Education Commons^™

Australian Young People, Their Families And Postschool Plans : A Research Review, Tracey Frigo, Jennifer Bryce, Michelle Anderson, Phillip Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

This literature review is part of a project commissioned by The Smith Family that is investigating the effects and influences of family expectations on the cost benefit analyses undertaken by students when they are considering their post-school plans. The 2006 report for The Smith Family, On track? Students choosing a career, pointed to the possibility of a strong effect of family expectations on young people’s post-school plans (Beavis, 2006). Post-school plans often include decisions about further education, so a family’s influence or involvement in assessing the costs and benefits associated with this decision is not surprising (Usher, 2005). On track? …

Profiles Of Teachers In Selected Curriculum Areas : Further Analyses Of The Staff In Australia’S Schools 2010 Survey, Paul Weldon, Glenn Rowley, Phillip Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

This report was commissioned by DEEWR and uses data from the 2010 Staff in Australia’s Schools (SiAS) survey to analyse the profiles of the teachers teaching in five selected curriculum areas in primary schools and 12 areas in secondary schools and to compare the 2010 data with that obtained in the 2007 SiAS survey. The areas were selected to help inform policy initiatives as well as concerns about teacher shortages in those areas and other related workforce issues.

Staff In Australia's Schools 2010 : Main Report On The Survey, Phillip Mckenzie, Glenn Rowley, Paul Weldon, Martin Murphy

Dr Phillip McKenzie

The Staff in Australia’s Schools (SiAS) survey was commissioned by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) in April 2010. It was conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) from August to December 2010. The survey is intended to provide a detailed picture of the Australian teacher workforce, and to gather information to assist in future planning of the workforce. It is also designed to provide comparative and updated data following on from the first SiAS survey conducted in 2006-07. The work was supported by an Advisory Committee2 that included representatives from DEEWR, government …

The On Track Survey 2010 : The Destinations Of School Leavers In Victoria : Statewide Report, Sheldon Rothman, Justin Brown, Kylie Hillman, Gary Marks, Phillip Mckenzie, Catherine Underwood

Dr Phillip McKenzie

Findings presented in this report are based on the On Track telephone survey of 36,179 Year 12 or equivalent completers and 4,094 early leavers from the 2009 school year in Victoria. The survey was conducted in April-May 2010. Year 12 or equivalent completers are defined as those who completed a Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), International Baccalaureate (IB) or Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL, Senior or Intermediate). The sample includes those who completed such qualifications in schools (98.3%), or in TAFE institutions or adult and community education providers (1.7%). Early leavers are defined for the survey’s purposes as those …

Assessment Of Current Process For Targeting Of Schools Funding To Disadvantaged Students: A Report Prepared For The Review Of Funding For Schooling Panel, Adam Rorris, Paul Weldon, Adrian Beavis, Phillip Mckenzie, Meredith Bramich, Alana Deery

Dr Phillip McKenzie

The key research questions considered in this report are: How do existing programs seeking to address educational disadvantage in schools work? Are existing programs effective in reducing the impact of disadvantage on educational outcomes? What alternative funding approaches should be considered? To answer these questions, the report aimed to:

• map the current processes at Commonwealth, state and territory and system levels for targeting funding towards disadvantaged students with the highest level of educational need. This mapping included describing how educational needs are defined, identified and measured.
• assess the effectiveness of the funding and other processes in use. Part of this …

Australian Apprentice Retention Pilot Project: Report To Megt, Justin Brown, Phillip Mckenzie, Adrian Beavis

Dr Phillip McKenzie

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) was engaged in February 2010 by MEGT to conduct research on the retention of first-year apprentices participating in the MEGT mentoring and social networking program. Sponsored by DEEWR, the Australian Apprentice Retention Pilot Project aims to improve the retention of apprentices in skills shortage trades. The project involves the provision of mentors to support apprentices at three sites: in Queensland (Logan/Ipswich); New South Wales (Western Sydney); and Victoria (Southeast Melbourne). The role of the mentors is to visit the apprentice and maintain ongoing contact through social networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter. …

The On Track Survey 2010 : The Destinations Of School Leavers In Victoria : Statewide Report, Sheldon Rothman, Justin Brown, Kylie Hillman, Gary Marks, Phillip Mckenzie, Catherine Underwood

