Children who learn a foreign language beginning in early childhood can benefit from increased critical thinking skills, memory and flexibility of the mind, experts say. University of Queensland bilingual education expert Dr Simone Smala said other benefits of bilingualism include ...
More »Students face – and fear – violence
Survey finds verbal and non-verbal abuse are widespread, with a deep impact. Interview by Dallas Bastian New research indicates that a significant percentage of Western Australia’s nursing students have been exposed to aggression and violence whilst on clinical placement. A study conducted by Murdoch ...
More »USC strengthens professional learning with free seminar series
A twilight seminar series introduced this year by the University of the Sunshine Coast will help boost professional development of school teachers across the region. USC’s Education Partnerships and Professional Learning (EPPL) Office coordinator Dennis James said the seminar would ...
More »Pyne announces overhaul for teacher education
A highly anticipated report from a government advisory group has called for sweeping changes to the way teachers are trained, including an overhaul of the way universities select students for teaching courses. The report, Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers, was ...
More »Encourage more girls into engineering, academic says
Schools and universities need to work together to help break down stereotypes in the portrayal of engineers and encourage more girls to enter the profession, a leading expert argues. Alex Bannigan, the manager of women in engineering at the University ...
More »Engineering entrepreneurial graduates
Charles Sturt University’s new school of engineering will aim to refine graduates’ business skills and entrepreneurial spirit. The new course, beginning from 2016, will offer a master's qualification over five-and-a-half years and will be included in the business school for the first time. ...
More »Texting can boost child literacy
New research shows texting can help not hinder the reading and comprehension ability of school children. The Curtin University research study involving junior school children has concluded that better interpretation of digital textisms can improve their reading and language skills. ...
More »Kids get back-to-school screenings from uni
Scores of young children are set to receive a range of free back-to-school readiness screening services offered by the Queensland University of Technology. The services include free testing carried out by supervised provisionally registered psychology interns. This is designed to identify potential ...
More »Lego Pompeii rises
The doomed city of Pompeii has been unveiled by the University of Sydney as its latest in a series of historic scene re-creations constructed entirely from Lego building blocks. A model of the city famously destroyed by the eruption of ...
More »Low literacy levels don’t spell a crisis
Teachers who make common spelling mistakes can still teach, one education expert argues. A recent study of 200 secondary teaching undergraduates found a significant number of pre-service secondary teachers have worse literacy skills than expected. The survey found students struggled ...
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