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GIF T ED T EC A IAL L EN A N PU T ED D LL OU T
Issue 22 • September 2015 • www.educationtimes.com.au
With experience that level of uncertainty that you had can be overcome.
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Professor Bruce Robinson Dean of Medicine at The University of Sydney
OUTSTANDING SCHOOL
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COAL POINT PUBLIC SCHOOL
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Success Story
THE NEWS CREW
Contents 4
News and Views: HSC stress at all time high
Outstanding School of the Month: 6 Coal Point Public School
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Success Story: Professor Bruce Robinson, Dean of Medicine at The University of Sydney
ICT for Education:
“WITH EXPERIENCE THAT LEVEL OF UNCERTAINTY THAT YOU HAD CAN BE OVERCOME.” Professor Bruce Robinson, Dean of Medicine at The University of Sydney
ICT For Education
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The benefits of technology in the classroom
Focus on University:
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University organisational design should support student learning
Special Pull out:
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Gifted and Talented
Career of the Month: JOIN US DIGITALLY VIA OUR SOCIAL NETWORKS…. FOLLOW US
The benefits of technology in the classroom
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Literacy Corner
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Aural Literacy
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Civil Engineering
Literacy Corner:
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Aural Literacy
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Tafe Focus Going higher the TAFE advantage
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The Australian
Education Times
H
ello readers! It’s been a hectic month especially for students attempting their High School Certificates (HSC), which is probably why we should start discussing whether or not we are putting too much pressure on them. This month’s news and views looks at the increasing levels of clinical anxiety among students who have been stressing out over their HSCs. In this issue, we focused on gifted and talented children. Generally about how they are defined, detected, raised and taught. This is an important issue because many children who are potentially gifted or talented in a field are left overlooked. The consequences of underachieving and dropping out of school could become a reality for parents putting their child through school. What needs to happen is encourage and foster an environment that lets children perform to the best of their abilities and one which increases their self-esteem and eventually seek out greatness. Read about what are the trends and issues in education through our ICT section, Literacy Corner and the Focus on University section. Learn about how universities should help their students by taking both a managerial and academic approach to support the student’s learning. Read about how valuable ICT tools are to a child’s education and almost necessary in the 21st century. And, lastly, find out about how aural learning and literacy is just as important as written expression. It teaches kids to be critical and become more observant when faced with audio content. If you would like to see anything featured in the following months or have any feedback regarding articles, we would love to hear from you. Write to us at editor@educationtimes.com.au, your opinion is important to us. Bye for now,
The Editorial Team
Letters to the editor Dear editor,
Dear editor,
I agree that technology should be used in the classroom since so many jobs are demanding it these days. But I also think that kids should be taking a break from it every now and then. I am all up for flipping the classroom though, if we are having a hard time engaging students why not engage them in the platform that they love so much.
The improvement of the quality of education begins with teachers. Students willing to become teachers should be passionate about teaching and be good at it too. We need to take education courses in university much more seriously.
Jessica, Botany Bay
Michael, Parramatta
Dear editor,
My kids have started using Literacy Planet and it completely reminded me about your article with the CEO. So far my kids are enjoying it and hopefully they learn a lot from it.
Tiffany, Penrith
MEET OUR EXPERTS Anne Shaw, Founder and Director of 21st Century Schools Anne works with educators around the world in designing education for the 21st century. Anne is an international consultant and presenter, as well as an author. Her work with educators worldwide is focused on designing education that is truly 21st century, from policy planning to lesson planning, from curriculum design to professional development programs. www.21stCenturySchools.com Director@21stCenturySchools.com http://issuu.com/anneshaw21/docs/brochure
Nita Temmerman, Higher Education Consultant PHD, M ED Hons, B ED, DIPMUST, ATCL, MACE After an academic career that spanned 4 Australian states and positions as Pro Vice Chancellor Academic Quality, pro Vice Chancellor Community Engagement, Pro Vice Chancellor Partnerships, Executive Dean Faculty of Education and Head of School, Nita currently works as an independent higher education consultant and advisor.
Darryl Watson, Director of EDU-IT
Director of EDU-IT, which provide consulting services to schools for ICT leadership and direction. He worked with technology for nearly 40 years and the last 12 have been in the education sector. Daryl was the manager of ICT operations at All Saint’s in Perth from 2002 until 2014.
Acknowledgment The Australian Education Times would like to acknowledge the Darug people who are the traditional custodians of this land. I would also like to pay respect to the elders past and present of the Darug nation and extend that respect to other Aboriginal people present.
The Australian Education Times is dedicated to providing relevant and up-to-date news and resources that can be used in the classroom or at home. If you would like to contribute to our magazine, please write to Noelene at editor@educationtimes.com.au All contributions are to be 300 words long and to include a photo that is saved as a jpeg.
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perform perform at at the the sydney sydney opera opera house house AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL Welcoming applications from all ensemble types including Wind
Welcoming applications from ensemble typesisincluding Wind Bands, Orchestras, Choirs andall Jazz Bands. This an educational Bands, Orchestras, Choirsincredible and Jazz Bands. This is opportunities an educational event aimed at providing performance event at providing performance as wellaimed as workshops withincredible world class clinicians. opportunities as well as workshops with world class clinicians.
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The Australian
Education Times NEWS AND VIEWS
HSC stress at all time high H
ere it comes, the culmination of two years of hard work in high school, an exam that will determine which university to enter or how successful you will be in life. While this may sound extreme and a bit exaggerated, this is one of the worries that concern a Year 12 student who has to take his/her High School Certificate (HSC) this month. Although many parents, teachers and students already know the stresses that come with the HSC, research has discovered that many Year 12 students carry high levels of anxiety and stress for their coming exams. According to a survey conducted by the University of New South Wales, almost half of the students surveyed possessed high levels of stress comparable to that of an adult’s high stress life. Though some may argue that a certain level of stress when dealing with exams is only natural and sometimes even beneficial, Year 12 students begin to show clinical signs of anxiety when they are unable to cope with the increased pressure. These symptoms can range from lack of sleep, exercise and poor eating habits. Behaviour that is easy to fall into due to the academic demands of the HSC and the balance of their social lives in high school. Medical studies have even stated that high levels of stress can lead to headaches which could be a sign of early high blood pressure which put them at risk of shorter life spans. In addition, due to the increased pressure of time management, some teenagers might also begin neglecting their responsibilities or procrastinate
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because they cannot cope with their overwhelming anxiety. The added pressure of achieving results in order to have a good future, family and increased focus in the HSC from teachers are among the few reasons that build up to these stress symptoms. Students under achievement oriented households
might even isolate themselves from family and friends. This can lead to increased hours of study, procrastination or just giving up entirely. In the more extreme cases, substance abuse and behaviour changes could result from coping with high levels of stress. Overall, these
factors sum up to poor performances in their exams. However, the support structures such as family, friends and teachers helping students may be wrongly viewing what constitutes as success in the HSC. A research paper written from the University of Sydney argues that during high school examinations, there is a focus towards performance rather than mastery of the curriculum. The research goes on to state that self-efficacy or ‘believing in yourself’ can change the students mind-set when facing HSC stress. Through selfefficacy, they begin to view exams and coursework as an opportunity to challenge and master the course material rather than viewing the HSC as a competition against their peers. So perhaps our society should stop putting so much pressure on its young people and just let them achieve to the best of their abilities.
Stress less: Unfortunately, there is no sure fire way to remove stress especially when it comes to the HSC. But in the meantime, students, teachers and parents can maybe reduce the pressure together. Time management is always important in your high school career. The sooner you learn how to balance things like exercise, relaxation and study the better you will be prepared for university and just life in general. Have a clear goal of what you need to study; studying in small doses frequently reduces the amount of last minute revision you will have to do in the big test. Take time off when you are studying for long hours. Studies show that you lose concentration and learn a lot less when you force yourself to study for long periods of time. Don’t let other people’s expectations get to you. Focus on doing the best you can for the exams. Parents and teachers should also stop reminding students about their HSC every minute. Student’s know what’s at stake and giving more is not going to help. Don’t think that getting into a good university is the only way to achieve your goal. There are many paths you can take, so never give up!
