Democracy offers pathways to decolonisation, representation, accountability, transparency, individual rights, peaceful conflict resolution, social equity and justice, and adaptability, among others. Most of the world population lives in ‘democracies’, but they range from full to flawed and hybrid democracies, and around 36% live under authoritarian regimes. These figures are concerning, particularly as, in recent years, we have seen an increase in the election of governments and the emergence of fringe groups for whom equality and the rule of law are not priorities. Within this context, immediate and long-term strategies to strengthen democracies are required. This study explores one such strategy in education.

Democratic schools enable students to control their personal study plans, run the school with other school stakeholders, and have a voice in all school issues via deliberation and voting. Most schools within Australia fall into the Mainstream school category, which is defined by the absence of these features. Prior research describing the experiences of democratic students exists, but this study compares democratic and mainstream schools in the context of their democratic potential; an area which has yet to be extensively explored.

To answer the key research question, what key similarities and differences emerge between democratic and mainstream schools from the analysis of their policy documents and website content? I analysed data from mainstream and democratic schools (n=4) in Australia using qualitative content and thematic analysis methods. Six themes describing similarities and differences between the two school types vis-à-vis the schools’ salient features as well as beliefs that underpin them were identified. Notable were the stark differences in the conceptualisation of community, schools’ beliefs about students, and students’ voices. Unsurprisingly, students’ voices emerged as a key area of difference, but it was remarkable to discover the ways community conceptualisation and schools’ beliefs about students lead to the structures supporting students’ voices. The interrelated impacts of these three themes on other aspects of schooling are also meaningful. To summarise, a community of equals, with enabling beliefs about students, emerged as necessary for students’ voices and strong democracies to flourish in schools.

My research suggests that these themes are transferable across school systems and can help create authentic democracies in schools and, over time, can influence how democracies function.

Dr. Neha Singh

Dr Neha Singh is an academic at the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Education. She specialises in interdisciplinary research with mixed methods, focusing on democracy, well-being, comparative education, and psychometrics. She is also a certified mental health first aider and brings a trauma-informed lens to teaching. She has an MA in Education from University College London and has worked for several years as a teacher, teacher-trainer, curriculum specialist, and researcher in different contexts. 

Largely missing from the research on school attendance difficulties is student voice.  Much of the research and literature on the topic frames “school refusal” as either a misbehaviour or a psychopathology.  But what if distress about school attendance is considered a reasonable protective response to either chronic or severe stress, which leaves students feeling unsafe? 

Westphal’s Student Stress Investigation helps students communicate about the things at school that might be causing them distress.  Without tuning into student voice, those trying to support students, risk responding to them in ways that magnify their distress and worsen mental health.  When we know what is causing distress then we can collaborate to remove and address stressors and barriers, resulting in students that feel seen and supported. 

Westphal will share insights into some of the things that students frequently tell her cause them difficulties.  She will also share what the parents and carers of School Can’t Australia say the top school-based stressors impacting their children / teens are.

Tiffany Westphal

Tiffany Westphal is a social worker, a parent of a neurodivergent teen who has experienced “school can’t”, and a director of national parent/carer support group: School Can’t Australia which has 15,000+ members.  She is also the designer of a resource called Student Stress Investigation (SSI).  Westphal works with Universities and Education authorities to help improve understandings about school can’t and focus attention on student and parent/carer lived experience.

Student leadership culture and mechanisms in schools are important in shaping young people’s view of civic engagement, grassroots organisation and leadership in professional and political settings. Student governments have the potential to be channels for change-making in wider society, producing generations of lifelong leaders. This presentation explores how student leadership can be meaningfully cultivated within school environments to foster active citizenship and participatory decision-making. It explores factors in public schools that incentivise, or otherwise discourage students to participate in school-related, extracurricular, and leadership opportunities available to them. By comparing university admission criteria, educational culture and school systems in various countries around the world including Australia, an overview on students’ motives and sentiments can be understood.

Furthermore, empirical data and case studies from the functioning of student government and school council across various schools in Victoria are employed to provide perspectives on the efficacy of student organisation, prompting teachers and students to question existing structures and/or how we can build upon the progress achieved hitherto.

