The author states that in earlier pieces (O'Neill, 2002, 2010, 2012), he chewed on and tried to digest newspaper advertisements made by universities. Byproducts did not come out smelling like roses: universities are scarcely able to present themselves without boasting, crass displays of salesmanship, and brazen invocations of virtue. This article…

What is science? Depending on who is asked, it may mean the pursuit of knowledge, explanations of the everyday world, a difficult subject at school, or a field populated by larger than life characters such as Einstein, Feynman, or Hawking. For the author, science has been and remains an unexpected journey, an adventure and an ever-changing career.…

I am grateful to the Editor for giving me excuse to delve into the fossil record. I confidently hope that my article was written before most of The Australian Library Journal's present readership was born. I am happy to stay with my pragmatic attempt at a definition of research as an intensified search undertaken with the hope of finding something…

A critical/creative paradigm in contemporary English carries with it an imperative that students should be given opportunities for deep engagement with texts relevant to what matters in their everyday lives. In this paper, I argue that the materiality of everyday life includes the physical and geographic places where we live. When students live in…

Most state governments in Australia have banned popular online networking sites from public schools after these sites were accused of supporting a broad host of threats to young people. This paper questions the effectiveness of these bans in light of recent empirical research that highlights the social and educational benefits that can accrue from…

Issues concerning the participation of women in college administration in Australia are presented in this conference report. Of concern were structural and attitudinal barriers to greater participation of women in educational management and the role of government in fostering equal opportunity. Included are an overview of the conference,…

This paper argues that competency-based training in vocational education and training in Australia is one mechanism through which the working class is denied access to powerful knowledge represented by the academic disciplines. The paper presents a modified Bernsteinian analysis to argue that vocational education and training students need access…

Proceedings and papers are presented from a seminar on "Learning and Earning: A study of education and employment opportunities for young people," a report produced by the Commonwealth Tertiary Education Commission of Australia. This report traces the recent rapid decline in the participation of young people in education and the work…

Adult correctional education in New South Wales has shifted from the "medical" model to the educational opportunities model. Offerings include general education, vocational training, physical fitness and recreation, and life skills. (SK)

The author believes that protective legislation in Australia has made women second-class citizens. He argues that while the elimination of discriminatory laws may help to improve women's employment prospects, the real need is for a concerted attempt to change attitudes that deny women equal opportunities in training, appointment, and promotion.…

In Australia, an extensive system of competency-based training (CBT) has been established. Business, education, and unions contend that CBT is more equitable in matching training with task needs, broadening the range of abilities, and enabling portability. But little evidence shows that it reduces divisions between vocational education and general…

Examines the "accomplishments curriculum" which emerged as the dominant mode of education for middle-class girls in Britain and its colonies in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Discusses the expanded educational opportunities for women, describing their social effects, such as the early emergence of middle-class…

One perspective sees Australian schools as failing in their responsibility to prepare young people for occupational role; a second sees schools as doing much in this regard. The conflict between the two perspectives is discussed, and policy considerations are suggested. (Author/MLW)

Because of attitudes and policies, women academics are clustered in service rather than career areas of their professions. The social and academic results of this underrepresentation include the loss of valuable contributions from women. Policy areas needing change are employment conditions, inclusion in decision making, and child care. (MSE)

Reviews data on the rapid growth of the older population in Australia. Describes the aims and content of gerontological education, highlighting the importance of destroying myths. Describes the educational opportunities available for older people, exploring the University of the Third Age model. (DMM)