The Australian Education Times May 2015

GRA P DUA OST EC IAL TE L PU LL OU IFE T

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Issue 17 • May 2015 • www.educationtimes.com.au

FREE

TECH N CON OLOG QUE Y NAPL RS AN OUTSTANDING SCHOOL

RYDE SECONDARY COLLEGE

SCAN QR CODE TO READ DIGITAL EDITION

EDUCATION IS FUNDAMENTAL TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS. IT’S NOT JUST AT SCHOOL OR UNIVERSITY LEVEL, EDUCATION LASTS YOUR WHOLE LIFE.

TEST ZONE:

TIPS FOR A HIGH NAPLAN BAND

Steve James CEO of Teachers Mutual Bank

LITERACY CORNER: SCIENCE LAB: THE SOLAR SYSTEM FINANCIAL LITERACY

SHARPEN UP YOUR TEST TAKING SKILLS

NAPLAN TEST, OPPORTUNITY TRIAL TEST, SELECTIVE TRIAL TEST

www.onlinepreunicollege.com.au

Success Story

THE NEWS CREW

Contents News and Views:

4

Outstanding School of the Month:

6

Technology conquers NAPLAN

Ryde Secondary College

Success Story:

8 ICT for

Steve James, CEO of Teachers Mutual Bank

ICT for Education: “EDUCATION IS

FUNDAMENTAL TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS. IT’S NOT JUST AT SCHOOL OR UNIVERSITY LEVEL, EDUCATION LASTS YOUR WHOLE LIFE.” Steve James CEO of Teachers Mutual Bank

JOIN US DIGITALLY VIA OUR SOCIAL NETWORKS….

FOLLOW US facebook.com/theaustralianeducationtimes

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Education

10

Why Cloud deployments are not the answer for ICT in School

Why Cloud deployments are not the answer for ICT in School

Special Pull out:

17

Post-graduate life

Career of the Month:

25

Marine Scientist

Test Zone:

Career of the Month

28

25

Is marine science the career for you?

Financial Literacy

Test Corner

30

Fret not, its NAPLAN!

@TheAusEduTimes CONTACT US email : editor@educationtimes.com.au Phone: +61 2 8883 0750 ADVERTISE email: advertise@educationtimes.com.au

Science Lab: 32 Solar system

Puzzle Pop: Some fun activities and games

When you see this symbol, check out our website for real life interviews and more info!

35 Science Lab The solar system

32

www.educationtimes.com.au The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times

Y

es, it’s that time of the year again. It’s NAPLAN month and May has become almost synonymous for it since 2008.

We are all aware of the importance of reading, writing and numeracy skills in education and that is what NAPLAN aims to test our kids on. While many people argue about the significance of the test, the whole purpose of NAPLAN, according to ACARA, is to help parents as well as educators to identify the strengths and gaps present in our school’s teaching and learning process.

Come May 12th, nearly one million, year 3, 5, 7 & 9, students will sit the NAPLAN. There would be anxiety and nervousness among students of all age groups. But, hey! It’s just a test and we wish you all the best.

Since it has been announced that the test will go online from 2017 onwards,

our News and views section outlines what it means for everyone.

We have also focussed on postgraduate life in our Pull out section. We understand that it’s one of the crucial stages in everyone’s life and so, we bring you some of the most important information post-graduates need to hold on to.

We applaud our News Crew team to interview one of the most inspiring and successful Aussies, Steve James, CEO of Teacher’s Mutual Bank. We hope his story would inspire you to do great things in life.

We would love to hear from you.

Tell us what you like and/or what you would like to see in the magazine by contacting us at editor@educationtimes.com.au

Quotes of the month Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

Francis of Assisi

Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.

Vince Lombardi

The Editorial Team

Letters to the editor Dear editor,

Dear editor,

Thanks for bringing up the curriculum change article in the last issue. As a parent, as much as I would love to reduce the burden of studies on my kids, I also want them to learn more science subjects which is almost nonexistent in the current curriculum and is very disheartening.

I loved to read the article on Graduate Attributes by Nita Temmerman. It was very insightful and well written. I do believe that in order to get that perfect job, one needs a lot more than just good grades.

Sammy, Dee Why

Anita, Blacktown

Put your heart, mind and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.

Swami Sivananda

Dear editor,

The pull-out section in the magazine are the ones that I really look forward to. Last month’s Pull Out on Digital Parenting was very interesting and insightful to read.

Kit, Hornsby

Acknowledgment The Australian Education Times would like to acknowledge the Darug people who are the traditional custodians of this land. I would also like to pay respect to the elders past and present of the Darug nation and extend that respect to other Aboriginal people present.

The Australian Education Times is dedicated to providing relevant and up-to-date news and resources that can be used in the classroom or at home. If you would like to contribute to our magazine, please write to Noelene at editor@educationtimes.com.au All contributions are to be 300 words long and to include a photo that is saved as a jpeg.

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The Australian Education Times

One platform for your school’s curriculum What is ReadCloud™?

How does ReadCloud™ work?

 Readcloud™ has created the world’s first Social eLearning platform specifically designed for students

 ReadCloud™ provides eBooks digitally in one platform

 ReadCloud™ offers Students and Teachers an entirely new way of learning  ReadCloud™ turns the eBook into a place of discussion and collaboration

 ReadCloud™ allows you to comment directly inside the eBook  Collaborate with your fellow class-mates and teachers in real time either as text, picture or video, all within the eBook  Highlight a word inside an eBook and a learning toolbar appears, giving you easy dictionary, encyclopedia or reference database searches

ReadCloud works cross-platform on any Apple, Windows or Android Tablet and Laptop. eBooks can be read both on-line and off-line.

Join the conversation and request a trial today at readcloud.com/trial

The Australian

Education Times NEWS AND VIEWS

Technology conque S

o, NAPLAN is going online!

Is this a big deal? Should we be worried? What should we do to prepare our children/ students?

The National Assessment ProgramLiteracy and Numeracy, has been in place since 2008. It is intended to test the skills essential for students to progress in grades 3, 5, 7 and 9. There

are four main areas of the exam, which consist of reading, writing, language conventions and numeracy.

From 2017 onwards, the NAPLAN exam will be computer-based rather than the traditional pencil and paper.

This could prove to be both stressful and concerning, for both educators and parents.

What sort of device is expected?

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority states schools are looking into and buying appropriate computers which should be ready for the first online exam.

s Minimum specification include: .4cm

Screen size of 25 24x768 pixels Screen resolution of 10 tablets A physical keyboard for s Headphones/earphone for the applicable ing ork tw ne Appropriate et) classroom (Wi-Fi, Ethern that is current, including on rsi ve Operating system e, Firefox and IE. JavaScript, Safari, Chrom

The exam is going online for several reasons.

While it does seem challenging to keep up and assist students in achieving the best marks possible, there are also a lot of advantages towards this change.

The assessment will use a tailored test design.

This means, students will initially be given the same set of questions, and then directed to different questions, depending on their strengths and weaknesses. Students will not be aware of if they are being given easier questions or more difficult ones. This is a great method of finding a student’s general ability, and thus, finding where they may need more assistance.

Computer based environments provide the opportunity to broaden the scope of assessments. Students will learn to use computers, which is generally important as a 21st century student.

Online assessments will significantly reduce the time it takes to provide results.

Rather than having to wait for the exam to be manually marked, results will be given back to schools in a much shorter period of time.

While the exam is expected to go online from 2017 onwards, some schools may defer this change to 2018 in order to further prepare the students. However, regardless of this major change, it has been assured that this change will not affect test scores in any way.

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The Australian Education Times

ers NAPLAN What to expect, immediately In addition to NAPLAN going online, there will be some other changes that will begin this year.

Originally, the writing component of the exam was the same for both primary and high school students. There were different expectations, depending on the grade, but questions were the same for year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students.

Several concerned parents complained about last year’s question, which was “Which

law or rule would you make better in your view?” It was argued that this question was too confusing for primary school students, hence leading to poor results. As a result, this year’s NAPLAN question is aimed to be more age appropriate.

This year, the writing component will be split between primary and high school students.

