NEWSLETTER: AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION DIGEST 2010

“the best and most dependable source of news in school education in this or any other country”

Professor Brian J. Caldwell, September 2009
Managing Director, Educational Transformations Pty Ltd
Professorial Fellow, University of Melbourne (Dean of Education 1998-2004)

A free weekly email summarising education news, issues, events and resources. subscribe now | browse archives

29-07-10: Health & Well-being Special – Mental Health: ABS reports high rates of youth mental disorders; Perspective on ABS data; Labor offers funds including for youth; McGorry says it’s not enough; South Aust funds early intervention; ACSSO Editorial; Special Needs: Teachers overwhelmed; designing Giant Steps school; autism numbers rise as funding falls; Body Image: Federal funds to work in schools; Classroom Health & Safety: NSW’s unflued gas heater debacle; Cyber-bullying: The psychiatric issues; Hygiene: Basic hand hygiene; the case for soap; Gardening & Food Education: Gould League’s Multicultural School Gardens Program; Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program; UK report shows benefits; Digital Education Revolution: Laptop ergonomic awareness; Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

27-07-10: Federal Election 2010: Coalition’s Education Tax Break; ACSSO’s reaction; Compulsory student union fees; Ben Eltham’s overview; Funding: Government schools lose from government funding of private schools; Awards & Prizes: Schools First Awards; Indigenous Education: Catherine Freeman Foundation; Towards a National Curriculum: Cutting student hours for technology and design; Opinion: Finland’s teaching and learning system; Building the Education Revolution: BER report out before election: Gillard; Reserach: Early intrervention improves higher education outcomes for disadvantaged students; Around the States & Territories: (16 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

20-07-10: Federal Election 2010: ACSSO Editorial; School Uniforms: Education tax break sparks debate; Building the Education Revolution: Devolving BER to schools; Vocational Education: National Trade Cadetships; Research: Education gap between rich and poor; National Review of School Funding: Political realities; Catholic schools under threat; Awards & Prizes: National Disability Awards; Social Development Education: House of Reps Inquiry into Youth Violence; Rewarding Excellence: UK head earns more than PM; Community Grants Awarded to School Parent Organisations: Volunteer Grants; Around the States & Territories: (15 items); Conferences & Events: (2 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

13-07-10: Education Tax Refund: School uniforms; Federal Election 2010: AEU website; National Review of School Funding: Terms of Reference finalised; Simple ambitions; Five key issues; Religion & Ethics: “Believe or burn in hell”; parents and educators want changes; Public schools need ethics, not RE; SA academic to assess NSW trial; Selective Schooling: Hierarchy of schools; social segregation between schools; How Schools Are Run: Red tape leads to waste; Understanding & Improving Learning: Wanted: respect; Health & Well-being: Disadvantaged students’ resilience; Awards & Prizes: NEiTA Awards; Around the States & Territories: (16 items); Conferences & Events: (4 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

06-07-10: Indigenous Education: NAIDOC Week; Selective Schooling: Asian migrants dominate top selective high schools; Selective schools likened to apartheid; Religion & Ethics: SA academic to assess school ethics trial; Education Tax Refund: Families missing out; Opinion: Gillard ranks as a failure on education, Kenneth Davidson; Building the Education Revolution: Opposition wants funding suspended; Rorting ‘not widespread’; Public schools gypped; A WA Royal Commission? Crean issues warning on school building waste; Digital Education Revolution: National Broadband Network, fibre optics; Literacy Resources: World Literacy International; Around the States & Territories: (12 items); Conferences & Events: The Reading Revolution; Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

29-06-10: New Minister for Education: The Hon Simon Crean MP; Federal Election 2010: AEU links education funding to election; “left-wing” Gillard to scare off voters; Education Tax Refund: ATO advice; Opinion: Education innovation in the slums, Charles Leadbeater; NAPLAN and My School: AUE submission to senate inquiry; ACARA update; new genre in writing tests; Building the Education Revolution: Crean wants briefing; school P&C claims it was paid off; Pyne claims cover-up; Towards an Australian Curriculum: Draft Shape Paper for geography released; Health & Well-being: Kindy kids to be tracked for mental health; Foster-care kids suffer at school; Around the States & Territories: (8 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

