Indigenous Education and Research Centre Research and Projects Growing Confident Learners

Growing Confident Learners

Explore how children develop the knowledge, confidence and capabilities needed to thrive in a changing world.

Learning doesn't begin and end in the classroom.

All learners, regardless of their age, develop knowledge, skills and confidence through a wide range of experiences at home, at school, in the workplace and throughout their lives.

This website brings together research, projects and resources that will allow you to explore how learning is supported across these different environments.

By understanding how learners engage with new ideas, solve problems and build confidence over time, you can create stronger opportunities for learning and success.

The resources on this webpage will help you to see how this work may be applied in your situation as families, educators and learners across different stages of life.

Parents and Families

Building Educational Capacities Project

Teachers and Educators

Educators help create the conditions for learning to thrive. We are currently developing a page that will give you access to curriculum-aligned resources, diagnostic questions and practical teaching examples that support learner development across mathematics and science from Prep to Year 10.

How Learners Learn

Every child learns differently. Some are eager to jump in and have a go, some ask lots of questions, and others prefer to watch, think and understand before trying something new.

As a parent, family member or educator, you help shape these experiences every day. When you encourage a child to try again, talk through a problem, reflect on what happened or celebrate their effort, you're helping them learn how to learn.

Over time, learners begin to understand what helps them succeed. They learn to recognise challenges, build confidence, ask questions, reflect on their experiences and take greater responsibility for their learning. They also begin to see that mistakes are part of learning and that progress comes through practice, persistence and curiosity.

Learning isn't just about knowing the right answer. It's about understanding how you learn, being willing to try new things and developing the skills to work through challenges along the way.

Growing Educational Innovation

Educational Innovation is an evolving area of research and practice. New resources, projects and learning materials will continue to be added as this work develops.

Future additions will include expanded resources for teachers and educators, family learning resources, learner development projects and additional tools designed to support learning across different stages of life.

Discover how the IERC's major seven-year research initiative helped strengthen mathematics and science learning outcomes for students across North Queensland schools.

Have a question? Want to learn more?

Whether you're a parent, educator, student, researcher or community partner, we'd love to hear from you.

The Indigenous Education and Research Centre works with families, schools and communities to explore how learning opportunities can be strengthened across different settings and stages of life.