QUT Education

QUT Centre for Justice was the presenting partner for the Australian Council for Student Voice’s 2026 Student Voice Conference (SVC), welcoming students, teachers, school leaders and researchers to our Kelvin Grove campus.

Exploring ‘Power, Partnership, and Possibility’, the conference sparked important conversations about how student voice shapes educational decision-making and how genuine partnership can transform educational practice.

QUT School of Education researchers Professor Jenna Gillett-Swan, who delivered the keynote, and Associate Professor Naomi Barnes, who led a workshop showcasing innovative pedagogies that will underpin QUT’s new Bachelor of Arts (commencing 2027), contributed to the event. Their leadership and expertise enriched the program, strengthened CIESJ’s contribution to public discourse, and reinforced our commitment to social justice in education.

We welcomed the opportunity to host SVC 2026 and to support such meaningful engagement across the education community.

Delivering targeted professional learning to build teacher capability, helping support students living with a disability and diverse learning needs, is central to strengthening outcomes across Queensland classrooms. The Queensland Government's recent ‘Ministerial Media Statement’ outlines a new plan to expand access to high quality, practice focused professional development for teachers. Read the statement here -https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/105199

At CIESJ, we’re focused on expanding our Continuing Professional Education (CPE) and postgraduate offerings so educators can move seamlessly into advanced study and grow their careers at every stage. Our programs are informed by industry and community needs, ensuring teachers can access learning that stays relevant to their profession.

Partnering with the Queensland Department of Education, QUT is proud to deliver the 'Microcredential in Inclusive Education Essentials', supporting teachers to build confidence and capability in inclusive practice.

Professor Terri Bourke, Dean and Head of QUT’s School of Education, reflects this commitment:
“We are proud to support Continuous Professional Education by developing short courses for the growth of teachers and educators.”

Charlotte Johnson, Senior Manager, Continuing Professional Education, highlights the accessibility of our programs:
“Our offerings are flexible, self paced, with theoretical knowledge immediately translatable and applicable to classrooms”.

With July intakes now open, QUT continues to support teachers to grow their expertise and ensure every student has the opportunity to thrive, explore our offerings here:
Inclusive Education Essentials - https://tinyurl.com/448s8kw2
Trauma-Aware Education: The Evidence ad How to Respond - https://tinyurl.com/mr3y9sr6

The Jack & Merleen Sheedy Education Scholarship supports two mature aged students each year, one undergraduate and one postgraduate, throughout their Early Childhood education degree. Grounded in a belief in the value of lifelong learning, the scholarship creates pathways for those who may not otherwise be able to return to study, with a focus on individuals who have contributed through community or military service.

Over the past 5 years, the scholarship has enabled 10 graduates to pursue or enhance their career in the early childhood sector.

We’re proud to acknowledge one of this year’s recipient Davy Clarke and celebrate the achievements of 2024 recipient Danielle Carter who received a QUT STAR Award for attaining the highest achieving student in the Master of Teaching (Early Childhood).

A heartfelt thank you to the Jack & Merleen Sheedy Foundation for their generosity, empowering our students to reach their full potential and the enriching the future of Early Childhood education.

Images: Davy with QUT Early Childhood Lecturer, Sally Savage and Danielle Carter at the 2025 QUT STAR Awards.

Under Eights Week 2026 – Celebrating 70 Years in Queensland!

Observation is a key practice that informs responsive and intentional teaching. By carefully noticing, listening and reflecting, educators plan learning that builds on children’s strengths, interests and emerging skills.

This approach values children as active participants in their learning and supports deep engagement, wellbeing and inclusive practice — reflecting enduring principles of high quality early learning.



Image: QUT Digital Collections

Under Eights Week 2026 – Celebrating 70 Years in Queensland!

Music, dance and storytelling offer rich opportunities for expression, communication and connection. Through singing, movement and shared stories, children build language, coordination, emotional wellbeing and a sense of belonging, experiences that continue to support learning across generations.



Images: QUT Digital Collections

Under Eights Week 2026 – Celebrating 70 Years in Queensland!

Early science learning encourages children’s natural curiosity, supporting them to investigate, question and make meaning of the world around them.

Through exploration, experimentation and shared thinking with educators, children develop critical and creative thinking, resilience and a love of learning. While our approaches continue to evolve, fostering wonder and inquiry remains central to quality early childhood practice.



Image: QUT Digital Collections

Under Eights Week 2026 – Celebrating 70 Years in Queensland!

Learning Through Collaboration

Collaboration in active learning environments involves children working together cooperatively towards shared goals. Through hands‑on experiences, children learn to communicate ideas, listen to others and contribute meaningfully as part of a group.

Collaboration is strengthened through information sharing, joint planning and the development of common understandings and objectives. Supported by intentional teaching and respectful relationships, these experiences help children build confidence, problem‑solving skills and a sense of belonging, while learning that shared effort and cooperation are key to successful learning and participation across life.



Images: QUT Digital Collections

Under Eights Week 2026 – Celebrating 70 Years in Queensland!

As we celebrate 70 years of Under Eights Week in Queensland, we acknowledge Early Childhood Australia (ECA) and the generations of educators whose advocacy, leadership and commitment have elevated the importance of the early years. While practices evolve, the essence of early learning remains unchanged, supporting children to develop identity, confidence and life skills, guided by early childhood teachers.

Throughout this week we will be sharing archive images from QUT’s Digital Collection, that reflect learning experiences from the past which continue to speak to the values of early childhood education today.

Today’s image highlights QUT’s strong history of preparing real world ready graduates, showing pre service teachers taking part in hands on woodworking lessons, a practical skill taught at the time to support the repair of classroom equipment and toys.



Image: QUT Digital Collections

QUT’s Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice is proud to continue sponsoring the Premier’s Reading Challenge, championing early literacy as a pathway to inclusion, opportunity and brighter futures for young Queenslanders.

Supporting initiatives that strengthen young people’s learning and wellbeing is central to our mission to drive equitable, ethical, and sustainable change.