Trend of banning mobile phones in Australian high schools 'not backed by research,' expert warns

While a NSW Labor government would ban mobile phones in high schools if elected, an expert says the trending policy across Australia does not improve students' focus.

<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-03/research-does-not-back-nsw-school-mobile-phone-ban-expert-says/101922944>

Blanket ban on mobile phones in schools disadvantages students, education expert says

Queensland's mobile phone policy in schools gives students an advantage over their interstate counterparts, according to a leading academic.

<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-07/ban-phones-schools-disadvantages-students-education-expert/101939686>

National project to address STEM gender gap

A new project aims to close the gender gap in STEM subjects in primary and secondary schools. Three universities will work together to build a national community of girls, teachers, school outreach practitioners and industry.

<https://www.adelaide.edu.au/newsroom/news/list/2023/02/09/national-project-to-address-stem-gender-gap>

$1m federal grant to enrich STEM education for 1,000 SA and NT girls

New federal funds will help Flinders University support hundreds of Year 9 female high school students in South Australia and the Northern Territory to build science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and entrepreneurial skills to compete in future education and career opportunities.

<https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/1m-federal-grant-to-enrich-stem-education-for-1000-sa-and-nt-girls/>

‘A much more creative approach’: remote learning may be over, but home schooling in Australia is on the rise

This week millions of kids around Australia returned excitedly – or nervously – to their bustling classrooms, but in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges, Caitlin Hughes’ four daughters have reopened their school books in the quiet of their home.

<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/04/a-much-more-creative-approach-remote-learning-may-be-over-but-home-schooling-in-australia-is-on-the-rise>

New report gives young people a voice in online safety education

Researchers from Western Sydney University's Young and Resilient Research Center have released a new report providing critical insight into youths' aspirations for online safety education.

<https://phys.org/news/2023-02-young-people-voice-online-safety.html>

In Real Life: Digital ethics and participation, reimagined by and for young people

Our Vision: In 2021, 44% of young Australians encountered negative online experiences, with their main concerns being online interactions with peers and strangers, privacy issues (stolen identities, photo sharing without consent) and security issues (hacking, scams). Three quarters of young Australians have also highlighted critical information gaps in how to address and support their peers around issues of consent, respectful relationships and diversity online.

<https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/young-and-resilient/projects/current_projects/in_real_life>

Safer Internet Day 2023

What is Safer Internet Day? Safer Internet Day is a global event that brings together communities, families, schools and organisations from more than 200 countries to help create safer online spaces.

<https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/whats-on/safer-internet-day-2023>

<https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/cybermarvel/safer-internet-day>

Safer Internet Day 2023: A global day of action

Research by eSafety tells us that 45% of Australian children said they were treated in a hurtful or nasty way online in the past year. This Safer Internet Day, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant is encouraging every Australian to moderate their own online behaviour to help stem the negativity and abuse that permeate many parts of the internet.

<https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/safer-internet-day-2023-a-global-day-of-action>

Privacy concerns for school students

Student storytelling can often give a glimpse into what’s happening in their lives, their interests and passions, and the issues that are on their mind. The latest instalment of the Australian Children’s Word of the Year reveals online safety is a top concern for students.

<https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/privacy-concerns-for-school-students>

Online industry asked to address eSafety’s concerns with draft codes

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has asked associations representing the online industry to respond to areas of concern and resubmit draft industry codes that include appropriate community safeguards for users in Australia.

<https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/online-industry-asked-address-esafetys-concerns-draft-codes-0>

Young people call on Big Tech to put their wellbeing before profits

The eSafety Commissioner’s Youth Council has written an open letter to Big Tech to demand they impose consequences on users who abuse and harass others, breaching platforms’ own terms of service.

<https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/young-people-call-on-big-tech-put-their-wellbeing-profits>

CASA drone safety school resources

<https://shop.casa.gov.au/collections/school-resources>

Save the Date: ICTENSW DigiTLL (Digital Technologies, Learning & Literacy) Conference 2023

You are invited to the ICTENSW DigiTLL (Digital Teaching, Learning & Literacy) Conference on the 18th and 19th of March 2023.

<https://www.ictensw.org.au/event-4883767>

ChatGPT: WA Catholic schools will not ban latest AI technology

Western Australia’s Catholic schools will not ban ChatGPT, after the state government announced a move to rid public schools of the latest in artificial intelligence.

<https://www.smh.com.au/national/western-australia/chatgpt-wa-catholic-schools-will-not-ban-latest-ai-technology-20230203-p5chq8.html>

Will ChatGPT Forever Change Education?

Generative AI has made waves in the news cycle lately, with new developments like ChatGPT inciting both excitement and panic from educators. Some call it the end of the five-paragraph essay, while others see it as an opportunity for pedagogical advancement. Either way, generative AI is already a reality, and educators need to adapt and prepare for the changes it brings.

<https://datainnovation.org/2023/03/will-chatgpt-forever-change-education/>

Educator considerations for ChatGPT

This page provides a brief overview for educators seeking to learn more about the capabilities, limitations, and considerations for using ChatGPT for teaching and learning. While this page focuses on ChatGPT and the OpenAI AI text classifier, many of these considerations are also relevant to the use of language models for teaching and learning more broadly.

<https://platform.openai.com/docs/chatgpt-education>

5 tips to keep students safer online

Today is Safer Internet Day, a day that aims to raise awareness of emerging online issues and current concerns. The global theme is “Together for a Better Internet,” which means we must all work together, from young people and their parents to government and academia. Safer also means better: It’s not just about staying safe, it’s about using connected technologies to thrive.

<https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/saferinternetday2023-larrymagid/>