Talking Teaching

In this timely episode, host Dr Sophie Specjal is joined by Professor Frank Oberklaid AM and Associate Professor Matt Harrison to examine one of the most significant changes to Australia’s approach to supporting young children and their families.
The staged national rollout of the Australian Government’s Thriving Kids initiative is due to begin on 1 October 2026, with the program expected to reach full scale by January 2028. Professor Oberklaid brings exceptional insight to this conversation as Co-Chair of the Thriving Kids Advisory Group, which produced the national report and recommendations informing the initiative. This work seeks to establish a more consistent national approach to identifying developmental and behavioural concerns in children from birth to eight years of age and to create earlier, more accessible pathways to support.
Frank’s contribution to Thriving Kids reflects decades of leadership at the intersection of clinical practice, research, education and public policy. He was the Foundation Director of the Centre for Community Child Health at The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne for more than 25 years and is now Co-Group Leader of Child Health Policy, Equity and Translation at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.
The Centre itself sits at a powerful intersection: it is both a department of The Royal Children’s Hospital and a research group within the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. This connection enables knowledge drawn from children, families and clinical practice to inform research, while research evidence is translated into policy, services and practical supports. Frank’s career has been central to building this bridge, from understanding children’s developmental and behavioural needs to shaping systems that emphasise prevention, early intervention, equity and support within the everyday settings where children live and learn.
Frank also leads the Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative, further demonstrating how his work connects child health research with the practical realities of schools and educators. His involvement gives this discussion particular significance: he brings not only an intimate understanding of the Thriving Kids policy, but decades of experience translating evidence into large-scale change for children and families.
Associate Professor Matt Harrison joins Sophie to explore how this policy relates to neurodiversity and to his own work in this field.
Together, they consider the important questions the initiative raises, its potential implications for children, families, educators and schools, and the possibilities it creates for more inclusive and responsive systems of support.
Frank, Matt and Sophie examine the shift from reactive, diagnosis-led intervention towards prevention, early identification and accessible foundational supports. They discuss neurodiversity, identity and belonging; the risks of defining children primarily through diagnoses or perceived deficits; and the importance of recognising each child’s individual strengths, needs and developmental context.
Grounded in research, policy expertise and practical insight, this episode does not seek to provide simple answers. Instead, it opens an important conversation about the questions, implications and possibilities surrounding Thriving Kids, and what will be required to translate the policy’s ambition into meaningful support for children and families.

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Contact Host Dr Sophie Specjal and access brilliant resources related to this episode and resources from all other episodes, which are all available for you to listen to on all podcast platforms, on the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Education https://education.unimelb.edu.au/talking-teaching

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Keep Teaching and Keep Talking!

Education carries a promise: that every student has the opportunity to learn, progress, belong and thrive. But what does it take to deliver on that promise, from the decisions made in a classroom to those shaping education across Australia?
In this episode of Talking Teaching, University of Melbourne host Dr Sophie Specjal PhD speaks with Stephen Gniel, CEO of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), about a remarkable career and lifelong commitment to education spanning more than three decades, from classroom teacher and school principal to system, state and national leadership.
At the heart of the conversation is a fundamental question: what is education for, and what do we truly want for every student in Australia?
Stephen reflects on the people, experiences and opportunities that have shaped his thinking and leadership, and why, despite the changing scale of his responsibility, he remains deeply connected to his identity as a teacher and to the promise educators make to the children and young people they serve.
The conversation explores the powerful intersection of research, policy and practice, and what it means to translate evidence and educational purpose into curriculum, assessment, reporting and decisions that ultimately affect students, teachers, schools and communities.
It also considers the importance of remaining connected to classrooms as leadership moves further into systems and policy. Behind every curriculum decision, assessment program, policy and data point is a student and the educators working alongside them.
Stephen extends that commitment across the entire education profession by reflecting on the vital role of higher education and initial teacher education in preparing the next generation of teachers, and the importance of strong connections between universities, research, schools, systems and the profession. Preparing teachers well and supporting them to continue learning throughout their careers is fundamental to delivering on our promise to students.
Stephen’s journey highlights the many pathways available within education and the extraordinary reach an educator can have across a lifetime. From initial teacher education and classroom practice to school, system and national leadership, the scale of influence may change, but the purpose can remain constant: creating the conditions in which every child can flourish.
Above all, this episode is both a celebration of Stephen Gniel’s extraordinary lifelong contribution to Australian education and a celebration of the profession itself. From teacher to principal, educational leader means
It is a story of possibility, purpose, service and impact and of a promise to children that has remained constant throughout a lifetime in education.
The episode invites educators, researchers, teacher educators, school and system leaders, policymakers, parents and communities to consider not only what education is today, but what it could be and what each of us must continue to learn, question and improve if we are to fulfil the promise we make to every student.

