Australia Association for Research in Education
Education policy
Why condemning international tests is a distraction, and what we really should be worried about
Governments all around the world seem to be influenced by the international rankings of students by the Organisation …
Education in Australia needs to change direction NOW, before it’s too late
We believe the next five years are vital to the future of education in Australia. As we see …
Vice Chancellor Stephen Parker: Pyne’s higher education reforms doomed to failure
Christopher Pyne and I were on diametrically opposite sides over the Higher Education and Research Reform Bill and …
Charter schools: an old, flawed idea and wrong for Australia
A new report proposes Australia adopt a US styled charter school, or UK type academies, approach as a solution to our falling scores on international tests. It even suggests Australia should consider for-profit schools. The report comes from the Centre for Independent Studies, a conservative pro-business pro-privatisation think tank. US charter schools and UK academies …
Three issues I have with the minister’s Gayby Baby intervention
Many thousands of words have been written about Education Minister, Adrian Piccoli, intervening to stop Burwood Girls High School screening the documentary film Gayby Baby in school time. As an educator and educational researcher, three important issues were raised for me. But first a quick recap of the episode. What happened The NSW Education Minister …
Urgent: take a closer look at the Abbott Government’s plans for school funding
Two months ago, four proposals for reforming government roles and responsibilities in schooling were leaked from the Abbott …
Changing from single sex to co-ed can be good if based on educational (not economic) reasons
Single sex versus co-ed schooling is back in the news with the announcement from The Armidale School, a traditional, private, all boy school, that it is turning co-ed. Of course there are many opinions about it, you probably have your own. So, as someone who has written extensively on the issue, here is mine. I’m …
How big business is taking over public schools: is this what we want for Australia?
‘Education will be the biggest growth industry of the 21st century,’ according to Pearson, the world’s largest edu-business, which provides educational content, resources and customisable services, such as online and adaptive learning technologies. With its $9.5billion in sales last year, it is clear that education is proving quite profitable for Pearson and its shareholders. In …
How the budget fails public education and what could be done to fix it
Once more we have a government short-changing public education. Make no mistake about it, despite promising a ‘unity …
Students with low ATARs from wealthier families first to gain from Pyne’s reforms
We are being misled about a key plank of Christopher Pyne’s higher education reforms and, until now, the …