The Australian Education Times April 2015

SP

DIG P A REN ITAL EC IAL TIN PU LL G OU T

Issue 16 • April 2015 • www.educationtimes.com.au

FREE Numeracy

Science

Language Literacy

Art Society Music

CHANGES IN CURRICULUM G SCHOOL N I D N A T S T OU

THE KEY IS NOT TO CONCOHRD GIVE UP AND HIG BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. L O Adam McArthur, CEO of Literacy Planet SCHO MAGIC MATHS: LITERACY CORNER: FOCUS ON UNIVERSITY:

SCAN QR CODE TO READ DIGITAL EDITION

THE MATHLETICS ADVANTAGE MEDIA LITERACY

GRADUATES ATTRIBUTES

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

Is education really being “fixed”?

Outstanding School of the Month:

6

Concord High School

Success Story:

Focus on

8 University Graduates attributes

Adam McArthur, CEO of Literacy Planet

“THE KEY IS NOT TO GIVE UP AND BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.” Adam McArthur, CEO of Literacy Planet

Focus on Universities: 10 Graduates attributes

Special Pull out:

17

Digital parenting

Career of the Month:

25 Career of

the month

Florist

JOIN US DIGITALLY VIA OUR SOCIAL NETWORKS….

FOLLOW US

11

Literacy corner:

Is floristry the career for you?

25

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Media Literacy

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

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

Magic maths:

32

The Mathletics Advantage

Science Lab: 33 Gravity

Literacy Corner Media Literacy

28

www.educationtimes.com.au The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times

T

erm one of the school year is now over and we have all embraced autumn and the school holidays with open arms! April seems to be an interesting time in the school year.

While we have parents and children excited for the holidays and the Easter show, we also have teachers and schools preparing for the new curriculum and NAPLAN changes.

Our Pull Out Section for this month is sure to have all parents digging deep when it comes to Digital Parenting. We have included an interesting infographic for our readers to taste some juicy statistics on the use of internet and devices by kids in various age-groups.

This month, we have dedicated our university section to ‘Graduate attributes.’

Since a lot of universities are holding their mid-year graduations in April, we thought it would be a great contribution to the magazine as graduates could learn what is expected of them in the real world, even before they graduate.

The announcement of the Change in Primary and High School Curriculum

sparked a lot of debate between parents and educators alike. We received numerous distressed parents who didn’t exactly know what to expect from the changes. So, we focused on the issue in our News & Views section. We also had the opportunity to hear people’s opinions about these changes, all of which has been incorporated into our ‘is education really being fixed?’ article.

The ICT for Education and horoscope sections continue to offer exciting app and book of the month recommendations, that is sure to keep you interested and wanting more.

As always, we have our exciting puzzle pop section dedicated to kids, with the topic this month being the Royal Easter Show, who would not love that?

If you would like us to focus on something specific in our future issues or just give us feedback on our current issue, please email us at editor@ educationtimes.com.au. Your opinion matters to us.

The Editorial Team

Letters to the editor Dear editor,

Thank you for your section on selective high schools. It’s good to know parents such as myself, aren’t doing anything wrong by choosing a public school instead of selective schools.

Dear editor,

Your science section never fails to please!

Keep it up

Susan (facebook)

Quotes of the month If opportunity doesn’t knock, built a door.”

Milton Berle

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”

Thomas a. Edison

Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.”

OgMandino

Dear editor,

Left brain, Right brain has never been easier to learn.

Thank you for that pull out.

It was very interesting to read!

Rita, Parramatta

Richard, St Marys

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

Is education re being ‘fixed’?

2

016 will mark the beginning of a new curriculum in New South Wales. Schools have already started to familiarise themselves with the changes in order to prepare and assist students in the following years. There are 30 main changes, which

have received mixed views and opinions from parents, teachers and academics.

While some completely agree with the changes and believe it is in the right direction, others feel that it might affect education, in general, and future career choices of students.

First, let’s understand the changes being introduced to the Primary and High School Curriculum.

Primary School

ics and citizenship History, geography, civ gle subject will be merged into a sin students More access for disabled : focusing on ach “Back to basics” appro literacy and numeracy bility, Australia’s High focus on sustaina Australian Torres relations with ASIA and Strait Islander cultures incorporated in Phonics and phonemics iting wr teaching, reading and at is taught in wh Mathematics, similar to Japan nking, personal and Critical and creative thi understanding social capability, ethical anding should no rst and intercultural unde longer be taught

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The Australian Education Times

High School

High focus on JudeoChristian heritage, influence of British Government in Australia, role of Western civilisation in the society Importance given to monitoring student progress Cut down on science subjects, more of art

The debate on the changes in the curriculum is fuelled by the fact that the country, which already lacks in university level science courses, resulting in very less students graduating in science, is further cutting down the subject from the primary education. It makes it even harder for children to garner any interest in science at the very beginning level of their education. Alternatively, the government has replaced some science courses with an increased amount of ‘arts’ subjects. While this is great in improving one’s language skills, it does prove to be an issue in the long run. In New South Wales, environmental lawyers are in demand. Through the arts, there are several university students studying law. However, there is only a minimum of students studying science/environmental courses, which prove to be a necessity in Australia.

The increased importance given to sustainability would play some role in teaching students about recycling, pollution issues, etc. However in saying so, this is not enough to ensure students’ interest to undertake chemistry, physics and biology in high school and university.

On the contrary, merging history, geography, civics and citizenship into one broad subject could prove to be a good thing. Civics and citizenship are similar subjects revolving around the duties and rights of citizens. Geography and history can easily be related as students and teachers compare how citizenship has changed throughout history, and in different regions of the globe. Current historical/geographical topics such as world wars, past leaders and natural disasters could still be incorporated into this broad subject as individual and group roles, as well as how issues are dealt with over the past

really years, have dramatically changed. While this merge will cut down several aspects of a subject, it will continue to teach topics that are relevant to Australian society today.

Primary schools will begin to incorporate Australia-Asia relations and Australian Torres Straight Islander cultures within some subjects and high school will further incorporate British relations/influences and Western civilization influences. Australia has had a strong connection with Asia for a long time, especially in relation to exports and imports. Similarly, Britain, western civilization in general and ATSI cultures has played a major role in the formation of Australian laws and societies. The increased teaching of these topics seems to be great in educating children about how Australia was formed. However, parents and academics have commented

I have been generally happy with the Australian Curriculum and it really supports the general capabilities and cross curriculum priorities. They reflect the skills and perspectives we need to develop for a global economy.

I think the concept of a national curriculum makes sense as a micro economic reform, and will assist employers with greater consistency in the curriculum studied by their prospective employees.

It also impacts positively on the mobility of families across Australia. Families will now be more confident about uprooting their families and moving, knowing that the core themes, skills and approaches will be much the same wherever they go. Geographic mobility is an important influence on Australia’s employment and economic development.

”

A High School Principal

on this change, stating it is too overcrowded and will confuse students rather than educate them. Increased teachings of these subjects today, could prove to be problematic, simply because it is too much and very irrelevant to subjects like maths.

Parent/teacher communication will be increased as a result of the new curriculum. Apart from the general parent-teacher meetings, parents will now be able to see their child’s progress at any stage throughout the year. This would occur as a result of teachers having to monitor and create a database of student progress, which parents will have access to. This is a very useful change, as parents are often kept out of the loop about their child’s progress, making it difficult to assist them when needed.