While this presentation examines Student Voice and Empowerment on wider scopes in Victoria and in Australia, it especially aims to facilitate discussions on how our local communities can be structured and leverage on existing resources in order to support such rights of students. Additionally, grassroots student-led movements (fundraising, petitions, political advocacy, consultations) are utilised as examples of processes in which change can start from something small and compound over time.

Drawing on lived experience and observations, findings point to the skill sets involved in student leadership and how peer-to-peer influences play a role in amplifying student voice and student involvement within schools. Student Voice is a medium through which young people become proactive in their lives, exercise civic responsibility and leave an impact on their community. It’s time we reconsider the paradigms surrounding that in order to incentivise and support as many prospective leaders as possible

Tien Tran

Tien is a passionate advocate for Youth Voices and Empowerment, especially in the Education sector which has a tremendous impact on the lives of most, if not all young people. Serving her school community as College Captain this year, she represents the needs of the student body on a higher decision-making level and provides guidance to the Student Leadership Team in organising school-wide events, activities, and fundraisers. Tien has a background in organising youth advocacy movements at her local council, as well as volunteering with the VicSRC to consult on policies affecting students all around Victoria. She is excited to contribute to her lived experiences, and to learn from others in building progress on Student Voice in Australia. She also hopes to bring take-aways from SVC 2025 to the Yale Young Global Scholars program later this year to find shared solutions with young change-makers from around the globe.

K. 31 Democracy in schools as a pathway to stronger global democracies 

Neha Singh 

K.32 School Refusal or School Can’t?: Helping students have a voice about school can’t. 

Tiffany Westphal 

K.33 Beyond a Badge: Rethinking Student Voice Paradigms School Governance and The Implications on Civic Responsibility 

Tien Tran 

Negotiating the curriculum was championed by Australian educator, Garth Boomer, and involves teachers and students undertaking curriculum as a process of co-construction. Whilst the current applicability of Boomer’s ideas is supported by research and policy focused on student agency at a local, national and international level, the current emphasis on standardisation and datafication in education systems presents challenges for both teacher and student agency to be realised. In light of these tensions, this presentation explores the findings of a recent PhD study focused on how the process of negotiating the curriculum can be sustained over time within a primary school setting. The study reviewed expert insights and analysed a case study of a primary school that has undertaken a negotiated curriculum for 25 years. Three major contributions to the field emerging through this analysis will be presented. These include a new model for sustaining curriculum negotiation across a whole school, exploration of how the findings contribute to understanding the role of the teacher and how teaching and learning is undertaken, and discussion of threats to the sustainability of curriculum negotiation. The study demonstrates that although many challenges exist for teachers and schools seeking to negotiate the curriculum, sustaining a negotiated curriculum is still possible, and Boomer’s ideas are highly relevant to classrooms today.

Nadine Crane

Nadine Crane is a primary school teacher who is currently a lecturer at the Faculty of Education. Her current roles include Lead of Research in Schools for the Ngarrngga project. Prior to joining the FoE, Nadine worked extensively with schools as a consultant in the areas of integrated curriculum and inquiry based learning, with a specific focus on the inclusion of student voice and agency by negotiating the curriculum. During her time lecturing in the Master of Teaching, Nadine has worked across the core subjects in pedagogy and assessment, and was the coordinator for Clinical Teaching Practice practicum subjects in the Master of Teaching Primary for many years. Nadine's PhD research is focussed on how primary schools sustain the pedagogical practice of negotiating the curriculum with students.

J.28 Youth Voice: Ask, Amplify, Act – A Participatory Approach to Youth-Led Change 

Natasha Busbridge and Christine McInerney-Percy 

J.29 Student-Led Governance: Building Safe, Empowering, and Inclusive Communities in a Democratic School

Abbie Morrissey

J.30 Sustaining the process of negotiating the curriculum with students 

Nadine Crane 

The Youth Voice Project is an initiative designed to empower youth to use their voices to create positive change in their community. Developed by Firefly Bay & Basin – Uniting in collaboration with Vincentia High School, Youth Insearch, Western Sydney University and Community Minded Kids, the project engages with young people in the Bay & Basin region, NSW to build their skills to become peer researchers and create, co-design and implement impactful community projects.

