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/>