The writing component is generally in a persuasive or narrative style. Listed below is the marking criteria for both writing categories.

PERSUASIVE WRITING

NARRATIVE WRITING

Audience

Capacity to orient, engage and persuade the reader

Audience

Capacity to orient, engage and affect the reader

Text

Introduction, body and conclusion into an appropriate and effective text structure

Text structure

Orientation, complication and resolution in an

structure Ideas

Vocabulary

Cohesion

Paragraphing

Sentence structure/ punctuation

The selection, relevance and elaboration of ideas for a persuasive argument The range and precision of contextually appropriate language choices Control of multiple threads and relationships across the text, achieved through the use of grammatical elements (words, text connectives, conjunctions) and lexical elements (substitutions, repetition, word association) Segmenting of text into paragraphs that assists the reader to follow line of argument Grammatically correct, structurally sound, meaningful sentences and the use of appropriate punctuation

Ideas appropriate and effective text structure

Character and setting

The portrayal and development of character(s), the development of a sense of place, time and atmosphere

Vocabulary

Range and precision of contextually appropriate language choices

Cohesion

Control of multiple threads and relationships across the text, achieved through the use of grammatical elements (referring words, text connectives, conjunctions) and lexical elements (substitutions, repetition, word association)

Paragraphing

Segmenting of text into paragraph that assists the reader to follow line of argument

Sentence structure / punctuation

Production of grammatically correct, structurally sound and meaningful sentences. Correct use of appropriate punctuation

Maralyn Parker @ Maralyn Parker

“A big fat NO to expanding NAPLAN to science, health and physical-ed. Of course, the tutoring industry loves the idea.”

The Conversation @The Conversation

“NAPLAN approaches. What can you do to prepare your child?

Nothing. Except, make sure they’re not anxious.”

Daniel Stanley @Daniel Stanley

“It’s a dangerous business to draw conclusions from one off NAPLAN test results.”

FabRick @FabRick

“When are they going to throw out the NAPLAN testing which has zero focus on education?”

AGPPA @AGPPA

“NAPLAN online starting pilots in 2017: huge problem for access by all schools.”

Sir Plus @Sir Plus “NAPLAN studies

find… it’s not achieving its original goals.”

The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times OUTSTANDING SCHOOL

V

isitors to Ryde Secondary College often comment on its friendly and positive environment. Students from diverse cultures sit together in groups, under the trees or in outdoor covered learning spaces, usually chatting and collaborating during breaks. They may also see students playing football on the oval, handball or basketball on our courts, or hear the engaging sound of music being played by one of our ensembles. Ryde Secondary College is a place where we engage our students, connect and foster a sense of belonging.

Ryde Secondary College is a coeducational high school, offering a comprehensive and quality education for all students from Years 7-12.

It is a partially selective high school offering two academically selective classes in each year from Years 7-10.

An additional gifted and talented class is offered in each year group, selected from school based assessments and activities. In most years, three additional mainstream classes are also offered.

The College also provides differentiated learning for all students, including those with special needs, with three classes in the support unit.

With a current enrolment of more than 1075 students and 75 teaching staff, Ryde Secondary College has a diverse student body, with over 40 nationalities.

Students often comment on the inclusive and caring nature of the college community and enjoy having friends with diverse perspectives and interests.

INSPIRE, ACHIEVE, SUCCEED Our motto: “Inspire, Achieve, Succeed”, reflects the academic nature of the college, and our aim to inspire every child to achieve their personal, academic, social, sporting and cultural potential through participation in an engaging and challenging education.

Students at Ryde Secondary College are creative thinkers and self-disciplined learners. The school’s broad curriculum challenges them to be exceptional students. With three electives in Stage 5 and a wide range in Stage 6, students are able to follow their passions and interests. Stage 5 subjects like International Studies, linked with studies of Indonesian or Japanese, foster future links with our region.

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e d y R

Secondary College

Creative junior subjects including Digital Media, Visual Arts, Drama, Music, Textiles and Design are often continued in Stage 6 and reflected in our highly successful annual Fashion Show and RSC Creative Festivals, with many going on to future careers in these fields. In 2014, Ryde Secondary College won the Best Performing Local School Award in the Ryde Eisteddfod.

All the sciences and humanities subjects of Economics, Business Studies, Geography, Modern and Ancient History are also highly popular.

A number of students in recent years have achieved first or high places in their chosen course in the HSC in languages or humanities. In 2014, some students got accepted into Art Expressthe prestigious HSC art exhibition of HSC works. Over the last three years, each year, from 100-120 Band 6 results have

been achieved across a wide range of subjects, including Drama and Visual Arts.

Subjects achieving well above state mean in 2014 included: Business Studies, Chemistry, English Extension, Geography, Industrial Technology, Legal Studies, Indonesian Continuers, Japanese Beginners and General Mathematics.

ENGAGE, CONNECT, BELONG Leadership, communication and management skills are developed through our student voice and leadership structures, with student councils focused on whole school activities, social justice, culture, sport and learning culture, extracurricular and student wellbeing programs.

The extensive extra-curricular program at Ryde Secondary College offers more than 90 activities. These experiences help each student to develop their confidence, selfesteem, independence and teamwork, and enrich learning beyond the classroom.

Sporting activities are popular and powerful motivators. In sports, Ryde Secondary College excels, Ryde achieving first in swimming and athletics carnivals in the Northern Suburbs zone in 2014. A successful zone grade sports program is complemented by a wide range of engaging and challenging house sports, including ice-skating.

Individual champions are regularly selected for state and national programs and a Talent Development Program is a current priority.

Our supportive student wellbeing program ensures that our students have every opportunity to participate in school life, gain leadership opportunities and the support needed to succeed. Each year group is supported by a Year Advisor, Head Teacher of the year, and roll team, who meet to discuss events and issues every morning in year group assemblies.

CONNECTED TO THE WORLD, THE COMMUNITY, THE FUTURE We value our connections with the broader community through our primary, secondary, regional and national links. Our links with local primary and secondary schools have deepened over the last year.

Our Year 6-7 Transition Plan, which includes support programs, demonstration lessons, carnival support, our Gifted Mathematics Program and Fashion Show workshops, facilitates a smooth transition to high school. In 2015 this will be further enhanced through our Budding Chef program and

learning links through our faculties.

Through our Northern Sydney Region - Entente Cordiale, developed with local high schools, we have gained grants to support students, and shared professional learning. We have used these links to create joint excursions and links with rural schools, overseas sporting and scientific trips, and are growing leadership opportunities for students.

Our Ryde and Macquarie Park links connect us to one of Australia’s fastest growing business communities, forecast to be the fourth largest by the end of the next decade. Through our local community links, students have supported disadvantaged communities.

They have brought music and joy to local communities, and successfully participated in local Eisteddfods, and leadership, public speaking and debating activities offered by Ryde Rotary and Lions Clubs, Ryde Council. Students have actively taken up the Max Potential program with local sporting clubs and a number of our students are supported by Rotary scholarships. Our College is also an active member of the Ryde Environmental Education Network coordinated by Ryde Council.

MORE THAN 90 EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ENRICH THE EDUCATION OF EVERY STUDENT. MAJOR RECENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:

High Resolves program, Years 7-10 Peer Support Program Student Representative Council Wide range of competitions including Sharemarket competition Computer, Programming Clubs Creative Stitches group Enviro group Politics, Video, Chess, Astronomy Clubs Fitness Club Interact Duke of Edinburgh Program Debating and Public Speaking Musical ensembles Weekly after school Drama workshops Overseas tours to China, Italy and France, Spacecamp Alabama

A wide range of grade, social, and representative sports including Theatresports, 2015 After school sporting groups Prefect Camp, Prefect Activity Week Peer tutoring Whole school projects and events including RSC Creative Festival, Ryde Idol, the Fashion Show, Environment Day and an End of Year Cross Curricular Project At Ryde Secondary College, we are at the heart of our community. We are proud of our reputation as a school with deep connections to that community, with students keen to make a difference and demonstrate their passion to become responsible global citizens.

