Flinders 2025 Science of Learning Conference

Hear the latest research

Gain insights into cutting-edge research on cognitive science, effective teaching strategies and evidence-based practices. Learn how the latest findings can be applied to improve student outcomes and enhance teaching methods.

Gain practical strategies

Discover actionable strategies and tools that are grounded in scientific research. From techniques for enhancing memory retention to innovative approaches for engaging students, you’ll leave with practical ideas that can be immediately implemented in your school or classroom.

Collaborate with colleagues

Connect with leading experts, educators and researchers who are passionate about transforming education. Engage in discussions and collaborations that will help you build a professional network focused on advancing the Science of Learning in educational settings.

Featuring Guest Presenters

Jared
Cooney Horvath

The University of Melbourne, Research Scientist, Director of LME Global & The Science of Learning Group

Transfer Learning Process & Learning Trajectory - Surface, Deep, Adaptive

Nathaniel
Swain

La Trobe University, School of Education, Academic Program Director & Founder of Think Forward Educators

Retrieval & Rehearsal - 'Why?' and Strategies for Implementation

Bronwyn
Ryrie Jones

Teacher Educator and Instructional Coach

Responsive Teaching - Evidence to Strategies

Conference Ticket

$550.00

Includes: 2-day conference pass, welcome reception, catered morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea.

SOLD OUT

Conference Agenda

DAY 1 - Thursday, 3 April 2025

15:00	Registrations Open
16:00	Day 1 - Conference Commences Keynote: Dr Jared Cooney Horvath: The Transfer Dilemma Why are skills and knowledge so difficult to move between different contexts? This fascinating keynote will dive into the issue of transfer, consider what is required for effective transfer and discuss what this means for the modern 21st-century skills movement in education. Delegates will also explore the only truly future-proof skill research has ever found. This keynote will lead into and serve as a foundation for Jared’s follow-up keynote, The Learning Trajectory. Keynote: Zid Mancenido: How More and Better Evidence Has, Does and Will Improve Australian Education We hear it all the time in education: use more evidence and student outcomes will improve. But, what evidence, in what contexts and how? In this session, Dr Zid Mancenido from the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) shares examples of how evidence has improved educational outcomes across the world, and what AERO is doing to help make better evidence use a reality in Australia. Zid explains why teaching practices aligned with the Science of Learning are vital to maximise student learning and ensure that no students are left behind. Attendees will view videos of effective practice in Australian classrooms and be inspired to explore how every student in every school can benefit from an excellent and equitable education. Zid will share ideas and strategies to support teachers and school leaders in improving evidence-based teaching practice in their context.
17:45	Conference Networking Drinks - Proudly sponsored by Compnow