ACARA website — www.acara.edu.au
Australian Curriculum — www.australiancurriculum.edu.au
National Assessment Program, including NAPLAN — www.nap.edu.au
My School — https://myschool.edu.au
ACARA Data Reporting — www.acara.edu.au/reporting
ACARA Update — https://acaracommunications.acara.edu.au/subscribe
Stephen Gniel on LinkedIn — www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-gniel
ACARA on LinkedIn — http://www.linkedin.com/company/668120

Talking Teaching is a podcast brought to you by the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne, bringing together leading educators, researchers, policymakers and practitioners to explore the ideas, evidence and experiences shaping education today and into the future. Discover more from the Faculty of Education and explore previous episodes of Talking Teaching through the University of Melbourne.
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In this episode of Talking Teaching, host Dr Sophie Specjal is joined by Professor Therese N. Hopfenbeck, Director of the Assessment and Evaluation Research Centre at the University of Melbourne and Chair of the PISA 2029 Questionnaire Framework Group.
Across a rich and wide-ranging conversation, Sophie and Therese explore what assessment is really for, what student voice can tell us that traditional measures cannot, and how artificial intelligence is challenging educators to rethink what it means to know, learn and demonstrate understanding.
Drawing on Therese’s extraordinary international career across Norway, England, the United States and Australia, the conversation moves from classrooms and formative assessment to large-scale studies, PISA, perception data, feedback, educational equity and the future of AI in learning.
Therese reflects on why understanding the specific learner matters; why students’ experiences of belonging, motivation, teaching and assessment must be heard; and why data should be used not simply to rank or compare, but to identify where learners may be vulnerable and where systems can improve.
The conversation also asks some urgent questions for education:
What does good assessment look like when AI is part of the learning environment?
How do we know whether students are genuinely learning?
What should count as evidence of understanding?
How can AI support learning without replacing human expertise?
Why do student perceptions, belonging and motivation matter?
What can large-scale studies such as PISA tell us — and what can’t they tell us?
Why is context so important when borrowing educational ideas across countries?
How must assessment tasks change when students can work with generative AI?
And why might teachers and human relationships become more important than ever?
This is a conversation about curiosity, evidence, humility, and possibility, and about asking better questions as we shape the future of learning.
Therese and Sophie discuss assessment for learning and formative assessment; student voice and perception data; PISA and international large-scale studies; AI literacy and PISA 2029; teachers’ use of AI in classrooms; human expertise in evaluating AI outputs; feedback and classroom dialogue; changing assessment tasks in the age of generative AI; global comparisons and policy borrowing; educational equity and vulnerable learner groups; belonging and motivation; longitudinal data; research–practice partnerships; the importance of student voice and perception data and the enduring importance of teachers.
Professor Therese N. Hopfenbeck is Director of the Assessment and Evaluation Research Centre (AERC) in the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. Her work has shaped international thinking across assessment, feedback, student learning, educational evaluation and large-scale studies. She has worked across Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia and is currently Chair of the PISA 2029 Questionnaire Framework Group, contributing to global thinking about student experiences, learning, wellbeing and future readiness.
AI in the classroom: friend or foe? – Talking Teaching
Rethinking Assessment Evidence in the Age of AI
https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/1039679-sophie-specjal⁠
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-specjal-phd-36712091/
https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/1014324-therese-n.-hopfenbeck
https://www.linkedin.com/in/therese-n-hopfenbeck-7627a8b/
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=SyO61r0AAAAJ&hl=en

