ACER eNews


News bulletins from the Australian Council for Educational Research published June 2004 3134 subscribers Subscribe Now In this issue: Reporting information on school performance Students sit scholarship exam ACER UPDATE Reporting information on school performance ACER's chief executive Professor Geoff Masters discusses the issues of reporting information on school performance and the important role that ACER is playing in developing and exploring improved systems for reporting the performances of schools and individual students. Continue reading » Students sit scholarship exam Around 18,000 students from around Australia take exams set by ACER in the hope of winning a scholarship to one of 250 independent schools. Close to 12,000 candidates sat for the Co-operative Scholarship Testing Program (CSTP) on 1 May for entrance to one of 150 schools. Results have now been compiled and provided to schools for use in making offers of scholarships to successful students. Continue reading » ACER UPDATE ACER acquires Educare ACER has acquired the education publishing business known as Educare. Current Educare publications include the monthly magazine for government and non-government schools, Educare News; the National Register of Independent Schools of Australia; the School Supply Guide; and the School Activities Guide . The acquisition was completed in May. UK consultants appointed Two part-time consultants were appointed during May to promote ACER in the UK. One of the consultants, who was closely involved in establishing graduate-entry medicine programs in UK and in the decision to use GAMSAT in the selection of students into these programs, will work to promote the two ACER medical tests already being used in that country. The other consultant will promote ACER's capabilities more generally, building networks, identifying business opportunities and marketing a range of our assessment services. The new MSAT (Medical School Admissions Test) has been developed in consultation with UK medical schools for use in the selection of students into 4 and 5-year medicine degrees. It is a test of reasoning and communication skills. MSAT scores are used in conjunction with academic results and performance at interview. It will be mandatory for applicants for 2005 admission to three medical schools. Four graduate-entry medical schools use GAMSAT UK. Australian Science and Mathematics School evaluation A new ACER project is evaluating the impact of the interaction between academic staff at Flinders University and the teachers at the Australian Science and Mathematics School, based at Flinders University. The project is funded by Flinders University, as part of the Higher Education Innovation Program. The project is being undertaken by ACER's Teaching and Leadership research program. The evaluation is to be completed by December this year. Trial of Aptitude Test of International Secondary Students (ATISS) ACER staff recently completed a pilot test of ATISS (Aptitude Test of International Secondary Students) in China. Teams of test supervisors conducted 24 versions of the test in 17 schools with 3600 Year 10 students in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Test results are now being analysed at ACER. The Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) commissioned ACER to develop the test in 2003. The ATISS aims to provide an indication of students' cognitive abilities by assessing general thinking and reasoning skills. During development, DEST also asked for the test items to be translated into Chinese, as substantial numbers of international secondary students are now coming to Australia from China. ACER Research Highlights The latest edition of ACER's annual publication Research Highlights is now available for download from the ACER website. Print copies are expected to be available by the end of June. International Test Users' Conference 2004 Registrations are still open for the International Test Users' Conference to be hosted by ACER in Melbourne on 19-20 July. The title of the conference is Assessing intelligence, emotion and behaviour . Keynote speakers are Thomas M. Achenbach of the University of Vermont's Department of Psychiatry, Gale Roid of Vanderbilt University, David R Caruso of Harris-McNully Associates and Katherine W Hirsch of the University of Minnesota. More information on the International Test User's Conference 2004 HR and Psych Livewire ACER has introduced two email news bulletins for professionals working in psychology and Human Resources. HR Livewire and Psych Livewire provide subscribers with details of the latest product releases from ACER Press and other information from subscribers.
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News bulletins from the Australian Council for Educational Research published June 2004
3134 subscribers
Subscribe Now

ACER acquires Educare

ACER has acquired the education publishing business known as Educare. Current Educare publications include the monthly magazine for government and non-government schools, Educare News; the National Register of Independent Schools of Australia; the School Supply Guide; and the School Activities Guide . The acquisition was completed in May.

UK consultants appointed

Two part-time consultants were appointed during May to promote ACER in the UK. One of the consultants, who was closely involved in establishing graduate-entry medicine programs in UK and in the decision to use GAMSAT in the selection of students into these programs, will work to promote the two ACER medical tests already being used in that country. The other consultant will promote ACER's capabilities more generally, building networks, identifying business opportunities and marketing a range of our assessment services.

The new MSAT (Medical School Admissions Test) has been developed in consultation with UK medical schools for use in the selection of students into 4 and 5-year medicine degrees. It is a test of reasoning and communication skills. MSAT scores are used in conjunction with academic results and performance at interview. It will be mandatory for applicants for 2005 admission to three medical schools. Four graduate-entry medical schools use GAMSAT UK.

Australian Science and Mathematics School evaluation

A new ACER project is evaluating the impact of the interaction between academic staff at Flinders University and the teachers at the Australian Science and Mathematics School, based at Flinders University. The project is funded by Flinders University, as part of the Higher Education Innovation Program. The project is being undertaken by ACER's Teaching and Leadership research program. The evaluation is to be completed by December this year.

Trial of Aptitude Test of International Secondary Students (ATISS)

ACER staff recently completed a pilot test of ATISS (Aptitude Test of International Secondary Students) in China. Teams of test supervisors conducted 24 versions of the test in 17 schools with 3600 Year 10 students in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Test results are now being analysed at ACER.

The Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) commissioned ACER to develop the test in 2003. The ATISS aims to provide an indication of students' cognitive abilities by assessing general thinking and reasoning skills. During development, DEST also asked for the test items to be translated into Chinese, as substantial numbers of international secondary students are now coming to Australia from China.

ACER Research Highlights

The latest edition of ACER's annual publication Research Highlights is now available for download from the ACER website. Print copies are expected to be available by the end of June.

International Test Users' Conference 2004

Registrations are still open for the International Test Users' Conference to be hosted by ACER in Melbourne on 19-20 July. The title of the conference is Assessing intelligence, emotion and behaviour . Keynote speakers are Thomas M. Achenbach of the University of Vermont's Department of Psychiatry, Gale Roid of Vanderbilt University, David R Caruso of Harris-McNully Associates and Katherine W Hirsch of the University of Minnesota.
More information on the International Test User's Conference 2004

HR and Psych Livewire

ACER has introduced two email news bulletins for professionals working in psychology and Human Resources. HR Livewire and Psych Livewire provide subscribers with details of the latest product releases from ACER Press and other information from subscribers.

Reporting information on school performance

Students sit scholarship exam