Aligned with the conference themes of Connect, Share, Empower, and the subthemes of Active Citizenship and Governance & Decision-Making, the Youth Voice Project fosters student agency, advocacy and leadership. Firefly Bay & Basin collaborate with Vincentia High School to select a team of students to participate in workshops to develop their skills in research, co-design, leadership, advocacy and community engagement. The project empowers them to participate in decision making, governance structures and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

The first Youth Voice Project was delivered at Vincentia High School during 2023-24. Through trainings facilitated by Firefly and Western Sydney University in 2023, students developed research skills, enabling them to become peer researchers exploring local youth experiences and interactions with services. The findings from this research were compiled into the Youth Voice Roadmap, a resource available for community organisations and service providers, aiding tailoring initiatives to meet the needs of local youth.

Beyond research, the project fosters leadership by supporting participants in developing and pitching community-focused initiatives. With training from Firefly, students refined their ideas and presented four project ideas to key stakeholders. In 2024, all four projects received NSW Government funding, allowing participants to co-design and implement their ideas alongside Firefly and the community.

This holistic approach to youth participation fosters both personal and professional growth, preparing students to become changemakers in their communities.

This presentation will share insights from the Youth Voice Project, highlighting the power of youth-led research and participatory action and showcasing the four projects that were delivered in 2024. We will also share our vision for 2025. Attendees will gain an understanding of effective youth engagement strategies, the significance of co-designing initiatives with young people, and the broader implications of empowering youth as leaders in their communities.

Natasha Busbridge

Tash is Firefly’s Community Impact Strategy Coordinator, that’s a bit of a mouthful! But what that means is she looks after the everyday running of Firefly in the Bay and Basin community. Her focus is making sure we have youth at the centre of everything we do.

When she’s not looking for awesome partnerships with organisations and community to create great stuff to support local young people, you can find her at the beach or watching Doctor Who. Tash has been working with regional communities for over 5 years and brings stakeholder engagement, strategy planning and communications management to this role. She is Working with Children Checked and has been delivering youth focused initiatives and activations for over 3 years.

She is excited by the possibilities in learning more from the young people of Bay and Basin and working in collaboration with likeminded people.

Christine McInerney-Percy

Christine is our on-the-ground Community Connector here at Firefly. Having lived and worked in Sanctuary Point and the wider Bay and Basin community for over ten years, she brings local knowledge and strong connections to local youth and families to the role. Having a background in Business and Early Childhood Education, Christine is continuously interested in making a positive difference for families and young people in our community, not matter their age!

Not one to shy away from hard work like flipping a snag at a community BBQ, when she’s not talking and listening to people in the community and working with youth at a grassroots level, you can find her getting dumped at Nelsons Beach while she volunteers at Nippers or welcoming people as part of the local Red Cross Evacuation team.

She has a current Working with Children’s Check and an extensive background in developing youth focused programs. Supporting the community where she lives is important to her, she looks forward to further developing her skills in youth engagement and communications.

Humanitas High School, a democratic school where student voice is at the heart of governance, proposes an interactive panel discussion led by a small group of our students. This session will explore how inclusive, student-led governance practices can create safe and supportive school communities while empowering young people to actively shape their educational experience. Our students will share firsthand insights into the decision-making processes at our school, where students hold significant roles in shaping school policies, resolving conflicts, and driving initiatives. Through their stories, they will highlight the transformative power of student agency and how governance grounded in shared responsibility fosters a safe, inclusive, and future-focused learning environment. This session invites participants to engage in dynamic discussions and activities aimed at sharing innovative strategies for integrating student voice into school governance and creating supportive educational ecosystems.

Explicit Instruction 

How does the rise of explicit instruction impact student voice and agency in learning? 

Explicit instruction is often praised for its structured, teacher-led approach that ensures clarity and consistency in learning. However, student voice and agency emphasise autonomy, choice, and active participation. How can these approaches coexist? Are there ways to integrate explicit instruction while still fostering student-led inquiry, decision-making, and engagement? Consider examples where explicit instruction supports or limits student agency, and discuss potential strategies for balancing both. 

