Teacher education programmes struggle to attract, develop, and retain potential teachers in Science and Mathematics. The development of both academic and non-academic attributes (e.g. adaptability, empathy) during a programme can influence not only retention but the profession-readiness of graduates. This is especially important in underserved…

Students who are parents are largely invisible within the Australian higher education sector. We know little about the particular views and experiences of this group at university. This article explores the Potivations perceived challenges to success and self-identified strengths of students who are parents. Our analysis is based on eighteen…

Media scrutiny of initial teacher education (ITE) programs in Australia has been intense in recent years, with particular attention being drawn to ITE graduate preparedness to teach. Simultaneously there is a worldwide shortage of graduate teachers to fill gaping holes in teacher workforces, and a decline in community perceptions of the role…

Transitioning across different schooling sectors presents various challenges for young people. This is evident in the transition from primary to secondary schooling, when factors such as student belonging and positive connections are vital. Students with learning support needs or living in isolated localities may experience additional challenges.…

The demand for intensive educational experiences is increasing, necessitating a focus on ensuring quality and providing adequate student support. Increasing opportunities for student collaboration, including teacher/student co-creation of learning materials, has strong potential to increase engagement and support. Given increased interest in…

This paper reports on a study that replaced marks with digital badges in an undergraduate Initial Teacher Education course. The aim was to examine the impact of badging on students, and on the quality of university provision. Data collection consisted of surveys and focus groups. The study found that while digital badges had considerable potential…

Language-specific (i.e. the ideal L2 self) and plurilingual selves are now at the forefront of scholarly inquiry in L2 motivation research. Yet, there is a lack of empirical studies examining how language learners reframe their sense of self as speakers of an L2. This study draws on a questionnaire (N = 162) and on semi-structured interviews (N =…

This article describes the processes and outcomes of a research project exploring children's motivation to write, undertaken by four pre-primary teachers in Western Australia. The teachers adopted a sociocultural theoretical framework using child centred participatory methodology, in which 109 children aged between five and six years shared their…

International students in the secondary school sector are a particularly vulnerable group due to their age and status as unaccompanied minors. The establishment of friendships is an important component of the adjustment for these students as they transition into their new school environments. This paper presents issues related to friendships,…

This study investigated how high-ability Australian Aboriginal adolescents reasoned about sources of effort in their transition to secondary schools. High-ability Year 7 Aboriginal adolescents (n = 4) participated in interviews on three occasions: Term 1 Year 6 (primary); Term 1 Year 7 (secondary); and Term 4 Year 7 (post-transition). Parents (n =…

This study examines how the flipped classroom approach to teaching and learning supports or inhibits the cognitive needs of relatedness, competence, and autonomy, leading to either increased or decreased levels of motivation. We use semi-structured interviews involving twenty-two students and five facilitators in an Australian university to…

Empowering students with choice when it comes to assessment is shown to have a positive impact on student satisfaction and success, with previous studies finding a more flexible approach to assessment can promote engagement and performance. However, very little is known about why students choose certain types of assessment. Building on previous…

University graduates have invested significant time, money, and effort into completing their studies, with many discovering that their chosen discipline is not what they were expecting, nor the right fit for their individual values or goals. Transition between disciplines is particularly common in the helping professions, but little is known about…

Motivation in science learning is important, given increasing necessity for scientific and critical literacy. The purpose of this article is to examine secondary science pre-service teachers' (PSTs) beliefs about motivating students to learn science. A mixed method study was conducted with 73 secondary science PSTs across Australia. A web-based…

In recent years, self-theories such as growth mindset and resilience have gained interest as they have a sizable influence on achievement and school-related motivation. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between immigrant students' growth mindset, resilience, and science achievement in PISA 2018 by considering the mediating…