News

Watch this space - Children, young people and privacy. A confererence for teachers and students, with funding option for students

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:10:02 +1000

At Privacy Victoria’s one day national conference, Watch this Space: Children, young people and privacy on 21 May 2010 in Melbourne, leading cybersafety experts, educators and those dealing with the privacy issues facing young people will address protecting the privacy of children and youth in a rapidly changing physical and cyber-world.

To be opened by Attorney General, Rob Hulls, the one day conference includes presentations from over 25 leading experts in privacy regulation, law, education, cybersafety, media, youth work, health and sexuality.

The conference will be of particular interest to teachers of Legal Studies, Civics and Citizenship and ICT, and to health and welfare staff.

Secondary school students are also invited to become a Sponsored Delegate to the conference. Sponsored Delegates receive a free ticket to the conference, travel costs and $500 to develop and run a privacy awareness project at their school.

Registration is $375 GST inclusive.

A School's Package is available at $700 for a teacher and two students, with additional students at $275 each (GST inclusive)

For further details including the program and the registration form are now available.

The conference is conducted with the support of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

Tackling underachievement: Engaging boys and girls

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:59:02 +1000

On the 18 May at the Sebel Hotel in Albert Park, Melbourne, a conference is being held on Tackling underachievement: Engaging boys and girls. Organised by raddi, the Research Australia Development and Innovation Institute, further infomation can be obtained by visiting www.conferences2010.schoolevent.org

Parliament House (Victoria) Open Day 21 March

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:08:50 +1000

Parliament House (Victoria) is having an Open Day on Sunday 21 March, 2010 from 11.00am to 4.00pm. Why not let your students know? For further information visit their website here. Or you can phone: (+61 3) 9651 8911 or send them an email.

Learn more about tax: free curriculum resource for the classroom

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:03:27 +1000

Secondary students can learn about tax through their school. Produced by the Australian Taxation Office, this resource contains everything secondary students need to know about the Australian tax system.

The resource has separate student and teacher booklets to help teach the issues of tax in a straightforward way.

Through a set of modules, the student booklet:

* introduces the tax system at the local, state and federal government level

* presents information and exercises that help students become familiar with personal tax

* educates students on business structures and record keeping.

The teacher’s booklet provides support material and fully worked solutions to the exercises. The activities and exercises have been designed to meet curriculum requirements. For further information visit the ATO website youth section here.

Asia Literacy â�� Partnering Businesses & Schools project

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:39:40 +1000

The Asia Literacy Ambassadors – Partnering Businesses & Schools project aims to establish and support partnerships between businesses and school communities to stimulate and increase student and community demand for Asia literacy. Call the Asia Education Foundation to learn more on 03 8344 3590 or register your interest here

The new Education Services Australia: a merger

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:11:23 +1000

On 1 March 2010, Curriculum Corporation merged with Education.au (Adelaide) to form Education Services Australia Ltd, a new, national, not-for-profit ministerial company. Education Services Australia has been established by all Australian Ministers of Education with a brief to support national education priorities and initiatives.

Details about the new company are contained in the CEO’s message are here.

BEA grants to Brisbane July Conference

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:01:37 +1000

Does a professional learning grant to go to Brisbane in July sound inviting? Have you been teaching for five years or less?

BEA, in conjunction with affiliate organisations, is offering the opportunity for those teaching less than five years, to attend the BEA Conference in Brisbane on 15 to 17 July, 2010. Two grants are available and will cover flights and registration. You need to be a member of a BEA affiliate (such as VCTA). The application form contains further details (you need to be logged in to download this form). Applications close 26 March.

For further information on the BEA conference itself click here. To access the early bird registration fee you need to register prior to 30 June.

New citizenship educational resources: in schools now

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:41:36 +1000

The Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship late last year launched the new Australian citizenship educational resources for primary and secondary schools. The resources were distributed to schools at the start of 2010.

The two resources are available as hard copies and are also available, with supporting activities, online. Entitled I am Australian: Exploring Australian Citizenship there is a lower secondary school unit and one for upper primary schools. The lower secondary unit is pitched at VELS Level 5, particularly the areas of Civics and Citizenship, History and Thinking processes.

There are many activities including those relating to perspectives on citizenship, rights and responsibilities associated with citizenship, citizenship in action, values and social cohesion.

The teacher manual is in schools now. For further information call the Department on 02 6264 1111 or visit www.citizenship.gov.au

Western suburbs iPab Competition for business studies students

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:42:59 +1000

Be they written or multimedia entries, the I Plan a Business (iPAB) Competition is for Melbourne’s Western Region students in Years 10 and 11 encouraging them to learn business planning skills. Prizes to the value of $500 are on offer in each category and all students receive a certificate for their entry.

The concept was developed by Victoria University and fine-tuned with the help of teachers from the Western Region of Melbourne with the aim of connecting the competition with the curriculum.

All students in secondary schools in the local government areas of Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melton, Moonee Valley and Wyndham are eligible to enter.

Key dates

Schools can register by March to receive updates.

Due date for plans is Wednesday 30 June.

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Award ceremony August 2010.
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For further information click here or contact Peter Folino at the Faculty of Business and Law, Victoria University, on 03 9919 1556.

Human Rights essay competition: Cash prizes

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:40:37 +1000

Do criminals deserve the same rights as everyone else? This is the essay topic for a human rights essay competition for Victorian Years 10 to 12 students. And there are very healthy cash prizes (see below)!

The closing date for the competition is 22 March 2010.

The competition is conducted by The Castan Centre for Human Rights Law at Monash University; a non-profit, non-partisan centre seeking to promote and protect human rights through education and research. The competition provides students a topical and engaging way to learn about human rights.

The essay topic ‘Criminals don’t deserve the same rights as everyone else’ will appeal to students undertaking Legal Studies, International Politics, and History subjects (Years 10 to 12.)

The prize money is:

Most outstanding school: $2000

First Prize: $1200

Second Prize: $800

Third Prize: $400.

The individual winner’s essay will be published in Inscape, the annual publication of VCE literature and art.

More information about the competition and how to apply can be found on The Castan Centre for Human Rights Law website at: www.law.monash.edu.au/castancentre/cc-human-writes

For queries about the competition please contact Erica Contini on 03 9905 3318 or email erica.contini@law.monash.edu.au