2025 PL-Connect Program

 

PL-Connect is a program of professional learning developed by the School of Education for our education community.
Explore our 2025 program of events below by selecting the series that you are interested in - additional information on these sessions will be provided in the following pages.

You may select multiple topics of interest

 

Topic
AI Unlocked: Smarter Assessment, Stronger Practice

Session Who should attend? Date and time (AEST)

Designing Quality Assessment with AI

Primary and secondary teachers

22/07/25   4.00-5.00 pm

Smarter Feedback and Reporting with AI

Primary and secondary teachers

05/08/25   4.00-5.00 pm

Leading with AI – Confident, Quality Assessment Design

Principals, Deputy Principals, and Heads of Curriculum

19/08/25   4.00-5.00 pm

Teaching Ethical AI use in the Classroom

Middle – Upper Primary and Secondary Teachers

02/09/25   4.00-5.00 pm

Topic:
Collaborative Approaches to School Attendance Difficulties

Session Who should attend? Date and time (AEST)

Leading the Way: Strategic Solutions for Attendance Challenges

Principals, Deputies, Head of Wellbeing, Head of Student Support

02/09/25    1.00-2.30 pm

Supporting Every Step: Well-being Strategies for School Attendance Challenges

Guidance officers/Counsellors, School psychologists, School social workers

11/09/25    1.30-3.00 pm

In the Classroom: Supporting Attendance Through Safety and Connection

Classroom teachers (early childhood, primary, secondary), teacher aides

02/09/25    3.30-4.30 pm

 

Topic:
Mentoring Matters!

Session Who should attend? Date and time (AEST)

Building readiness for powerful learning relationships

Mentors and early career teachers

27/08/25    3.30-4.30 pm

Developing and sustaining impactful mentoring programs

School leaders, Middle leaders

10/09/25    3:30-4:30 pm

Topic:
Culture, Community and Curriculum: First Nations Education

Session Who should attend? Date and time (AEST)

Culture: First Nations Cultural Safety in Education

Primary/Secondary teachers, early childhood teachers, school leaders, teacher aides, preservice teachers

23/07/25    3.30-4.30 pm

Community: Working alongside First Nations communities in Education

Primary/Secondary teachers, early childhood teachers, school leaders, teacher aides, preservice teachers

29/07/25    3.30-4.30 pm

Curriculum: First Nations pedagogies and resources

Primary/Secondary teachers, early childhood teachers, school leaders, teacher aides, preservice teachers

10/11/25    3.30-4.30 pm

Topic:
Promoting young children's language and literacy development

Session Who should attend? Date and time (AEST)
Multimodal language enrichment Early childhood educators (not primary / secondary)

06/08/25    3.45-4.30 pm

Inclusive stories for equitable futures Early childhood educators (not primary / secondary), school librarians

15/10/25    3.45-4.30 pm

Topic:
Inspiring questioning: Opening doors and curiosity and collaboration through philosophy and picturebooks

Session Who should attend? Date and time (AEST)

Making the most of children's questions: How to conduct critical, creative, caring and collaborative inquiry with children

Primary school teachers, kindergarten teachers, teacher-librarians

31/07/25    3.30-4.30

Bridging creativity and critical thinking through philosophical inquiry and children's picturebooks

Primary school teachers, kindergarten teachers, teacher-librarians

14/08/25    3.30-4.30 pm

Exploring a mindset of curiosity and discovery through philosophy and children's picturebooks

Primary school teachers, kindergarten teachers, teacher-librarians

20/08/25    3.30–4.30 pm

Topic:
Making Maths Meaningful

Session Who should attend? Date and time (AEST)
Developing Numeracy Through Problem-Based Learning in Primary School Classrooms Primary teachers 07/10/25    4:00-5:00 pm
Positive maths mindsets: Reducing maths anxiety in learners Primary teachers 14/10/25    4:00-5:00 pm
Mastering Maths with Manipulatives Primary teachers 21/10/25    4:00-5:00 pm

Topic:
Come and Play!  Songs and rhymes for early childhood

Session Who should attend? Date and time (AEST)
Workshop 1 Early childhood educators and enrichment for preservice teachers for lower primary and EC 07/08/25    5.30-6.30 pm
Workshop 2 Early childhood educators and enrichment for preservice teachers for lower primary and EC 30/10/25    5.30-6.30 pm

Single Events

Session Who should attend? Date and time (AEST)

School rules and legal tools: What every teacher should know about the law

All teachers and leaders in schools

30/07/25    4.00-5.00 pm

Beyond Explicit Instruction: Developing independent learning through inquiry

Upper primary and secondary teachers

23/10/25    3.30-4.30 pm

Supporting Pasifika learners for educational success

Early childhood educators and primary teachers

03/09/25    3.45-4.30 pm

 

For all enquiries, please contact Dr Ellen Larsen ah-eng-edu@unisq.edu.au 

AI Unlocked: Smarter Assessment, Stronger Practice

 

 

Empowering teachers and leaders to design, assess, and report with confidence, clarity, and the support of ethical AI.

