School Education Headlines

Girls believe they are cleverer, better behaved and try harder than boys from as early as the age of four, UK research suggests. BBC News, 1 September 2010.

Victorian students more than 8000 kilometres apart today chatted live to celebrate the opening of the Connections 2010 classroom exhibit at the World Expo in Shanghai, China. The students were working at the ideaslab in Broadmeadows using interactive whiteboards, mini-computers and touch screen computers. Premier of Victoria, 27 August 2010.

Children who have special health care needs in early childhood may encounter learning and social difficulties in their first years of school, a Queensland University of Technology (QUT) researcher has found. QUT News, 31 August 2010.

The program links primary and secondary schools, from the Kimberleys to Campbelltown, in Australia's biggest music gig! Why? To create a nationwide celebration of the value of music education for ALL students. The culminating performance date this year is Thursday, 2nd September, 11.30 am AEST. There will be live webstreams from Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.

The NSW government is offering teacher scholarships to students who agree to teach in the state's hard to staff schools. Applications are now open for the $7 million program, which requires students to commit to schools for three years. The Age, 31 August 2010.

Today's six to twelve year olds are more technologically savvy and count the internet as a source of happiness, research shows. Sydney Morning Herald, 29 August 2010.

Google has joined with Hector's World to support the development of a new online resource, the Hector's World 'Tech Cave', which provides tools for kids to teach themselves and their communities about how technology works - from the internet to mobile phones and GPS systems, providing kids with the tools they need to use technology effectively and safely. Google, 29 August 2010.

The draft Australian Curriculum for K-10 years for English, Mathematics, Science and History is now available as an iPhone application. iTunes, August 2010.

A world first application developed by Melbourne Museum will allow students to study wildlife and record their findings on mobile phones, netbooks and iPads. Victorian Minister for Education, 25 August 2010.

A national curriculum for Australian schools shouldn't be weakened simply because it was 'harder than before' if the country wants to keep up with international education standards, according to the country's curriculum chief. WA Today, 24 August 2010.

Many schools are helping children digest and think critically about current affairs by using a mix of old and new tools. This included access to online newspapers and public news websites, YouTube videos and specialised news sites for students such as Behind the News. SMH, 23 August 2010.

The winners of the 2010 Children's Book of the Year Awards have been announced. Children's Book Council of Australia, 20 August 2010.

A group of grade 5 and 6 students from Epsom Primary School, Victoria received free Apple iPads as part of a state-wide education study launched yesterday. A total of 26 tablets were loaned to the students to evaluate the feasibility of the gadget as a teaching tool. Bendogo Advertiser, 19 August 2010.

A Tasmanian teacher has received a national award for inspiring her students to understand how science affects their lives. ABC News, 18 August 2010.

Seven thousand young people across Australia have had their say in Tell Us, the country's biggest national student survey on school education. The survey results, released by The Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) on 12 August reveal that secondary students want a more active role and a greater voice in their schooling.

Growing up without siblings does not mean a child will have poor social skills later in life, US researchers say. BBC News, 16 August 2010.

Walking to school in the morning reduces stress in children during the school day, according to a US study. Daily Mail, 11 August 2010.

The inaugural Young Aus-Innovators National ICT Prize has been awarded to a team of high school students from Newington College in New South Wales. Australian Computer Society, 12 August 2010.

A 15 minute brain scan could in future be used to test for autism, helping doctors diagnose the complex condition more cheaply and accurately. ABC News, 11 August 2010.

Granting teenagers access to computers can actually diminish their reading and maths results, according to a new US study. news.com.au, 8 August 2010.