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Australia: There are jobs in journalism, just not traditional ones

Noticias

Oceanía/Australia/Mayo del 2017/Noticias/https://theconversation.com/

The recent announcements of the proposed Fairfax sacking of 115 newsroom staff has again focused attention on the future of journalism in Australia.

The Fairfax cuts follow the shedding of 120 editorial jobs a year ago.

News Corp has also announced redundancies for photographers and production staff.

The redundancies are a result of publishers having to keep cutting costs in the face of declining advertising revenues for the print media.

In what appears like a somewhat futile attempt to push back the tide, the Senate has also hurriedly convened the “Select Committee on the Future of Public Interest Journalism” chaired by Sam Dastyari.

It seems inevitable that the committee will recommend halting attempts to regulate the market or even introducing new measures to protect “public interest journalism” – whatever that is.

Are there any jobs in journalism?

For those studying journalism courses or about to enter the journalism workforce, this may be, understandably, a worrying time.

It should also lead to some consideration by universities and TAFE institutions about the number of students admitted into journalism courses and the relevance of course content to what is already a rapidly changing media environment.

It is difficult to measure with any accuracy how many journalists there are in Australia or new entrants into the profession.

According to the Department of Employment, in 2015 there were 27,500 people employed as journalists or writers, and this is predicted to grow by 10% to 30,300 by 2020.

This compares to predicted growth in all professional employment of 14.4% and of all employment by 8% over the same period. On the demand side of the journalist labour market, growth is expected to be OK.

So what is happening on the supply side?

Between the previous Census in 2006 and the 2011 Census, the number stating that they had journalism qualifications had risen by 30% compared to a rise in journalists employed by about 8%.

This suggests that the growth in demand has not kept pace with supply.

The biggest source of new supply is new graduates of Australian universities and TAFE colleges, although net migration may also make a small contribution.

The problem with attempting to estimate the influx of new journalists is that the education statistics are not available for journalism graduates alone.

This is probably due to the fact that most degrees which teach journalism skills are not called “degree in journalism” but by some other name. Therefore, statistics issued by the Department of Education are classified as “communication and media studies”.

Should unis still be training up journos?

This figure below shows the that the number of domestic students enrolled in communication and media studies in Australian universities between 2004 and 2015 increased by over 230%, which compares to about 40% for all university students.

Number of students studying media and communications. Department of Education and Training., Author provided

We don’t know how many of these are journalism students but, if the Census data is any guide, a rough estimate would be that they would make up about third of all students in communications and media studies.

The data does suggest that the increase in “qualified” journalists has exceeded the growth in journalism jobs, at least as traditionally defined.

Further complications arise because not all working as journalists are “qualified”. They may be specialist in particular areas, such as economics, finance, health or even gardening, who have taken to writing.

Journalism has become difficult to define

More importantly, the meaning of “journalists’ work” has become more difficult to define with growth in new technologies and globalisation of the media.

A journalism education equips someone with a range of important and marketable skills.

Traditional newsroom skills include thorough research and being able to explain often complex ideas in a clear, understandable way.

But the new generation of journalists also needs to be proficient in use of social media, online publishing and multimedia as well as being able to write. Hopefully the rapidly increased number of students is being equipped with these skills.

Although little researched, there is certainly anecdotal evidence that there is a need for people with these skills in most public and private sector organisations.

This has created a large number of jobs for those with journalism skills which do not neatly fall into what has traditionally been thought of as journalism.

The big rise in journalism graduates would, on the surface, appear to suggest a degree of over-education in the discipline.

But similar concerns about the growth in all university places, particularly since the introduction of the demand-based system, have been expressed with respect to the quality of graduates’ jobs and jobs mismatch.

Journalism is changing – unis need to adapt courses to reflect this

On the other hand, as long as potential students are aware of the career prospects that they face on graduation, then it would be hoped that they are making rational choices about the education which will best facilitate their career ambitions.

Interestingly, as can be seen from the above graph, overseas students have not greatly increased their demand for journalism courses in Australia indicating that they take a somewhat different perspective on career choices.

In order for Australian universities to equip students for the new journalism environment they need to examine how journalism is taught in an era where print journalism is dying out.

The use of journalism skills need to be looked at more broadly than in just traditional journalism jobs. Students also need to be equipped in the new skills required in the environment of global and technological change, as well as the old skills which will always be the hallmark of good journalism.