DAY 2 - Friday, 4 April 2025

7:30	Registration Opens
8:15	Day 2 - Conference Commences Keynote Dr Jared Cooney Horvath presents *Learning Trajectory - Surface, Deep, Adaptive* How do human beings take in, embody and utilise new information and ideas? This keynote will explore the complete learning process. Using Learning Objectives as a through line, delegates will consider how to walk students from Shallow into Deep Learning, and consider what differentiates learning at the Novice and Expert levels. Delegates will consider the issue of adaptation and discuss why moving abilities and skills between contexts can be so tricky. Jared will also reveal how to facilitate this process with confidence. Keynote Bronwyn Ryrie Jones presents *Big Ideas in Responsive Teaching* Responding to student learning, in real time, is a cornerstone of great teaching. Many teachers make it look easy, but it is nuanced and complex work. In this interactive and practical keynote, Bronwyn outlines three big ideas of responsive teaching from the latest research, highlighting small adjustments teachers can make to elicit more and better evidence of student learning. Principles and practices will be explored, setting the scene for a sustained focus on a more nimble model of teaching.
10:00	Morning Tea
10:45	Keynote Dr John Sweller presents *Cognitive Load Theory and its Importance for Teaching and Learning* As the architect of Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), Dr John Sweller’s work continues to shape modern pedagogy by bridging cognitive science and classroom practice. CLT is an instructional design framework that focuses on how the human brain processes, stores and retrieves information. In this keynote, John shares his latest research and career-long insights of CLT. He explores how working memory has no known limits when dealing with familiar information from long-term memory, and the transformative implications for teaching and learning. Keynote Dr Nathaniel Swain and Brendan Lee present *Retrieval & Rehearsal: Why? And the strategies for implementation* It has been said that forgetting is one of the occupational hazards of learners. Getting 'knowledge into heads' is only one step in the process towards mastery; students also need to actively retrieve and rehearse what they have learned. So important is this work that a new name for information, ‘Outformation’, has been suggested by Bain and Agarwal in their book, “Powerful Teaching”. Through this practical keynote presentation, attendees will learn actionable retrieval and rehearsal techniques for all learners.
12:15	Breakout - Session 1 Breakout 1 The Science of Simplicity: Applying Cognitive Load Theory to Instructional Design Presented by Jamie Clark We’ve all been there: text-heavy slides, cluttered worksheets and distracting clip art. Deciphering poorly-designed learning materials creates barriers to learning, adds unnecessary complexity and leads to cognitive overload. In this session, Jamie unpacks the fundamentals of learning and memory, exploring practical strategies educators can use to reduce cognitive load in both digital and printed instructional materials. By applying the key principles of Cognitive Load Theory to their practice, attendees will discover how to access, design and apply simple yet effective resources that enhance clarity, minimise distractions and maximise learning. Breakout 2 *Science of Maths Instruction* Presented by Brendan Lee There is a strong push for Science of Learning-aligned practice in literacy, but what about in numeracy? In this session, Brendan provides an overview of what the research says about effective maths instruction. Attendees will explore the Instructional Hierarchy and unpack the key elements needed for learning to occur in maths. Breakout 3 *Evidence into Practice P-6 Literacy* Presented by Jocelyn Seamer Literacy foundations are built in the primary school years, and so educators must teach in a way that enables each student to graduate into their secondary school journey as a confident and capable reader and writer. This session provides key elements of instruction in a literacy block across all grades of the primary school. It explores how to connect findings from the learning sciences with what we know about literacy instruction to understand our approach. Attendees will learn the key recommendations on how to plan for explicit literacy instruction and set teachers and students up for success. This session is a must-attend for any teacher or leader wanting to maximise the impact of their change journey and instructional efforts. Breakout 4 *Explicit Instruction for English & Humanities* Presented by Rebecca Birch Explicit instruction is a game-changer for delivering clear, structured lessons that support learning, memory retention and skill-building. But in the humanities, where nuance and interpretation reign, how can we balance structure with rich dialogue and critical thinking? This workshop explores the unique intersection of explicit instruction and humanities teaching. Unpack the Science of Memory while tackling challenges of conceptual depth and subjective interpretation. Attendees will depart with practical tools to embed clarity and rigour into lessons and foster meaningful discussion and autonomy. This