A review into the factors affecting declines in undergraduate Computer Science enrolments and approaches for solving this problem

There has been a noticeable drop in enrolments in Computer Science (CS) courses and interest in CS careers in recent years while demand for CS skills is increasing dramatically. Not only are such skills useful for CS jobs but for all forms of business and to some extent personal lives as Information Technology (IT) is becoming ubiquitous and essential for most aspects of modern life. Therefore it is essential to address this lack of interest and skills to not only fill the demand for CS employees but to provide students with the CS skills they need for modern life especially for improving their employability and skills for further study. This report looks at possible reasons for the lack of interest in CS and different approaches used to enhance CS education and improve the appeal of CS

Lost in the wilderness: when the search for identity comes up blank

At the commencement of a research project about socio-cultural identity in language learners, the author attempted to examine and acknowledge his own identity. The method used was an autoethnographic reflection upon a number of key markers that are commonly used to denote identity such as race, class and gender. This reflexive exercise proved extremely frustrating, because the author felt uncomfortable with any of the commonly used markers of identity as labels to describe himself. Rather than helping him discover who he was, they served only to demonstrate who the author was not: not Black, not a woman, not elderly, not socially disadvantaged, and so on. This led the author to feel that he was lost in a wilderness. Upon reflecting on this seeming inability to locate his own identity, the author acknowledged that on all of these binary markers of identity, he would be on the side of the powerful and privileged, causing a feeling of embarrassment and angst. This led the author to consider other ways of exploring identity, selecting an approach based on Bakhtinian dialogism. The chapter concludes with an acknowledgement by the author that the wilderness was not a wasteland, but rather a place in which important discoveries were made about himself as a researcher which have served to guide him in the design of his research project

Towards a new frontier in understanding the contextual influences on paediatric inactivity

Has your research ever caused you to be confronted with adversity or to traverse risky and unsettling terrain? Perhaps this is not dissimilar to an adventurer or explorer on a journey fraught with dangers and inherent risks forging a path through unexplored territory. This chapter shares with you my journey as an early career researcher through a critical juncture of research that until recently predominantly favored a scientific model that viewed the problem of paediatric inactivity from the outside in (not dissimilar to that of spending millions discovering another star in a far away galaxy). I share my journey thus far through the troubling terrain of exploring the relatively uncharted territory of adopting a humanistic approach to exploring this phenomenon (sitting on top of another undiscovered world beneath our feet). Often a solo researcher, I see myself as an 'active agent' on this journey with many parallels to that of an explorer. My intentional use of 'active exploration metaphors' should both exhaust the reader and help to create a feeling of troubling, not unlike the road I have traversed thus far. In sharing this journey with the reader, I hope that they may also identify or see themselves in some of my adventures and may relate to similar experiences or feelings. The chapter concludes with the sharing of my current position on this journey - that of traversing the terrain with more conviction in my step and strength in my position. I present an alternative approach to exploring this phenomenon as well as a range of counternarratives. This journey has enabled me to move towards a stronger, more empowering position where the dominant discourse can be challenged and where there is the potential to transform and thereby create new and more enabling research terrain to help understand the problem of paediatric inactivity

The troubling terrain of lifelong learning: a highway cruise or a cross-country trek?

Educational theory now takes for granted that lifelong learning is inherently good. It is assumed that in a globalised era people need to continue learning over their lifespan. Without a demonstrable general awareness of determinants, educational theory pictures lifelong learning as a cruise on the highway of life. By contrast, educational research shows that it is more in the nature of a lifelong cross-country trek. Determinants are situated in the terrain of each person's unique life experiences. Although policy supports universal lifelong learning theoretically, the reality of the policy agenda is quite different. What little research into propensity to lifelong learning exists indicates that up to a third of the population not only do not but will not participate. Theory evidently does not fully reflect reality. However, research is providing an emerging picture of participation and non-participation in formal lifelong learning. Indeed, it is the terrain of people's lives which holds the key to understanding that participation and non-participation. Motivators required for a trek differ from those required for a cruise. Lifelong learning research is an area of educational research's terrain which should trouble theory until theory better reflects reality

