It has been suggested that focusing on the metacognitive skills secondary students need to make informed decisions about literacy challenges they encounter is a central element in raising literacy achievement. However, it is also recognised that struggling students are often not metacognitively skilful and are reluctant to use skills once ...

The literature about 21st century learning argues that we need to think differently about education. Rather than simply “knowing about” things, we want students to be able to do new things with what they know. If this is the case, we need to make sure students are provided with opportunities ...

When their funds of knowledge and experiences from home and the community are connected to their school learning, students' learning is supported. In this study teachers used "home learning books" to invite contributions from home into science teaching and learning in the classroom. The flow of knowledge between home and ...

The first year of teaching is a critical stage in a teacher's professional life. Many beginning teachers are employed in short-term positions, but we know very little about how employment status affects first-year teachers' feelings of self-confidence, or their attitudes towards their second year of teaching. This article explores these ...

What supports students to develop their conceptual understanding? Taking part in focus groups helped the Years 9 and 10 Māori and Pasifika students in this study to focus on understanding the concepts underpinning social studies units, rather than the content. Discussions between students in the focus groups resulted in the ...

This study explored whether using process drama to teach social studies would engage Year 10 Pasifika boys at a secondary school in Auckland. The author describes how, while in role, students used their existing knowledge and experiences to explore and develop new knowledge, and how process drama addressed the goals ...

What does the term "student voice" mean to you? Does it mean listening to students' opinions? Involving students in decisions about their learning? Giving students equal say in decisions about school management and governance? This commentary analyses and critiques the ways we tend to think about young peoples' responsibilities, roles ...

Fractions are important mathematically and in everyday life but are complicated and difficult to learn. Teachers therefore need to be able to work out what students understand about fractions and what is causing them problems. This article reports on a study where students were asked to answer a number of ...

One of the most important goals for teaching statistics is to prepare students to deal with the statistical information that increasingly impacts on their everyday lives. Students need to be able to critically evaluate statistical information and data-based arguments. The findings of this collaborative research study of Year 9 students ...

From time to time the New Zealand Council for Educational Research is asked how test results can contribute to making an Overall Teacher Judgement (OTJ). This is an important and complex question and one that we continue to grapple with. In this Assessment News article I begin to explore what ...