Pacific Neighbours
Pacific Neighbours: Understanding the Pacific islands has been produced to help students develop their
knowledge and understanding of the Pacific region, its history and geography, its political and social
development, and its people and their cultures. They will examine a range of issues that impact on the region,
consider Australia’s place and role in the Pacific and explore opportunities to take action. Obtain further details about the resource
Professional development activities
Queensland – Thursday 4 March 2010 :: Download a booking form
Professional Standards for Teaching School Geography
The GTAV is one of four sponsors of the 'Standards for Teaching School Geography' project. The draft of these standards is now complete and teachers are invited to complete a survey to provide feedback to the project team.
Plan your own enterprise 2009
Congratulations to the winners of the 2009 competition.
Division One Australasian Winner
(Individual Student Entries):
Name: Darren Wee
School: Wesley College, Western Australasia
Business Plan: Runaway Tracking
Division Two Australasian Winner
(Individual student for students aged up to 16 years as at 1 January 2009):
Name: Darren Wee
School: Wesley College, Western Australasia
Business Plan: Runaway Tracking
Division Three Australasian Winner
Group entries (maximum of six students):
Names: Denika Barnes and Amy Thomson
School: Ballarat Grammar School, Victoria
Business Plan: ‘Simply Cupcakes’
Get your students thinking - BEYOND BELIEFS!
ACSA is running free professional development workshops with funding from the Myer Foundation. While the subject matter is about Muslim issues it would be particularly suitable for teachers of SOSE, English, Media, Psychology, Philosophy, Civics and Citizenship and Values Education.
ADELAIDE: Monday 19 October, Adelaide Convention Centre
MELBOURNE: Thursday 22 October, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
PERTH: Thursday 29 October, Hyatt Regency Perth
SYDNEY: Monday 2 November, Hilton Sydney
BRISBANE: Thursday 5 November, Stamford Plaza
Further details here.
Indigenous Statistics for Schools
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has developed a new, free online resource to provide teachers and students with access to data on Indigenous Australia. Indigenous Statistics for Schools (ISS) provides easy to use data for students and teachers on topics such as Indigenous population, education, health, housing, work and more. Links to the original on-line data sources are also provided for those who want more information.
The ISS web pages also cover general issues such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identification (including the history of the Census questions on ethnicity), how Indigenous statistics are collected and the importance of accurate Indigenous statistics. The resource offers easy to find data for classroom use, particularly for assignments. Students can use it as a 'jumping off' point to more detailed information found in ABS publications. The resource also aim to improve students ability to appropriately and rigorously examine numerical data
This free educational resource will be available from the education pages of the ABS website <www.abs.gov.au/students> and <www.abs.gov.au/teacher> from 9 July 2009.
For further information please contact Education Services on Free call 1800 623 273 or email.
Concern over 'league tables'
Peak professional associations have expressed concern over the possible introduction of a 'league table' system for Australian schools. They have written to The Hon. Julia Gillard MP, Minister for Education requesting her to take legislative action prohibiting the creation and publication of league tables flowing from the collection of student and school performance data.
The letter seeks assurances that the misuse of this data will not occur and stating that the damage to curriculum provision, students and entire school communities resulting from league tables is well-documented in international research.
Read the profeesional association's letter to the Minister for Education.
CPA Australia Plan Your Own Enterprise Association competition
Secondary school students can gain an in-depth appreciation of the business world and its operations through the CPA Australia 'Plan your own enterprise' (PYOE) competition. The competition requires students to submit a business plan of up to 3000 words with their creative idea for a small business.
Further information
- download the PYOE 2009 brochure (PDF - 951 KB)
- download the PYOE helpful hints brochure (PDF - 121 KB)
- download the 2008 national winning business plan (PDF - 1000 KB)
Further details are available here. Results of the 2008 competition here.
Energy Safety Week
Energy Safety Week runs from 3-7 August 2009 and helps students in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland to understand energy and be safe and smart when using gas and electricity in the kitchen. Last year more than 100,000 primary and pre-primary students got involved through their schools. Involvement begins with a free toolkit which teachers can order from the Origin webpage. The toolkit hands on, has strong links to the curriculum, and comes with additional support materials. More information on Energy Safety Week is available at http://www.originenergy.com.au/esw.
National curriculum initiatives
History
Details of the national history curriculum being developed by the National Curriculum Board are available here.
Geography
Details of the 'Towards a national geography curriculum for Australia' project being undertaken by AGTA, the RGSQ and IAG are available here.
Writing for Rights: Unit Writing Competition in Indigenous Rights
Who can enter this competition?
Any student from any Australian tertiary institution who is currently enrolled in an accredited teacher education program, regardless of your teaching methods and year level in your program.