Creating Quality Integrated and Interdisciplinary Arts Programs

The report offers some reflection on arts integration while examining a diverse group of partnerships and a set of new important tools to aid efforts in improving arts teaching and learning across the classroom

Encourage. Empowering People. Annual Report 2012

Peter Löscher, President of the Siemens Stiftung Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Board: Siemens Stiftung aims to contribute to positive changes in society with technical solutions, concrete concepts, and platforms for knowledge transfer. Cooperating with various stakeholders is a fundamental requirement for increasing the impact of its projects and anchoring them for the long term. For that reason, Siemens Stiftung seeks to cooperate with other foundations and non-governmental organizations as well as with government institutions, businesses, and the scientific community. Partnerships allow complementary approaches, skills, and resources to be bundled and sustainable programs to be developed. The previous fiscal year, in particular, delivers impressive examples of how such partnership models can increase the effectiveness of project work

Computational Thinking Integration into Middle Grades Science Classrooms: Strategies for Meeting the Challenges

This paper reports findings from the efforts of a university-based research team as they worked with middle school educators within formal school structures to infuse computer science principles and computational thinking practices. Despite the need to integrate these skills within regular classroom practices to allow all students the opportunity to learn these essential 21st Century skills, prior practice has been to offer these learning experiences outside of mainstream curricula where only a subset of students have access. We have sought to leverage elements of the research-practice partnership framework to achieve our project objectives of integrating computer science and computational thinking within middle science classrooms. Utilizing a qualitative approach to inquiry, we present narratives from three case schools, report on themes across work sites, and share recommendations to guide other practitioners and researchers who are looking to engage in technology-related initiatives to impact the lives of middle grades students

Family Perceptions of Family Engagement: A Qualitative Study to Assist Stakeholders

This qualitative study sought to understand how professional working families with elementary age children perceive family engagement. Through one-on-one interviews, the researcher gained insight on how families define and perceive family engagement. The open-ended, one-on-one, semi-structured interviews included a purposeful sample of 8 participants. An analysis of data included a system of coding to link thoughts across data after reviewing, reflecting, and transcribing interviews. Their rich descriptions provide detailed information that is extremely useful to understanding the complexities of family engagement and its ability to support teachers, students, families and schools. Findings from the study revealed the importance of families, teachers and schools communicating and collaborating to have family engagement success. According to the families in this study, family engagement involves two-way communication and relationship building that allows families and school personnel to collaborate, share their ideas and decision-making. Families also believe family engagement includes the involvement of curricular and extracurricular activities. Additionally, families discussed the important role technology plays in achieving successful family engagement by supporting communication, relationship building and involvement. Results from this study generated recommendations for elementary education stakeholders

Neuroeducation: Learning, Arts, and the Brain

Excerpts presentations and discussions from a May 2009 conference on the intersection of cognitive neuroscience, the arts, and learning -- the effects of early arts education on other aspects of cognition and implications for policy and practice

Cyber security curriculum in Western Australian primary and secondary schools: Interim report: Curriculum mapping

Cyber-crime poses a significant threat to Australians—think of, for example, how scams take advantage of vulnerable people and systems. There is a need to educate people from an early age to protect them from cyberthreats. Consistent with the increasing prevalence of cyberthreats to individuals and organisations in Australia, the national Australian curriculum has been updated (version 9.0) to include specific content for cyber security for primary and secondary students up to Year 10. Endorsed by Education Ministers in April 2022, the Western Australian School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) completed a detailed audit of the endorsed Australian Curriculum version 9.0 against the current Western Australian curriculum. Furthermore, in 2022, SCSA undertook extensive consultation surrounding version 9.0 for all eight K-10 learning areas. This included obtaining stakeholder feedback from teachers, principals, industry professionals, universities, and system/sector representatives as well as engagement with Curriculum Advisory Committees, Steering Committees, and Curriculum and Assessment Committees. SCSA is committed to producing a high-quality curriculum that is suited for Western Australian schools including remote and regional schools..