Business Educators Australasia Inc. (BEA)

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News

BEA national conference 2010

The BEA national conference will be held Thursday 15 July – Saturday 17 July 2010 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Registrations for the 2010 BEA Conference have opened and delegates can register here.

We have a great line up of tours and sessions from Thursday 15th until Saturday 17th July, with the conference dinner now on the Friday night (16th) at Brisbane’s Southbank.

For further information please contact Kerri Schilling at the conference office on (07) 3358 5880. Conference updates will be posted on the BEAQ website.

Plan your own enterprise 2010 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 details here or download the 2010 PYOE competition brochure

BOQ ESSI Money Challenge

If your students love playing ESSI Money, why not Challenge them to play for a chance to win $4000 for your school! Students can play the BOQ ESSI Money Challenge for their chance to win a $1000 cash deposit into a BOQ Web Savings Account, PLUS a bonus $4000 cash deposit into a BOQ Everyday Business Account for their school! Teachers must complete an online register form in order for students to be eligible to enter.

For registration and competition details go to www.essimoneychallenge.com.au. All students that complete the BOQ ESSI Money Challenge will receive a certificate of participation, and will be able to check their scores against students from across the country on the BOQ ESSI Money Challenge News and Updates page.

Registrations close 5.00pm Friday 27 August 2010.

Asia Literacy Ambassadors – Partnering Businesses & Schools project

The project is establishing and supporting partnerships between businesses and schools to stimulate and increase student and school community demand for Asia literacy.

Skilled professionals from the business sector (Ambassadors) are being matched to secondary schools across Australia. By sharing their own story, Ambassadors are assisting school communities to better understand the diverse career and life opportunities available to employees who are knowledgeable about Asia, who speak an Asian language and have the skills and dispositions needed to effectively engage with the people and cultures of Asia, off-shore and domestically.

Ambassadors and their partner schools have the flexibility to establish a partnership that best suits the specific interests, expertise and availability of the Ambassador and the needs of the school community. Partnerships take many forms – for example, student visits to the Ambassador's workplace, presentations to student groups, dialogue with leadership teams, career practitioners, teachers and school councils, or mentoring students involved in career planning and decision-making.

Partnering Ambassadors and schools are required to participate in at least three face-to-face interactions over a six-to eight month period. Further details here.

Visa launches interactive football game to help students gain money management skills

Visa has teamed up with the educational community to launch Financial Football, a fast-paced interactive game that engages students while teaching them money management skills. The FIFA World CupTM-themed game encourages players to compete by answering financial questions to pass the ball and score goals. Financial Football is free to play and available in five different languages (English, Bahasa Indonesia, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese and Korean). To play the game or find out more about the rules, visit www.visa-asia.com/financialfootball.

>> Read press release

BEA professional development grants

Business Educators Australasia (BEA), in conjunction with affiliate organisations, is offering an opportunity for teachers who have been teaching for less than five years to attend the BEA Conference in Brisbane, Queensland on 15 to 17 July 2010. BEA will be making two grants available to teachers from Australia and New Zealand. The grant will cover airfare and registration fees for the conference.

Who is eligible?

Any teacher who has been teaching for five years or less in the Business Education/Economics area and who is a member of a BEA affiliate.

How can I apply and what will you receive?

>> Details here

National Curriculum

BEA has met with ACARA to discuss the development of the Business and Economic Learning Areas in the National Curriculum. We have been advised that we will be included in phase 3 in the development process and expect to gain additional details about what this will actually entail late this year or early next year.

For information on timelines for phase two and three learning areas and other relevant information visit the ACARA website. BEA will add additional details to their website as more information is known.

Ethics and Sustainability in Business — 18-23 July 2010

The Australian Chapter of SIEC-ISBE is pleased to announce the 2010 Annual Conference which will take place in Australia, from Sunday the 18 July to Friday the 23 July 2010. The location will be the twin cities of Albury and Wodonga, utilising the four tertiary institutions - TAFE NSW Riverina Institute, Wodonga TAFE, Charles Sturt University and La Trobe University. Registration will take place on Sunday 18 July at TAFE NSW Riverina Institute, Albury Campus followed by a cocktail party. Further details from the conference website or download a brochere here.

CPA Australia Plan Your Own Enterprise Association competition

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’

Financial Education: Coinland

Coinland is a virtual world where children can learn about the benefits of earning, saving and investing money by undertaking a series of tasks, designed to help them develop strong financial literacy skills.

