Published by Macquarie University Teachers’ Learning Hub
’Hub Chats’ is created by the Macquarie University Teachers’ Learning Hub, at Macquarie University in Sydney. Episodes are released monthly.
Listen on Apple PodcastsIn this episode, we chat with Dr Cat Martin, a lecturer in Creative Arts and Drama and Lead Academic Coach for the Step Ahead program at Macquarie University. Cat unpacks what drama education really is beyond the school play, and shares simple techniques that any teacher can try, regardless of subject area. We discuss how drama can build empathy, confidence and language skills in students, and how it can be woven into other subjects like English and Science to deepen learning across the curriculum.
In this episode, Dr Jodie Torrington chats with renowned mathematics teacher, YouTuber, and Australian of the Year Local Hero, Eddie Woo. Eddie shares his philosophy for reaching students who believe they are "not a maths person," discusses the critical junction points where students are most at risk of switching off from mathematics, and reflects on what studying maths does for a person beyond numerical literacy. He also shares his thoughts on explicit teaching, the role of technology and AI in mathematics education, and his hopes for where mathematics education is heading in Australia. Eddie Woo's YouTube channel - WooTube WooTube2 for teachers Mathematics for Human Flourishing by Francis Su
In this episode, Dr Jodie Torrington chats with Shaheen, learning designer at the Macquarie University Teachers' Learning Hub, about inclusive learning design and what it really means in practice. Shaheen challenges the idea that inclusive design is only about individual accommodations, and instead shows how small, intentional design choices can make learning more accessible for every student in the room. She shares practical strategies teachers can use straight away as they plan for the school year, and leaves us with one powerful question to ask when designing any lesson: who does this serve?
In this episode, Dr Jodie Torrington chats with Associate Professor Penny Van Bergen, an educational psychologist at Macquarie University, about the science of learning and what it means for everyday classroom practice. Penny unpacks cognitive load and working memory limitations, explains why deep encoding and retrieval practice are so important for building lasting knowledge, and tackles the explicit teaching versus inquiry-based learning debate. Spoiler: it's not an either-or!
In this episode, Dr Jodie Torrington chats with Professor Sandie Wong and Dr Li Kan from Macquarie University's early childhood education team about their Australian Research Council (ARC)-funded Teachers in Early Education project. Sandie and Li share findings from Australia's first longitudinal survey of early childhood teacher education students, revealing who is entering the profession, what motivates them, and what their career intentions look like, with some surprising results about wellbeing, workforce preferences, and where graduates want to work. Take a look at the following links for more information about the content discussed in this episode: Early Childhood Educators’ Wellbeing Project Teachers in Early Education - Teachers in Early Education Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) – StepAhead Program
Dr Brian Ballsun-Stanton and Dr Jodie Torrington discuss how to use AI effectively to support your planning and assessment design for your classroom. Learn how to retain an internal AI-Locus of Control while using AI technologies. Remember to: -know your goal -provide all the details and context -use an auto-interview technique -use your own judgement and reflection throughout the process -ask yourself: “Am I happy to put my name to this output?” Additional resources to support your AI journey: Prompting tips and strategies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PKNoM8tc_A&list=PLsicw0ghQckgHREOX2uCDaRTDaxNZFyNK Prompting poster: https://zenodo.org/records/17373463 AI-Locus of Control framework: https://zenodo.org/records/17823628
In this episode, we are talking about out-of-field teaching in high schools, focusing specifically on teaching Geography. Dr Susan Caldis and Kathy Jones talk about their new microcredential that provides comprehensive support for new-to-geography teachers. Find out what makes a geography lesson geographical, and how AI can be used effectively and authentically to support teacher planning and assessment design. Enrol in our “Help! I’m teaching Geography for the first time” professional learning microcredential here: https://microcredentials.mq.edu.au/courses/help!-im-teaching-geography-for-the-first-time Find the GEOG standards here: https://agta.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/geogstandards.pdf Susan’s fan diagram can be viewed here: Caldis, S. (2022). What makes my geography lesson distinctive and powerful? In M. McInerney, J. Butler, S. Caldis, S. Cranby, M. Law, A. Maude, & R. Nicholas (Eds.), Teaching secondary geography (pp. 201-217). Cambridge University Press (CUP).
In this episode, Dr Jodie Torrington chats with The Gale History Museum at Macquarie University’s Education and Outreach Coordinator, Dr Yvonne Inall to explore practical ways teachers can integrate community resources like museums into their programmes. Yvonne shares tips on making the most of museum visits and discusses how the museums, such as the Gale Museum at MQ can be a powerful educational tool for your classroom.
In this episode, Professor Sheila Degotardi, the Director of the Centre for Early Childhood Education at Macquarie University chats with Dr Catherine Jones, who is the preschool room teacher and educational leader at Goodstart Kurri Kurri about the benefits and challenges of applying for external funding to support your ECE context.
