From the 'deserts of Western Australia to everywhere in between', Red Dirt Robotics is shaping the next generation of engineers

Trial and error: it's a simple but frustrating strategy. If you ask Jameson Harvey, however, it's all part of the process. "There's always lots of lots of problem-solving that you have to do when you're working on robots," he laughs.

<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-08/red-dirt-robotics-regional-remote-engineers-stem/100964122>

CSIRO and Microsoft Australia launch Microsoft FarmBeats to encourage digital agriculture among students

CSIRO and Microsoft Australia have collaborated to launch a STEM education initiative that will see students witness the future of farming, exposing them to concepts like cloud computing and data and artificial intelligence.

<https://itwire.com/it-industry-news/strategy/csiro-and-microsoft-australia-launch-microsoft-farmbeats-to-encourage-digital-agriculture-among-students.html>

All Australian schools to sit NAPLAN online for the first time

More than 1 million students will sit NAPLAN tests this week – and for the first time, all except one must be completed online.

<https://www.smh.com.au/national/all-australian-schools-to-sit-naplan-online-for-the-first-time-20220506-p5aj3i.html>

Digital Technologies Hub

Find resources to help teachers, students and families learn about Digital Technologies.

<https://www.digitaltechnologieshub.edu.au/> 

Industry Insights: lesson plan

This resource is designed to help subject teachers build their students' career development awareness and is aligned to the Australian Curriculum and relates to an Australian Curriculum learning area. To be used in conjunction with the Industry Insight webinar recording in a classroom setting, this suggested activity will help teachers and career practitioners generate classroom discussion and activity and help maximise class time using the most relevant parts of the webinar video. Designed to introduce students to one of the 19 industries (derived from the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC). Students can hear from professionals currently working in the industry who are at various stages of their career.

<https://myfuture.edu.au/assist-others/industry-insights-lesson-plans>

Future schooling – education in the metaverse

‘The metaverse is upon us. Soon it will be as omnipresent as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook (now Meta).’ So reads the first line of a new Policy Brief exploring the potential of the metaverse to enhance teaching and learning in the future, and why we need to start planning for it now.

<https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/future-schooling-education-in-the-metaverse>

Federal Election 2022: How do we fix Australia’s education system? Join our online roundtable debate

Australia’s global education rankings are sliding, teachers have been accused of not being capable and there are concerns over the lack of funding for public students. A new curriculum has been unveiled to a mixed response, while the row over equity and quality in the sector is still ongoing 10 years after the Gonski report, which was meant to solve the issues, was released.

<https://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/federal-election-2022-how-do-we-fix-australias-education-system-join-our-online-roundtable-debate/news-story/7d92aab5a297f3c1ea9a6f6897150734>

Student participation in higher maths drops below 10%

New research from the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers shows the percentage of students who take higher maths has fallen below 10% for the first time, with only one-third of those students being female.

<https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/student-participation-in-higher-maths-drops-below-10/>

Teacher and school leader curriculum survey

Grattan Institute is running a survey on high-quality curriculum resources and teachers’ workloads.

<https://grattan.edu.au/news/teacher-and-school-leader-curriculum-survey/>

State’s best teachers to help shape education plans

Some of the best teachers in NSW have met at Parliament House to share ideas on improving learning outcomes for students, cutting red tape and increasing the time and resources teachers have to deliver the best education for students.

<https://education.nsw.gov.au/news/latest-news/state-s-best-teachers-to-help-shape-education-plans>

Trailblazing principals to help drive excellence

Principals from 10 leading NSW public schools met for the first time yesterday as part of a ground-breaking advisory group to help drive school excellence and improvement across the state.

<https://education.nsw.gov.au/news/latest-news/trailblazing-principals-to-help-drive-excellence>

NSW premier, teachers meet to share ideas

More administrative school staff, less paper work for teachers and sharing resources between public and private schools have been discussed by a group of teachers advising the NSW government.

<https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/7735309/nsw-premier-teachers-meet-to-share-ideas/>

Bridging Technology and Education with Campus UNESCO

Campus UNESCO is an ongoing program that gives young people aged 14 to 18 the chance to share views with experts from UNESCO and civil society. The topics discussed in each 90-minute session are linked to major UNESCO themes such as education, artificial intelligence, sustainable development, gender equality, and citizenship.

<https://www.huawei.com/en/tech4all/stories/bridging-technology-education-campus-unesco>

Developing Children's Digital Literacy by Storybooks

Abstract: Growing tendency of children in using digital technologies, as well as Coronavirus crisis has forced families to live in new condition and may threaten their children’s health and development. So, there is essential need to investigate different methods of children’s digital literacy training. This paper has used qualitative content analysis to study some Persian and English storybooks based on socio-cultural approach. The process of analysis has been done according to inductive procedure and around different aspects of dealing with digital technologies: (1) the child’s behavior, (2) the child’s personal network, and (3) behaviors of child’s peripheral actors. Findings show that stories describe various behaviors of children in face of technologies: passion and trust in using digital technologies; secret use and vulnerability of them; regret and embarrassment; being tired of technology and tendency to alternatives; thinking, challenge and discussion about online information; collaborating with real and online individuals in using technologies; trust in books versus Internet; and learning digital literacy. Also, the peripheral individuals such as parents, siblings, relatives, peers, educational system, and social actors show different behaviors in relation with children and learning digital technologies.

<https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4098527>

Bett Asia 2022 Roadshow

Bangkok, Wednesday 27 April 2022: Bett, the global community for education technology, held the Bett Asia Roadshow at The Athenee Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. After three years, Bett is proud to present the in-person return of Bett Asia. Following the tremendous success of the 2019 show, Bett Asia is now looking forward to its 2022 edition – moving from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok for Bett Asia’s first event in Thailand.

<https://www.bettshow.com/bett-articles/bett-asia-2022-roadshow>

The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens, 2021

March 2022 marks two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we're starting to see a fuller picture of how the last two years have affected everything from the economy and health care to education and mental health. For parents, caregivers, educators, and even policymakers across the country, kids' media use has been a central issue in this conversation.

<https://www.commonsensemedia.org/research/the-common-sense-census-media-use-by-tweens-and-teens-2021>

Game-Based Learning Prepares K–12 Students for a Digital Future

Through culturally relevant themes and virtual interactions, students learn to explore the world, their social relationships and how games work.

<https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2022/05/game-based-learning-prepares-k-12-students-digital-future>

Pacific Science Center Receives $1 Million Amazon Future Engineer Grant to Deliver Science and Technology Education to Students from Underserved Communities

Pacific Science Center (PacSci) and Amazon Future Engineer today announced a new collaboration, fueled by a $1 million grant from Amazon, to spark curiosity in tens of thousands of students from underserved and historically underrepresented communities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields through free interactive science education programs. The effort builds on continued initiatives by each organization to reach more students from Title I schools – those with 40% or more of the student population classified as low-income – and provides a critical next step in PacSci’s ultimate vision: providing every K-8 student in the state with supplemental STEM curriculum at no cost.

<https://www.pacificsciencecenter.org/blog/news/pacsci-receives-amazon-future-engineer-grant/>

ACS digital road map will strengthen the economy

With the twin goals of overcoming the COVID pandemic’s economic legacy and shaping Australia’s future digital economy, the ACS has unveiled a detailed policy road map ahead of the 2022 federal election. ... The nine policies recommended by the ACS ahead of the 2022 election are: ... A $100-million program should be undertaken to boost the resources and support for school teachers to implement an Australian Curriculum Digital technologies framework. This would help teachers by delivering technology-related content to be used in class.

<https://www.afr.com/technology/acs-digital-road-map-will-strengthen-the-economy-20220311-p5a3vp>

School kids to be taught advanced cybersecurity skills

According to AustCyber’s Cyber Security Sector Competitiveness Plan, Australia will need more than 27,000 cybersecurity professionals by 2026.

