What's newLearning Framework for Outside School Hours Care programs introducedThe Australian Minister for Early Childhood Education and Child Care, Kate Ellis, has announced that the Australian Government will develop the country’s first Learning Framework for Outside School Hours Care programs. The Learning Framework will guide educators to deliver nationally consistent, high quality outside school hours care programs with an emphasis on play-based learning, physical activity and social development. See Minister's statement 27 May 2010 and article in The Australian 28 May 2010. Further discussion of national English curriculumThe new national English curriculum is discussed in an opinion piece by education expert Kenneth Wiltshire in The Australian 2 June 2010, and in an earlier article in The Australian 1 June 2010. Further discussion of national history curriculumThe History Teachers Association of Victoria (HTAV) has expressed concern that some valuable elements of current Victorian courses on Revolutions and Australian History would be lost in the proposed national history curriculum. See article in The Age 1 June 2010. More study of China urgedAustralian author Brian Hennessy has called for more investment in Chinese language and culture courses in primary and secondary schools, amongst other measures, to increase understanding of China amongst Australian citizens. See article in On Line Opinion 31 May 2010. Librarians provide internet guide and reference serviceLaunched in January 2010, ipl2: information you can trust provides an online reference guide to internet resources. It merges the collections of resources from the Internet Public Library (IPL) and the Librarians' Internet Index (LII) websites. Continued discussion of post-compulsory education in TasmaniaTasmania's Minister for Education and Skills, Lin Thorp, has flagged changes to post-year 10 education in the state, adding however that current Academy, Polytechnic and Skills Institute students will be able to complete their courses. See Minister's statement 3 June 2010. See also report 3 June and related report 31 May 2010 on ABC News. Indigenous education consultative committee in QldQueensland Education and Training Minister Geoff Wilson has announced the new membership of the Queensland Indigenous Education Consultative Committee (QIECC): the peak committee formed to tackle Indigenous education issues in the state. See Minister's statement 3 June 2010. New strategy to improve student attendance levels in WAWestern Australia's Education Minister Liz Constable has launched Better Attendance: Brighter Futures, a new strategy to improve student attendance in public schools. The new strategy will focus on improving student attendance in the early years, offering increased support to parents and schools. Parents whose children continually fail to attend school regularly will face prosecution. The campaign will coincide with the enrolment period for kindergarten and pre-primary and will include 'a special Aboriginal focus', according to the minister. See Minister's statement 31 May 2010. See also report on ABC News 1 June 2010. Curriculum Leadership on TwitterFor more frequent news updates on Australian and international school education, access Curriculum Leadership on Twitter. |