Abstract
Readers with wide-ranging interests in Australian education have come to the right place in this issue of the Australian Journal of Education. Topics covered include not only different levels of schooling – from early childhood to higher education – but also specific groups such as migrants and refugees, international students and students from out-of-home care backgrounds.
In a rare longitudinal study, Susan Krieg, David Curtis, Lauren Hall and Luke Westenberg follow children’s transition from integrated preschool/childcare centres to primary school. In the study, quality is examined not only in terms of structural factors, such as space and furnishing or personal care routines, but also in terms of process factors, such as language-reasoning activities and interaction and their impact on cognitive development. Findings illustrate that children, particularly those from more disadvantaged backgrounds, who are exposed to a greater range of activities which are facilitated by more highly trained staff show a greater gain in cognitive development than their peers.
The question of whether it is “worth” sending children to Catholic or Independent schools rather than government schools invariably stirs up debate and provokes strong opinions. To add another piece of evidence to the debate, Gary Marks has analysed National Assessment Program — Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) and Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) data. Results show higher ATAR scores for students in Catholic and Independent schools than for students in government schools, after powerful predictors such as socio-economic status and prior achievement (i.e. NAPLAN Year 9) are taken into account. Hence, his answer to the question whether private schools add value is “yes” – if the aim is to obtain the highest possible university entrance score.
Another topic which seems to trigger reactions that have a principled or even ideological feel to them is whether different learning styles or approaches to learning do exist and – if they do – whether they have any relevance for teaching. Eleanor Mitchell, Santhamma James and Angelo D’Amore assume that different learning and information processing styles can be measured and do so in a longitudinal study of a cohort of first-year nursing and midwifery students. Results show changes in students’ information processing and learning styles over a six-month period. This points to the importance of lecturers using a variety of instructional methods, not only to find out the ones that work best but also to continue to vary methods to cater for changing learning preferences.
The benefits of specialised programs within the regular school setting are highlighted in an article by Clemence Due, Damien Riggs and Mia Mandara. In their study, interviews are undertaken with educators who work in Intensive English Language Programs for students with migrant and refugee backgrounds. Findings illustrate that these programs offer specialised instruction and enable students who have been through similar experiences to provide support to each other. In addition, the integration of these specialised programs into whole-school approaches contributes to the successful transition of migrant and refugee students to mainstream classes by providing familiarity with structures and facilities as well as students and staff.
Students with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and students from non-English speaking backgrounds are some of the groups that have been tracked in terms of participation and performance as they go through the education system. A group that seems to have got lost are students from out-of-home care. In their article A forgotten cohort? Including people from out-of-home care in Australian higher education policy, Andrew Harvey, Lisa Andrewartha and Patricia McNamara mount a powerful argument for tracking this group of students in order to work towards their proportional participation in higher education by, for example, universities setting targets for this group.
The provision of education to international students continues to be an important element of Australia’s economy. Hence, knowledge of those aspects that influence international students’ decision to study in Australia is essential. In the article Chinese students and higher education destinations: Findings from a choice experiment, Xue Gong and Twan Huybers examine reasons for prospective international students from China to choose to study in Australia. Results indicate that university rankings and destination safety are key decision drivers for Chinese students. These findings seem highly relevant for government visa policy as well as for university leaders and lobbyists.
And as if this array of articles was not sufficient, Gerald White has provided an insightful book review of Denise Beale’s (2014) How the Computer Went to School: Australian Government Policies for Computers in Schools, 1983–2013.
Enjoy the read!
Dr Petra Lietz
Editor-in-Chief