Telstra is on track to blitz the deadline for NSW education's $280 million schools fibre-optic broadband project. Under the Connected Classrooms program, NSW Education wants to experiment with interactive learning methods involving electronic whiteboards and video-conferencing equipment. The Australian, 6 July 2010.
NAIDOC Week is a chance to celebrate the richness of Indigenous history, culture and achievements, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda, said on the eve of NAIDOC Week.
Commissioner Gooda said NAIDOC Week's theme of Unsung Heroes - Closing the Gap by Leading the Way, provided an opportunity to honour the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - both past and present - who have played a critical role in helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to chart their own course. Australian Human Rights Commission, 3 July 2010.
More than 50 members of the National Indigenous Higher Education Network (NIHEN) from across the country will meet at Griffith University's Gold Coast Campus Griffith University to discuss issues facing Indigenous students, including barriers to higher education, equity and social inclusion. Griffith University News, 1 July 2010.
Vision Australia has hailed new Federal Government rules to make it easier for disabled people to get access to information on government websites as a landmark. The new rules will require more information to be compatible with braille and synthetic voice applications as well as be accessible for people with other disabilities. ABC News, 1 July 2010.
A new report released by the Australian Communications and Media Authority confirms that Australians are increasingly able to view video content on their own terms, including when, where and how they want it. The report is part of the ACMA's ongoing research program into the application of emerging technologies. ACMA, 30 June 2010.
Teachers are increasingly calling on students to help them grapple with advancements in technology, educators say. Children today have an assumed knowledge of computers and modern technology. This is leading to a positive role reversal in classrooms where students are demonstrating the beneficial applications of technology to teachers. Adelaide Now, 22 June 2010
The Australian Taxation Office says the iPad, and equivalent e-readers or tablets, are deemed to be equivalent to a laptop, which attract a 50 percent education rebate. Canberra Times, 28 June 2010.
The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, has announced that Simon Crean is the new Minister for Education, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, and Minister for Social Inclusion. Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, 28 June 2010.
The Playtime in the 21st Century report, just released, has found that eight in 10 parents played video games with their kids, and a staggering 97 per cent of Australian households with children under 12 have at least one game console. News.com.au, 21 June 2010.
In her first speech to the nation, Prime Minister Julia Gillard stated her intention '...to do even more to make sure that every child gets a fair go in life and a great education'. Labor Connect, 24 June 2010.
