This interim report summarizes ongoing research reported from the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia on the relationship between matriculation through the Tertiary Education Entrance Project Series A Test Battery and university performance. In view of the preliminary nature of the findings, the tables are…

This bulletin discusses the mathematics and science course enrollment trends of secondary students in Australia, which are of national concern because of the low participation rates overall and because of the gender imbalance in enrollment numbers. Statistics are reported for 12th-grade mathematics and science course enrollment, and expectations…

This paper discusses research in progress which is examining differences in the ways that boys and girls engage in small-group literature discussions, and the enabling strategies teachers use to support student talk. The paper uses case studies which draw on videotaped data from small-group literature discussions, interviews with teachers, and…

Describes a study of nine year olds in Ireland, Australia, the United States, and Norway that investigated their attitudes to television advertising and the connection to buying patterns in their families. Highlights include enjoyment of television ads, parallels between television programs and ads, and perceived influence of ads on parents.…

This report describes the development and application of a model to study the movement of students in, through, and out of higher education in Australia. The model is designed to project the number of students, graduates, and dropouts by age, gender, and broad field of study. The model also estimates the probability of a student completing a…

Data sets from Australia were analyzed using a causal model to determine the possible causes of sex differences in ASAT scores. Observed differences could be explained in terms of differences in students' English scores, the time the students spent studying mathematics, and their confidence in success. (Author/MLW)

This study analyzed the Tertiary Admission Examination and Australian Scholastic Aptitude Test results for 264 pairs of 17-year-old monozygotic and dizygotic twins in Western Australia to determine if examination performance is influenced by environmental or genetic factors. Purely environmental models are rejected as inadequate explanations of…

Reports on the results of a study of business undergraduates in Australia that was conducted to determine whether or not perceived knowledge of software, microcomputer experience, overall knowledge of computers, programming experience, and gender were predictors of computer anxiety. Use of the Computer Anxiety Rating Scale is discussed.…

The participation of women in vocational education and training (VET) in Australia in 1996-1999 was examined. Data for the analysis were obtained from annual national VET data collections and relevant reports. The analysis focused on the following areas: general trends, fields of study, qualifications, areas of learning, module outcomes,…

As part of the new Victorian Certificate of Education, the state of Victoria, Australia, implemented changes to secondary mathematics courses in order to cater to the needs and aspirations of all students by using a variety of teaching and assessment strategies. The first year that the changes were fully implemented for grade 12 was 1992. A…

Describes Australian study which investigated relationships between characteristics of disadvantaged elementary and secondary students and their participation in computing activities, both in and out of the classroom. Variables used to define disadvantaged include gender, school ability, socioeconomic status, and ethnic background. Results are…

An online dialogue on gender-based analysis (GBA) was held from February 15 to March 7, 2001. Invitations and a background paper titled "Why Gender-Based Analysis?" were sent to 350 women's organizations and individuals throughout Canada. Efforts were made to ensure that aboriginal and Metis women, visible minority women, and women with…

As of December 31, 2002, an estimated 373,200 Australians were undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship, an increase of 14.8% over the number in training in 2001 and more than double the number in training in 1996; three quarters of apprentices and trainees in-training were undertaking Australian Qualification Framework Level III programs; and…

This report describes the aggregated reading and mathematics performances of students in years 5 and 7 in urban Northern Territory (Australia) schools on the Primary Assessment Program (PAP) tests. The aggregated results are encouraging, with apparent gains in some reading tests over the preceding year, and no evidence of decline in the others.…

The public vocational education and training (VET) system in Australia encompasses formal learning activities intended to develop knowledge and skills that are relevant in the workplace for those past the age of compulsory schooling, but excludes bachelor and post-graduate courses and learning for leisure, recreation or personal enrichment. Some…