AbstractsKyoto's community schools let locals call the shots20 September 2005
In 2002, nine schools in Kyoto adopted a community-based approach to management and teaching. The move was designed to achieve greater flexibility and scope in school learning, reflecting concerns that the system used in Japan’s mainstream schools was too narrow in scope. Now, 25 community schools are operating throughout the city under school management councils, which are made up of local community members and parents who plan curriculum activities alongside teachers. Activities focus on local history and teaching resources, with council members and local identities leading lessons based on their own professional knowledge and experience. The councils approve basic school policies and budget, and express views on staffing and lessons. At the school Goshu-Minami, the management council is made up of 12 groups covering topics such as sport, the environment, culture, health and computers. Members of the council, along with other local community members, have used their own skills and occupational knowledge to plan activities including literary composition, global warming discussions, traditional Yuzen dyeing and other arts. Students have benefited from increased adult assistance and hands-on learning activities, which are linked to learning about their community’s local history and traditions. The schools have established strong ties between school teachers and the community. KLA Subject HeadingsJapanAdministration Curriculum planning Education and state School leadership School councils School and community Unconditional teaching
Volume 63
Number 1, September 2005;
Pages 20–24
In the current culture of results-focused education, teachers may feel pressure to reward students selectively, on the basis of certain behaviours and academic capabilities. This can damage a student’s self-esteem and sense of identity, which then become contingent on achieving results. Teachers can adopt an unconditional approach to teaching to support and reward all students based on their unique characteristics, rather than on how they perform. This approach supports students’ confidence, self-motivation and greater risk-taking in learning. Teaching unconditionally involves recognition of a child’s positive characteristics, and involvement of students in discussions and decisions. Teachers should avoid focusing too heavily on verbal awards for achievements and refrain from excessively pushing students to meet standards. Excellence can still be congratulated, but should not be the dominant factor in viewing a student. Teachers can manage behaviour unconditionally by clearly rejecting unacceptable behaviours, but reassuring a student that they still care. Punishments such as removing a child from an activity or class can belittle a student’s own moral development and impede the teacher–student relationship. Instead, behaviour issues should be resolved through teacher–student collaboration. KLA Subject HeadingsStudentsTeaching and learning Behaviour management Classroom management Teacher-student relationships Assessment index remains hush-hush at home
Volume 15
Number 37, 21 September 2005;
Page 1, 15
A new method for evaluating school performance has been developed by Dr Martin Samy of Monash University’s Faculty of Business and Economics. His Quality Situation Assessment Instrument (QSAI) measures schools on eight equally weighted indicators, determined through surveys of school community members. The measures include student academic performance, school leadership, the school’s use of data for monitoring its internal communication and performance, and the school’s interactions with its community. Over 40 State, Catholic and Independent schools have been evaluated through the QSAI. The results are confidential. Education authorities in Oregon USA have expressed interest in the QSAI. In contrast, the ‘league tables’ approach to evaluation measures only student academic outcomes. This approach is seen as unhelpful, especially in New South Wales where selective government schools attract many high performing students and therefore diminish average outcomes at other government schools. In New South Wales, a ‘value-added’ approach is used to evaluate schools in the State and Catholic sectors. In State schools, this system measures improvements in individual student performance by tracking the students’ outcomes in Years 3, 5, 7 8 and 10, and comparing these individual outcomes to other students around the State. KLA Subject HeadingsSchool leadershipSchool and community Schools Educational evaluation A war of attrition?
