Recent research on school improvement indicates that schools can lift student achievement by using achievement information to work out how to modify their programmes. Robertson Rd School worked collaboratively with researchers from the University of Auckland to design a new approach enabling teachers to make formative use of achievement data ...

Otahuhu College wanted to know how its teachers were coping with the inclusion of students with disabilities in their classrooms, and more specifically, how teachers interacted with such students. Results revealed that the practical demands of the classroom made it difficult for teachers to spend time with the mainstreamed students ...

East Tamaki School worked with researchers to learn about how teachers viewed the requirements on reporting to parents, and how parents understood what was written. Teachers experienced the same technical, ethical, and practical dilemmas as their local and international counterparts. They resolved these in ways that inadvertently sent mixed messages ...

The first issue of set: Research Information for Teachers heralds another year of stimulating professional reading. In this issue we examine some of the emerging developments in New Zealand education and discuss some of the key issues – the “breaking news” of education.

Research on teachers’ knowledge in science indicates that those confident in their subject knowledge can provide rich experiences in an integrated learning environment to support children’s exploration and inquiry. A learning story illustrates how children’s content-related dispositions towards scientific knowledge can be extended.

With a focus on dispositions and affordances, Sally Peters considers some of the dominant theoretical ideas about transition, including maturational readiness, “filling the gaps”, scaffolding the process, and looking at the big picture.

Beginning formal schooling is a time of change and challenge for children, families, and educators. This article focuses on one approach by the Starting School Research Project to engage first-year students as co-researchers in a study of what they think students new to school should know.

There are some serious concerns about the effects of noise in education and about the ability of children to learn effectively in typical learning environments. This article examines some of the issues.

This article explores ways in which a forum and process were created for teachers to think about assumptions, values, and the purpose of education; explore reciprocal influences of teachers’ and children’s interactions; and deepen opportunities for parents and children to contribute to the curriculum. It discusses policy and practice implications ...

There is a widespread expectation that acquiring ICT skills and experiences during childhood will be critical for later success in the workplace. The writers examine some of the issues and evidence from the literature.