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An F for school reports?
Paul Kidson | June 23, 2023Schools must report on every pupil’s progress twice a year, but standardised reports have replaced handwritten evaluations, meaning parents may have little idea how well their child is doing.
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Get muddy
Chris Speldewinde | June 20, 2023Once upon a time children simply played outside, but now the same experiences of running around in the woods can be delivered to you for just a few hundred dollars a week through ‘bush kinder’.
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Standing up for women’s rights and academic freedom
Hugh Breakey | June 1, 2023Holly Lawford-Smith’s brave and principled defence of women’s rights and female identity has raised the ire of activists in Melbourne but mob action, no matter how strident and vociferous, should not be allowed to shut down rational debate and destroy academic freedom.
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Primary schools and the pandemic
Open Forum | May 17, 2023Despite fears the pandemic would set an entire cohort of children back in their education, a new study finds that children from schools in low-income communities did not suffer significant “learning loss” during the pandemic years of 2020-2021, and even improved in certain areas of study.
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Resilience and retention in the teaching profession
Hugh Gundlach | May 3, 2023Much has been written about the need to attract more people into the teaching profession, but measures to increase teacher’s resilience and ensure they stay in the profession would go a long way to address current staff shortages in the nation’s schools.
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A new vision for Australian research
Brian Schmidt | April 27, 2023The future of Australian prosperity depends on the education and research undertaken within its tertiary education system. The federal government’s call for “lasting reform” in the Universities Accord offers a timely opportunity to take action.
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Burn out in early education
Marg Rogers | April 19, 2023Federal and state governments are investing heavily in early education but high rates of staff turnover and burnout makes it harder for services to find enough staff to give families a childcare place for their children.
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Towards a more inclusive VET system
Donna Bridges | April 12, 2023“Soft skills” shouldn’t be a hard sell as national VET reforms are a critical opportunity to address safety and wellbeing in the construction industry for everyone.
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Visible learning
John Hattie | March 29, 2023Every child is a learner, is teachable, can grow, and can be taught to love learning. Students need to be taught to take on challenges, with safety nets when they fail.
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Teaching under a tree
Open Forum | March 29, 2023As primary schools continue to invest in purpose-built nature play spaces, experts are encouraging teachers to deliver more of the curriculum in outdoor areas, to boost students’ wellbeing and development and to maximise the use of play spaces.
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Education in the age of ChatGPT
Sam Kirshner | March 25, 2023The potential impact of AI chatbots such as ChatGPT on education is nothing short of remarkable, causing many educators to reflect on the very purpose of university education.
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Maths doesn’t have to be murder
Bronwyn Reid O Connor | March 15, 2023No child likes doing reams of maths homework or sitting NAPLAN tests, but parents can take some simple steps to support their children’s studies.