Education

This week, Adam Voigt shares insights from Professor Sugata Mitra, designer of the ‘Hole in the Wall’ experiments. Voigt suggests we fill the gaps between scheduled learning activities with mind-expanding questions, Mitra style.

The Australian Education Union (AEU) has expressed serious concern about the federal government’s move to prevent the new panel reviewing student outcomes from considering school funding allocation.

The federal government has named the panel of experts that will lead an inquiry into ensuring that levels of investment in schools actually have an impact, boosting the results of Australian students.

Education is a home-school partnership, yet direct involvement in classroom activities, excursions and parent committees drops after preschool. Some schools are using interactive technologies, such as parent-school wikis, blogs, and virtual chatrooms to engage parents.

We need to be teaching in a way that promotes innovation and creativity, but research indicates employers and students have varying perceptions of innovation, which will affects the employability of tomorrow's workforce.

Paralympic gold medallist Kurt Fearnley says a good supportive public school education changed his life and helped make him the champion he is today.

Recent controversy confirms petrifying children is not the way to teach the Stolen Generations to students, but what is? A review of Anita Heiss' new book, Race for Reconciliation indicates the narrative of Indigenous voices is the answer. I expected a book of role models and inspiration; it was so much more.

When we think of a “good society” – one that is fair and just – a defining characteristic is likely to be that all people have the opportunity to realise their potential, irrespective of the circumstances into which they are born.

Despite having similar aspirations in primary schools, high-achieving Indigenous students were significantly less likely to want to go to university than their high-achieving non-Indigenous peers.

“I’m just so bad at maths!” Too often we hear that claim uttered in fear and frustration. It’s not just students who say this, but also their parents and, in some cases, their teachers, particularly in primary schools.