Bowman Nixon @bo_nixon Sep 11 Vital that schools, teachers & parents prioritise the #wellbeing of stressed out year 12’s
Alex Merton-McCann @Cybermum_AU Sep 7 Choosing your battles when #parenting #teenagers is essential. Don’t worry about the messy room but do worry about their health & safety
hyojin choi @hk_asian Sep 3 im dropping maths not bc im stupid but bc I literally Do Not Need it and I don’t need that extra stress for my HSC
Emma Rennie @EmmaRennie1 Sep 14 Study says HSC causes stress? It’s not a surprise – teachers only say it’s not the end of the world as an afterthought
Rowan Kunz @Rowan_Kunz Sep 12 Almost 1 in 2 #HSC students have high-level anxiety symptoms based on @UNSW research. Is it time 2 re-think the #HSC?
Tee Tee @ teressandnoelle_b Sep 10 HSC stress is kickin back in
The Australian Education Times
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The Australian
Education Times OUTSTANDING SCHOOL
C
oal Point Public School caters for the educational needs of the children in the stunning Lake Macquarie area. It offers engaging teaching and learning programs in a beautiful bush garden setting. The school facilities have wide open spaces, exciting classroom environments, interactive whiteboards, iPads, a technology lab as well as a fantastic school hall. CPPS has a total enrolment of a 230 pupils across the Years K to 6, with amazing staff, students and families. The students come from many varied backgrounds, where education is viewed as extremely important and is highly valued by all. We are privileged to be a school that enjoys strong family and community support. We have nine classroom teachers with a further three staff members taking on the roles of Teacher Librarian, Teacher of Release from face-to-face and Learning and Support Teacher. CPPS staff are exceptional classroom practitioners, who nurture and care for all students in a genuinely supportive way. The greatest care is always taken to support the needs of all children through an awareness of both their individuality and the diversity of their life experiences. Our school provides excellence in teaching and learning, with explicit focus on integrating technology into the everyday curriculum and 21st Century learning skills. High expectations and the encouragement of our ‘You Can Do It!’ philosophy ensures Coal Point PS students excel in all academic areas, as well as in the many varied extra-curricular activities we provide. Our school band, choir, dance, public speaking, debating, Premier’s spelling bee and chess programs provide outstanding opportunities, while supporting fun and a love of learning.
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The The Australian Australian Education Education Times Times
Coal Point
Public School
Environmental Programs Coal Point students have been working closely with our local Progress Association and Landcare group, led by our Assistant Principal Mrs Groves, to protect our beautiful part of Lake Macquarie for the future. In 2014, our Kindergarten students worked alongside their Years 5 and 6 buddies to complete a regeneration of the Gurranba reserve in Coal Point. Students planted 400 Kangaroo Grasses that are now thriving, working with the local Landcare team to help ensure the survival of threatened species along the Coal Point peninsula. Recently, the Landcare team spent many hours working in our school grounds, ridding us of Fishbone fern that had overgrown some areas of our gardens. The aim is to now plant the area with native trees and shrubs to create a sugar glider habitat. The Landcare group has funds to support their programs and will be guiding our students in setting up breeding boxes for the sugar gliders and placing cameras in these so that our students will be able to monitor and enjoy this amazing native animal.
Shining Stars Learning an instrument, arguing a point or dancing and singing up a storm, our Coal Point students have so many opportunities to shine. Coal Point PS choirs are a dream to listen to when they perform at all school and community events. Our choir has auditioned and successfully performed a number of times over the last few years at the Sydney Opera House Festival of Choral Music. In 2013 and 2014, our Senior choir have won our regional Choralfest competition held at Warners Bay Performing Arts Centre, while our very first junior Choir entry also came away with a certificate of commendation. Band students are provided with almost 2 hours tuition throughout the week from our conservatorium trained music teachers. Each year our band participates in Bandfest, also held at Warners Bay Performing Arts Centre. Students work very hard in preparation and always come away with a commended or highly commended performance. Bandlink is also an opportunity afforded to our band students. The children spend two intensive days with Newcastle conservatorium of Music teachers and soon to be graduates, learning with band students from schools from all over our region. All of this hard work comes together culminating in an amazing concert held this year at the Newcastle Jockey Club. It is so impressive to see a few hundred children ranging in age from around 8 -12 years, who have never met previously, combine their talents and astound the audience with perfect musical pieces. Thanks to very dedicated staff, Coal Point students have the opportunity to participate in very professional dance performances throughout the year. Our 2015 StarStruck team danced wonderfully in this year’s ‘AMAZING’ shows held at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre. Our junior dance team also performed so well in their Hunter Dance Festival piece when it was held in July at Newcastle Panthers Club.
Academic Excellence Coal Point PS students achieve academic excellence through consistent engagement with and application to learning. Our staff use engaging classroom practices, such as Kagan Cooperative Learning structures, and comprehensive data to drive teaching and learning outcomes, ensuring differentiation in classroom learning and that personalised needs for all students are considered. Although not a true reflection of our outstanding results in all areas in both internal and external testing measures, CPPS NAPLAN data demonstrates consistent results in academic performance when comparing with NSW Public Schools. Our Literacy average scores for the last 5 years in Year 3 have been 443 compared with state scores in literacy of 424. Literacy scores for Year 5 are also higher than the state, with 509 for CPPS and 497 for the state. Numeracy results display similar achievement with Year 3 Numeracy aspects achieving 445 compared with 423 for the state and in Year 5 these are 502 for CPPS with 497 for the
state. When considering our most recent NAPLAN results, our 2014 student percentages in the top 3 bands in all areas tested proved to be around 84% achieving this in our Year 3 cohort and around 68% in our Year 5 group. These are very pleasing results when we consider that the top three Year 3 NAPLAN score bands are the bottom three Year 5; we have 84% of our students already achieving these levels in Year 3. The top three bands in Year 5 are the equivalent of the bottom and middle bands in Years 7 and 9, with 68% of our students in Year 5 already achieving these levels, we all feel so proud that they are doing very well.
Core Beliefs Coal Point Public School is the amazing place it is due to the wonderful students, staff and community. Visitors often comment we have such a friendly and welcoming feel in our school and it is the expectation of our whole school community that we work together as a family to achieve the best for all. The Principal, Ms Kim Creswell, consistently sends the message that ‘Quality work, Quality manners, Quality kids” is the Coal Point way. When Ms Creswell asks her 238 students ‘What are we here for?’ the response is always ‘LEARNING!’ Students learn both in class and out in the playground how to live our You Can Do IT! philosophy. We all know here at CPPS that we are the luckiest in the world to have such an amazing school and community to be part of. The Australian Education Times
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The Australian
Education Times SUCCESS STORY gland and the gonads to keep us functioning as human beings. Subsequently, I developed a research interest in tumours that develop in those endocrine glands.
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10 INSIGHTFUL
Questions For Professor
Bruce Robinson
W
hat does it mean to be a doctor? Professor Bruce Robinson, Dean of Medicine at The University of Sydney, Endocrinologist researcher and practitioner in Royal North Shore Hospital, tells us the many difficulties, struggles and sacrifices that come with the profession and what qualities you need to have to be successful.
Tell us about your journey from school to University and how you ended up as the Dean of Medicine of the University of Sydney?
