The Joy of Professional Learning
Reflections from Three Inspiring Conferences
10 July 2026 I The Queensland Institute
Co‑Founder Fiona Wiebusch (centre‑left) attends the Future Makers Conference, Sydney.
What inspires the people who design professional learning?
As a team dedicated to empowering educators, continuing our own professional learning is a priority at The Queensland Institute (QI).
Professional learning isn't just about gaining new knowledge. It's about reflecting on our practice, refining how we design learning experiences, and discovering ideas that inspire the educators we work with.
Over the past six months, our team has attended three unique conferences across Australia. Although each had a different audience and purpose, they all reinforced one belief: the best educators never stop learning.
March 2026
English Australia's PD Fest, Brisbane
PD Fest is always a highlight of the Queensland ELICOS calendar. Each year, hundreds of educators come together to share practical classroom strategies, emerging research and innovative approaches to English language teaching. UQ College once again hosted an outstanding event.
The day began on a high note with a performance by UQ Voices, a Brisbane community choir founded by the UQ School of Psychology and proudly supported by The Queensland Institute since 2021. Conducted by QI's own Vicki Bos, the choir celebrates belonging, wellbeing and connection through music. Their uplifting performance was a reminder that learning begins with connection.
What we love most about PD Fest is the generosity of the profession. Teachers openly share practical ideas that others can immediately adapt for their own classrooms.
Some of our favourite sessions included: Bridging Cultural Divides: Interactive Strategies for Culturally Responsive ELICOS Teaching – Marcela Lapertosa (Value Learning), Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda: When Grammar, Meaning and Culture Collide – Sermin Erden (TAFE Queensland and Reading Radio), The New Science of Stress: Turning Pressure into Academic Performance – Faye Lawand (UQ College), Tech as a Thinking Tool: Supporting Imagination, Criticality and Care in ELT – John Day and Katie Clancy (UQ College).
Across every session, one message stood out: great teaching evolves through curiosity, collaboration and a willingness to keep learning.
Find the PD Fest speaker slides here.
April 2026
Future Makers Conference, Sydney
In April, our Co-Founder, Fiona Wiebusch, was delighted to attend the Future Makers Conference, a national summit for women in business hosted by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) in Sydney.
The keynote speakers were exceptional. From Abigail Forsyth, founder of the iconic KeepCup, to Kristina Karlsson, founder of Kikki K and Dream Life, and Queensland's own Astrid Jorgensen, founder of Pub Choir, each shared their entrepreneurial journey with remarkable openness. Rather than focusing solely on success, they spoke candidly about setbacks, difficult decisions and the resilience required to build something meaningful. Their vulnerability made their stories all the more powerful.
As ACCI's Director of Skills, Employment and Small Business, Dr Jodie-Lee Trembath, remarked in her opening address, "Women do business differently." It was a sentiment echoed throughout the day and reinforced by the newly released Balancing Act report, which combines research with personal stories to highlight the lived experiences of women small business owners across Australia.
For Fiona, the conference was a powerful reminder that authentic leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about leading with curiosity, purpose and a willingness to keep learning.
Fiona also enjoyed reconnecting with industry colleague Lucy Blakemore, whose work in global education research continues to spark thoughtful conversations about emerging trends, learner needs and the future of international education.
Read ACCI's Balancing Act report here.
July 2026
Australian Teacher Education Association Conference, Gold Coast
Our learning continued at the Australian Teacher Education Association (ATEA) Conference, hosted by Griffith University on the Gold Coast.
This year's theme, Transforming Teacher Education: Preparing Teachers to be the Subjects and Agents of Change, explored the evolving role of teacher education in an era of artificial intelligence, sustainability, Indigenous knowledge and critical thinking.
It was a pleasure to learn alongside teacher educators from across Australia, Singapore, Fiji and beyond, exchanging ideas, exploring emerging research and reflecting on where teacher education is heading.
Among the many thought-provoking presentations, a highlight was Dr Michelle Ocriciano's (UQ) exploration of multiple ways of knowing in teacher education, challenging us to think differently about the knowledge, perspectives and experiences that shape future educators. We also enjoyed Susan Chapman and Indu Wadhawan's (QUT) discussion of critical, creative and ethical thinking in schools.
Beyond the presentations themselves, it was exciting to see researchers using AI-supported design tools such as Figma to communicate complex ideas visually, alongside practical frameworks, including Lowrie and Larkin's (2020) Experience, Represent, Apply (ERA) heuristic.
All sessions reinforced the notion that innovation isn't just about adopting new technologies; it's about thoughtfully combining research, creativity and pedagogy to improve learning outcomes.
Access the Australian Teacher Education Association Conference link here.
Figma AI design tool here.
The ERA framework here.
QI runs a networking event for current and future language teachers in Brisbane every July.
Continuing our Learning
Looking back across these experiences, one idea connects them all: professional learning is as much about mindset as it is about knowledge. It invites us to reflect, embrace new perspectives and continue growing as educators.
Whether we're learning from teacher educators, business leaders or English language practitioners, every conversation influences how we design and deliver professional learning for others.
We hope every QI program leaves participants with the same sense of curiosity, confidence and possibility that these conferences inspired in us.
At QI, we believe good teaching is half learning. Here's to the joy of continuing to learn together!
Never Miss a Story.
Follow us on our socials at the links below.
