The aim of this paper is propositional and is based on research findings which suggest that success in mathematics teaching and reform is contingent upon having key personnel in schools to lead curriculum reform. Based on the outcomes of a large national study on successful practice in the teaching of numeracy for some of Australia's most…

Computer science has been a discipline for some years, and its position in the school curriculum has been contested differently in several countries. This paper looks at its role in three countries to illustrate these differences. A reconsideration of computer science as a separate subject both in primary and secondary education is suggested. At…

This paper reports the findings of a project that investigated uses of electronic portfolios (ePortfolios) in the creative and performing arts at four Australian universities and raises four significant areas for discussion: engaging technologies as an ongoing requirement of planning, delivery and evaluation of teaching and learning in higher…

The use of handheld CAS technology in undergraduate mathematics courses in Australia is paradoxically shrinking under sustained disapproval or disdain from the professional mathematics community. Mathematics education specialists argue with their mathematics colleagues over a range of issues in course development and this use of CAS or even…

Recently, in Australia both the "National Review of School Music Education" and "The Australian Curriculum" identify the importance of technology in school music education. However, the understanding of music technology, as demonstrated by state and territory curricular guidelines, is limited with technology mostly recognised…

This paper investigates what happened in one Australian primary school as part of the establishment, use and development of a computer laboratory over a period of two years. As part of a school renewal project, the computer laboratory was introduced as an "innovative" way to improve the skills of teachers and children in information and…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the potential and the challenges of successful integration of ePortfolios and graduate attributes into the curriculum. Design/methodology/approach: An argument is presented about the positioning of ePortfolios, and their links to graduate attributes, that draws upon the experiences of working with…

The release of the "Australian curriculum: Mathematics" has generated considerable debate in the education community. Some educators warn that this debate has centred on mathematical content and skills, setting the conditions for a "back to basics" movement in line with the political rhetoric that accompanied the national…

The story of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in schools in Australia started in 1996 with the limited involvement of schools in the Australasian Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (AURISA) "GIS in schools" competition. AURISA is now known as the Spatial Science Institute (SSI) and is conducting the Spatial Technology…

In this end piece, the authors argue that while this special issue shifts debates on the digital divide to address students' capacity to use Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for productive social purposes, access to ICT remains a major challenge in countries like Uganda, in which less than 1% of the population has access to the…

This study examined the impact on learning of the integration of computer-based technology (CBT). The study focused on six New South Wales (Australia) government schools that were at different stages of development of the integration of CBT. Data were gathered through classroom observations and structured interviews with key personnel, students,…

This paper challenges notions of gendered game playing practice implicit in much research into young women's involvement with the computer gaming culture. It draws on a study of Australian teenagers playing "The Sims Deluxe" as part of an English curriculum unit and insights from feminist media studies to explore relationships between…

Three challenges that face distance educators at the national, institute, and individual subject level in Australia are discussed in a set of Occasional Papers by the Riverina-Murray Institute of Higher Education (RMIHE). Australia is undergoing a period of major change. The binary system of universities and colleges of advanced education is…

Many preservice computer courses do not provide students with certain important skills. Such skills are best developed through instructional programs in teacher education that mirror the models that teachers will be using in their own classrooms. The information technology component within teacher education is an integral part of the program. (SM)

Discusses the policy and practice in Australia of implementing information technology in school and teacher education curricula. Reports that national guidelines for technology education in schools have affected teacher education curricula and challenged educators to more effectively integrate computer use for pedagogical and utilitarian purposes.…