is a powerful opportunity to refine teaching practice, adapt with confidence and bring a deeper understanding of the ways to harness explicit instruction to support students in becoming informed and active citizens. Breakout 5 Metacognition in the Learning Process Presented by Dr Paul Welch What is metacognition and how can we understand its importance in student learning? This session will define metacognition and examine how explicit instruction can foster the development of metacognitive skills. Learn practical strategies to integrate metacognitive skill-building into everyday teaching and examine how to assess students’ metacognitive development. Breakout 6 Gradual Release: What The Research Says About How We Maximise Retention, Consolidation and Application of Learning Presented by Zid Mancenido What's the good of learning something today if you can't remember it and put it into practice in the future? In this session, Zid will share the most up-to-date research on teaching practices that maximise students’ retention, consolidation and application of learning. This session brings to life the Australian Education Research Organisation’s (AERO) practice guides on revisit and review, organise knowledge, vary practice, and extend and challenge. Teachers and school leaders will walk away with practical strategies for ensuring their students remember what they've learned and be well prepared to apply it in different contexts. Breakout 7 Knowledge-Rich Curriculum & Explicit Instruction Presented by Dr Nathaniel Swain Many schools are starting to incorporate the five major elements of reading in their literacy approach. The foundations of Science of Reading are increasingly reflected in classrooms. However, the work of embedding the effective teaching of reading and writing across the learning areas is a much bigger task. Drawing upon insights from research into instruction and curriculum, this session explores how teaching with a knowledge-rich curriculum can support students to become critical readers and thinkers. The presentation will emphasise the use of explicit instruction techniques to build student expertise alongside the facilitation of text comprehension and analysis, and explicit vocabulary instruction. A key focus will be the depth and breadth of content knowledge, including embedding history, geography and civics knowledge into reading instruction. Explore how teaching with a knowledge-rich curriculum can support students to become informed, insightful and critical readers and thinkers. Breakout 8 Attention, Behaviour & Routines Presented by Dr Mark Dowley One of the greatest factors influencing teacher wellbeing and student learning is whether students are calm, focused and attentive in the classroom. Despite this, most teachers are concerned that their teacher training allocated far too little time to the fundamental principles and practical strategies that form the foundation of effective classroom management. In this session, Mark will address this shortfall by revealing key principles and routines that enable classroom management success. Breakout 9 Cognitive Empathy: Staying Connected and Leading With Empathy Through Managing Cognitive Load Presented by Phil Slade In high-performance school environments, leaders must balance both intellectual and emotional demands. This breakout session is designed to deepen understanding of the neuroscience behind cognitive load, emotional intelligence and the impacts on leadership. By linking the Science of Learning with advanced emotional intelligence, this engaging and entertaining session will introduce a highly practical approach to cognitive empathy that can be applied immediately. Attendees will learn how to enhance their ability to connect with others while simultaneously reducing stress and cognitive strain to lead with greater clarity, resilience and impact. Breakout 10 Applying the Science of Learning with Technology Presented by Julie Parker Join the team from Compnow Academy for this interactive breakout session. Explore innovative ways to use iPads to apply the Science of Learning principles, including reducing cognitive load, scaffolding and sequencing learning. Discover how to facilitate explicit instruction, enhance accessibility and engagement, and foster routines that sustain attention.
13:00	Lunch
13:45	Breakout Session Rotation 2
14:30	Breakout Session Rotation 3
15:15	Afternoon Tea
15:45	Keynote Dr Jared Cooney Horvath presents *Creativity and the Learning Trajectory* Ever since Ken Robinson famously claimed that “education kills creativity”, schools have been increasingly pressured to engender students’ creative growth. Unfortunately, those people who demand a focus on creativity in education often struggle to clearly explain what this cognitive process is or how it can be cultivated. In this session, Jared will define creativity and explore how it functions and evolves across three levels. He will also debunk five prevalent myths (good news: you don't lose creativity as you age!) and share how creativity can be nurtured and assessed in education. Attendees will learn the essential ingredients for truly creative work and align these with the previously explored Learning Trajectory and Transfer dilemma. Closing Remarks
16:30	Conference Closes

