Centre for Independent Studies

Why we must learn lessons about how we learn? CIS welcomed world-leading education researcher, cognitive psychologist and Ask a Cognitive Scientist columnist Dan Willingham to discuss how we learn and why this matters. While researchers have learned vastly more about how we learn, this isn’t always reflected in teaching within schools or in how students study. Many practices for teaching and self-study are based on outdated theories, misconceptions, neuro-myths, anecdotes, and trial-and-error. But increasingly scientifically-informed practice can optimize teaching and study time – ultimately helping students to be more effective, efficient, and engaged learners. What are the key lessons from how we learn? How should cognitive science inform teaching and learning practice? Can we train our brains to be better learners? Why do so many teaching and learning fads not work in practice? Why are misconceptions about learning so persistent and hard to shake? Daniel T. Willingham is Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia, with expertise in cognitive psychology and neuroscience as it applies to school education. He is author of the Ask a Cognitive Scientist column of the American Educator journal, as well as several books, including Why Don't Students Like School?, When Can You Trust the Experts?, and Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy. This discussion is convened by CIS program director in education policy, Glenn Fahey. Glenn is co-author of the report, Failing to teach the teacher: An analysis of mathematics Initial Teacher Education (CIS, 2021).

On April 4, CIS hosted and broadcasted an Oxford-style debate on the motion “The Voice to Parliament is needed to address Indigenous matters.” This year Australia will hold a referendum on whether to change the constitution and ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ views are better represented in Parliament. Is the Voice about giving Indigenous Australians a right to express their views on policy through representatives elected by their communities? Or would the Voice provide cover for an activist government to legislate radical policy with no genuine democratic consent? On the affirmative side were Australia’s first Indigenous Senior Counsel, Anthony McAvoy, and constitutional lawyer Shireen Morris. Against the proposition were Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and head of CIS Indigenous Forum Nyunggai Warren Mundine. Referendum question: The question to be put to the Australian people at the 2023 referendum will be: “A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?” Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is a Country Liberal Senator for The Northern Territory and former Deputy-Mayor of Alice Springs. Dr Shireen Morris is a constitutional lawyer and teaches constitutional law, constitutional reform and Indigenous constitutional recognition at Macquarie University. She is co-author of the book A Rightful Place: A Road Map to Recognition (Black Inc.). Nyunggai Warren Mundine is director of the Indigenous Forum at CIS. He is an author of several books including Warren Mundine in Black and White: Race, Politics and Changing Australia (Pantera Press) and editor of Beyond Belief – Rethinking the Voice to Parliament (Connor Court). Anthony McAvoy is Australia’s first Indigenous Senior Counsel and between 2011 and 2013, Tony was an Acting Part-Time Commissioner of the NSW Land and Environment Court. He was also Acting Northern Territory Treaty Commissioner from the period of Dec 2021 to June 2022.

Andrew Neil joins Tom Switzer for a conversation about political and public-policy subjects — from British politics and the travails of the Royal family to the energy transition and the changing media industry to the Ukraine crisis and the rise of China. Andrew Neil is one of the world’s most prominent print and broadcast journalists, having been a long-time editor of the Sunday Times and chief political interviewer on the BBC. He is chairman of Press Holdings Media Group, which publishes The Spectator and Spectator Australia magazines.

Salvatore Babones returns to discuss the new CIS Intergenerational research program with Program Director Matt Taylor. Despite the 30-year economic boom that preceded the Covid pandemic, there is growing evidence that younger Australians have not shared in the benefits to the same extent as generations before them. These younger generations will bear the brunt of paying back the $617 billion of government debt incurred in the wake of the government response to Covid, debt that is set to peak at an eyewatering $1.2 trillion in 2025-26. As the cost of financing government debt and expenditures arising from an ageing Australia climb to historic levels, there will be fewer and fewer working age Australians per retiree. Since younger Australian will face far greater fiscal challenges compared to earlier generations, it is imperative that the Australian electorate — especially younger voters — make informed decisions at the ballot box. The CIS Intergeneration program will focus on policy reform that will ensure an equitable distribution of the burden of budget repair. Matt and Salvatore discuss the research the Intergenerational program will undertake, the challenges facing younger Australians and the extent of intergenerational income mobility in Australia.

