AAFIE in Conversation

In this episode, we welcome Phi Theodoros, our Ukulele Girl! Phi (she/her) is an award-winning cabaret artist, community arts facilitator, and Lead Resident Artist with the Living Arts Program at Life Without Barriers Drawing on her lived experience as a queer, neurodivergent Greek Australian, Phi shares how creativity, storytelling, and culturally responsive practice can help young people feel sa...

In this episode, we welcome Professor Kitty te Riele to the conversation. Kitty is the author of Putting the Jigsaw Together: Flexible Learning Programs in Australia , a landmark study demonstrating how flexible, relational, and student-centred education models can successfully reconnect disengaged young people with learning. This research helped pave the way for AAFIE and the Doing School Differe...

In this episode, we welcome Professor Julian Sefton-Green to the conversation. Julian will present his session, Bans, Moral Panics, Hopes and Dystopia: Growing Up in Australia Today , on Day 1 of the Doing School Differently conference. Drawing on his work with the Centre for Research for Educational Impact (REDI), Julian reflects on community concerns about the future for young people and the gro...

In this episode of Inside Doing School Differently , AAFIE is joined by good friend, collaborator and founding partner of the Doing School Differently Conference, and 2026 Insight Speaker, Dr. Tom Brunzell. Tom sits down with AAFIE’s Dale Murray to reflect on the origins of Doing School Differently, share memories from across the sector, and look ahead to the future. In particular, Tom highlights...

In this conversation, AAFIE's Dale Murray is joined by Kim Brady,  a transformative education leader dedicated to creating inclusive, trauma-informed learning environments where every young person can thrive. As Deputy Principal of Novo Education Space, a Special Assistance School reimagining education for students in Years 9–12 across Wollongong and Nowra - Kim supports learners with complex...

In this episode, AAFIE's Dale Murray is joined by Katie Wighton and Barry Davies.  QLD Conservatorium-trained, ARIA award winning artist/writer, Katie Wighton, is co-founder of alt-folk group All Our Exes Live in Texas. With the Exes, Katie toured the world as support for Midnight Oil and is now a regular visitor to Nashville where she has become an in-demand songwriting collaborator for prom...

In this episode of AAFIE in Conversation, AAFIE's Simon Vaughan chats with Krysta McMah about her work with the Australian Youth Climate Coalition. Krysta shares the important grassroots work she undertakes in communities and schools towards Climate Action. Krysta is a passionate advocate for Climate Justice, and she aims to empower our DSD delegates to be leaders alongside of young people, t...

In this episode, AAFIE’s Dale Murray is joined by Dr. Iain Matheson, an independent child welfare researcher, speaker, trainer and mentor. In his work, Iain helps government agencies and community organisations to improve outcomes by better generating, leveraging, and acting upon evidence and learning.  In this conversation, Dale and Iain chat about Iain work in Child Protection, Education with a...

In this episode, AAFIE’s Professor Kitty te Riele is joined by Carolyn Blanden, Principal of Warakirri College in Western Sydney. Kitty and Carolyn chat about her move from mainstream schooling into flexible learning and what she values about the flexible and inclusive education sector. Carolyne also offers us a little insight into her DSD2024 Keynote Presentation: Breaking the Cycle - rising to t...

In this episode, AAFIE's Dale Murray yarns with Associate Professor Marnee Shay from the University of Queensland. Marnee is currently a Principal Research Fellow at the University. She has an extensive externally funded research program and has many publications in the fields of Indigenous education, flexi schooling and Indigenous education policy. During this yarn, Dale and Marnee have the...

Episode 10 - DSD2024 - Dr. Tom Brunzell   In this episode AAFIE’s Dale Murray is joined by Dr. Tom Brunzell, Director of Education at Berry Street. Dale and Tom chat about Tom's work at Berry Street, Melbourne University, his new book (co-authored with Professor Helen Stokes) and why he is committed to Doing School Differently. Tom also gives us a little sneak peek into what to expect from hi...

In this episode AAFIE’s Dale Murray and Professor Kitty te Riele are joined by Henk van Woudenberg from The Netherlands.  Henk is the part of the Student Ownership of Learning (SOL) Foundation, whose research relates to the outcomes of 'game-based research' with the experiences of 'ownership of learning' of students. Henk spends some time talking about 'The Game', a b...

