Australia, Educational Lone Wolf?
Wolves live in extended families called packs. That helps wolves to defend their territories and ensure the protection of, and food for, the young. Cooperation is why wolves survive in harsh conditions in wilderness. Sometimes a wolf leaves the pack and becomes a lone wolf. A lone wolf is often stronger than the others in the pack. In the wolf kingdom a lone wolf can also be a curious young adult that wants to explore new territories…
read moreUnderstanding Equity in Education. Part 2: What can we do?
Ever since students’ performance in school has been measured by standardised assessments, one question has trumped all others: What explains variability in these tests? The question really is, why some students are more successful in school than other students. Some parents think that their children don’t work hard enough for success in school. There are authorities who think that students’ success in school depends directly…
read moreSuomalainen koulu takaisin maailman huipulle
Koulun kehittäjillä on vastassaan pirullinen haaste. Ellei koulu ota tästä pandemiasta opikseen, se saattaa tulevaisuudessa tuottaa toisen luokan robotteja sen sijaan, että se kasvattaisi ensiluokkaisia ihmisiä. Tällaista kuvaa koulun tulevaisuudesta on esittänyt ainakin OECD, jonka vaikutusta tulevaisuuden koulutuspolitiisiin ratkaisuihin Suomessa ja muualla on vaikea aliarvioida. OECD näkee monien asiantuntijoiden tavoin,…
read moreIf Australia wants to improve school outcomes, we need to define what ‘equity’ really means
Last week, the Productivity Commission released a major report on how to improve Australia’s school and university sectors. “Education is ripe for disruption”, deputy chair Alex Robson said. The commission suggests longer schooldays, online classes taught by qualified teachers, and streaming students into ability groups to improve Australia’s educational performance. But while these ideas may work well for some students,…
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