These sessions are designed to be participant-led, meaning the conversation will evolve based on the interests, experiences, and ideas of those in the room. Facilitators will let the discussion flow organically and only refer to the prompts if needed to spark new ideas or refocus the conversation. 

Are traditional exams and grades still relevant for today’s students?

Many argue that standardised tests and traditional grading systems do not fully reflect students’ skills and knowledge. What alternative models exist for assessing student learning? Should assessment be more about growth and progress than ranking students? How do we balance accountability with more student-centered approaches?

These sessions are designed to be participant-led, meaning the conversation will evolve based on the interests, experiences, and ideas of those in the room. Facilitators will let the discussion flow organically and only refer to the prompts if needed to spark new ideas or refocus the conversation. 

Student-Led Climate Action 

How can students drive meaningful action on climate change in schools and communities? 

Students are often at the forefront of climate activism, yet schools and institutions can be slow to respond. This session explores how students can lead real change, from advocating for sustainable school policies to engaging with local councils and national decision-makers. What are the biggest barriers to student-led climate action? How can schools better support student initiatives? What strategies have been successful in embedding sustainability into education? 

These sessions are designed to be participant-led, meaning the conversation will evolve based on the interests, experiences, and ideas of those in the room. Facilitators will let the discussion flow organically and only refer to the prompts if needed to spark new ideas or refocus the conversation. 

I.25 Student-Led Climate Action  

I.26 Explicit Instruction 

I.27 The Future of Assessment  

In an era where student voice and agency are critical to fostering equitable educational experiences, our understanding of governance in schools must evolve to incorporate the perspectives of students. Equally important is the oft-overlooked impact of internet accessibility and democratisation of knowledge that could empower students in their learning as challengers to standardised curriculum design. This presentation draws upon my recent research examining the opportunities and restrictions for student choice within the New South Wales (NSW) syllabus documents for English, Science, Mathematics, and History in Years 7-10. By employing a critical policy analysis (CPA) approach, I aim to unpack the systemic factors embedded in curriculum governance that influence both teaching practices and student learning experiences, often disabling student agency.

The analysis reveals that the prescriptive nature and rigid structures within these syllabus documents often limit genuine participatory governance. As teachers navigate these mandates, they face challenges that inhibit their ability to incorporate student agency into their pedagogical choices and approaches. Consequently, students are often left with little room to influence their learning experiences and pathways, undermining their intrinsic motivation and engagement as they transition into their teenage years.

Drawing from existing literature on student motivation and engagement, I will discuss the implications of a narrow curriculum design that favours compliance over choice. The findings illustrate a crucial disconnect between the ideals of student empowerment and the realities shaped by curriculum governance. By foregrounding student choice as a vital component of their educational experience, we can begin to redefine the roles of teachers and students within the classroom—shifting from a top-down directive model to one that encourages collaboration, shared decision-making and student leadership.

During this presentation, I intend to elevate a conversation surrounding the need for governance structures that are conducive to student involvement. This includes examining best practices in participatory models, such as student councils and advisory boards, and identifying potential pathways for rethinking curriculum policies that prioritize student input. I will also invite participants to consider the existing barriers they face in advocating for greater student agency and explore strategies to engage diverse voices in shaping educational policies and practices at both systemic and classroom levels.

This session aims to be interactive/discursive, encouraging attendees to share their experiences and insights regarding student governance and curricular decision-making. By collaborating and brainstorming potential solutions, we can foster a supportive network committed to empowering students in their learning environments. Ultimately, we must recognize that effective governance in education requires meaningful inclusion of student perspectives—transforming them from passive recipients of knowledge into active contributors who shape their educational journeys.

Through this exploration, we will not only highlight systemic challenges but also champion student voice as a pivotal issue in policy discussions around curriculum. This discussion hopes to highlight the barriers of the current curriculum policy climate and discuss opportunities for greater student engagement and motivation through a more democratic classroom and a rebalancing of curriculum for student ownership and leadership in their learning.