CONTACT DETAILS T: 02 9809 4894 Email: rydesc-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times SUCCESSS STORY

O

ur bright and super-talented News Crew journalists, Sienna and Dhruv, had a wonderful opportunity to interview Steve James, CEO of Teachers Mutual Bank. The whole experience left our crew members inspired and gushing with excitement. His more than 30 years of experience in a diverse range of management roles make him a successful and an inspiring person.

His dedication to growth, success and providing financial products and services for the education sector and their families is commendable.

Join us as we explore what makes Steve James a success story.

10

us Q1 Tell about your journey from

school and how you became a CEO of Teacher’s Mutual bank?

Growing up in an area around Bondi beach, my childhood was mostly spent on surfing, going to the beach and to the movies and having a great time. By the time I was 15, I realised that I need to work full-time. I was lucky enough to get a job in the city, in a wall broking office. After working a decent number of years in the broking office, I realised that I needed better qualifications. So, I went to TAFE and completed an Advanced Accounting Certificate and became an Accountant.

Further down my career, I completed a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Western Sydney and also did a Directors Diploma Course to understand all about how directors and Board of Directors work. This helped me in becoming a CEO of Teachers Mutual Bank and have successfully retained this position for the last 10 years.

Q2

What was your biggest motivation towards working hard and succeeding as a CEO? I think it’s about finding a job that you would really love to do and if you find such a job and enjoy the company of people around you, it becomes easy to go to work. It’s hard to reach the top of an organisation. It requires plenty of patience and took me 40 years of my working life to reach the position of a 8 |

The Australian Education Times

INSIGHTFUL QUESTIONS TO

STEVE JAMES CEO of Teachers Mutual Bank

CEO. But, if you are in a job that you love, it becomes easy.

Q3

How do you think that Teacher’s Mutual Bank plays a role in assisting teachers, students and society in general?

Its important for Teachers Mutual Bank to look after the society and environment.

That’s why Teachers Mutual Bank has been Carbon neutral since July 2012.

It’s important for our bank to be able to provide clean rivers, air and water for generations to come. We don’t just look after the planet but also the people who live there.

Q4

You became a CEO in 2005, how do you think that education helped you achieve this milestone?

One has to do a lot of hard work in order to become a CEO of a company and you need to get used to change.

Education is fundamental to achieve your goals. It’s not just at school or university level, education lasts your whole life.

Q5

Teacher’s Mutual Bank is named as one of the most ethical companies in the world. Why do you think that a business should be socially responsible and act ethically?

I think most people, these days, look for a trusted organisation, irrespective of the generation that they belong to.

When a business is ethical, customers are aware that they are not hurting the environment when buying something from them or use their service. We are looking after the environment and families. For the last 49 years, Teacher’s Mutual Bank has always been working towards that. It has been a highly ethical organisation and it’s great to be a part of one of the most ethical companies in the world. do you manage to balance Q6 How your CEO life and your personal life?

Balancing my work and personal life becomes easy since I love my job. Living closer to my work place gives me enough time to distribute equally between work

O

and family. When I go home, I make sure that I spend quality time with my family.

What are the biggest challenges that you have faced and conquered throughout your career and how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenge in my career has been the global financial crisis, which started around 2008. Profits deteriorated, not only for banks but for all businesses, in Australia and around the world. In order to overcome that situation, Teachers Mutual Bank had to introduce fees, to balance the books and also ensure that we are a viable organisation. At the same time, explain why we introduced those particular changes.

Fortunately, things have improved and we still have the symmetrical approach to lending. So, when we give loans out to people, we make sure that they are ethical and that they can afford the loans and also the repayments. One thing for sure, we kept our standard all way through.

Q7

Q8

A lot of people would like to be like you someday. If you could be anyone else for a day, who would you choose and why?

I would like to be a professor in a University or a teacher in school. It would be fantastic to encourage young minds and communicate with younger people.

Q9

Do you have an aim or a goal that you would like to accomplish in the future?

One should always have future goals. I would like to write a famous novel one day or like to help in Vietnam, in the mutual banking movement and share some of the knowledge I have gained over all these years. advice would you give to Q10 What students who aim to succeed in the future?

The best advice would be to get good education and qualifications, if you can. However, the main thing is to try and find a role or a job that you would really love to do. That makes your life easier.

Learning is an ongoing process, one keeps learning for the rest of their life. Students need to take their time and they will surely be successful in the future.

To watch the full interview visit www.educationtimes.com.au

STOP DREAMING! Be our next star reporter!

Your dream of becoming a reporter can come true with The Australian Education Times.

If you have what it takes to be a good reporter, then we are looking for you!

This is a great opportunity to gain real life experience at a young age It’s your chance to meet some of the most prominent Australian personalities and get inspired.

If it sounds like you, we would love to hear from you.

For more details go to

www.educationtimes.com.au/newscrew

The Australian

Education Times ICT FOR EDUCATION

WHY CLOUD DEPLOYM ARE NOT THE ANSWER ICT IN SCHOOL I t is apparent that ‘Cloud’ has significantly impacted the development of school’s ICT. However, this is not necessarily happening in the way vendors had hoped. The adoption of Software as a Service (SaaS) has been huge across the board with everything from Microsoft Office 365, Google Apps for education to Mathletics and web based learning

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The Australian Education Times

solutions to the innumerable iPad apps with web back ends.

The thing that seems to be missing, at the moment, is a similar focus on Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS). In the immortal words of Professor Julius Sumner-Miller, “Why is this so?”

Some schools have deployed IaaS, most commonly a back up as a service solution or some virtualised machines

in data centres; these services seem to have had much more traction in the commercial space.

Why have schools not adopted this?

This is a very important question for many vendors as they see IaaS as a large opportunity for sales growth into the school sector. However, some very significant issues will hamper sales of these infrastructure services into the school sector.

SINGLE SITE

Most schools exist as a single site. There won’t be many companies with the IT infrastructure for the size and complexity of a school that exist on a single site.

The value of having an IaaS cloud solution is multiplied many times when you operate a diverse multi-site environment. In a single site, the cloud solution means that the school is totally dependent upon their internet connection. This could mean significant extra cost in having a second link to remove the single point of failure. The main effect of this is when looking at the benefits of cloud; we immediately remove some of the most significant positives and increase the negatives.

Of course, the other consideration is, we do have significant access needs for parents and students from off campus, which is improved by cloud technologies.

MENTS R FOR BAD EXPERIENCES Although not widespread, there have been pioneers who tried IaaS solutions or even as we did PaaS as part of older projects. There was a trial of PaaS solution in 2007, which ended up into nothing, due to the providers of that service not understanding that taking the service down for updates in week 4 of term 1 would be detrimental to uptake within the school. When updates were applied to the servers, it brought the system down for an extended period. The provider,

however, was not ready to provide us with an assurance that same would not happen in the future. We, then decided, not to continue with that risk.

The result is that in 2007, we started to virtualise our environment and continued to prefer the option of controlling our own schedule of updates and patches.

The Cloud, in particular, IaaS, is not the answer to any school’s IT problems. Schools are not looking for a quick solution to the problems which don’t even exist. They are looking to make every dollar spent on technology to deliver the best value possible. At the moment, a tenancy in a very expensive data centre doesn’t deliver any savings. We are looking and waiting for the technology to deliver savings for schools. What vendors don’t want to understand is that schools won’t necessarily sign up for whatever is trendy.

LACK OF A COST BENEFIT

Significant numbers of schools have adopted virtualisation at a higher rate than other industries. The immediate benefits of virtualisation are important to schools with significant hardware and support cost savings. Now, many of us are on our third generation of virtualised servers and have no interest in losing those savings. This means, when we are comparing the costs of IaaS solutions to our current environment, there are normally no savings available and often the cloud-based solution is costing us more with little obvious benefits.

There are schools still moving down the virtualisation path. They will benefit from moving direct to IaaS.

HIRING PATTERNS

Most schools went through an expansion of their ICT support teams in the period up until 2012. As a result of this timing, most of the manager/directors with technical backgrounds came into schools prior to the widespread adoption of cloud. This means, most senior technical staff has come from their previous environments with no experience in deploying IaaS. It doesn’t imply that they’re not sure of cloud or doubt it’s future role, but that they need to be convinced of the real value and security of IaaS.

