What's newWorking together to build Asia literacyBusiness leaders, academic experts and leaders in Asian education non-government groups have joined School Education Minister, Peter Garrett, at the second Ministerial Roundtable on Asian Literacy. Discussions included strategies to communicate to Australian parents and communities the benefits of studying Asian language and having a deeper understanding of Asian cultures. See Minister's statement 22 November 2012. Peter Garrett speaks on plans for school improvementAustralian School Education Minister, Peter Garrett, has attended a community meeting in Geelong, visited schools in Emerald and attended a principals' forum in the Deakin electorate, to discuss the Government's plans for school improvement and related issues. See also Peter Garrett's opinion piece in the Geelong Advertiser 22 November 2012. Towards Victoria as a Learning CommunityThe Towards Victoria as a Learning Community (TVLC) position paper was released on 15 November 2012 and sets out a range of strategic, school-based reforms that will be pursued to support achievement of the Victorian Government's education goals. These reforms include new expectations for professional practice, increased autonomy for schools, rigorous accountability arrangements, enhanced support for schools, and a commitment to strengthening partnerships. A consultation draft of a Compact, which provides greater detail about the respective roles and responsibilities of government schools, regions and the central office of the Department in the context of school autonomy and professional trust, has been released as a companion document. See also article 18 November and editorial 19 November in The Age. Response to the first year SACE evaluationGrace Portolesi, South Australia's Minister for Education and Child Development, has announced the Government's response to the first year SACE evaluation. See also report on ABC News 21 November and video report on 7News Adelaide 22 November 2012. Idea12: Beyond Connectivity: Making it happen for learnersIdea is an annual event that showcases progress with digital learning globally, with a special focus on the way current and emerging technologies can be joined up to better support education and training across Australia. The Idea12 conference will address current opportunities and challenges facing educators, policy makers and solution providers as they strive to create powerful digital-age learning. The conference will highlight trends in learning and teaching arising from broadband connectivity, the proliferation of access technologies and the opportunities to improve outcomes while managing costs of learning infrastructure. The Idea12 conference will take place at the Sofitel Melbourne. The conference will be on Wednesday 5 December and Thursday 6 December 2012. Safe Schools are Smart Schools CompetitionPeter Garrett, Australian Minister for School Education, has launched the Safe Schools are Smart Schools Competition. The competition aims to find the best safe school activities in Australian schools and share them with the wider school community. Follow CL journal on TwitterThe current edition of Curriculum Leadership is the last for 2012. For news updates over the summer break follow Curriculum Leadership on Twitter. |