Who should attend?

Educators and school leaders who are:

passionate about evidence-based practice
committed to professional growth in order to implement strategies to improve student outcomes
innovative and open to change to embrace techniques to enhance learning, and
focused on student-centred learning - using insights from cognitive science and educational research to create more effective and inclusive learning environments.

Alignment to AITSL Standards

Standard 1

Know students and how they learn

1.2 Understand how students learn
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities

Standard 3

Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning

3.3 Use teaching strategies

Standard 6

Engage in professional learning

6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice
6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice

Standard 7

Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community

7.4 Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities

Meet the Speakers

Brendan Lee

Science of Maths Instruction

Brendan Lee is an experienced primary school leader and educational consultant from NSW. When he fell down the rabbit hole of educational research, he felt compelled to help bridge the gap between research and practice by supporting teachers in implementing the evidence. Currently, he provides professional learning for schools and teachers around the country, writes on his blog and hosts the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast.

Bronwyn Ryrie Jones

Responsive Teaching - Evidence to Strategies

Bronwyn Ryrie Jones is a teacher educator, instructional coach and professional learning designer. With a background in classroom teaching and graduate education (University of Melbourne), Bron is renowned for her deep and practical expertise in high quality instruction. Bron has worked directly with over 30,000 teachers in Australia and abroad, developing explicit and responsive teaching practices on the ground.

Jamie Clark

Cognitive Load Theory & Technology

Jamie Clark is an experienced English teacher, school leader and educational information designer. He is passionate about teaching and learning, instructional coaching and enhancing students’ lives through research-based, high-impact practices. He is the author of the best-selling book Teaching One-Pagers. In addition to his writing, Jamie hosts The Saturday Show Live on Teacher's Talk Radio, where he engages in thought-provoking discussions on education.

Jared Cooney Horvath

Transfer Learning Process

Jared Cooney Horvath (PhD, MEd) is a neuroscientist, educator and author. Jared has conducted research and lectured at Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, the University of Melbourne and over 1,000 schools internationally. He currently serves as the Director of LME Global, bringing the latest brain and behavioural research to teachers and students.

Jocelyn Seamer

Evidence into Practice P-6 Literacy

Jocelyn Seamer is an author, facilitator of professional learning and resource creator in the area of structured literacy. She works with school leaders and teachers to help them develop practice that reflects the evidence base of the science of learning and reading. Jocelyn's first book, 'Reading Success in the Early Primary Years: A Teacher's Guide to Implementing Systematic Instruction' was released in December 2022.

John Sweller

Cognitive Load Theory

John Sweller is an Emeritus Professor of Educational Psychology at the UNSW. His research is associated with cognitive load theory. The theory is a contributor to both research and debate on issues associated with human cognition, its links to evolution by natural selection, and the instructional design consequences that follow. Using any common citation index, the work has been cited on over 30,000 occasions.

Mark Dowley

Attention, Behaviour & Routines

Dr Mark Dowley co-authored the Amazon Best Selling – Classroom Management Handbook. He holds various positions, including the Assoc. Head of Staff Development at the Crowther Centre for Applied Educational Research and Senior Fellow at the Centre for Coaching and Director of Program. He is the Chairman of Mastery Schools Victoria and consults internationally to schools on culture, belonging and behaviour.

Nathaniel Swain

Knowledge Rich Curriculum & Explicit Instruction

Dr Nathaniel Swain is a Teacher, Instructional Coach and Writer. He works as a Senior Lecturer in Learning Sciences at La Trobe University School of Education and SOLAR LAB, and produces a blog called Dr Swain’s Cognitorium. Nathaniel has taught a range of learners in schools and universities, and founded a community of teachers committed to the Science of Learning.

Rebecca Birch

Explicit Instruction for English & Humanities

Rebecca Birch is a teacher of English and the Director of Research and Practice at a top 50 independent school in Sydney. Rebecca has consulted for Ochre Education and appeared on panels for ResearchED and the Gonski Institute for Education. Her current research interest is the link between explicit instruction and student wellbeing.

Zid Mancenido

Gradual Release - Maximise Retention, Consolidation and Application

Dr Zid Mancenido is the AERO's Senior Manager of Research and Evaluation. Since AERO’s establishment, he has led the generation and translation of high-quality evidence aimed at improving educational outcomes. Zid is concurrently a Lecturer on Education at Harvard, teaching courses in education policy and general pedagogy; and as an expert consultant for the World Bank, advising on issues related to teacher education and teacher recruitment.

