ACER eNews


ACER UPDATE Staff in Australia's Schools - survey starts in August Samples of schools will soon be invited to take part in the Staff in Australia’s Schools (SiAS) survey. Principals and teachers are encouraged to take part. It is critical that high quality, representative data are collected. The survey, which is being conducted by ACER on behalf of DEEWR, will collect information that is vital for teacher workforce planning. It involves random samples of Primary and Secondary schools: in the Government, Catholic and Independent sectors in all States and Territories Teachers and school leaders will complete a short on-line survey. The data are confidential and no school or teacher will be identified. The survey is widely supported. The Advisory Committee includes government and non-government school employers, principals’ associations, teacher unions, teacher education institutions, and the ABS. For further information see: www.acer.edu.au/sias Deputy CEO retires ACER staff will come together on Friday 23 July to farewell Deputy CEO (Research) Dr John Ainley who officially retires after 35 years of service to ACER. John first joined ACER as a Senior Research Officer in 1975 on secondment from Melbourne State College where he was a lecturer in Chemistry. In February 1978 John was appointed permanently to ACER as a Chief Research Officer. He held a number of senior research positions being appointed as Associate Director (Policy Research) in 1994 and becoming Deputy Director and head of research in 2000. During his years at ACER John has overseen some of our largest and best-known international and national survey projects including the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) and the IEA Civics and Citizenship Education Study. He has made an immense contribution to the advancement of education in Australia through advice to a range of government committees and worked closely with organisations including the Catholic Education Office and Graduate Careers Australia. He is one of the longest serving members of ACER’s current staff. Although John has now officially retired, he will return to ACER in a part-time capacity following a well-earned holiday. Principal for a Day celebrates 10th anniversary The Principal for a Day collaboration between Victorian government schools and their communities celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2010. Victoria’s Principal for a Day event takes place this year on Tuesday 24 August. The program is a joint partnership between the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) and has been running in Victoria since 2001. It is a unique opportunity for business and community leaders to shadow a school principal to gain a first hand behind-the-scenes experience of the strengths and challenges facing our schools every day. Schools and community and business leaders interested in participating in the 2010 event can obtain more information from www.acer.edu.au/pfad or by contacting Ms Viv Acker on 9277 5617 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) ACER Principal Research fellow joins Queensland expert panel Dr Gabrielle Matters, Principal Research Fellow and head of ACER’s Brisbane office, has been appointed to an expert panel to help guide the future directions for state education in Queensland over the next decade. Queensland’s Minister for Education and Training Geoff Wilson said in a media statement that the academic experts have been selected for their diverse areas of expertise. Mr Wilson said the panel would provide independent advice on how state education could build on current reforms and address the challenges of the future. The nine member panel held its first meeting on 15 July. Survey to quiz 300, 000 on engagement with learning In August around 300,000 students and over 10,000 teaching staff will be invited to report on their engagement with learning and many of the broader, more enriching aspects of higher education by taking part in the 2010 Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE). The survey will involve students and staff from 54 higher education institutions – 32 Australian universities, seven New Zealand universities, and 15 other higher education providers. The 2010 administration of AUSSE is the largest, most comprehensive and well validated survey yet conducted of whether students and institutions are engaging in effective educational practices. This is the fourth annual administration of the AUSSE, a study funded by participating institutions, which began in 2007. Further information about AUSSE is available from http://ausse.acer.edu.au « Back to eNews
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Staff in Australia's Schools - survey starts in August

Samples of schools will soon be invited to take part in the Staff in Australia’s Schools (SiAS) survey.

Principals and teachers are encouraged to take part. It is critical that high quality, representative data are collected.

The survey, which is being conducted by ACER on behalf of DEEWR, will collect information that is vital for teacher workforce planning. It involves random samples of

Primary and Secondary schools:

in the Government, Catholic and Independent sectors
in all States and Territories

Teachers and school leaders will complete a short on-line survey. The data are confidential and no school or teacher will be identified.

The survey is widely supported. The Advisory Committee includes government and non-government school employers, principals’ associations, teacher unions, teacher education institutions, and the ABS. For further information see: www.acer.edu.au/sias

Deputy CEO retires

ACER staff will come together on Friday 23 July to farewell Deputy CEO (Research) Dr John Ainley who officially retires after 35 years of service to ACER.

John first joined ACER as a Senior Research Officer in 1975 on secondment from Melbourne State College where he was a lecturer in Chemistry. In February 1978 John was appointed permanently to ACER as a Chief Research Officer. He held a number of senior research positions being appointed as Associate Director (Policy Research) in 1994 and becoming Deputy Director and head of research in 2000.

During his years at ACER John has overseen some of our largest and best-known international and national survey projects including the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) and the IEA Civics and Citizenship Education Study.

He has made an immense contribution to the advancement of education in Australia through advice to a range of government committees and worked closely with organisations including the Catholic Education Office and Graduate Careers Australia.

He is one of the longest serving members of ACER’s current staff. Although John has now officially retired, he will return to ACER in a part-time capacity following a well-earned holiday.

Principal for a Day celebrates 10th anniversary

The Principal for a Day collaboration between Victorian government schools and their communities celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2010. Victoria’s Principal for a Day event takes place this year on Tuesday 24 August.

The program is a joint partnership between the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) and has been running in Victoria since 2001. It is a unique opportunity for business and community leaders to shadow a school principal to gain a first hand behind-the-scenes experience of the strengths and challenges facing our schools every day.

Schools and community and business leaders interested in participating in the 2010 event can obtain more information from www.acer.edu.au/pfad or by contacting Ms Viv Acker on 9277 5617 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

ACER Principal Research fellow joins Queensland expert panel

Dr Gabrielle Matters, Principal Research Fellow and head of ACER’s Brisbane office, has been appointed to an expert panel to help guide the future directions for state education in Queensland over the next decade. Queensland’s Minister for Education and Training Geoff Wilson said in a media statement that the academic experts have been selected for their diverse areas of expertise. Mr Wilson said the panel would provide independent advice on how state education could build on current reforms and address the challenges of the future. The nine member panel held its first meeting on 15 July.

Survey to quiz 300, 000 on engagement with learning

In August around 300,000 students and over 10,000 teaching staff will be invited to report on their engagement with learning and many of the broader, more enriching aspects of higher education by taking part in the 2010 Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE).

The survey will involve students and staff from 54 higher education institutions – 32 Australian universities, seven New Zealand universities, and 15 other higher education providers.

The 2010 administration of AUSSE is the largest, most comprehensive and well validated survey yet conducted of whether students and institutions are engaging in effective educational practices. This is the fourth annual administration of the AUSSE, a study funded by participating institutions, which began in 2007.

Further information about AUSSE is available from http://ausse.acer.edu.au

ACER UPDATE