Australian education: an OECD perspective

Australia fares well in terms of youth and adult skills compared to other OECD countries. Dr Sergio Arzeni says the tasks ahead are tackling disparities and ensuring that education leads on to good employment opportunities for all.

How I designed my own self-study program to become a global business leader

Learning is going through disruptive changes with the unbundling of higher education. Ankit Khandelwal explains how he created an alternative way to educate himself with a program of self-directed learning.

Community services for children or commercial economic services for GDP?

The Government has asked the Productivity Commission for a public inquiry into future options for childcare and early childhood learning. Social and political researcher Eva Cox explains why she is critical of the recommendations in the draft report.

NAPLAN: it shouldn’t be a testing time

If you have school-age children in Year 3, 5, 7 or 9, you'd be aware that they took the NAPLAN tests (the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) in May this year. Robert Randall, CEO of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), has some words of advice for parents.

NAPLAN: a rigorous process for developing and trialling tasks

This year’s NAPLAN results showed a slight downward trend in persuasive writing. Robert Randall, CEO of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), puts these results into perspective and looks to the future of NAPLAN.

Engaging with Asia in higher education

Australia’s higher education system is a major export market in particular in Asia. James Guthrie argues that we need to protect this important source of revenue by maintaining and improving the quality of higher education in Australia.

Commercialising university research: a good but costly move

The federal government is seeking to restructure the way university research funding is allocated to foster more applied outcomes. Tim Mazzarol explains why strengthening the relationship between universities and industry makes sense.

What’s wrong with school chaplains?

The federal government is endorsing chaplains to provide advice and care to school children. Dr David Zyngier from the Faculty of Education at Monash University says the essential fault of the program is that it is compulsory to put a religious person in this position.

Connect to reading – reading to connect

It’s Children’s Book Week from 16 to 24 August 2014. Schools and public libraries across Australia are celebrating books and Australian authors and illustrators. Classroom teachers, teacher librarians and public librarians develop activities, offer competitions and tell stories to highlight the importance of reading.

Celebrating Children’s Book Week 2014

Children’s Book Week is all about connecting to reading this year. Children’s writer Susan Stephenson has practical tips how to help our kids experience the joy that reading brings.

Food for our future

It is National Science Week from 16 to 24 August, an annual celebration of science and technology in Australia. School children, university students and science enthusiasts of all ages are invited to take part in more than 1,000 events happening around the country.

Why students’ full learning potential isn’t maximised in higher education (and what we’re doing about it)

Students learn best when they actively construct their own knowledge and understanding. Adam Brimo explains how the learning platform OpenLearning aims to change the current model of higher education and align it with how students really learn.