teaching resources based on picture books available as Shared P
The Teacher Librarian and ChatGPT
By Stephanie Strachan
Issue 126, Term 3 2023
ed to ‘re-imagine’ how to assess, and to think of ways to incorporate these technologies into a ‘re-engineered’ curriculum ( Learning Innovation: The Teaching and Learning Podcast , 2023). One thing that they do agree upon, however, is that there is no way of detecting plagiarism with these AI text