Bridging the achievement gap: Delivering the best teaching and learning experiences to our students

Pedagogy is a planned action, designed by human agency that acknowledges the social, political, and moral context of the learning act, which facilitates the acquisition of new knowledge, beliefs, or skills for the learner. This definition is broad enough to accommodate multiple viewpoints:

1 Pedagogy is a result of human agency, and includes computer-assisted learning.

2 Pedagogy is an action that allows or causes the learner to acquire new knowledge. Read more

Education about existing laws is needed to reduce cyberbullying – not new laws, experts say

It’s hard to know what to do with cyber bullies, the consequences of their actions are real and severe though.

But turning them into criminals probably isn’t advisable says a submission from a group of experts. What is required is a consolidation of approaches across the states and territories.

Australian Universities Anti-bullying Research Alliance (AUARA), argued that criminalising children for cyberbullying would be counter-productive. Read more

Winners of 2018 BHP Billiton Foundation Science and Engineering Awards

Winners of this year’s BHP Science and Engineering awards were given a nod for their innovative ideas on robotics and products designed to help the less fortunate and the environment. All displayed an advanced knowledge of their chosen discipline and real world applicability. A robotic window cleaner, a water filter made from agricultural waste, and a plastic made from prawn shells are the main winners. Read more

Does NAPLAN make the grade?

They say whiskey’s for drinking and water’s for fighting over, similarly NAPLAN has been a source of contention since its beginning and now experts and politicians are calling for a thorough review of what NAPLAN is and what it’s for.

Associate Professor Michael Nagel, an expert in human development and the psychology of learning at the University of the Sunshine Coast, says the review is a good start, but favours eliminating NAPLAN altogether. “The research around standardised testing [like NAPLAN], is pretty conclusive, in that standardised testing paradoxically leads to much lower standards,” he said. Read more

PEACE Pack halves bullying at Adelaide school

Bullying has been an unavoidable if nasty part of school life for far too long, while a solution seemed intractable, a potential remedy has been found by Flinders University researchers and what’s more it seems to work everywhere.

A Flinders University program to reduce bullying in the schoolyard and promote wellbeing among children has halved the incidents of bullying at Brighton Secondary School. Read more

Additional call for Aboriginal STEM Scholarship applicants

Aboriginal students are being strongly encouraged to apply for one of five STEM Scholarships offered in the latest round, which opened on Friday 19 January 2018.

The $1 million STEM Scholarship fund was created to support 110 high school students from under-represented groups to continue their STEM education and complete Year 12.

The scholarship grants offered range from $7500 to $10,000 and will cover costs associated with tutors, laptops, textbooks and excursions or can be used for strategies or services that directly support the student in their chosen STEM subjects. Read more

Assessment tool to focus on ability of students with disability

Educators and support staff will find it easier to recognise and respond to the learning needs of students with significant intellectual disability through a tool which will be introduced into South Australian public schools over the next two years.

Abilities Based Learning and Education Support (ABLES) provides a suite of curriculum, teaching, assessment and reporting resources that guide educators to accurately identify students’ individual learning goals and track their progress against a learning plan. Read more

City schools to help bring arts education to regional Queensland students with launch of new Outreach initiative

So you're interested in booking a well-received school production but may not have the resources, what next?

Queensland Music Festival (QMF) is calling out to large, metropolitan Queensland schools to help take high quality arts performances to students in rural and remote classrooms through its Youth Touring program’s new Outreach initiative. Youth Touring is Queensland's premier arts in education program that brings some of Australia’s most exciting award-winning artists and works into classrooms across the state. Read more