Monash Faculty of Education conference

Education in Australia currently faces big challenges, one of which is with equity of access to quality teaching and learning for all students.
These challenges were the focus on the Monash Faculty of Education biennial conference titled Equity and access in Australian Education, held Oct 31.

With an impressive and diverse line-up of speakers and panellists, the focus of this year’s conference was current challenges in enabling access to a quality education for all Australian students.
While overall the achievements of Australian students remain world class, there are clear disparities in achievements between different groups of students, and across disciplines. In addition, Australia’s performance has decreased, relative to other nations and regions, in areas of mathematics and science education.
Dean of the Monash Faculty of Education Professor John Loughran said it was important for all students in Australia to have access to quality education.
“Opportunity through education matters if we want to progress as a thinking society. Australia is well positioned to be at the forefront in education and now is the time to push ahead in ways that will make a difference for all,” Professor Loughran said.
Keynote speakers during the morning session are Treopia Washington from Bowie State University, Katrina Reynen from Optus, Ross Pilling from BASF Australia and New Zealand, and Monash University education experts, Dr Peter Anderson, Professor Neil Selwyn and Associate Professor Deb Corrigan.
The afternoon session featured a thought-provoking panel discussion. Panel members are Kathryn Greiner AO, co-author of the Gonski Report; Dr Kevin Donnelly; Fran Cosgrove from the Victorian Institute Of Teaching; Victorian president of the Australian Education Union Meredith Peace; and Leonie Walsh, the lead scientist for the Victorian government.
This key event brought together senior representatives from Victorian and national education sectors as well as principals and teachers from all Victorian schools.