The uneven ways in which climate change is taught (or not) within schools, and the uneven opportunities for students to experience action-oriented climate justice education, are curricular injustices. Recent systematic reviews of the Climate Change Education literature note a depoliticising tendency in climate change education, with official curriculum documents rarely engaging with issues of justice. This previous research raises questions of how young people involved in climate advocacy narrate their experiences of learning about climate change and justice in and beyond mainstream schooling. This research paper, co-authored with four Research Associates who are also climate justice advocates, explores young people’s stories of learning (or not) about climate change and climate justice in school and social movement spaces. These accounts were shared during formal research conversations with 61 people and written in 59 survey responses: all participants identified as involved in youth-led climate justice networks across Australia. We draw on the concept of curricular justice to analyse the inequitable distribution of opportunities to experience justice-oriented approaches to climate change for young people in Australian schools. Many of these young people describe turning beyond mainstream schooling to experience critical, collective and creative forms of climate justice education that bring climate change into direct connection with social justice. We argue that listening to young climate justice advocates’ accounts of their schooling experiences offers valuable insights about the current conditions for learning and acting on climate change in schools. These insights can productively inform the development of justice-oriented modes of climate change education.

Dr Eve Mayes

Eve Mayes is a Senior Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Pedagogy and Curriculum. She currently lives and works on unceded Wadawurrung Country. Her publications and research interests are in the areas of student voice and activism, climate justice education, affective methodologies and participatory research. Eve is currently working on the ARC DECRA project: Striking Voices: Australian school-aged climate justice activism (2022-2025). She has ten years of experience as an English and English as an Additional Language Teacher in government secondary schools in Australia.

Imogen O'Shannesy and Thomas Maguire-Nguyen, two young people and students, present an engaging, in-depth presentation/workshop based upon lived experience of students and how they can effectively represent themselves to decisionmakers and policymakers.
Throughout this experience, Imogen will share her experiences of Advocacy and how she has carved herself a place within the diatribe on quesitons around sexuality, young people's place in society, inclusive education, and the limitations placed upon students.
Thomas will discuss youth engagement, importance of civics in the growth of empowered students, as well as other ways that students can organically engage with politics, with case studies of succesful student voice expression.
This will also include a plethora of resources that students and educators can utilize to drive student involvement in decisionmaking, enabling the next generation of leaders to emerge with a strong and empowered voice.

Thomas Maguire-Nguyen

Thomas Maguire-Nguyen is the founder and Director of Per Vocem Vita, a youth-run organisation that offers free public speaking and debating incursions to primary schools. He is also a year 12 student and serves on the ReConnectEd Review panel, as well as being a member and former chair of the Monash Youth Committee and Matt Fregon MPs Ashwood Youth Committee. Thomas works to ensure that young people always have a seat at the table, as well as helping youth to be engaged with society and democratic processes. In his spare time, Thomas enjoys reading books and learning about Australian History. 

Imogen O’Shannessy

Imogen is a 17-year-old passionate Victorian youth and student advocate in various aspects of youth participation and inclusion. Some of her personal focus areas include:

-Improving the youth justice system in Australia
-Increasing LGBTQIA+ acceptance in the community and education sector
-Senior secondary education reforms
-Ending gender-based violence
-Inclusive sex and consent education in schools

Currently, she is a VicSRC Student Executive Advisory Committee Member, and serves as the Ambassadors Liaison for the committee. Imogen was also previously a panelist for the Senior Secondary Pathways Student Advisory Panel with VicSRC, along with being an Ambassador in October 2024. Outside of VicSRC, she was apart of Y Geelong's Victorian Youth Parliament team in 2024, and is returning to the program on the City of Greater Geelong team for 2025. She’s an inaugural Board Member for Young Voices Victoria, and volunteers for Run For It.

Alongside this, Imogen is heavily involved in her local community through the City of Greater Geelong. She was most recently apart of the city’s Rainbow Youth Advisory Group for two years, currently a member of their Youth Hub Reference Group and the FReeZA Committee, and was previously a member of the Geelong Youth Council in 2022.

She regularly attends youth consultations with various organisations where she can, and hopes to continue doing so until she turns 25. Her future aspirations are to study Youth Work and Criminal Justice, and work in the youth work sector.

