Assessing university reform

Education Minister Jason Clare says “If you don’t think there are challenges in university governance, you’ve been living under a rock” but how workable are the reforms proposed to fix the problem?

Better civics education could encourage constitutional reform

A new survey undertaken by Charles Sturt University reveals Australia’s profound lack of knowledge of civics but finds the public are open to constitutional reform proposals if accurate background information is given.

Encouraging girls to study STEM

A Flinders University STEM enrichment program which mentored 46 schoolgirls in STEM subjects in Year 9 led to 91% of them chosing STEM subjects in their senior secondary years.

The mental impact of multiple developmental conditions

Health systems around the world face rising numbers of children diagnosed with multiple neurodevelopmental conditions which demand thoughtful, coordinated care.

AI in the classroom

A new survey on teacher workload and stress also offers some interesting data on teachers’ increasing use of artificial intelligence in the classroom.

Falling short from the start

Federal and state governments are spending huge amounts of money to encourage families to send children to early childhood education and care but results aren’t matching the investment.

Reimagining Australia’s universities

Former Labor leader and current University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Bill Shorten has called for a “fundamental re-imagining” of Australia’s universities as a “core instrument of our national power”.

Rescuing the ANU

The Australian National University is one of the most prestigious universities in Australia but recent controversies and the resignation of its vice-chancellor mean it must seize an opportunity for renewal.

Where have all the teachers gone?

Australia isn’t unique in facing teacher shortages which increase strain on school resources and reduce the quality of education delivery, but research suggests a number of strategies to encourage more people to teach.

Safe spaces and trigger warnings

A new study involving more than 700 US university students found that trigger warnings do not make students feel more supported or positive toward instructors, despite being widely endorsed. Students who received trigger warnings before trauma-related lectures did not rate instructors as more trustworthy, caring, or open to controversial discussions. In contrast, ‘in a safe space’ messages had a clear positive impact.

A brighter NDIS

The NDIS was designed as a nation-building reform and to preserve that vision, it must evolve to improve outcomes and control ballooning costs.

How students use – and abuse – AI

A survey of the ways students are using AI offers clues for how universities can integrate it into their teaching regimes without undermining academic credibility.