DARRYL WATSON He is the Director of EDU-IT, which provide consulting services to schools for ICT leadership and direction. He has worked with technology for nearly 40 years and the last 12 have been in the education sector. Darryl was Manager of ICT operations at All Saint’s in Perth from 2002 until 2014.

The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times ICT FOR EDUCATION

App Review Miss Spell’s Class This app helps you with speed and accuracy in your spelling.

It grades you, and adds points for faster times. It gives you the correct spelling of mispelled words. Excellent for people who struggle with English and spelling tests.

Thinkrolls 2 A great way to learn about physics because you have to get the questions right to make your next move. Each chapter introduces a new object with unique physical properties like force, acceleration, buoyancy, heat, elasticity and gravity which kids discover through hands-on manipulation.

Stack the Countries A great way to learn about countries, continents, cities etc. and where they are placed on Earth. It give you titbits about the place, making you learn about the world around you. Wonderful for high schoolers and kids who are interested in travel.

Math Bingo This app tests you in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. You have to solve the equations correctly to get the bingo squares. It trains your brain to do maths equations quickly. There are different levels suitable for primary and high school kids.

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The Australian Education Times

METALANGUAGE: BACKUP: To store another copy of your file somewhere outside the computer e.g. a USB, in case the computer crashes or the file doesn’t work.

It’s important you backup all your work.

DOCKING STATION: A device that connects a laptop to a connected monitor, printer, keyboard, and mouse. This allows a laptop to function like a desktop computer.

GRAPHICS: A graphic is an image or visual representation of an object. Therefore, computer graphics are simply images displayed on a computer screen.

JOYSTICK: A joystick is an input device used to control video games. Joysticks consist of a base and a stick that can be moved in any direction.

KINDLE: The Kindle is a portable e-reader developed by Amazon. com. It allows you to download and read digital books, newspapers, magazines, and other electronic publications.

NETIQUETTE: Netiquette, or net étiquette, refers to étiquette on the Internet. Good netiquette involves respecting others’ privacy and not doing anything online that will annoy or frustrate other people. It is important you know how to behave respectfully on the Internet.

PODCAST: Combines the terms iPod and broadcast. Podcasts are audio and video broadcasts that can be played on an iPod. However, because they are downloaded using Apple iTunes and can be played directly within the program, you don’t actually need an iPod to listen to a podcast..

TELECOMMUNICATIONS Telecommunications, or telecom, is the transmission of signals over long distances. Telephones, radio, TV, Internet and mobile phones are all telecommunications.

perform at the sydney opera house AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL Welcoming applications from all ensemble types including Wind Bands, Orchestras, Choirs and Jazz Bands. This is an educational event aimed at providing incredible performance opportunities as well as workshops with world class clinicians.

+61 2 9453 5188 experience@worldprojects.com.au This festival attracts ensembles from around the world including USA, China, Singapore, Europe, New Zealand, Australia & more...

Key Experiences Performing at the Sydney Opera House Adjudicated Performance Workshops with International Clinicians

www.worldprojects.com.au

Sydney 2016 3RD - 10TH JULY

The Australian

Education Times TAFE FOCUS

Get job ready with a practical degree from TAFE NSW

T

AFE NSW has a reputation for vocational training through certificates and diplomas, but did you know, it also offers degrees?

With small class sizes, personal attention and industry lead learning, TAFE NSW degrees prepare you to get the skills you need to get the job you want.

This year has seen growth in the number of degree students, as more and more are taking advantage of the benefits of undertaking a degree that is developed in consultation with industry and which develops students’ applied, rather than abstract, skills.

As the number of degrees, on offer, from TAFE NSW Higher Education grows across a range of discipline areas, so do their enrolments.

In the past month, a record number of 89 students graduated with degrees from TAFE NSW! TAFE NSW degree graduates come from a number of colleges across both regional and metropolitan NSW and so far they have earned degrees ranging from a Graduate Certificate in Leadership, a Bachelor of Design (Interior Design), a Bachelor of 3D Art and Animation, a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Care (Birth – 5), a Bachelor of Information Technology (Network Security) and an Associate

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Degree of Accounting.

These degree programs are designed to meet industry related needs and to ensure that students are job ready when they graduate.

TAFE NSW Managing Director, Pam Christie, says “TAFE courses have much smaller class sizes in the first year. Direct contact with lecturers is significantly higher at TAFE than at a university and there is a more structured and industryspecific environment to complete studies. Classes are small enough for students to openly ask questions and have the ability to learn well.”

Katherine Herbert, who graduated in the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Care (Birth – 5) said, “Starting my degree I thought I knew enough for my position as centre director, but, it wasn’t until having the privilege to study under some amazing and inspirational lecturers that I realised how my own learning could evolve and expand.

The Australian Education Times

and whatever your interest, a TAFE NSW degree would give you a career-oriented focus to prepare you for professional practice and the future that you deserve.

Is a TAFE NSW degree the right path for you? Find out more here:

Each of our lecturers had expertise working in the early childhood profession and used many different teaching strategies to assist every student’s own individual learning styles”, said Ms Herbert.

It just goes to show, whatever your background

http://www.highered.tafensw.edu.au

The supportive learning environment is important to all students but especially to those who come from non-English speaking, challenging backgrounds.

For one graduate, a TAFE NSW degree was an opportunity of which he may not have dreamt five years ago. Hadi Hosseini left his hometown of Banyam in Afghanistan to seek asylum in Australia four years ago.

Hadi spent 13 months on the Christmas island, during which he decided to try to learn English language.

As there were no books or reference materials available to him he thought

the best way to learn was to engage the island staff in conversation. Once he was finally settled in Sydney, Hadi was encouraged to attend an Intensive English Language school. In June 2011 he commenced the HSC at Randwick TAFE, completing it in just 18 months at the end of 2012. Sydney TAFE offered him a scholarship to study an associate degree in accounting at Ultimo, which he recently graduated from. Studying at TAFE changed his life and he says “I cannot thank my teachers and friends enough and to the wider Australian community.”

The Australian

Education Times PROMOTION

Kindle for

A

new app that gives you access to the world’s largest selection of eBooks on your compatible Samsung device is here*. Kindle for Samsung is great for Australian primary, secondary and tertiary students who want to read on the go. In partnership with Amazon, Kindle for Samsung has everything students can expect from the standard Kindle app, plus they can download a free book every month from the Samsung Book Deals selection. **

Samsung So why use Kindle for Samsung?

Kindle for Samsung can provide students with the opportunity to read from virtually anywhere, with downloaded books available offline.

Kindle for Samsung can be downloaded from the Samsung Galaxy Apps store on compatible Samsung smartphones and tablets^. Existing Amazon users simply use their Amazon account details to login and begin exploring. For new users it’s easy and quick to create a new account.

With the Kindle for Samsung app, you can choose a free book every month from the Samsung Book Deals selection!** Access the world’s largest selection of eBooks Time to Read estimates how much time it will take to finish a chapter or a book based on your personal reading speed.

Whispersync synchronises your reading across your compatible devices^.

Worry-Free Archive automatically backs up your Kindle books in the cloud,# including all your previously purchased Kindle eBooks.

There are several benefits to using Kindle for Samsung in classrooms and in education: -Students are able to download books at virtually any time on their compatible device* -Students are able to focus on the vocabulary within the book or article they have selected, as they are a click away from finding out the definition of the selected word -Learning new vocabulary can help support improvement in reading comprehension skills, as well as understanding more difficult texts.

* Internet connection required. Data charges may apply. Content within Kindle for Samsung must be purchased and is subject to availability. ** Internet connection required. Data charges may apply. Kindle for Samsung app only available on compatible Samsung devices. Samsung Book Deals only available to customers who sign in with a Samsung Account. ^ Internet connection required. Data and subscription charges may apply. # Internet connection required. Data and subscription charges may apply. Usage is subject to cloud provider agreement.