The new curriculum also altered a section, which now intends on giving more access to students with disabilities.

This is great, simply because disabled students are often restricted to ‘special’ or selective schools that can adequately cater to them. By giving disabled students more access in government schools, it proves to be more convenient and assists in giving students a sense of belonging at a regular school.

Qualified ‘special needs’ teachers will also be available in most schools, to further cater for disabled students and assist them with their learning.

However, in saying so, the government has also cut over $1 million of funding that was initially going towards disability programs. So, is there really any advantage, considering disabled students will now have more access to school, but restricted from major disability programs?

So, to answer the initial question, yes, education is somewhat being fixed.

However, we could have lived with the simplified old curriculum. The changes are complicated and have forced teachers and academics to work a lot more, in order to prepare themselves for next year. Several Catholic schools have already decided to reject the new curriculum as a result of it being too complicated, and hence, too difficult to maintain with extra-curriculum activities, such as clubs, sports and bible studies. However, several other schools have openly embraced the change and are looking forward to the following years with the new curriculum.

Tweetings “It is time to get politicians out of education. They don’t understand it and only want to push their own left or right agenda. Apart from that, who can respect the mutterings?”

- Johnny2

“The curriculum is overcrowded and contains a lot of repetitive politically correct junk. This junk continues to bloat a bit more each year at the expense of real education.”

- Jimmoles

“The ‘basics’ are often best taught within an integrated approach that considers various facets of something that captures the interest of students. The basics are innate human qualities that can be stunted by restrictive teaching.”

- Connie41

“The common exception words for Y2 spelling on the new curriculum are pretty darn weird.”

- Jennifer Juniper

“Anyone taken a deep breath & had a look at the sample 2016 KS1 and Ks2 maths tests? It has raised expectations..”

- Mastery Mathematics

“The new curriculum requires rigour in maths and science”

- STEM ed

The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times OUTSTANDING SCHOOL

Concord High S About our school

Concord High School is a dynamic 7 -12 comprehensive, coeducational school of over 980 students, including over 60% LBOTE and International students. The school provides a rich education for 21st century learners in a context of Excellence, Integrity and Harmony. We strive to develop quality teaching and learning and citizenship and value our diverse community.

Our school focuses on academic achievement, literacy, numeracy, technology and citizenship, within a supportive welfare environment. The school has a broad curriculum, a gifted and talented program, extensive technological resources and a broad range of extracurricular activities.

Established in 1980, Concord High School (CHS) is situated in the Inner Western Suburbs of greater Sydney. Located in leafy, green surroundings, yet close to the city, Concord High School is surrounded by parks and sporting fields. The design of the school is highly innovative and features clusters of classrooms around common spaces.

Concord High School is a culturally and ethnically diverse learning community where students benefit from being an integral part of the community, with strong links to our partner Primary Schools and other community bodies.

From the Principal

To me, CHS embodies the best of public education in NSW. Students of all abilities, interests and backgrounds are encouraged to achieve their potential while developing their senses of self and community, and learning to be responsible for their actions and outcomes. The school looks to the holistic, well-rounded development of every child. It is characterised by an ethos of striving for excellence, integrity and caring.

Our strategic directions for the future are all about the quality learning, quality teaching and making connections to the world around us.

Students are supported in their learning and development by an exceptionally caring teaching and support staff, who tailor programs to the needs of the students and draw upon the wider community for support when needed.

We are proud of the diversity of our student body as wellas their high levels of academic, sporting and charitable achievement.

Mrs Jacqueline Koob, Principal

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Academic Excellence

C

oncord High has a strong academic focus and has achieved highly competitive HSC results over many years. 10 – 20 % of students consistently achieve an ATAR over 90 and the achievement of the top two bands is well above state average. The top ATAR in the school is usually greater than 99 and in 2014 was 99.7. 75% of students who aspire to university are offered places as a result of their HSC. Another 14-15% fulfil their ambitions through TAFE placements. Our students go on to succeed in a vast range of university courses such as Law, Medicine, Engineering, Business, Teaching, Economics and Computer Science.

NAPLAN results reflect a similar level well above the State averages. In 2014 we were particularly pleased by the levels of growth between Year 7 and Year 9.

Our Curriculum

While the core of study in the Junior years is shaped by the mandatory study pattern, Concord High offers several innovative additions. Year 7 students benefit from a Learning Unit and Year 9 students from the Innovations course and there is a unique elective in Journalism and media. The range of subjects in the senior school covers around 35 subjects, in addition to a number of extra languages which students can access through the Open High School or Saturday School of Community Languages and courses accessed through TAFE. Teachers focus strongly on 21st century learning strategies and utilise the latest technology to develop student learning skills.

Individualised Learning Plans are prepared for many students with special needs.

The school is well resourced with computer technology. Wi-fi, computer rooms, interactive boards and video conferencing facilities are integral to the quality teaching and learning of the school. The school is now committed to a BYOD program for most year groups, with a total implementation planned for next year.

Gifted and Talented Program Concord High School provides an enriched environment for gifted and academically talented students with staff trained in gifted and talented education. We assist families to identify students who would benefit from an innovative and challenging experience and provide a stream for them in the junior school. The tailored G & T program offers both extension and enrichment and addresses the skills needed for success and leadership in a changing world. All students in this stream are involved in the HOTS (Higher Order Thinking) Program , for further extension beyond the curriculum.

School Other Special Features of the school Journalism students at Concord High produce four school newspapers each year. These display an exceptional quality, which has won awards over the years and is frequently celebrated by the community. The newspaper is distributed to 17,000 homes in the local area.

Concord High School is affiliated to the SymphoniaJubilate, a high level orchestra with associated ensembles which now includes 10 local schools. The standard of performance is amazing and students perform at events in the DEC and the community. Last year they were part of a tour to China.

Concord High has been a centre for International Students for over 10 years and these students are an integral part of our richly diverse community.

Special programs assist them with their English and they contribute to the strengths of the school.

International contacts are also strengthening through our newly established Confucius Classroom. We are one of only 13 schools in NSW to be selected for partnership with China in this program and look forward to developing our Chinese teaching and the opportunities to forge links with schools in China by email,

video conferencing and visits. The school is establishing a Sister school relationship in the Nanjing area and will also establish a sister school with a school in Osaka, Japan. In 2014 the school led a student trip to Japan and we often host visits from overseas, and also receive exchange students through Rotary. These developments reflect our desire to educate the global citizens and leaders of the future.

Among the facilities which facilitate our programs are a school bus and a fully staffed Senior Learning Centre.

Our After-school Tutoring program is a popular support for students who wish to maximise their results.

Extra-curricular activities Concord High School offers a host of different activities to meet the interests of its students. These include the arts, with musical ensembles such as the Band, a vocal ensemble and membership of the SymphoniaJubilate.

There are active and much-enjoyed clubs for Robotics, Art, Chess and Textiles. Music, Art and Drama students regularly display their skills and entertain their families and friends at our MAD Nights as well as performing at assemblies, concerts and in the community.

Our Debating and Public Speaking Programs attract significant numbers of students and have achieved great success in recent years. There is also a strong Student

Leadership program, centred around the SRC, the Prefect body, House Captains, leadership training days and access to external leadership programs.

