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ABC Radio and TV – Education News and Stories    March 2012

EDPOD Download audio for the following programs: 1 March 2012 Finnish education Finland is consistently at the top of international school tests. So what's the secret of their success? Parent views on Gonski The Gonski Review recommends a fundamental change to the way schools should be funded. The review argues that schools need a 5 billion dollar top-up directed to schools with the greatest need. Natasha Mitchell talks with parent representatives of the three school systems. Life Matters  The future of higher learning; How do you nurture intellectual virtue in a market driven system? Listen now Download audio 20 March 2012 In January this year, Minister for Tertiary Education Chris Evans introduced a demand driven system to Australia’s university funding model. The government now provides funds based on the number of undergraduate students who enrol in a university. What happens when the logic of markets are made central to higher education? And does the move to demand based funding necessarily spell the end of the idea of university as we know it? Young children and mathematics Listen Download 19 March 2012 We’re encouraged to read to children as early as possible but how can we encourage the early learning of mathematics? Maths educator Robert Huntley believes parents can provide opportunities to explore concepts and build a positive attitude before children start school. Modern Dilemmas: parents and homework Listen Download 19 March 2012 As a parent or carer, is helping a teenager with their homework cheating, or helping to keep options open? School principals Listen now Download audio  6 March 2012 A dynamic school principal can really lift the quality of a school. But is it getting harder to do the job? According to a new survey, school principals are experiencing increased physical violence and threats. At the same time, principals are under pressure to manage school budgets, hire and fire teachers, be curriculum leaders and maintain academic standards. As baby boomer principals leave the profession in the next few years, will the next generation step up, or decide there’s too much work and not enough money in the job of school principal? The School of St Jude turns 10! Download audio 1 March 2012 Gemma Sisia started the School of St Jude, Tanzania with just a block of dirt and a talent for persuasion. Ten years on the school educates over 1,500 students, has 200 teachers and is celebrating its tenth birthday. We celebrate their story with deputy director Kim Saville. Radio National Newsmaker: Glyn Davis on higher education Listen now Download audio 11 March 2012 Dr Glyn Davis, vice chancellor of the University of Melbourne, was at the National Press Club earlier this week introducing a broad audience to the new reality for Australian universities—higher educational institutions that now operate in an entirely open market but a market in which the only regulated component is the fees they charge. Studying Australian history Download 3 March 2012 Historian Marilyn Lake is concerned by the drop-off in interest, and thereby enrolments, among students wanting to study Australian history at university level. Law Report Victorian parents' case on school SRI Listen Download 6 March 2012 Three parents have commenced a legal action against the Victorian Department of Education. The trio are arguing that religion classes in state primary schools discriminate against their children, who have 'opted out' of these half-hour weekly classes 7.30 Sydney school embraces new teaching model March 30, 2012 Parramatta Marist High in Sydney's west is finding success with project based learning that has students working collaboratively. Teaching program faces examination 1st March 2012 Teach for Australia is designed to put extra teachers in disadvantaged schools, but it's extremely expensive - almost half of its recruits have dropped out after two years and critics say six weeks is simply not long enough to train a teacher. Bush Telegraph Survey of school children shows lack of awareness of farming 5 March  2012  A survey released today by the Primary Industries Education Foundation shows that student and teacher knowledge related to food and fibre production has declined to worrying levels.

April is Autism Awareness Month!

 Autism, a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), is an incurable and complex neurobiological disorder that affects the communication, behavior and social relationships of the patient. The disorder is known to affects 1 in 110 people.

Photo: CARE/David Rochkind, Design: Kim Conger

 Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that manifests itself during the first three years of life. The rate of autism in all regions of the world is high and it has a tremendous impact on children, their families, communities and societies.


 Summary of Secretary-General's Ban Ki-moon's Message for 2012

Let us all continue to join hands to enable people with autism and other neurological differences to realise their potential and enjoy the opportunities and well-being that are their birthright.

Reaching out to people with autism spectrum disorders requires global political commitment and better international cooperation, especially in sharing good practices

.

As highlighted by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, people with autism are equal citizens who should enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms.


April is Autism Awareness Month, a time to learn more about the neurological condition which affects one in every hundred Australians. 

Your school or local library may have some of these resources to raise people's awareness of autism and Asperger's Syndrome Disorder (ASD). 