<https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/school-kids-to-be-taught-advanced-cybersecurity-skills/279824>

Study shows high levels of public trust and value for Australian teachers

Ahead of World Teachers Day, new research from Monash University has found the role of teachers continues to be recognised as important and influential in developing students' social and emotional development - which became even more important during COVID-19 remote learning. ... The study also found there was perceived merit in a hybrid or more flexible approach to schooling with 76.6 per cent of participants in support of rethinking the way schools operate in the future by creating a more flexible model where students attend school but have the option to take some classes online. Over half of the respondents, 56.7 per cent, believed the shift to remote learning during COVID-19 was successful in Australia.

<https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/study-shows-high-levels-of-public-trust-and-value-for-australian-teachers>

NSW school returns to remote learning as spiralling Covid cases hit classrooms

At least one school in New South Wales has had to return to some days of remote learning amid surging Covid cases in students and staff.

<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/mar/15/nsw-education-officials-unmoved-on-return-of-masks-in-schools-despite-surging-covid-infections>

Tech teachers honoured for robot innovation

Sydney’s south west is becoming a hotspot for science and technology with three schools earning plaudits in the field of robotics.

<https://education.nsw.gov.au/news/latest-news/tech-teachers-honoured-for-robot-innovation->

Introducing the EdTech Buyers Guide for 2022

EdTech Impact is an independent review platform for EdTech worldwide. It’s also the driving force behind the EdTech Buyers Guide, which is an essential tool to have in your back pocket when you’re visiting the Bett show. This report, written by Michael Forshaw, highlights useful tips for how educators visiting the show can adopt an evidence-informed approach to EdTech procurement in order to make sure they are finding the best solutions for their setting.

<https://www.bettshow.com/bett-articles/introducing-the-edtech-buyers-guide-for-2022>

Lessons from the pandemic on fairer and more caring uni teaching and learning

The pandemic forced universities to rush out remote delivery of their courses online. Now we have had time to take stock of the impacts. Our newly published Australia-wide research investigated the challenges and opportunities of remote delivery for culturally and linguistically diverse migrant and refugee (CALDMR) students and university staff.

<https://theconversation.com/lessons-from-the-pandemic-on-fairer-and-more-caring-uni-teaching-and-learning-178292>

School kids to be taught advanced cybersecurity skills

According to AustCyber’s Cyber Security Sector Competitiveness Plan, Australia will need more than 27,000 cybersecurity professionals by 2026.

<https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/school-kids-to-be-taught-advanced-cybersecurity-skills/279824>

Rural residents say $750m NBN boost 'not enough' to bridge digital divide in the bush

In one of the most remote regions of Australia, residents in the Gulf of Carpentaria have long suffered the consequences of poor internet services. "We're so remote, we rely on telehealth. But what good is that when you lose your connection in the middle of a chat with your doctor," the region's mayor Jack Bawden said. "Our businesses can't do transactions because the EFTPOS machines are always down, you can't do remote learning, run meetings, because online connections are always dropping out.

<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-24/farmers-welcome-nbn-upgrade/100928668>

What Generation Z can teach us about cybersecurity

Girl Security National Security Fellows Program fellow Amulya, a 17-year-old interested in countering online disinformation, said she feels her sense of personal privacy has been largely nonexistent “growing up in a media-saturated world.” She believes her sense of privacy was stolen by a combination of mass media, access to tech without education, and an increasing divide among generations, government, and industry around responsible technology. With an online presence from a young age, members of Generation Z, like Amulya, bring personal insight to the cybersecurity conversation about online privacy.

<https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2022/03/15/what-generation-z-can-teach-us-about-cybersecurity/>

Let’s get personal: adaptive learning tech and education

Twelve years ago, Shantanu Sinha left his job to join his long-time friend Sal Khan’s new venture. At the time, Sal was spending his days making educational YouTube videos. It was an unusual career choice for both of them. But they saw what was possible when students had more agency over their learning and how technology could play a role. Together they started the online education platform Khan Academy, and Shantanu worked there for five years.

<https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/adaptive-learning-technology/>

6 Ways Conversational Virtual Humans Can Be Used in Education

The “New Normal” isn’t new anymore. The world of E-learning has changed forever, and it’s not going back. Even if students are returning to school, and eventually it happens - the model of a teacher, a whiteboard, and dozens of students sitting on chairs has changed forever. Instead, multitudes of new learning tools have entered the classroom. Technologies such as conversational AI, which were used mainly in textual interfaces and for commercial purposes, have entered this field.

<https://www.educatorstechnology.com/2022/03/6-ways-conversational-virtual-humans.html>

Why learning together is the future of online education

Something remarkable is happening with online learning. Let’s call it ed tech’s second wave.

<https://www.fastcompany.com/90733863/why-learning-together-is-the-future-of-online-education>

Rising to the challenge of providing all students with high-quality STEM education

Whether it’s the pandemic, climate change, food shortages, or economic inequality, almost all of the world’s most pressing problems would benefit from STEM-based solutions. Fourteen of the 16 fastest-growing “industries of the future” are STEM industries, and all of the top 25 degrees by pay and demand are in the STEM subjects. By 2025, there will be 3.5 million STEM jobs open in the United States alone.

<https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2022/03/23/rising-to-the-challenge-of-providing-all-students-with-high-quality-stem-education/>

CSIRO program sees students harness coding to solve musical challenge

Year 6 students in Perth have invented a device that makes music lessons easier for people with hearing impairments as part of a program run by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO.

<https://www.csiro.au/en/news/News-releases/2022/CSIRO-program-sees-students-harness-coding-to-solve-musical-challenge>

$2 million in grants to give young Australians STEM opportunities

Applications to foster creativity and inquiry-based learning for young Australians are open as part of the Maker Projects – Community STEM Engagement grants.

<https://www.industry.gov.au/news/2-million-in-grants-to-give-young-australians-stem-opportunities>

A milestone for championing the vision for women in STEM

The Academy is delighted to welcome Nokia as the 40th Champion of the Women in STEM Decadal Plan. The national plan aims to establish a thriving STEM-skilled workforce that is fit for the future, globally recognised, powered by a diverse and gender-balanced pipeline, and supported by an inclusive and respectful workplace culture.

<https://www.science.org.au/news-and-events/news-and-media-releases/milestone-championing-vision-women-stem>

Helping Australian school kids and teachers learn cybersecurity

A computer science academic at Sydney University, and associate professor James Curran’s research was in computational linguistics. One of the programs he ran was the 27-year-old National Computer Science School. That was where he came across students and teachers who were enthusiastic about IT but did not have the technical skills they needed to pursue IT positions.

<https://www.csoonline.com/article/3654201/helping-australian-school-kids-and-teachers-learn-cybersecurity.html>

New educational website to help teachers promote equitable learning

The Australian Academy of Science’s secondary science program, ‘Science by Doing’, is proud to announce a new website designed specifically for teachers.

<https://www.science.org.au/news-and-events/news-and-media-releases/new-educational-website-help-teachers-promote-equitable-learning>

The science of screen time: How much is too much for our kids?

New research has found that two hours a day appears to be the upper limit of healthy recreational screen time for children, beyond which they start to report only negative effects.

<https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-science-of-screen-time-how-much-is-too-much-for-our-kids-20220329-p5a934.html>

Some (other) facts about teachers and teaching

We spend time and energy revering celebrities and “influencers”, but rarely, if ever, teachers. Let’s perhaps reconsider where we direct our admiration and respect.

<https://www.smh.com.au/education/some-other-facts-about-teachers-and-teaching-20220324-p5a7ja.html>

3D printing shaping learning for blind and low vision students

More than 1,000 blind or low vision public school students in NSW are benefiting from access to 3D models, which can be created at their school with a 3D printer.

<https://education.nsw.gov.au/news/latest-news/3d-printing-shaping-learning-for-blind-and-low-vision-students>

The promises and perils of new technologies to improve education and employment opportunities

Digital technologies are rapidly developing and transforming the way individuals work, learn, and participate in civic life. As digital innovations become more available and present opportunities to make quality learning and career opportunities more accessible across the globe, educational institutions, administrative data systems, and regulatory frameworks have struggled to adapt. Through research on the landscape of digital micro-credentials, we hope to provide insights and policy recommendations to decisionmakers and stakeholders, such as education and labor policymakers, to expand access to skills and quality jobs to the most disadvantaged learners and workers across the world.