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My journey began as a school student. I suppose it was during my time in school, I decided I really did want to pursue a career in medicine. I obviously worked hard, got into medicine at Sydney University and proceeded through that course. At the end of that course, I felt that I needed more scientific training so I took a further year and took a master’s of science degree and that got me a bit interested in research. I then proceeded to do training as a specialist physician to having done a year in the children’s hospital. I went to North Shore to do my physician training and then I decided I wanted to do further research so I went to Harvard Medical School to do three years of research training. It was on completion of that that I returned to North Shore hospital. 28 |
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What motivated you to pursue medicine and why did you choose (endocrinology) as your specialty? Often, one has a mentor, somebody you worked with. His name was Sol Posen, he was the professor of Cancer medicine at Sydney Hospital in those days and he and another professor, Clifton Bly, got me interested in endocrinology and ultimately that was the area that I worked in for my master’s degree. It was really because of those two people that I became interested in endocrinology. I also liked the idea that it was a specialty where there was not only clinical medicine, to be practiced, but there was also a lot of laboratory work that went with it because in endocrinology, we measured hormones and we then correlate those hormones with symptoms that a patient may have in order to properly treat them.
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For those who don’t know, can you tell us a bit more about what endocrinologists actually do? Endocrinology is an area of medicine that studies hormones on different organ systems on our body. We’ve all got multiple hormones running around in our body all under the control of the brain, hypothalamus and the pituitary gland which then controls the thyroid the adrenal
What was it like starting up as a doctor?
We didn’t have information in our fingertips in the same way people do now. Even in those days we couldn’t measure very small quantities of those hormones now we can measure picomolar levels of many of these hormones so tiny amounts of these hormones can be measured in the blood, saliva and other secretions as well. Research has opened up our eyes to new possibilities . So we had a whole new area of research which has informed some of the questions that we have been interested in, not just in endocrinology but in other areas of medicine as well. So it’s been an exciting journey, we’ve gone from 1993 when we were involved in isolating a gene which caused a cancer in the thyroid to, in 2000, having drugs to treat that cancer so this is a very rapid transition in research terms. Normally things in research take a lot longer than that, so I felt privileged to be practicing medicine at such an exciting era.
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What were the difficulties that came with the job?
I suppose everyone has a degree of uncertainty with the extent of their knowledge. When you’re starting you don’t have a lot of clinical experience. So you haven’t got the value of seeing lots and lots of patients with different conditions that give you the experience and confidence to make judgement calls, about what’s the best treatment or diagnosing a particular problem at hand. With experience that level of uncertainty that you had can be overcome. The biggest struggle, I think , is developing a track record which then enables you to get peer reviewed funding for your work. I always remembered it took two or three years to do that. Perhaps this is even more challenging because you are not researching a common condition like breast cancer or prostate cancer, which has received quite a lot of funding. But eventually, when you do get a couple of grants then you do start getting some momentum.
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What has been your greatest inspiration?
I think my time in Harvard was the most exciting period of my research career. Mainly because it was an environment with so many talented people and America is very much a ‘can do’ place. I still find that one of the most exciting things is standing up in front of a group of peers presenting our research and having it critiqued.
I also get a satisfaction practicing clinical medicine. It’s a privilege to listen to people, examine them and then to help them get better.
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Why did you choose to do research in Australia and not in the US?
The reason I chose to come back is mainly family reasons and also because the American system was very cutthroat. In the US you don’t get a tenured position. You get a position only if you got a grant which can fund that position. So it appeared to me that this was going to be a very uncertain place to stay and pursue a research career.
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What do you think is the key quality a person should possess in order to become a good doctor ?
The first thing is commitment; you have to be very committed because this is no trivial undertaking. You certainly work more than an eight hour day. You have to accept being on call 24/7 from patients. The second thing you need is compassion. You do need to be able to put yourself in the shoes of the patient you are looking after to try and make sure you are doing the right thing for them. The third thing I really think is important is curiosity. You’ve got to remain able to question every situation you confront, does all of this really add up or is there something else that can be causing this situation. Likewise, in your research, what are the questions that come into your mind about a particular condition? Is there a common thread that might indicate a cause? Is there a common treatment that can be recommended for these people?
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Becoming a doctor seems to demand a lot of your time and knowledge. Did you ever have to sacrifice something in order to do well?
THE
SEARCH IS N! The Australian Education Times is on a hunt for talented school kids to become a part of their News & Crew
Join our amazing team of super talented and ambitious young reporters and get a chance to interview some big Australian personalities.
WHY YOU SHOULD ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD? • It will boost their confidence to new levels. • Gain substantial experience at a very young age.
Sure, you have to sacrifice some family time. It’s not as if you could always be there as much as other people might be able to. That’s probably the biggest sacrifice you make. On the other hand, there are more upsides than downsides. The satisfaction you get for looking after people, the thrill that you get for presenting your work internationally, the fact that you get to travel. These are very positive benefits associated with the sort of career that I had.
• An opportunity to work as a reporter.
What advice would you give children who would maybe want to pursue a career in medicine someday?
• Boost up their confidence.
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• Encourage them to take journalism as a profession. • Young starters are big achievers. • A certificate of appreciation.
This is the best job that I think anyone could ever do. It’s got so many good aspects to it. The ability to look after people the ability to undertake research, the ability to teach people who are coming behind you. You are not doing the same thing day in and day out. My days have had a lot of variety involved in them and that makes work very exciting and satisfying. So work hard, it’s definitely worth the effort.
To watch the full interview visit WWW.educationtimes.com.au
You could be our next star reporter!
The Australian
Education Times ICT FOR EDUCATION
The Benefits of Te in the Classroom T
his month (September) has seen the release of a report by the OECD titled “Students, Computers and Learning: Making The Connection”. The report focusses on how significant investments in technology has produced no noticeable improvement in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results. This apparent criticism of large-scale deployment of technology into schools and classrooms is blindingly obvious to those who have
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been involved with technology programs for schools over the last 15 – 20 years. The most important educational benefits for technology in the classrooms has consistently been perceived as those skills not assessed by traditional methods. The pedagogy within a first world education system has been honed for over a hundred years to be very efficient in the delivery of those skills considered as critical in
nineteenth and twentieth century careers. The traditional ‘three R’s’. Unfortunately, the world has changed so quickly that skills will not be the only important ones we need for workplaces in this century, although they are still critical.
echnology I have been involved with thought leaders in the deployment of technology for about 14 years and the key skills we had hoped to develop with technology in classrooms are creativity, collaboration critical thinking and communication. The challenge for validating the expense of technology is how can we actively measure the development of these skills. Now we are seeing other skills being defined as the effect of the highly mobile, highly connected world changes the workplace once again. Skills such as ‘entrepreneurship’ are now seen as critical in a constantly connected world. This means ideas flow quickly around the globe and create disruptors for many traditional industries. The need to adapt technology programs to these changes will continue to disrupt the education Systems of both developed and developing worlds. Some of the standard things businesses must now deal with, such as ‘agility’, means that schools with well-developed technology programs are looking at how their investment will need to change but those changes will mean those traditional 5 year strategic plans will no longer be possible.
How are schools going to keep a focus on traditional skills and manage to develop new skills as they are defined? This ongoing challenge will also put even more pressure on teachers and those developing the curriculum, but it is possible we will ignore them until they are part of the PISA. How do we determine what has significant impact and what is a passing fad? Of course, education should not be caught up in the hype cycle that seems to infect our consumer-focused society. If the rise of ‘entrepreneurship’ as a skill displays anything, it is that some of these skill are now better delivered and assessed by programs which exist external to the traditional school system. There are now many ‘competition’ based opportunities to develop the skills that are assessed by people experts in the area. Schools will also need to be looking for these disruptors the same way Uber and Air BNB have disrupted Taxi and Hotel industries. There will be many disruptors into education and they will not be focussed on NAPLAN/ PISA.
About the Author:
Darryl Watson
Director, Edu- IT PTY Ltd
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The Australian
Education Times ICT FOR EDUCATION
App Review
DID YOU KNOW? It took the Internet
only four years to reach 50 million users. It took the radio 38 years in comparison!
There are over
20 billion web pages on the internet, and it continues to grow every day. This game is all about puzzles and teaching young children about numbers, letter and animals. The app is interactive and vocal and will help your child with their vocabulary, memory and cognitive skills!
