Edna News

More than three-quarters of people across the world believe access to the internet is a fundamental right, a poll carried out for the BBC indicates. The poll, which questioned more than 27,000 adults across 26 countries, suggested strong support globally for access to the web. SMH, 9 March 2010.

The Baird review final report into the legislation that governs international education in Australia is now complete and includes recommendations for how the legislation can be strengthened to better protect international students and the integrity of the Australian international education sector. Australian Education International, 9 March 2010.

Social networking companies including YouTube, Facebook and MySpace are likely to announce new education initiatives to help users protect themselves online. Representatives from Australia's top social networking sites were called to a crisis meeting last week after the defacing of Facebook tribute pages for two murdered Australian children. The Australian, 8 March 2010.

Arnhem Land elder Gulumbu Yunupingu, a world-renowned Indigenous artist, has been chosen to represent Australian women at an International Women's Day function in Shanghai, China. The function, which celebrates the achievements of women across the world, is being held in the Australian Pavilion of the Shanghai World Expo in the lead up to the official opening of the World Expo on 1 May. Northern Territory Government, 8 March 2010.

Thirty students from remote parts of NSW will use the latest technology including laptops, interactive whiteboards, web streaming and videoconferencing as part of a new virtual selective school. The NSW Government's new xsel program allows academically gifted students in remote areas to remain at home, close to their family and friends, instead of travelling to regional centres to attend selective schools. NSW Minister for Education and Training, 23 February 2010.

Speaking at the Universities Australia Higher Education Conference, Ms Gillard said that following on from the success of the My School website, which publishes rich achievement information about each of Australia's schools, it is now time for the Government to implement a similar tool at the university level. The My University website will inform students about institutions, courses and pathways and showcase the quality of Australia's higher education providers. DEEWR, 3 March 2010.

Most people who engage in controversial debate on social networking sites do so because they feel safer behind a PC than in the front bar, says a Northern Territory academic. Charles Darwin University Psychology lecturer, Dr Peter Forster said social networking sites have taken on a role as powerful social indicators, as mainstream Australia signs-up and shares views about the hot topics of the day. CDU, 1 March 2010.

Australia's web-users are at the forefront of the social networking craze, posting, poking and Twittering nearly seven hours a month - more than the United States, Britain or Japan. The figure, taken by Nielsen research, compares with a global average of five-and-a-half hours, making Australians the 'world's most prolific users of social media'. News.com.au, February 26 2010.

Education Services Australia Limited has been established through the merger of Curriculum Corporation and Education.au Limited and commenced operations on 1 March 2010. It will build on the existing expertise and reputations of Curriculum Corporation and Education.au Limited to provide efficient education services to meet the future needs of all education sectors, particularly in relation to the implementation of national initiatives such as the National Curriculum and the Digital Education Revolution. ESA, 1 March 2010.

A move from paper to computer-based testing for the International Student Admissions Test (ISAT) will improve access to Australian degrees for international students. ISAT provides universities with the opportunity to use a reliable and efficient way of testing students' potential to cope academically with Australian tertiary courses. It complements existing English-language competency tests. ACER, February 2010

The Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has released the draft K-10 Australian Curriculum in English, mathematics, science and history for online viewing and consultation. ACARA, 1 March 2010.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has officially opened the $50 million National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) in Redfern, Sydney. Created with the support of the Indigenous Land Corporation, the facility will provide world-class facilities in sport, education and the arts for up to 5,000 young Indigenous people from around Australia each year. FaHCSIA, 28 February 2010.

The latest data from the Brotherhood of St Laurence's Life Chances Study indicates that reduced family income remains a major barrier to social inclusion in education. This latest release in the twenty-year study, which has tracked the experiences of one hundred and thirty-eight young people since birth, discusses the impact of socioeconomic disadvantage on their life chances. Brotherhood of St Laurence, 23 Februry 2010.

Funded and supported by the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework), the trials aim to identify the factors that contribute to the successful implementation of an e-portfolio system, to support a person to move quickly and efficiently between education, training, employment and industry areas. Australian Flexible Learning Framework, 23 February 2010.

People's Question Time is a chance for Queenslanders to put questions on important topics to the Premier of Queensland, Government Ministers and panel guests. The next topic is 'The Future of Education in Queensland. Questions may be submitted either beforehand or online while watching and listening to the live discussion. Queensland Government, 19 February 2010.

With COAG's target to halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a decade, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework has been helping Indigenous people use e-learning to sustain their culture and create improved educational opportunities. Australian Flexible Learning Framework, 18 February 2010.

Copyright for Educators is a six week course for educators who want to learn about copyright, open content material and licensing. It is open to all educators around the world. The course is taught around practical case studies faced by teachers when using copyright material in their day to day teaching and educational instruction.

A $40 million initiative to help ensure teachers and school leaders receive comprehensive training in information and communication technology has been announced. The Digital Strategy for Teachers and School Leaders will help teachers and school leaders achieve ICT proficiency and embed these skills across the curriculum and teaching practices. Minister for Education, 18 February 2010.

An outstanding group of senior professionals has begun the exciting and innovative Global Executive MBA program being offered for the first time by the University of Sydney. The primary aim of the program is to develop future leaders who have the skills, knowledge and personal attributes to lead and inspire organisations globally. The University of Sydney, 16 February 2010.

The Bringing Them Home website goes live. On the eve of the second anniversary of the apology to members of the Stolen Generations by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the National Library of Australia launched a special website featuring oral history interviews with people who were involved in or affected by the removal of Indigenous children from their families. NLA, 12 February 2010.