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The Australian

Education Times

E T A U D A R POST-G

! e f Li

POST-GRADUATE STRESS SYNDROME

TRANSITIONING INTO POSTGRADUATE LIFE

8

MISTAKES INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS MAKE IN GRADUATE LIFE

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POST-GRADUATE STRESS SYNDROME I

n In the past several years, it has become a common phenomenon for students to study a course they believe would lead them to a wonderful career after graduating, only to find out it was very much unlike their own understanding. Students either find out that their choice of course was wrong, or that their study is simply too niche to find a job and soon they find themselves inside a gap where they either choose to continue their studies or take up a job they really didn’t think they would do.

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This newly acquired status can have a deep downwards-spiraling effect on one’s mindset. In the past, traditions would teach us that a perfect life would be to finish high school and then college, before finding a job that is related to our studies and finding a perfect partner to raise a family with. That was how people were taught and the main reason why we saw significance in studying was stability. Having studied a good course at an even better university meant that you were almost certain to live a healthy life and get what you wanted.

Albeit, some concessions must be made depending on the efforts put into achieving best results.

However, market conditions have changed drastically over time and the requirements necessary to succeed in an already tight job market are no longer the same. The benchmark for minimum academic results has risen significantly. Besides having a degree, one must also graduate with top honors, preferably with a distinction.

This is called academic inflation. The result of academic inflation is a rise

of unemployment and an increase in cases of depression amongst recent graduates.

The average employment period on a first job after graduation is about 1.5 years. Short-term employment and a rapid change of jobs has become the new standard. Ambitious graduates are looking for areas to grow in, rather than a stable income. Skills are much more highlighted because HR managers require them. The fear of being unqualified is strong amongst graduates and it’s not unreasonable.

For every job there is, there are at least a hundred others looking for it.

There are a large number of applicants even for simple jobs like waitressing.

To change jobs quickly also means to have very little job security. It means that employers prefer to hire temporary solutions and cheap hires rather than to recruit and train, which is the situation we are in at the moment.

So to delay or evade such insecurity, students look for simple alternatives, either to find a random job or to further their education. This has implications on several things. Increasingly, the latter has become the more attractive option between the two because families are in a better position to afford higher studies with the help of government funding.

However, the positive effect of a postgraduate study has become somewhat, arguable. Is it better to followup an undergraduate study with an advanced education or is it better to start working?

Depending on the geography, one might be more appreciated

than the other. Of course, the optimal solution would be to work on the side, or at least have several internships under the belt. Then again, if things were optimal, unemployment wouldn’t be an issue.

And then there is another major issue - people. Over the years, students are taught by their family that a good education will get them a good job.

Children often make the assumption that a good job also means a job that they like to do and one they dreamt of.

Unfortunately, as research has shown, most people end up not performing a job that they studied for. Many graduates end up doing something completely different because the sizeable entrance market for their targeted occupation is so narrow that it is almost impossible to be accepted unless one is able to achieve remarkable results.

Finally it’s the dream factor. Most people grow up with a dream or at least a certain idea of what they wish to do after they graduate. To settle for anything less, could have a mental implication that one would be giving up their dreams. However, seldom does a recent unemployed graduate think that their smaller jobs could lead to a better future.

Not having a guaranteed job after graduation is a horrible feeling. The daily scheduler is empty, there is very little to look forward to and all your attention is focused on a single thing.

Some people turn to gaming, while others spend more time with their partners and end up living their lives for them. Not having your own plan and to-do list is very discouraging.

Constantly looking for jobs can be a bore. For those, who continued further education, it can be a shortterm blessing, before the spell of a tiring job hunt begins again. For the others who decide otherwise, it is suggested to find other activities to fill up that planner. This can be done by creating a short-term goal and achievement regime in which one can feel fulfilled while doing it. Working out, studying short-courses with high credibility. Websites like Coursera could provide for such demand.

Sports could be another alternative, but this will only take up a small portion of the calendar.

Volunteering is also a very highly recommended option. Having future employees who think more than just themselves could be very motivating and rewarding. There are many other examples of things one can do while looking for jobs and it is very important to keep occupied because job hunting is tedious and takes a massive toll on one’s motivation and self-esteem.

Therefore, if you find yourself to be stuck in such situation, find a way out by doing something. Get out there and most importantly, be open-minded to what you can do. Don’t restrict yourself just because you think you deserve better. Don’t limit yourself to staying in a rut because you’re unwilling to do something else.

Sammy SUNG Sammy Sung is a passionate individual hoping to inspire others to express their goals and pursue their dreams.

A traveler at heart and a writer on day, he actively assists young entrepreneurs in micro managing their social and professional lives. He writes about every challenges students and young professionals encounter every day on his blog.

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The Australian

Education Times

PULL OUT

TAKE FULL ADVA POST-GRADUATE O THE UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE

UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Effects of Climate Change on the Biogeochemical Processes of Australian Soft Soils (7356)

ARC-linkage PhD- Prostate cancer biomarkers (7342)

Payment: $25849 per annum

Payment: Enough to cover living expenses, paid quarterly over 3 years

Eligibility: Study in Australia, achieve outstanding academic results

Eligibility: No restrictions

Close date: June 12th 2015

Close date: July 30th, 2015

Contact:

Brett.Turner@newcastle.edu.au

AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY Scholarship in Stroke Research at the Nursing Research Institute within the ACU (7338) Payment: $31766 per annum Eligibility: Students who have achieved Honours 1 or equivalent Close date: October 31st, 2015 Contact:

Res.Cand@acu.edu.au

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Contact:

y.li@unsw.edu.au

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE Phd scholarship in inflammation in Airways disease (7340) Payment: $25849 per annum Eligibility: Outstanding academic results Close date: October 31st, 2015 Contact:

Jodie.simpson @newcastle.edu.au

ENDEAVOUR SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS Merit based scholarships provided by the Australian Government that support citizens around the world to undertake study and development in Australia.

Applications open mid-April, 2015. For more information, go to

https://internationaleducation.gov.au/Endeavour%20program/ Scholarships-and-Fellowships/Pages/default.aspx

INTERNATIONAL POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS Scholarships are open to international students of all countries. Covers tuition fees and health cover costs.

For more information, email RBGrants@education.gov.au with “IPRS” as the subject line.

ANTAGE OF YOUR OPPORTUNITIES!

Stay right on top of things!

Mid-year UWS international exchange scholarship opens

May

October 31st: UNSW PhD scholarship closes

12th: UON climate change scholarship closes

June

31st ACU research scholarship closes 30th: Mid year UWS scholarships close 30th: UNSW PhD scholarship closes

November

STUVAC

STUVAC

July

Mid-year break

December August

Mid-year break

Annual break Summer school

1st: UWS semester one scholarships open

September

January 30th: UNSW undergraduate scholarships close 9th: Group A and B UWS scholarship applications close The Australian Education Times

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Education Times

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MISTAKES International Students Make in Graduate School

G

raduate school for most majors involves an unprecedented volume of work. Typically lasting 18-30 months, a Master’s program is the ultimate academic challenge for most candidates. It’s easy for students to feel overwhelmed by the combination, but the rewards far exceed the difficulties. It’s just a matter of maintaining perspective and making smart decisions.

HERE ARE 8 PREVALENT MISTAKES THAT STUDENTS MAKE AND TIPS TO AVOID THEM: MISTAKE #1:

Skipping out on social and professional networking

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The Australian Education Times

Top Tips: Maintain a crisp LinkedIn profile. Actively participate in group projects with diverse groups.

Establishing healthy relationships with professors and industry folks go a long way.

MISTAKE #2:

Focusing too much on finding a campus job

A majority of international graduate students hail from Asian countries, where there is little or no emphasis on networking. The academia is multi-cultured, and one could learn tremendous amounts from such diversity.

Due to the exorbitant fees structure of grad schools, many students focus primarily on finding a summer internship or a full time visa-sponsored job or a temporary on-campus job. This helps pay bills, but in the “ finding ” process, learning takes a significant blow.

Try getting out of your comfort zones; interact with students from myriad backgrounds and nationalities.

Network with industry folks and connect with the right people. Most of your professional ambitions are fulfilled if you follow this suggestion correctly.