Volume 15
Number 37, 21 September 2005;
Pages 16–7
A DEST survey of teacher attrition between 1994 and 2002 found that an unduly high number of teachers left the profession four to five years after graduation. The survey also found that about 25 per cent of teachers left within the first five years after graduation; that only about 60 per cent were working in a school in the year after their graduation; and that 117,000 teachers moved to other occupations. The shift to other lines of work should be encouraged. A teaching qualification is increasingly recognised as a useful generalist degree that adds to the pool of work force skills. Governments should allow for this fact by funding additional places in teacher education courses. However, many teachers leave the profession for the ‘wrong reasons’, and this fact should also be addressed. Teacher salaries do not keep pace with those in comparable professions in the five years after graduation. Professional development for teachers is ‘under-resourced, under-researched and desultory in its provision’. Other ways to retain teachers in the profession include increasing support for team teaching and mentoring, redesign of the traditional classroom model, facilitating international teacher exchanges and increasing funding for education research. KLA Subject HeadingsEducational evaluationTeacher training Teaching profession Teachers' employment E-ssential admin made easier
Volume 84
Number 17, 19 September 2005
The New Zealand Ministry of Education's e-Admin program is set to improve data quality, accuracy and access for schools. E-Admin's project team are currently overseeing five key projects in the areas of student enrolment and data exchange, payroll and HR issues, and student management. The Student Management System (SMS) has improved accessibility to information, communication and increased efficiency in report generation for schools by reducing the need for repetitive data collection. The SMS required a data and software rationalisation, as the project team were faced with software inconsistencies between schools. Standard definitions were established for the SMS, and support issues resolved to establish a list of accredited systems. The project has identified each school's needs and recommended specific programs and staff training through the Schools' Capability Training Project. The article outlines an interview with and profile of e-Admin project manager, Robert Scott. KLA Subject HeadingsSchoolsInformation management Administration Science at your fingertips
Volume 84
Number 17, 19 September 2005
In New Zealand, a new website for students and teachers aims to foster critical thinking about science and its effects on everyday life, and develop related scientific skills. Science Is has been released on the New Zealand Ministry of Education’s online resource centre, Te Kete Ipurangi (TKI). Science Is is designed to offer concise information and a range of activities and investigations which teachers can use as stand-alone resources or to complement a unit of work. Activities are based on curriculum levels 1 to 8 for Years 1 to 13, and link to the Nature of science and Developing scientific skills and attitudes strands of Science in the New Zealand Curriculum. Examples, ideas for reflection and teacher notes are provided. Further resources are undergoing trialling for inclusion in the site, which complements the Building science concepts books. The website comes after recent international and local concern that students are relying on formulas and facts but failing to develop a deep understanding of the scientific concepts behind them. The article includes an outline of how one teacher has utilised the Science Is website in teaching Year 6 and 7 students. Key Learning AreasScienceSubject HeadingsNew ZealandElearning Science Science teaching Websites No time to gather dustSpring 2005;
Pages 10–11
The role of school libraries is changing due to the growth of online literature databases and to curriculum changes that ask students to conduct their own research. School libraries increasingly provide current material from newspapers, magazines and journals in online format. Teacher librarians are increasingly expected to train students and other teachers in online search techniques, rather than simply managing stored information. Learning objects, or interactive multimedia resources available online, are a particularly valuable resource for students and teachers in this new context. Their interactivity appeals to students. Learning objects offer teachers smooth, rapid access to integrated video, audio and pictorial resources, saving them the time and trouble of tasks such as sourcing permission to use copyrighted images, and handling room bookings. Learning objects are available in class, the home and the staffroom. Teacher librarians, with their knowledge of the resource needs of teachers and students, are well placed to contribute to the development and use of learning objects. KLA Subject HeadingsTeacher-LibrariansSchool libraries Teaching and learning Electronic publishing Elearning Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Information literacy Information services Learning objects are tracking wellSpring 2005;
Pages 7–9