<https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-promises-and-perils-of-new-technologies-to-improve-education-and-employment-opportunities/>

Dear Members, 

Out of respect for our numerous members who have experienced a number of extreme difficulties during the recent floods and Covid 19 challenges, the ICTENSW Board, together with our scheduled presenters have decided to postpone this weekend's conference. The new dates will be Saturday 30th April and Sunday 1st May 2022.

The following limited sessions will still run this Saturday 12th March 2022.
2. The AGM will be held online via Zoom, at 4.30pm on Saturday 12th March. The link will be emailed to registered participants prior to the event.  Registration for AGM is mandatory and needs to be completed before 8:00 pm Friday 11th March via https://bit.ly/icte2022agm .

1. HSC Solutions Sessions (IPT and SDD) will go ahead as follows:  

• IPT with Christopher Kalodikis 9.45am to 11:00am

• SDD with Samantha Pennington 11.30am to 1:00pm

These sessions will be live via Zoom and recorded. Recordings and solutions will be made available for members via our website. Those registered for these sessions will receive an email tomorrow evening, containing the link to the sessions.

What you need to know about the rescheduled conference sessions:

• All additional conference sessions and the announcement of our annual awards will be rescheduled for Saturday 30th April and Sunday 1st May 2022. Details to follow later this term (via our website and email).

• Those who have paid for their conference ticket, will have their payment applied to the new conference dates. 

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. We hope this arrangement will allow people time to recover. 

We thank you for your understanding. 

Warm Wishes, 

The ICTENSW Board

Educational leaders across Australia tackle challenges and reimagine the future of learning by Amazon Web Services

The experiences of education systems adapting to remote learning during the pandemic while thinking through solutions to ongoing social and administrative challenges have given engaged observers much to listen to.

<https://www.themandarin.com.au/181835-educational-leaders-across-australia-tackle-challenges-and-reimagine-the-future-of-learning/>

School Improvement Episode 36: Winners of the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science Teaching

The two most recent winners of the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Excellence in Science Teaching join us in this podcast. They each share how they’re improving student outcomes in their own school settings and their top tips for other Science teachers across the country.

<https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/school-improvement-episode-36-winners-of-the-prime-ministers-prizes-for-science-teaching>

Fintech education – meeting students’ interests and needs

Financial technology developments such as cashless transactions and in-game purchases, and risks such as scam emails and texts warrant teaching about. Carly Sawatzki, Jill Brown and Peter Saffin ask: ‘In what ways are your students financially active, and how is your school preparing them for informed financial participation?’

<https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/fintech-education-meeting-students-interests-and-needs> 

‘Clear’ need for STEM boost to prepare job-ready graduates [subscription]

Billionaire Richard White has a clear vision of how to improve the Australian economy, starting with education.

<https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/education-new-south-wales/wisetech-globals-richard-white-to-revolutionise-stem-education-in-australian-schools/news-story/89a846b3b54917020e768e042efc6e49>

Pay teachers $130,000 to attract high achievers, leaked review says

Trainee teachers must learn more about managing classroom behaviour, engaging with parents and teaching reading, according to a review of Australian teaching.

<https://www.watoday.com.au/national/pay-teachers-130-000-to-attract-high-achievers-leaked-review-says-20220223-p59z37.html>

No Gonski ‘nirvana’: Why Australia’s most ambitious education reforms have failed

On the eve of the 10-year anniversary of the Gonski reforms, its failure shows how politics, self-interest and a lack of forward-thinking can derail even the most worthy objective: that no student be left behind.

<https://www.watoday.com.au/education/no-gonski-nirvana-why-australia-s-most-ambitious-education-reforms-have-failed-20220215-p59wpj.html>

City staff head north to keep classrooms running

The NSW Department of Education’s COVID workforce plan was devised ahead of this year’s return to school to quickly mobilise current, former and future staff if and when absences occurred in schools due to teachers and staff testing positive to COVID-19. ... “While here at Inverell High School, I’ll be helping out with coding for the junior classes as computing is my background, and filling holes where there’s a need.”

<https://education.nsw.gov.au/news/latest-news/city-staff-head-north-to-keep-classrooms-running>

UNESCO releases report on the mapping of K-12 Artificial Intelligence curricula

UNESCO has released “K-12 AI Curricula: A mapping of government-endorsed AI curricula”, the first report on the global status of K-12 AI curricula.

<https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-releases-report-mapping-k-12-artificial-intelligence-curricula>

Introducing Our New Windows 11 Device Portfolio for Education

As we enter the third year of the pandemic, we continue to see many bright spots of innovation and perseverance in today’s education landscape.

<https://educationblog.microsoft.com/en-us/2022/01/introducing-our-new-windows-11-device-portfolio-for-education>

The Learning Passport provides learning continuity for millions of out-of-school children

While the world and educational systems throughout it continue to grapple with challenges stemming from the pandemic, students across the globe keep learning in their local languages with the help of the Learning Passport.

<https://educationblog.microsoft.com/en-us/2022/02/the-learning-passport-provides-learning-continuity-for-millions-of-out-of-school-children>

Microsoft Education Partners help students with pandemic learning disruption

Microsoft Teams’ assignments and Microsoft 365 integrations give our education partners the ability to enable rich end-to-end scenarios within core workflows—for both educators and students. It also makes it easier for instructors to give feedback on assignments. This not only saves teachers valuable time, it also gives them a range of powerful features to support the assessment of learning and engage students.

<https://educationblog.microsoft.com/en-us/2022/02/microsoft-education-partners-help-students-with-pandemic-learning-disruption>

Imagine Cup Junior 2022: A global challenge for students

Today marks the launch of registration and content availability for the third annual Imagine Cup Junior, an exciting opportunity for students to learn about technology and how it can be used to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges. Imagine Cup Junior helps students build skills in technology concepts that will help them in their future learning and in the workforce.

<https://educationblog.microsoft.com/en-us/2022/02/imagine-cup-junior-2022-a-global-challenge-for-students>

World Read Aloud Day: 4 tips to promote fluency, connection, and joy

On February 2, 2022, LitWorld and Microsoft invite you to come together for this year’s WRAD. Join us as we honor the joy and power of reading and sharing stories. From hosting intimate classroom gatherings and organizing community wide parades, to broadcasting radio programs across countries and trying a new technology to celebrate WRAD, everyone can participate.

<https://educationblog.microsoft.com/en-us/2022/01/world-read-aloud-day-4-tips-to-promote-fluency-connection-and-joy>

UNESCO and Stakeholders Celebrate Women & Girls in Science

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science was declared on 11th February 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly, aiming to achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls, and further achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

<https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-and-stakeholders-celebrate-women-girls-science>

$6.7 million investment extends women in STEM initiatives

February 11 marks International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In Australia, women make up only 28% of workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The Australian Government is committed to improving gender equity in STEM education and careers. We are investing more in effective programs that support this goal.

<https://www.industry.gov.au/news/67-million-investment-extends-women-in-stem-initiatives>

New funding to advance women in STEM

The Morrison Government is continuing to break down barriers to the advancement of women and girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with an additional $6.7 million in funding.

<https://www.minister.industry.gov.au/ministers/price/media-releases/new-funding-advance-women-stem>

Superstars of STEM funded for stratospheric success

The Australian Government has today announced a further $2 million investment to advance women in STEM through Science & Technology Australia’s game-changing Superstars of STEM program.

<https://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/superstars-of-stem-funded-for-stratospheric-success/>

School interventions to increase female representation in STEM

If you’re in a co-education school, look at student enrolments for STEM subjects and participation in STEM-related clubs and extracurricular activities – is there a gender imbalance? A new report shares global examples of effective interventions from primary and secondary education settings.