Top Tips: In the early days, focus on academia, as this builds upon your skills and strengths which increase your market value.

Thus you increase your effective outcome trajectory by leveraging the time invested in your post grad education.

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Education Times

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MISTAKE #3:

Not investing enough on improving communication skills

Several international students (even those with a strong English education background) struggle to communicate. This often becomes a social and professional barrier.

Top tips: Accent reduction classes are too expensive and time is limited in graduate school. Utilise opportunities to talk while waiting in a queue, or using public transport, or ordering food etc. This implicitly is making you work on your English speaking skills and making you an effective communicator.

Try sharing an apartment with students of similar interests but different nationalities.

Novelty breeds learning in this respect.

MISTAKE #4:

Neglecting health and physical activities

Health takes a major blow in grad school with those countless night outs in the library, combined with unhealthy fast food. I’ve seen graduate school students put on weight, develop poor vision, and age considerably in 2 years, as well as experience a drastic change in physical appearances. Drinking and smoking becomes a well-known escape for de-stressing which in the long run hurts you more. Being in top health avoids illness, which can become extremely costly in terms of money, poor academic performance, and time.

Top Tips: Try taking at least 15 minutes out every day to play a sport. In order to avoid unhealthy all-nighters, start working early on assignments. Avoid drinking too much at parties and try quitting all forms of smoking. Turn to activities such as yoga and meditation (they do work wonders sometimes).

MISTAKE #5:

Ignoring the larger picture with finances International graduate students usually have visa constraints, which prohibit them from working outside campus.

Most students take out their monthly expenses from their on-campus jobs which are usually just above the minimum pay. They cut corners by sharing small apartments, eating cheap food, doing physically demanding jobs, which drain

them physically. This leads to academics and learning being affected. Instead of leveraging the tens of thousands of dollars spent on their graduate program, students get lured to gain a few hundred dollars a month. The loss is much more than the gain.

Top Tip: Take out 15 minutes everyday to do something that instills positive energy in you.

In the long run, you will not get burnt out like other colleagues. Colleagues will like you more because of your positivity.

Top Tips: Treat that extra hundred dollars as an investment, work hard for it, and give back your returns. Be grateful for every cent you earn and respect money when you have it. Learn how to have fun with no money; the best things in life are free. Don’t get bogged down if you feel constrained by money

Observing instead of experiencing culture

MISTAKE #6:

Keeping your thoughts to yourself

Most grad students follow the herd and choose course work or career paths recommended by peers or seniors. Most of their career choices are influenced by whether it might lead to a job or a great GPA. Little or no heed is given to what they truly like to study or truly want. In the long run, they end up with career choices that are forced upon them, doing something all their lives they don’t desire or enjoy. Do not fall into this trap.

Top Tips: Believe in what you love and try to be the best at it. Learn how to take risks; it’s perhaps the only time in your life you can afford to take risks.

Following is a quote from my most revered idol, someone who truly helped me make the toughest professional and personal decisions in graduate school:

Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other opinions drown your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

MISTAKE #7:

Ignoring your own interests and hobbies

Whether it’s music, dance, writing, blogging, hiking, sports, partying, dating or reading, don’t stop doing activities that truly make you happy. Being happy makes you enjoy more work, which makes you more productive. It enables the creative juices to flow into your work.

MISTAKE #8:

Having lived and worked in Europe and Asia, I believe culture is truly unique and deeply fascinating. Give up those unrealistic Hollywood movies and serials you’ve been watching all your life. Instead, try those Coors Lights on tailgates, carve those pumpkins on Halloween, attend those college football matches, crash those fraternity/ sorority parties and participate in fantasy leagues, and develop interest in sports such as football, baseball, or basketball. You’ll start loving it in no time and make some amazing new friends in the process.

At the minimum, try respecting culture, norms, and beliefs just like the way you would want your own culture to be respected when people visit your country. Learn how people communicate and grant the minimum courtesy that is expected. Don’t be ignorant.

People love nurturing, respecting, and retaining great talent and that’s what makes it one of the greatest places to start your professional life. Enjoy your time here and make the most of it.

VEDANT DHANDHANIA Vedant Dhandhania obtained a bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical, electronics and communications engineering from the Manipal Institute of Technology. He further went on to study a masters of science in Electrical Engineering at the University of Southern California. Having over 7 years of experience within the university environment, Vedant goes to shares his knowledge through his article regarding post-graduate life. He currently is a machine learning engineer at Retention science.

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The Australian

Education Times

PULL OUT

TRANSITIONING INTO YOUR Post-Graduate Life

I

has been two months since I graduated from my university, finally entering my longanticipated post-graduate life. These two months have contained more events than I ever thought possible: graduated from university, moved into my new apartment, got engaged, started my first job and completed financial independence. In that short amount of time, I’ve been astounded by how different life is. Below are the most important things I’ve learned in the past few weeks:

1

Prepare an annual budget.

Unless you’re one of the amazing people who support themselves through college, you can typically rely on your parents to get you out of a financial jam. That is no longer the case once you go off on your own! It’s very important that you understand and take control of your money, and the best way to do that is to set a monthly budget. Microsoft provides many free budget templates on their website which anybody can use with excel. A good rule of thumb I like to use is to write monthly budgets from now until the end of the year.

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The Australian Education Times

2

Learn how to save!

Did you know that most people can’t afford to spend a thousand dollars in the event of an emergency? Are you one of those people? If you are, you need to correct that as soon as possible. The sad reality is that things happen all of the time that are beyond our control, and most of the time those things come with a financial cost. To prepare for uncertainty, as well as reach our goals, it is imperative that you learn how to save your money. If you’ve graduated from university and don’t yet have a savings account, open one immediately and start putting money into it regularly. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but it will still add up in the long run!

Additionally, you should start thinking right now about where you want to be forty years from now. It’s a mathematical fact that the younger you are when you start saving for retirement, the better the chances that you will reach your retirement goals.

This is your chance to get some high yielding returns early on!

3

Insure! Insure!

Insure!

Like I said before, sometimes terrible and unpredictable things happen that can bury you in a financial hole.

Fortunately, purchasing an insurance policy transfers much of the risk away from yourself. By now, you should already have an auto insurance policy.

This protects you from extreme financial liability in the event of an accident.

Most young adults won’t need any more than that before graduation. However, now that you’re off on your own you should be thinking about getting better protection for yourself and the assets you will soon be accumulating. Since you will likely be renting your first new home after university, the best way to do that is by purchasing a renter’s policy.

Getting a renter’s insurance policy protects your personal property, and cost as little as ten dollars a month. In other words, you get peace of mind knowing that your things are protected, and all it will cost you is one lunch a month.

4

Purchase a file organiser and shredder.

You are soon going to be buried in paperwork ranging from bank documents to benefits forms. It is very important that you track all of your important papers responsibility. The way to do this is to purchase either a file cabinet or small portable file carrier, and use it to categorise your forms for easy access. Also, buy a shredder.

That way you can responsibility dispose documents and protect your private information.

ZACHARY OCHOA Zachary Ochoa is known to have skills in research, leadership, public speaking, teamwork and qualitative research.

The Australian

Education Times

CAREER OF THE MONTH

Marine Scientist Is this career path for you?

A

re you fascinated by marine and coastal environments? Do you have a passion for learning about new things in the ocean?

Do you love the beach and want to learn more about it?

If so, this may just be the perfect career for you. Marine science covers a broad range of subjects including fauna, oceanology, forecasting researching and water policy. If you are interested in these things, or are unsure about what you would like to pursue a career in, marine science would be a great place to start as it covers a broad range of subjects, allowing you to see your options before choosing a focus.

Educational qualifications In order to begin a career in Marine Science, people generally complete their HSC, obtain an ATAR of over 80% and attend university. The most commonly studied course is biology, majoring in marine science.

Alternatively, attending the Australian Institute of Marine Science is also an option for people who are sure they would like to focus on marine science and/or have not achieved the ATAR requirement.

Staying up to date Marine science is one of the several fields that are constantly changing over time. There are new things to learn about the ocean every day.

