What's newSchool violence is learnt in the home, says NSW studyThe New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research has found that children who are unreasonably and erratically punished at home are more likely to hit out at school. The Bureau also found that the school environment plays a crucial role in school violence. See report in Sydney Morning Herald 15 March 2005. Male-only teaching scholarships fail to attract applicantsMale-only scholarships designed by the Sydney Catholic Education Office to attract more men into primary teaching have failed to attract enough applicants for the 12 positions offered this year. See report in The Australian 15 March 2005 and update article 16 March 2005. Streamed classes for gifted students in NSW state comprehensive schoolsStreamed classes are being launched across New South Wales this year. The move will include the establishment of gifted and talented classes in all comprehensive high schools. The State Government expects that the streamed classes will encourage gifted students to stay in comprehensive schools rather than go to selective or private institutions. Education expert Tony Vinson has welcomed the move, which was recommended by the 2003 independent inquiry into public education which he chaired. See report in the Sun-Herald (Sydney Morning Herald) 13 March 2005. EdNA Groups: a new online service
EdNA Groups is a new online service developed by education.au limited for the EdNA Online project. It provides free collaborative workspaces to support teaching, learning and research for all sectors of education and training. Each Group receives a space in which to set up web forums and live chats; share web links, files and images; create web pages and wikis; poll or survey members, and add RSS newsfeeds from EdNA Online. Cyber-bullying on the rise in Queensland schoolsThe Independent Voice reports that cyber-bullying is prevalent amongst students at non-government school in Queensland. Research into the phenomenon by Dr Marilyn Campbell, of Queensland University of Technology, has found that 11.3 per cent of the Year 8 students surveyed at non-government schools had participated in cyber-bullying, while 14 per cent admitted to being victims of such behaviour. For more information see the article in The Independent Voice, February 2005. The article also refers readers to the Queensland Department of Education and the Arts guidelines on student use of mobile phones, and to a study on adolescent use of mobile phones conducted by The Australian Psychological Society. Program revives veteran spiritSarah Bannister reports in Education Times of an education program that has been designed by Victoria's Shrine of Remembrance, which allows Victorian school students to learn about the values that were exemplified by the those who fought in the First World War. Keeping the ANZAC Spirit Alive contains resources for teachers and a visiting guide to Victoria's Shrine of Remembrance. For more information see Education Times, 24 February 2005. Overseas student numbers rise (SA)South Australia will host an additional 240 overseas students in its government schools in 2005, representing an increase of 79 per cent on new enrolments in 2004, an outcome which has been attributed to its overseas student support services. South Australian government schools will have to satisfy new accreditation requirements, which will be introduced in 2005, to continue to host overseas students. For more information see Xpress, 17 February 2005. Code of Ethics (NZ)The Teachers Council Code of Ethics, which came into effect in New Zealand at the end of January 2005, is available on the Teachers Council website. The Code was developed in consultation with teachers, and outlines the standards and commitments expected from members of the teaching profession. For more information see NZEI RouRou, 14 February 2005. HSC Class of 2004 posts strongest performance (NSW)According to the Board of Studies (NSW), the performances of students in the 2004 Higher School Certificate (HSC) continued the positive trend of performances since the introduction of the new HSC. In 2004, 95.8 per cent of students satisfied the minimum requirements of the Certificate, while there were also increases in the number of students in the top three performance bands. For a detailed, statistical analysis of the performance of students in the 2004 HSC, see Board Bulletin, vol. 14, no.1, February 2005. MPs urge Victorian Government to ease teacher sex lawThe Victorian Government is under growing pressure over the mandatory dismissal of teachers with child-sex offences, as principals and federal and state MPs call for a review of the controversial legislation. See report in The Age 17 March 2005. |