The Duke of Edinburgh Program also caters to leadership development as well as practical orienteering skills and community contributions.

Sport On the more physical side, Concord High offers its students a Before and After School Sport Program, where trained coaches develop skills in a range of specific sports. This is in addition to the regular sport program in school time, which gives opportunities for both competitive (grade) and recreationalsports.

Knockout competitions are a further avenue for our most talented and enthusiastic sportsmen and women.

The school has a strong history of outstanding sporting success at both individual and team levels.

Student Wellbeing At Concord High School, we provide a safe , secure and disciplined learning environment. Our staff recognise the importance of the social and emotional wellbeing of students and the impact this has on student learning. For this reason the Mind Matters Program and PBL are being added to the already strong range of wellbeing approaches.

The Welfare Team is large and strong, and they provide individual support for students as well as programs tailored to each year group, transition programs, camps and Welfare Days.

The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times SUCCESS STORY

10 INSIGHTFUL QUESTIONS TO ADAM MCARTHUR, CEO OF LITERACY PLANET Our ever so talented and dynamic News Crew did it again.

This time Sienna and Prisha had an amazing opportunity to interview Adam McArthur, CEO of Literacy Planet. His colleagues describe him as unique, man of principles and integrity, intellectual, a great mentor and a strong leader.

It can be very difficult to find all the earlier mentioned attributes in one single person. But Adam McArthur is certainly all of that and more. With over 20 years of experience in business development, he has inspired and helped many businesses reach great heights of success and he continues to do the same for Literacy Planet.

You have played many roles including a consultant, a business development manager, a strategy director and a CEO to name a few. Tell us about your journey.

Q1

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The Australian Education Times

I always wanted to work in the travel industry, but after completing university I got an opportunity to work for a building materials company, something which I hadn’t thought of doing. I ended up travelling the world while working in that industry.

So this is something that I have done

throughout my career, just trying new opportunities. I have worked with a building material and a technology start up company, then went on to work in automotive and aerospace industry. After returning to Australia, I wanted to get into the online business, as I could see a huge shift to the online. My journey has now brought me to Literacy Planet, which is a new industry for me again. Even though I don’t have any experience in education, I am loving it.

How do you feel your educational background has helped your career?

Q2

The key thing about my education has been that I had to change schools a lot of times. At that time I found it hard but I look at it now and realise that it made me very adaptable and also helped me to work in different industries and companies. So I feel

that changing schools had set me up to this point of my career where I am very easy and confident to work in any industry.

We have seen you work for NewsCorp Australia, Fairfax Media and now the CEO of Literacy Planet. Has writing and literature always been a passion for you?

Q3

It’s certainly been very important all throughout my career. The key part is the education, I am very passionate about education. One of my roles at Fairfax, 10 years ago, was to develop an education business for them. While it took me 10 years to completely get into the education space, I learnt that Australian Education business is very well respected on the global basis.

What do you love the most about being a CEO of Literacy Planet?

Q4

There are a couple of things that I love most. It’s a new education market and also it’s something that I am very passionate about. I have had opportunities to work with international businesses, but I love working for Australian Businesses.

The other thing is really about making a difference to people’s lives and receiving great feedback from the customers.

Working overseas in places like Asia, USA and Latin America have helped you gain valuable experience. Is this very important in today’s world?

Q5

I think it is very important. It makes you very adaptable and makes you learn quickly and understand people better. It certainly helped me become a good manager.

Success means different things to different people. What is your definition of success?

Q6

Success to me is to make a difference.

It’s making difference to yourself and the people you care about. It’s something that makes me feel happy and comfortable at what I am doing.

How important is hard work in becoming successful?

Q7

I always listen to my father’s voice in my head. He always said you make your own luck. That is something I believed in all the way through. But besides hard work you also need a

What is the future of technology in education. How will it impact today’s learning?

Q9

Technology gives it a great opportunity to make it more fun and engaging. That is something we try and do at Literacy Planet. We use technology and tools from other industries and apply it to education.

By making it fun and engaging, children will learn more and would be more willing to learn.

DO YOU DREAM OF BEING A REPORTER? Do you have a flair for being interrogative and inquisitive about personalities? If yes, then you sure can be one to the member for the coveted “The News Crew”. We are looking for young and talented reporters to be a part of “The News Crew” for the year 2015- 2016. For more details go to www.educationtimes.com.au/newscrew plan. You put yourself in a situation to have luck, but it all comes along with hard work.

What have been your biggest failures and how have you learned from them?

Q8

I have had many failures. But to mention one, it would be when I was working with a start-up, we thought we had a very good opportunity to make it a global business, but no one else believed in it. We didn’t give up and kept persevering and after two years we were successful. The key is not to give up and believe in yourself.

You must have very busy days. Can you give us some advice on how to manage our time?

Q10

For me, at the start of each day, working out what are the important things that need to be done that day and prioritising them is very important. It is very easy to get caught up in meetings and emails and the days go past. So, the key is to plan ahead your day, week or month.

To watch the full interview visit www.educationtimes.com.au The Australian Education Times

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Education Times FOCUS ON UNIVERSITY The Australian

GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES Do universities effectively articulate their relevance to students?

T

here was a really interesting article in the Australian Financial Review (14 February), by Ruth Callaghan, which provided convincing evidence about what employers really expect their employees to have in the way of skills and attributes.

The article quotes the head of the Australian Association of Graduate Employers who states that ‘getting into a job’ depends on much more than having good grades. Employers are looking for prospective employees who display a host of generic qualities such as leadership, problem solving, customer service and good communication skills.Many employers are now global players. They expect and want employees to be international in their outlook, able to recognise and work with diversity, to have had work and life experiences that enhance their capacity to perform internationally and (increasingly) have the ability to speak more than one language. Information and ideas transcend national boundaries and they certainly exceed content knowledge alone.

It made me think about a university project I was involved in back in the

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The Australian Education Times

early 1990s that aimed to propose a list of graduate attributes that all degree programs offered by that university would incorporate intoteaching- learning processes. A major point of debate our project team had all those 20+ years ago with the university academics was that graduate attributes were not an add-on and something that had to be taught on top of discipline content knowledge. There was real concern that having to include graduate attributes as well as subject content knowledge would diminish the ability to cover all that needed to be covered. Of course over time (most of)the academics came to realise that graduate attributes are meant to be embedded in subjects and across programs; and that through various learning activities and student assessment, qualities such as good written and oral communication, initiative, creativity, team-work and cross cultural understanding (to name just a few generic graduate attributes) could be encouraged and developed.

Given the Financial Review article, I wondered if graduate attributes, whilst still being advertised by universities as important features contained within their teaching-learning processes, are still a bit of mystery to university students?There certainly remain differences in what academics understand graduate attributes to be and how they perceive they should form part of the curriculum. In some fields like engineering there also exist industry statements of graduate attributes for the profession.But no matter what approach

is taken by a university, a faculty or an academic to include graduate attributes as part of the learning process, it is most important that the relevance of these generic qualities are articulated to students.