H.22 Climate justice and curriculum justice: Young people’s accounts of schools’ uneven responses to their climate justice activism 

Eve Mayes 

H.23 Advocacy, Politics, and Student Voice: Guiding students to active citizenry and activism 

Thomas Maguire-Nguyen and Imogen O’Shannesey 

H.24 Empowering Student Voice through Curriculum Governance: A Critical Analysis of NSW Syllabus Documents 

Grant Sciberras 

Redefining Education 

If you could redesign school from scratch, what would it look like? 

If we weren’t constrained by tradition, what radical changes would we make to education? How would we design a system that truly meets the needs of all students? What should schools focus on in the next 10-20 years to remain relevant and impactful? 

These sessions are designed to be participant-led, meaning the conversation will evolve based on the interests, experiences, and ideas of those in the room. Facilitators will let the discussion flow organically and only refer to the prompts if needed to spark new ideas or refocus the conversation. 

How can teachers effectively amplify and support student voice in the classroom and beyond?

Teachers are key in creating environments where students feel heard, valued, and empowered to express their opinions and ideas. What are some effective strategies teachers can use to ensure all students have a voice in their learning? How can teachers balance their role as facilitators with allowing students to lead discussions, shape classroom culture, and influence decisions? What are the challenges teachers face in fostering student voice, and how can they overcome them to build a more inclusive, participatory classroom?

These sessions are designed to be participant-led, meaning the conversation will evolve based on the interests, experiences, and ideas of those in the room. Facilitators will let the discussion flow organically and only refer to the prompts if needed to spark new ideas or refocus the conversation. 

G.19 The Role of Teachers in Amplifying Student Voice 

G.20 Redefining Education 

G.21 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Schools 

How can we ensure student voice is inclusive of all backgrounds and experiences?

Many students experience barriers to education based on race, disability, gender, sexuality, or socio-economic background. What are the biggest equity challenges in schools today? How can schools move beyond just talking about diversity to actively ensuring inclusion? How can student voice be central to making schools more equitable?

These sessions are designed to be participant-led, meaning the conversation will evolve based on the interests, experiences, and ideas of those in the room. Facilitators will let the discussion flow organically and only refer to the prompts if needed to spark new ideas or refocus the conversation. 

F.16 - Withdrawn due to Presenter attendance

F.17 Navigating the Role of AI in Education 

Rhys Heinrich 

F.18 System Commitments to Student Voice, Agency and Participation – Challenging Times: How do we respond? 

Roger Holdsworth 

Please note that this session has been withdrawn due to Presenter attendance.

Traditional student leadership structures often limit opportunities to senior students or specific year levels, titles and roles. In this presentation, I will explore and reflect on how the Student Empowerment Team at Sacred Heart College researched, designed, and implemented a new Student Leadership Structure that selects leaders based on skills, passions, and drive rather than age or title—better reflecting real-world leadership.
This innovative, student-driven model fosters a network model approach to leadership, where students across different year levels mentor, collaborate, and learn from one another, rather than being confined to hierarchical roles.
Throughout this informative and reflective session we will provide key insights from our five-year journey of implementing our skills-based, goal oriented leadership structure. We will share:
- How we designed and implemented the new model- shifting from traditional leadership roles to a flexible, student-driven framework.
- Barriers and challenges faced - and how we navigated resistance, logistical hurdles, and cultural shifts.
- Learnings, benefits, and successes - including the impact on student engagement, leadership development, and school culture.
-The role of student data - illustrating how student voice has informed decision-making, and agency.

With the implementation of our new structure, our student leaders have played a key role in shaping major school transitions and changes over the past 5 years , including implementing a vertical homeroom structure, a new daily timetable, and data-driven student advocacy initiatives.

This session will provide practical strategies for educators and school leaders looking to break away from traditional leadership models and create a more inclusive, skills-based, and student-driven leadership culture and is ideal for those wanting to foster greater collaboration, agency and voice within their school student leadership teams.

As a young person living and studying in South Australia, I have experienced the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) across multiple aspects of my education. The Department for Education has increasingly embraced a mindset that prioritises progress and process over final products—a shift that aligns closely with the evolving role of AI in learning environments.