48%
of all teachers use lesson plans that are found online.
71%
of schools use educational applications for teaching.
More than two-third of teachers want more classroom technology, including 75% of teachers in low-income schools.
3D classic literature collection This app requires students compare the ideologies of can be changed based on age, meaning anyone is they are while analyzing texts.
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ABC kids iView
This app is deal for students with disabilities. It gives
to control their own viewing and watch kids shows in a trusted online environment. While it isn’t completely educational, it is great to give disabled children a sense of control towards what they choose to do.
Only 36% of educational institutions allow hand held cell phones or smart phones as a learning device.
64%
of teachers use educational of teaching students.
The Australian
Education Times PROMOTION
Kindle for
A
new app that gives you access to the world’s largest selection of eBooks on your compatible Samsung device is here*. Kindle for Samsung is great for Australian primary, secondary and tertiary students who want to read on the go. In partnership with Amazon, Kindle for Samsung has everything students can expect from the standard Kindle app, plus they can download a free book every month from the Samsung Book Deals selection. **
Samsung So why use Kindle for Samsung? Kindle for Samsung can provide students with the opportunity to read from virtually anywhere, with downloaded books available offline. Kindle for Samsung can be downloaded from the Samsung Galaxy Apps store on compatible Samsung smartphones and tablets^. Existing Amazon users simply use their Amazon account details to login and begin exploring. For new users it’s easy and quick to create a new account.
With the Kindle for Samsung app, you can choose a free book every month from the Samsung Book Deals selection!** Access the world’s largest selection of eBooks Time to Read estimates how much time it will take to finish a chapter or a book based on your personal reading speed. Whispersync synchronises your reading across your compatible devices^. Worry-Free Archive automatically backs up your Kindle books in the cloud,# including all your previously purchased Kindle eBooks. There are several benefits to using Kindle for Samsung in classrooms and in education: -Students are able to download books at virtually any time on their compatible device* -Students are able to focus on the vocabulary within the book or article they have selected, as they are a click away from finding out the definition of the selected word -Learning new vocabulary can help support improvement in reading comprehension skills, as well as understanding more difficult texts.
* Internet connection required. Data charges may apply. Content within Kindle for Samsung must be purchased and is subject to availability. ** Internet connection required. Data charges may apply. Kindle for Samsung app only available on compatible Samsung devices. Samsung Book Deals only available to customers who sign in with a Samsung Account. ^ Internet connection required. Data and subscription charges may apply. # Internet connection required. Data and subscription charges may apply. Usage is subject to cloud provider agreement.
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The Australian
Education Times FOCUS ON UNIVERSITY
Univers design studen T
he managerial approach to university governance has been around for the last 20 years or so. One aspect of managerialism is centralisation of decision-making. In itself, centralisation is not necessarily a bad thing. It can create efficiencies and result in more effective decision-making. However, when the structure results in a divide between the academic and administrative areas, the ones who can suffer most are the students. Universities first and foremost should be places of learning that support students to achieve professional knowledge, skills and understandings. A fundamental requisite to make this a reality for students is for a strong, positive relationship to be built between them - the learners, and the Faculty members who are facilitating the learning. Behind the scenes, faculties need the backing of various central administrative support units to ensure. For example, the student timetable works, exams are properly scheduled and student results are released on time. But it is the Faculty staff whom students develop a trusting relationship with over the space of 3 or more years, not a separate central administrative unit. The greatest connection for students during their study is established with
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those who are directly involved in their program delivery, namely faculty – discipline – program staff. Some universities in their wisdom have removed critical decision-making that impacts on a student’s successful learning journey, away from faculties to central administrative units. In such institutions, there is separation not unification or complementarity of academic and non-academic unit functions. By way of example, take the student who is transferring from another university and is seeking recognition of completed prior learning (RPL). The student is asked to submit an online
application with all the necessary details for a decision to be made about credit. The application goes to a central Student Support unit and is initially received by a junior administrative staff person. The student is notified with a standardised return email that the application has been received and that a decision will be forthcoming within 48 hours. A second email is sent to the student stating that advice is being sought from the relevant Faculty. A third email arrives requesting clarification about a couple of issues within the application. At this stage at least 4-5 days have lapsed and it is likely that it will be another 2-3 days before the student is provided with an answer to his/her original question. It is now that we ask the obvious question – why didn’t the student go directly to the relevant faculty? Because in universities where the decision-making power about RPL has been assigned to a central administrative unit, the
sity organisational n should support nt learning
University Organisational
Faculty must wait until such requests come to them from that unit. Bureaucracy gone mad? You bet! It is nearly impossible to see how this level of centralisation has created greater efficiency? What it has done is create more than necessary layers of handling of a student enquiry, and a degree of frustration to a number of parties involved, and probably some disillusionment and distress to the student. The entire matter could have been worked through in a one-hour meeting between the student and relevant faculty personnel. The faculty administrative person attached to the academic program in question could undoubtedly have answered most questions and arrived at a study plan for the student. Where further academic judgment was required, an on-the-spot conference with the program coordinator would have resolved any further issues for the student. There are multiple examples that can be provided to further illustrate the folly of such organisational approaches. Let me provide just one other – a more sensitive one, the student who requests special consideration because of ill health issues. A faculty comes to know its students and those who have genuine special circumstances that impact on their study.
About the Author
Nita Temmerman
PHD, M ED HONS, B ED, DIPMUST, ATCL, MACE
The Australian Education Times
| 15
October
My Reminders:
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Education Times
GIFTED AND TALENTED
IS YOUR CHILD GIFTED AND TALENTED?
RAISING THE GIFTED
Encouraging
Talent
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Education Times PULL OUT
IS YOUR CHILD GIFTED AND TALENTED?
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H
ave you noticed that your child learns things at a faster rate than most students? Have they started reading much earlier? Or do they show an enormous amount of curiosity and deep interest over a particular topic? If these characteristics are true then perhaps, your child is either gifted or talented. According to the Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (DMGT), gifted children are those who have high levels of innate ability in intellectual, creative and social subjects. In contrast, talented children have the ability to perform skills greater than their current age group. Put simply, the gifted are born with natural ability in academics while talents are systematically developed skills in practical subjects like sport, music and the performing arts. Perhaps one of the most crucial processes in drawing the gifted and talented child’s potential is detecting it. Teachers, schools and parents therefore have the responsibility to note whether the child’s development is improving much faster than their peers. According to Professor Miraca Gross and Emeritus professor of gifted education in UNSW, the most direct way to detect a child’s intellectual ability is through IQ tests. One thing I would use is IQ tests if I thought the child might be gifted in his reasoning or is intellectually gifted. IQ tests, according to psychologists, are actually fairly accurate, she says. However parents can easily observe their child’s early stages and detect whether or not they are gifted and talented.
Children who are intellectually gifted tend to go through the usual developmental stages like the acquisition of speech, reading and writing, and understanding numbers significantly earlier than expected,” says Professor Gross. There is no set age for identification…it is usually when there is early development of speech and reading and statistical development. Another signifier of gifted children is their general curiosity and passion about specific subjects. They tend to develop interests over an extended period of time and are “in love” with the process of learning. Parents and teachers should notice that gifted children tend to be passionate about their learning. In their later years, the child might switch off from receiving under stimulating work. In the early years kids can just fall in love with learning. On the other hand, teachers have a huge role in detecting a gifted child and then generating negotiated strategies to help draw out their potential. Teachers in the earliest years of school should be keeping into account for kids who have been to school who are already reading and are already counting, says Professor Gross. One of the things teachers should do is ask parents about the child’s early childhood: ‘when did the child go through the various stages of speech or when did they go through the early stages of number development? Development in any of these things even just the skill or the enjoyment of it is certainly an indication of high intellectual ability. One of the common concerns that parents have is when their children experience social exclusion from older children if they have been identified and accelerated in their education. Professor Gross argues that parents should not be worried about the difference in ability their child has compared to the rest of their cohort. Gifted kids are socially and emotionally mature as well as being intellectually or academically mature, she says. They tend to gravitate towards children who are a bit older because that’s where they feel comfortable or normal.
