What's newNew Zealand Ministry of Education releases latest national evaluation resultsThe New Zealand Ministry of Education has released the 2005 National Education Monitoring Project (NEMP) evaluation of Year 4 and Year 8 students. The evaluation identified progress in mathematics, social studies and information skills. More than 2,800 students from 248 schools around the country took part in the study, which assesses students halfway through primary school and at the end of primary education. See the Ministry of Education media release 25 August 2006. Religious teaching guidelines reconsidered in New ZealandProposed new guidelines for teaching religion in Revisions proposed to History curriculum in ScotlandThe Scottish Association of Teachers of History has drawn up a revised syllbus for the teaching of the country's history, under which pupils will be taught major dates and events in their local areas. The proposed new syllabus follows widespread concern that the subject will be downgraded as part of the Scottish Executive's ongoing 'Curriculum for Excellence' review according to an article in Scotland on Sunday 3 September 2006. Singapore boosts spending on teachersSingapore's Education Ministry will spend S$250 million over the next three years to attract, motivate and retain good teachers according to a report on ChannelNewsAsia 4 September 2006. New student record system for VCAAA new record system for the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) will capture the results of a student's 'entire academic life', and will deliver a unified view of student and school performances according to a report on ARNnet 5 September 2006. The project is due to be completed by February 2009. Google offers searches on archived news stories and classical literatureGoogle Book Search is a new service allowing readers to search for and download classical literature in the public domain. Google has also produced a news archive service allowing searches on back copies of newspapers. Readers may have to register or pay online for access to some articles. Victorian international school to open in the United Arab EmiratesThe Victorian International School of Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is due to open this month. The Victorian education system played a key consultancy role in the school’s design, curriculum, governance and assessment and reporting mechanisms. The school is expected to have 3,000 students. Victorian teachers have been invited to work at the school and Deakin University and the University of Melbourne have begun training teachers in the UAE to incorporate Australian teaching techniques. See report on ABC News Victoria 6 September 2006 and background information in Ministerial media release 14 November 2005. Opponents of Darwinian evolution theory try new approach in USAOpponents of the Darwinian theory of evolution are testing a new tactic in the USA, arguing that schools should be required to discuss 'all controversial issues from creation to stem cell research and global warming'. In what critics have called a new attempt to bring religion into the classroom, the Ohio State Board of Education will consider a proposal next week that would oblige schools to teach 'critical thinking in all subjects'. See report on Reuters news service 6 September 2006. The Association of Women Educators National Biennial ConferenceRegistrations for The Association of Women Educators National Biennial Conference, Learn Laugh Lead, are due by Thursday, 14 September 2006. The conference will be held at the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, 4–6 October 2006. |