Year 4 reading outcomes steady despite Covid disruptions – major study

Australian year 4 students' literacy levels have remained steady during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an international study.

<https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/year-4-reading-outcomes-steady-despite-covid-disruptions--major-study/282482>

‘Not good for Australia’: Education costs rise faster than most household bills

... Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia chief executive Christopher Duncan said education price rises were driven by increases in teacher pay and the cost of running small classes. He said steep additions in compliance and technology costs, plus investments in student wellbeing and disability support were other contributors. 

<https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/not-good-for-australia-education-costs-escalate-faster-than-most-other-household-bills-20230502-p5d4xy.html>

Girls in Tech fostering the next generation of women in STEM

Hundreds of high school students learned about the vital ideas and perspectives women bring to STEM fields at an annual event presented by CommBank and Telstra.

<https://www.commbank.com.au/articles/newsroom/2023/05/girls-in-tech-stem-career.html>

From seed to screen: Indigenous garden goes digital

Students engage in virtual tours and learn about plants, recipes, and STEM education in a captivating Indigenous garden.

<https://www.csiro.au/en/news/All/Articles/2023/May/Indigenous-garden>

PBL in STEM – enhancing learning and teaching

In the second of 3 articles about research into Problem Based Learning in schools, teachers involved in the project discuss how it has enabled them to reconsider their classroom practice and the conditions necessary for meaningful STEM learning.

<https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/pbl-in-stem-enhancing-learning-and-teaching>

Review seeks to increase diversity in the nation's STEM studies and jobs

An independent review has been established to find ways to increase diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, careers and industries.

<https://www.sbs.com.au/language/punjabi/en/podcast-episode/diversity-in-stem-review-sharing-experiences-to-encourage-the-participation-of-diverse-people-in-stem/tht9bxyfx>

Grok Academy on how schools can embrace AI and new technology

The advancement of technology such as AI and ChatGPT is a hot topic in the education sector, with much debate about the potential value or threat posed by these tools.

<https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/how-schools-can-embrace-ai-and-new-technology/>

New report explores Australia’s ed-tech landscape in 2023

Half of Australia’s secondary schools are now dual learning, using a mix of both print and digital learning resources in their classrooms, a new report shows. And the digital creep in Australia’s schools only looks set to grow, with nearly 40% looking to accelerate their technology strategy and become highly tech enabled in the short to medium term.

<https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/new-report-explores-australias-edtech-landscape-in-2023/282491>

Bees and their importance to cropping and the environment is the focus of a new online education hub

Classrooms across Australia could be abuzz with bee knowledge, thanks to a new online education hub dedicated to help children understand the vital role bees and other insects play in the environment and food production.

<https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/vic-statewide-mornings/bee-school-teacher/102356918>

Welcome, to Outback Musical

Every two years, outback kids across an area twice the size of Victoria come together to perform a most unlikely musical. Whether they’re bull riders, dancers or lawn bowlers, they’re all discovering themselves in isolation.

<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-13/kids-rehearse-for-a-year-online-to-perform-outback-musical/102120636>

eSafety Commissioner creates special resources for children 5-8 years to be safe online

The eSafety Commissioner has created a package of resources for educators, parents and carers to help children develop their online safety skills in the early to middle primary school years (typically aged between five and eight years).

<https://thesector.com.au/2023/05/16/esafety-commissioner-creates-special-resources-for-children-5-8-years-to-be-safe-online/>

New eSafety tools prepare primary aged children for life online

The eSafety Commissioner has created a package of resources for educators, parents and carers to help children develop their online safety skills in the early to middle primary school years.

<https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/esafety-tools-prepare-primary-aged-children-for-life-online/>

New tools to help prepare 5-8s for life online

The eSafety Commissioner has created a package of resources for educators, parents and carers to help children develop their online safety skills in the early to middle primary school years.

<https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/new-tools-to-help-prepare-5-8s-for-life-online>

Let's Talk Teaching Podcast

Join Dr Rebecca Cooper, former teacher turned education academic, as she invites teachers and Monash University Alumni with different educational backgrounds, experiences and learnings to share their insights on a number of topics that teachers in Australian classrooms are facing today.

<https://www.monash.edu/education/teachspace/articles/lets-talk-teaching-podcast>

Hundreds of students return to remote learning and masks amid COVID outbreaks

Almost a dozen public schools have returned to remote learning this week amid COVID-19 outbreaks that have also prompted one Sydney campus to reinstate a temporary mask mandate.

<https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/hundreds-of-students-return-to-remote-learning-and-masks-amid-covid-outbreaks-20230518-p5d9fs.html>

Low-orbit satellites boost internet for remote school kids

Unreliable internet is a struggle for school kids in remote areas. The Territory government is hoping new funding for low-orbit satellites will help.

<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-16/satellites-boost-internet-for-remote-school-kids/102350288>

Robots, a barbershop and bagpipes: a Sydney school reinvents its tough past and what it means to love learning

The principal at Granville Boys high school is sick of talking about its one-time reputation for being a difficult, violent school. Noel Dixon, who has been principal at the western Sydney school for just over four years, instead wants to talk about the success of their robotics team, their barbershop program or their bagpipe band.

<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/14/robots-a-barbershop-and-bagpipes-a-sydney-school-reinvents-its-tough-past-and-what-it-means-to-love-learning>

Upgrading for security at Newington College

Education has changed significantly in the last handful of years. The disruptions that forced students into remote learning catalysed most schools to perform a digital transformation. Today, these changes persist, particularly in hybrid classes that function largely online. Schools are seeing expanded use of education applications, with new ways of organising and distributing information, and various channels and methods for communicating with students and guardians alike.

<https://edublog.microsoft.com/en-au/2023/05/upgrading-for-security-at-newington-college/>