Join this amazing group of young people from Canberra College as they host this amazing vodcast discussing the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. They lead a balanced conversation about the YES vote and hope to provide as much information for our young people who are of voting age to make an informed decision about their vote. The power of the youth voice important in this referendum and this convers...

In this episode Co-Chair of AAFIE Professor Kitty te Riele is joined by Professor Karen Martin from the University of Tasmania.  Professor Martin is a Professor in Trauma-Informed Pedagogy in the School of Education.  Professor Martin's research explores trauma-informed practice and how its application can transform the education experience for school students. In addition to promoting awaren...

In this episode, AAFIE's Dale Murray is joined by Mr. Richard O'Neill from Manchester UK. Richard describes himself as a master storyteller brought up in the nomadic storytelling tradition. Richard has made and continues to make a huge contribution to the art of storytelling across the world. Richard's book 'The School for Nomads' recognises the importance for young Gypsy...

In this episode, AAFIE's Dale Murray is joined by Helen Connolly, the South Australian Commissioner for Children and Young People, who will open the Doing School Differently Conference with her keynote address entitled From the Wings to Centre Stage: Understanding Education from the perspective of children. During this chat, Commissioner Connolly shares her commitment to children and young pe...

Join Co-Chair of AAFIE Dale Murray as he yarns with Dr. Luci Pangrazio, Senior lecturer in Language and Literacy and Alfred Deakin postdoctoral research fellow at Deakin University about her Keynote address at the upcoming Doing School Differently Conference (DSD2022). Luci's research focuses on social media, personal data and privacy, the politics of digital platforms, and young people’s cri...

In this episode, AAFIE's Dale Murray is joined by Professor Martin Mills, Dr. Aspa Baroutsis and Dr. Glenda McGregor as they share their insights into their presentation for Doing School Differently 2022 - Who teaches in the flexible and non-traditional school sector in Australia. There are over 70,000 young people, across 400 flexible and non-traditional schools in Australia, yet little is k...

Join Co-Chair of AAFIE Professor Kitty te Riele as she yarns with Dr. Tom Brunzell, Director of Education, Berry Street about his Keynote address at the upcoming Doing School Differently Conference. Tom's presentation is titled: Proactively supporting positive behaviour in FLO: Re-imagining student behaviour intervention through a systems-informed perspective.  Tom also shares with us, why he...

AAFIE's Dale Murray is joined by Dr. Andrew Bills, Flinders University, and Nigel Howard, UniSA Futures to discuss the development of AAFIE first Special Interest Group focusing on how we might reimagine and reengineer curriculum that builds on an ethic of care and seeks to make accredited outcomes more accessible for young people in alternative and inclusive education. Dale also chats with A...

Join AAFIE's Dale Murray as he yarns with Dr. Tom Brunzell, Director of Education at Berry Street and Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne. This episode is focused on supporting young people with complex unmet needs for learning and their re-entry into in-person learning. Find us on Facebook 

In this episode, Professor Julian Sefton-Green, Professor of New Media Education at Deakin University and AAFIE Board Member is joined by Taryn Marks, Wotjobaluk woman from Western Victoria, General Manager and previous Board Director of AIME. Taryn and Julian yarn about mentoring and why it matters for all people and in Taryn's space and experience for First Nations young people and their in...

In this episode, AAFIE's Dale Murray is joined by Dr John Davis, proud Murri Ambae man. JD is a Traditional Owner of the western sides of Bunya Bunya Mountains, Country his mob call Boobagarrn Ngumminge. JD is also the CEO of The Stronger Smarter Institute. The ‘Strong and Smart’ approach, developed by Dr Chris Sarra at Cherbourg State School, is now used in schools across the country to embr...

The first comprehensive research on ‘flexis’ across Australia. The foremost national flexi provider in the country. Put these two together and you get MAGIC! In this episode Prof. Kitty te Riele & Dale Murray yarn about how it all started, the Doing School Differently Conference & AAFIE. What they’ve learnt since then, and where they see it all going... Find us on Facebook