New publications

This report examines both the goals of education, and the steps schools should take to prepare students for work and life. The report comprises five sections. The first provides an overview, discussing recent social and economic changes and their implications for the goals of Australian education systems today and for the future. The second explores the assumptions dominating current neoliberal educational policies where schooling is aligned with economic value. The third section analyses current policies around social inclusion. The fourth section considers the nature of school knowledge and questions traditional learning outcomes and approaches around disadvantaged students. The final section finds that in order to prepare young Australians for the future, education should be holistic and flexible. It should encompass a commitment to learning for both work and life. Adapted from publisher's description.

This text examines the impact of government investment in primary schools in Tasmania. It argues that current expectations of schools, and the emphasis on schools as a means toward social mobility, are 'unhealthy': the role of schooling should be to form active citizens capable of fully participating in society through cultural and social norms as well as through employment. The text comprises seven chapters that examine the current policy context, the forces acting on schools and school leaders, the role of the media in education policy, and the factors helping or hindering the public purposes of schools and schools' perceptions of these factors. A longitudinal study of a 'best practice' school is also provided and contextualised in terms of the factors previously discussed in the text. The full text is available online.

This report examines the results of the Head Start program, which is designed to improve the school readiness of disadvantaged children in the USA. The program includes a variety of services, such as kindergarten, medical services, and parental support programs. The study involved 5,000 school starters from low-income families. Access to Head Start had positive effects on the students' kindergarten experiences. Students also experienced benefits in terms of school readiness, such as improvements in language and literacy outcomes, including letter recognition and spelling; mathematics and problem-solving; and interpersonal skills. There was evidence of improved outcomes around parenting approaches, health, cognitive outcomes, and socio-emotional outcomes. Particular subgroups achieved greater gains in certain areas. The full report is available online.

This review examines research undertaken in England in relation to the role of technology in education. Many developments in technology have occurred over the past few years, including the use of learning platforms, increased provision of online information for parents, and the integration of learning systems. Many schools are reaching maturity in terms of their use of technology. However, several challenges have been identified. They include primary schools falling behind secondary schools in terms of infrastructure development and implementation, as well as issues with smaller sites struggling with access to relevant expertise, low levels of teacher access to management information systems, and problems with carrying IT use across when transitioning between primary and secondary schools. The full report is available online.

This report examines the implementation of the Getting It Right for Every Child policy, aimed at improving outcomes for all children in Scotland by coordinating approaches from relevant services and agencies. Signs of progress include improved child safety and health outcomes; more streamlined support structures and processes; and improved reporting and sharing of information. Challenges remain in monitoring the emergence of new barriers; and in ensuring widespread implementation, understanding of the interrelation of different elements of the policy, and consistency in reporting. The full report is available online.

Aimed at teachers, educators and administrators, this text draws on the work of cognition expert Howard Gardner in outlining how the theory of Multiple Intelligences can be applied to teaching approaches, curriculums and assessments. Topics include the foundations of MI theory; describing intelligences in students; MI theory and curriculum development, teaching strategies and the classroom environment; and MI theory and assessment. Each chapter concludes with further study suggestions and exercises. Adapted from Chapter 1.