They shouldn’t be worried by the discrepancies between their ages. Our emotional maturity tends to follow our intellectual maturity, That’s why, unfortunately, students who have been delayed are usually socially and emotionally immature as well. Unfortunately, negative consequences for the child’s development could also result from failing to detect early indication of high intellectual ability. These could range from underachieving, where the child is not performing at the level which he is able to perform at, in school to being ashamed of their own giftedness. One of the saddest things for gifted kids is if we as teachers or educators don’t recognize the child’s higher potential or do something about it, she says. The child will actually feel that he is doing something wrong, he is not doing what is right because he is doing things differently from what other kids are doing and often, gifted kids feel the need to pretend that they are just like everybody else. They are masking their abilities from other kids in the class. In response, classrooms need to build an environment accepting of differences in ability and encourage the gifted to stand out. A teacher shouldn’t say “he’s performing okay; he can read a little” if the child is significantly performing above the reading level, she says. So what teacher’s should do is to encourage children to be themselves and do the best they can do. Not to embarrass them if their ‘best’ is below the ‘best’ of other kids but also if their ‘best’ is above the ‘best’ of other kids. Some may argue that schools in low socio-economic areas do not have the facilities to support gifted children however Professor Gross says otherwise. Which suburb they are from should not matter; the teacher should consider what the child should learn,” she says. When you are ready to move on in your school work, it has nothing to do with your social background it’s about your intellectual readiness .
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The TheAustralian Australian
Education PULLAND OUTVIEWS EducationTimes Times NEWS
2015 Schools Spectacular farewell to iconic venue 3,600 performers from more than 400 public schools 51 Featured Artists, 2,000 dancers, 1,500 voice choir FRIDAY 27 &SATURDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2015
s l o o h c S
r a l u c a t Spec
2015 www.schoolsspect
2
015 marks the very last time that the Schools Spectacular will be held in Qantas Credit Union Arena, Sydney’s entertainment centre. After 32 years, what began as an acoustic test event for the newly built Entertainment Centre has now become a highlight on the Sydney entertainment calendar, shining a spotlight on the talents of NSW public school students. This year’s Schools Spectacular will be one of the last events staged at this iconic venue and will take place on Friday 27& Saturday 28 November. The 2015 theme, THIS IS OUR WORLD, captures the dreams and hopes of young people through 20 | The Australian Education Times 1 | The Australian Education Times
acular.com.au
the medium of music and dance. As the leaders of tomorrow, our students will explore their place in the world, experience diverse cultures and excite audiences with outstanding performances. In terms of sheer size, scale and scope, the Schools Spectacular is unequalled in the world. This iconic cultural event involves students of varying ages, cultures, skills and socio-economic backgrounds, hailing from country, metropolitan and isolated regions of NSW.
r bids
TICKETS NOW ON SALE Where: QANTAS CREDIT UNION ARENA 35 Harbour Street, Darling Harbour When: Friday 27 November 12 noon & 7.30pm Saturday 28 November 1pm & 7.30pm Prices: Category 1: Adults$68.00 | Concession $55.00 Family Pass (2 adults + 2 children) $215.00 Category 2: Adults $55.00 | Concession $42.00 Family Pass (2 adults + 2 children) $170.00
It is regarded as one of Australia’s most popular annual variety shows, and this year will feature 3,600 students from more than 400 NSW public schools: a 1,500-voice choir; 80-piece symphony orchestra; 2,000 dancers; plus rock, jazz, brass and marching bands. The Schools Spectacular delivers outstanding, cutting-edge youth dance and musical performances. It showcases the brilliance of the most talented singers, dancers and musicians in NSW public schools and incorporates state-ofthe-art sound, lighting and staging. Schools Spectacular alumni include ‘The Voice’ 2014 winner Anja Nissen, international artists Human Nature; musical director, pianist and composer John Foreman; 2013 The Voice finalists
Diana Rouvas and Darren Percival, ARIA winners Paulini and Angus and Julia Stone, musical theatre stars David Harris, Lucy Maunder, Julie Goodwin and Trevor Ashley, composer Gavin Lockley, and country singers The McClymonts, Felicity Urquhart and Darren Coggan.
Bookings: www.ticketek.com.au or phone 132 849 www.schoolsspectacular.com.au www.facebook.com/ schoolsspectacular Twitter: @SchoolsSpec Media enquiries: Amanda Buckworth, AB Publicity M: 0413 949 140 E: amanda@abpublicity. com.au
The Australian Education Times | 21 The Australian Education Times | 2
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Education Times PULL OUT
Raising
the Gifted
W
hile identifying gifted students is an important process on its own, the true test lies on the strategies created by educators and parents to draw out the child’s full potential. When raising gifted children, school communities hold a great responsibility to negotiate the curriculum with the student’s family. They also have to provide a range of opportunities and evaluative programmes in order to engage and motivate the student to improve their learning. Clearly, demands to raise gifted children require a huge deal of attention 22 |
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so that they can pursue greater opportunities for their future and so that they do not underachieve. Ultimately, support and specialised programmes are required to develop a gifted student. Firstly, support for gifted children starts with parental encouragement and influences. The social environment provided by classrooms, schools and family can hugely determine a student’s academic motivation. Children with high intellectual ability, under the right environment, will want to exercise their knowledge by tackling real life situations
and therefore have the ability to determine their own motivations. According to Dr Jennifer Jolly, a senior research at the University of New South Wales, a parent’s attitude needs to encourage a growth mind set. We tell teachers and students to have a growth mind set, your intelligence isn’t fixed. We talk to parents and kids and tell them that students should aim for their personal bests and move on to their next goal, she says. When you come in teaching kids and saying ‘you did that because you are
so smart’ that’s not really all that helpful when you are trying to get your kids to learn something because when they come across something that is difficult or when they fail, they believe that they are just simply ‘not smart’ anymore Equally, teachers have to create a healthy environment in the classroom where giftedness can grow. It is important for regular teachers to identify their student’s gifts and encourage the growth of abilities. Motivation for students to be successful needs to start at an early age therefore teachers are responsible for cultivating individual abilities by building their students’ self-esteem and providing them with differentiated programmes or curriculum. Of course, a huge amount of attention is required so that teachers will not lose the gifted student’s interest and to not fall in the pit of underachievement. Dr Jolly says that a differentiated curriculum is beneficial for gifted students. Differentiating the curriculum is one of the processes where we can turn a child’s abilities into talents, she says. When studying the same curriculum, gifted and talented students have the ability to grasp basic concepts and need less time for revision, unlike regular students. The curriculum therefore needs to engage, challenge and extend a student’s learning, a curriculum that promotes both critical and creative thinking. According to Dr Jolly, a differentiated curriculum could take the form of acceleration, enrichment or mentorship programmes. A differentiated curriculum means offering students different content, learning processes and tests. Differentiate the curriculum in terms of where [the students] are at, this means providing a challenge or acceleration at a certain area. For example, when you have someone gifted at math you can provide them year 3 content while they are still year 1, she says. Accelerated programmes provide a way of learning that pushes gifted children who are clearly way ahead of their year group’s capabilities. Miraca Gross, the director of the Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre at UNSW, has said in the past that gifted students need to
be accelerated ahead and that teachers need to be more open and flexible about moving their students a year ahead. The fears of bullying and social exclusion tend to stop teachers from moving their gifted student a year ahead. However, Professor Gross says that schools have a misplaced view that younger students accelerated into older year groups would mean that they cannot easily form friendships. In fact, intellectually advanced students actually have social and emotional abilities that resemble that of older children. Accelerated programmes are hugely endorsed due to huge learning and development benefits that children attain from them. Developments in learning can be attained when like-minded students are grouped together; however they need a challenging curriculum in order to thrive in their new environment. Enrichment provides breadth to the curriculum. The student keeps pace with the rest of his classmates but has more time to explore interests. Enrichment could take the form of enabling independent study, mentorship, specialising grading criteria to provide a greater challenge, and enrichment clusters, where students with similar interests and aptitudes are grouped together. Enrichment activities such as after school support in the weekends can
be used to explore where their deep interests may be, says Dr Jolly. For slightly older children maybe a mentor that they can connect with can give them an idea of the industry they want to pursue, It’s about exposing them to authentic, real life learning. So if their mentor is a chemist, they “the students” learn exactly what they do as opposed to learning with their chemistry set. On the other hand, extension programmes provide opportunities of a greater level of difficulty through an in depth study of a particular subject. This model should promote critical, creative and high order thinking about abstract and practical concepts in order to engage and challenge the student. For just a minority of the student population, the needs to engage gifted and talented children cannot go overlooked. It goes without saying that as more gifted students are identified and raised appropriately, there will be more populating the high-skilled and intellectual sectors. Success for gifted students can only be attained though strategies and the support systems that are implemented. You do have to work and you do have to challenge yourself at something, says Dr Jolly. And you are going to grow and learn because of these challenges.