<https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/school-interventions-to-increase-female-representation-in-stem>

Women in science still jumping higher hurdles

The digital revolution has changed the game for women and girls in science, but despite strong progress, female students are still asking dispiriting questions

<https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/women-in-science-still-jumping-higher-hurdles/>

Women in STEM: The Australian icon who’s bridging the gap between science and commerce

A career in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is often considered the road less taken for women, and it’s not for lack of trying. Women in STEM face many barriers entering and staying in the field, and continue to be excluded from fully participating in the industry compared to men. Globally, only 30% of the world’s researchers are women, with less than one-third of female students choosing to study subjects like math and engineering in higher education.

<https://www.studyinternational.com/news/australian-women-in-stem/>

Offering online learning permanently – reflecting on the advantages

A majority of teachers have now had experience with online teaching thanks to the pandemic. But, what can we learn from schools who were teaching online long before COVID-19 restrictions? Jeremy Kwok and Su Temlett from Australian Christian College join Teacher to share the advantages.

<https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/offering-online-learning-permanently-reflecting-on-the-advantages>

The Research Files Episode 72: Online mentoring for disengaged students

Our guest on episode 72 of The Research Files is Professor Joseph Ciarrochi from Australian Catholic University’s Institute for Positive Psychology and Education. He’s the lead researcher for projectHOPE – a program that’s notched up success in re-engaging at-risk secondary students with their schooling.

<https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/the-research-files-episode-72-online-mentoring-for-disengaged-students>

2022 cybersecurity predictions and 3 ways educational institutions can protect digital identities

Remote and hybrid learning models, as well as digital operations, are now the new norm across all levels of the education system.

<https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/2022-cybersecurity-predictions-and-3-ways-educational-institutions-can-protect-digital-identities/279578>

Deadly Science Educator of the Year

Remote school teacher, Chris Errington, has recently been recognised as a 2021 DeadlyScience Educator of the Year, an accolade attributed by DeadlyScience, a not-for-profit organisation that supports remote schools across Australia.

<https://education.nt.gov.au/news/2022/deadly-science-educator-of-the-year>

The state of education during the COVID pandemic

<https://www.oecd.org/education/state-of-school-education-one-year-into-covid.htm>

VR Really Has a Kid Problem

The Virtual reality (VR) industry is growing at a fast pace. But as pointed out by the AR/VR developer Skarredghost, the industry has ‘a kid issue‘. And, for a number of reasons, “VR shouldn’t be used by children“.

<https://dataethics.eu/vr-really-has-a-kids-problem/>

Why a clear school vision empowers staff and students

Tes research reveals that many teachers do not feel their school has a vision for the future – but as these leaders and business experts explain, putting a vision into words can work wonders in more ways than one

<https://www.tes.com/magazine/leadership/staff-management/why-clear-school-vision-statement-teacher-wellbeing-empowers-staff-and-students>

Blended learning scenarios to mix distance and in-school lessons

A selection of blended learning scenarios using the Learning Designer tool, produced by participants of the online course Bridging Distance and In-School Learning – Blended Learning in Practice on Teacher Academy.

<https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/teacher_academy/teaching_materials/blended-learning-scenarios.htm>

School under (re)construction: a tutorial on learning environments

Traditional classrooms with their blackboard, the teacher standing in front of it and the desks laid out in rows date back to medieval monasteries. But as society grows ever more technology-rich and the focus shifts to key competences and student-centric pedagogy, so the learning space needs to catch up. In this tutorial, you will learn that greener is better, classrooms don’t always need walls, and more.

<https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/tutorials/school-under-reconstruction.htm>

As Demand Grows for COVID-19 Testing in Schools, So Must Our Attention to Student Privacy

The rampant omicron variant and the CDC’s new test-to-stay guidance has significantly increased the demand for COVID-19 testing as well as reporting this information to schools. The increase in testing may occur at a point in time (e.g., to return to school in-person after an extended break) or on an ongoing basis (e.g., as students have COVID exposures). While all schools have experience collecting health information related to COVID-19 (95% reported having a system in place for parents to report a child’s COVID diagnosis), the scale at which it is now being demanded is unprecedented. To keep students safe and schools open, it is important to scale testing efforts along with student privacy considerations.

<https://cdt.org/insights/as-demand-grows-for-covid-19-testing-in-schools-so-must-our-attention-to-student-privacy/>

Teach coding from a young age at school

CHILDREN are growing up surrounded by technology amidst IR4.0 (the Fourth Industrial Revolution), so computational thinking and coding should be considered essential abilities. As such, the Education Ministry should review if such critical skills and knowledge are being taught to primary school children.

<https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2022/02/15/teach-coding-from-a-young-age-at-school>

Des Moines high school students share coding projects with Principal engineers

Students in the Pi515 program learn technical skills like coding, but also practice life skills like resume writing and building confidence.

<https://www.weareiowa.com/video/tech/des-moines-high-school-students-share-coding-projects-with-principal-engineers/524-fd4f4d0a-89e2-4dce-b9a5-006ce4aa9a3a>

We need more girls and women in science. What are three ways in which we can support them?

Choosing one’s path in life should not be limited by prejudice or hindered by a less than supportive environment to thrive. Girls and boys should be supported to develop their talents to the fullest and without the constraints often imposed by gender stereotypes.

<https://blogs.worldbank.org/education/we-need-more-girls-and-women-science-what-are-three-ways-which-we-can-support-them>

The 7th International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly

The Assistant Director-General for UNESCO Natural Sciences, Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, will address the UN members states and other participants in the 7th International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly, taking place on 11 February 2022, in virtual format from UN Headquarters in New York.

<https://en.unesco.org/news/7th-international-day-women-and-girls-science-assembly>

UNESCO and Japan Sign a New Partnership Agreement for the Development of Teachers and Students’ Skills in STEAM and Coding

On 16 February 2022, the Government of Japan and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) signed an Arrangement Letter at the Representative Office of Japan to Palestine, based in Ramallah, the State of Palestine, to support a UNESCO-led project on “Improving Student Skills for Innovation and Sustainable Development through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) and Coding in Palestinian Schools”. The project is aligned with the priorities of the Government’s National Policy Agenda for the State of Palestine and the priorities of the Ministry of Education to provide quality education for all.

<https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-and-japan-sign-new-partnership-agreement-development-teachers-and-students-skills-steam>

STEM Hub launch across Ireland to inspire future STEM leaders

I’m delighted to share the launch of our most recent Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) campaign which aims to continue to build on our work aimed at increasing awareness and understanding in STEM. This journey has been constantly evolving with the development and activation of our previous Accenture STEM research and our Women On Walls campaign adding to the progress.

<https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stem-hub-launch-across-ireland-inspirefuture-leaders-paula-neary/>

EY aims to inspire 100,000 girls in 2022 to pursue a career in STEM with free mobile app

EY today announces that the EY STEM App will be rolled out to an additional seven countries, following a successful pilot in the US and India. The app aims to inspire girls 13-18 years of age pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers.

<https://www.ey.com/en_gl/news/2022/01/ey-aims-to-inspire-100000-girls-in-2022-to-pursue-a-career-in-stem-with-free-mobile-app>

New EY app encourages teenage girls to consider STEM career

Following successful pilots in India and the United States, professional services firm EY is set to release a new app in Australia designed to encourage interest among teenage girls in the world of STEM.

<https://www.consultancy.com.au/news/4768/new-ey-app-encourages-teenage-girls-to-consider-stem-career

Solving Aussie school and university cyber challenge

The pandemic has dramatically increased the Australian education sector’s reliance on online systems. Technologies such as cloud have created a new norm for day-to-day operations, and how students will continue to learn moving forward.

<https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/solving-aussie-school-and-university-cyber-challenge/279463>

The Australian school system has a serious design flaw. Can it change before it’s too late? [not technology]

When colleagues overseas ask what I think about Australia’s school system, I tell them that it does offer world-class education, but not for everyone

<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jan/31/the-australian-school-system-has-a-serious-design-flaw-can-it-change-before-its-too-late>

Time-poor teachers struggling to prepare effective lessons for students [not technology]

More than 90 per cent of teachers lack the time to properly prepare for their core teaching duties, a new report by the Grattan Institute has found.