Session 1:
Designing Quality Assessment with AI

Learn how to use AT tools to create assessment tasks and rubrics that are valid, reliable, fair, authentic, and flexible. This hands-on session explores how to maintain rigour while saving time - transforming your assessment design process with confidence and clarity.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: 5.1, 3.4, 6.2

Designing Quality Assessment with AI

Jul 22, 2025 | 1600 - 1700

Session 2:
Smarter Feedback and Reporting with AI

Explore how AI can assist with drafting student feedback, identifying learning trends, and streamlining report writing. This session offers practical tools and strategies to save time and improve personalisation, while keeping teacher voice and integrity at the centre.

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: 5.2, 5.5, 6.2

Smarter Feedback and Reporting with AI

Aug 05, 2025 | 1600 - 1700

Session 3:
Leading with AI – Confident, Quality Assessment Design

AI is transforming assessment design - but are your teachers allowed to use it? This session equips school leaders to confidently support AI-informed assessment practices. Explore how AI can enhance task creation and reduce workload, without compromising quality or professional judgment. Bust myths, embrace possibilities, and lead the shift.

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: 5.1, 6.3, 7.4

Leading with AI - Confident, Quality Assessment Design

Aug 19, 2025 | 1600 - 1700

Session 4:
Teaching Ethical AI use in the Classroom

Help students harness AI responsibly. This session guides teachers through frameworks and strategies for teaching digital literacy, integrity, and ethical AI use in assessments - equipping learners for success in a future shaped by artificial intelligence.

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: 4.5, 3.4, 7.2

Teaching Ethical AI in the Classroom

Sep 02, 2025 | 1600 - 1700

Series Presenter: Dr Nicole Brownlie

Dr Nicole Brownlie is a leading teacher educator and researcher, championing smart, ethical use of AI in assessment.
She helps schools streamline practice, uphold quality, and empower teachers to focus on what matters most.

Collaborative Approaches to School Attendance Difficulties

 

Leading the Way: Strategic Solutions for Attendance Challenges


In this session, school leaders will explore the complex drivers behind school attendance difficulties, often described as ‘school can’t’. Attendees will gain insight into systemic and leadership-level strategies for fostering environments that support every student to attend and thrive. This session supports school leaders to develop inclusive, supportive school cultures for successful school learners through high quality learning, teaching and schooling approaches to school attendance difficulties.

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers:  Principal Standards:  Leading Improvement, innovation and change, Leading the management of the school, Engaging and working with the community

Leading the Way: Strategic Solutions for Attendance Challenges

Sep 02, 2025 | 1300 - 1430

Supporting Every Step: Well-being Strategies for School Attendance Challenges


School well-being professionals including guidance staff, psychologists, counsellors and social workers are pivotal in understanding and addressing the deeper factors influencing school attendance difficulties. This session will unpack key psychological, social, and emotional drivers behind ‘school can’t’ and equip participants with collaborative strategies to prevent school can’t and support re-engagement. Attendees will leave with practical tools to enhance student connection and collaboration with caregivers. The session supports strengthening expertise in inclusive and trauma-informed practices.

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers:   Middle Leader Standards:  Managing effectively, Ensuring a safe, supportive learning environment, collaborating with students/ caregivers and the community, Administrative systems and processes

Supporting Every Step: Well-being Strategies for School Attendance Challenges

Sep 11, 2025 | 1330 - 1500

In the Classroom: Supporting Attendance Through Safety and Connection


Classroom teachers are central to making school feel safe and achievable for students experiencing attendance challenges. This session will build teacher understanding of ‘school can’t’ and provide practical, classroom-based strategies to foster safety, belonging, and engagement. Teachers will learn how to correctly identify school attendance challenges early on and use relationships, routines, and flexibility to support attendance and success. This session empowers educators to respond effectively to diverse student needs and work collaboratively with caregivers.

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers:  1.1, 1.6, 4.1, 4.4, 7.3

In the Classroom: Supporting Attendance Through Safety and Connection

Sep 02, 2025 | 1530 - 1630