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Education Times PULL OUT
Encouraging
W
hen kids learn to play guitar, draw or play football much slower than their peers, it is easy to label them as simply not talented in that field. While we have taken a huge focus on giftedness in academic pursuits, talent, on the other hand, is defined as being exceptionally skilled in practical subjects such as Music, Art, PE and Drama. However, as many people have said, talent is not something you are born with, it is something you build. In fact teachers, coaches and parents should be helping kids understand that greatness is created through practice and motivation. Focusing too much on one’s natural ability will discourage students from further pursuing their potential talent. There are many requirements to drawing out a child’s talent. According
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talent
to Daniel Coyle, the author of The Talent Code, coaching methods, the environment that the children are raised in, how they are taught to practice, how they deal with failure and praise play a role in encouraging talent. Coyle points out that motivation and practice among many practical subjects are quite similar. Recognising a child’s passion about a particular subject is significant in drawing out their talent. Motivation cannot be forced. Instead, if the child has ambition to become a pro basketball player, for example, they learn concepts, strategies and techniques much faster than the average learner. This ambition embeds itself within the child’s identity and becomes a powerful factor to strive for greatness. In addition, coaches, teachers and parents have to create appropriate training and learning methods for the child. Practice becomes more efficient in teaching children required skills when they push the child to
perform to the best of their abilities and then critiquing where they can improve. When this method is applied, children learn from their errors and accept that they are inevitable and required to excel. Practicing a musical piece or a technique at a slower pace or in small portions allows children to fix more errors. Focusing on technique rather than the speed of learning helps slowly build the child’s confidence in their skills. This means going through a musical piece bit by bit or a football drill slowly, once they have mastered the slow process they can begin to increase their speed. People learn faster when copying someone who excels in the field whether its music, art, drama or sport. By simply watching more skilled players and picturing themselves performing the same technique as professionals do, they quickly grasp techniques or methods to advance their talent. These training methods help build skill acquisition through independent learning. As for parents and coaches, praising effort is more important than focusing on their natural ability. Praising the child’s natural ability rather than their effort could teach them that being talented cannot be attained. Acknowledging effort teaches children to take risks when faced with certain challenges and that mistakes are only steps to learning. Encouraging talent means teaching children that greatness is attainable and being born a genius means nothing without dedication and practice. They begin to see that failure should not be something to be ashamed of but rather something to help them improve. Children become more open to criticism from others and become more attentive to seeking out their own goals to greatness.
The Australian
Education Times
CAREER OF THE MONTH
Civil Engineer Is this career path for you? A potential career in engineering can start from an early age. If you like cracking puzzles, solving problems or even playing around with building blocks then civil engineering could be a profession that you might be interested in. Civil engineering deals with the design, construction and maintenance of infrastructure ranging from buildings, roads and waterways. Engineers
usually perform research and analysis, design and development, production and construction, and operation and management. Civil engineers solve problems concerning time, cost, risk and the quality of the construction. Like all disciplines of engineering, civil engineering is a science that is applied to solve technical problems so learning math, science
Staying up to date: Becoming a successful civil engineer requires a lot of discipline. In a profession that is constantly changing, potential engineers will have to keep up to date with new technologies and methodologies. Furthermore, finding out about the latest industry trends gives engineers the ability to stay relevant and apply new cost efficient strategies to solve problems.
and technology in school will be very helpful. As this career is an applied science, civil engineers may work in either an office or on site overseeing construction or maintaining infrastructure. Ultimately, civil engineering is an exciting job that can provide you with many opportunities so if you are looking to solve problems through science then this may be the career for you.
Practicing your problem solving skills through puzzles, studies and real life situations will become useful for adapting strategies to solve more technical problems in the future. It is best to start networking and gaining contacts from high school and during your tertiary education. This will allow you to get the best position in keeping up to date with the engineering community and learning about new innovations in your field. Subscribing to civil engineering magazines and checking in on technology websites can also help nourish your interest in the field.
Educational qualification: In order to begin a career in civil engineering, people generally complete their HSC, obtain an ATAR over 80 or 90 per cent and attend university. Most universities will offer a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering but those who wish to research about new technologies in civil engineering generally apply for a postgraduate degree. TAFE colleges also offer engineering related courses, as well as apprenticeships, cadetships, and traineeships. While studying in high school, having an early interest and passion for courses like geography, industrial arts, mathematics and physics will give you a great advantage in university.
s: r Path Careineciv il engineering allows you A degree t specialties to choose many differen r path. within your chosen caree
These include: ng civil Consulting or contracti engineer r Environmental enginee r ee gin en l Structura Transport engineer tion consultant Architecture/construc or Building control survey ey orn att Patent Quantity surveyor
The average civil engineer earns $71,284 a year.
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| 25
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Education Times
PROMOTION
West End
W
Mazda
est End Mazda is Australia’s oldest independently owned and operated Mazda Dealership having been established and continually operating in North Parramatta since 1963. West End
WEST END MAZDA is also proud NSW with: • 15 Mazda Master Dealer Awards inc 2013 • 5 times Winner of the “Martec Excellence in Dealership • 2 Dealer of The Year awards (Pre Master Dealer Conception) • 2 Parts Dealer of the Year awards • 1 Sales Dealer of the Year award • 1 Service Dealer of the Year award • 1 Commercial Vehicle Dealer of the Year We are proud to have multiple members of our Sales & Parts teams achieving “Master Guild Member” status in the prestigious Mazda Sales Guild. In 2014 both of our Sales Managers, our Parts Manager & 2 of our Sales Consultants acheived this status!
New Cars
From the moment you enter our Sales showrooms you’ll be greeted with a friendly Zoom-Zoom smile & sales people who are provided with the best training to ensure that we meet and exceed your expectations every time you visit us. We have the largest range of new Mazda vehicles in stock, carrying over 400 cars at any given time. Both of our Sales fully registered demonstrators for test drives at your convenience. Our sales teams will, by appointment, even bring our demonstrators to you at any time if you are unable to visit one of our new vehicle showrooms.
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Mazda has been owned and operated
In 1998, the current Directors of West End Mazda expanded their operation by acquiring Blacktown Mazda which further strengthened our focus and commitment to the Mazda Brand in NSW.
