Semester 1 2024

The Journal of Professional Learning is produced on the lands of the Gadigal people who we acknowledge as the Traditional Custodians of this Country. We pay respects to Elders past and present, and celebrate the traditions, lore, and living cultures of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Elders have been educators since time immemorial. As teachers, we walk in their footsteps.

The Centre for Professional Learning (CPL) is committed to disseminating a wide range of educational resources, reflection, and research for the benefit of teachers and the public education community. The Semester 1, 2024 edition of the JPL contains the following articles:

Different implementation approaches to the new English syllabus

English Head Teachers, Emma Campbell, Steve Henry, and Rosemary Henzell, share the motivators and contextual variables that were the driving force behind their approach to planning and programming for the new 7-10 English Syllabus.

Learning in the early years: Do, perform, portray – play!

Kathy Rushton and Joanne Rossbridge outline the theory and research about young children’s language and literacy development through play; and provide teachers with engaging and inclusive activities and resources to foster creativity and student engagement in the early years of schooling.

NSW Syllabus: A Celebration of Public Education

The recent introduction of a new syllabus spurred this English Faculty to build and embed trust, transparency, and collaboration as the drivers of a cohesive and effective staffroom. Amy Peace and Louise Turk take us through the processes.

The new wave of change: Artificial Intelligence and Education

In a world of rapidly advancing Artificial Intelligence, Leslie Loble and Kelly Stephens provide teachers a framework of questioning when making decisions on using edtech to enhance teaching and learning.

Making Equity Matter

Geoff Gallop challenges us to commit to the aspirational goals of ‘excellence’ and ‘equity’ in education in a world of meritocratic hubris.

‘The way we think about teachers’:Media representations of teachers and their work in Australia

Nicole Mockler summarises her extensive analysis of how teachers are represented in the Australian media, and the links between the resulting deficit-based discussions and education politics and policy.

Politicians using curriculum as a tool to push their ideology onto teachers

Kobler, et al highlight the role of global think tanks, lobby groups, ideological entrepreneurs, and social media in the formation of Australian education policy; and provide us with some simple steps to stem the flow of ‘fast policy’.

Co-designed professional learning in the classroom: An opportunity for reflexive agency

Mary Ryan, et al share the outcomes and benefits of co-designed professional learning between education researchers and classroom teachers.

How teachers can use the Learning from Country Framework to build an Aboriginal curriculum narrative for students

Cathie Burgess and Katrina Thorpe share the processes and results of a five-year teaching and research project to support all teachers to develop an Aboriginal curriculum narrative using a framework based on building relationships and listening to Aboriginal people and Country.