Looking back on Think Forward - A message from the founder

Dr Nathaniel Swain

Founder and Chair - Think Forward Educators

Senior Lecturer - Learning Sciences and Learner Engagement
La Trobe University School of Education

The idea for Think Forward Educators began in 2019 when some colleagues and I experienced similar frustrations that what we were learning from educational research, was not reflected in the classrooms in which we worked. Most of my teacher colleagues knew that they were not teaching children in the most effective ways, and it wasn’t easy to change!

As I talked to more educators, I discovered strong teacher demand to learn how to change their approach. We wanted to help ensure that all children were taught in the most effective ways so we could address the huge inequities of outcomes for our students. I also learned that there were few collaborative avenues to bridge the research-to-practice gap and provide professional learning, networking and guidance. Who knew that a meeting of 20 or so educators could evolve into what we have today?

Think Forward Educators is Now a Registered Charity

That’s why it’s so exciting to announce formally that Think Forward is now a registered charity with a board of directors.

Think Forward Educators now occupies a unique position as a practitioner-driven organisation providing much needed professional learning that is delivered by educators for educators. 

Since our launch, Think Forward has grown from a group of 20 to more than 19,000 members across Australia (and even internationally).

In the past year alone, Think Forward hosted over 5,000 members for live webinars, with 12,000 registrations for all of our events, and 9,100 views on our professional learning materials. 

As part of our plans to grow and deliver more for our members, Think Forward has now become a registered charity and appointed its founding board, receiving our first donation.

Think Forward Educators aims to bridge the research-to-practice gap and widely embed enduring, evidence-based instructional change in schools. I’m proud that Think Forward is an inclusive community and knowledge hub for all teachers where they can confidently access the most current resources.  In the future, we want to be the priority destination for teachers starting or advancing their knowledge in the Science of Learning.

Think Forward is now evolving into a formal organisation. This is exciting because it means that we will be able to offer members many more opportunities to engage with the Science of Learning. 

This also means that my role in the organisation will change. I will no longer primarily coordinate the administration of Think Forward, as the team has expanded with some great, like-minded people.

Meet our first CEO: Katie Roberts-Hull.

I am delighted to introduce our new CEO, Katie Roberts-Hull. We are excited to have Katie joining our organisation. With a mix of business and education background, she will be able to help the organisation grow its impact. 

New Board of Directors

I am also thrilled to introduce our Board of Directors. Our board members bring a wealth of experience in many areas that will help the organisation.

My role at TFE is now Chair of the Board, and I will work closely with our new team on the future of Think Forward. You will still see a lot of me going forward as part of Think Forward events and other work.

My role at La Trobe University

As many of our membership know, I have commenced at La Trobe University School of Education and SOLAR LAB as Senior Lecturer in Learning Sciences. It is an immense privilege to be part of the team driving La Trobe’s focus on delivering cutting edge research-informed Initial Teacher Education. This work represents a significant opportunity to change the face of teacher education in Victoria and nationally.

What’s next?

Think Forward Educators has become an inspiring group of teachers and school leaders who are changing practice from the ground up. None of this would be possible without the volunteers and thought leaders who have generously shared and continue to share their knowledge, time, vision, and expertise. 

I’m optimistic that things are changing for the better for teachers. We are acknowledging that teachers do need specific knowledge about the Science of Learning. Individual educators, teaching teams, schools, and even school systems are now doing immense work to connect educators to the knowledge they need to teach. And Think Forward Educators is at the forefront of this work. 

I look forward to working with you all to continue to grow our impact.