Fuente:

https://theconversation.com/there-are-jobs-in-journalism-just-not-traditional-ones-77622

Fuente imagen:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xzh00QthWajs4MhGcss1I-kfJCBaKRUeTqYHiAB12Q_Wymn2sow9lPV3CnDW5NJZ5CL6NQ=s85

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Australia: Programs that prepare students for university study may no longer be fre

Noticias

Oceanía/Australia/ Mayo del 2017/Noticias/https://theconversation.com/

For the first time, students may have to pay up to A$3271 for “enabling” courses, designed to prepare students for university study.

The change was announced as part of the government’s recent higher education reform package.

Until now, university enabling programs have been subsidised by the government – and are therefore free for students. The new plan to shift the cost onto students will likely deter some students and affect who is able to access higher education.

What do enabling programs do?

Not everyone is in a position to start an undergraduate degree directly. Some people need more academic preparation or confidence, including those who may have been out of the education system for several years. Many of these people currently enrol in “enabling” courses.

These preparatory courses typically run for six to 12 months and focus on developing the discipline, knowledge and academic skills required for higher level learning.

The courses are run by universities and give students a sense of campus life and expectations before they commit to a full undergraduate degree with tuition fees.

Enabling courses are a low-cost government investment of $30 million per year, offering people from low socioeconomic and other disadvantaged backgrounds a viable opportunity to qualify and prepare for university.

Courses are not specifically targeted at equity groups, but around 50% of students enrolled in enabling courses are from equity groups, including Indigenous students.

A recent review of enabling programs shows that students from low SES backgrounds have more than twice the rate of representation in enabling courses than they do at undergraduate level.

As the national review reports,

enabling programs transition more equity-group students than the associate degree, advanced diploma, diploma and OUA pathways combined.

Students who transition via an enabling program are,

more likely to be studying full-time in their subsequent undergraduate degree, compared to those transitioning via a VET program (85.4% compared to 76.3%).

Once they are at university, students from low SES backgrounds can receive further support through a different government financial initiative – the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP). This is welcome and signals a government commitment to equity. However, more is needed to support access and academic preparation.

How will funding arrangements change?

Since 2004, some preparatory enabling programs have been supported through a combination of Commonwealth funded places and a small additional loading.

The arrangement means that students do not pay fees (or incur debt) as long as no other fees are charged by universities themselves. But the proposed changes to enabling funding would change all that.

Under the new proposals, students will pay fees and funding will be insecure, with universities having to bid for their places every three years.

Universities may also need to compete for funding against private providers, some of whom offer similar courses.

Many private providers have no previous experience in teaching students who have faced prior educational challenges. And unlike universities, they have no specific equity mission or community obligations.

Why will students now have to pay?

Because enabling programs are free, they attract different student cohorts from diplomas and other (fee paying) sub-degree programs.

Indigenous, mature age, low SES, and students from refugee backgrounds are more likely to enrol in an enabling program than any other sub-degree program .

Apart from improving university access for thousands of under-represented students, enabling programs also deliver effective outcomes.

Research shows that enabling students who transition to undergraduate degrees outperform other equity group students in those degrees, despite a higher average level of disadvantage.

So why cut an inexpensive program that opens doors for under-represented students and effectively prepares them for university success?

Two reasons are provided. The first reason for abolishing fee-free enabling places is to improve completion rates.

The budget package reports that fee-free Commonwealth funded university programs have completion rates of 52%, while fee-paying university programs, which do not draw on this Commonwealth funding (programs can only charge fees or claim the funding), have completion rates of 61%.

However, this gap is largely because fee-paying programs are typically much smaller and less flexible and accessible. The government data cited does not compare like with like.

The second reason provided for removing fee-free programs is to ensure a better return to students and taxpayers. Again, this is a questionable claim.

The proposed cuts will mean that many students from disadvantaged and low-SES backgrounds, who are often unsure of whether university study is for them, will likely not enrol in an enabling program.

Fees are often prohibitive for people who have the potential to succeed in higher education, but who suffer social and economic disadvantage. While the budget proposes a broader expansion of sub-degree places, diversity and full community engagement will suffer if fee-free places are abolished.

Equity, quality and performance-based funding

The government is also proposing performance-based funding measures that may penalise institutions with relatively low retention and completion rates.

That move is understandable but considered problematic and could threaten student equity if not managed carefully.

Performance-based funding is partly designed to deter universities from enrolling students at risk of non-completion.

However, fee-free enabling programs already provide an excellent way to mitigate this risk, by enabling access and improving the preparation of students. These benefits are delivered relatively cheaply under the current enabling loading allocations to universities.

To support equity, quality and long-term budget repair, fee-free enabling places could be expanded rather than abolished.

