Seeks to identify trends in reading education, including preservice, in-service, and tertiary education. Discusses the Australian Reading Association's policy statement on teacher education. (FL)

The major changes mandated by Australia for its higher education system and the apparent reasons for the changes are outlined, and the strategies adopted for change are critiqued. Changes relate primarily to administrative organization, governance, resource allocation, and accountability. (MSE)

It is suggested that current Australian higher education policy focuses more on quality control than improvement. The way "quality" is presented in current federal policy documents is examined, and it is argued that an improvement approach could be used to generate new practices while meeting external pressures for accountability. (MSE)

A case study of Queensland, Australia, elementary principals found their jobs significantly affected by school-based management. Principals are expected to lead their communities through the change process and facilitate cultural change while responding to greater accountability demands from the system. Managerialism has eclipsed educational…

As Federal, State and Territory governments in Australia promote greater inclusivity, schools are simultaneously being required to be more accountable for their actions. As an attempt to provide an appropriate process for schools to employ to enable them to meet both of these requirements the "Index for Inclusion" was validated for use…

In this article, the authors review the way in which the Victorian government has responded to the inclusion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools, and consider what further efforts could be made to improve inclusive educational practices. Key measures introduced by the state education authority in relation to the…

There is a need to improve teachers' ability to process and communicate information about student learning. In Australia, literacy is an important area in which to assess educational effectiveness. The community will continue to demand evidence of the schools' success in this area. Educators need to define the literacy goals, standards, and levels…

This paper presents a procedure for making high school teachers' assessments comparable across schools for graduation and college admission purposes. Findings are presented of an evaluation of the procedure conducted in Victoria (Australia) between 1981 and 1984. This procedure, called "consensus moderation," compares teachers'…

Intended for policymakers, administrators, and others involved in determining how the efficiency and effectiveness of technical and further education (TAFE) should be measured, this monograph contains the following sections: (1) "Introduction," including a explanation of the origins of the push for performance indicators and the response…

Since the 1960s, the world has undergone transformations in trade, industry, and technology. Some assert that the postmodern society needs organizational structures that allow for diversity, instability, unpredictability, and mobility. However, this paper argues that the headlong rush toward such organizational forms may well encourage the…

Despite the overall commitment of universities to change, the people within them are conservative about organizational change. It is important to discuss all changes so those involved feel like participants, perhaps by bringing decision making to a lower administrative level. The objective is to enhance excellence. (MSE)

This article notes the trend in Australia toward school-based decision making through school/community councils and describes the school evaluation conducted by the Council of the Huntingdale Technical School in Melbourne. (SJL)

Discusses teacher accountability and suggests that teacher educators might take the initiative through encouraging evaluation at a number of levels, through better research, and through more broadly based programs of development. (FL)

Examines the policy preferences of approximately 111 principals in Tasmania (Australia) concerning accountability criteria and processes. Comparing their views and those of stakeholder groups (parents and teachers) helps identify issues related to teaching, learning, and educational leadership. Tasmanian state schools probably need to review and…

The feasibility of using contracts rather than grants to fund higher education institutions in Australia is examined. The theoretical basis, nature of the contractual relationship, and likely effects of such a policy are discussed. Conditions necessary for success in achieving government objectives and maintaining university autonomy are…