Australia Association for Research in Education
The flawed thinking behind a mandatory phonics screening test
The New South Wales Government recently announced it intends to “trial an optional phonics screening test” for Year One students. This seems to be following a similar pattern to South Australia where the test, developed in the UK, was first trialled in 2017 and is now imposed on all public schools in the state. The …
Education shaped by big data and Silicon Valley. Is this what we want for Australia?
The recent banning of smart phones in public schools by several state governments shows Australian policymakers are concerned about children’s use of technology and social media in school time. But what about the way our schools use digital technologies and, in particular, how the data collected by schools about our children is being used? We …
How can a ‘learn by making mistakes’ approach work for outdoor education teachers?
Within many contemporary social, workplace and sporting contexts, mistakes are often perceived to be negative, resulting in underperformance …
What if compulsory schooling was a 21st Century invention?
There are many long-running debates in Australia around the schooling our children. Often the battle lines are drawn …
Teacher targeted bullying in Australian schools
The problem of teachers being bullied and harassed by students and parents has been heavily canvased in mainstream …
Our university workforce has become a fragmented, casualised ‘gig economy’. The problems we face
The quality and integrity of higher education in Australia is dependent on the quality of the academics who staff our universities. The supply pipeline of the academic workforce needs careful planning if it is to continue to be effectively renewed by fully rounded academics who are engaged in research and can contribute to sustaining the …
Re-imagining education for democracy in these politically troubled times
Everywhere one cares to look, democracy is in trouble—from the catastrophic social and economic collapse in Venezuela, through …
What makes schools say Yes or No to participating in research projects?
One of the great headaches for education researchers is gaining access to schools to conduct research. Even after …
Q:Which major party will fully fund public schools? A:None. Here’s what’s happening
You would be forgiven for thinking that policy related to schooling is not a major issue in Australia. …