University students are partners in the teaching- learning process. The message needs to get to students aboutwhythey are being asked to undertake the kind of tasks they are given, the kind of thinking expected of them, and the reasoning behind the kind of criteria applied to appraise their work. Right from day 1 of their university studies, studentsneed to be told about the importance of generic graduate qualities and how they compliment disciplinary knowledge, skills and understandings. They need to realise content knowledge is so quickly changing andhow they will need much more than contentto be as equipped as they can be for today’s complex, fastpaced and global world. Students need to appreciate that learning is and will be for them a life-long and life-wide involvement. They need to be reminded how their university degree aims to present them with discipline and generic learning opportunities that develop their analytical capacity, creativeaptitude and adaptive ability so they are able to negotiate and adapt to inevitable workplace changes. Students need to see the significance of being asked to employ

multiple strategies to arrive at different creative solutions to problems or even the same problem, because that is what awaits them in the ‘real-world’ of work.

But is the role and usefulness of graduate attributes and their relationship to theoverall student learning experienceeffectively articulated to students? Do students even realise what their university graduate attributes statements contain?

I am reminded of debriefing sessions held with ‘almost’ graduates after an interview process with a prospective employer. When asked questions about subject matter particular to their discipline they answered eloquently and confidently. However, when posed questions that asked them to draw on for example, their experience with project management, they stumbled and became uncertain about how to respond.

These students could not extrapolate the relationship between the substantial number of learning activities and assessment tasks they had successfully completed through their 3 year degree, which included and developedtheir teamwork, research skills, oral and written communication, innovative reasoning, problem-solving, leadership… and more.

All graduates should be able to confidently articulate their knowledge of these graduate qualities to prospective

employers and demonstrate their appropriate application of them within the work environment right from the beginning of their career. They won’t be able to do this if universities do not effectively articulate to students the relevance of graduate attributes to the overall learning experience.

NITA TEMMERMAN

PHD; M ED HONS; B ED; DIPMUST; ATCL; MACE Higher Education Consultant.

After an academic career that spanned 4 Australian states and positions as Pro Vice Chancellor Academic Quality, Pro Vice Chancellor Community Engagement, Pro Vice Chancellor Partnerships, Executive Dean Faculty of Education and Head of School, I am now working as an independent higher education consultant and advisor.

The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times FOCUS ON UNIVERSITY

Have we become

THE LOG -ON DEGREE’

generation?

T

oday, the majority of universities are technology-based and centered on doing EVERYTHING online! You don’t need to be doing an online course to qualify into the ‘log-on generation’; you simply have to be studying at a modern university.

Universities such as University of Sydney, University of Technology, University of Western Sydney and several more uses a device called ‘Turnitin’ to receive assignments from students. Turnitin is a device used to pick up on plagiarism so students have the opportunity to see where they went wrong, and further alter their work to meet the university requirements. In the past, students were required to hand

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The Australian Education Times

in their assignments on paper. Today, students are told to submit everything online as it makes things much easier.

Bringing a laptop or other mobile device is highly recommended in most universities. Universities in Australia actually sell iPads and laptops on campus, so students are able to make purchases and advance their educational journey. Campuses also offer free WiFi to access course content, rather than having to talk to teachers in order to find out what is happening.

The lectures are recorded and uploaded online so students could get educated from the convenience of their beds, rather than having to physically attend those. Some teachers

actually go further and offer online video sessions where students are able to join the online class, just to ask questions about the lectures or a tutorial that they have missed or did not understand.

Of course, exams are mostly still done on paper, in a big, intimidating exam hall. But what’s not to say, this will also become online someday soon?

Many university units have ‘smaller’ exams to prepare for the finals, which are generally done online.

These online exams also have a set of questions that are to be completed within a certain time frame. While this is not as intimidating as general exams, it does help with familiarising students with exam content and what to expect on the day of the actual exam.

Referencing has always been the worst component of submitting assignments. Having to read through thick books and familiarise ourselves with how to reference based on specific styles was always mission impossible. Today, there are hundreds of reference generators on the Internet. All you have to do is enter your source and the Internet does all the work for you. Of course, this is not recommended as it does often hold errors. However, it is a great guideline and a great way to practice referencing yourself.

Now, the underlying issue of universities being so technologicallybased is, what if you do not own a device or cannot afford it? Not to worry, universities also have a lot of computer rooms! It is the 21st century and technology is taking over. There are hardly any more excuses left.

We are, in fact, becoming the log on generation. We have become the generation that does everything on laptops and iPads, even if our course teaches nothing about ICT!

secure your future

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The Australian

Education Times ICT FOR EDUCATION

App

Review

BIT A bit (short for binary digit) is the smallest unit of measurement in computing. 8 bits comprise 1 byte.

BLUETOOTH Wireless communications technology intended to replace the cables connecting devices. It allows short-range connections between two or more compatible devices BOOKMARK A saved link to a Web page that has been added to a list of saved links.

Microsoft Internet Explorer denotes these as “favourites.”

BROWSER A software program that allows you to surf the Web. The most popular web browsers are Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer

AD-FREE CONVERTOR This converts distance, mass, temperature, volume, time and many other units. This is a very handy app to have because it makes conversions so easy.

It helps remembering conversion rates when doing maths, which is a very useful tool.

METALANGUAGE:

QUIZ-UP This app has quizzes on many subjects including maths, science, history, pop culture, vocab and many more. You play in real time against someone else and gain points and medals. Great for all ages, as there are age categories and is interactive.

GIF – GRAPHICS Interchange Format or GIF is a graphics file format. Because GIF files are compressed, the file can be quickly and easily transmitted over a network. GIF is one of the main graphics format on the Internet READ-ONLY A read-only file contains information that cannot be edited, modified or deleted TROUBLESHOOTING Troubleshooting is an approach to locating, diagnosing and fixing issues with software, hardware, computers and other electronics

This app helps you keep track of what you eat and drink and how much exercise you do. It will tell you approximately how many kilojoules are in a certain food so kids are informed about their eating habits.

It’s a wonderful way to learn about food and its health benefits 14 |

The Australian Education Times

7 LITTLE WORDS This app is a great way to expand your vocabulary and learn creative ways to define words.

There are different levels within the puzzle packs, ranging from very easy to impossible. A great literacy app for primary and older.

VIRUS A piece of programming code inserted into other programming to cause damage. Viruses can be sent in many forms but are often received in emails that when opened may erase data or cause damage to your hard disk. Recent viruses also enter your email system and send themselves to your address list

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.

The Australian Education Times

| 15

The Australian

Education Times

Parenting in the Digital Age

WHAT AGE SHOULD KIDS SCREEN STEPS BE ALLOWED TO GOOD TIME DIGITAL ON SOCIAL PARENTING NETWORKING DEBATE SITES

The Australian

Education Times

7 I

PULL OUT

STEPS TO GOO DIGITAL PAREN

’m often told how hard it is to parent in this digital age.

So many decisions about devices, software, apps and games have to be made and at increasingly younger ages. Amazon and others have created tablets for pre-school kids. Parents are buying smart phones for kindergartners. And there’s a potty training app complete with stand for your iPad. All of this before they’ve reached elementary and middle school years.

Then it’s Minecraft, Moshi Monsters and Club Penguin. Texting takes off, particularly among the girls and new issues arise around photo and video sharing.

And just when you’ve mastered all that, the teen years come along with the onslaught of social media sites from Facebook to Instagram to Twitter, never mind anonymous apps like Ask.fm, Secret and YikYak. Problematic issues arise that range from sexting and cyberbullying to identity theft and simply spending too much time online.

