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‘ Time to teach ’
Govt introduce new resources to manage students ’ behaviour .
By Emilie Lauer
The federal government has rolled out a new program to manage students ’ disruptive behaviours in the classroom .
The $ 3.5 million Engaged Classrooms initiative was launched in partnership with the Australian Education Research Organisation ( AERO ) and will develop a range of professional resources with teachers , school leaders and education experts .
The initiative follows growing evidence of increasing bad behaviour among Australian school students .
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said the extra resources will help teachers manage their classrooms better .
“ A lot of teachers tell me that when they leave university and jump into the classroom for the first time , they don ’ t feel as prepared as they should manage a classroom full of students ,” Mr Clare said .
“ When students are fully engaged in the classroom , they learn at their best , and teachers have more time to teach .”
The latest OECD report highlighted that Australia ’ s disciplinary climate in schools was among the worst compared to the US and UK .
According to government data , one in three teachers report regularly losing teaching time due to students ’ disruptive behaviour .
The Engaged Classrooms initiative , led by former teacher and academic Dr Tim McDonald , will develop resources to improve student engagement and deescalate misbehaviour and conflict .
These resources will include adaptable best-practice templates , video demonstrations and written case studies , and online and face-to-face training materials set to be distributed in the next two years .
AERO CEO Dr Jenny Donovan said students ’ time in class is critical to boosting their learning which can only happen if students are engaged in the classroom .
“ This initiative will give teachers and school leaders clear evidence-based guidance and tools for ensuring all students have the opportunity to learn ,” she said .
In the meantime , Monash University Senior Lecturer in Educational Psychology Erin Leif said students ’ disruptions could be minimised by removing all distractions in the classroom and praising good attitudes .
“ Disruption often happens when students enter the classroom .”
“ A great tip is to practise entering the classroom quietly and calmly and having them start an activity as soon as they sit at their desks to limit that downtime ,” she told Education Review . ■
Sniff out
Sniffer dogs can help detect Covid in schools , according to US study .
By Laura Mazzitelli
A
US-based study has found that sniffer dogs can be effective in detecting symptoms of Covid-19 in schools .
The California Department of Public health partnered with Early Alert Canines to train medical alert dogs to sniff out volatile organic compounds ( VOCs ), emitted by those infected with Covid . The dog screening program was conducted to “ complement a school antigen testing program ” across range of volunteer K-12 schools .
“ Studies have demonstrated dogs ’ impressive ability for detecting VOCs associated with Covid-19 infection using specimens collected from SARS-CoV-2 – infected and uninfected individuals ,” according to the report .
During the study , students were 6 feet apart where the dogs sniffed their ankles and feet .
The dogs alerted their handlers to any Covid infections by sitting down .
Participants then undertook antigen testing , where the dog and antigen results were recorded in a digital platform .
“ After 2 months of training on COVID-19 scent samples in the laboratory , the dogs achieved greater than 95 % sensitivity and specificity for detection of the virus ,” according to the report .
After lab testings , the dog screenings were taken to the field to
27 schools where almost 3900 antigendog screenings were undertaken .
The results from these visits totalled a 90 per cent accuracy detection rate .
The research team now aims for dogs to perform “ large-scale VOC screening ” with antigen testing being performed on people with positive dog screening results .
“ Unlike most other studies , our dogs directly screened people in the field , rather than specimens ,” according to the report .
“ While modifications are needed before widespread implementation , this study supports use of dogs for efficient and non invasive COVID-19 screening and could be used for other pathogens .”
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said that from 13 May , a pathology referral will be required to get a PCR test .
“ Since January we ’ ve seen a significant reduction in demand for PCR testing driven by changes in health recommendations , testing behaviour and increased access to rapid antigen tests ( RATs ),” Mr Park said .
“ Over the next few weeks , we will be transitioning to a new model of COVID testing to support the current and future needs of the community .” ■
4 | educationreview . com . au