Education in Australia

1. Education in Australia By: Kaylee Alberti (Secondary education and mathematics major)

2. What will I learn? • How the education system in Australia works • How is society helping education in Australia • The future of education in Australia Retrieved from http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/australia-guide/

3. Overview of the educational system • State government provides funds and controls school systems within their state (Australian Government) • Learning topics are the same for all states • National government provides for universities (Australian Government) • States offer Vocational Education and Training (VET) or Technical and Further Education (Tafe) • 10 - 12 years long

4. Family day care • “Home based child care and education” (FDCA) • For ages of six weeks to twelve years old • Take place in the home of approved educators who are monitored by a “central coordination unit” operating in coordinates with the local government and community (FDCA) • Activities such as: • Playing with other children • Going to parks, libraries • Reading • Homework assignments

5. Primary school • Typically start at the age of 5 years old in primary school until the age of 12 (years 1-7) • Each room has kids of the same age • Students with disabilities are put into special classes (Yes Australia) • Classrooms contain boys and girls • Separated in some private schools • In the same classroom for the whole day • Array of subjects taught by one teacher

6. High school • Students are required to go to secondary school for years 8, 9, and 10 (Yes Australia) • Receive a junior high school certificate • Can enter work force or apprenticeship • Years 11 and 12 are optional • Required for high school diploma Retrieved from http://www.traveljournals.net/pictures/172070.html

7. Years 11 and 12 • These are the two years Universities look at • You get to choose whichever classes you would like • Based on interests, career, etc. • Grades in each class give you a rank among other students • Board of secondary studies gives a test to every student in year 12 to compare between different school (Yes Australia)

8. Extra facts • Classes are Monday through Friday, 8:45 – 3 (Yes Australia) • There are busses available for transportation, but most students walk or ride their bike • The school year is from January to December

9. Culture • Schools curriculum is very wide for many different students • Drama, arts, music, public speaking skills are all offered in school (ATC) • Team and individual sports are offered as well (ATC) • After school an on Saturdays • Provide special programs for very talents international students • Along with private tuition • Special sport facilities

10. vocational education and training (VET) • Compared to a technical school in USA • Develops and teaches work related skills • Provides training for subjects such as : • Computing, business, marketing, hospitality (ATC) • Skills match that National industry standards (Atkinson) • Set out by employers to satisfy what they find necessary • Secondary schools (high schools) offer VET programs along with the regular school curriculum • Public vocational education and training Institutes (ATC) • Run from February – December • Half day/full time courses available • Three years long

11. Universities in Australia • Just as here in the USA, they have public and private universities offering undergraduate and graduate programs • Fee’s for paying for the Universities (Yes Australia) • The government gives all citizens a free loan called HECS • Paid back once the student starts earning a certain amount • Then tax is deducted from income Photo retrieved from http://www.educationabroadnetwork.org/australia-semester-abroad-programs.html

12. Universities cont. • Duration • Bachelors degree – three years (sometimes two) • English testing • There are tests that international students in Australia have to take • Measures their levels of English • Required to know English to get into Universities • Called IELTS, or TOEFL

13. Math in Australia • There is a big problem with mathematics in Australia • 1:12 secondary school math teaches never studied math at a university (Thomas) • 1:5 secondary school math teachers only studied math their first year at a university • “Graduating secondary teachers who are qualified to teach mathematics are only around 75” (Thomas) • Many Universities do not offer a major in math or statistics • In 2006, “only 64% of high schools offered advanced mathematics at year 12” (Thomas)

14. What is needed to improve the future of math? • Improve awareness of mathematic careers • Need to address content knowledge of current teachers • Training programs to improve mathematics education in teachers • Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership is proposing a two year course program (Thomas) • Current Mathematicians need a stronger, louder voice in society (Thomas)

15. Troubles in Australian education • Within the past decade : • Compared to other countries, Australian students have fallen in many subjects • 2nd to 7th in reading (Gillard) • 5th to 13th in math (Gillard) • Year 4 students were beaten by: • 21 countries in reading (Gillard) • 17 in math • 18 in science • Year 8 students beaten by : • 6 countries in math (Gillard) • 9 in science

16. Plan of Improvements needed for the future • By 2025 Australia wants to be ranked as “a top 5 country in the world for the performance of our students in Reading, Science, Mathematics, and for providing our children with a high-quality and high-equity education system” (Gillard) • What will this plan do? (Gillard) • Harder requirements to become a teacher • Give principals more power • Give parents more information about schools and their children’s education • New funding; making sure schools are getting the money they need

17. Works Cited • Atkinson, Georgina. (2011). Vocational Education and Training: The Technicolour Coat of Australia's Education System. Research Overview. Retrieved from ERIC database. (ED527162) • Australian Government. What is the Australian Education System? Retrieved from http://www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/settle-in-australia/everyday-life/education/whatis.htm. • Australian Trade Commission. (2012). Australian school system. Retrieved from http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/en/Courses/Schools/Australian-School-System/Australian-school-system. • Australian Trade Commission. (2012). VET Courses. Retrieved from http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/en/Courses/Vocational/VET-Courses/VET-courses • Central Intelligence Agency (2011). CIA - The World Factbook. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

18. Works cited • Family Day Care Australia. Received from http://fdca.com.au/index.php/main/About%20Family%20Day%20Care#M39. • Gillard, Julia. (2012). Better Schools: A National Plan for School Improvement. Retrieved from http://www.pm.gov.au/press-office/better-schools-national-plan-school-improvement. • Thomas, Jan. (2011). Mathematics education in Australia, 1980-2011. Retrieved from http://www.austms.org.au/Publ/Gazette/2011/Jul11/MathsMatters.pdf. • Yes Australia. (2007).  Educational System in Australia. Retrieved from http://www.yesaustralia.com/cursoestudo-sistemaensinoing.htm. • (2012). Australian Education System, Retrieved from http://www.myqual.com.au/index.php?id=4048.