Articles

Terms of Reference for SES score methodology released The Turnbull Government has released the terms of reference for an independent inquiry into the data and methodology used to determine specific components of Commonwealth funding for non-government schools.

Smart phones in bed linked to insomnia and poor quality sleep Children are more vulnerable than adults to losing sleep from taking smart phones and tablets to bed, a new study has found. Experts have warned that children are more sensitive to the blue light from electronic screens because their eyes have not yet fully developed.

Researchers respond to CIS report: Getting the most out of Gonski 2.0 Early in October, policy think tank, The Centre for Independent Research (CIS) released its report: Getting the most out of Gonski 2.0: The evidence base for school investments on the use of Gonski funding. It tapped into an ongoing debate over phonics, literacy, and behaviour management.

Michael Chaney to head National School Resourcing Board They eight members of the National School Resourcing Board have been announced. Chaired by Dr Michael Chaney, the Board will undertake reviews of different parts of the funding model under the Australian Education Act 2013. The first review will consider how socio-economic status (SES) scores are calculated

NAPLAN tests and technical requirements online Teachers, students and parents can become familiar with NAPLAN Online by completing mini-tests available on the NAPLAN public demonstration site, located within the NAP website. Visit the NAP website to find out the minimum technical requirements for completing NAPLAN Online.

Make My Idea winners will have clever concepts prototyped Make My Idea is a national competition for student inventors. Winners will see their innovative idea transformed into an early stage prototype model, or 3D or 2D design, and have their ideas shown live on YouTube.

Context, context, context: implementing coaching in schools Prof Christian van Nieuwerburgh (van Nieuwerburgh, 2012, p.17) defines coaching in education as: … a one-to-one conversation that focuses on the enhancement of learning and development through increasing self-awareness and a sense of personal responsibility, where the coach facilitates the self-directed learning of the coachee through questioning,

ACEL 2018 Conference theme is 'Trust your experience – setting the learning agenda' The venue for next year's Conference is the Melbourne Convention Centre from 3–5 October. The meeting will discuss the process of learning through experience, providing delegates with an opportunity to develop their professional knowledge and apply this knowledge to schools and systems.

New HSC music program puts Australian composers centre stage HSC music students and teachers are being given access to the thinking and methods of some of Australia's leading composers in a new program developed by education academics at the University of Technology Sydney.

‘Equality’ trends in school yard conversation Oxford University Press has announced the 2017 Australian Children’s Word of the Year and it's... equality. Primary school children were invited to take part in the inaugural competition. Participants nominated their ‘Word’ through a piece of free writing up to 500 words based on their chosen word.

Getting to know parents A friend who was employed in a large retail store for almost 20 years told me that the first lesson she learned from her manager when she started was “A lot of customers are sometimes right.”      She said this realisation made her able to deal effectively with the difficult customers, the impatient customers, the angry customers – as well as with the lovely ones.

MLC girls win in VIC Formula 1 STEM Challenge Three student teams from Melbourne's MLC have placed 1st, 3rd and 4th in the VIC regional competition. F1 in Schools in the world’s largest STEM competition, involving over nine million students who design, build, test and race miniature F1 cars.