What’s a parent to do?

Well, I’ve tried to distill many years of work in this constantly changing space to seven simple, but still challenging steps to become a good digital parent. It is definitely a journey, like parenting itself. And there is no such thing as perfection.

Just good enough.

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The Australian Education Times

OD NTING

3

Use parental controls

Here goes:

It goes without saying that there is content on the Internet you don’t want your kids stumbling upon. All of the major operating systems, search engines, cell phone providers and gaming platforms provide either free or inexpensive parental controls to help you manage your kids online experience. And, as your kids get older, move from controls to monitoring tools, particularly around time limits to discourage texting in class or vamping late at night.

1

4

Talk with your kids

It sounds simple, but the number one indicator of good digital parenting is keeping an open line of communication going with your kids. Talk early and often. It is not like the birds and the bees discussion.

It is more like an ongoing dialogue that will move and shift as your child works her way through several key developmental stages. Stay calm. Be open and direct.

But keep talking.

2

Educate yourself

This is probably the first technology in human history where the kids are leading the adults. It is very humbling to have a 7 year old explain how to upload a video. Or your teen rolling his eyes once again as you try to master Pandora. But there is a wealth of tips, videos, explanations and guides out there. If in doubt, simply type in your question or concern in your favorite search engine and there will be more than enough information to go on.

Set ground rules & apply sanctions

Many parents don’t know where to start in creating rules of the road for their kids digital use. But there are many online safety contracts to choose from as well as simple house rules such as no devices at dinner and handing in their phones at night. Once you’ve set the rules, enforce them. Let your kids know that they will lose online privileges if they break the rules and be clear and consistent about what those sanctions will be.

6

Explore, share and celebrate

With the rules and tools in place, don’t forget to just go online with your kids. Play games, watch videos, share photos and generally hang out with your children online.

Learn from them and have fun.

Share your favorite sites and download their apps. See the world through their eyes. And let them know your values and beliefs as you guide them on their way.

7

Be a good digital role model

Be the change you want to see in your kids. Resist the temptation to pull out your phone to check your email over dinner or send a quick text while driving. Keep an eye on your own digital habits and compulsions and model good digital behavior and balance. Your kids will pay far more attention to what you do, than to what you say – both online and offline.

5

Friend and follow, but don’t stalk

When your teen opens her Facebook account at 13, ensure you’re her first friend. Follow your kids on Twitter and YouTube.

Don’t overdo it and leave daily comments, but don’t under do it either. It’s good to stay close as your teen makes his first forays into the world of social media.

But don’t be tempted to spy on your kids, either. Talking instead of stalking is what builds trust.

Give your teen some space to experiment, to take (healthy) risks and to build resiliency.

Stephen Balkam Founder & CEO , Family Online Safety Institute The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times

PULL OUT Australian Children are among the Youngest and prolific users of internet in the world of children have accessed the internet in 2015, compared to only 47% in 2000

of Australian Households have an access to Internet.

of parents talk to their children about the importance of staying safe online but 32 per cent said they believe their children didn’t understand online safety of three to seven year olds use tablets and 40% of 12 to 15 year olds prefer to use smartphones as their mobile devices of choice.

of kids aged 12-15 are more likely to use their mobile devices for social media, with 32 percent using them for games and mobile apps.

of parents are more accepting of mobile devices being used for educational purposes than ever before, believing it will equal an educational advantage compared to past generations.

The biggest concern for parents surveyed about their children using mobile devices was their access to inappropriate content followed closely by health-related issues.

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The Australian Education Times

Our Ch And T Tech D

76%

of Australian children and young teenagers go online daily, with the average time spent online bordering over one and half hour per day.

of eight to 11 year olds are on social networking sites. of children aged three to seven, 63 per cent of kids eight to 11 and 73 percent of 12-15 year olds either have their own mobile device or use their parent’s mobile devices.

hildren Their Dose

of Australian children reported encountering something online that upset or bothered them – two and a half times the European average.

Children between eight and 15 spent between one and three hours per day on a mobile device

of teenagers report to being bullied through their mobile phones.

Only one in ten teens tells their parents of they are being bullied online.

The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times

PULL OUT

What age should kids be al

social networking T

The ‘argument’ about when to let kids have access to social networking sites and apps, has been an ongoing debate and something that parents need an expert advice for.

The problem with these ‘arguments’ however, is that it seems to be shrouded in an ‘us versus them’ mentality. There are many generalisations, and an

inability to see the many complexities and grey areas of a not only complex world, but one that is dynamic and ever changing.

Like all things in life it is very easy to make sweeping generalisations. But not all parents are the same. Not all kids are the same. And absolutely, not all ‘experts’ are the same. And that’s just how the world is.

Age restrictions on App ratings are guidelines, not laws.

App developers decide about the age rating for their site at their own discretion and are not being governed by any authority. Mostly they will use 13+, as this helps them to get around COPPA laws (Child Online Privacy Protection Act) regarding the gathering of personal information of a minor (COPPA also has no jurisdiction in Australia). App ratings are also given separately by both the Apple Store and Google Play. This is sometimes confusing and the ratings perplexing. For example, Facebook state you must be 13 + to open a Facebook account, yet the Apple Store rates it as 4+, which is described as an “app with no objectionable material”. So the guidelines are there and of course they should be used as a guide, just as we do with movie classifications, but not necessarily as a deciding factor.

Kids want to hang with their mates.

They don’t want to play in the playground that no other kids are hanging out in and they don’t want to be left out of what is now one of the most important elements of their socialisation, i.e. social media. They will often find ways around bans and restrictions of certain sites. In fact they don’t even have to try hard. They just walk out the door and re-download an app. Stop by a friend’s house, a café, log in to Wi-Fi and away they go.

Kids are handed devices and a whole world is served up to them.

Kids as young as 5 and 6 are now given devices for their school, should they be participating in BYOD or one to one programs. So essentially they have internet enabled devices in their back pocket or backpack. Despite having good control over what our kids are doing with the ability to log in to the internet easily, policing the use of certain sites and apps becomes very difficult.

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The Australian Education Times

We, as parents, cannot have same fundamental beliefs and cannot teach in the similar fashion.

So this particular ‘argument’ sees parents, who allow their kids on social media despite age restrictions, confident they are playing safe and doing the right things, versus those desperate to uphold the righteousness of age restrictions and rules at whatever the cost, because it is deemed the right thing to do.

So, what are some of the variables we need to consider when we discuss whether kids are the right age to be using social networking sites?

llowed on

g sites?

Age alone does not determine whether you are responsible enough to engage in social media.

We don’t hand our kids keys to a car at 18 just because they are of the legal age. A substantial amount of practise, teaching and experience must happen first. There are some very mature 12 year olds, and some very immature 14 year olds. We need to be sure our kids have the skills and behaviours to act safely and responsibly online, no matter their age.

By the time kids are allowed on certain apps, we have started to lose some control.

If kids are handed the keys to the whole world of social networking at 14 or 15, we have already begun to lose much control over what they are doing. They spend a substantial amount of time online, mostly unsupervised, often out of the house, and privacy issues become blurry as they hanker for independence and a life separate from their parents. We may be missing that opportunity to ‘train’ and teach and learn from experience.