All Cat's Have Asperger's Syndrome
 
Sue Larkey has provided teaching activities from the author, Kathy Hoopman.

"This looks like one of those cute gift books, but it's got a serious purpose: to provide a description of Asperger syndrome behaviors in the context of a creature for whom independence and aloofness is a point of pride. It's a clever, charming package." Book Review

John Elder Robison has narrated the abridged version. He has a flat voice and cadence that suits autistic kids.

"Look me in the eye: My life with Asperger's" by John Elder Robinson. This is a non-fiction and very well written. Maybe suitable for older teen or adult.

      A book about what autistic and ASD kids CAN do!! 

Be Different LOOK INSIDE at Amazon

Learning To Love, And Be Loved, With Autism talks about coming of age, love, autism and finding their place in the adult world.This is a very difficult area and one that many professionals and parents feel ill-equipped to deal with. 

http://www.nellefrances.com/ - this lady is fantastic. She's a mum of an asperger boy, a teacher & the auther of the Ben & His Helmet books. 

"Marcelo in the Real World'' by Francisco X. Stork (asperger's and bordering on autism) a Scholastic Press book suitable for 12-14 year olds

Picture book call 'The Red Beast Controlling Anger in Children with Asperger's Syndrome'.  It is written by K.I.Al-Ghani.

The Jill Sherlock Memorial Learning Assistance Library. This library is managed by Disability Programs and has a large collection of resources aimed at assisting students with learning difficulties.

Library services are available to an anyone in NSW, with free delivery across the state.

They have numerous resources on Asperger's and autism spectrum disorders that are suitable for teachers, parents and allied professionals. We also cover literacy, numeracy, behaviour and a wide range of related areas.


A beautiful book Pedro's Whale about a boy who has autism - the word is never used but shows children how some of us need a little more time to adjust to change and how they can with the special item such as a toy whale. 
By Paula Kluth, Ph.D., & Patrick Schwarz, Ph.D.   Illustrated by Justin Canha

 

My Brother Has Asperger's -short reflection of an eleven year old boy.

The Best Asperger's Books list Check out the sections in the left sidebar for further support.

ASPERGER READING LIST: a list of some of the most popular books about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Thanks to the NSWTL listserv for sharing these 

United Nations                             AUTISM AWARENESS

Stamps Announced

The United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) will issue stamps and first day covers on 2 April 2012 in recognition of World Autism Day. The stamps, and the artists who designed them, will together raise awareness about this important global

To purchase these stamps when they go on sale on 2 April 2012 and find out more about their release, please visit http://unstamps.un.org.

Claiming the date: Friday 25 MAY is our bookfair day!!

Our Scholastic SHOWTIME Bookfair will be held on 

Friday 25 May 2012 from 8am to 6 pm.

There will be plenty of fun and games!!

We will provide more details down the track...Stay tuned!

 We are also celebrating National Family Reading Month 

What is National Family Reading Month?
Now in its 16th year, this initiative was designed to get more kids reading with their families. In May 2012 we challenge your students to read for 15 minutes every day with a family member.They can go online during May and enter a draw to win one of 25 Reader Prize Packs valued at $250. If a student at your school wins then your school will also win a $1000 Scholastic Gift Voucher.

National Family Reading Month Competition 

Terms and Conditions of Entry

Read More in May calendar

 Will your school be a winner?

Seeking influential teachers.....research

I am posting this to request your assistance with a Macquarie University Research project.

Please pass this link on to any friends who'd have the time to complete the survey below.

Anthony (Fennell) is conducting a research study together with Dr Penny Van Bergen from Macquarie University’s Department of Education, Faculty of Human Sciences.

They are researching the impact that influential teachers can have on their students, even years after teaching them.

They’re looking for volunteers who’d like to participate in a short (10-15min) online survey about their experiences in school and their memories of influential teachers. Volunteers do not need to be teachers to undertake the survey.

https://macquariehs.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_1AJWYnoqDzpyjs0

Don’t forget to Like this on Facebook and spread the word!
The facebook link is:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/335137879867267/



Thank you in anticipation for supporting Anthony's research project.

Gifted and learning disabled in one!

How is it possible for a child to be both gifted and learning disabled?


