What's newNAPLAN: computers to mark written exams by 2017From 2017, NAPLAN tests will be scored by computers. See article in the Sydney Morning Herald 29 April, article in the Canberra Times 30 April, and opinion in The Conversation 4 May 2015. Senior Catholic educators in NSW urge wider subject coverage for NAPLAN testsLeading Catholic educators in NSW have called for NAPLAN testing to be extended beyond literacy and numeracy, to cover creativity and critical thinking, and perhaps other subject areas. See article in the Daily Telegraph 25 April 2015. Australian Government provides $16.9 million additional funding to AITSLThe Australian Government is to provide an additional $16.9 million over four years to the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). Australian Minister for Education and Training, Christopher Pyne, has announced that the funding will 'equip AITSL to implement the recommendations of the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) report, starting with the first recommendation of supporting the Government to implement a literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education students from 2015'. See article in The Guardian 8 May 2015. Victoria's education budgetThe Victorian Government's education budget provides for funding to build, upgrade and maintain schools across the state, as well as additional infrastructure and equipment to support students with disabilities. Further funding has been allocated to support school children and their families. See commentary in The Age 6 May 2015. Unregistered teachers on the rise in Queensland schoolsA growing number of classes in Queensland school are taught by unregistered teachers, due to difficulties in finding suitably qualified staff to teach specialised subjects such as maths and languages. See article in the Daily Telegraph 4 May 2015. Concerns over growing teacher workloadAn article in the Courier Mail 6 May 2015 discusses the impact of growing stress on Queensland teachers' performance. Meanwhile the Independent Education Union in South Australia has begun campaigning to reduce the workloads of teachers in Catholic schools: see article in The Advertiser 7 May 2015. Urgent need to boost STEM skills, as automation threatens to reduce or eradicate many current occupationsA new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers warns that today's students will need added skills in STEM areas (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) to participate in a workforce where automation is set to reduce or eradicate a vast range current occupations. See article by The Canberra Times 1 May 2015. Falling employment prospects for graduates: WA reportA survey of university graduates in Western Australia shows 'a two year decline in graduates’ ability to achieve their desired level of employment'. See Auditor-General's report 7 May 2015 p22. Australian Government funds boarding schools assisting indigenous childrenThe Australian Government will provide $5.4 million to extend the Indigenous Boarding Initiative throughout the 2015 and 2016 school years, in order to assist non-government boarding schools with large numbers of Indigenous boarding students from remote and very remote areas. See report and critical commentary on ABC News, both 29 April 2015. Advice for teachers wanting to write booksAn author and former teacher in the USA offers tips to educators intending to follow the same path. Making a success of student ePortfoliosTeachers wishing to make a success of student ePortfolios face '11 essential decisions', according to an article on the Edutopia blog 30 April 2015. Follow Curriculum and Leadership Journal on TwitterFor news updates between editions of the journal, follow Curriculum and Leadership Journal on Twitter. |