Volume 14 Issue 1

It’s always tempting to see the past in terms of the present, to deny the past its difference. In Australia, perhaps that temptation has been hardest to resist when it comes to Anzac history. In popular imagination and representation, the Anzacs are routinely invested with the attitudes and beliefs of late 20th century and early 21st century Australia. We explain the motivations of people 100 years ago according to today’s values and norms.

Intergenerational programs are increasingly being recognised as a means of promoting wellbeing through connecting communities, promoting caring relationships, and combating loneliness and isolation. While existing research provides evidence of the positive benefits of intergenerational programs for the elderly, there is limited research on the impact that these programs have on children’s wellbeing. The aim of this study was to measure the impact of the intergenerational program, ‘Flourish’, on student social and emotional wellbeing.

Today was a series of crazy, grace-filled “God moments” so profound in their combined healing effect that I had to put my feelings to pen.

In a world of shifting sands, young people are often left to navigate unchartered pathways in life with very little guidance, other than their peers and the media. Parents find themselves unsure of how best to help, overwhelmed with their own workloads, lack of certainty and change. Even those families who are working with great intention to speak and guide the lives of their children, often feel that the deafening voices of society are weakening their sphere of influence. As a result, society, families, and young people look to schools to support and, at times, fill the role of positive guides in this world.

A book compiled by two Avondale academics launched on Thursday February 27, 2020 will encourage Christian educators in any learning environment to more naturally and creatively reveal Jesus to their students.

As people living in a modern world, our connection with nature is varied, which has an impact on health. This paper looks at cross-disciplinary research conducted on the impact the outdoors has on health, more specifically mental, physical, social and spiritual benefits. Results from different fields of research collectively strengthen claims made for the positive influence time outdoors has on health, and prompt educators to ask how Christian schools can take this knowledge and apply it in an educational setting for the benefit of students.

But how can we connect deeply with our students, especially in the high school where we teach multiple classes, with students of different abilities? How can we realistically be their “champion”? The answer lies in knowing, understanding and catering to the learning of students through quality differentiated teaching practices.

This study—A Decade of Encounter—research commissioned by Adventist Schools Australia, offers valuable data worthy of reflection as we enter a new decade of Encounter’s implementation within Australia. The time and effort invested in the collection of these voices from the field is valued and appreciated. Recent engagement with the researchers has brought rich discussion and a commitment to make the Adventist Encounter curriculum even stronger as we embark on a revision of the curriculum in 2020. This dialogue will continue as time goes on.

The book Design of Technology-enhanced Learning: Integrating Research and Practice offers research-based evidence to formulate learning design. The deep and detail-oriented technology-enhanced learning research enables readers to formulate principles that can be applied in the learning design process.

This article aims to contribute to the literature

on school leader preparation and development

programs. It seeks to do this by identifying and

discussing elements that current faith-based

education system teachers would like to see

embedded in the creation of aspirant and novice

school leader preparation and development

programs. This research utilised a qualitative

research design, adopting semi-structured

interviews to collect employee perceptions. These

teachers identified a five-element framework for

leadership programs: School and Community;

Working With and Through Others; System

Understandings and Practice; Leadership

Wellbeing; and Special Character. This paper

proposes a number of recommendations that may

assist in the development of aspiring and novice

school leadership preparation and development

programs within this faith-based education

system.

Starting with a brief history of the development

of the Encounter Bible curriculum and summary

of the evaluative research methodology,

this paper draws on teacher, student and

administrator interview data in its account

of teachers’ attempts to teach Encounter

Bible. The writers refer to selected points

of interest from their evaluation as they

discuss teacher perceptions of the Encounter

resource, assessment practice, the theory

behind planning, the teaching and learning

process, spirituality in schools and classrooms,

and professional development. They also

review student perceptions of teaching, and

administrator involvement in supporting

teachers. In surveying teacher achievements

and challenges, the paper addresses a limited

number of key issues that could ultimately be

of critical reflective importance for Christian

schools.

Sitting in her classroom, Lynn wonders whether her pen pal, Jean, has received and read her letter. Several kilometres away, sitting in her armchair, Jean’s eyes light up as she reads the questions that Lynn has carefully written. She takes up a pen and begins to write. Theirs is a mutually beneficial relationship established through pen and paper, with the help of an envelope and an enthusiastic teacher who acted as a courier.

As participant researchers, observing from the isolation of ‘down under’ the soaring statistics of ‘the covid-19 curve’, is there awareness of emergent new knowledge? Any understandings from the shape symbol hiding the personal tragedy of increasing illness, suffering, death, anxiety, unemployment, isolation, despair and anger about constraints? Any learning from home experiences? From populations of either cultural allies or past foes, whether that be at war or sport?

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown many schools around the country into turbulent waters. In a short period of time, many K – 12 Christian schools had to transition into the alternate universe known as virtual learning. Many educators have probably dabbled in virtual learning elements as a supplement to their normal pedagogical practice. Ironically, the challenges and questions with which many schools were immediately concerned were perpetually at the doors of many schools, not just Christian schools.

Christian schools are faith-based communities offering education consistent with their particular approach to the Christian faith. Using language such as “Bible-based” or “Christ-centred”, Christian schools routinely suggest they provide a distinctively Christian approach to education. Central to the preservation of this approach is the teacher.

This paper is based on research into Christian Education National (CEN) teachers’ understandings of the purposes of Christian schooling and how students are exposed to Christianity within the school, including their classrooms.

This research identified that, despite varied understandings of the purposes for, or goals of, Christian schooling, teachers perceived that the Christian faith should be evident across all aspects of the Christian school.

Within classrooms, in addition to Bible reading, classroom devotions, and prayer, teachers suggested students were exposed to the Christian faith through the example set by staff. Further, teachers taught from a Christian perspective, or connected curriculum content with the Christian faith as opportunities arose.

As an educator of pre-service teachers, I am often reminded of those first days in the classroom. If I could go back and speak to myself as a First-Year Teacher, this reflection is what I would say.