Dawn Beckley  University of Connecticut   Storrs, CT in 

Gifted and Learning Disabled: Twice Exceptional Students  states that twice -exceptional students are  "atypical learners who are often characterized as smart students with school problems.  These students often tend to be aggressive, careless, and frequently off-task and they can also cause classroom disturbances."

Dr Mike Marcela defined the twice-exceptional child as: "A student who is identified as demonstrating high performance ability or potential in academic and/or artistic areas; who also has a permanent or temporary cognitive, physical, behavioural, or emotional disability; and who needs an educational program beyond that normally provided by the general school program in order to meet [his/her] potential."


One article I suggest you read is: Imagine Teaching Robin Williams -- Twice-Exceptional Children in Your School  Mary Ruth Coleman of the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina states that "the education system is not designed to address the needs of the child who is gifted and has disabilities." 


Proposed guidelines for identifying and meeting the needs of Twice-exceptional (2e)students can be downloaded at http://www.2enewsletter.com/2e_Newsletter_Issue_16.pdf
Gifted Children with Learning Disabilities : Lost Treasures concludes that "the secrets to reaching twice exceptional children are teaching to their strengths, assistive technology, and accommodations in the classroom, such as untimed tests and shorter written assignments."


Cindy Little, managing editor of Gifted Child Today and a PhD candidate at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, agrees. Little, a teacher who has more than 10 years experience in primary level classrooms, notes that schools "want to serve gifted children, but they don't know how to do it. A lot of kids aren't being identified." Watch out for uneven development which should act as a red flag to teachers. Little emphasizes. "If you have a child who can't spell but is a whiz at math, look a little closer."
There are a number of helpful classroom strategies, identified in this article, that you can use with gifted children who have disabilities.

If you would like to learn more about giftedness, LDs, and twice-exceptional children there is much to be found about #twice-exceptional at http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/twice_exceptional.htm and visit 2e Resources Links
Twice Exceptional  also produce a newsletter 6 times per year http://www.2enewsletter.com/ There are a number of sample issues available at http://www.2enewsletter.com/topic_about_sample.html
You can join their mailing list to receive their complimentary e-mail briefing  or choose to find out about events or special offers of interest to the 2e community.


Have you recognised any 2e students in your class? How have you been able to facilitate their learning so they achieve their potential?

Where are we as Educators?

Thoughts about the trends and issues educators face in a world where students are self-directed, self-taught, technology rich, and engaged in social media products at astounding rates. This asks the tough questions educators need to consider when thinking about how to address social media and the new skill sets they need to teach digital-age learners.

via Sue Fennell   Robotics
Macquarie ICT Innovations Centre

• 
  

Save valuable time on student feedback!

I am excited about the potential of this differentiated grammar tool,

 

I signed up this morning and checked it out. I am unsure about costs at this stage. I have emailed to find out what the plan is. WONDERFUL response-I have heard back very promptly and at this stage it is FREE for this year. No better time to check it out!!

When you sign up for free (at this stage) you get access to the: 

Teacher Dashboard

What Teachers Can Do On           

1) Create a class
As soon as you create a class you will receive a message like this:
"Class created successfully! The next step is to have your students join this class. Tell them to enter the class invitation code "xxxxxxxxx" when they create their accounts on NoRedInk.com. This number will always be listed under your "Class Management" page."

2) Create a quiz.
"One feature that your students will love aboutnoredink is that it generates their quiz sentences using their favorite celebrities, interests, and personal friends. Before you create a quiz, pick some names yourself so that you can preview the quiz and take it yourself in "Student Mode."

Screenshots of the choices.

 You can also choose to include some family, friends and pets names if you wish.

Screenshot of the create a quiz page.

There are plenty of options for the teacher to decide on in setting up their quizzes. There are also many areas of grammar to choose from when creating your quiz. 
Here is a screenshot of the first question in the quiz I created above:

Screenshot of the preview of the quiz.

Amusing that the first question is about a librarian!! 

Screenshot of the answer key. 

Interesting that they have used red ink for the errors!! 

Screenshot of Selection of features in the Quiz section.

Screenshot of student mode for teachers. 
I like this feature. Love that the answers are there for teachers convenience!!