Have you thought about engaging your language learners by harnessing real-life examples that they view on social media? Listen to Dr Yeong-Ju Lee talk about how to use technological innovations in language education, and how you can promote informal language learning using TikTok and Instagram. She shares pedagogical strategies for teachers to integrate multimodal and real-life practices into language classrooms and encourages students to “play” with language using social media. Here is the link to her book that we talk about in the episode: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781003543541/social-media-language-learning-yeong-ju-lee **Special 20% discount (valid until 31 Oct 2025): use code 25SMA3**
In this episode, Professor Fay Hadley chats with Sene Gede, Centre Director at Boundary Lane Children’s Centre and Akram Eshaghi, Centre Director at Uniting Airlie Preschool Oatlands as they share their advice and strategies about engaging with culturally and linguistically diverse families.
Professor Deborah Youdell, Dean of the Macquarie School of Education chats with Dr Tamara Bibby about psychoanalytic approaches in education. Tamara invites educators to think beyond rational “self-knowing” to the “incompleteness of knowing” in real, living classrooms using psychoanalytic ways of thinking. This episode is valuable listening for both new and experienced teachers. For more teacher resources and education inspiration, visit the Macquarie University Teachers’ Learning Hub .
Following from our last episode about teaching in rural and remote schools, in this episode we discuss Early Childhood Education in rural locations. Dr Loraine Fordham chats with Michele Carnegie, Chief Executive Officer of CELA (Community Early Learning Australia) about supporting early learning in regional and remote communities across Australia. Visit the MQ Teachers' Learning Hub for more professional learning resources.
Ever thought about teaching in a rural location? Michael Fisher, placement coordinator for Far West NSW schools, talks about what it’s like teaching in rural communities and shares his vast experience of teaching and living in Broken Hill. Please find below the links to the programs and initiatives we discussed: Future Teacher Scholarships: https://education.nsw.gov.au/teach-nsw/get-paid-to-study Beyond the Line Program: https://education.nsw.gov.au/teach-nsw/become-a-teacher/pre-service-teacher-hub/preservice-teachers/beyond-the-line-program Rural Professional Experience Program: https://education.nsw.gov.au/teach-nsw/become-a-teacher/pre-service-teacher-hub/preservice-teachers/rural-professional-experience-program The Welcome Experience: https://www.nsw.gov.au/regional-and-primary-industries/makethemove/welcome-experience Benefits and incentives: https://education.nsw.gov.au/teach-nsw/find-teaching-jobs/choose-rural/benefits-and-incentives
Join Professor Matt Bower, Dr Jodie Torrington, and Dr Tamika Worrall as they follow up on the “Empowering education through AI: Revolution or evolution?” Arts After Dark event held recently at Macquarie University. We received an insightful range of questions from the audience on the night, and while we were unable to get to all of them, we are delighted to address them in this special episode of Hub Chats. Listen to the live event here . Find resources for AI in education at the Teachers’ Learning Hub .
In this episode, education expert Rose Garofano shares her passion for literacy and discusses how every teacher can help develop student literacy skills through the explicit teaching of vocabulary. Rose shares the impact of this practice on student empowerment, engagement, and motivation. Learn how your students can “level up” their literacy abilities!
In this episode, we continue our focus on out-of-field teaching in high schools, this time about teaching Society and Culture. Kendra Bruseker, an experienced Society and Culture teacher, unpacks what you need to know, including how to support students’ Personal Interest Project (PIP). Click here to enrol in our “Help! I’m teaching Society and Culture for the first time” professional learning microcredential.
In this episode, we are talking about out-of-field teaching in high schools – and focusing specifically on teaching Legal Studies. Natasha Isbel, an ex-corporate lawyer and experienced Legal Studies teacher provides a wealth of advice for teachers who find themselves teaching Legal Studies for the first time.
In this episode, Dr. Renee Preval-Mann explores the critical intersection of AI and education with expert Dr. Jodie Torrington. Discover practical strategies for pre-service teachers to effectively integrate AI tools in the classroom while maintaining professional judgment. Learn how to harness AI as a powerful thinking partner without surrendering your pedagogical expertise and human creativity. Essential listening for educators navigating the rapidly evolving digital landscape in schools. Here is the poster of the top 10 tips and techniques that Dr Brian Ballsun-Stanton and Dr Jodie Torrington have developed (CC-BY).
In this episode, MQ speech pathologist and lecturer Rebecca McNeil explains how speech pathologists can support individual students, small groups, and even work with whole classes to support communication differences and help establish safe and inclusive learning environments for all students. Resources mentioned in the episode: Communication milestones: https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/Public/Public/Comm-swallow/Speech-development/Communication-milestones.aspx LEANS program: https://salvesen-research.ed.ac.uk/leans