Catholic Education labels cuts to HELP debt for remote teachers ‘an important move’
Catholic education has welcomed federal government plans to cut HELP debt for teachers who stay four years in a ‘very remote location’.
‘It is an example of cross sectoral support to address the immediate and future challenges of the teaching workforce and will help attract recent graduates to very remote schools in our sector,’ National Catholic executive director Jacinta Collins said.
Study reveals unexpected digital divide among students
New Australian Catholic University research has shown poorer school children like video games more and believe they have better digital skills than their socioeconomically advantaged peers.
The large-scale study of 613 students aged 7 to 10 found girls were less likely to enjoy video games and digital activities as their socioeconomic status (SES) increased.
The Video Gaming and Digital Competence Among Elementary School Students study also found boys rated their digital skills more highly than girls across the scale.
Lead researcher, associate professor Laura Scholes said, ‘Educators may need to scaffold some students, particularly higher SES girls who have less interest and lower self-efficacy in digital spaces. Whereas lower SES boys’ higher levels of interest and self-efficacy in digital spaces could be used to engage with digital pedagogies and advance learning across the curriculum’.
Cognitive fatigue could limit performance in sport
ACU research efforts are probing ways to counter the effect of cognitive fatigue on sporting performance.
Sports scientist Dr Suzy Russell said, ‘Emerging technologies and techniques are helping us to understand practical ways to monitor cognitive activity and provide individual training and recovery techniques to our athletes, which may help them gain those small margins that determine success,’ she said.
CSYMA goes international
Catholic Schools Youth Ministry Australia (CSYMA) has taken on a new name – ‘Catholic Schools Youth Ministry International – Australia’ – to reflect growing international interest, particularly from East Africa and the Pacific.
The organisation already has a presence in 80 secondary and 100 primary schools across Australia, supporting the work of 50 youth ministers.
Around the schools
- This week 313 Catholic school communities across Queensland returned to school, with the rest of the country soon to follow.
- Founder of children’s charity Supertee, Jason Sotiris, has been named as an Australia Day ambassador. The former Trinity Catholic College Auburn (NSW) student switched from working as a tradie to creating a medical garment gifted to children in hospitals around the country.
- Year 9 student, Lachlan Steadman, from St Columba’s Catholic College in Springwood (NSW) has completed his Advanced Mathematics HSC and received a Band 6 for his efforts. Read more.
- Congratulations to Ky Hurst from James Sheahan Catholic High School for being awarded a 2022 NSWCCC Bar Award for Softball.
- A planning project by Gifted and Talented (Stellatus) students at Chisholm Catholic College has recently been recognised by the peak professional body of Western Australian Town Planners. The Planning Institute of Australia (WA) awarded ‘Best Secondary Student Project’ to the Year 8 students for their work on ‘My Suburb in 50 Years: Students Planning for the Future’. Read more.
- To celebrate 100 years of Catholic Education at St John’s, Footscray (Vic), the school community has united in creating a mural rejoicing in Catholic education in the Josephite tradition. You can see the mural on Essex Street, Footscray.
What’s on
- Word of God Sunday: The Church in Australia marks Word of God Sunday on the first Sunday in February, which will be February 5 this year. Several resources have been prepared to assist with the promotion and commemoration of the day.
- Australian Catholic Youth Festival: The Australian Catholic Youth Festival, which was last hosted in 2019 in Perth, will make a return in December 2024. The Archdiocese of Melbourne will host the event, which is the largest gathering of young Catholics in the country.
- Queensland’s Ignite Youth will hold their ‘Summercamp Reunion’ at 7pm this Friday, 27 January, at Emmanuel City Mission, in South Brisbane.