Dr Phillip McKenzie

Findings presented in this report are based on the On Track telephone survey of 36,179 Year 12 or equivalent completers and 4,094 early leavers from the 2009 school year in Victoria. The survey was conducted in April-May 2010. Year 12 or equivalent completers are defined as those who completed a Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), International Baccalaureate (IB) or Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL, Senior or Intermediate). The sample includes those who completed such qualifications in schools (98.3%), or in TAFE institutions or adult and community education providers (1.7%). Early leavers are defined for the survey’s purposes as those …

The On Track Survey 2009 : The Destinations Of School Leavers In Victoria : Statewide Report, Sheldon Rothman, Justin Brown, Kylie Hillman, Gary Marks, Phillip Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

Findings presented in this report are based on the On Track telephone survey of 36,022 Year 12 or equivalent completers and 4,676 early leavers from the 2008 school year in Victoria. Year 12 or equivalent completers are defined as those who completed a Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), International Baccalaureate (IB) or Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL, Senior or Intermediate). The sample includes those who completed such qualifications in schools (98.7%), or in TAFE colleges or adult and community education providers (1.3%). Early leavers are defined as those students in Years 10, 11 and 12 who had registered their …

Harnessing Educational Cooperation In The East Asia Summit (Eas) For Regional Competitiveness And Community Building, Phillip Mckenzie, Robert Horne, Andrew Dowling, Adrian Beavis

Dr Phillip McKenzie

At the Second East Asia Summit (EAS) held in 2007, the EAS leaders agreed to strengthen educational cooperation between their 16 countries. On behalf of the EAS, the ASEAN Secretariat commissioned this project to develop strategies for EAS participants to enhance regional economic competitiveness and strengthen community building in a balanced and sustainable manner through cooperation in education. Its scope encompasses regional cooperation in Basic Education (Primary and Secondary Education), Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and Higher Education. The report draws on a literature review of the experience with regional educational cooperation, analysis of published data, consultations with …

Mapping Qualifications Frameworks Across Apec Economies, Gerald Burke, Phillip Mckenzie, Chandra Shah, Jack Keating, Alison Vickers, Rob Fearnside, Andrea Bateman

Dr Phillip McKenzie

This report on qualification frameworks was undertaken for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG) Education Network Subgroup (EDNET). The project aimed to facilitate increased transparency and reliability of information about qualification frameworks across the APEC region, share knowledge and skills and identify future areas of collaboration. A qualifications framework is an instrument for classifying qualifications according to a set of criteria for levels of learning outcomes. Considerable benefits are expected of national qualification frameworks (NQFs). If backed by a good system of quality assurance, they can support the development of workers’ skills, facilitate educational and …

Staff In Australia's Schools : Teacher Workforce Data And Planning Processes In Australia., Susanne Owen,, Julie Kos, Phil Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

This report forms part of the Australian School Teacher and Leader project which was commissioned by the former Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) in June 2006. The purpose of the project is to provide a detailed picture of the Australian teacher workforce and to gather information to assist future planning on teacher supply. This particular report focuses on longer-term approaches to workforce data and processes. The project also included the Staff in Australia's Schools survey, a national data collection involving all States and Territories and school sectors. [p.4]

Economics Of Quality Schooling, Gerald Burke, Phil Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

The case for public expenditure on education is based on its contribution to the good of society over and above the benefits received by the individual educated. These benefits can be economic, the benefits of a larger pool of educated labour that allow for rapid economic development, and social, including the benefits of more committed law abiding citizens and the relief of poverty.

Some of the issues are considered in this paper:

1. The level of public expenditure on education and its distribution in relation to need

2. Where expenditure can yield most benefits

3. The incentives and system level …

Pathways For Youth In Australia., Phillip Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

The concept of “pathways” has been a powerful organising idea in Australian education and training over the past 10 years. The imagery of the pathway, with its sense of order and structure, and linked education and training experiences that lead to employment, has had a significant impact on Australian policy. Two related trends have been affecting young people: a rapid decline in the number of fulltime jobs available to 15-19 year-olds; and increasing education participation rates among 15- 24 year-olds. In this environment policy makers have used the pathways concept in pursuing two major objectives: (1) to strengthen or even …

Vet Experiences: What The Longitudinal Surveys Of Australian Youth Tell Us, John Ainley, David Curtis, Sheldon Rothman, Phillip Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