One of the ways you could keep up to date as a student is by researching and learning about the new scientific findings. By doing this, you would be well aware and could contribute to class discussions once you get into University or an institute. There are several books available in local libraries that discuss findings and go on to explaining what they are and what they do.

Another thing you could do is study geography in school. The skills learnt in geography are highly useful and are also taught in university whilst studying a marine course. It is never a bad idea to get ahead!

The average marine scientist earns $51,975 a year.

Career paths

Marine science is a broad subject that covers a lot of fields and provides several occupational opportunit ies. These include: Ecologist Environmental consultant Oceanographer Seasonal Sea Ice Forecast ing Researcher Fisheries officer Hydrographic surveyor Autonomous Underwate r Vehicle Water Policy Officer

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The Australian

Education Times

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W

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est End Mazda is Australia’s oldest independently owned and operated Mazda Dealership having been established and continually operating in North Parramatta since 1963. West End

WEST END MAZDA is also proud NSW with: • 15 Mazda Master Dealer Awards inc 2013 • 5 times Winner of the “Martec Excellence in Dealership • 2 Dealer of The Year awards (Pre Master Dealer Conception) • 2 Parts Dealer of the Year awards • 1 Sales Dealer of the Year award • 1 Service Dealer of the Year award • 1 Commercial Vehicle Dealer of the Year We are proud to have multiple members of our Sales & Parts teams achieving “Master Guild Member” status in the prestigious Mazda Sales Guild. In 2014 both of our Sales Managers, our Parts Manager & 2 of our Sales Consultants acheived this status!

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From the moment you enter our Sales showrooms you’ll be greeted with a friendly Zoom-Zoom smile & sales people who are provided with the best training to ensure that we meet and exceed your expectations every time you visit us.

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Mazda has been owned and operated

In 1998, the current Directors of West End Mazda expanded their operation by acquiring Blacktown Mazda which further strengthened our focus and commitment to the Mazda Brand in NSW.

With the largest Parts department in Australia we also carry a full range of Genuine Mazda Parts & Accessories.

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Service centres with the latest in Mazda Electronic

Contact details and Hours or Operation are: 3 Ferris Street North Parramatta Phone - 9633 8300 Email – pmservice@westendmazda.com.au Monday to Friday 8am to 5.30pm Saturday 8am to 12noon 3 Butterfield Street Blacktown Phone – 9622-9888 Email – btservice@westendmazda.com.au Hours of operation Mon – Fri 7am to 5.30pm and Sat 8.00am to midday.

Bookings can be made online either by our i-Phone app (download via App Store) or here on this Website (just click the service tab and follow the prompts).

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maintenance-service-price Input your details and see what your next service with West End Mazda will cost.

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West End Mazda has Mazda Quick Smart Serving.

This is for all Mazda Scheduled Services and can be completed within an hour allowing you to get your Zoom-Zoom back on the road faster.

Spare Parts West End Mazda Parts Division is the largest in Australia and carries the most comprehensive range of Genuine Mazda Parts & Accessories.

If we don’t have it then chances are noone has it.

We operate from our site Monday to Saturday Monday to Friday 8am to 5.30pm Saturday 8am to 12noon 1 Ferris Street North Parramatta

All Service work is Fully Guaranteed and we only use Valvoline Premium Oils and Mazda Genuine Parts to protect the integrity and value of your Mazda and as trusted Mazda dealer we also provide the computer upgrades to your car via our MDS (Mazda Diagnostic Machine).

These upgrades are from the factory in Japan and can improve fuel economy and running. The MDS also allows up to diagnose any issues you are having and repair them in a timely fashion.

For your convenience both our North Parramatta Service Centre and Blacktown Service Centre are open Saturday mornings from 8am to midday. Bookings essential.

Phone – 9633-8383 Email – parts@westendmazda.com.au West End Mazda Parts also offers a Crash Assistance Line open 24 hours a day/ 7days a week. We are on hand to help with arranging tow trucks and ensuring we send your Mazda to a panel shop that is approved by your Parts.

Contact details David Hubbard Business hours - 1300 924 584 or After Hours 0418 613 758

ALL NEW MAZDA3

NEO HATCH 2.0LT PETROL (MANUAL & AUTO) http://www.westendmazda.com.au/vehicles/all-new-mazda3 The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times LITERACY CORNER

Financial Li F rom financial literacy is the ability to understand how money works in the world: how someone manages to earn or make it, how that person manages it, how he/ she invests it (turn it into more) and how that person donates it to help others.

Financial literacy is an essential skill for living in the 21st century, and is a skill that should be learned at a very young age. Here are some fun activities that will help you become financially literate!

Money is basically a tool used in a bartering, or trading, system which allows people to obtain goods and services. You can: Earn Money Save money Spend it, Invest it or Give it away.

With financial literacy you will know how to do these things wisely. A good place to begin developing financial literacy is to learn about what money is and how it works.

Visit, interview online or invite some experts

WHAT IS MONEY AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

To speak to your class or organisation – a banker, an entrepreneur, a business owner or manager.

How do you go about learning about money as a child? By earning it!

Many children earn money by doing errands, taking care of people’s yards, starting a dog-walking business or washing cars. While in high school, you can find many kinds of jobs. Websites like Mint.org offers all kinds of advice for students of every age group.

In the United States, children sold lemonade at stands for decades. It is not the clear, carbonated beverage known as lemonade in Australia. It is made with lemons, sugar and water.

Children usually set them up in the yard or near the street in front of their houses. People stop and buy cups of ice cold lemonade. Sales are better on hot, sunny days! Kool-Aid is another popular beverage to sell at these stands.

The Lemonade Stand!

A great place to start is the first activity listed The Lemonade Stand!

EARNING MONEY

This is a wonderful way for young children to learn about making money as well as budgeting, advertising, inventory and costs, profit, supply and demand, and selling.

When you have made money, you can then learn about making good decisions about what to do with your money – spend it, save it, invest it or give it away.

Students can also run many other types of real businesses! Look what other students have done and get inspired to earn your own income!

Some young people organise and run businesses within their schools, others do so outside of school.

START AND RUN A BUSINESS 28 |

The Australian Education Times

• The Lunch Cart – some high school students sought (and found) ways to keep students on campus during and after lunch. They created a very successful lunch cart business. http:// www.edutopia.org/students-makebusiness-learning • The Cookie Company – a second grade and a fifth grade class collaboratively started and ran a cookie baking business at their

school. They had so much business that the principal had to create a cookie buying schedule for campus stating which grade levels could purchase cookies on which days.

• A campus store – in some schools, students set up and run an actual store selling things such as school supplies, t-shirts and snacks.

• A community grocery – a group of high school students raised funds to build and run a grocery store for their community

iteracy BECOMING ENTREPRENEURS

Start a YE Club – Young Entrepreneurs – Entrepreneurialism is one of the most important skills for the 21st century. Entrepreneurs are creative, problem solvers, collaborative and innovative.

READING

While written for young children, this book has an excellent message for everyone.

Older students who want to teach financial literacy to younger students could build their project around this book. There is no better way to learn something than to teach it!

Find this title online then follow links to other books people bought. You can Google for lesson plans, too.

FINANCIAL LITERACY APPS

Mindblown Life - For high school and college – create an avatar that travels through a digital life full of crucial financial decisions, including saving for a home, dealing with financial disasters (like robberies), and managing student loans.

Unleash the Loot – for children aged 5-8, this game motivates kids to save money in order to afford to rescue animals and build an animal-friendly treehouse.

Players can also earn money by completing environmentally friendly acts, such as planting a garden.

Other activities CREATE A BUDGET

This skill is very important for high school, but a definite must for going on to college.

Practice now by creating a budget for a family dinner, a party, a meeting . . . a lemonade stand!

WRITING

Learn how to write excellent resumes, business letters, business plans and grants.

TEACH OTHERS

Design, then teach, a course to first graders on how to count money. A great way to do this is to help them get into small groups (business partners), set up a business, then shop and sell.

