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Education
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: A question of degrees for future education
The troublesome decline of science education
“When the end of the mining boom comes, where will Australia be?” asked Suzanne Cory, the president of the Australian Academy of Science, in a National Press Club address today slamming Australia’s lack of investment in science education.
Tiger mums breed dragon children
Why are Australian-born children of Chinese parents so successful? SBS examines the constant coaching, love of selective public high schools and drive for education of Chinese-Australian students in a fascinating video series.
Rupert Murdoch … coming to a classroom near you soon
News Corporation plans to become a leading provider of educational materials within five years, aiming for about 10% of total revenue to come from this source.
Eggers: Teachers are always the correct answer
You don’t blame the individual soldiers if the war is lost, you blame the generals and the military chiefs. So why do Americans blame teachers for the issues happening in education? asks author Dave Eggers and educator Ninive Clements Calegari.
ACU emails endorsing anti-abortion group: students
Australian Catholic University has been accused of endorsing the views of a pro-life organisation after two bulk emails were sent out to students yesterday advertising an upcoming Right To Life fundraiser. Students say it’s inappropriate.
My School 2.0: another disappointing sequel
Was it really a surprise to anyone that private schools get more funding than public schools? There’s nothing in the new improved My School that encourages a discussion about education improvement, writes Dan Haesler.
Australia’s mixed economy — why health and education reform matters
When it comes to employment, Australia’s is a mixed economy dominated by one employer — the state.
Rethinking the private vs public school debate
Advocates of government funding for private schools may argue governments save money by subsidizing students. In reality, however, the cost to government of educating students in public or Catholic schools is roughly the same, says Chris Bonnor.
Pardon my French
Over the seven years of elementary school, 40 hours of French instruction per year add up to 280 hours. Yet, unfortunately these lessons are a waste, with the children gaining very little knowledge of another language. Ingrid Piller explains why
Berg: Taylor confirms curriculum motivated by ideological antagonism
The intention of the national history curriculum is — or should be — for Australian students to understand how their world became, writes Chris Berg, of the Foundations of Western Civilisation Program.
Memo to Pyne: you’re reading the wrong history curriculum
When it comes to Christopher Pyne, lawyer, republican and politician, a couple of things. First, as a lawyer, it is always important to read documents carefully, writes Tony Taylor co-editor of the upcoming History Wars and the Classroom: Global Perspectives.
Labor is still managing to trash its brand
Labor’s reputation on the issues that influence voting intention continues to worsen.
How does Australian education measure up internationally?
Australia might not be top of world class education but on the measurements of student performance by 15-year-olds on reading, mathematics and science it ranks well above the average, writes Richard Garmer.
Measuring the ‘crises’ in health and education
Our health and education systems are in crisis, we’re told, even by the politicians who run them, but some funny results emerge when you look at how they compare internationally.
Click this, download that, visit here, look away: the battle between education and digital distraction
The current generation of high school students are growing up in a digital landscape that emphasizes frequency of content absorption rather than content itself. Matt Richtel discusses the pluses and minuses of educating teenagers wired into technology.
Tougher test for would-be Aussie migrants to hit universities hard
A federal government decision last week to further tighten the eligibility requirements for foreigners seeking permanent residency seems certain to have a serious impact on the already faltering recruitment of overseas students, especially those from China and India, writes Geoff Maslen
University reps appalled by draft legislation at confidential briefing
A special government briefing in Canberra on Tuesday and Wednesday on crucial legislation covering the operations of post-secondary education institutions across the country turned out to be a debacle, writes higher education expert Geoff Maslen.
Higher ed in trouble: the Indian market has ‘dried up altogether’
Australia’s vice-chancellors are not usually given to wild alarmist cries but the sudden collapse of the Indian export education market has caused consternation in their ranks, writes Geoff Maslen.
Advice to first year uni students: dump your boyfriend
A bunch of graduates and PhD students offer up their tips for students heading off to university: make rich friends and poor friends, don’t use a computer and break up with your high school sweetheart.
Gittins: What does Gillard believe in?
Julia Gillard believes in getting herself re-elected, but is that the extent of it? asks Ross Gittins, as he examines Gillard’s pet issue of education and what needs to happen for a true ‘education revolution’ to unfold.
National curriculum debate looking in the wrong direction
Australia’s first national curriculum, currently under construction, is in danger of having such a minuscule influence as to be completely ineffectual, says freelance writer and former teacher Celia Parham.
Melbourne Uni backflip won’t save VCA
The University of Melbourne’s humiliating backflip on the Victorian College of the Arts and the resignation of chief Melbourne Model spruiker Sharman Pretty might not be enough to save the icon from further financial strife, activists say.
Key demographics holding policy hostage in the race to the bottom
In policy terms this is turning into one of the worst elections of the modern era. As with immigration, education funding is being skewed by politicians’ efforts to appeal to swinging voters.
How does Gillard’s uniform rebate measure up?
Daily Media Wrap: Yesterday Julia Gillard went back to the classroom with an announcement that the government will offer families financial support by covering part of the cost of school uniforms.