The VET sector provides several major pathways for young people from education to work and one of them is the apprenticeship. Apprenticeships combine participation in work and formal learning in an extended education and training structure that contributes to skill formation for individuals and the wider skills base. This paper uses Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth data to examine patterns of participation in and completion of apprenticeships. Participation in apprenticeship is a predominantly male activity associated with family backgrounds in skilled trades, realistic vocational interests and below average school achievement. Vocational interests developed by middle secondary school are associated with …

Lsay Cohort Report The Year 9 Class Of 1995 In 1999: Activities And Experiences, Phillip Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

It examines in detail the activities and experiences of one of the program’s longitudinal cohorts at a single point in time. In this case the cohort is the national sample of Year 9 students who were in Year 9 in Australian secondary schools in 1995, and the reference period is 1999. The report draws on some analyses concerning the Y95 cohort from previous LSAY reports as well as new analyses of variables that have not been reported before. Section 2 provides an overview of the main characteristics of the Y95 cohort in 1999. Since a common concern about longitudinal studies …

Economics Of Quality Schooling, Gerald Burke, Phillip Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

The case for public expenditure on education is based on its contribution to the good of society over and above the benefits received by the individual educated. These benefits can be economic, the benefits of a larger pool of educated labour that allow for rapid economic development, and social, including the benefits of more committed law abiding citizens and the relief of poverty. Governments around the world have committed themselves to achieving the goals of Education for All (EFA). However, for many countries this is a major challenge. EFA will require substantial improvements in school enrolment rates, school completion rates, …

Staff In Australia's Schools, Phillip Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

A major survey of the teaching and leadership workforce in Australia’s schools has provided a detailed demographic picture of the Australian teaching workforce and also highlighted a range of specific issues for future workforce planning. Phillip McKenzie describes the study and its results. The Staff in Australia’s Schools survey was conducted by ACER with the assistance of the Australian College of Educators (ACE) between October 2006 and April 2007. Around 20 000 teachers and school leaders were randomly selected and invited to participate in the study. The survey included primary teachers, secondary teachers, primary leaders and secondary leaders from Government, …

Schooling And Youth Participation In Education And Society, John Ainley, Phillip Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

Economic and social changes have made a solid educational foundation more important than ever before. Young people with low levels of literacy and numeracy or who do not complete school or a vocational equivalent are more likely to experience multiple periods of time outside the workforce and are less likely to engage in further education or training after leaving school. The lack of engagement in further learning increases the ongoing risks of not being employed and social marginalisation. Employment is projected to continue growing much more quickly in occupations that require post-school qualifications than in lower skilled occupations. However, Australia’s …

Australian Young People : Their Stories, Their Families And Post School Plans, Jennifer Bryce, Michelle Anderson, Tracey Frigo, Phillip Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

In 2006, an OECD report noted that Australia has one of the highest gaps between high and low performing students, with the low performing students coming largely from low SES backgrounds. In conjunction with the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), The Smith Family has been researching the challenges faced by Learning for Life students, all from low SES backgrounds, in making successful post-school transitions. Last year's report flagged how important it would be to tap into the family context more deeply to assess the degree and type of influence that families were having on the decision making processes of …

International Trends And Employment In Australia: Key Findings, Phillip Mckenzie, Gerald Burke

Dr Phillip McKenzie

No abstract provided.

Staff In Australia’S Schools 2007, Phillip Mckenzie, Julie Kos, Maurice Walker, Jennifer Hong, Susanne Owen

Dr Phillip McKenzie

The SIAS project, undertaken by the Australian Council for Educational Research in collaboration with the Australia College of Educators, gathered information from over 13,000 secondary and primary school teachers and leaders across the country. It aimed to address key gaps in the data available to characterise the teaching profession to support workforce planning. The project's findings and recommendations are presented in two components: the Staff in Australia's Schools data survey; and a report on Teacher Workforce Data and Planning Processes in Australia. The reports produced through the SIAS project provide a wide range of comprehensive data and advice on a …

Pathways For Youth In Australia, Phillip Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

CEET Working Paper; no. 31

Teacher Education Accreditation : A Review Of National And International Trends And Practices, Lawrence Ingvarson, Alison Elliott, Elizabeth Kleinhenz, Phillip Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