Fuente:

https://theconversation.com/programs-that-prepare-students-for-university-study-may-no-longer-be-free-77851

Fuente imagen:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2kO4r8Yyun6FYUK9mjgjI6Q6X_GXaZmS-gLtBLn7GwSHnbIkgr-rKFAbe5tV54c8JGXi=s85

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Indian students inspired by rich learning experience in New Zealand

Noticias

India/Mayo de 2017/Fuente: Indian Education Diary

Resumen: Tres estudiantes indios galardonados han completado una pasantía de tres semanas en las instituciones de diseño digital y animación más importantes del mundo: la Universidad Massey, el Instituto de Tecnología de Wellington y la Escuela de Diseño de Medios. Los pasantes fueron inspirados por la rica experiencia de aprendizaje en Nueva Zelanda, el enfoque innovador y de colaboración para la enseñanza y el aprendizaje, la tecnología de vanguardia disponible y la cálida bienvenida que recibieron. «La educación en Nueva Zelanda es inspiradora, la forma innovadora de enseñar gráficos, cine, diseño de películas todo al mismo tiempo y ser capaz de moldear a los generalistas en multitareas que pueden contribuir en todas las áreas de la producción de medios fue fascinante», dijo Unni Sunny de Bengaluru.

Three award-winning Indian students have completed a three-week internship at New Zealand’s world-leading digital design and animation institutions: Massey University, Wellington Institute of Technology and Media Design School.

The interns were inspired by the rich learning experience in New Zealand, the innovative and collaborative approach to teaching and learning, the cutting edge technology available, and the warm welcome they received.

“Education in New Zealand is inspiring, the innovative way of teaching graphics, moviemaking, film design all at the same time and to be able to mold generalists into multitaskers who can contribute in all areas of media production was fascinating,” said Unni Sunny from Bengaluru.

Unni as well as Anwesha Samanta from Trivandrum and Diana Fernandes from Pune were awarded a three-week internship at premier New Zealand institutions as part of an Education New Zealand-led animation showcase challenge ‘My New Zealand Future.’
My New Zealand Future animation showcase winners
The winning entries, selected for their creativity, quality, thematic treatment and originality, were announced in October last year during the former New Zealand Prime Minister John Key’s state visit to India.

Education New Zealand’s Regional Director – South South East Asia and Middle East, John Laxon said, “More and more Indian students are choosing New Zealand as a world-class and safe education destination, including students pursuing specialist careers in industries such as animation and film. As the home of world-wide blockbusters such as The Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings and Avatar, we look forward to providing the future stars of India exciting education opportunities and global career pathways. We congratulate Unni, Diana and Anwesha on their internship, and look forward to welcoming many more aspiring animators and film-makers to our institutions”

The internship programme was designed to focus on developing leadership, communication, creative thinking and problem-solving skills, all of which are increasingly important attributes for graduates associated with the New Zealand education experience.
From (L-R): Anwesha Samanta, Animation competition winner, Chris Gosling, Chief Executive, Whitireia Community Polytechnic (Whitireia) and Wellington Institute of Technology, Diana Fernandes, Animation Competition Winner, Former Prime Minister Rt Hon John Key, Unni Sunny, Animation Competition Winner, Darryn Melrose, Chief Executive, Media Design School

The interns were impressed by the great learning experience offered by New Zealand institutions in a safe and nurturing environment. The teaching approach, focussing on problem solving, collaboration, creativity, communication and team-building, was different from what they had experienced previously.

“In India, I am used to working on my own. Even when we are given group assignments, we usually work on different tasks on our own and then come together at the end. Also Kiwis made me feel very safe, very amicable and caring people,” Anwesha Samanta from Thiruvananthapuram said.

The students enjoyed learning about cross-format design principles such as movement of the eye. A highlight for the students was the opportunity to make comparisons between real-life models and skeletons to get a sense of how exactly muscles worked.

IMG_8158Diana Fernandes from Ahmedabad recalls using a 3D printer at Weltec/Whitireia during the internship, “Brian McLean, director of rapid prototyping at Laika studio said, ‘It is quite amazing to hold a real character in your hand and know that you have built it using computer software’. I truly understood the meaning of the statement when I held my model. It was an astounding experience.”

Unni is a concept artist at Mech Mocha Games Studio at Bengaluru. He completed a year’s programme in animation and digital arts at Toonz Animation Academy before starting with his job.

Diana is currently in her fourth year of an animation programme at MIT Institute of Design, Pune.

