Let’s Talk Teaching

About Let’s Talk Teaching

Conversations with teachers, for teachers. Join Associate Professor Rebecca Cooper, former teacher turned education academic, as she invites teachers and Monash University Alumni with different educational backgrounds, experiences and learnings to share their insights on a number of topics that teachers in Australian classrooms are facing today.

Publisher

Monash University Faculty of Education

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

14 Mar 2023

Latest episode

4 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

24 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   4 Oct 2026

   More Than One Approach: Learning Science in Practice

   Learning science is becoming increasingly influential in education - but many conversations reduce complex ideas about teaching into overly simplified approaches. This discussion explores what learning science actually means when applied in real classrooms. Conversations about explicit instruction, inquiry learning and evidence-based practice are often framed as competing approaches, creating the impression that effective teaching can be reduced to a single method or philosophy. In this episode, Dr Stoo Sepp and Matt Fyfield explore what learning science actually tells us about how students learn, and why applying these ideas meaningfully in classrooms requires nuance, context and professional judgement. Together, they discuss cognitive psychology, memory, attention and explicit instruction; the tensions surrounding current education debates; and why effective teaching often relies less on choosing one approach over another, and more on understanding when and how different strategies best support learning. (00:00) What Learning Science Actually Means (04:08) Why Learning Science Matters Now (07:46) Explicit Instruction and Inquiry Learning (12:14) What Learning Science Looks Like in Schools (15:49) Memory, Attention and Cognitive Load (17:43) Professional Judgement in the Classroom (21:38) How Students Respond to Learning Science Approaches (25:10) Translating Theory Into Practice (31:01) Where Learning Science Gets Oversimplified (35:00) Supporting More Flexible Teaching Approaches Special Guests: Dr Stoo Sepp (http://www.linkedin.com/in/stoosepp) Senior Lecturer, School of Education and Culture Faculty of Education, Monash University Specialising in learning science, cognitive psychology and learning design. Dr Matt Fyfield Lecturer, School of Education and Culture Faculty of Education, Monash University Focused on translating evidence-informed teaching approaches into classroom practice. Resources: Deans for Impact - The Science of Learning (https://www.deansforimpact.org/tools-and-resources/) If you’re enjoying Let’s Talk Teaching, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review! You can follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/monash-education/posts/?feedView=all), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/monash_education), X (https://twitter.com/MonashEducation?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EducationMonash), and share your thoughts on the show by using the hashtag #letstalkteachingpodcast. You can DM us with any questions or ideas, or if you’re not on socials, email us at edu-alumni@monash.edu (mailto:edu-alumni@monash.edu). If you’re interested in hearing more about the short courses, undergraduate and postgraduate study options that Monash Education offers, please visit our website (http://monash.edu/education/learnmore). We are grateful for the support of Monash Education in producing this podcast.

2. 

   6 Sept 2026

   What Makes Change Stick: Research, Trust and Innovation in Schools

   Schools are constantly introducing new ideas and initiatives - but meaningful change rarely happens through innovation alone. This conversation explores why lasting improvement is more often shaped by trust, collaboration and research-informed practice.

3. 

   2 Aug 2026

   At the Edge of the Curriculum: Why Performing Arts Still Matter

   Performing arts are often the first subjects reduced in schools - yet for many students, they’re where confidence, creativity, connection and engagement are built in ways other learning environments often can’t replicate.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

4.6 / 5

19 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 25 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

29

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51