Some kids are not doing themselves any favours hanging out on social networks while others use them wisely.

They are hampering their digital reputation by posting inappropriate content that sheds them in a negative light. They are consumed by ‘likes and followers’ and rely on social media alone for their sense of confidence and self-esteem. Some negative online interactions spill over into real life and school playgrounds.

Some kids follow photographers and designers, emulating artworks, editing photos and making short films, seeking out inspirational quotes and sporting achievements. Activities such as mentioned above are deemed to be healthy for their creative minds.

So what is the conclusion? Well, in the words of Danah Boyd “It’s complicated”. We want to teach that rules are there to be obeyed. But we mustn’t be naïve, nor settle for a false sense of security.

We need to keep up with what our kids are doing and maintain a healthy communication with our own kids. Parents need to gather as much information as they can and make decisions based on the best interests of their children and families.

We can’t be fooled in to thinking there are safe apps out there, when we know there can only be safe users. We need to remain relevant to our kids and understand the challenges they face and the enormity of living in this new mirrored, magnified and overexposed world.

Whatever you decide, whatever rules you feel are best for your family, be sure you do it with eyes wide open, don’t succumb to complacency, don’t be ruled by fear and the unknown and be sure that communication is frequent, ongoing and always adapting to the changes

MARTINE OGLETHORPE Martine is a speaker, writer and a family councillor. She is passionate about helping parents face the challenges of the modern world and give presentations on parenting in the digital world. Her website www. themodernparent.net talks about parenting and the challenges that parents face in this digital age.

The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times

PULL OUT

The screen time debate

L

imits on screen time for Evidence suggests that too much children and teenager’s has screen time can affect an individual’s been the subject of much posture and eyesight. The wrists, discussion and continued thumbs and elbows can become analysis in the recent years due to an strained and children can suffer from increase in technological advancement. sleep problems, social issues, and the Paediatric screen guidelines currently body can store more energy than it advise that maximum screen time for actually uses. children aged between 5 and 14 is 2 However, despite the reality that hours per day. It is recommended that technology is embedded in today’s children under two have no screen time society and culture, the American whatsoever, and preschool children Academy of Paediatricians most recent have only thirty minutes of screen time policy statement, issued in 2013, per week with no more than 15 minute which is also backed by Australian segments of computer use. paediatrician’s, supports a ‘media diet’ However, a recent study with a of two hours a day for children and particular focus on web surfing, adolescents. smartphones, social media and The American Academy of television conducted by the University Paediatricians recognises the pro-social of Western Australia concluded uses of media and the need for media that current screen limitations for education at school and in the home. children and teenagers of two hours The AAP agrees that programmes like daily, recommended by the American ‘Sesame Street’ engage children in Academy of Paediatrics, may need to be learning, and that the media can teach reviewed. empathy, tolerance, and interpersonal The findings confirm that when skills.

The AAP recommends screen time between school, g, as paediatricians operatin homework and entertainment is influential are ls How Parents advisors to schoo combined, more than sixty per cent ood urh bo in school and neigh of Australian children are already could help: ving ser s ian forums. Paediatric exceeding the current two-hour ool sch or ns • Set a screen time lim as school physicia screen time recommendation. it ld: ou sh medical advisors A leading researcher, Professor of no more than two uation • Encourage the contin Stephen Houghton, explained that hours per day. tion uca ed of media-based • Develop more hobbies previous studies examining screen . nt media me ple im programs, or use by children and teenagers have Busy kids are less settings in ms gra education pro focused on the use of traditional likely to have issues es are mm gra where these pro with screen time, and screens rather than assessing lacking. generally report being usage patterns of popular devices Encourage innovative use • more fulfilled. such as the smartphone, tablet or ’t of technology, where it isn • Eliminate food and dri the growing popularity of social as nk in h suc d, ate already facilit front of the screen. networking sites. ms online education progra • Help your child get int ‘The introduction of mobile with o rs ge na tee for children or a habit of planning their devices suggests the less-than-twol oo sch d ne lai medically exp screen time. hours-per-day recommendation absences. may no longer be tenable given the • Physical time: Make sure r Work with parent teache • your child is engaging in surge in social media engagement e rag cou en to associations regular physical activity. and school-derived screen use,’ Mr or nit mo or it parents to lim Encourage your child to Houghton said. times. have age appropriate screen a regular ten-minute bre do t ak tha ls oo sch In addition, during screen time where to ed ne s gie olo use new techn they can go for a short wa at wh t lk ou ab es have strict rul or engage in other physi to cal information is accessible activity. students.

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The Australian Education Times

The Australian

Education Times

CAREER OF THE MONTH

Staying up to date

t s i r o Fl

Is this career path for you?

Do you have a love for flowers? Are you an artistic person who likes to arrange things based on creativity?

Would you like to learn about different flowers and colours?

If so, this could be the perfect career for you!

Florists are passionate about flowers and love arranging them to look the best. Qualifying as a florist, you are able to either work for another company or open your own little shop filled with your favourite flowers.

Educational qualifications

In order to qualify as a florist, most people attend a ‘floristry school’ where they learn all about flowers and different techniques of arranging them in order to look its best. This course usually goes on for a year, though there are options to continue studying after that year. Once you gain your initial florestry diploma, you could study further to specify in certain areas, such as event floristry or gardening.

If you intend on opening your own shop, it is also important to also take a business course to learn about management and how to run a business. These courses are available at TAFE or University and usually run for a year or more depending on how much you would like to learn.

Once you complete both a floristry course and a business course, you are ready to begin your flower journey!

Whether you are a student or just exploring your options, it is important to keep up to date with the new finds and changes in the florist industry.

There are millions of flora in the world that scientists are continuing to find every day. You could follow environmental journalists, over the internet, in order to learn about new flowers or plants found.

By gaining knowledge about these new flowers, it would be easier to add them to your shop and have a successful business.

Career paths

t Once you obtain your firs ld cou you , certificate in floristry t. ris flo a already get a job as continue Some people choose to rse cou g studying a designin y the so or a business course t jus n tha could do a lot more r ee car the sell flowers. Some of e gre de try paths with a floris includes:

Floristry Assistant Florist

Senior Florist Florist designer

The average florist earns $19.55 per hour.

The Australian Education Times

| 25

The Australian

Education Times

PROMOTION

West End

W

Mazda

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!

New Cars

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.

We have the largest range of new Mazda vehicles in stock, carrying over 400 cars at any given time. Both of our Sales fully registered demonstrators for test drives at your convenience. Our sales teams will, by appointment, even bring our demonstrators to you at any time if you are unable to visit one of our new vehicle showrooms.

26 |

The Australian Education Times

West End Mazda is currently

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.

We also carry large

occasions since 1994. We have been the Number 1 selling Dealer for Mazda Passenger Vehicles consecutivley since 2003.

MAZDA CX-9 CLASSIC 2WD

accessories ensuring personalise their Mazda http://www.westendmazda.com.au/vehicles/cx-9 to their tastes.

All Mazda Passenger vehicles come with a comprehensive 3yr/Unlimited who are always looking for Mazda vehicles to meet the needs of our customers. Pre Km warranty.

All Mazda Commercial vehicles come with a 2yr/Unlimited or 3yr/100,000 Km warranty.