GIVING MONEY

• Disaster Relief - the Nepal Earthquake, April 25, 2015 – this event is an opportunity for all students to truly make a difference in the world. Brainstorm a way to help the children of Nepal. Many orphanages with schools were destroyed, and children are now sleeping on the street. Be careful about where you send your money. Not all organisations ensure that all the money you send get to your intended benefactors. Research is needed. One organisation I can vouch for personally is AERO in the United States.

They have been supporting an orphanage of 200 children for over 10 years.

• Create and sell apps to fund an education foundation – In this example, it began with an 11-year-old who loved apps and creating them. See this TED talk given by 12-year-old Thomas Suarez.

All the money from the sale of his apps go to an education foundation that he created with the help of his parents and teacher. ttps://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Fkd9TWUtFm0 • Raise funds for a cause – Cain’s Arcade began with a 9-year-old boy who created an arcade out of cardboard boxes and everyday objects. A filmmaker happened to discover him, made a film about his project, and the result was the launch of the Imagination Foundation, a non-profit organization, to foster creativity and entrepreneurship in kids like Caine everywhere. To date, over 225,000 kids in 60 countries have participated in the Cardboard Challenge!

• Ryan’s Well- Ryan Hreljac learned of the great need for clean and safe water in developing countries in his 1st grade class. With the support of friends, family and the community, Ryan raised enough money to build a well in Africa. In 1999, at age seven, Ryan’s first well was built at Angolo Primary School in northern Uganda.

• Olivia’s Birds – Olivia Bouler, 12 years old, raised over $200,000 to save birds in the Gulf of Mexico after the BP Oil Spill by painting pictures of birds.

SOME USEFUL RESOURCES TO CHECK OUT: • MoneySmart.gov.au – has many excellent lesson plans and online activities for first grade through university.

• SmartStart.com.au – lesson plans on financial literacy from grade 1 through university.

• TheMint.org is an excellent resource with tips for elementary as well as high school students on how to earn money, how to save, how to spend wisely, how to invest and how to give.

ANNE SHAW Founder and Director, 21st Century Schools The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times TEST ZONE YEAR YEAR

33

Fret not, it’s

READING READING

Example test Example test

NAPLAN! I t’s NAPLAN month! By this point, all the year 3, 5, 7, and 9 students would be all geared up for the test or some others might be still fretting about it. So, we decided to come into aid and offer some tips on how to improve your band and raise the level of your skills that this exams tests you on.

Reading, writing, language conventions and numeracy are the skills you will need for the rest of your life, so it’s a good idea to get into regular practice.

But, there are always some last minute key pointers to keep in mind that might help make all the difference.

1

Read all the directions provided on your test paper very carefully. That’s your first chance to prove your reading skills.

2

Practice writing the required amount within the time limit for your year level.

3

Look up the marking guides and criteria for each section on the NAPLAN website.

4

If you don’t understand a question once, read it twice!

5

Analyse the question and break it down before answering.

6

Underline the vocab words while you are reading the passage.

7

Highlight key words.

0:45

8 9

Practice writing a few short pieces of persuasive and narrative styles of writing, while using correct grammar, punctuation and spelling.

10

Go over you grammar and punctuation rules.

11

See if you can solve maths equations without a calculator.

It’s good to get your mind practicing this.

12

Practice getting a certain number of questions done within a time limit. It’s good to be quick and accurate in exams.

Timeavailable availablefor forstudents studentstoto Time completetest: test:45 45minutes minutes complete

© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority © Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority

30 |

Circle amounts and figures.

The Australian Education Times

13

If you don’t know the answer, leave it and come back to it later.

14

Revise all your notes again.

15

Go to http://www.nap.edu.au/ naplan/writing/writing.html, it has useful information for narrative and persuasive writing.

16

Go online to http://www.nap. edu.au/naplan/the-tests.html and/ or http://www.3plearning.com/au/ parentsnaplan/ and do practice tests for your year level.

17

Last but definitely not the least, RELAX, it’s NAPLAN.

It’s important to remember that these exams are testing your reading, writing and numeracy levels. The best way to get these up is to regularly practice the skills, not trying to cram the week before. So don’t stress too much about it, your bands are just an indication of how well you are doing or areas you could improve on. And remember, these skills keep developing for the rest of your life.

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The Australian

Education Times

SCIENCE LAB

OUR SOLAR SYSTEM Mars: Mars has higher mountains and deepest canyons than any other planet. It’s mild temperature is very similar to earth. It is also known as the red planet, because its surface is red.

Sun: The sun is only one of the millions and millions of stars in the galaxy. The sun is the largest object in the Solar System.

It is nearly 145 million Km away from the Earth.

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The Australian Education Times

Pluto: Pluto is an extremely small planet and has been controversial because of its size. In 2006, Pluto’s status was officially changed from a planet to dwarf planet.

Neptune: Uranus is also a gas giant and unlike other planets spins on its side. Its atmosphere is thick and is made up of methane, hydrogen and helium.

Uranus is an extremely cold planet.

Uranus: Uranus is also a gas giant and unlike other planets spins on its side. Its atmosphere is thick and is made up of methane, hydrogen and helium.

Uranus is an extremely cold planet.

Jupiter: It is the largest planet in the solar system.

The earth could fit inside the Jupiter more than 1000 times. It doesnot have a solid surface and is thus considered as a ‘Gas Giant’.

Jupiter also has rings around it which are visible only when it passes in front of the sun.

Venus: It is also called Earth’s sister planet. But it is not human friendly as it’s surface temperature is hot enough to cook a meal in mere minutes and the atmosphere mostly contains carbon Dioxide, making it a highly toxic place.

Saturn: Saturn is very much similar to Jupiter but is smaller than Jupiter but bigger than earth. It is also the least dense planet in the Solar System. It is made up of mostly hydrogen and helium, which are the two lightest elements on the universe.

Earth: It is the third planet from the sun and is also the densest planet in the Solar System. About 30% of earth’s surface is covered with land and about 70% is covered by oceans. The Earth’s temperature, weather, atmosphere and many other factors keeps us alive.

The Australian Education Times

| 33

The Australian

Education Times

PUZZLE POP

Spot the

Crazy

But True !!!!!

Every year, over 1.43 million people go to see the vivid lights.

That is so many people in just 18 days!

34 |

The Australian Education Times

LAUGHTER ZONE!

5 differences

What do cats read in the morning?

Mewspapers!

What kind of apple has a short temper?

A crap apple!

What is a cat’s favourite colour?

Purrr-ple!

Why do dogs make terrible story-tellers?

They only have one tail!

How do you fix a broken tomato?

Tomato paste!

PUZZLE POP

The Australian

Education Times 1

Crossword Complete the crossword below 2

3

4

Across

4. Another event that uses a lot of colorful lights is...

5. The sun is a form of...

Down 1. Singing and isntruments combined is...

2. How many days does the vivid festival go for?

3. Vivid 2015 is held near what?

5

Knock Your Brains 1 2 3

I’m tall when I’m young and I’m short when I’m old.

What am I? How can a pant’s pocket be empty but still have something in it?

Throw away the outside and cook the inside, then eat the outside and throw away the inside. What is it?

What travels around the world but stays on one spot?

What has hands but cannot clap?

4 5

Record of the month

David Richard currently holds the world record for having the most LED lights on display. It’s like having vivid at a house!

A candle Corn on the cob

For more info on this record and hundreds more, go to guinnessworldrecords.com *Answers can be found on our contest page at www.educationtimes.com.au The Australian Education Times

| 35

It has a hole in it A stamp A clock

secure your future

ICICI Education Loan

The Australian

Education Times

NEPAL THQUAKE:

EAR

A 7.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal on 25th April has been the worst earthquake to hit Nepal in 80 years. We pray and support Nepal in its worst time.

APRIL

In Pictures ANZAC DAY

“At the going down of the sun and in the morning. We will remember them”. 100 years of Anzac were celebrated in Australia on 25th April, in remembrance of the fallen soldiers.

EASTER

Easter weekend was celebrated from 3rd – 6th April. We hope you didn’t stuff yourselves with too much chocolate!

EARTH DAY

Earth Day was on 22nd April and it reminded us that we only have one Earth. We need to look after it!

The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times

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