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 ⁠[email protected]⁠ or contact host ⁠⁠Dr Sophie Specjal⁠⁠ [email protected]. Sophie would love to hear from you.

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

In this episode of Talking Teaching, our host Sophie Specjal sits down with Dr Jennifer Buckingham Dr Jennifer Buckingham to explore the critical intersection of reading, reasoning, and artificial intelligence in contemporary education.

Drawing on decades of research and policy experience, Dr Buckingham explains why reading is far more than decoding words; it is foundational to comprehension, critical thinking, and lifelong learning. The discussion traces the evolution of reading instruction in Australia, highlighting the importance of systematic phonics and evidence-based practice in improving literacy outcomes.The conversation also turns to the challenges faced in secondary schooling when reading difficulties persist, the impact of screen-based reading on comprehension, and what the rise of AI means for literacy, learning, and thinking. Throughout, Sophie and Jennifer discuss the enduring importance of fostering a love of reading, building strong teacher knowledge, and ensuring all students have the opportunity to become confident, capable readers, now and into the future.

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 ⁠[email protected]⁠ or contact host ⁠⁠Dr Sophie Specjal⁠⁠ [email protected]. Sophie would love to hear from you.

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

What can Indigenous knowledge teach us about raising and educating children? Anishinaabe visiting scholar Professor Jan Hare, from the M’Chigeeng First Nation and Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia, joins host Dr Sophie Specjal to explore how Indigenous principles can guide the way we care for and teach children. Professor Hare shares stories such as The Three Sisters, highlights the role of ceremony and learning with the land, and invites educators to see young children as ‘gifts.’ She also reflects on how these perspectives could help shape policy reforms in Australia.

https://education.unimelb.edu.au/talking-teaching

How do we measure what truly matters in education? Laureate Professor Emeritus John Hattie joins host Dr Sophie Specjal to reflect on five decades of research, leadership and global influence. From his pioneering work on Visible Learning to mentoring over 200 PhD students, Hattie explores the mentors, milestones and moments that defined his career, celebrates teacher expertise, and considers how schools can nurture curiosity and belonging. He also looks ahead to how AI may transform classrooms and learning.

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 [email protected] or contact host ⁠Dr Sophie Specjal⁠ [email protected]. Sophie would love to hear from you.

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

To mark 50 years of NAIDOC Week, Talking Teaching celebrates this year’s theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy, by spotlighting the work of Dr John Doolah, a proud Torres Strait Islander and Indigenous education lecturer at the University of Melbourne.

In conversation with host Dr Sophie Specjal, John reflects on his heritage, his research, and the enduring strength of Indigenous knowledge systems. He shares how Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing can be meaningfully embedded in classrooms through respectful collaboration and cultural understanding, not as an add-on, but as central to learning. This episode invites educators to reflect, learn, and take part in shaping a future that honours both the legacy of Elders and the vision of emerging Indigenous leaders.

Dr John Doolah is a proud Torres Strait Islander of Erubam le (Erub person) and Meriam le (Mer person) heritage. John belongs to the sager people of Mer and his Mer nosik (clan) division, is Samsep-Meriam. He is a lecturer in Indigenous Education at the University of Melbourne and a Ngarrngga post-doctoral fellow.

Click the episode link for more information and key resources.

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 [email protected].

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

How does language shape how we feel, relate, and learn? In this episode, host Dr. Sophie Specjal is joined by Professor Lindsay Oades, Dr Jacqui Francis and Lisa Baker to explore the emerging concept of Wellbeing Literacy; the capability to intentionally use language to foster wellbeing, including educational settings.

Together, they unpack how language can be used not just to communicate, but to regulate emotions, build community, and support learning across all stages. From arts-based programs in the Goulburn Valley to play-based learning in early years, this conversation highlights the real-world potential of integrating Wellbeing Literacy into everyday educational practice.

Professor Lindsay Oades is the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Education, Dr Jacqui Francis is a Lecturer at the Centre for Wellbeing Science and Lisa Baker is a Project Officer at the REEaCh Centre.

Click the episode link for more information and key resources.

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 [email protected].

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

What if learning isn’t just about what we know, but about who we become? Professor Guy Claxton joins Talking Teaching to unpack his fascinating journey through psychology and education, and discusses learning as a capacity, calling for a balance between explanation and exploration in teaching.

In this episode, Professor Claxton together with our host, Dr Sophie Specjal, unpacks his critique of oversimplified teaching models and the central ideas behind his new book, Bodies of Learning. Professor Claxton reflects on the importance of integrating explicit instruction with inquiry, and highlights the role of embodiment, including movement and gesture, in deepening student understanding.

Guy Claxton is an Emeritus Professor of the Learning Sciences at Winchester’s Centre for Real-World Learning and an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Bristol.

Click the episode link for more information and key resources.

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 [email protected].

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

As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into schools, what does it mean for the way we plan lessons, support students, and teach mathematics?

Dr Sophie Specjal explores the evolving role of AI in education with Dr Scott Cameron, Dr Carmel Mesiti, and Mr Luke Clift. They discuss the use of tools like ChatGPT in lesson planning, the impact on teacher workload, and how AI might support, or hinder, student engagement. Drawing on research and classroom practice, the guests unpack the variability of AI-generated content, the need for critical reflection, and the ethical considerations of AI in schools.

Dr Scott Cameron is a Lecturer in Mathematics Education at the Faculty of Education with an interest in using technology and AI to support teaching and learning.

Dr Carmel Mesiti is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Education and expert in mathematics pedagogies for both primary and secondary education.

Mr Luke Clift is a practicing teacher at Kardinia International College, trialling AI in lesson planning and its use and impact in the classroom.

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 [email protected].

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