Click onto our New Cars page to book a test drive or give us a call on; North Parramatta 1300 924 584 Blacktown 1300 874 394

Pre Owned

As with our New Cars our Pre Owned sales teams are put though a rigorous training program to ensure that they also meet and exceed your expectations.

West End Mazda carry ex Mazda limits, we have the next best option. These vehicles come with the balance of new vehicle warranty so your peace

Finance and Insurance

With access to our business partners Esanda Finance, Capital Finance and AGI (Automotive Global Insurance) West End Mazda is able to offer extremely competitive Finance packages for Leasing, Commercial Hire Purchase, Chattel Mortgage’s and Consumer Loans together with a comprehensive range of Insurance

If you or a friend has a Mazda that you MAZDA6 are trying to sell 2.5LT PETROL please drop in for SEDAN an obligation free SPORT valuation with our Pre Owned Managers http://www.westendmazda.com.au/vehicles/mazda-6

WEST END MAZDA

IS AUSTRALIAS BEST MAZDA DEALER

http://www.westendmazda.com.au/about products including highly attractive Comprehensive Motor Vehicle Insurance.

Our aim is to make doing business with West End Mazda enjoyable and hassle free whilst upholding the highest levels of Customer Service Standards in the Automotive Industry.

For more information please refer to our Finance and Insurance Page and click to call one of our team to speak directly to someone during business hours 7 days per week.

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).

Have you checked what your next service will cost?

Log onto Mazda’s website – http://www.mazda.com.au/owners/ servicing-your-mazda/recommended-

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

Both Service Centres offer a complimentary car wash at time of service, free wheel alignment check, brake check, battery check, customer waiting lounges incorporating Wi-Fi internet access, refreshments, Pay TV, loan cars at a nominal cost, as well as drop off to the nearest train station.

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

| 27

The Australian

Education Times LITERACY CORNER

Media Literacy st 1 2 l a c i t i r c a l l i k s y r u t n e c

F

rom t-shirts, bumper stickers, enormous digital billboards and logos to the Internet, smart phones, video games and social media, the M2 generation was born into a media-saturated society.

Until the 21st century “literacy” was all about reading and writing print text.

Today, the messages we receive, come to us as images and sounds, and are increasingly interactive – meaning that the user, or reader, is actively engaging with the message.

These interactive messages come in the form of online games as well as an increasingly wide array of social media. Almost twice as many children have used mobile media compared to

two years ago, and the average amount of time children spend using mobile devices has tripled.

For centuries, education has been designed to make sure students learned facts about the world, which they proved to be aware of by correctly answering questions on tests. But such a system is no longer relevant when the most up-to-date facts are available at the touch of a button. What students need today is to learn how to find what they need to know, when they need to know it and to have the higher order thinking skills to analyse and evaluate whether the information they find is useful for what they want to know.

Media literacy involves creating messages using technology as well

Media Literacy is the ability to access, analyse, evaluate and create media in a variety of forms.

ANALYSING AND EVALUATING MEDIA an example The least healthy cereals are the ones most marketed to children, and overall, children are exposed to a vast amount of marketing for highly-sugared cereals, 28 |

The Australian Education Times

more than for any other category of packaged food.

Some children’s cereal contain up to 37 tablespoons of sugar!

Think about the product placement and packaging.

Notice at what height on the shelves are the products targeting children. Notice the colours. They also frequently feature puzzles, games or cartoons on the back of the box. Sometimes the box says, “Look Inside” to claim a prize.

Celebrities, from Buzz Bee for Honeycombs to SpongeBob, as well as real life celebrities, usually sports figures or musicians, appear

Multiple new literacies are required to navigate the forest of signs and symbols of our globalised media culture.

Douglas Kellner, Ph.D., UCLA as questioning them. Creating or producing a media message is an excellent way to begin developing media literacy, which involves understanding the way messages are constructed.

frequently on the packages. The latest commercial for Honey Nut Cheerios features Usher, an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actor.

In the commercial Usher and Buzz Bee dance to Usher’s latest song, “She Came to Give It to Me”.

Analyse the commercial (see link below). How many connections or techniques are used? Think about sound, movement, body language, color, lighting, celebrity status.

Part of a Complete Breakfast?

Have you ever noticed how the television commercials end with the statement, “Part of a complete breakfast!” accompanied by an image such as this one: Let’s analyse this image. What is in the picture?

What items in this picture make this a “healthy or complete breakfast”?

What is in the image that is not considered to be healthy?

Go to this link to analyze an assortment of television commercials. http://mlworkshopnyc2010.wikifoundry.com/ page/TV+commercials?t=anon

PRODUCING MEDIA A deeper way to develop media literacy is to actually construct your own media products. These can range from designing websites to film making, creating video games, blogging, publishing eBooks and creating products using online tools such as Glogster to make interactive posters.

These projects are not only fun, they help you develop many high level skills such as creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, problem solving and more.“Creativity” and “the ability to ask good questions” are two of the highest skills in demand by corporations.

Creating these products also helps you connect content from the disciplines in a way that is relevant to you, and that is rigorous. When creating these products you are applying your knowledge, not just memorising it for a test, then forgetting it.

The process of filming, then editing, and inclusion of sound effects, music and voice-over will help you understand that all media messages are constructions. To create a video or film product, you begin planning by creating a storyboard. Going deeper, you will begin to learn various techniques of persuasion as well as various camera angles and lighting.

What media message can you produce? First of all, decide the purpose of your product, and then identify your target audience. Decide what techniques you will incorporate into the production of your message. Most of the activities listed below do not require additional equipment. Most smart phones are able to film and edit your

projects. There are also many free online tools for editing and enhancing your messages.

Is it to inform or teach? You can create a “how to” program. For example, you can create a cooking show. An excellent model for students is Alton Brown’s television show, Good Eats. It is entertaining as well as informative.

He does not just show you how to create a recipe, he makes connections

to everything from agriculture to chemistry, history, sociology, physics, math, anthropology . . . throughout his programs. Popular culture is also frequently incorporated.

Other “how to” program topics could be skateboarding, surfing, gardening or building a car.

Is your purpose to inspire others or to create change? PSAs, or Public Service Announcements, are excellent for getting people to think differently, and as a result, act differently. Perhaps you want people to get more exercise, take better care of the environment, drive safely, or appreciate diversity.

Is your purpose to get viewers, your audience, to take action? Create a commercial to persuade viewers to vote a certain way, on a local bond issue or for a political candidate.

Is your purpose to demonstrate something you have learned? A video product is a powerful and creative way to demonstrate your knowledge and skills. It could become a significant item in your student portfolio. It could be a product you have created as an end-of-course assessment for credit.

Perhaps you would like to create a mini-documentary such as those featured on the Biography, History, National Geographic or Discovery channels.

Is the purpose to entertain?

Sometimes we just want to watch a program for entertainment. We like to hear good stories, they can be humorous, musicals, dramas etc. Some schools have programs or courses which span an entire semester, or even an entire school year, during which time the students have actually created a feature length film!

Is the purpose to create income?

You may have a product or service for which you create a commercial.

We have just barely begun to scratch the surface of how you can develop your media literacy skills. But these suggestions will give you a great start!

I would love to hear from you; what kind of project do you want to do?

