Have your say on Australian Curriculum Languages

Have your say on Australian Curriculum Languages

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) is leading a review of the P–10 Australian Curriculum Languages to ensure the needs of students are met now and in the future. Phase 4 of the review is now available for public consultation and...
Initial Teacher Education report misses the mark

Initial Teacher Education report misses the mark

Recommendations from the Teacher Education Expert Panel (TEEP) final report miss the mark when it comes to addressing the fundamental problems with Initial Teacher Education (ITE). The report’s 14 recommendations have been agreed to in-principle by Australia’s...
NSRA review an opportunity for profession

NSRA review an opportunity for profession

The renewal of the National School Reform Agreement (NSRA) must consider the resourcing needs of teachers and address the excessive workload and work intensification present in schools, as Paul Giles, Assistant Secretary/Treasurer writes. The NSRA is a joint agreement...
Traffic lights signal ‘Stop-Go’ on AI

Traffic lights signal ‘Stop-Go’ on AI

Our union and the Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU) have jointly published materials to advise and assist members in using artificial intelligence (AI) in schools. IEU-QNT Research Officer Dr Adele Schmidt said the AI Decision-Making Framework and Discussion Points...
Traffic lights signal ‘Stop-Go’ on AI

Traffic lights signal ‘Stop-Go’ on AI

Our union and the Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU) have jointly developed an innovative traffic light rating system and set of resources to guide teachers’ use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. While AI in schools is a recent development, both unions were...
Formulaic test should be scrapped in face of AI

Formulaic test should be scrapped in face of AI

Education experts are calling for a radical change to the NAPLAN writing test to encourage students to “incorporate, critique, and exceed Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated writing”. It is a question of whether students are being appropriately prepared to develop...
Making AI work for the profession

Making AI work for the profession

The voice of the profession is central as we navigate the challenges and opportunities of the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our schools. IEU-QNT Branch Secretary Terry Burke said education unions had a critical part to play as school communities and the...
NAPLAN changes not enough to stop rankings

NAPLAN changes not enough to stop rankings

A new, simplified reporting band structure for NAPLAN test results will be implemented this year but more will be needed to stop the misuse of data in school rankings. NAPLAN will also be conducted entirely online this year and in March instead of May. The new...
Workload issues bigger than lesson banks

Workload issues bigger than lesson banks

Recently, lesson banks have been trending in the media as a solution to teachers’ excessive workloads, stress and burnout and while helpful for many, IEU members know they aren’t the solution the ongoing workload crisis plaguing our profession. Some jurisdictions,...
Respect program resources launched

Respect program resources launched

The Queensland government has released an updated and upgraded suite of resources for the delivery of respectful relationships education in Queensland schools, which includes a public online hub for students and families. New and strengthened information on concepts...
Do you teach a Queensland Applied syllabus?

Do you teach a Queensland Applied syllabus?

If you teach an Applied Syllabus in Queensland, now is the time to have your say in the Senior Syllabus Review. The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority has released second drafts of the Applied Syllabuses and is looking for feedback from teachers, students...
Members’ voices reach Canberra

Members’ voices reach Canberra

IEU members’ voices have been heard loud and clear in Canberra following a delegation of members to Parliament House last week. The two days of action, organised by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), saw a delegation of 90 union members meet with 92 MPs...
An agenda for the future of teaching

An agenda for the future of teaching

A new government brings new opportunities for real change in the teaching profession and ensuring the voices of teachers are at the heart of those changes, writes IEU-QNT Branch Secretary Terry Burke. As the voice of members, our union looks forward to having the...
New Australian Curriculum announced

New Australian Curriculum announced

IEU members should be aware of a number of key changes in the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)’s recently released new Australian Curriculum. Although the new curriculum is in no way radical or transformational, it has been designed to...
Employers fuel confusion on $1,800 pay rise

Employers fuel confusion on $1,800 pay rise

Employers are creating confusion around the implementation of the new Experienced Proficient Teacher (EPT) classification. The new classification step, to be implemented in Queensland Catholic schools from 1 July, will provide a pay rise of more than $1,800 for...
Giving voice to our profession

Giving voice to our profession

Teacher professional boards are significant governing bodies for our profession – ones which IEU members fought to establish and then to be part of the representative body. We asked our union’s representative on the Queensland Council of Teachers (QCT) Aleisha...
Formulaic test should be scrapped in face of AI

NAPLAN 2023 changes explained

With NAPLAN testing being held this week across the country, it is a good time to review the upcoming changes set to be implemented following the 2020 NAPLAN Review and the longstanding advocacy of our union to all levels of government. What are the changes from 2023?...
Protecting school communities from online abuse

Protecting school communities from online abuse

Our union has advocated for a focus on protecting school communities from online abuse as part of our joint submission with the Queensland Teachers’ Union to the Department of Education’s Review of the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006. We have also called for...
National induction guidelines for new teachers and leaders

Practicum payment negotiations continue

Union advocacy has secured a payment increase for practicum supervision and continued negotiations for stronger protections of working conditions. Our union, along with the Queensland Teachers Union (QTU) is continuing negotiations with the Australian Higher Education...