A decade’s worth of NAPLAN data and a sweeping review of how writing will be taught in NSW has suggested – strongly in the media – that Australian students’ writing skills are in a sad state of decline. In a ...
More »Social work campaign awaits significant senate decision
The Save Social Work Australia campaign will be anxiously awaiting a decision from the senate today in response to the government’s job-ready graduates package for higher education. The campaign organisers initially wrote to education minister Dan Tehan about the group’s ...
More »Crucial Centre Alliance vote ensures the job-ready graduates package will pass the senate
The government’s job-ready graduate package for higher education is guaranteed to pass the senate after Centre Alliance senator Stirling Griff agreed to support it. The package’s new course fee structure will see students in disciplines such as law and humanities ...
More »Controversial LANTITE test needs to change, report concludes
An internal government report has called for the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) to be held at the beginning of education degrees, so students aren’t potentially wasting their time. In comes after revelations that almost one ...
More »Supporting staff mental health and wellbeing during COVID-19: opinion
Australia’s response to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is consistent with international approaches that mandate physical distancing and self-isolation. However, evidence from prior pandemics shows that periods of self-isolation or quarantine are associated with emotions such as anger, frustration and distress. Common ...
More »Victoria University presents economic report to the UN on preparing for future pandemics
A Victoria University report presented at a United Nations-associated meeting this week underscored the economic importance of investing in chronic diseases research in preparation for future pandemics. The COVID-19 pandemic, which according to worldometer has now infected over 30 million ...
More »VET: The great equaliser for African refugees
Vocational education qualifications provide a raft of opportunities for disadvantaged people such as refugees, who often experience disrupted educational experiences growing up. Such qualifications enhance job prospects and promote economic independence. However, according to Tebeje Molla, a research fellow at ...
More »Will the higher education sector be granted amendments to the Job Ready Graduates Package?
The government’s job-ready graduate package looks more likely to pass the upper house in October, with peak bodies and universities accepting the majority of the bill in the face of vocal opposition from Labor. The Senate Education Legislation Committee heard ...
More »ANU database finds Chinese investment has nosedived 47 per cent in one year
Data released by an Australian National University database shows that Chinese investment in Australia has plummeted by over 47 per cent, from $4.8 billion in 2018 to $2.5 billion in 2019. Further, drawing on data released by the university’s Chinese ...
More »Delivering quality feedback to students and staff with remote learning and skeleton staff
Recent research led by Monash University underscores the importance of assessment feedback, as well as revealing that both academic staff and students need to improve. Limited time, large class sizes, declining student motivation and subpar staff feedback sills were identified in ...
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