ANNE SHAW Founder and Director, 21st Century Schools

The Australian Education Times

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The The Australian Australian

Education Times MAGIC MATHS

The Mathletics Advantage Targeted. Effective. Proven.

Over 8,000 Australian schools were examined covering all sectors, states and socioeconomic backgrounds. The study examined NAPLAN average school results in 2008, 2010 and 2012 in comparison with Mathletics usage.

Over 8,000 schools studied.

Authored and endorsed by Dr. Tony Stokes of Australian Catholic University Sydney. This study gives insight into numeracy progress and development in Australia and allows educators to move forward with strategies to enhance teaching and learning practices.

Study finding 1

9%

Study finding 2

By spending as little as 30 mins/week on curriculum activities, schools can gain a potential advantage of more than 9%.

Students with longer-term usage (>2yrs) saw an even greater jump in their test results.

love learning

Learn more at www.3plearning.com/au/numeracystudy 30 |

The Australian Education Times

powered by

Don’t take our word for it‌ Kids having fun

The results show that using Mathletics has a highly significant impact on the attainment of students in the NAPLAN test. Students in all cohorts benefit and gain the greatest benefit when they use it over a number of years.

There is a 100 percent likelihood that the schools who use Mathletics achieve higher results than schools that do not.

While learning

Dr. Tony Stokes Australian Catholic University

The Mathletics Advantage

The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times

SCIENCE LAB

GRAVITY: What goes up LET’S UNDERSTAND GRAVITY: Gravity is a force which tries to pull two objects towards each other. The gravity around the Earth is what keeps you on the ground and what causes objects to fall. In outer space, there is no gravitational pull, which is why things like the moon, planets and stars seem to float in mid air.

Here on Earth, anything which has mass also has a gravitational pull. The more massive an object is, the stronger its gravitational pull. Even our own bodies have gravity.

The Earth's gravity is much stronger than our own, so, we don't notice the gravity that out bodies have.

Sir Isaac Newton is credited with the Universal Law of Gravitation.

An apple fell out of a tree and he wondered what force caused it to fall and hence, he discovered Gravity.

LET’S TRY DEFYING GRAVITY: WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

A glass filled right to the top with water A piece of cardboard (It’s probably best to do this one over a sink or bathtub until you get the hang of it!)

Instructions:

Put the cardboard over the mouth of the glass, making sure that no air bubbles enter the glass as you hold onto the cardboard.

1

2

Turn the glass upside down (over a sink or outside until you get good).

3

Take away your hand holding the cardboard.

If all goes to plan then the cardboard and water should stay put. Even though the cup of water is upside down the water stays in place, defying gravity!

4

So why is this happening? With no air inside the glass, the air pressure from outside the glass is greater than the pressure of the water inside the glass.

The extra air pressure manages to hold the cardboard in place, keeping you dry and your water where it should be, inside the glass.

must come down!

The Australian Education Times

| 33

The Australian

Education Times

PUZZLE POP

Spot the

Crazy

But True !!!!!

Americans spent 1.9 BILLION on Easter eggs every year. That means millions of chocolate bunnies eaten just in one day, wow!

34 |

The Australian Education Times

LAUGHTER ZONE!

5 differences

Why was the Egyptian confused?

Because someone told him his daddy was a mummy!

What do you call an alligator in a vest?

An investiGATOR! What kind of witch lives at the beach?

A sandwich.

What is a popular search engine for ghosts?

GHOULgle!

What does a bird say on Halloween?

Twick or tweet!

The Australian

Education Times

PUZZLE POP

Easter eggs, anyone?

Complete the crossword Down 1. Searching for and collecting Easter eggs in a basket 2. The main form of candy, usually comes in eggs or bunnies 3. You collect your eggs in this 5. cute yellow animals shown in easter

Across 4. Easter rides and animals at the certain place 6. The season in which Easter is celebrated

Knock Your Record of Brains I am tall when I am young and short when I am old.

What am I? A candle.

What is brown has a tail and a head, but no legs?

A penny.

What is green, small and round and goes up and down?

A pea in a lift.

What can fill up the room but takes no space?

Light.

When does 10 + 3 = 1?

On the clock.

the month Chocolate, anyone?

In light of Easter, Brazil creates the biggest chocolate bunny. It weighed 3,850kgs, was 4.1 meters tall and took forever to eat!

That’s some impressive skills, Brazil!

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

The Australian

Education Times

“Things you won’t say”

by Sarah Pekkanen

A book that is both intriguing and relevant to several people across the world today. Pekkanen’s novel revolves around a police husband who is forced to cope with the injury of his partner and friend. It shows the journey of an officer living through everyday dangers and dealing with the mental and physical issues that rise as a result. The novel also portrays realistic marriage issues as a result of being in the force and how it affects ones family. The issue

36 |

The Australian Education Times

Libra

A lot of negotiating will take place in order to ease your hardships of staying on top of things in school or university.

Do not stress and remain focused, it is temporary.

Scorpio

Leo

This is the month to embrace your optimistic nature. Take full advantage of your positive attitude and use that to achieve goals.

Sagittarius

Cancer

A complication will arise for you this month as you would have to make tough decisions about your priorities.

You may be invited to an interesting event that will show your talent and intelligence. Be prepared and look out for events that could advance you educationally.

Capricorn

Gemini

You will succeed magnificently this month. Your talent will come in handy in school or in your workforce and will lead to your accomplishment.

Gather some innovative minds and come up with outstanding ideas to study and stay on top of things. Your leadership skills will be heightened, remember not to overlook less experienced people.

A change is coming your way this month.

You may be forced to change your school or job in order to take full advantage of your intelligence.

Aquarius

Taurus

There will be less pressure this month.

Keep aware of things happening around you and remain focused, even if it is a slow month.

The use of technology is highlighted this month. Use latest developments to your advantage and allow it to assist you in succeeding.

This month, you should be setting new goals and work towards achieving your previous ones. It is never too late to achieve something.

Pisces

Aries

You will be promoted, land a new project, receive an award or achieve outstanding results. Remember, you’re hard work is being paid off.

Virgo

What does April 2015 have in Store for you?

You may feel fenced in. However, there is a way to break free. Keep a look out for people that may be able to help you take a step forward and improve at school.

Book Review of racism and border-line murder is explored throughout the novel as the leading character shoots a dark male child. Was it a racist action, or was it necessary?

Amongst several other great books, Pekkanen continues her reputation with this piece of fiction. The themes of family, reputation, racism and emotion are heightened in this novel, leaving readers curious and wanting more. The relevance of these themes in common everyday life has played a major role in ensuring the book succeeds and becomes a bestseller as people are able to relate.

Buy the book today at your local Dymocks or online through amazon or goodreads, enjoy!

The Australian

Education Times

In Pictures

CRICKET WORLD CUP

Australia won it’s 5th Cricket World cup Title on 29th March against New Zealand.

THE INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW

held in Geneva, Switzerland from 5-15th March 2015, saw power machines from around the world.

CAIRNS INDIGENOUS ART FAIR Beautiful work of art displayed at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair held from 17-21st March 2015.

ST PATRICK’S DAY

was celebrated worldwide on 17th March with great fervour

BLUE MOUNTAINS MUSIC FESTIVAL was held with great scenery and great people

HARMONY DAY

was held in Australia, celebrating our multiculturalism!

The Australian Education Times

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The Australian

Education Times

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