22-06-10: The Social Classroom: Crowded curriculum; Teachers in parent trap; Digital Literacy: ePortfolios; Digital Learning Survey; Hyper Island; Engaging with technology; New Classroom Resources for Teachers: Muslim perspectives into Australian Schools; Philosophy with young children; Rural & Regional Education: Coalition’s Regional Education Fund; Audio Web Resources: EdPod; Disability & Education: Dalwood reprieve; Braille pushed to margins; Vocational Education: John Dawkins to head VET National Quality Council; Around the States & Territories: (16 items); Conferences & Events: Going Global 2011; Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

15-06-10: Recognising Teacher Excellence: NEiTA Excellence Awards; NAPLAN and My School: Better Education; Extra info; Principals directed to lift results; APPA wants NAPLAN reform; Tougher security; Abbott backs tests; Religion & Ethics: P&Cs advocate complementing SRE; Catholics’ new tack; Church accused of hijacking debate; Building the Education Revolution: Cost of prefab; dream library built; NSW costs queried; Schools turn on BER; Indigenous Education: Remote NT schools; Towards an Australian Curriculum: School concerns; Visual art; Early Childhood Education: Early learning has ‘no impact’; Health & Well-being: School garden program; Web Resources: Skwirk Interactive Schooling; World Environment Day; Around the States & Territories: (14 items); Conferences & Events: (2 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

08-06-10: National Review of School Funding: AEU welcomes review; Private school parents demand audit; NAPLAN and My School: Senate inquiry; tests too hard; shift in education focus feared; Cyber Safety: Parliamentary inquiry; National Cyber Security Awareness Week; Indigenous Education: ACER report; Direct Instruction; Towards an Australian Curriculum: English teachers flay study plan; Fewer teachers likely; Building the Education Revolution: Stimulus reveals a rotten system; Opposition proposes BER restructure; Schools the pawns; Health & Well-being: Washing hands; EpiPens; walking & cycling; Web Resources: Skwirk Interactive Schooling; World Environment Day; Around the States & Territories: (19 items); Conferences & Events: Association of Women Educators Conference; Isolated Children’s Parents Association Conference; Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

01-06-10: Parliamentary Inquiry into School Libraries and Librarians: Librarians left on the shelf; librarians undervalued; ACSSO Inquiry Submission; Towards an Australian Curriculum: Intelligent design in Qld; left-wing history bias claimed; Building the Education Revolution: BER issues slip under the media radar; Religion & Ethics: SBS TV discussion; scripture classes feel threatened; Cyber Bullying: Should it be a criminal offence? Health & Well-being: School, nutrition & obesity; Disability & Education: Disabled boy’s education funding slashed; Politics of Education: Coalition slams Government; Government slams Opposition; Around the States & Territories: (13 items); Conferences & Events: History Teachers Association of Australia National Conference; EDGE 2010: e-Learning: The horizon and beyond; Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

25-05-10: Improving Teacher Quality: Ben Jensen’s report for the Grattan Insitutute slams teacher evaluation in Australia; Towards an Australian Curriculum: Too much content, pandering to lobby groups, unclear and complicated, totalitarian, year 7 maths problem, process all wrong; Comparing School Performance: My School financial data inconsistent; Building the Education Revolution: Principals complain, Victorians abstain, dollars frittered away; Indigenous Education: Reinforcing Australia’s education offer; Around the States & Territories: (14 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

18-05-10: Towards an Australian Curriculum: Draft senior secondary curriculum; Comparing School Performance: What My School really says about our schools; Comparing Student Performance: NAPLAN cheat claims; Senate Inquiry into data use; Building the Education Revolution: Task force; more complaints; New Directions in Education: Big Picture Education Australia; Teach For Australia; Human Rights Education: AHRC; Digital Literacy: e-books; digital classroom; internet filter; iPad; Maths Education: Crisis deepens; Rural & Regional Education: Attracting teachers; Science Education: Science Laboratory Technicians Forum; Indigenous Education: Delays for NT students; Health & Well-being: Kitchen Garden Program; Around the States & Territories: (7 items); Conferences & Events: (3 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

13-05-10: Values in Education Special – Human Rights Education: Human Rights Framework; Children’s Commissioner; The Values of National Integrity: Why ‘welcome to country’ is more than formality; Inclusive Education: UNESCO Global Monitoring Report; Religion & Ethics: NSW alternative to scripture classes; Critical Thinking: Teaching guide; Socrates’ vision; Outdoor Education: Connecting kids with nature; Civics & Citizenship: National assessment; resources; Humane Education: World of Animal Welfare; Service Learning: Curriculum-based community service; News from Here & There: Indonesia – teacher-parent collaboration; USA – philosophy for 8-year-olds; Canada – Essential 45; Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

