In reflecting on our theme of a future beyond boundaries, we know this is not an either/or proposition constrained by polarities. As we acknowledge and celebrate our 2024 peer nominated ACEL National Awardees and New Voice Scholars, we see in our incredible colleagues where boundaries are not barriers to influence and impact; they are safe places to support, flourish, and grow. We can see in our branch activities where opportunities are underscored by a manifesto to inspire and engage teachers and leaders taking pride in being members of our profession; where relationships extend well beyond the confines of the school grounds; where separation between work life and social life is different according to context and place; and where in regional, rural and remote settings educators become integral members of the local community, living, socialising, and raising their own families. These settings are diverse, inclusive, different and not constrained by boundaries, but are responsive to diversity of context and place.
Most poignantly, during the opening of our recent National Inclusion and Disability Conference held in Darwin, students challenged our notion of boundaries and the way in which they can engage in education from their many perspectives. With a focus on investment, trust, belonging, identity, respect, and culture they wanted to see their own learner agency reflected in contributions they could make to the big issues in education from inclusion to the teacher shortage. Disability Royal Commissioner, Dr Alastair McEwin reminded us that education, being foundational to all other human rights, was front and centre in the Commission’s discussions. He challenged us with the voices of people who contributed to the Commission with his message: “Our worth as an individual is primary, not our disability.” Associate Professor Scott Avery provided insights into current developments in the implementation of the Commission’s recommendations, noting the invisible boundaries that exist for people with disability. He stressed the importance of learning about culture, to enable not disable, where the Indigenous perspective is that “everyone has a place and a purpose on this earth.” I’m delighted to share Charlotte Forwood’s mind map (see Figure 1) capturing key conference themes and messages. This is just another example of the talent that resides within our membership and branch executives.
And thinking more proactively beyond boundaries during his deep dive session, Scott created a mob meeting, experimenting with a process where everyone came with the spirit of sharing their experiences, where the individual examples and scenarios left us thirsty for more opportunities to talk through, question, understand and influence. As the National Inclusion and Disability Conference is a biennial event with our next conference being held in Sydney in 2026, in 2025 we will look to building on Scott’s framing and deep dive session focusing on system, leadership and practice. Stay tuned!
We are looking beyond the boundaries in the ways that we reimagine, recalibrate or reset the way ACEL can contribute to professional learning, growth, and advocacy. It is timely that we seek to address ways in which to do so as we prepare to update the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan, reflecting deeply on our own “why,” and the messaging that represents this with a greater emphasis on our value proposition of connectedness focusing on key priority areas of diversity, inclusion and contribution to the profession. The emerging ACELearn platform creates strategic possibilities for ACEL to develop high quality professional learning opportunities locally and nationally with a consistency of support to jurisdictions, sectors, networks, and schools. It also expands our reach, through for example, ACELearn Co-labs, involving educators across and between schools working together enhancing collegiality, teacher agency, and data informed practices. Other updates will be made to our suite of offerings including an early years’ leadership program focused on the crucial role of early childhood pedagogical leadership and how this might effectively be enacted in school settings. ACEL has been engaged in supporting leaders in early years for some years; and in more recent times we have been seeking ways to address an underserved area in leadership development particularly in schools.
What's in the issue?
Our two lead papers set the scene well beginning with Deborah Netolicky and Patrick Duignan who underscore some seminal insights from ACEL’s past that might inform and prepare leaders for an unknown and challenging future. Claire Wyatt-Smith and Megan Kimber focus on AI, its potential as well as its ethical, equity, and accountability risks. Malcolm Elliott, past President of the Australian Primary Principals Association, provides a reflective and interesting interview of his time as President.
Four of the articles in the issue re-imagine student learning, each taking a different perspective on what needs to be achieved if schools are to be vibrant places in the future. Phil Cummins argues for a “radical balance” grounded in an approach that is human-centred, technologically enriched, people, place, and planet conscious, and intentionally purposeful, while Paul Browning underscores the centrality of creativity where schools are able to tap into every student’s potential. Kelly Hollis points to “STEM” as a vehicle to engage student learning across disciplines. A success story by Shyam Barr and his colleagues refers to the importance of self-regulated learning (SRL) for students and includes the authors’ reflections regarding how they implemented SRL in their respective schools.
Three of the articles are concerned with staff learning. Janelle Wills and Lyn Sharratt identify wrap-around support, professional learning, and opportunities for collaboration amongst teachers, as a promising way of curbing the teacher shortage. Steven Trotter introduces a newly developed model, the “SKIM” model, designed to help leaders foster significant and intentional engagement from staff. Alison Bedford and her Toowoomba colleagues discuss one school’s success in moving “beyond behavioural-compliance PD” to include the adoption of professional learning teams and partnership with a local university to support staff to gain higher degree research qualifications. Another interesting and provocative article is by Jason van Tol who critiques current thinking regarding the role of education to prepare young people for employment in the light of insights from modern monetary theory. Finally, the leadership challenge written by Sally Towns will be of particular interest to runners as she likens leadership to running a marathon.
And finally, if you are able, we look forward to seeing you at our national conference in Adelaide. The theme is: Reimagining Education: A Future Beyond Boundaries. This collective intelligence experience will allow us to explore and advance our thinking on navigating the complexities of our world and the transformation of the educator’s role in shaping the future.
Figure 1: Mind Map of ACEL's National Inclusion and Disability Conference
Developed by Charlotte Forwood. Reprinted with permission.