<https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/federal/time-poor-teachers-struggling-to-prepare-effective-lessons-for-students-20220128-p59rxh.html>

Reform urgently needed to help teachers do their job [not technology]

If we want our children to succeed at school, we need to support our teachers to succeed in their jobs.

<https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/education/reform-urgently-needed-to-help-teachers-do-their-job-20220130-p59sb4.html>

Making time for great teaching: How better government policy can help

Teachers in Australian schools don’t get enough time to prepare well for class, and student performance is suffering as a result.

<https://grattan.edu.au/report/making-time-for-great-teaching-how-better-government-policy-can-help/>

Curtin and STEMSmart join forces for a digital future

Curtin University and STEM educator STEMSmart have joined forces in an innovative partnership to prepare primary and secondary students and those in under-served communities for a digital future.

<https://news.curtin.edu.au/media-releases/curtin-and-stemsmart-join-forces-for-a-digital-future/>

DLTV presents DigiCon 2022

DigiCon 2022's theme is: What's next? “Using digital pedagogies to ignite learning”

<https://dltv.vic.edu.au/event-4570441>     

What Could Web3 Mean for Education?

The first ghost that Ebenezer Scrooge meets in “A Christmas Carol” is the spirit of his business partner, Jacob Marley. When the specter appears, he has a chain “wound about him like a tail,” made out of “cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses wrought in steel.”

<https://www.edsurge.com/news/2022-01-24-what-could-web3-mean-for-education>

These 3 charts show the global growth in online learning

The number of students accessing its online courses now exceeds pre-pandemic levels, a leading global online learning platform reports.

<https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/01/online-learning-courses-reskill-skills-gap/>

Microsoft Education tools that supported learning in 2021

Perhaps unlike ever before, learning in 2021 occurred in a wide variety of classroom settings. But no matter where it took place—remotely, in person, or in hybrid environments—schools and educators showed great flexibility as they worked to meet students’ academic and social-emotional needs. As we reflect on and celebrate the year, we’re inspired by how classrooms evolved and how educators used our technology and resources to adapt and support student learning.

<https://www.bettshow.com/bett-articles/microsoft-education-tools-that-supported-learning-in-2021>

Use Of Technology To Improve The Education System

“Technology will not replace great teachers but technology in the hands of great teachers can be transformational”.

<https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/use-technology-improve-education-system-niti-tantra>

Knowledge about what? ‘The knowledge question’ in the Norwegian curriculum [not technology]

A fundamental question in education is, ‘What is most worth teaching and learning?’ A variation of this question can be directed from student to teacher: ‘Why should we learn this?’ Curriculum makers may find that answers to this query are self-evident, as they are often found in formal curriculum documents and guidelines. However, when looking at a new school reform in Norway, known as LK20, and how knowledge is framed, positioned and formulated in a concrete subject curriculum, it is not always easy to pin down or have a clear understanding of just what the students are expected to learn.

<https://www.bera.ac.uk/blog/knowledge-about-what-the-knowledge-question-in-the-norwegian-curriculum>

Responsible Technology Training Series for Education Practitioners

Practitioner training plays a vital role in ensuring that schools, local and state education agencies, and other education organizations use data and technology responsibly. CDT provides a suite of training modules that cover key principles of student privacy protection, cybersecurity, digital equity, and related issues.

<https://cdt.org/insights/responsible-technology-training-series-for-education-practitioners/>

The Evolution of Technology in K–12 Classrooms: 1659 to Today

In the 21st century, it can feel like advanced technology is changing the K–12 classroom in ways we’ve never seen before. But the truth is, technology and education have a long history of evolving together to dramatically change how students learn.

<https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/higher/article/2022/01/evolution-technology-k-12-classrooms-1659-today-perfcon>

Hash Code 2022 returns with a new look

Registration is officially open for Hash Code, Google’s team-based programming competition! On February 24, developers around the globe will team up to test their coding skills and have some fun. Whether you’re new to coding or a seasoned expert, there’s something for everyone. Here’s what you can expect from Hash Code 2022:

<https://blog.google/technology/developers/hash-code-2022-returns-new-look/>

Simple STEAM Activities to Do With Household Items

The STEAM education program (short for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) helps students develop new problem-solving skills. This program is often used as part of the school curriculum, but there are also ways you can teach the various aspects of STEAM at home using some common household items. Check out this guide offering some fun STEAM activities to do at home. You can use these activities as part of your home-schooling program or supplement whatever your child is already learning at school. From science and technology to math and engineering, it’s a great way to keep kids engaged and interested as they learn and develop new skills.

<https://porch.com/advice/simple-steam-activities>

Preparing teachers for a digital future

Brett Henebery sat down with Associate Professor Chie Adachi, Director, Digital Learning and course director of digital learning leadership at Deakin University, to discuss preparing graduate teachers for a digital future.

<https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/preparing-teachers-for-a-digital-future/279165>

Get the edge with online Greek language learning

As Greek Australians we find it tough to get our children to maintain their Greek language skills. It is equally difficult for us to preserve our own Greek.

<https://neoskosmos.com/en/sponsored/get-the-edge-with-online-greek-language-learning/>

CS in Schools: Developing a Sustainable Coding Programme in Australian Schools

Digital technology is compulsory in schools in most states at most year levels in Australia. However, a recent survey of over 400 Australian schools in 2019 found that 96% have had difficulty hiring qualified technology teachers and 39% of schools have reduced the amount of technology education they offer. We have observed that there is a shortage of teachers who feel qualified to teach coding.

<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340819766_CS_in_Schools_Developing_a_Sustainable_Coding_Programme_in_Australian_Schools>

Technology-enabled remote learning during Covid-19: perspectives of Australian teachers, students and parents

ABSTRACT: The majority of Australian students learned remotely in term two (April–June 2020), in response to state government directives to close schools during the ‘first wave’ of Covid-19. This created myriad challenges for students, teachers and parents. Accordingly, this study seeks to capture these multiple perspectives of the remote learning experience. Forty interviews were conducted at the end of term two, with students, teachers and parents. The findings represent an integrated framework for engagement in the context of remote education. Engaging students was a top priority for teachers – albeit students felt less engaged with teachers. Student–peer engagement varied considerably. Lack of social interaction was a challenge for many students. Parents remained pragmatic, but largely unengaged with teachers. For the most part, students found online learning to be less personalised. While the pandemic has expedited emergency technology adoption in schools, this is not equivalent to the purposeful integration of technology over time.

<https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Holly-Cooper-6/publication/348983410_Technology-enabled_remote_learning_during_COVID-19_perspectives_of_Australian_teachers_students_and_parents/links/602e9116299bf1cc26d637d8/Technology-enabled-remote-learning-during-COVID-19-perspectives-of-Australian-teachers-students-and-parents.pdf>

<https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1475939X.2020.1868562> [subscription]

COVID-19 experts and community leaders urge politicians to allow schools to open for face-to-face learning in open letter

Thirty-five of Australia's top academics, doctors and community leaders have written an open letter to Australian governments, urging them to allow schools to open for face-to-face learning on time.

<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-12/keep-schools-open-despite-omicron-covid-surge-experts-say/100751796>

A National Privacy and Security Initiative for Digital Products in K-12 Education

The Safer Technologies 4 Schools initiative is a standardised approach to evaluating digital products and services used by schools across Australia against a nationally consistent security and privacy control framework.

<https://st4s.edu.au/general-information/>

Strong new powers to tackle harmful illegal online content

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner will soon have strengthened powers to protect Australians from exposure to harmful illegal online content, including child sexual exploitation and terrorist material, no matter where in the world it is hosted under new regulatory guidance released today.

<https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/strong-new-powers-tackle-harmful-illegal-online-content>

New advisory council to give young Australians a voice in online safety

The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, welcomed the Government’s announcement today of the formation of an Online Safety Youth Advisory Council to inform policy and programs for keeping young Australians safe online.

<https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/new-advisory-council-give-young-australians-voice-online-safety>

For the sake of the ‘forgotten voices’ of the pandemic, reopen Australia’s schools

Thirty-five of Australia’s top academics, doctors and community leaders and have written an open letter to Australian governments, calling on them to reaffirm their commitment to open schools.

