Essays & reportage
15 February 2013
The current system of teacher education isn’t working for many students. Dean Ashenden looks at the alternatives, and their adversaries
National affairs
20 December 2012
Removing staff and student representatives from university councils in Victoria threatens scholarly values and independent criticism, argues Paul Rodan
National affairs
28 November 2012
In a forthcoming paper for the Centre for Policy Development, Chris Bonnor describes a worsening school equity problem that will persist for decades to come
Essays & reportage
22 November 2012
Twenty-five years ago, John Dawkins dramatically reshaped higher education. His critics still fail to distinguish the good from the bad in his reforms, writes Dean Ashenden
National affairs
17 October 2012
All’s not necessarily well in the classroom – even when it happens to end well
Essays & reportage
8 October 2012
In 1990 a team of researchers began tracking a group of babies born in two inner suburbs of Melbourne. Their latest results paint a complex picture of obstacles, opportunities and…
National affairs
26 September 2012
A new parliamentary report challenges the thinking behind the downgrading of Indigenous languages in schools, writes Lisa Waller
National affairs
5 September 2012
The government has at last come up with the outline of a strategy for reforming schools, writes Dean Ashenden. The worry is in what the prime minister didn’t say
National affairs
27 August 2012
Mark Latham’s school funding policy was seen as an electoral minus for Labor. The polls disagree
National affairs
2 August 2012
Gonski’s recommendations can work if we keep in mind how they might fail, writes Dean Ashenden
National affairs
12 July 2012
Creating better schools is a long and often tortuous process, writes Chris Bonnor. The first step is to focus on policies that can actually work
Essays & reportage
13 June 2012
Restless innovation saved Australian schools from their structural problems, writes Dean Ashenden. But now the strains are well and truly showing
National affairs
5 April 2012
One vital question has been overlooked in the coverage of the federal government’s My University website, writes Dean Ashenden. Why duplicate a service that already exists?
National affairs
26 March 2012
If we want to engage or compete with universities in Asia, we need to be clear about the aims of our own education system
National affairs
29 February 2012
The Gonski report has brought together an enormous body of evidence to show why equity must be at the centre of school policy, writes Chris Bonnor, and has decisively…
National affairs
24 February 2012
Strongly argued, thoroughly evidenced, and unlikely to succeed. Dean Ashenden looks at the Gonski report on school funding
National affairs
24 February 2012
Lesley Russell analyses the figures in the prime minister’s 2012 report
Essays & reportage
27 October 2011
Despite the international evidence, the Northern Territory has discouraged bilingual programs in its schools, writes Lisa Waller. But there are early signs of another…
National affairs
28 September 2011
The federal government’s new rules designed to increase student numbers could boost the number of migrants who are permanently temporary, writes Peter Mares
National affairs
25 August 2011
Early childhood policy is in the midst of enormous change, writes Deborah Brennan. But the legacy of a fragmented and incomplete system, and a failure of ambition, mean…
Books & arts
30 June 2011
You shouldn’t have to work for free to break into the white-collar world, argues Ross Perlin in this new book. Sara Dowse agrees
5 June 2011
Another history war under another conservative government. Frank Bongiorno reports from London
National affairs
11 May 2011
Do schools determine the performance of students, or do students determine the performance of schools? Chris Bonnor investigates
National affairs
8 March 2011
My School 2.0 promised improvements, but how much better is this latest version? Chris Bonnor assesses the evidence
National affairs
6 October 2010
The expanded Education Tax Refund should be on the list of election promises up for reappraisal, writes Daniel Nethery
National affairs
23 July 2010
The reasons for the Howard government’s electoral success are widely misunderstood
National affairs
23 July 2010
Schools policy is back on the election agenda, writes Ben Eltham. But will it lead to substantial reform?
National affairs
15 July 2010
Australian policymakers are undoubtedly watching developments in Britain and the United States with interest. But how much can we learn from systems that are so different from our…
National affairs
3 June 2010
Legislation before parliament will give the immigration minister new power to “terminate” certain classes of visa application, reports Peter Mares
National affairs
18 May 2010
Whatever NAPLAN’s limitations, it does provide intriguing information about how different school systems perform, writes Dahle Suggett