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News bulletins from the Australian Council for Educational Research published September 2010 3134 subscribers Subscribe Now In this issue: Education for all in India Big interest in Big Science Competition ACER Update Education for all in India A delegation of professionals from India’s National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), led by Professor Avtar Singh, recently participated in a series of workshops over a two week period at ACER’s head office. The purpose of their visit was to receive training in the preparation and analysis of large-scale surveys to better monitor changes to educational outcomes under the Government’s reform program. Continue reading » Big interest in Big Science Competition On September 1 secondary school students from across the Asia-Pacific region participated in the Rio Tinto Big Science Competition. ACER developed a Junior, Intermediate and Senior level science test for the competition and is currently analysing the results. The one hour competition was open to secondary students of all abilities and ages, and tested their science knowledge and understanding. Continue reading » ACER Update Staff in Australia's Schools Survey underway The Staff in Australia’s Schools (SiAS) survey is now in schools. This is an important survey for the teaching profession. ACER is conducting the survey on behalf of DEEWR. Its focus is information to improve teacher workforce planning. Topics covered include: teachers’ background and qualifications professional learning activities workload career pathways future career intentions preparation for leadership roles school staffing issues The survey involves random samples of Primary and Secondary schools: in the Government, Catholic and Independent sectors in all States and Territories The survey is designed to be easy and quick to complete online. The data are confidential and no school or teacher will be identified. It is critical that the invited Principals and teachers take part so that high quality, representative data are collected. 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. The survey is also supported by the Australian College of Educators (ACE). For further information see: www.acer.edu.au/sias VET Leadership for the future A new report into leadership in the VET sector by the LH Martin Institute at the University of Melbourne and ACER was released on 22 September. VET Leadership for the Future was co-authored by Hamish Coates, Justin Brown and Tim Friedman from ACER. The report draws together reviews, prior research and a national survey of 327 practicing VET leaders. He says the current selection process for VET leaders needs to be revised against evidence of effective leadership capabilities and predicts large-scale staff departure over the next few decades. The full report is available online from ACER’s research repository. ACER launches student journalism award The Australian Council for Educational Research is offering an award for excellence in an article relating to education. Students who are currently enrolled in an Australian accredited course leading to at least a diploma level qualification are invited to enter. Small cash prizes totaling $600 will be awarded to the place getters ($300 for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place). In addition the winning and short listed entries will be considered for publication in one of the magazines published by ACER Press – Teacher and Inside Teaching. Entries close Friday 22 October 2010. Dinham takes out Australian College of Educators Victoria medal Research Director with ACER’s Teaching, Learning and Leadership program, Professor Stephen Dinham has been awarded the Sir James Darling Medal by the Australian College of Educators Victorian Branch. The Sir James Darling Medal is named after the founder of the College and is awarded to an eminent Victorian educator, who has made 'an outstanding and sustained contribution to Victorian education.' Professor Dinham also took out the ACE NSW branch award, the Sir Harold Wyndham medal in 2005 and is the only person ever to have won both prizes. Developing and Recognising Accomplished Teaching ACER Principal Research Fellow Dr Lawrence Ingvarson recently participated in an invited international symposium on Developing and Recognising Accomplished Teaching at the University of Glasgow. The symposium was sponsored by the General Teaching Council for Scotland and brought together leading professionals and academics from different national systems to review the Scottish Chartered Teacher scheme and to examine issues such as: • Defining and assessing accomplished teaching • Roles for accomplished teachers across different systems internationally • Policies to support aspirant and accredited Chartered Teachers • Strengthening the role of the teaching profession in developing and recognising accomplished teachers. A copy of the paper Lawrence Ingvarson prepared for the symposium, Reflections on Defining, Assessing and Recognising Accomplished Teaching, is available on request.
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News bulletins from the Australian Council for Educational Research published September 2010
3134 subscribers
Subscribe Now

Staff in Australia's Schools Survey underway

The Staff in Australia’s Schools (SiAS) survey is now in schools. This is an important survey for the teaching profession.

ACER is conducting the survey on behalf of DEEWR. Its focus is information to improve teacher workforce planning. Topics covered include:

teachers’ background and qualifications
professional learning activities
workload
career pathways
future career intentions
preparation for leadership roles
school staffing issues

The survey involves random samples of Primary and Secondary schools:

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

The survey is designed to be easy and quick to complete online. The data are confidential and no school or teacher will be identified.

It is critical that the invited Principals and teachers take part so that high quality, representative data are collected.

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. The survey is also supported by the Australian College of Educators (ACE).

For further information see: www.acer.edu.au/sias

VET Leadership for the future

A new report into leadership in the VET sector by the LH Martin Institute at the University of Melbourne and ACER was released on 22 September. VET Leadership for the Future was co-authored by Hamish Coates, Justin Brown and Tim Friedman from ACER.

The report draws together reviews, prior research and a national survey of 327 practicing VET leaders. He says the current selection process for VET leaders needs to be revised against evidence of effective leadership capabilities and predicts large-scale staff departure over the next few decades. The full report is available online from ACER’s research repository.

ACER launches student journalism award

The Australian Council for Educational Research is offering an award for excellence in an article relating to education. Students who are currently enrolled in an Australian accredited course leading to at least a diploma level qualification are invited to enter. Small cash prizes totaling $600 will be awarded to the place getters ($300 for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place). In addition the winning and short listed entries will be considered for publication in one of the magazines published by ACER Press – Teacher and Inside Teaching. Entries close Friday 22 October 2010.

Dinham takes out Australian College of Educators Victoria medal

Research Director with ACER’s Teaching, Learning and Leadership program, Professor Stephen Dinham has been awarded the Sir James Darling Medal by the Australian College of Educators Victorian Branch. The Sir James Darling Medal is named after the founder of the College and is awarded to an eminent Victorian educator, who has made 'an outstanding and sustained contribution to Victorian education.' Professor Dinham also took out the ACE NSW branch award, the Sir Harold Wyndham medal in 2005 and is the only person ever to have won both prizes.

Developing and Recognising Accomplished Teaching

ACER Principal Research Fellow Dr Lawrence Ingvarson recently participated in an invited international symposium on Developing and Recognising Accomplished Teaching at the University of Glasgow. The symposium was sponsored by the General Teaching Council for Scotland and brought together leading professionals and academics from different national systems to review the Scottish Chartered Teacher scheme and to examine issues such as:

• Defining and assessing accomplished teaching

• Roles for accomplished teachers across different systems internationally

• Policies to support aspirant and accredited Chartered Teachers

• Strengthening the role of the teaching profession in developing and recognising accomplished teachers. A copy of the paper Lawrence Ingvarson prepared for the symposium, Reflections on Defining, Assessing and Recognising Accomplished Teaching, is available on request.

Education for all in India

Big interest in Big Science Competition

ACER Update