Archived News for Education Sector Professionals - March, 2015
Blocks and finger-paint; tools of kindy business
New research suggests playing can be a lot of hard work.
Call for better view of schools' eye damage
Researchers say there should be more tests on the theory that school is ruining children’s eyes.
More needed to avoid poison playgrounds
With potentially harmful chemicals accumulating on children’s playgrounds around the country, researchers have studied how effective simple cleaning techniques may be.
STEM careers falling in colonial gap
Modern science and ancient Indigenous knowledge should be much more closely linked, one expert says.
Study sees ways to measure focus
It is a commonly-held belief that “student engagement” in the classroom is crucial to learning, and there may now be a good way to measure it.
Teacher attack drives prospects away
Education experts say political attacks on teachers are driving people away from the profession.
Uni coffers drop on external factors
New figures show Western Australia's universities suffered a significant drop in income in 2014.
New deals see more schools go to Anittel
Australian IT company Anittel has secured a $2 million deal with a group of schools in Western Australia.
Big wigs to keep fee chat going
Australia’s elite universities want to keep up discussions about higher education funding, depsite the failure of the Federal Government’s bill this week.
SA Liberals push for Grade 7 upgrade
South Australia’s Opposition says that state’s year 7 students are being “robbed of specialist education” by being kept in primary school.
Study watches knowledge setting in
Neuroscientists have used advanced techniques to find out just what happens in the brain when it learns something technical.
Tas. schools to shun non-believers
The Tasmanian Government wants religious schools to have the right to reject students whose families do not share their faith.
WA pay deal passes
West Australian teachers have accepted a deal for an 8 per cent wage rise over three years.
Harsh words and hand-outs on Close The Gap day
Last Thursday was national Close The Gap day, and while events were on around the country to address Indigenous inequality, the Prime Minister’s top Indigenous advisor had some harsh words for his boss.
Biofuel duo take ideas international
Two Australian PhD students have reached the final round of an international competition thanks to their exciting project to cost-effectively produce biofuel from algae.
Gene found for speaking, thinking apes
German researchers have found a gene responsible for allowing the brain to develop fancy functions like speech and conscious thought.
Indecision leaving studies unfunded
The Business Council of Australia (BCA) says the Federal Government is jeopardising jobs by holding research funding “hostage” while it tries to intervene in the university sector.
New job rates detailed
Unemployment has slipped down to 6.3 per cent, with 15,600 jobs added in the latest period.
Quick fix sought for rampant training rort
The Federal Government has unveiled legislation to stop abuse of the vocational education loans scheme.