From March 15, more than one million young Australians will sit the NAPLAN numeracy test. For most students, this will just be a routine part of the school day (albeit less fun than running around at recess or lunch). But for others, the prospect of doing a maths test will be downright terrifying. These students may be […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
‘Maths anxiety’ is a real thing. Here are 3 ways to help your child cope
Our research shows how ‘job crafting’ can help teachers manage and enjoy their stressful work
About three quarters of Australian teachers experience substantial stress in a typical work week, according to a 2021 survey. Another 2019 Australian study showed more than half suffer from anxiety, and about one in five meet the criteria for moderate to severe depression. It’s not surprising, then, that increasing numbers of teachers are leaving the profession. Meanwhile, enrolments for education […] … learn more→
School choice proposals rarely go before voters – and typically fail when they do
Arizona lawmakers decided in late 2022 that the state will pay tuition, related education expenses or both for children at any school parents select, including private and religious schools. It’s the latest step in an effort to provide public funds for private schools that in Arizona began in 2011. And that step was taken along what I […] … learn more→
Teachers need bolder action from our school boards to educate in and for a climate emergency
Climate change is the most urgent crisis facing our planet today. Youth have repeatedly called for action on tackling this crisis, including improved climate change education. Yet despite the many pledges made at high-profile world conferences to implement climate change curricula in all schools, the follow through has been far from satisfactory. The federal government, as a signatory of […] … learn more→
Our study found new teachers perform just as well in the classroom as their more experienced colleagues
The past four decades have seen an endless stream of reviews into teacher education. Australia has clocked up more than 100 since 1979. This comes amid constant concerns teachers are not adequately prepared for the classroom. Our latest research, published in the Australian Education Researcher, provides a powerful counternarrative to concerns about teacher education and early-career teachers. […] … learn more→
Should AIs be kicked out of schools?
The introduction of a new technology generally arouses very clear-cut reactions, between enthusiastic receptions and stubborn reluctance. Artificial intelligence (AI) is no exception to the rule and raises dilemmas. However, rather than wondering whether to welcome it or banish it from the education system, shouldn’t we first start from the postulate of educability dear to Philippe Meirieu and ask ourselves […] … learn more→
“The other side of words”: Cliometrics
Patroness of history, Clio , daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne, is one of the nine Muses celebrated by Plato as an intermediary between the god and the poet. Born from the association between Clio and the art of measurement (“metry”), cliometrics represents the meeting point between the “world of ideas” and the “world of science” . A concept invented by economist Stanley Reiter […] … learn more→
In middle school, does social origin influence friendships?
Social mixing at school – that is to say the fact that children from the working, middle and upper classes attend the same establishments – is generally considered a desirable objective, capable of reducing educational inequalities and foster in students a form of openness to otherness. However, it is frequently feared that students from different social backgrounds, […] … learn more→
Hybrid learning, a promise for education
Post-pandemic education has taken an important turn: the incorporation of technologies as part of the teaching and learning process is a reality that came faster than expected. Teachers, students and even parents had to learn and relearn in order to make use of the educational platforms through which the classes were being carried out. After the […] … learn more→
How to avoid annoying your kids and getting ‘stressed by proxy’ during exam season
I knew assessment season was upon us when my son frantically asked me one morning before school if I had any spare pens in my bag. Despite the fact most tests have moved online, it appears the fear of ink in a pen running out remains a timeless stress factor. This will likely be a […] … learn more→