Julie Parker

Applying the Science of Learning with Technology

Julie, an experienced educator and leader, is committed to successfully integrating technology into classrooms. As Academy Solutions Specialist, Julie helps schools articulate and achieve their learning technology vision by promoting and providing professional learning solutions that demonstrate efficient and impactful classroom technology use.

Paul Welch

Metacognition in the Learning Process

Paul Welch is an experienced educator who has taught at school, tertiary and post-graduate levels, and currently serves as the Head of Teaching and Learning at Townsville Grammar School. Metacognition has become a central focus of Paul's educational philosophy. He is a strong advocate for the explicit teaching of metacognitive strategies, believing that fostering self-awareness and reflective thinking is essential for student success.

Phil Slade

Cognitive Empathy: Staying Connected and Leading with Empathy

Phil Slade is a behavioural economist, registered psychologist and entrepreneur. He is also a best-selling author, podcaster, and a regular columnist for Money Magazine. As co-founder of Switch4Schools—a globally recognised wellbeing software company recently named by HundrED and the International Baccalaureate as one of the top 10 most significant wellbeing educational innovations worldwide—Phil is dedicated to unlocking human potential and helping people live fuller, more meaningful lives.

Location

Matthew Flinders Anglican College is an independent Anglican co-educational primary and secondary day school located in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

Stretching along the Queensland coast, the Sunshine Coast is as vast as it is varied. The region covers an area of 2,291 square kilometres with 52.3 kilometres of open coastline stretching from Caloundra to Noosa where white sand beaches and pristine waterways sit alongside lush rainforests and Heritage-listed national parks.

Getting to the Sunshine Coast

The Sunshine Coast Airport is ideally situated in the heart of the Sunshine Coast with direct Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Auckland, New Zealand flights available across a range of carriers and connections to the world. Alternatively, the Sunshine Coast is just over one hour by road north of Brisbane, Queensland’s state capital.

Staying on the Sunshine Coast

For attendees of the 2025 Science of Learning Conference, Mantra Mooloolaba - located in the heart of Mooloolaba overlooking the iconic Mooloolaba Beach - is offering a 10% preferred discount to conference delegates. Use code FLINDERS25 when booking directly with Accor.

Photo of Matthew Flinders Anglican College

Sponsors

Platinum

Compnow
Compnow are committed to empowering schools and educators with the latest knowledge and tools through our specialised training programs and industry expertise.

Our national team supports teachers and learning specialists in staying at the forefront of how students learn. We offer tailored sessions that provide practical strategies to enhance teaching outcomes, including in-classroom support, coaching, and professional development. We've got you covered!

Through the Compnow Academy, we offer a comprehensive product range designed to help teachers incorporate these insights in the classrooms together. Along with hands-on workshops and online courses, Compnow’s training ensures educators can effectively apply current technology alongside Science of Learning techniques, transforming classrooms and boosting student engagement and success.

As a trusted partner in education, we are dedicated to helping your school drive positive change in today’s ever-evolving learning environment. For more information, visit their website: www.compnow.com.au

Gold

Nelson Primary
Nelson Primary empowers educators and engages learners with quality products for years K-6. We support teachers and students with our trusted, curriculum-aligned literacy resources, including the new Nelson Decodable Readers and NovaStar series.

Nelson Decodable Readers is a comprehensive series designed to help students practise and consolidate their phonics skills. Aligned to current Science of Reading research and informed by literacy experts, this carefully sequenced series supports phonics instruction.

NovaStar supports the explicit instruction of language comprehension, integrating background knowledge, vocabulary and comprehension strategies. Best suited for students aged 8–12, these books can be used flexibly across year levels for scaffolding complex literacy skills.

For more information, visit their website: www.nelsonprimary.com.au

Switch4Schools
Switch4Schools is an innovative, evidence based social and emotional learning tool designed to improve emotional health and wellbeing in schools. Our platform offers a comprehensive, easy to use solution that measures and builds emotional intelligence, mental health, and wellbeing through regular check ins.

