I am delighted to bring you the first CEO Research Roundup for 2019.  If there is a topic, report or event you would like QELi to explore, please email your thoughts to marketing@qeli.qld.edu.au. 

Neil McDonald
Chief Executive Officer, QELi

What makes a good principal?

In this episode of Talking Teaching from the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, Stephen Dinham and John Goh talk to Kerry Elliott about the qualities and skills needed to be an effective principal and it confirms that the ability to lead teaching and learning is key. 

Emeritus Professor Stephen Dinham led the development of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education’s Master of Instructional Leadership (MIL) and will be working with educators in Queensland as part of QELi’s new Professional Certificate in Instructional Leadership course being offered in 2019. The course qualifies for 25% of Melbourne Graduate School of Education’s Master of Instructional Leadership.

Pros and cons of split classrooms

Split classrooms, sometimes referred to as composite or multi-age classrooms, are part of the Australian school experience for many students and families. Whether implemented for convenience or conviction, they are usually a topic that draws much discussion and opinion. The Educator article outlines the pros and cons.

Free resources to support new and beginning teachers 

Every January, schools nationally welcome new teachers to the profession. Queensland College of Teachers has previously estimated anywhere between 8-50% of new teachers leave education within the first five years. AITSL have developed and released the My Induction App, a platform containing expert advice and activities in the areas of professional practices, orientation, wellbeing and professional identity to support new and beginning teachers as they embark on their careers.

New maths teaching program brings improved results for students 

A professional development program for maths teachers in South Australia that puts primary school students two months ahead of their peers has been extended. Thinking Maths is program developed by the South Australian Department for Education for Years 6-9 maths teachers. Read more about this initiative between ACER and Evidence For Learning.

Evidence suggests secondary school environments do not always provide optimal conditions for physical health and well-being for students

Brendon Hyndman, Senior Lecturer and Course Director of Postgraduate Studies in Education, Charles Sturt University writes that there is evidence to suggest that Australian secondary school environments do not always provide optimal conditions for physical health and well-being for students. In The Conversation, he explores how schools can promote physical activity in secondary school.

Lift the status of teachers to attract our best and brightest to teaching

The world’s top-performing school systems make it a national priority to attract the strongest candidates to teacher education. An article by the Grattan Institute says Australia needs to lift the status of teachers to attract our best and brightest to teaching. Improving teacher selection improves student results. 

Improving feedback practices can significantly improve student learning

Effective feedback practices are a high impact, agile, adaptable and low cost way to improve student performance by up to eight months and there’s a strong evidence base behind the impact of feedback. AITSL’s Spotlight report, Reframing Feedback to Improve Teaching and Learning, identifies how to improve feedback in schools.