<https://www.smh.com.au/national/for-the-sake-of-the-forgotten-voices-of-the-pandemic-reopen-australia-s-schools-20220111-p59ng2.html>

Australia needs a national plan for children, schools and COVID-19

For two years, Australia’s children, young people and their families have tolerated school closures to protect the adult and elderly population from COVID-19. Now it’s time for the kids.

<https://www.smh.com.au/national/australia-needs-a-national-plan-for-children-schools-and-covid-19-20220110-p59n58.html>

NSW Mathematics Strategy progress report - December 2021

Online learning tools marketplace now live | Recommend the Everyday Maths Hub these holidays! | Join professional learning in 2022 to explore the big ideas and core concepts in mathematics | Will you be a Primary Mathematics Specialist Teacher in 2022? | How would you solve 25 x 8? | New numeracy course to commence in Term 1, 2022 | New release of English and mathematics K-2 syllabus resources

<https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/strategies-and-reports/nsw-mathematics-strategy/updates/nsw-mathematics-strategy-progress-report2>

Going Global NSW – India | NSW EdTech Dialogue

The NSW EdTech Dialogue Event is part of the NSW Going Global – India export program – connecting NSW EdTech companies to the Indian Education market.

<https://edugrowth.org.au/2021/12/17/going-global-nsw-india-nsw-edtech-dialogue/>

Trends Shaping Education in 2022

It’s hard to see trends in a crisis. And now layered crises–pandemic, climate, racial reckoning, economic inequity, geopolitical tension–is the new normal. We’re living through a jumble of unexpected events that thwart pattern recognition.

<https://www.gettingsmart.com/2022/01/11/trends-shaping-education-in-2022/>

6 Elements of Thriving Learners [not technology related]

One year ago from this publication, on January 6, 2021, people from around the world witnessed an American Insurrection. A confluence of factors led to this event, and it’s not the goal of this article to diagnose them. What is worthy of investigation is thinking about the role education can play to create conditions that counteract the forces that led to the Insurrection.

<https://www.gettingsmart.com/2022/01/06/6-elements-of-thriving-learners/>

The influence of remote learning on sleep patterns of teenagers

Abstract: A healthy sleep pattern is crucial to the overall health and wellbeing of teenagers, and poor sleep patterns can harm school performance. Due to stay-at-home orders mandated by the governor of Ohio in March 2020, students were converted to remote learning. The purpose of this study was to compare the sleep patterns of teenagers before the stay-at-home orders and during remote learning. Individual chronotypes impact peak productivity, and remote learning imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic provides a unique opportunity to study how teenagers may take advantage of their chronotype for optimal learning. Data was collected using an online survey distributed to teenagers in the Greater Cincinnati area.

<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/354934680_The_influence_of_remote_learning_on_sleep_patterns_of_teenagers>

Live Instruction Predicts Engagement in K–12 Remote Learning

Abstract: How does live instruction relate to student engagement in distance learning? Does the relationship differ across grade levels? This study addresses these questions by examining data from a random sample of families from a large urban school district in southern California. We find a strong correlation between live instruction and student engagement in online learning among elementary school students, with every additional hour of live instruction per week increasing the probability of reporting that students have completed all their schoolwork by 26%. The correlation is also significant though smaller in magnitude for middle and high school students.

<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/355899172_Live_Instruction_Predicts_Engagement_in_K-12_Remote_Learning>

Augmented reality, STEM and remote learning

Abstract: Augmented reality can enhance teaching more than a textbook. The advancing technology of AR allows for interactions between real objects and virtual objects to allow for better understanding of complex geometries. By using AR, students can experience and interact with the objects or procedures in detail, simply using a smartphone, tablet, or AR glasses. This makes AR highly effective when teaching geometric and spatial concepts, often found in science, technology, engineering, and math.

<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353351407_Augmented_reality_STEM_and_remote_learning>

From Face To Face To Remote Learning: A Retrospective Study

<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356433112_FROM_FACE_TO_FACE_TO_REMOTE_LEARNING_A_RETROSPECTIVE_STUDY>

Best Digital Education Tools For Teachers To Teach Online

With so much of our children’s education being placed online these days, finding the best digital education tools for teachers to teach online is critical in the success of each student. While there are tons of options out there in the form of apps, software, and programs, they are definitely not all created equally.

<https://taughtup.com/best-digital-education-tools-for-teachers-to-teach-online/>

Culture and community the focus for Indigenous STEM Award winners

Funded by the BHP Foundation and delivered by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, the Awards recognise the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, teachers and scientists to inspire more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) studies and careers.

<https://www.csiro.au/en/news/News-releases/2021/Culture-and-community-the-focus-for-Indigenous-STEM-Award-winners>

Barrie Cassidy's One Plus One: Rebecca West

Rebecca West was recently named one of the best teachers in the world. The Deputy Principal from Bonnyrigg Public School talks to Barrie Cassidy about the difficulties of online learning and teaching during COVID.

<https://iview.abc.net.au/video/NC2131H003S00>

Australia to establish youth advisory council for countering online child exploitation

Australia will create a new panel consisting of Australian youths and young adults that will provide consultation to industry and government about how to approach regulating online platforms.

<https://www.zdnet.com/article/australia-to-establish-youth-advisory-council-for-countering-online-child-exploitation/>

Australian EdTech Ecosystem Snapshot

Sector overview and statistics

<https://edugrowth.org.au/programs/ecosystem/edtech-snapshot/>

‘Kids need to find their passion’: Daniel Ricciardo joins drive to engage students

Daniel Ricciardo, among the world’s most popular racing drivers, is about to use his fame to help struggling students stay at school and seek success.

<https://www.watoday.com.au/education/kids-need-to-find-their-passion-daniel-ricciardo-joins-drive-to-engage-students-20211214-p59hl6.html>

Going Global NSW – India | NSW EdTech Dialogue

The NSW EdTech Dialogue Event is part of the NSW Going Global – India export program – connecting NSW EdTech companies to the Indian Education market.

<https://edugrowth.org.au/2021/12/17/going-global-nsw-india-nsw-edtech-dialogue/>

The G20 takes a closer look a blended learning and educational poverty

A new report by the Group of Twenty (G20) Education Working group highlights the challenges for countries in implementing blended learning and tackling educational poverty. UNESCO contributed expertise, data and analysis towards the research, which also calls for strengthened collaboration among the G20 governments.

<https://en.unesco.org/news/g20-takes-closer-look-blended-learning-and-educational-poverty>

The age of the educational technologist

I always enjoy reading Tony Bates' posts that always offer a balanced and informed view of current trends in education. This week's post is a review of educational technology trends of the past year, A Review of Online Learning in 2021, and has the sub-heading bad but still better. The lessons learned this year are the same as those learned in 2020 only more nuanced. There is the realisation that almost all courses are now blended in some way and this is changing how we design our courses as well as how we design our learning spaces, both on-site and online. There are plenty of new buzzwords in this field and there's a lot of learning by trial and error but we have come a long way since early 2020.

<https://acreelman.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-age-of-educational-technologist.html>

Revising ‘Teaching in a Digital Age’: the Impact of Covid-19

I am in the process of editing the third edition of Teaching in a Digital Age, my open, online textbook for instructors and teachers. I have four goals in mind for this edition:

<https://www.tonybates.ca/2021/12/16/revising-teaching-in-a-digital-age-the-impact-of-covid-19/>

Exclusive: Online learning rises by up to 92%

The online school Oak National Academy has seen a big increase in pupils using its online lessons this term - with numbers nearly doubling in one region - indicating the extent of Covid disruption in schools.

<https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/exclusive-online-learning-rises-92>

How to do online learning well? A California district has some answers.

On a morning this fall at Washington Elementary, a young boy, sitting at a table with five of his peers, held a tablet while he built a digital snowman — a cool proposition given the 85-degree heat just outside his air-conditioned classroom.