3) View student progress
4) Enter "student mode"
5) Leave a testimonial
 plans to introduce the below features soon:

• Teachers will soon be able to create specific Assignments for students and classes
• We'll soon be adding an extensive grammar category for Commonly Confused Words.
• If you want to know more email them @ support@noredink.com

 Are you into grammar? Looking for something new to work on? 
NoRedInk is looking for contributors and people to join their team:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHc4UU9uRkYyRS1fVk44ajN3aGYxUnc6MQ

I would love to see this kind of product integrated into Stu Hasic's  Student Response System. (SRN) I I believe the kids and staff would really be excited about its use as an assessment tool, as well as a differentiated learning tool.

Great starting point for young primary students presenting research work.

Super site for young students undertaking research: DK Images  via Marjan McKeough

 

Browse by school subjects


Watch the video to learn how to create your project using DKs images.
Straight forward and simple. 
You can choose from various templates.
You can download, open in word and save your project.


Sadly, you can't use "My Projects" on an iPad  because you need to have Flash player on the computer you are using and the iPad does not currently support Flash.

iPads- iKnow iNeed 2 spend more time consistently learning-Do you?

Sylvia Tolisano indicates that she sees many educators (administrators and teachers) using the iPad they have but  not putting in the time (consistently) to become skilled- to gain iPad literacy and fluency. 
Are you spending enough consistent time to become proficient? iPad fluent?
 

You need to spend plenty of time consistently to become iPad fluent. It does not happen overnight-but it can happen!


"Fluency on the iPad, like language fluency, does not necessarily come natural to most people. Unless you grow up in a language, as  your mother tongue,  and you acquire speaking this language unconsciously as a baby and child, it will require an effort (to various degrees) on your part to learn to become fluent in that language. Becoming fluent on the iPad requires a conscious effort and time as well."  Sylivia Tolisano


Make it easier on yourself by being guided by educational experts such as Sylvia. Develop your fluency by using the tools recommended on her post: My 10 most used iPad apps to become fluent. 


Don't fall into the trap of using your iPads "as a “translation” tool (figuring out how to do something the same way  they are used to doing on their desktops or laptops)." Sylvia Tolisano
Sylvia indicates that she sees many educators (administrators and teachers) are using the iPad they have but and are not putting in the time (consistently) to become skilled to gain iPad literacy and fluency. Are you spending enough consistent time to become proficient? iPad fluent?

ACARA shape paper-Australian Curriculum: Technologies

Draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum:Technologies
Published March 2012

The Draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Technologies is intended to guide the writing of the Australian Technologies Curriculum from Foundation to Year 12.


The paper should be read in conjunction with The Shape of the Australian Curriculum v3.0. It is informed by ACARA’s Curriculum Design paper and the Curriculum Development Process

"The Technologies learning area focuses on the purposeful use of technologies knowledge, understanding, and skills including the creative processes that assist people to select and utilise materials, information, systems, tools and equipment to design and realise solutions. These technologies solutions address personal, community and global needs and opportunities that improve quality of life while taking into account societal values and economic, environmental and social sustainability."


My summary of the main points from Draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum:Technologies

There is a need in the Technologies learning area to conceptualise a curriculum structure that can flexibly accommodate rapidly evolving and changing technological knowledge, understanding and skills.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22392855@N08/3850711638/

All young people need to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in the discriminating, ethical, innovative, creative and enterprising use of a range of technologies and the processes through which they can create, design, develop and produce innovative technological solutions. They need opportunities to play, learn, create and produce using a range of technologies from the early years and to be able to pursue a continuum of technologies learning through to the senior secondary years.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougbelshaw/3629325894/sizes/z/in/photostream/ 

All young people need the opportunity to develop the skills to effectively use technologies in their lives and to contribute to a skilled, technologically attuned and highly innovative workforce.

The Australian Curriculum: Technologies will aim to develop students who:
• are creative, innovative and enterprising when using traditional, contemporary and emerging technologies
• effectively and responsibly select and use appropriate technologies, materials, information, systems, tools and equipment when designing and creating socially, economically and environmentally sustainable products, services or environments
• critique, evaluate and apply thinking skills and technologies processes that people use to shape their world, and to transfer that learning to other technology situations
• individually and collaboratively plan, manage, create and produce solutions to purposeful technology projects for personal, local, national and global settings
• engage confidently with and make informed, ethical decisions about technologies for personal wellbeing, recreation, everyday life, the world of work and preferred futures.