11-05-10: Comparing School Performance: Gillard & AEU agree to set up committee; Greens want senate inquiry; Kevin Donnelly; Trevor Cobbold; claims of cheating; The Australian’s list; Religion & Ethics: Do ethics classes steal scripture students? Building the Education Revolution: Arguments over guidelines, rules, student numbers, value, audits, quality; Health & Well-being: Children respond to call of the wild; Digital Literacy: Digital education & the educator’s dilemma; Science Education: US in crisis; Around the States & Territories: (22 items); Conferences & Events: (5 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

04-05-10: Funding: Review of Funding For Schools; Comparing School Performance: The Australian publishes national table; Religion & Ethics: Ethics classes commence; School Libraries: MPs to hear concerns; Education & Disability: Schools failing disability test; Towards a National Curriculum: Geography, Asia, consultations; Indigenous Education: NAPLAN results; Building the Education Revolution: Task force chief inspects first school; Digital Literacy: Student computer skills improving; Student Retention: Push to keep kids in school could backfire; Awards & Prizes: Rural Education Awards; Around the States & Territories: (16 items); Conferences & Events: (2 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

27-04-10: Research: Productivity Commission to look at education workforce; Comparing School Performance: Gillard agrees to talk to union; Towards a National Curriculum: Curriculum draft ‘C grade’; Funding: Correcting private school funding; Building the Education Revolution: Management issues in VIC, NSW; Religion & Ethics: Simon Longstaff, Gordon Moyes; Education & Disability: Including students with autism; Student Retention: Jobless fears make teens stay in school; Human Rights Education: Education critical for Framework; Health & Well-being: Airbrushed school photos; Early Childhood Education: Research project, Ellis cancels new centres, Libs & Greens react; Awards & Prizes: Eureka Prizes; Campaigns & Causes: 1GOAL; Around the States & Territories: (8 items); Conferences & Events: (2 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

20-04-10: Comparing School Performance: ACSSO, Julia Gillard, Parents Victoria, Trevor Cobbold, Ben Jensen, indigenous parents; The Education Revolution: MCEECDYA meeting; Labor’s conservatism; Religion & Ethics: The ethics of ethics classes; Funding: Gillard’s funding review; Pyne’s fears; Jensen’s cuts; Digital Education Revolution: iPad apps; Stephen Collins on digital literacy; Indigenous Education: AIEF Post-School Pathways; Education & Disability: BER ignores disability needs; inclusion for students with autism; Environmental Education: Costa’s Garden Odyssey; Financial Education: Coinland; Around the States & Territories: (12 items); Conferences & Events: (3 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

13-04-10: Comparing School Performance: AEU places teacher moratorium on NAPLAN tests, Gillard proposes using parents, reactions from principals, teachers, parents, academics; Building the Education Revolution: Gillard announces taskforce to examine BER; School Libraries: Have your say; Religion & Ethics: NSW Anglicans demand oversight of ethics classes, reactions; Health & Well-being: Sparkling fruit juices; coping with disappointment; walking better for kids; student sleep needs; Bullying & Cyber-Safety: Research says parents don’t act; coalition will empower principals; looking for predictors; worsening situation; to National Centre Against Bullying conference; Opinion: Chris Bonnor on standards; Research: Schools failing divorced families; <Around the States & Territories: (11 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

08-04-10: School Libraries Special: The Inquiry: A bit of recent history, general thoughts on the Inquiry; The Hub: Campaign for Quality School Libraries in Australia, research, statistics, how to make a submission to the Inquiry; In The News: New York Times, UK Schools Library Association, The Indpependent, The Times, Brisbane Courier Mail; Take Action: Inquiry submissions, Petition for a Qualified Teacher-Librarian in Every Australian School; Conferences & Events: Conferences in Canada, USA, UK, New Zealand and around Australia, International School Library Month, School Library Association of Victoria Professional Development Program; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