<https://hechingerreport.org/how-to-do-online-learning-well-a-california-district-has-some-answers/>

Digital Learning – A Look Into The Future

Improvement of digital learning by establishing and enhancing Information Management Systems (IMS) in education was one of the many activities within the Reimagining Education United Nations joint project, implemented by UNICEF, UNESCO, ILO and UNV in three administrative units in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Republika Srpska Entity, Una Sana Canton and West Herzegovina Canton). With the general objective of supporting the digitalization of educational processes through quality data management, the activity helps building a more resilient system able to quickly respond to emergencies, particularly when addressing the needs of the most vulnerable students. These systems aim towards a more efficient communication between all actors in education, including parents, guardians and caregivers, school administration and relevant education authorities.

<https://bosniaherzegovina.un.org/en/165282-digital-learning-look-future>

ICT Standards in BiH Education Systems Ensure Efficiency and Continuity of Learning for All Children Equally

Defining basic ICT standards in education is a prerequisite in education digitalization process, addressing the digital divide exposed by the COVID19 pandemic. In the context of COVID-19 pandemic induced school closures, digital distance education platforms have become essential for ensuring continuity of learning for all. Students and teachers in BiH have not stayed immune to challenges arising from the switch to online teaching modality, as they have been lacking adequate access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) devices and quality internet connections. These challenges prevented them to continue their learning trajectories and participate smoothly in distance and blended learning.

<https://bosniaherzegovina.un.org/en/165283-ict-standards-bih-education-systems-ensure-efficiency-and-continuity-learning-all-children>

Microsoft Education tools that supported learning in 2021

Perhaps unlike ever before, learning in 2021 occurred in a wide variety of classroom settings. But no matter where it took place—remotely, in person, or in hybrid environments—schools and educators showed great flexibility as they worked to meet students’ academic and social-emotional needs. As we reflect on and celebrate the year, we’re inspired by how classrooms evolved and how educators used our technology and resources to adapt and support student learning.

<https://educationblog.microsoft.com/en-us/2021/12/microsoft-education-tools-that-supported-learning-in-2021->

Introducing Microsoft Learn Educator Center

Over the past two years, we’ve all seen the education industry deliver hybrid, remote, and blended learning, heighten its focus on student-centric outcomes, and rely on educators to purposefully integrate technology in their teaching and learning practices. COVID-19 has created a greater demand for educators to prioritize their own training and skilling readiness to effectively use and apply technology in impactful ways that improve student learning and engagement.

<https://educationblog.microsoft.com/en-us/2021/12/introducing-microsoft-learn-educator-center>

Fun coding holiday activity for NZ children and teenssponsored

What do the following all have in common? Apps, games, email systems, banking systems, fire alarm systems, electric vacuum cleaners, car dashboards, coffee machines, washing machines and social media platforms.

<https://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/127275976/fun-coding-holiday-activity-for-nz-children-and-teens>

New ways to make the most of Hour of Code all year long

Throughout the week of December 6-12, classrooms around the world will celebrate Computer Science Education (CSEd) Week, and millions of students and educators will participate in Hour of Code. This fun, global movement was designed as part of a worldwide push to demystify, democratize, and spark interest in coding and computer science. Anyone can code, and with just one hour, students and teachers can discover that they are coders too.

<https://educationblog.microsoft.com/en-us/2021/12/new-ways-to-make-the-most-of-hour-of-code-all-year-long>

Meet the Amazing Cape-wearing Superhero Behind the Tech Girls Movement

The founder of Tech Girls Movement, Dr. Jenine Beekhuyzen, is the guiding force behind a tremendous effort that began in New Zealand in 2013 but has since gone global. She’s a STEMinist changing the world – one girl at a time. Her foundation supports the awareness of and sustained interest in STEM with the goal of imparting new skills and self-confidence in girls.

<https://gritdaily.com/like-a-boss-jenine-beekhuyzen/>

Helping schools stay safe with ST4S

We recently launched the Safer Technologies for Schools (ST4S) initiative. ST4S is a standardised approach to evaluating digital products and services used by schools across Australia against a nationally consistent framework developed in collaboration with all Australian state, territory, Catholic and independent school sectors.

<https://st4s.edu.au/>

Five tips from school leaders on learning through COVID

The Connection is a network of high-performing school leaders working in some of Australia’s most challenged communities. They’ve been reflecting on successful practices in their own schools since the start of the pandemic. Today’s article shares their top five recommendations for learning through COVID.

<https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/five-tips-from-school-leaders-on-learning-through-covid>

Sydney schools offer remote learning as fears grow over Omicron spread

Up to 150 schools across Sydney have provided students with the option to finish the year off at home as concerns grow over the spread of the Omicron variant.

<https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/school-life/sydney-schools-offer-remote-learning-as-fears-grow-over-omicron-spread/news-story/

TAFE NSW to pilot digital learning institute along Microsoft and local universities

TAFE NSW will partner with Microsoft, Macquarie University, and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) to pilot a new digital learning institute.

<https://www.zdnet.com/article/tafe-nsw-to-pilot-digital-learning-institute-along-microsoft-and-local-universities/>

Researchers to put successful schools under the microscope

A new research centre will study the state’s most effective schools to discover the secrets of their success

<https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/researchers-to-put-successful-schools-under-the-microscope-20211208-p59fxm.html>

UNESCO ICT in education prize: Call for nominations open to projects for inclusive crisis-resilient learning systems

The UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the use of ICT in education is now accepting candidatures. The theme of the 2021 edition is the use of technology to enable inclusive crisis-resilient learning systems.

<https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-ict-education-prize-call-nominations-open-projects-inclusive-crisis-resilient-learning>

Online Learning Can Be Engaging and Effective

Online learning, done right, can be a delight — and achieve learning objectives. It appears that teaching online by necessity rather than aspiration has led to a many online attempts at learning that have fallen short of the mark, leaving those who were forced into it unsatisfied with the outcome and sometimes outright hostile to the whole idea.

<https://hrheingold.medium.com/online-learning-can-be-engaging-and-effective-87200d37dc62>

Learning on the go with Classroom on Android

The past two years have seen a rapid rise in the use of educational tools by teachers and students everywhere – driven primarily by the need for distance learning. Now that educators and schools have experienced the benefits of these tools, their use continues to grow, even as many schools return to in-person and hybrid learning.

<https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/offline-nbu-updates/>

UNESCO and Kids Code Jeunesse join forces to promote data and algorithms literacy

UNESCO and Kids Code Jeunesse (KCJ) are proud to announce a new partnership to promote the Data and Algorithms Literacy programme, with the support of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. The two main goals of this partnership are the organization of an international challenge to get youth using AI and data to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the promotion of data and algorithm literacy through advocacy activities and provision of training resources, accessible through digital platforms

<https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-and-kids-code-jeunesse-join-forces-promote-data-and-algorithms-literacy>

Hour of Code 2021 is here: Celebrate #CSEverywhere!

We’ve been waiting all year: It’s Computer Science Education Week and Hour of Code 2021! This year’s theme is #CSEverywhere, so we encourage students and teachers to explore the relationship that computer science has with different subjects in school, different industries, and even different career paths!

<https://codeorg.medium.com/hour-of-code-2021-is-here-celebrate-cseverywhere-15e96ae0f238>

This Code Next student is paying it forward

As part of Google’s Code Next program, which brings computer science (CS) education to underrepresented communities in tech, student Gideon Buddenhagen took on a research project that would make a big impact. Through his research, he found that young students of color without financial resources don’t have the same access to technology, computer science education and mentors who look like them — opportunities that had a meaningful effect on Gideon’s own life. So for his final project with Code Next, Gideon is introducing technical education to middle school students and helping them see the many doors tech can open for them.

<https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/code-next-student-paying-it-forward/>

Teaching Methods: Delivering PE online

In this episode of Teaching Methods we’ll be looking at how PE teachers adapted to online learning during the pandemic. My guest is Dr Vaughan Cruickshank and we’ll be discussing in this ‘emergency mode’ of teaching and learning, did PE happen at all? If it did, it more Physical Activity than Physical Education? And what lessons can we learn from this experience for the future?