Learning objects are ‘interactive, online, multimedia resources that are accessible from digital repositories and are re-usable in multiple settings for multiple purposes'. The Le@rning Federation (TLF) has carried out a review of the impact of its learning objects on students' learning and motivation. It surveyed approximately 500 teachers and 1,600 students, and conducted case studies at six schools that vary widely in setting and student characteristics. Feedback from teachers and students has been uniformly positive. TLF learning objects were found to stimulate students' engagement with classroom activities, especially in terms of topics or groups of students who are usually hard to teach. However, teachers in the survey warned that they needed considerable time to select the most appropriate learning objects for their classroom needs. They sometimes also expressed frustration at technical difficulties, as the learning objects challenged the ICT infrastructure available at their schools. Issues for further consideration include identifying the topics and purposes best served by learning objects; identifying the different needs of primary and secondary classrooms; developing policies for students; access to learning objects; the impact of social, cultural and linguistic background on use of learning objects; and the implications of learning objects for design of workstations. KLA Subject HeadingsSurveysTeaching and learning Websites Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Elearning Educational planning Educational evaluation Computer-based training Integrating ICT: A whole-school approach
Number 162, September 2005;
Pages 56–57
Bass High School, South West Sydney, has implemented a full ICT system to manage documentation and work processes, freeing staff to concentrate on teaching and improving accountability procedures. Any information on a particular student can be securely and instantly accessed by staff, thanks to the data links the new system offers. The ability to link files, along with pro-forma letters and stream-lined processes, has eliminated the need for paper-based records. Student reports are now completed within three weeks compared to five, and are more personal and accurate as a result. Initially, the system was established to manage student welfare issues after a time-consuming paper-based version saw issues left unresolved. The system was quickly extended to handle the school’s other administrative, teaching and reporting needs. The school selected FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Server as software options, recognising that they could be easily tailored to meet changes in data use requirements and student numbers, and could be used to teach database skills in the classroom. Programming was completed by a member of the school’s staff and complex scripting contracted externally. Key Learning AreasTechnologySubject HeadingsElearningAdministration Information management Schools Reporting Information and Communications Technology (ICT) WA leads the way
Number 162, September 2005;
Pages 54–56
CathEdNet, a network featuring IT based resources and tools for classroom and at-home use, has been acclaimed as an example of international best practice. Created in 2002 by the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia (CEOWA), several Catholic colleges and Telstra, CathEdNet is now accessed by all Catholic schools and a number of affiliated organisations in Western Australia. The network's main feature, myinternet, can be accessed from any Internet point and enables online collaboration between staff, students and schools. Myinternet is divided into mydesktop, myclasses and myportfolio sections. Myclasses contains interactive curriculum-wide resources which schools can readily share online to reduce teacher workloads. Both independent and collaborative learning are supported through activities and games within the classroom, as well as website lists for further research and editable class pages. It allows students to email teachers with homework queries, and provides remote email and calendar access for staff. One Australian teacher has used myportfolio to set work and provide feedback for students in Europe. Parent access to real-time information on their child’s development through myportfolio is planned, along with multi-party video conferencing. Despite being costly to implement, CathEdNet has a low ongoing expense. KLA Subject HeadingsWestern Australia (WA)Websites Catholic schools School partnerships Elearning Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Computer-based training Teach to the future and reap rewards
Volume 13
Number 15, 8 September 2005;
Page 6
Intel® to Teach to the Future is a pilot professional development program for educators who have either a Koorie background or teach Koorie students. Participants learn how to incorporate ICT into the curriculum to provide engaging and inquiry-driven learning activities for Koorie students, and develop student projects in line with this. Developed by the Department of Education and Training's (DET) eLearning unit and the Koorie Strategy branch, the pilot has involved 2,500 Victorian participants over the last two years. The latest graduates are expected to train ten other teachers in turn. KLA Subject HeadingsAboriginal studentsVictoria Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Setting the standard
Volume 13
Number 15, 8 September 2005;
Page 5
Staff at Albert Park College in Victoria have begun the integration process for the new Victorian Essential Learnings Standards (VELS) by evaluating current teaching practices. Curriculum teams will implement the three VELS strands of learning, which cover physical, personal and social learning and life skills; discipline-based learning; and interdisciplinary work skills. Through discussion and workshops, each team has audited both the current curriculum and teaching practices to ascertain which dimensions are currently being taught. The teams will next begin writing learning activities and plans which integrate studies across the curriculum. The school aims to promote 'high order learning', encourage self-direction and achievement among students, and ensure effective assessment under the new framework. KLA Subject HeadingsCurriculum planningEducational evaluation Education policy Victoria The influence of social-demographic determinants on secondary school children's computer use, experience, beliefs and competence
Volume 14
Number 1, 2005;
Pages 43–59