06-04-10: National Public Education Forum: NSW Governor Marie Bashir, Education Minister Julia Gillard; Corporate-School Partnerships: ACSSO Discussion Paper; The companies that put schools first; Building the Education Revolution: More trouble; Abbott calls for inquiry; Comparing School Performance: Call to add bullying to My School; Phyiscal Education: The future of sport in schools; Church & State: Court challenge to Schools Chaplaincy Program; Indigenous Education: Noel Pearson’s magic bullets; Asia Literacy: NALSSP Partnership Fund Round 2; Opinion: Brian Caldwell, Lisa Pryor, Ross Gittins; Research: Gender in classroom; International Education: Promises, promises; Awards & Prizes: Australian Rural Education Awards; Around the States & Territories: (7 items); Conferences & Events: Global Action Week; SPERA Conference; Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

01-04-10: Maths Education Special: Mathematics in the Australian Curriculum: ACARA Consultations, ACARA Information Sheet, other countries, new curriculum “feeble”, Could do better… ; The Group of Eight Review: Go8 Report, serious decline, national priority, our future, not all doom and gloom, demand for graduates; Research: Gender differences, simulation is key, parents still major influence, UK post-14 inquiry, UK Review; Resources: AMSI, AAMT, AustMS, Smartkiddies, NCETM; Awards & Prizes: Australian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads, National Mathematics Talent Quest; Conferences & Events: National Mathematics Day, Vic Mathematics and Statistics Students’ Conference, ACER Research Conference, International Conference of Mathematicians, Australian Mathematical Society Meeting, ICMER 2010; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

30-03-10: Parents Invited to Speak Up: Libraries Inquiry; SBS Insight; Australian Teacher Professional Standards; Australian Curriculum; Towards an Australian Curriculum: National Symposium proceedings, the English experience, Edpod, grammar, history, ACARA update; The Education Revolution: Stephen Heppell, Robin Alexander, Lyndsay Connors & Jim McMorrow; Comparing School Performance: Changes to My School, principals surveyed, Gillard reacts, socio-economic status, evaluation; Science Education: 3D resource; Asia Literacy: Funds needed; Bullying: Teachers targeted, ISQ study, AEU slams opposition plans, Pyne gives detail; Building the Education Revolution: Rorts, red tape, accountability, jobs, entitlements; Around the States & Territories: (12 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

23-03-10: School Libraries: Parliamentary Inquiry established; Towards an Australian Curriculum: Teaching standards, history battle, political correctness, 21st century learning, consultations; Disability Education: Cuts, protests, calls for legislative review; Funding: National model for primary school funding, red tape costs schools; Literacy & Numeracy: Declining numeracy, National Partnership, new philosophy; Research: ACER on social networking & digital learning; Indigenous Education: Young leaders to Oxford; Rural & Regional Education: Youth Allowance; Around the States & Territories: (12 items); Conferences: Early Career Teachers’ Conference, ACER’s Tender Bridge; Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

18-03-10: Science Education Special: Science in the Australian Curriculum: ACARA Consultations, ACARA Information Sheet, Nobel winner’s concerns, Could do better… ; Research: Re-imagining Science Education, Monash Uni research group, study shows students like science; Resources: STELR, ATSE, AAS, ASTA, CSIRO, SER, Lab Notes, web links; Creationism & Intelligent Design: Christian schools angry, ABC TV Q&A panel, a test of faith for religious schools; Awards & Prizes: Eureka Prizes, Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science, Australian National Chemistry Quiz, Rio Tinto Big Science Competition; Conferences & Events: CONASTA, National Science Week, NAAEE national conference, Science Summer School, Science Olympiads; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

16-03-10: Digital Education Revolution: laptops, internet access, teacher support; Building the Education Revolution: Gillard defends; Bullying: Landmark ruling opens door for bullying compo; Literacy & Numeracy: Neediest schools miss out; Food Education: Jamie Oliver; Asia Literacy: AEF Update; Indigenous Education: Teaching scholarships, traineeships; Awards & Prizes: Simpson Prize, Green Teacher Award, Eureka Prizes; Around the States & Territories: (12 items); Conferences: Tackling Underachievement: Engaging Boys and Girls; Reminders; Around the States & Territories: (12 items); ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

