ACER eNews
Report makes strong case for core curriculum in key Year 12 subjects
The case is now strong for a common curriculum core in at least some senior school subjects, the chief executive of the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), Professor Geoff Masters, said upon the release of a new report commissioned by the Federal Government. Federal Education Minister Julie Bishop released the report, Year 12 Curriculum Content and Achievement Standards, prepared by ACER on 1 February.
The study, commissioned in May 2006, examined the content, curriculum and standards of Year 12 subjects across Australia in English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Australian History. It reveals that there is already a high degree of consistency in course content across the country in key subjects increasing the feasibility of a common curriculum in at least some subjects. Read more...
ACER UPDATE
Australian Scholarships Group grant
ACER has been successful in applying for a research grant from the Australian Scholarships Group. The grant will fund an analysis of responses to ACER's Social-Emotional Well-Being Survey. In particular, the analysis will investigate the impact of students’ gender, year level and socioeconomic status on their well-being. Professor Michael Bernard, Principal Fellow, University of Melbourne and the College of Education, California State University, Long Beach, California, will present seminars on the findings of this research work for ACER. These seminars will be conducted in Australia’s major capital cities in late 2007.
Academic standards model
ACER has been successful in applying for a research grant from the Australian Scholarships Group. The grant will fund an analysis of responses to ACER's Social-Emotional Well-Being Survey. In particular, the analysis will investigate the impact of students’ gender, year level and socioeconomic status on their well-being. Professor Michael Bernard, Principal Fellow, University of Melbourne and the College of Education, California State University, Long Beach, California, will present seminars on the findings of this research work for ACER. These seminars will be conducted in Australia’s major capital cities in late 2007.
University of Ulster adopts ACER selection test
ACER's proposal for a selection test for applicants to Allied Health
Professional courses at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland has
been accepted. The test, to be administered annually, contains components
of Critical Reasoning, Interpersonal Reasoning and Written Communication
modelled on ACER's MSAT (Medical School Admissions Test) used by three
graduate-entry medical schools in UK. The first administration of the
test, involving 850 candidates, took place on 27 January at three test
centres in Northern Ireland.
CEET seminar: European Approaches to Competence Development
The Monash University-ACER Centre for the Economics of Education and Training (CEET) will conduct a free seminar entitled 'European Approaches to Competence Development,' by Professor Jonathon Winterton, Professor of Human Resource Development and Director of Research and International Development at Toulouse Business School, France. This seminar reports on a study that analyses how far strategies for promoting competence development at work are influenced by national conceptions of competence, systems of vocational training and models of social dialogue. The work confirms that diversity in these three domains presents challenges both for developing coherent policies at EU level and for implementing consistent trade union actions locally.
The seminar will take on Monday 26 February from 12.00 to 1.30pm at the Monash University Law Chambers 472 Bourke Street Melbourne. For bookings and further information please visit http://www.education.monash.edu.au/centres/ceet/ or contact Normal Coull at CEET Norma.coull@education.monash.edu.au
Copyright © Australian Council for Educational Research 2009
All rights reserved. Except under the conditions described in the Copyright Act 1968 of Australia and subsequent amendments, no part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without written permission. Please address any requests to reproduce information to communications@acer.edu.au