This presentation proposes a workshop-style session that explores what AI truly is, how it is currently being used in schools by both students and teachers, and the broader implications of these changes. Drawing from emerging examples—such as EdChat in association with Microsoft—participants will critically examine the benefits and challenges of AI in education, and the fundamental digital and ethical skills students need to engage with AI responsibly.

Importantly, the session will also consider concerns held in various states and territories, and offer a constructive dialogue on how negative perceptions of AI can be reframed into opportunities for innovation, empowerment, and equitable access. While EdChat is still in its trial phase and formal representation from the Department is not currently possible, the workshop will create space for informed discussion, reflection, and forward-thinking.

This session is designed to be interactive, reflective, and action-oriented—supporting educators, students, and decision-makers to better understand and shape the future of AI in education.

Rhys Heinrich

Rhys is an enthusiastic student advocate, passionate about driving positive change within his community. With a strong focus on education and the challenges faced by regional and rural students, Rhys serves as a Head Prefect on his school’s leadership council and actively contributes to various youth groups and forums at both state/territory and national levels. Committed to empowering students, Rhys strives to ensure that regional and rural perspectives are heard, valued, and acted upon in decision-making spaces. Beyond advocacy, Rhys has a deep interest in history and conflicts, finding inspiration in understanding past events to shape a better future.

This session is supported by the Commissioner for Children and Young People (SA)

This workshop envisages an open discussion on current national trends in education. In particular, systems have been required to agree to a particular model of ‘evidence-based teaching’ and are passing this requirement on to schools. This means that any commitments to student voice and agency are being removed from models of teaching and learning. How do and can we respond?

Previously, while the National Curriculum had been focussed on the content of the curriculum, it had specifically said that teaching methods were school responsibilities. However, the current requirement on all states and territories who have now signed up for federal funding (to implement Gonski proposals), is that they adopt ‘evidence-based’ teaching practices. A particular form of this explicitly draws on the work of AERO – the Australian Education Research Organisation, and, in particular, their requirements for ‘explicit teaching’: see https://www.edresearch.edu.au/guides-resources/practice-resources/teaching-how-students-learn-model-learning-and-teaching .

There are several areas of concern here, including around the nature of what is regarded as ‘evidence’ and ‘research’, and views about the breadth or narrowness of purposes of education. The AERO view on these has been challenged; see for example, Dean Ashenden’s recent article: https://insidestory.org.au/the-trickle-down-theory-of-schooling/ but their work underpins system requirements of schools.

For example, in Victoria, the DET is updating the VTLM, the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model, and bases this on the work of AERO: https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/practice/improve/Pages/Victorianteachingandlearningmodel.aspx
This means that the Practice Principles for excellence in teaching practice, where student voice and agency took centre stage, will be gone. There’s a brief overview poster of VTLM 2.0 here: https://content.sdp.education.vic.gov.au/media/victorian-teaching-and-learning-model-2-0-2816 and further details are being worked on at the moment.

What does this mean for our approaches to Student Voice, Agency and Participation/Partnerships? What are the implications for areas such as active citizenship, inquiry learning, creativity, engagement, differentiation, diversity in ways of learning, equity, recognition of student and community knowledge, 'consulting pupils about teaching and learning' and so on?

The workshop will enable participants to share experiences and perspectives, and start some planning for possible responses.

Roger Holdsworth

Roger is a semi-failed retiree; ex-secondary teacher; ex-youth sector policy worker; ex-University researcher; ex-consultant; ex-editor, Connect. Currently: presenter of the Global Village on PBS 106.7 FM

Northern Territory Learning Commission

The Northern Territory Learning Commission (NTLC) is an initiative placing students at the center of leading research and providing evidence-informed recommendations alongside their teachers and school leadership teams to improve practice within their own school, across regions and the entire system. 

This session is made possible thanks to the support of Pivot Professional Learning.

Registration will be open from 08.30am. Please check in, grab your badge, and connect!

Day 2 Registration is only required if you didn’t attend Day 1.

The 2025 Annual General Meeting of the Australian Council for Student Voice Ltd. will be held at 5:30pm AEST on Friday, 30 May 2025 as a hybrid meeting.

The formal notice of meeting will be distributed to members in late-April.