MAY 3, 2016 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
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(Picture: Kristian Scott / Image digitally altered)
Pupils crack the code Unlike the nine and 10-year-olds she teaches, Glengala Primary School teacher Elise McMahon had no idea what coding was until she taught herself the basics a few months ago. The grade 3/4 teacher said she was well aware of the growing presence of technology in the classroom so she decided to teach herself how to code (a shorthand term for computer programming) so she could offer voluntary, extra-curricular classes for kids wanting to improve their tech skills. And while she knew of students’ love of Minecraft, a computer game that allows players to build a world using 3-D blocks, she wasn’t expecting one third of the entire school to show up to her first Coding Club meeting at lunchtime last Wednesday. “We had 50 students; every year level was represented,” she said. “If we keep getting so many we might have to start holding it twice a week.” The pupils had to design a simple robot in the shape of a bee and will eventually build up their skills to use the school’s 3-D printer. “Technology is their way of life now,” Ms McMahon said. “Almost every student has an iPad at home . . . we thought we’d just give coding a go.” ACHOK, 10, AND SUROSH, 8
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Rail cash on right track Brimbank council hopes the $518 million Ballarat railway line duplication between Melton and Deer Park will include upgrades to the “embarrassing” Albion and Deer Park stations. Chairman of Brimbank administrators John Watson welcomed the state budget funding but said he hoped it would also include the removal of level crossings at Mt Derrimut and Fitzgerald roads. “It’s important this project sees the removal of grade crossings at Mt Derrimut Road and
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Fitzgerald Road and the upgrade of Deer Park and Ardeer train stations to a metropolitan standard,” he said. “It’s an embarrassment to have countrystandard stations at Deer Park and Albion, which are major metropolitan areas of the City of Brimbank. “The duplication and electrification of the rail line to Melton is one of the key transport priorities for which Brimbank has been advocating for a long time. “This duplication of the Ballarat railway line from Deer Park to Melton will enable electrification of the railway line, which
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The state government expects to spend about $31 million in the next financial year, $196.4 million in 2017-18, $268.7 in 2018-19, and more than $20 million in the 2019-20 financial year for the Ballarat line duplication. The package of works will allow for two extra services on the line during morning and afternoon peaks, and a train every 40 minutes during off-peak. There was no financial commitment in last week’s state budget to electrify the line. Funding will be provided to plan a business case study for its electrification in the future. ■ Budget report: Page 7
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Brimbank would also like to see occur as soon as possible to provide the community with a ‘metropolitan’ level of service.” Star Weekly revealed last November that motorists and pedestrians were illegally crossing railway tracks near Deer Park station because gates were down for up to 40 minutes. In a letter to Western Metropolitan MP Bernie Finn, Deer Park resident Daniel Attard said there was an “escalating safety issue” at the Mount Derrimut Road crossing. Sunshine police’s Acting Inspector Brenda Bagally confirmed safety at the level crossing was an “ongoing issue”.
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