Monthly Archives: November 2017

Supporting part-time and online learners is key to reducing university dropout rates

Supporting part-time and online learners is key to reducing university dropout rates

The most recent statistics show first-year attrition rates in Australian universities are at 15%. This has caused the Minister for Education and Training, Simon Birmingham, to say universities “need to be taking responsibility for the students they enrol.” Attrition does not mean dropping out. It just means the student did not continue their study in the following year. For […] … learn more→

Financial irresponsibility

Financial irresponsibility

As discussed in a previous post, the Department of Education began renegotiating elements of the rules that set standards for the financial condition of institutions of higher education earlier this month. The Department took the unusual step of establishing a special subcommittee of experts prior to the first convening of the first negotiation session as […] … learn more→

Catholicism is not creationism

Catholicism is not creationism

“Do you teach creationism?” I was used to hearing this sort of enquiry from ignorant or prejudiced interlocutors troubled by my academic affiliation. Now it was coming from a renowned, cosmopolitan Iranian writer, whom I met at a literary festival. I almost exploded with anger. “Can this woman,” I thought, “really suppose that I would […] … learn more→

How school has been used to control sovereignty and self-determination for Indigenous peoples

How school has been used to control sovereignty and self-determination for Indigenous peoples

Indigenous Australians have been denied self-determination for decades. This has impacted their ability to influence education and other policies at national and state levels. Recently, Prime Minister Turnbull rejected the recommendation that an Indigenous voice be constitutionally recognised in the parliament. He said he didn’t think it would get support, and would be “contrary to principles of […] … learn more→

We need to talk about it: College student alcohol abuse

We need to talk about it: College student alcohol abuse

Drinking-related deaths and incidents of college student alcohol abuse are increasing. We can no longer dismiss this as something harmless that college kids do. Most recently, 19-year old Timothy Piazza died from fatal injuries as a result of binge drinking in a Penn State fraternity hazing ritual. Alcohol abuse is not limited to fraternity and […] … learn more→

National State University scholarship

National State University scholarship

GoLookUp United States is Offering a National State University Scholarship for Anyone in the United States holding a GPA of 3.0 or higher, majoring in computer science programs. GoLookUp, a web data and information provider offering unlimited access to background checks, address searches, reverse phone lookups, companies information, criminal and sex offender records, and other […] … learn more→

Post-it PhD!

Post-it PhD!

I was having difficulty in organising the case law that I wanted to talk about in my thesis so that it worked as a narrative, not as disjointed notes. I needed to find the links between cases relating to the different areas relating to DNA evidence, but where to start? Everything seemed relevant. Sitting down […] … learn more→

Starting next year, Australian universities have to prove their research has real-world impact

Starting next year, Australian universities have to prove their research has real-world impact

Starting in 2018, Australian universities will be required to prove their research provides concrete benefits for taxpayers and the government, who fund it. Education Minister Simon Birmingham recently announced the Australian Research Council (ARC) will introduce an Engagement and Impact Assessment. It will run alongside the current Excellence in Research Australia ERA assessment exercise. This follows a pilot of the Engagement and […] … learn more→

Math as white privilege…The real outrage

Math as white privilege…The real outrage

It seems every week we learn another thing is racist, from milk, to showing up on time, or…whatever. The latest assertion is that mathematics, the ultimate measure of every civilization, does, in fact, have a racist component to it. As always I can’t make this stuff up: Professor Claims Math, Algebra And Geometry Promote ‘White […] … learn more→

Refining your research topic – starting the phd

Refining your research topic – starting the phd

Where do research topics come from? The research topic you have at the start of your PhD may come from work you did in your Masters. It may come from a professional or policy context, perhaps your own professional work situation, or something you’ve read about in the media. Or it might come from the […] … learn more→