Media Release Archive - 2006
2007 - 2006 - 2005 - 2004 - 2003 - 2002 - 2001 - 2000 - 1999
15 November 2006
Early childhood education at the crossroads
Australia is at a crossroads when it comes to early childhood care and education services. In a new review of education released today by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) the provision of early childhood care and education services in this country is described as insufficient, fragmented, under funded and inconsistent.
1 November 2006
Australian education and training: new policies
The Annual Conference of the Monash University-ACER Centre for the Economics of Education and Training (CEET) will be held in Melbourne on Friday 3 November. This year's theme is Australian Education and Training: New Policies. The conference will consider education and training policies in the context of changes in the Australian population, workforce and economy.
20 October 2006
Political bias in the HSC?
Contrary to recent media reports, the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) has reached no conclusions about political bias in the NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC) chief executive Professor Geoff Masters said today.
13 October 2006
Survey to provide snapshot of Australian teaching workforce
Information gathered from a new survey of staff in Australian schools will provide a much-needed demographic picture of the Australian teaching workforce and highlight specific workforce issues. The Staff in Australia’s Schools Survey is being conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) up until December this year. ACER is being assisted by the Australian College of Educators (ACE).
6 September 2006
Growth in Literacy and Numeracy in the First Three Years
of School
ACER has published its Research Monograph 61 entitled Growth in Literacy and Numeracy in the First Three Years of School, by Marion Meiers, Siek Toon Khoo, Ken Rowe, Andrew Stephanou, Prue Anderson and Kathy Nolan. The report describes the findings from the first three years of the ACER Longitudinal Literacy and Numeracy Study, spanning the period in which the students in the study entered school and continued into their second and third years of school.
15 August 2006
What do we need to boost science learning?
A panel of science education experts will explore possible ways forward at the closing of the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) annual conference Boosting Science Learning – What will it take? at the Hyatt Hotel in Canberra today.
15 August 2006
Boosting science learning through curriculum materials
Effective curriculum materials are central to enhancing science teaching and learning, according to visiting expert Dr Rodger Bybee of the US Biological Sciences Curriculum Study.
15 August 2006
Crisis of interest in science needs humanistic approach
A humanistic approach to curriculum is urgently required in order to address the current crisis of interest in science. Despite an apparently rich set of positive options for increasing student interest in science a number of constraints imposed by science teachers, academic science and competing systemic demands stand in the way of implementing them.
14 August 2006
Science curriculum requires greater focus on community
If science education is to remain useful to students outside of school the curriculum must move beyond the textbook, using community resources to explore science-related community issues according to a leading expert in science education.
14 August 2006
Highly accomplished science teachers deserve higher pay
The quality of science teaching and learning in our schools would be improved if science teachers were assessed and highly accomplished teachers rewarded with a higher salary, according to a paper by Dr Lawrence Ingvarson and Ms Anne Semple.
14 August 2006
Principal for a Day and Australian Council for Educational Research unite to lead the way in business-education partnerships
The Principal for a Day event on 17 August will be the first from its new home at the prestigious Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). The program, a pioneer in growing lasting relationships between government schools, business and the wider community will involve 85 “Principals for a Day”, including ACER’s Chief Executive, Professor Geoff Masters.
13 August 2006
Science curriculum must focus on ideas, evidence and argument
Current practices in science education may be leaving many students poorly educated about science and with an ambivalent or negative attitude towards science according to a visiting expert. Professor Jonathan Osborne of King’s College London argues that science education requires a shift in focus towards ideas, evidence and argument that is more appropriate to the needs of the future citizen and the values of contemporary youth.
11 August 2006
Science curricula in need of reform
School science curricula are in urgent need of reform. This is a clear theme emerging from the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) 11th annual conference entitled Boosting Science Learning: What will it take? to be opened by Federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, Julie Bishop at the Hyatt Hotel Canberra on Monday.
11 August 2006
Conference opens to beat of African buckets
The beat of African “drums” will resonate through the Hyatt Hotel Canberra on Monday morning when grade five students from Forrest School’s Bucket Band will welcome delegates to the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) eleventh annual research conference with their unique version of African percussion.
18 May 2006
New study challenges crisis accounts of youth labour market
“Crisis” accounts of the youth labour market are not supported by a new report released today by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) The report also disputes claims that young people who are not fully engaged in full-time work or study are “at risk” of an unsuccessful school-to-work transition.
5 May 2006
Australian Certificate of Education: report and recommendations
A single Australian Certificate of Education (ACE) to replace the current ‘dog’s breakfast’ of curriculum and assessment arrangements in the final years of secondary school across Australia is the main recommendation of a new report by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) commissioned by the Federal Government. The report, Australian Certificate of Education: Exploring a way forward was released by Federal Education Minister Julie Bishop today.
Download the report (DEST Website)
5 May 2006
Australian Education Review - Using data to support learning in
schools
Although there has been an increase in the amount of information collected from and about Australian schools, this information is not always being used effectively to enhance learning according to a new ACER report released today.
According to the latest edition of the Australian Education Review, Using Data to Support Learning in Schools: Students, Teachers, Systems, better use of research evidence and data are required at all levels of the education system.
5 April 2006
Release of TIMSS Video 1999 Science Study
The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 1999 Video Study
investigated and described Year 8 Science teaching in Australia, Japan, The
Czech Republic and The Netherlands, all of which achieved relatively highly
in the TIMSS 1995 and 1999 written assessments, and The United States, which
achieved at average level only. The report will be officially released at
00:01 on Wednesday 5 April 2006.
Download the report
23 March 2006
ACER Brisbane office now open
ACER's Brisbane office was officially opened on 23 March by chief executive Professor Geoff Masters. The office is headed by Professor Gabrielle Matters, who joined ACER in October 2005 as a Principal Research Fellow. Ms Karen Elvish joins Professor Matters in the Brisbane office as Education Sales Consultant for ACER's Professional Resources Division including Assessment Services programs and ACER Press. Gabrielle and Karen will work to establish a greater presence for ACER in Queensland. The office is located at unit 9, 541 Boundary Road, Spring Hill. Phone (07) 3831 2769 Fax (07) 3831 9900.
6 March 2006
Australian research resources available from EdNA Online
Educators, researchers and students will have increased access to a wide range of educational and research resources from 6 March following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between EdNA Online and the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to link their databases. The two organisations will collaborate on the delivery of information services, which will enable the sharing of knowledge, research and learning content.
21 February 2006
ACER named 'Employer of Choice for Women'
ACER has been awarded Employer of Choice for Women status by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA). ACER is one of 116 Australian employers to receive the citation today. ACER was awarded the citation on the basis of its existing policies and practices that were shown to support women across the organisation and have a positive outcome for both women and the business.
25 January 2006
Australian students among the highest users of computers at
school and in the home: OECD report
A new analysis of 2003 results in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) has found that Australian students are among the world’s leading users of computers in education both at school and in the home. The study, Are students ready for a technology-rich world? was released by the OECD overnight. It is a previously unpublished analysis of data collected during the 2003 round of PISA testing.
Dowload the report (OECD Website)