Teacher development multi-year study series. Report highlights. Timor-Leste: Final Report

The Australian Government is supporting the Government of Timor-Leste to undertake educational reforms through the Partnership for Human Development (PHD) and Apoiu Lideransa liuhosi Mentoria no Apredizajen (ALMA). ALMA enables the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) to develop teacher professional learning to support the implementation of its National Basic Education Curriculum. Under the Teacher Development Multi-Year Study for Timor-Leste, the Education Analytics Service (EAS) is investigating how ALMA is making a difference to teaching and learning outcomes. The new curriculum was developed in 2013 as a staged approach for pre-school to grade 6, with a focus on improving literacy and numeracy, and reducing student drop out. The Teacher Development Multi-Year Study for Timor-Leste seeks to answer the question: To what extent does this aid investment produce improved teaching quality and improved student learning? This brief report presents highlights from the study\u27s findings

Teacher development multi-year study series. Timor-Leste: Final report

The Australian Government is supporting the Government of Timor-Leste in education through the Partnership for Human Development (PHD) and Apoiu Lideransa liuhosi Mentoria no Apredizajen (ALMA). ALMA supports the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) to develop teacher professional learning, particularly in support of its major reform of rolling out and implementing the National Basic Education Curriculum (new curriculum) across schools in Timor-Leste. Under the Teacher Development Multi-Year Study for Timor-Leste (the Study), the Education Analytics Service (EAS) is investigating how ALMA is making a difference to these teaching and learning outcomes. The new curriculum was developed in 2013 as a staged approach for pre-school to grade 6 with a focus on improving literacy and numeracy, as well as reducing student drop out. As presented in this Final Report, there are a number of findings that provide insight into the extent to which teaching practices and student learning outcomes are changing with ALMA’s support of school leaders and teachers and the implementation of the new curriculum. Results from the three years of data collection suggest that the ALMA program has been effective in strengthening elements of teaching quality, curriculum implementation and student learning outcomes

Vegetarian diets, maybe not as healthy as you think

Many are approaching vegetarianism as a viable diet option in recent years, presuming that adopting a vegetarian diet would provide health benefits. This paper explores the possibilities of physical and mental effects that vegetarianism may have on humans and its extent by the use of regression analysis. To measure the possible impacts vegetarian diets may hold on both the physiology and physical aspects of humans, we have utilized the measures of life expectancy and prevalence of depression respectively. Cross-sectional data were examined from sources such as the World Health Organization, Our World In Data and the World Bank, with figures on vegetarian adoption rates to be made available on Statista. Current studies on mental health impacts are inconclusive, and many relied on survey data to produce findings. The utilization of cross-sectional data on a macro basis would allow our study to account for regional differences whilst providing an objective result. This study aims to raise awareness of the positive and negative impacts of a vegetarian diet, to assist people to make informed decisions. This would be essential as plant-based diets have been receiving more attention in the media

Teacher development multi-year studies. Insights on the challenges of data availability for measuring and reporting on student learning outcomes

Student learning outcomes are an important source of evidence regarding improved teaching quality. A multi-year teacher development study series was commissioned by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to investigate teacher development initiatives in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos), Timor-Leste and Vanuatu. The overall aim of the study series is to understand the extent to which the Australian investment has improved teaching quality and student learning. This paper outlines the different approaches to sourcing and using data in each country context, and then presents initial insights about the challenges associated with the limited availability of data for measuring and reporting student learning outcomes, as a measure of teacher effectiveness. It presents key lessons learned about conducting research with limited existing student learning outcomes data and offers some solutions to inform programs in other contexts

Teacher development multi-year studies. Using classroom observations to investigate and understand teaching quality: Initial lessons learned

This paper presents some initial lessons learned about the use of classroom observation data as a key form of evidence regarding improved teaching quality in a multi-year teacher development study series. This study series, commissioned by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), involves the investigation of teacher development initiatives that are primarily designed to support the implementation of new primary curriculum in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos), Timor-Leste and Vanuatu. The overall aim of the study series is to understand the extent to which the Australian investment has improved teaching quality and student learning. This paper discusses the processes used to design, implement, analyse and report classroom observation data in the Laos study, and key lessons learned about these that could be applied to other contexts and programs

Report Highlights: Evaluation of Australia’s investment in teacher development in Lao PDR: Interim report 1

The Government of Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is undertaking significant primary education reforms, supported by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through its flagship Basic Education Quality and Access in Laos program (BEQUAL). The Australian Government has commissioned a study to investigate how the BEQUAL program is making a difference to improving teaching quality and student learning outcomes. This research is part of a multi-year study series undertaken by DFAT’s Education Analytics Service to investigate teacher and learning development initiatives in three countries: Lao PDR, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu

Teacher development multi-year study series. Vanuatu: Interim report 1

The Government of Vanuatu is undertaking significant primary education reforms, including major curriculum changes, to improve equitable access to and the quality of education. Since 2016, a new primary education curriculum has been introduced by stages, accompanied by a suite of in-service teacher training. The new curriculum promotes teaching practices that support new pedagogies focused on student-centred learning and community support, language transition and class-based assessment practices. These reforms are being supported by the Australian Government, through its Vanuatu Education Support Program (VESP). The Australian Government\u27s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has commissioned a study to investigate how the VESP is making a difference to the Government of Vanuatu’s ongoing primary education reforms. This research is part of a multi-year study series undertaken by DFAT\u27s Education Analytics Service to investigate teacher and learning development initiatives in three countries: Lao PDR, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu. The purpose of this summary is to provide a brief overview of findings and recommendations from the first year (2019) of the Vanuatu study