In June 2005 the National Institute for Quality Teaching and School Leadership commissioned ACER to conduct a project to provide advice on developing a national system for the accreditation of pre-service teacher education programs. The project brief fell into two main sections. The first was to conduct a literature review examining: (a) Current accreditation and course approval policies and practices in Australia to identify similarities and differences and implications for a national accreditation system; (b) Developments in the accreditation of teacher education programs in other countries and whether any of the identified approaches could provide a basis for a national …

The Destinations Of Victorian School Leavers: Key Findings From The On Track Project, Phil Mckenzie, Trish Corrie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

On Track is a Victorian Government initiative designed to ensure that all students are on a pathway to further education, training or employment after leaving school. It involves making contact with Year 10 to 12 students in the year after they leave school to map their initial destinations and the factors involved, and offering assistance to school leavers who appear to be experiencing a problematic transition. In addition, a longitudinal component follows the post-school experiences of a sub-set of school leavers over a four-year period. The results are provided back to schools, tertiary providers, regions and LLENS to assist with …

Leadership : Is There A Looming Shortage?, Phil Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

Many school leaders will retire in the next few years and their potential successors report little attraction to the leadership role. The author considers whether Australia is really facing a looming leadership shortage. The Commonwealth Department of Education commissioned ACER to conduct the Staff in Australia's Schools (SiAS) survey in 2006 and 2007 to help fill data gaps around educator workforce issues, and to gather information to assist in future leadership planning. The article discusses the survey results, with particular reference to estimated numbers of teachers and leaders; age profiles; career intentions; and teachers' intentions to apply for leadership positions. …

Oecd Improving School Leadership Activity : Australian Country Background Report, Michelle Anderson, Peter Gronn, Lawrence Ingvarson, Andrew Jackson, Elizabeth Kleinhenz, Bill Mulford, Phil Mckenzie, Nick Thornton

Dr Phillip McKenzie

The report provides an overview of school leadership developments and issues in Australia, as a contribution to the OECD's Improving School Leadership Activity. Australia does not have a single school system. Under the federal political structure, education is the responsibility of the eight states and territories. While schooling across the country has many commonalities, there are a number of differences that affect school operations. The situation is made even more complex by the existence of a substantial and growing non-government school sector, which enrols 33 percent of all students and encompasses a wide variety of school types. However, in recent …

Teachers Matter : Attracting, Developing And Retaining Effective Teachers, Phil Mckenzie, P Santiago, P Sliwka, H Hiroyuki

Dr Phillip McKenzie

In April 2002 the OECD Education Committee launched the major Activity Attracting, Developing and Retaining Effective Teachers. This is a collaborative project to assist governments design and implement teacher policies to improve teaching and learning in schools. The project was concluded in June 2005 with the publication of the final synthesis report.

Intellectual Capital : Managing The New Performance Drivers : Information, Resources And Basic Steps To Self-Evaluation, Fran Ferrier, Phil Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

This document is a guide for enterprises on the measurement, reporting and management of the new performance drivers which are variously known as 'intangibles' and, when captured to produce value, as intellectual capital. The guide provides information, selected resources and a basic method for self-evaluation. It includes information and ideas to help enterprises of all kinds to better familiarise themselves with the new performance drivers, to manage them more effectively and to report on them more clearly.

Pathways For Youth In Australia, Phil Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

This paper discusses the concept of 'pathways' as an organising idea in Australian education and in the climate of a rapid decline in the number of full-time jobs available to 15 to 19 year-olds together with increasing education participation rates for the 15 to 24 year-olds. The two major objectives of the pathways concept are noted as connections between schooling and work for those who will not enter university or start apprenticeships, and helping young people navigate through an increasingly complex array of training and education options. The author profiles the pathways, analyses pathways policy and provides an overview of …

Employability Skills For Australian Industry : Literature Review And Framework Development, David Curtis, Phil Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

Australia has assigned considerable resources during the 1990s in attempts to embed the Mayer Key Competencies into education and training provision, especially in the VET sector. However while there is general agreement that all young Australians need a set of skills which will prepare them for employment and further learning, there is a lack of consensus about what those skills should be. This report draws on Australian and international literature on key employability skills to: clarify concepts and terminology; analyse the principles and purposes in different approaches to key employability competencies; develop a framework of key employability competencies for use …