<https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/teaching-methods-delivering-pe-online>

Science teachers recognised with Prime Ministers’ Prize

A primary teacher from Queensland and a secondary teacher from Sydney were last night recognised for their contribution to STEM and agricultural science education by being named winners of the Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching. Here, we share details of the work they’re doing in their schools.

<https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/science-teachers-recognised-with-prime-ministers-prize>

‘It’s a fresh start’ – a return to classroom teaching and learning

The Student Wellbeing Hub team recently hosted a webinar to help educators support the transition back to in-person teaching and learning. Here are the key takeaways.

<https://www.esa.edu.au/resources/news-articles/article-detail/it-s-a-fresh-start-a-return-to-classroom-teaching-and-learning>

Families Digital Technologies: Explore, learn and be inspired

The following collection of activities have been designed for you to complete in your home or around your local community to assist in building your child’s knowledge of the Digital Technologies curriculum. These activities require minimal preparation from you and the knowledge required to enable you to complete the tasks with your children has been included.

<https://www.digitaltechnologieshub.edu.au/families/learning-at-home>

The Australian Education Awards: Recognising excellence in Australia's schools

On 3 December, hundreds of Australia’s education elite from across the country will converge virtually for the fourth annual Australian Education Awards.

<https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/the-australian-education-awards-recognising-excellence-in-australias-schools/279130>

Australia leads the world in helping kids stand up to online bullies

Australia’s world-first cyberbullying scheme is set to be significantly expanded to provide protection to children being bullied in online games and on private messaging platforms, according to new regulatory guidance released by the eSafety Commissioner.

<https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/newsroom/australia-leads-world-helping-kids-stand-online-bullies>

Australian young people learning to push back against online bullies

Australian children and young people are learning how to counter negative online experiences and are prepared to stand up to cyberbullies, early insights from research into young people’s online experiences by the eSafety Commissioner has shown.

<https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/newsroom/australian-young-people-learning-push-back-against-online-bullies>

Australian sporting organisations and eSafety to tackle online abuse

The eSafety Commissioner and Australia’s major sporting organisations have joined forces to address online abuse, including racism, sexism, and homophobia, targeted at athletes in a signed statement to manage the risk of online abuse in sport.

<https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/newsroom/australian-sporting-organisations-and-esafety-tackle-online-abuse>

Penrith home to Generation STEM

Penrith City Council and CSIRO are launching Generation STEM, an exciting new initiative aiming to attract, support, retain and train NSW students in STEM at school, into further education and into employment.

<https://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/news/904-penrith-home-to-generation-stem>

Eliza selected for rare STEM learning opportunity

Year 10 Narrabri High School student, Eliza Dampney, has been picked for a unique learning experience in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) sector.

<https://narrabricourier.com.au/2021/11/10/eliza-selected-for-rare-stem-learning-opportunity/>

Disinformation and youth: how can we increase media literacy among young people?

A study conducted by researchers at Stanford shows that young people have difficulty judging the credibility of online information. As children of the internet and major media consumers, young people primarily get information and communicate online and through social media . Still, the speed with which they receive and come into contact with information does not give them the hindsight to judge its reliability. With the proliferation of fake news, schools have long-run educational programmes to teach children media literacy to decipher the content received.

<http://www.eun.org/news/detail?articleId=7365325>

Opening a global conversation about the gender digital divide

The COVID-19 pandemic showed how critical digital technologies are in today’s world — they kept businesses, education, government services, healthcare, and economies running despite the health crisis and global economic downturn.

<https://blogs.worldbank.org/digital-development/opening-global-conversation-about-gender-digital-divide>

Examination of Classroom Teacher’s Experiences Regarding Mathematics Courses Taught through Distance Education throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic Period

Abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate the experiences of teachers regarding online primary school mathematics courses throughout the pandemic period. In this respect, the teachers were examined about the efficiency of distance education during the course sessions, the activities that involve the student, its positive and negative aspects, the utilized materials, portals, websites, the situation of students embodying the concepts, the extent to which they maintained the assessment, the difficulties they encountered within the process, as well as their suggestions. In the study, it was seen that teachers had both positive and negative views on distance education. The participant teachers in the study utilized different portals and websites throughout the distance education process. The majority of those teachers had the opinion that the methods used in mathematics courses through distance education assisted students in learning the concrete concepts. In the study, suggestions were made to enhance the efficiency of the mathematics courses along with distance education.

<https://www.asianinstituteofresearch.org/EQRarchives/Examination-of-Classroom-Teacher’s-Experiences-Regarding-Mathematics-Courses-Taught-through-Distance-Education-throughout-the-COVID-19-Pandemic-Period->

How Schools Surveil Your Kids

A startup named GoGuardian is changing the way teachers monitor their students online.

<https://slate.com/podcasts/what-next-tbd/2021/11/goguardian-and-school-surveillance-software-on-what-next-tbd>

School connectivity equips learners for education, work, and life

New research by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and ITU identifies sustainable funding models that could cover the bulk of investments to connect every school worldwide.

<https://www.itu.int/en/myitu/News/2021/11/01/09/53/School-connectivity-Giga-BCG-report>

The Digital Learning Ecosystem: What’s Missing?

While it may be challenging to determine the downstream effects of COVID-19 on technology, one clear result is that institutions have accelerated efforts to marshal existing technologies to support teaching and learning. This includes maximizing the interoperability of these solutions and ensuring that any new technologies deployed will improve agility to respond to new initiatives, like increased hybrid learning.

<https://encoura.org/the-digital-learning-ecosystem-whats-missing/>

The latest Surface is a $250 laptop that takes a swing at cheap Chromebooks

Microsoft's next Surface device is the company's latest and most direct attempt to compete with Chromebooks in schools. The $250 Surface Laptop SE is a low-end, 11.6-inch laptop made for basic browsing, document editing, and remote learning. The Surface Laptop SE runs Windows 11 SE, a cloud-focused version of the operating system that preserves the basic look and feel of Windows 11 but allows school IT admins to control which apps are installed and keeps most files and user settings in the cloud rather than on-device.

<https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/11/the-latest-surface-is-a-250-laptop-that-takes-a-swing-at-cheap-chromebooks/>

How Schools Surveil Your Kids

A startup named GoGuardian is changing the way teachers monitor their students online.

<https://slate.com/podcasts/what-next-tbd/2021/11/goguardian-and-school-surveillance-software-on-what-next-tbd>

School connectivity equips learners for education, work, and life

New research by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and ITU identifies sustainable funding models that could cover the bulk of investments to connect every school worldwide.

<https://www.itu.int/en/myitu/News/2021/11/01/09/53/School-connectivity-Giga-BCG-report> 

The Digital Learning Ecosystem: What’s Missing?

While it may be challenging to determine the downstream effects of COVID-19 on technology, one clear result is that institutions have accelerated efforts to marshal existing technologies to support teaching and learning. This includes maximizing the interoperability of these solutions and ensuring that any new technologies deployed will improve agility to respond to new initiatives, like increased hybrid learning.

<https://encoura.org/the-digital-learning-ecosystem-whats-missing/>

The latest Surface is a $250 laptop that takes a swing at cheap Chromebooks

Microsoft's next Surface device is the company's latest and most direct attempt to compete with Chromebooks in schools. The $250 Surface Laptop SE is a low-end, 11.6-inch laptop made for basic browsing, document editing, and remote learning. The Surface Laptop SE runs Windows 11 SE, a cloud-focused version of the operating system that preserves the basic look and feel of Windows 11 but allows school IT admins to control which apps are installed and keeps most files and user settings in the cloud rather than on-device.

<https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/11/the-latest-surface-is-a-250-laptop-that-takes-a-swing-at-cheap-chromebooks/>

Igniting a spark for Computer Science Education Week

I feel extremely lucky. My job at Google is to find and support the next generation of Black, Latino and Indigenous leaders with a passion for computer science (CS). As a Black woman, this role has a deep meaning for me. In fact, it’s the job I’ve always dreamed of — one that bridges my passion for computer science and equity. And, I get to work with people who look like me.

<https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/code-with-google/igniting-spark-computer-science-education-week/>