Rob chats to Lorraine Finlay, Human Rights Commissioner with the Australian Human Rights Commission, about the importance and nature of human rights. A convinced believer is liberalism, Lorraine understands human rights as absolutely important which give is our humanity. She is also aware that they are not inevitable. Nor do they come from government but are only expressed through government.

Guest host Glenn Fahey returns to discuss challenges facing new immigrants to Australia with Melissa Monteiro, CEO of the Community Migrant Resource Centre. As a community practitioner, Melissa has worked to ensure peoples from worn-torn nations are able to find community and start life new, particularly those immigrants from less-developed countries who settle in Western Sydney. In a report from 2016 from the Forum on the Settlement of Syrian and Iraqi Refugees, it showed that over 30 agencies representing government, local services, schools, religious and civil society organisations were brought together to focus on the key settlement issues that will confront this particular cohort of Syrian and Iraqi humanitarian entrants. Focusing on areas such as education, employment training, health and short- and long-term housing. It takes an incredible amount of community resources manpower to set up resettlements for newly arriving migrants. Are we seeing a greater influx of migrants then previously before? What is the most efficient and effective way to resettle humanitarian migrant entrants? What resources are available for those seeking asylum in Australia? Are local communities having to pick the slack for Government failures on immigration?

Guest host Simon Cowan reenters the budget bunker to discuss the second federal budget in 2022 with Australian Financial Review Economics editor in Parliament House, Canberra John Kehoe. Simon and John break down the budget and cover what the mainstream media has missed. It's Labor's turn. After a victory in the Federal Election in part due to the former Liberal Government's mishandling of the economy, the new Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers is set to deliver his 'wellness' budget. Are we set for more big government spending? Can Labor turn around Australia's deficit woes? Will Labor keep their promise of additional funding to health and defence?

Salvatore Babones returns to discuss the rise of nationalism amongst China's youth with Yun Jiang, inaugural China Matters Fellow at the Australian Institute of International Affairs. China’s youths have become more nationalistic, especially compared to the previous generation. Many outside China attribute the increasing nationalism to the Communist Party of China (CPC)’s patriotic education campaign as well as its control of information in China. According to Yun Jiang, it would be wrong to see this rising nationalism as purely a result of brainwashing, instead, that is just one of many factors. The current generation of middle-class millennials have grown up during an era in which China has become more prosperous and powerful. Therefore, for them, especially those living in big cities of Shanghai or Shenzhen, they feel greater pride in China’s achievements. Does the growing nationalism bolster Xi Jinping's power? What does this mean for the future of China's Communist political system? Are younger Chinese men and women willing to embrace western ideals?

Katharine is a leading figure in education practice and policy and founder as well as principal of London's Michaela Community School. It’s no secret that Australian schools’ performance has been in decline for many years. That’s not for a lack of funding, nor a lack of commitment from countless dedicated educators. But more can be done to advance the learning of all students, no matter their background. It’s a culture of high expectations, consistently well-managed classes, high behavioural standards, and commitment to explicit teaching that are the not-so-secret sauce behind educational success. There is no better example of this in the world than the London-based, Michaela Community School. Despite serving mostly disadvantaged students, they’ve delivered exceptional outcomes. More than half of their school leavers have achieved the equivalent of an A grade — more than 2.5 times better than the national average — helping to earn Michaela international praise.

To celebrate 100 Episodes of On Liberty we flip the script and CIS executive director Tom Switzer interviews regular On Liberty host Salvatore Babones. Over 100 episodes, Salvatore has interviewed a wide range of guests on an incredible range of topics. We hear from Salvatore on what he has learnt about Classical Liberalism and political orthodoxy in Australia and around the world from his many interviews. As well as how On Liberty has shaped Salvatore's views, his new position as Director of China and Free Societies at CIS and what's next for the international affairs portfolio at CIS.