When do you need to submit your unit of work?
Closing date: 20 November 2009 is the final day to submit entries.
>> Download further details (49 KB PDF)
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AFSSSE Australia-China projectBeijing 2008 Olympic Games |
An exciting set of resources has been produced by AFSSSE to support teaching about the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Four units for environment education, history and culture, economics and business, and geography are available now. With the Olympic Games to be held in China in 2008, these resources can be used to build a better understanding of China and promote mutual understanding between Australia and China. The resource includes inquiry-based activities and resources enabling students in the middle years of schooling (Years 7-10) to develop a positive image of China and explore Australia’s relations with China.
Download all four units here. (1.18 MB Acrobat file) or download individual units from the links below.
- Economics/Business unit (63 KB Acrobat file)
- Environment unit (352 KB Acrobat file)
- Geography unit (705 KB Acrobat file)
- Historical and cultural unit (328 KB Acrobat file)
Australian Geography Teachers’ Association biennial national conference
A highly successful conference was held at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland from 29 September to 2 October 2008.
Keynote and workshop presentations are available here.
Geography – It's essential
A clear and user-friendly guide produced by the Geography Teachers' Association of Victoria setting out the place of Geography in the curiculum. The booklet aims to
* increase awareness and understanding of the characteristics and value of Geography
* support both primary and secondary educators in clarifying the essential components of teaching
Geography
* draw together all the current resources that have been written about Geography methodology and
skill development, providing links to these.
The full document is available here. Links within the document are hyperlinked to supporting documents.
Geography's place in the curriculum
- A Study into the Teaching of Geography in Years 3-10: Maps state and territory syllabus and curriculum documents and draws on interviews with representatives from key organisations. Further details here. A copy of the report can be obtained here.
- Supporting Geography in Our Schools: Media Release from The Hon Julia Gillard MP on 7 April, 2008. Further details here.
- Gillard puts geography on the map: News article published in the Age newspaper on 8 April 2008. Further details here.
Teaching for uncertain futures
Teaching Australia has released a scenario book Teaching for Uncertain Futures, about possible futures for teaching in Australia through to the year 2030. Teaching for Uncertain Futures is the work of teachers and principals from around Australia who were involved in a national scenario building project, the Open Book Scenarios, supported by Teaching Australia in partnership with the Neville Freeman Agency. The central question of the project was “What will the Australian teaching profession have to do to be successful in 2030?”
Read Teaching Australia's press release or request a copy of Teaching for Uncertain Futures from Teaching Australia, email info@teachingaustralia.edu.au.
Let’s plan a business
Let’s Plan a Business can be used to assist your students enter the CPA Australia/ Business Educators Australia Plan Your Own Enterprise Competition. Download an order form.
Do you want to promote business education?
BEAQ has designed a series of full colour brochures which are suitable for use at subject and career selection and parent‑teacher evenings. Download an order form here.
Civics and citizenship education:
state of the nation
Read about developments in the implementation and assessment of the achievement of the National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-first Century relating to civics and citizenship education. National and state/territory developments, the key features of civics and citizenship education, and the results of a national program to assess the achievement of these goals are discussed. Read the article …
Understanding Money
Where does financial literacy fit into education and training? The Financial Literacy Foundation has been established by the Australian Government to give all Australians the opportunity to better manage their money. A section of the Understanding Money website provides support and advice to teachers, trainers and human resource professionals who deliver financial literacy programs. It also provides advice for developers of financial literacy educational materials.
(Financial Literacy logo Copyright waiver)
Help Geography students make their subject choice
A useful document for students about to make subject choices for the following year.
Download a copy of this updated document here. (676 KB Adobe Acrobat file)
Free Financial Literacy resource
Why Risk It? is a financial literacy teaching resource designed to assist students in years 9 and 10 gain a practical understanding of insurance.
Developed by Business Educators Australia and the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF), with the support of the insurance industry, Why Risk It? is part of the Financial Literacy Foundation’s national strategy to assist all Australians to increase their financial knowledge, make informed financial decisions and better manage their money.
Why Risk It? includes print materials and a DVD for the classroom.
Download an order form, complete it and fax to the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) on (03) 9613 7299.
Educating for a Sustainable Future
A National Environmental Education Statement for Australian Schools
Educating for a Sustainable Future - A National Environmental Education Statement for Australian Schools provides a nationally agreed description of the nature and purpose of environmental education for sustainability through all years of schooling, including a vision and a framework for its implementation. It is intended for teachers, schools and their communities, education systems and developers of curriculum materials. It is also intended as a companion to existing State and Territory polices and programmes and does not replace them. Download the statement as a PDF document here.