09-03-10: International Women’s Day: AEU Calls for Gender Equality Globally; Towards a National Curriculum: Guarded support; Bullying: Out of control, zero tolerance, parents, vigilantism, police; Opinion: Chris Bonnor, Alan Reid, Laura Tiernan on My School, education reform; Evolution & Creationism: Should creationism be taught as science? Health & Well-being: Soapstream; Tertiary Education: My Uni? My Higher Ed? International Education: Baird review final report; Asia Literacy: Grants, tours, programs; Digital Education Revolution: Catholic Network Australia completes high-speed schools link; Events: Library and Information Week, National Simultaneous Story-time; Learning Resources: Costa’s Garden Odyssey; Around the States & Territories: (8 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

04-03-10: AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM SPECIAL The Launch Draft Australian Curriculum released; The First Quotes: Barry McGaw (ACARA), Angelo Gavrielatos, Rodney Smith (AEU), Leonie Trimper, Dave Edwards (APPA), Christopher Pyne (Libs), Julia Gillard (Minister); Subject by Subject: English, Mathematics, Science, History; Contextual Discussions: Geoff Masters (ACER), Libby Tudball (Monash Uni), Justine Ferrari (The Australian), Fiona Forbes (ASEPA), Karen Brooks (Southern Cross Uni); The Trial Schools: ACT, Tasmania; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

02-03-10: Towards a National Curriculum: Draft curriculum released; Parental Engagement: Sharing good practice; Science Education: Encouraging high school students; Indigenous Education: Ntaria School, National Centre of Indigenous Excellence; Health & Well-being: Soapstream; Comparing School Performance: $97 My School package; Comparing Student Performance: ID Number plan; Improving Teacher Quality: Fast-tracked teacher training in Qld; Asia Literacy: Asia Literacy Teachers’ Association of Australia; Early Childhood Education: UK literature review, Catholic Education Office; Resources: Australasian Education Directory, Education Services Australia; Awards & Prizes: upcoming closing dates; Around the States & Territories: (18 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

23-02-10: Violence at School: Qld schoolyard murder heightens concerns; Comparing School Performance: More on My School and NAPLAN; Comparing Teacher Performance: Teachers brace for another New York initiative; Improving Teacher Quality: Current training criticised, Teach for Australia, ICT training; Building the Education Revolution: The soaring costs; Literacy & Numeracy: Share-a-Book, programs for boys needed; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Drugs questioned; Research: Independent schools get tick of approval; Around the States & Territories: (13 items); Resources: The Giant Classroom; Events: 21st Century Learning Spaces, Walk Safely to School Day; Conferences: (5 items); Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

16-02-10: Parents & Literacy: Let kids get a word in; Towards a National Curriculum: Public Consultation on English, Mathematics, Science & History K-10 drafts; Comparing School Performance: more on My School; Awards & Prizes: Green Teacher Award, National Awards for Excellence in School Music Education; Indigenous Education: Gap closing, but progress too slow: Rudd; School Life: Rock Eisteddfod cancellation rocks schools; Cyber-safety: 164 schools in pilot program; Vocational Education: Trade school program ‘behind schedule’; Around the States & Territories: (16 items); Conferences: Annual School Leaders’ Conference, London International Conference on Education; Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

09-02-10: Science Education: National report, Eureka Prizes; School Libraries: Making a difference; Comparing School Performance: More on My School and NAPLAN; Towards a National Curriculum: How do you deliver?; Building the Education Revolution: Behind schedule; Indigenous Education: Infrastructure spending; Special Needs: Report calls for action on dyslexia; Health & Well-being: Backpacks; School Life: Rock Esiteddfod cancelled; Education Tax Refund: How to claim; Around the States & Territories: (13 items); Conferences & Events: Australian Association for Environmental Education; Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more

02-02-10: Funding Our Schools: AEU’s McMorrow report; Comparing School Performance: 15 reactions to the My School website; Church, State & Education: Funding chaplains & Exclusive Brethren; Indigenous Education: Indigenous Education Action Plan, new NSW early childhood centres; School Libraries: Open letter to Julia Gillard; Education Tax Refund: $500+ million unclaimed; Early Childhood Education: more overhauls needed, new online tool for parents; Teach for Australia: 45 “pioneers”; Around the States & Territories: (11 items); Resources: Water Education Toolkit; Celebrations: International Mother Language Day, Clean Up Australia Day, Harmony Day; Conferences: Reggio Children, iNet online conference, Growing up fast and furious, Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference; Reminders; ACSSO Email Newsletters … read more