A study of Dutch-speaking secondary students in Belgium has examined students’ computer use, and its links to gender and to socioeconomic status (SES). Previous studies have found that girls spend less time on computers and display lower competence in their use than boys. There is a ‘striking imbalance’ between the high number of studies relating computer use to gender and the infrequency of SES-related research. The current study, in 2002, surveyed 518 students aged 16 to 19 at eight Flemish secondary schools in Brussels. It confirmed earlier findings that girls use computers less often both at home and at school, apart from email and word processing; that they use fewer applications; and that they have more negative attitudes towards computers overall. However, girls and boys had similar levels of interest in computers in relation to their school studies. Low SES students showed more mastery of computer games, but in terms of other types of applications there was either no link with SES, or a weak link in favour of high SES students. Low SES correlated with lower levels of computer ownership. Computer skills, on the other hand, did not correlate with SES. However, such correlations ‘may be expected if questions were to be included regarding digital skills of a higher order’, such as complex information processing strategies, and use of ICT to develop social networks. Schools should teach such higher order ICT skills, including critiques of equipment quality, and social, professional and ethical issues in ICT. KLA Subject HeadingsSurveysSocial classes Secondary education Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Girls' education Elearning Educational evaluation Computers in society Boys' education Adolescents A year in the life: two seventh-grade teachers implement one-to-one computing
Volume 37
Number 4, Summer 2005;
Pages 361–377
A case study in Maine, USA, has examined the introduction of laptop computers in the classroom. The study focused on two maths and science teachers at a rural middle years’ school, during the first year of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) under which all school students in the state were to receive laptops and support software. The MLTI gave each school scope to add more software and determine policies for student use of the equipment. The case study focused on Hillside Middle School. After an initial meeting with the principal the researchers interviewed teachers, observed classes and examined artefacts such as emails from teachers, handouts and news articles about the MLTI. Despite the principal’s support for the MLTI, the use of laptops was found to be constrained by technology problems ‘that were clearly a result of school and district policies’. The district technician was unfamiliar with the school’s Apple laptops. The ‘vastly different cultures, routines and values of teachers and technicians create dramatic and debilitating undercurrents in schools’. The two teachers in the study, Rick and Susan, could both see great value in the laptops, but Susan had a more limited grasp of their potential for introducing student-centred learning. Both teachers committed themselves to self-training on the laptops in their own time, but Susan’s time was limited by family commitments. In class Susan spent a great deal of time resolving technical problems while Rick, who had ICT qualifications, integrated the laptops more smoothly into his classes. Both teachers found that implementing mandated statewide curriculum took time away from their integration of the laptops. The researchers concluded that effective implementation of new technology requires system-wide and school-wide resources to overcome technical obstacles. It also requires measures to establish school-wide understanding of the nature of student-centred learning, and its relationship to ICT. (Funding to provide laptops to all Maine students has been discontinued since the article was written – see update report from Stateline.org 19 September 2005.) Key Learning AreasScienceMathematics Subject HeadingsEducational evaluationTeacher evaluation Case studies Study methods School equipment School culture Professional development Middle schooling Mathematics teaching Science teaching Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Elearning Computer-based training Developing an instrument to assess the number sense of young children‘Number sense’ refers to a flexible understanding of number representations, a grasp of the connections between numbers and symbols, and awareness of concepts such as absolute and relative magnitude. Studies indicate that the early primary years are important in developing number sense and lasting beliefs and attitudes towards maths. Children in these years frequently learn to follow rules by rote, leading to misconceptions and misremembered procedures. Without a grasp of underlying concepts, they are unable to apply their maths to new contexts, including real world situations. A group of Tasmanian researchers has trialled the use of an instrument designed to test the number sense of children in Grades 1–3. The assessment instrument, developed in Malaysia, consists of four modules that examine various aspects of number sense. The trial investigated the module on counting skills, which consists of 25 assessment tasks. A total of 27 children at three government primary schools took part. Children were tested by interview, in recognition that number sense is a more difficult and subtle quality to assess than computational skills. The interviewers rated each child on a range of proficiencies and recorded their use of particular strategies, their degree of hesitancy, and the nature of any misconceptions. Following the interviews, videotaped meetings were held with principals and classroom teachers at the three schools. The trial identified a range of misconceptions about counting among many children. Many children were not always able to move easily between abstract and concrete contexts. The researchers recommended that children be taught through a mix of abstract and concrete counting tasks, and by using unstructured tasks such as counting people pictured in group photographs. Key Learning AreasMathematicsSubject HeadingsNumeracyMalaysia Primary education Educational evaluation |