Players create an avatar which represents them as they explore and interact in Coinland. The aim is for each player to earn and save coins. They earn coins by completing tasks or 'jobs'. Each job earns them one coin. They can then choose to save their coins by depositing them in the bank, or spend their coins on games and rewards. Players can make friends by adding other players to their buddy list.

Coinland is designed for young children and in particular those aged 5 - 10 years.

Children are able to send pre-defined messages to other players within Coinland but cannot create their own. Children are unable to share any personal details within the Coinland environment.

Coinland is completely free to join, explore and play.

As well as being a fun and safe place for kids to play, Coinland has been designed to teach children the benefits of saving money and to equip them with financial literacy skills that they can use as they get older. Coinland is part of the Commonwealth Bank’s determination to bring financial literacy to one millions kids by 2015.

>> Read more at: https://coinland.com.au/

DollarsandSense

Visit www.dollarsandsense.com.au all year round to find objective and unbiased financial management information for students on a range of topics including jobs, tax, saving and budgeting, as well as a number of interactive tools which can be used in the classroom.

National Financial Literacy Curriculum Resource

Download this free resource to help teach financial literacy in the classroom. The 12 modules have been mapped to the Year 7 to 10 curriculum in each state and are supported with handouts and worksheets, as well as general notes for teachers. Available online at www.commbank.com.au/foundation

Beijing 2008 Olympic Games resources

An exciting new 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.

The project was funded by the Australia-China Council and is available for download here.

Understanding Money

Finacial literacy 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)

Mission

Business Educators Australasia (BEA) is the peak organisation for 12 subject associations that support the teaching of business education. BEA, in conjunction with its affiliated associations, aims to promote and extend business education

Recently BEA has played a significant role in developing the Australian Studies of Society and Environment curriculum statement and profile.

Objectives

To maintain effective communication with and between BEA affiliates, executive, the education sector and other appropriate bodies.
To ensure that BEA and business education are represented and promoted at appropriate forums.
To support BEA affiliates to profile business education in their State.
To identify and respond to policy as it impacts on business education.
To provide opportunities for educators and students to participate in national business education-related activities.

Personnel

President
Mr Garry Taylor
Sebastopol College

Vice Presidents
Mr Doug Cave
Brisbane School of Distance Education
Email: info@qeta.com.au

Ms Bronwyn Hession
Senior Education Officer-Office of the Director
Catholic Schools Office
Diocese of Broken Bay
PO Box 967
Pennant Hills NSW 1715
E-mail:bronwyn.hession@CSO.BrokenBay.Catholic.EDU.AU

Executive Officer & AFSSSE Representative
Ms Christine Reid
BEA
PO Box 361
Abbotsford VIC 3067
Tel: 03 9419 9622
Mobile: 0419199622
Fax: 03 9419 1205
E-mail: christine.reid@vcta.asn.au

Treasurer
Ms Jules Aldous
VCTA
PO Box 361
ABBOTSFORD 3067
Tel: 03 9419 9622
Fax: 03 9419 1205
E-mail:

Secretary
Dr Alan Roberts
Faculty of Education
Queensland University of Technology
Victoria Park Road
KELVIN QLD 4059
E-mail: ag.roberts@qut.edu.au

Resources

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 Project

This spiral bound book contains almost 200 photocopy masters of comprehensive content and student activities. The revised edition includes a CD-ROM with network licence.
Authors Jules Aldous and Alison Schlueter.
Produced by Victoria Law Foundation
Price: $69.95
Telephone orders: 03 9602 2877

Teachers, Students and the Law (National Edition)
A quick Reference Guide for Teachers

Drew Hopkins

The outstanding success of the first edition for Victorian Teachers has lead to this National edition, relevant to all Australian teachers.

This revised and updated edition will guide primary and secondary school teachers through the many complex legal issues that arise in the school environment. Covering eighteen common legal issues for schools, from bullying, excursions and discipline to assault, family law and copyright, Teachers, Students and the Law provides concise, plain language information in an easy-to-use format. This book answers many common questions about legal issues which concern teachers, and provides practical advice and checklists at the end of each section to help teachers plan actions to comply with the law. The Directory section lists further references and some helpful organisations. An indispensable pocket-sized resource for all teachers.

ISBN 1 876045 17 5 Paperback 72 pages $6.50 (20% discount for orders of 3 or more)
ORDER ONLINE www.victorialaw.org.au
TEL ORDER 03 9602 2877

Enterprise Education resource materials

The Careers Education Association of Victoria (CEAV) have prepared a resource which is a compilation of programs and materials in Enterprise Education in the Victorian Secondary Education Sector. The cost of the resource is $6.00 plus postage and handling. If you would like to obtain a copy, contact the CEAV on (03) 9349 1900.