Episode 1, Season 10 of Talking Teaching begins with a powerful conversation about one of education's most important challenges: creating schools where every student feels safe, connected, valued, and ready to learn.
Host of Talking Teaching, Sophie Specjal PhD is joined by Tom Brunzell, PhD (University of Melbourne) and Bryan Field (Principal, Monterey Secondary College) to explore how schools can move beyond reactive approaches to behaviour and towards relationship-centred practices that strengthen belonging, engagement, wellbeing, and achievement through Trauma-Informed Strengths-Based Education.
Drawing on decades of research, leadership experience, and whole-school transformation, Tom and Bryan unpack what trauma-informed education really means, why belonging matters so deeply for learning, and how educators can create environments where both students and staff flourish.
This episode highlights how schools can create the conditions for students to feel seen, supported, challenged, and capable, while building cultures that can transform school engagement.
Whether you're a teacher, school leader, system leader, researcher, parent, or policymaker, this conversation offers practical insights and hopeful possibilities for the future of education.
Access more resources and show notes and show notes on the Faculty Wepage: https://education.unimelb.edu.au/talking-teaching
Our Guests:
Associate Professor Tom Brunzell, PhD
Associate Professor Tom Brunzell is an educator, researcher, and educational leader in the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. His work focuses on trauma-informed education, wellbeing sciences, educational leadership, equity, belonging, engagement, and strengths-based approaches to teaching and learning.
Tom has worked extensively with schools, education systems, and community organisations across Australia and internationally to support evidence-informed approaches that improve student wellbeing, engagement, belonging, and learning outcomes. He created the Berry Street Education Model and has contributed significantly to the development of trauma-informed educational practices in schools across Australia and internationally.
His current research explores trauma-informed educational leadership, culturally responsive education, inclusion and disability-informed practice, educational equity, teacher wellbeing, and school transformation.
Bryan Field
Bryan Field is the Principal of Monterey Secondary College and a recognised educational leader in trauma-informed school improvement, educational equity, and school culture transformation and a Faculty of Education Alumni. 
With more than fifteen years of experience across youth work, social care, intervention services, and education, Bryan has led significant whole-school improvement initiatives focused on belonging, relational safety, engagement, attendance, wellbeing, and achievement.
Through the Frankston North Education Plan and the implementation of trauma-informed educational practices, Monterey Secondary College and its feeder primary schools have become recognised as a leading example of how research-informed approaches can be translated into sustainable school improvement and positive outcomes for students, staff, and communities.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
University of Melbourne Faculty of Education
https://education.unimelb.edu.au
Berry Street Education Model
https://www.berrystreet.org.au/learning-and-resources/berry-street-education-model
Frankston North Education Plan
https://www.vic.gov.au/frankston-north-education-plan
Master of Instructional Leadership
https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/courses/graduate/master-of-instructional-leadership/

Special thanks to the Faculty of Education and Professor Marek Tesar for their support of thought leadership and for shaping these essential discussions and leadership of impactful work at University of Melbourne . Thank you to the UoM Law Faculty for our new studio & Greta Robenstone & John McCarthy.

In this episode of Talking Teaching, host Dr Sophie Specjal explores the story of Hester Hornbrook Academy, a fee-free, Independent Special Assistance School (SAS School) in Victoria supporting young people aged 15–25 who have experienced significant barriers to education, including trauma, mental health challenges, family violence, housing instability, or prolonged disengagement from schooling. 
The episode examines how learning and wellbeing are intentionally designed together to re-engage students and achieve successful outcomes and a sense of belonging. 
Joining host Sophie Specjal are Sally Lasslett, Executive Principal, and Elida Brereton, board member and long-serving former principal.
Together, they unpack what makes SAS schools like Hester Hornbrook distinctive: a healing-oriented approach to education, flexible learning environments shaped by student voice, and a multidisciplinary model that brings wellbeing and learning together without lowering expectations.
The conversation explores the realities of re-engaging students who may not yet feel safe in “traditional” schooling, the importance of staff support and supervision in high-complexity settings, and why personalised learning plans and applied learning projects can provide a powerful bridge back to achievement.
They also reflect on the sustained national growth of Special Assistance Schools in the diverse Independent School sector over the past decade, discussing why these models have expanded rapidly in response to increasing student complexity and disengagement, and what this means for the future of schooling in Australia.

 
More information and useful links are available via this ⁠⁠⁠⁠link⁠⁠⁠⁠.
 
Talking Teaching is available on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, or wherever you get your podcasts.
 
We’d love to hear your feedback on the series, send your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to ⁠foe-news@unimelb.edu.au⁠ or contact host ⁠⁠Dr Sophie Specjal⁠⁠ sspecjal@unimelb.edu.au. Sophie would love to hear from you.

This podcast is produced by the ⁠Faculty of Education⁠, University of Melbourne.