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/>