ACARA Update

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has released its latest update into the development of the Australian school curriculum.

For update: http://www.acara.edu.au/acara_update_14122009.html

Indigenous Work

Youth Challenge Australia (YCA) is looking for volunteers aged 21 to 35 to work in Indigenous schools and youth centres in the Northern Territory. There are opportunities to support teachers and youth workers in the Northern Territory communities of Yuendumu, Docker River, Imanpa, Finke and Mutitjulu. Volunteers are not required to have a teaching or youth work degree, just an open mind and a willingness to learn.

YCA volunteers have the opportunity to learn more about Indigenous culture and communities, while making a valuable contribution to improving the education of Indigenous children in remote communities.

YCA is recruiting for programs until January 2010.

For further information on YCA’s program, contact YCA on yca@uts.edu.au or 02) 9514 5512 or visit: http://www.youthchallenge.org.au/

Curriculum Update

Nov 23-24 the Curriculum Council WA held a 2 day briefing session with about 500 WA school leaders in preparation for the consultation for of the draft K-10 curriculum.

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority has released its 1st newsletter updating progress on the curriculum. For more:http://www.acara.edu.au/acara_update_27112009.html

Schools Meet

150 school principals from around Australia, including 15 from WA met in the last week in Canberra to discuss the new national curriculum, assessment, reporting, school infrastructure and student wellbeing.

Principals not attending the forum are encouraged by the Govt to send their contributions via email to principalsforum@deewr.gov.au or may be able to participate in a local principals’ forum organised by local members of the Federal Parliament.

For more: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/Programs/NationalPrincipalsForum/Pages/Overview.aspx

Cyber Bullying

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has launched “Lets Fight It Together”, a new teaching resource to combat cyberbullying that will be available free to all schools in Australia.

For more: http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=pc_311905

HIV/Aids Push

The Federal Government has established a Ministerial Advisory Committee on Blood-Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections to oversee the development of new national strategies targeting these diseases including HIV/Aids. In 2009-10 the Govt is spending more than $150m in the education, prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmissible infections. For more information on what the government is promoting as ways to prevent, test and treat sexually-transmissible infections, including resources they make available for schools, see http://www.sti.health.gov.au/internet/sti/publishing.nsf.

TV/Computer traps

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has released a report this week, “Young Australians’ use of online social media” into mobile phones, TV usage, network sites, cyber safety, internet content and risks for children using the internet. It also outlines the role of parents in protecting their children. The ACMA research found that 1 in 10 pre-school children had a TV in their Bedroom. 30% of teenagers have a TV in their bedroom, 1 in 10 children aged 7-8 have a computer in their room.

ACMA has launched a new cybersmart website to provide advice to children, parents, libraries and schools: www.Cybersmart.gov.au

Action: Saltshakers says that we should ensure there are no TVs or computers in bedrooms, locate computers in an open area. Limit TV and computer use as well as content. Discuss the dangers of internet and TV with children. Don’t allow children to interact with others (even those known to them) over the internet, take an interest in what your children are doing-in all areas of life.

For reports: http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311797

ACMA has also released findings into ISP level internet filters: http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311797

NDOT

The 6th National Day of Thanksgiving held in May was celebrated by an estimated 1400 communities. More than 9500 Church Information Packs were delivered and more than 500 schools requested the School Information pack. The Education Department has decided to include NDOT in the official schools calendar for 2010. An estimated 100,000 NDOT cards, ribbons and badges were sold. The National Day of Thanksgiving is designed to give the Church and individual Christians a vehicle to become the hands and feet of Jesus and spread His love throughout the communities of our nation through an amazing variety of creative ideas and events. In 2010 it will be held May 29.

For more: http://www.thanksgiving.org.au/

Childhood strategy

The Council of Australian Governments endorsed the Early Years Learning Framework and the National Early Childhood Development Strategy on July 2, 2009. It will be the first national strategy for children 0-5yrs. It has been criticised the media for a tool to indoctrinate children.

http://www.deewr.gov.au/ministers/ellis/media/releases/pages/article_090706_143146.aspx

http://www.deewr.gov.au/earlychildhood/Pages/default.aspx

Islamic banking

The United Arab Emirates is hoping to begin operating in Australia after what the CEO of the Dubai Export Development Corporation described as a proactive effort by the Australian Government to change the Australian banking laws to incorporate Islamic laws. In late June a Trade mission from the UAE with the support of Austrade visited Australia. Australia is the first place to receive a trade mission on Islamic banking from the UAE. It comes as the National Australia Bank introduced Islamic products. Applications for the Sheikh Fehni El-Imam scholarship run by the NAB and are due by July 19, 2009. The winner of the scholarship will help NAB develop its Islamic banking in the Islamic community.

For more: http://www.tradearabia.com/NEWS/newsdetails.asp?Sn=ECO&artid=163293

http://www.austrade.gov.au/invest/investor-updates/090703-dubai-sends-islamic-financial-services-mission-to-australia/default.aspx

For NAB story:

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25632782-5015825,00.html

NAB scholarship: http://www.nab.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/nab/nab/home/About_Us/4/1/1/7/6