Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

The 'Education Revolution' redact

By Mike Williss - posted Friday, 27 November 2009


The Rudd and Gillard education revolution is taking place by stages.

The first stage is about to take shape: the publication on the ACARA MySchool website of what Gillard claims will be “rich data” on each school in Australia. It will be the realisation of what she calls, borrowing from New York’s Joel Klein, the “transparency agenda”.

Controversially, that data will include the NAPLAN tests, diagnostic snapshots taken once every two years between Grades 3 and 9 of a very narrow, but certainly fundamental, area of learning.

Advertisement

That such data was not designed to communicate information about what schools actually achieve across the spectrum of academic and personal growth, or that it its publication as school league tables will shame and embarrass both public and private schools that serve particular communities, seems not to worry Julia Gillard.

“I’m unapologetic about that,” she told one reporter.

Nor is she worried that her sources of overseas inspiration seem not to stand up to scrutiny.

Conservative educator Professor Brian Caldwell, who hardly sees eye to eye with the Australian Education Union on most issues, has described (PDF 1.32KB) the New York City grades assigned to individual schools - one of the main “reforms” of schools chancellor Joel Klein - as “utterly discredited”.

Dr Ken Boston, former South Australian and New South Wales education departments CEO, and more recently, for seven years the head of the United Kingdom’s Qualifications and Curriculum Authority says that since the introduction of NAPLAN-style tests in the UK, and their use to publish school league tables, “The school curriculum is narrower and poorer than it was when the tests were introduced in 1907.”

In October, the biggest investigation into English primary education since 1967 called for league tables to be scrapped and for education to be reclaimed from politicians.

Advertisement

With Gillard determined to stare down opposition from parent and principal associations, education unions and academics, to Stage One of the education revolution, we need to know what “new resources and new reforms” she may be looking to unfold in Stage Two.

The two parts of the latter phrase may hold the key.

Rudd has made it quite clear that he is a financial conservative and that there is no blank cheque for education.

  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

8 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Mike Williss is a teacher of Chinese in South Australia. After 32 years in the classroom , he now works for the Australian Education Union in South Australia.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Mike Williss

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of Mike Williss
Article Tools
Comment 8 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy