New publications

Our School Our Future is for school leaders motivated to ensure that their schools are successful both now and into the future. The kit includes a book and supporting Resource Book. The book investigates the forces shaping the future of schools, looks at the need for a clear vision and detailed planning, describes the role of values and innovation, and analyses the elements involved in gearing for change. It draws upon the views of teachers and school leaders in Australian schools, the experience of schools that are sustaining success, and expert thinking from around the world. The Resource Book uses the structure of the book to set out practical activities and exercises to challenge thinking, encourage and facilitate collective thought and action, and lead schools to feel empowered to create schools for the future. Adapted from publisher's description. The kit is available for purchase from Education Services Australia.

The Song Room (TSR) is a national not-for-profit organisation that provides learning opportunities to disadvantaged children through music and the creative arts. This report examines the impact of its programs in government schools in disadvantaged NSW communities. The findings support the contribution of arts education to students' emotional wellbeing, school attendance and academic achievement across the curriculum. Adapted from the report, which is available online. See also statement by the Australian Government Minister for School Education, Peter Garrett. See also archived Curriculum Leadership article on The Song Room, November 2009.

As they emerge into adulthood, Britain's young people will need to work with government to solve an array of problems, from adapting to low-carbon lifestyles to caring for an ageing population. An Anatomy of Youth analyses the attitudes of 16–25-year-olds and some of the key trends they are living through, and urges politicians to do more to address their values and concerns. Adapted from publisher's description. The publication is available online.

A research project in England has investigated ways in which schools used funding from the Creative Partnerships program to explore creativity in their teaching practices, and in their schools' curriculum, pedagogy and assessment methods. This report describes and reflects on some of the participants' experiences. The report also sets school change in the context of international policies of school reform. Adapted from executive summary. The full report is available online.

This book addresses the current state of early childhood education in the USA and the extent to which the system meets the needs of diverse learners, such as those learning English as a second language. It examines children’s ways of communicating through varied modes, including the use of non-verbal expression, and multiple media, and children’s use of Spanish, English and the variant of English known as African American Language. Adapted from the publisher's description.

This policy paper proposes a detailed plan that positions digital and media literacy as an essential life skill and outlines steps that policymakers, educators and community advocates can take to help US citizens in the digital age. It provides four broad strategies and 10 specific recommendations on how to provide students and adults with the knowledge and critical thinking skills they need to sort through the overwhelming amount of digital information they receive every day. The paper is the second in a series from The Aspen Institute Communications and Society Program and the John S and James L Knight Foundation. Adapted from the publisher's description.