Our mission is to transform communities by enhancing emotional health and wellbeing. Switch4Schools provides over 500 strategies, lesson plans, activities, and printables, all created by psychologists, teachers, digital learning experts, data scientists, and world class designers. The platform uses real time data and AI driven insights to offer proactive suggestions for better self regulation and wellbeing.

For more information, visit their website: www.switch4schools.com.au

Silver

Campion Education
In this rapidly changing environment, Campion Education is a dedicated and trusted partner to schools who are seeking to simplify the process of equipping their students with the right learning resources.

Campion Education is an Australian family-owned business and the largest supplier of education resources including print, digital and stationery resources to schools in Australia. We are leaders in digital delivery, and partner with schools to ensure smooth service and unparalleled support — making sure schools can create bright futures for their students.

For more information, visit their website: www.campion.com.au

Fastvue
Fastvue supports schools in delivering their duty of care in the online environment, helping leadership teams and wellbeing staff detect and respond early to digital indicators of student risk, such as signs of self-harm, extremism, drug use, and time-wasting activities.

Fastvue's powerful reporting tools provide clear, actionable insights into student digital citizenship, helping staff identify both positive and concerning online behaviour while enabling quick, accurate evidence collection for online incidents. User-friendly alerts, reports and dashboards make it easy for schools to access insights without needing technical expertise, empowering educators to actively support student wellbeing in real-time.

For more information, visit their website: www.fastvue.co

Scholastic
Scholastic Australia's mission is centred around helping children to read and learn. Scholastic Education offers highly effective instructional literacy and numeracy programs aligned with the curriculum. At the heart of every product that Scholastic develops and distributes is the understanding that we need to engage students and support educators.

We have created a variety of resources that together offer a comprehensive solution for instructional learning across the entire school. Scholastic Education is your partner in introducing, developing and mastering fundamental skills in students. Our programs are designed to be adaptable to different school settings and student needs, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed in every aspect of their education.

For more information, visit their website: www.scholastic.com.au

VideoPro
Videopro is one of Australia’s leading technology solutions providers. Our solutions and services span across Oceania to deliver a premium service nation-wide. Coupling our business solutions divisions with our consumer retail stores, pro-broadcast services and online trading platform, Videopro’s unique diversity is a fundamental strength in supporting the breadth of products, expertise and services we have on offer. We value quality product at competitive pricing and are proud to support a wide variety of the world’s leading brands.

For more information, visit their website: www.videopro.com.au

Essential Assessment
Essential Assessment provides a streamlined, curriculum-aligned platform for online and paper-based assessments, offering real-time data insights to help educators assess, track, and celebrate student progress. It simplifies the assessment process, supports diverse learners, and enables teachers to make data-informed decisions efficiently.

For more information, visit their website: www.essentialassessment.com.au

Recharge

Pixevety
Since 2012, pixevety has been offering schools a consent-driven media management platform and mobile app to help them and their communities safely capture, organise, protect & share school media.

pixevety delivers cutting-edge media technology alongside a unique consent-based management system to instantly apply student photo consent in real-time, allowing schools to optimise and unleash their ever-expanding digital media collections while reducing risks.

Over a decade later, we have become one of the world’s most trusted media management providers when it comes to supporting compliance. ISO27001 certified and award-winning in Privacy-by-Design, we deliver a seamless, secure and easy to integrate tool for school administrators, IT and marketing teams, saving them hundreds of administrative hours and implementing significant cost savings.

For more information, visit their website: www.pixevety.com

Bursary

Studentnet
Today's schools must build their communities working with members including staff, students, parents as well as infrastructure and institutions. Studentnet^® helps you build and protect your community through a suite of identity related facilities being: SmartID^™, EasyID^™, AuthentID^™ and PlatformID^™. These are standards-compliant modules you can use separately or together to enhance the identity of your school through building trust and confidence with your complex community.

For more information, visit their website: studentnet.net

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From Insight to Implementation