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2018 19 February


ET News Digest
Your Weekly Education Newsletter
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Moving forward: STEM education in a selection of schools in Victoria

STEM is a hot button issue in education in Australian schools. What does effective integration of the four disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in teaching and learning look like? How do you assess STEM? Where are the Arts/Humanities in STEM? Perhaps all school education P-12 should just be STEAM? Why are ‘inquiry’ and ‘hands on’ learning such important processes in effective STEM education? Read more

NBN Co launches STEM+X initiative to skill students for tomorrow’s workforce

The best way to get kids to learn is to make them enjoy it and The STEM+X initiative will see eight schools across Australia participate in a nationwide pilot where students will apply their personal interests to learning science and technology skills.

     The program has been developed by NBN Co and the ABCN. Read more

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Australia needs to start maths teaching earlier for success

We’re not great at maths apparently but that could all change if we were to introduce the subject at an earlier age.

     Australia’s poor OECD rankings in mathematics might get a boost by teaching concepts earlier and instilling more positive attitudes in early childcare educators, Edith Cowan University (ECU) research suggests.

     Australia currently ranks in the bottom third of all OECD countries for children aged three to five years old (early learning and preschool), with students still stuck in the bottom half by Year Four. Read more

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Teacher registration review begins

With a review of teacher registration now agreed upon by all education ministers, The National Review of Teacher Registration Expert Panel has commenced the first stages of the process.

     An attempt at standardising teacher registration and the even application of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers across the nation has been met with cautious enthusiasm by professional bodies like The Australian College of Educators (ACE). Read more

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Careers advice vital for fulfilled lives

It’s common for people to founder a bit before settling on a career, or more often, settling for one, it just isn’t a recipe for a happy, fulfilled life.

     The issue could be handled better with appropriate careers advice and the Parliamentary Inquiry into Career Advice Activities in Victorian Schools which begins next week will hopefully provide a better picture of what careers advice should look like. Read more

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Government schools still receiving less funding?

New figures show that government funding increases continue to favour private schools over public schools. 

     Total government funding (Commonwealth and state/territory) for private schools increased by $574 per student, adjusted for inflation, between 2012-13 and 2015-16. 

     In the same period (which includes the first 2½ years of Gonski funding) total funding per student increased by $324 per student in public schools. Read more

First stage of 10-year redevelopment at Marcellin College complete

A $20 million refurbishment and extension of the historic Hermitage building at Melbourne’s Marcellin College – the first stage of a 10-year master plan led by project management consultants Montlaur – is now complete.

     The project has created new educational possibilities for the 1400 students at the Catholic Marist boys’ school and provides an additional 3000 square metres of education space. Read more

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Online learning aids the scientific mind

Online teaching may help middle school students’ attitudes towards and outcomes in science, facilitated by interactive features native to the net. A paper by a group of American academics published in the Int. Journal of Science Education has found that students who learned with online science units had significantly deepened science knowledge compared to control group students who were taught the same content in traditional classrooms. Read more