Students are deciding to study at TAFE rather than university for its merits – not as a "fallback". That was one of the findings to come from Monash University's Vocational Institutions, Undergraduate Degrees, Distinction or Inequality interim report. Among the reasons ...
More »Three ways Australian schools can improve their cybersecurity in 2020
Educators from all grade levels around Australia are starting to realise the benefits of digital technologies in the classroom. Typically, education is one of the last industries to make extensive change, holding on to traditional practices and methods. But digital ...
More »Psychology expert dresses down school uniform policies
Make school uniform rules uniform. That’s the call from an associate professor in psychology. Flinders University’s Sarah Cohen-Woods says efforts to provide students of all genders with comfortable and practical uniforms are being hampered by differing legislative requirements around Australia. ...
More »New thinking needed to help students navigate the future
I was delighted recently when, through Education Minister Dan Tehan, I was asked by COAG’s Education Council to chair a review of how to improve senior secondary pathways into training, future education and work. So, I know, were the other ...
More »Standardised tests are holding our children back: opinion
Australia's high school leaving certificates are holding back our entire education system. They’re a disservice to schools, teachers, and students because how we test affects how we teach. Unfortunately, the current testing regime is geared largely towards testing a student’s ...
More »Scrap ATAR and rethink career pathways: Experts call for overhaul
A new report is proposing a rethink on how educators approach senior schooling and tertiary education, and calls for the ATAR to be replaced with a more comprehensive “learning profile”. The Australian Learning Lecture (ALL) position paper, titled Beyond ATAR: ...
More »NAPLAN review criteria: creativity more than a nice skill to have
The wisdom of the aphorism ‘you don't fatten a pig by weighing it more’ might have finally dawned on at least three state education ministers. Last month, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria announced a review of NAPLAN, with the ...
More »Identifying the perfect local business for your school to partner with
The students of today are the leaders of tomorrow, so we really should be doing everything we can to foster positive and meaningful learning encounters. Part of this is encouraging partnerships with local community members who may be able to ...
More »New Zealand history to be made compulsory in nation’s curriculum
New Zealand history is to be made a mandatory part of the curriculum in all New Zealand schools by 2020. The announcement was made today by the nation’s Prime Minister Jacinta Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins at a ceremony ...
More »States’ NAPLAN review details unveiled
State governments have released the terms of reference for their review of NAPLAN. Heads of education in the Victorian, New South Wales and Queensland governments said the review – which will cost an estimated at $1 million – will identify what ...
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