With the largest Parts department in Australia we also carry a full range of Genuine Mazda Parts & Accessories. We also carry large
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As with our New Cars our Pre Owned sales teams are put though a rigorous training program to ensure that they also meet and exceed your expectations. West End Mazda carry ex Mazda limits, we have the next best option. These vehicles come with the balance of new vehicle warranty so your peace
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Service centres with the latest in Mazda Electronic
Contact details and Hours or Operation are: 3 Ferris Street North Parramatta Phone - 9633 8300 Email – pmservice@westendmazda.com.au Monday to Friday 8am to 5.30pm Saturday 8am to 12noon 3 Butterfield Street Blacktown Phone – 9622-9888 Email – btservice@westendmazda.com.au Hours of operation Mon – Fri 7am to 5.30pm and Sat 8.00am to midday. Bookings can be made online either by our i-Phone app (download via App Store) or here on this Website (just click the service tab and follow the prompts). Have you checked what your next service will cost? Log onto Mazda’s website – http://www.mazda.com.au/owners/ servicing-your-mazda/recommended-
maintenance-service-price Input your details and see what your next service with West End Mazda will cost. Both Service Centres offer a complimentary car wash at time of service, free wheel alignment check, brake check, battery check, customer waiting lounges incorporating Wi-Fi internet access, refreshments, Pay TV, loan cars at a nominal cost, as well as drop off to the nearest train station. West End Mazda has Mazda Quick Smart Serving. This is for all Mazda Scheduled Services and can be completed within an hour allowing you to get your Zoom-Zoom back on the road faster.
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All Service work is Fully Guaranteed and we only use Valvoline Premium Oils and Mazda Genuine Parts to protect the integrity and value of your Mazda and as trusted Mazda dealer we also provide the computer upgrades to your car via our MDS (Mazda Diagnostic Machine). These upgrades are from the factory in Japan and can improve fuel economy and running. The MDS also allows up to diagnose any issues you are having and repair them in a timely fashion. For your convenience both our North Parramatta Service Centre and Blacktown Service Centre are open Saturday mornings from 8am to midday. Bookings essential. Phone – 9633-8383 Email – parts@westendmazda.com.au West End Mazda Parts also offers a Crash Assistance Line open 24 hours a day/ 7days a week. We are on hand to help with arranging tow trucks and ensuring we send your Mazda to a panel shop that is approved by your Parts.
Contact details David Hubbard Business hours - 1300 924 584 or After Hours 0418 613 758
ALL NEW MAZDA3
NEO HATCH 2.0LT PETROL (MANUAL & AUTO) http://www.westendmazda.com.au/vehicles/all-new-mazda3 The Australian Education Times
| 27
The Australian
Education Times LITERACY CORNER
Aural Literacy Aural
relating to the ear or sense of hearing. Aural Literacy refers to critical listening skills and the analysis of sounds and their impact on our emotions and our actions. This includes creating messages using sound, and incorporating sound into the design of products.
I
n the July column we explored ways to develop Visual Literacy. This month we will be exploring Aural Literacy. Aural literacy is connected to visual, information, social/emotional and media literacies. Because this literacy involves “sound” we have created a special page online which you will want to access to make this article more meaningful – you need to be able to actually listen! Go to this page for the article, the sounds and activities! http://21stcenturyschools3.weebly.com/ aural-literacy.html Why is Aural Literacy an important 21st century skill? Messages, or “texts”, in the 21st century are now created in multiple forms of media, many of which are created and received via sound. Everywhere we go we are literally bombarded with messages from people trying to get our attention – from family and friends who want to communicate something to us, to politicians trying to persuade us to vote for them, to advertisers who want us to purchase their products and services. We need to develop Aural Literacy skills so that we can be better at understanding the messages, to improve communication, and to be able to analyse and critique these messages. But that’s not all – we must become more skilled at producing messages using sound. Having moved on from a world in which messages are mostly based in print, we now have an enormous range of tools at our disposal. We, too, can create more
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powerful, accurate and appealing messages by incorporating sound. As a student you can now create products which demonstrate your understanding of everything from basic content and skills to important social issues. You can now easily create messages for the purposes of informing, persuading and entertaining. Why write a paper/pencil research report when you can create a short film, documentary or a musical piece communicating the same information? Why create a paper poster when you can create an interactive, digital poster which not only integrates video, music, and sound effects, but your own voice? See the Apps example below. As a student you are also specifically targeted by advertisers in an effort to get you to purchase their products and services. They no longer just use colours and images to encourage consumers to buy their products; they use sounds and music to affect the consumers’ emotions and actions. Aural literacy is not just related to music and sound effects, however; it encompasses a wide range of skills of interpreting what you hear - this includes critical analysis and evaluation of television, radio and Internet commercials – not just the music, but what words are being spoken, listening to a teacher or a classmate, or walking around a bustling city, interpreting what you are hearing, and deciding what is relevant and what is not.
Here are some things you can do to sharpen your Aural Literacy skills. Wherever you see this icon go to this link: http://21stcenturyschools3.weebly.com /aural-literacy.html
History, Culture and Sound
The didgeridoo is a wonderful way to introduce a discussion on Aural Literacy. Watch and listen to the left to enjoy ten hours of didgeridoo music! Humans have used materials from nature to create instruments for millennia. These instruments have been used to communicate, celebrate, worship, entertain and inspire. Create a historical or cultural timeline through the study of sound. Conduct a geographical study to create a world map based upon the study of sound. Think about African drumming, the India sitar, the ancient Egyptian harp . . . here is a sample of ancient Egyptian music.
The sounds of Halloween
this day is not complete without some scary music and sound effects. Listen to this video for a sample of what you can find online free. Do a Google search for free Halloween sounds effects and you’ll find plenty including evil laughs, witches cackling, chains rattling, screams and more! You can also find those that are appropriate for young children - not scary, just fun! These are great to play for your Halloween party!
Sounds of Nature
Just “Google” sounds of nature and you will find videos such as this one, called Woodland Ambiance. You will also find sounds for birds singing, rainforest waterfalls, ocean waves, creeks trickling and thunderstorms. These are excellent to have playing while you are relaxing, sleeping, reading, studying or creating.
Good Vibrations the Science of Sound Watch this amazing video from the World Science Festival. We look around us constantly. But how often do we “listen around us”? Sound is critically important to our bodies and brains, and to the wider natural world. In the womb, we hear before we see. In this presentation the artists take us on a fascinating journey through the nature of sound. How we perceive it, how it acts upon us and how it profoundly affects our well-being including a demonstration of sounds as varied as the human inner ear and the creation of the universe itself.
Critical Listening Skills
Sounds in Film and Television Click the video at the online page to listen to the eerie sound made by an instrument known as the theremin used to make very scary, eerie music in the 1951 film, The Day the Earth Stood Still. Think about the sounds effects and music in the movies and television shows you watch. How do they create an impact on the viewer? Do they add to or subtract from the story or the message?
You’ve heard that you cannot believe everything you find on the Internet. So, too, you must listen critically to what is being said - listening critically to speeches made by politicians, to news reports, to spoken opinion pieces online, on television and on the radio. Practice analysing what is being said in a speech, much as you would a television commercial. Remember the article on Media Literacy? What is the speaker’s goal - to educate, to motivate, to persuade or to entertain? See this link for specific questions to ask yourself when analysing a speech. These will guide you through analysing the purpose of the speech, its content and structure, the delivery techniques employed (voice, gestures, etc.) Visual effects, use of the stage and use of the invocation of emotions. Use the questions to analyse this speech by Adolph Hitler. Use them when evaluating candidates during the next federal election on or before January 14, 2017 in Australia. http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/speechevaluation-1-how-to-study-critiquespeech/
Apps
Create an Oldtime Radio Show Before we had television people listened to their favourite shows on the radio! It would be a lot of fun to plan and present your own radio show. You will have to think about music and creating various sound effects! The shows were not like most radio shows today - mostly music, news and discussions. There were all kinds of shows that later broadcast on television - westerns, or cowboy shows, murder mysteries, love stories, comedies. You can still listen to many of the most popular radio shows of the time, such as this one, entitled The Shadow, a murder mystery. The video above is a short film which illustrated just how the old-time radio shows were produced. You will see a little boy sitting on his bed listening to the radio. The television scenes portray what the boy would have been seeing, or imagining, as he listened to the program.