In the Foundation to Year 6 scope and sequence, content descriptions and elaborations will be written for a range of technologies contexts. They will complement content descriptions already developed for other learning areas to enable teachers to create integrated teaching and learning programs. Selection of technologies contexts will also take into account the organising ideas for the cross-curriculum priorities and the learning continuum for the general capabilities.

Literacy
74. The Technologies curriculum will present students with particular literacy demands and opportunities, to comprehend and compose a range of visual and digital texts. They learn how to communicate ideas, concepts and detailed proposals to a variety of audiences; recognising how language can be used to manipulate meaning; reading and interpreting detailed written instructions, often including diagrams and specific technologies, procedural writings such as software user manuals, design briefs, patterns and recipes, 3-D models; preparing notated engineering drawings, software instructions and coding; writing project outlines, briefs, concept and project management proposals, evaluations, engineering and project analysis reports; and preparing detailed specifications for production.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brickartisan/5151613914/

Numeracy
 The Technologies curriculum will provide opportunities for students to apply mathematical knowledge and skills in a range of technologies contexts. Numeracy skills enable students to use mathematics to analyse and address technologies and design questions.



Information and communication technology (ICT) capability
 Information and communication technology will be represented in two ways in the Australian Curriculum. It will be detailed in the Digital technologies strand/subject of the Technologies curriculum and through the ICT general capability that applies across all learning areas.

 Students apply appropriate social and ethical protocols and practices in using ICT to investigate, create and communicate, and develop their ability to manage and operate ICT to meet their learning needs and to become effective users of ICT across the curriculum.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oyuv/5279833399/

Critical and creative thinking
Students develop critical and creative thinking in the Australian Curriculum: Technologies as they imagine, generate, develop, produce, and critically and creatively evaluate ideas against a backdrop of rapidly changing environmental, economic and social needs and concerns.
The Technologies curriculum will stimulate students to think creatively about the ways in which products, services and environments impact upon our lives, how they might be better designed, and about possible, probable and preferred futures.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/1758273313/

Personal and social capability
It will assist them in directing their own learning and in planning and carrying out investigations, and will enable them to become independent learners who can apply technologies understanding and skills to decisions they will have to make in the future.



Ethical behaviour
 Students use ethical behaviour as they critically consider and apply ethical principles when collaborating, creating, sharing and being socially responsible in the use of technologies, materials, information, processes, tools and equipment.

The Australian Curriculum: Technologies enables students to learn about safe and ethical procedures for investigating and working with people and animals, and to consider their responsibilities through using sustainable practices that protect the planet for all forms of life that share the world.

                                                       http://www.flickr.com/photos/joe_andrews/5057413899/
Intercultural Understanding 
It will enable students to explore ways that people use technologies to interact with one another across cultural boundaries and investigate how cultural identities and traditions influence the function and form of products, services and environments designed to meet the needs of daily life.

Cross-curriculum priorities in the Australian Curriculum: Technologies
85. The Australian Curriculum must be relevant to the lives of students and address the contemporary issues they face. With these considerations in mind, the Australian Curriculum gives special attention to three cross-curriculum priorities:
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
• Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia
• Sustainability.
it enables them to reflect on personal lifestyle choices and their own environmental footprints.

The indicative hours for writing Technologies curriculum should be read with this in mind. For Design and technologies and Digital technologies combined these are:
• 60 hours across Years F–2
• 80 hours across Years 3–4
• 120 hours across Years 5–6
• 160 hours across Years 7–8
• 80 hours each across Years 9–10
• a further 200 to 240 hours of learning across Years 11–12 for each of Design and technologies and Digital technologies.
Allocation of time for teaching the Technologies learning area will be a school authority or school-based decision. Schools are best placed to determine how learning in Technologies will be delivered.
the Technologies curriculum, particularly in the primary years, allows for the integration and support of other learning area knowledge for mutual development of concepts and skills. This is typical practice in primary classrooms and supports the nature of how young children learn and think.

Technologies learning is active, and involves play and group activities as students design and create solutions to challenges and needs relevant to their lives. Technologies learning applied to real-world situations gives meaning and supports student-centred inquiry and purposeful play and learning, developing a motive for learning in all areas of the curriculum.


To embrace the above curriculum in time I can see a real need for many things to change-not the least of which are our learning spaces.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aforgrave/6250720844/sizes/z/in/photostream/