integrate music, voice and sound effects into the products you create! This app, Glogster, is a good way to show what you know or what you are passionate about in a creative and fun way. Glogster can be used to create a “poster” or “collage” which includes music and other sounds. For additional ideas and activities for developing your Aural Literacy skills please go to the link below where you will learn about how Music and Sound Affect the Emotion, producing Oral Histories, Becoming a Composer and a Musician and Doodling Your Way to Becoming a Better Listener! http://21stcenturyschools3. weebly.com/aural-literacy. html
ANNE SHAW Director, 21st Century Schools
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The Australian
Education Times TAFE FOCUS
PROMOTION
Going higher – the TAFE advantage By Gary Fishlock
Most people know that TAFE provides first-class vocational education and training for many of the basic skills society needs to function and thrive, such as bricklaying, plumbing and hairdressing. What many people don’t realise, however, is that TAFE also provides quality higher education in the form of diplomas and bachelor degrees, qualifications that are usually associated with universities. So is there a difference between a bachelor degree from TAFE and a bachelor degree from a university? While a TAFE bachelor degree involves the same amount of intellectual rigour as its university counterpart, there’s also a strong emphasis on the practical development of technical skills in tandem with the theoretical component. TAFE is already well known for its “handson” approach to education (“the TAFE advantage”), so the combination of this with the intellectual demands of a bachelor degree can represent the best of both worlds. TAFE bachelor degrees have a strong student focus, smaller class sizes and strong industry connections. The degrees are designed with the specific needs of industry in mind. There are currently six bachelor degrees 30 |
available through TAFE NSW representing a diverse range of skills and industry areas.
Bachelor of 3D Art and Animation This course has a strong emphasis on the development of applied skills and collaboration in fast-paced production environments. The practical training is complemented with focused theoretical grounding in the principles of art and animation. This degree will qualify you as an animator artist or designer in a range of digital media environments. This could include work on feature films, game production, television, advertising or the development of online content.
Bachelor of Applied Finance (Financial Planning) This three-year degree is designed in accordance with international best practice standards, industry needs and expectations. The qualification will give you a thorough understanding of the legal and regulatory environment, financial markets and investment products. During the final year of study, students are provided with an industry placement which gives the opportunity to
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apply their knowledge in a real workplace situation.
Bachelor of Design (Interior Design) Learn about the spatial, structural, and material elements of built interior environments and how to create original design concepts for interior spaces and the people who use them. At the end of this three-year course you’ll be able to think critically and manage complex design projects, from the initial concept through to a detailed solution.
Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Care (Birth – 5) This professional teaching degree qualifies you for work in the children’s and family services sector in a variety of settings including long day care, preschool, integrated child and family services and early intervention services.
The practical core units are supplemented by a work placement each semester, giving eight separate professional experience placements. You’ll study child development and pedagogical practices, welfare, ethics, diversity and social justice.
Bachelor of Fashion Design TAFE’s three-year dedicated fashion degree is wellknown for its strong industry connections. With a dazzling list of alumni including Akira Isogawa, Alex Perry and Dion Lee, this highly-coveted qualification covers everything from design sketch to runway show. The course is comprised of small, studio-based classes offering personalised tuition from industry professionals, encouraging you to develop your own design signature. You’ll also take on two industry internships.
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The Australian
Education Times SCIENCE LAB
Renewabl R enewable energy refers to natural resources that are obtainable and can be infinitely replenished. There are many forms of renewable energy such as solar, wind power, hydroelectric energy and geothermal just to name a few. These resources are more sustainable than non-renewable sources such as coal, oil and natural gas because non-renewable resources are produced over millions of years and will take a while to replenish making them a resource that’s bound to run out eventually.
Pros and cons of renewable energy:
Pros: Stable energy prices
Solar energy relies on the nuclear fusion power from the Sun. This energy can be collected with solar panels through direct sunlight and converted into electrical energy.
Infinite source of energy Reliable generation of energy
Low greenhouse gas emission like carbon dioxide or methane Job creation Personal solar panels, means free generation of energy
Biomass Hydroelectric energy uses the gravitational pull of that earth so that water is taken in by the hydroelectric dam, pushing the turbine inside the dam and generating energy. 32 |
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is the energy derived from plants but it also releases the most carbon dioxide gases in the atmosphere. Biomass energy is usually produced from burning trees and is a commonly used method for cooking and warmth in many countries.
le Energy We can use renewable energy resources as an alternative to the power we currently enjoy since this energy can be used for electricity generation, air and water heating/ cooling and motor fuels. However, renewable resources also have cons.
Cons: High development cost Renewable energy is very dependent on weather and climate Low efficiency of turbines or solar panels could mean that they are unable to produce large quantities of energy. Solar intensity, wind intensity and water are not abundant in some countries meaning energy production can be slow.
Tidal energy works in a similar fashion as the other renewable energy resources. Turbine blades are underwater and rotate based on the direction of the tidal streams. As the turbines turn they generate energy.
Large areas are required for hydroelectric dams or wind farms
Wind power
Geothermal energy is the taken from the heat underneath the Earth’s surface. The heat from the Earth’s crust produces geysers and hot springs. The steam is then used to turn the turbines which then generate power.
generally uses the natural forces of the wind to turn wind turbines enabling them to generate electricity. For wind turbines to generate enough electricity, wind farms compensate for the lack of energy generation of one wind turbine.
The Australian Education Times
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The Australian
Education Times PUZZLE POP
Word Ladder
Read the Clues, then write the word start at the Bottom and climb to the Top.
Change the last letter
A baby dog To place something. “She _____ the dish on the table.”
Change the vowel
Another word for hole
Change the first letter
To have torn food with your teeth. “Pat ___ into the hot dog.”
Change the last letter
Change the first letter
To use your teeth to break of food
Take away one middle letter and the last letter
A toy that you fly in the wind
Kitten
34 |
The Australian Education Times
The Australian
Education Times PUZZLE POP
Guess who?
Identify the incomplete pictures & match their correct names.
A
B
C
D
E
F
Vladimir Lenin
John F. Kennedy
George Washing ton
Nelson Mandela
Beyonce
Zayn Malik
Crazy But True !!!!! In 1838, it was illegal to swim in the public beaches of Australia. Meaning, no one was allowed in the beautiful Australian beaches for many years. We’re such a lucky generation, right?
Record of the month Petra Engels holds the record for owning the largest collection of erasers. She owns 19,571 erasers from 112 different countries that she has been collecting from 1981!
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Please contact Gagan Partol for attractive Home Loan Rate* Community Lending Manager Sydney – Mortgage Lending Network Phone: 02 8883 1457 Mobile: 0412 673 416 Promotion Code - AAS
Newcastle Permanent Building Society Limited ACN 087 651 992 Australian Financial Services Licence 238273 Australian Credit Licence 238273 307 King Street Newcastle West NSW 2302 PO Box 5001 Hunter Region Mail Centre NSW 2310 www.newcastlepermanent.com.au 13 19 87 * Terms and Conditions apply
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Education Times
Super Blood Moon Australia’s New Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is sworn in as the Prime Minister of Australia following his election to the leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia.
A supermoon (the closest full moon of the year) has combined with a total lunar eclipse making the moon appear bright red. The super blood moon has not occurred in over 30 years and is not due to occur until 2033.
Father’s Day
67th Primetime Emmy Awards
Father’s Day is a special day honouring one’s father. Many families around this occasion celebrate by giving presents or cooking dad’s favourite food.
The 67th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Andy Samberg, rewards the best actors, screenwriters and directors in programming.
September in pictures
Pope visits Cuba then the US After visiting Cuba and arriving in the US, Pope Francis is welcomed by President Barack Obama and his people with open arms. The Australian Education Times
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The Australian
Education Times
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