Anwesha is pursuing a year’s programme in advanced filmmaking in animation at the Asian Institute of Film & Media Studies Pvt Ltd, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Fuente: https://indiaeducationdiary.in/indian-students-inspired-rich-learning-experience-new-zealand/

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Los videojuegos pueden enseñarnos a ser mejores personas, según la UNESCO: hablamos con el autor del informe

UNESCO

UNESCO/16 de mayo 2017/Autora:Marina Such  /Fuente: https://www.xataka.com

¿Puede un videojuego ayudarnos a ser más empáticos con las personas que nos rodean? ¿A darnos herramientas para solucionar conflictos? ¿A convertirnos, en definitiva, en mejores personas? Ésa es la tesis detrás de ‘Empathy, perspective and complicity: How Digital Games can support peace education and conflict resolution‘, un trabajo para la UNESCO que analiza cómo pueden usarse los videojuegos para fomentar las mejores cualidades de los gamers.

Y, de paso, rompe uno de los prejuicios más persistentes asociados a ellos, como es que los videojuegos son perjudiciales para los jóvenes y que no son más que una pérdida de tiempo. Son una herramienta que puede utilizarse para bastante más que para cumplir la misión de turno o pasar el rato matando monstruos.

La reivindicación de los juegos

El autor del trabajo es Paul Darvasi, profesor de instituto en Toronto (Canadá) que está realizando un doctorado en el Programa de Lenguaje, Cultura y Enseñanza en la Universidad de York. Analizó varios juegos calificados como «serios», juegos desarrollados por estudios independientes que buscan despertar ciertos debates en sus jugadores, como ‘Papers Please’, y expuso su potencial para ser utilizados en la educación para la paz y la resolución de conflictos.

Paul Darvasi, autor del paper para la UNESCO sobre el uso de videojuegos para la educación en la paz.

Darvasi explica a Xataka que «empecé a estudiar la intersección de los vieeojuegos y la enseñanza hace unos diez años. Creo que hay un gran potencial para mejorar la educación a través de juegos (…). Los juegos se han jugado, a lo largo de la historia, en diferentes situaciones sociales, con funciones que van desde la diversión menor a rituales religiosos. Casi en todos los casos, algo se ha aprendido o practicado, ya sea estrategia, análisis, conocimiento procedimental, reconocimiento de patrones, protocolos de comunicación, función ejecutiva, etc. Sólo estamos comenzando a entender cómo ocurre el aprendizaje en los juegos digitales, y cómo puede medirse».

El interés por estudiar de una manera más concienzuda la importancia educacional de los juegos viene por la gran popularidad que están alcanzando los juegos para móviles y la importancia económica de la industria de los videojuegos, que en 2016 generó 91.000 millones de dólares en beneficios. Algunos estudiosos, como Mary Flanagan y Helen Nissenbaum, llegan a señalar que los videojuegos son el nuevo paradigma mediático del siglo XXI.

«El mercado de los videojuegos es increíblemente diverso, y se están desarrollando muchos juegos que tienen mensajes positivos y no violentos», apunta Darvasi. ¿Cómo pueden usarse, entonces, para enseñarnos a ser, básicamente, mejores personas?

La importancia de la empatía

El investigador señala una cualidad importante de muchos de estos juegos, y es que el jugador se pone, literalmente, en el lugar de otra persona:

«En primer lugar, y lo más importante, los juegos te dejan tener la perspectiva de otra persona y ‘caminar en sus zapatos’. Esto nos permimte entender la vida y las motivaciones de otros, incluidos aquellos con los que estamos peleados. Las tensiones pueden ser reducidas al animar a grupos hostiles a comprender mejor las vidas de sus enemigos u oponentes. Esto ayuda a humanizar al otro y recordar a todas las partes las cosas que pueden tener en común».

En 1971, el juego ‘The Oregon Trail’ enseñaba a los alumnos cómo era la vida de los colonos que se iban al Oeste en el siglo XIX, y lo hacía poniéndolos en el papel de un guía de una caravana. El ya mencionado ‘Papers Please’ nos sitúa en la piel de un funcionario fronterizo de un país comunista en 1982. En todos esos casos, el jugador está solo, pero hay juegos en los que debe formar parte de un equipo, e interactuar con otros jugadores, para conseguir superarlo.

Darvasi profundiza en su respuesta anterior explicando que «algunos estudios han mostrado que la gente tiende a ver a los demás de forma más positiva cuando cooperan y juegan en el mismo equipo. Por desgracia, cuando hay grupos en conflicto, a menudo no quieren trabajar juntos o incluso verse cara a cara. Los juegos ofrecen espacios virtuales sonde la gente puede cooperar y llevar a cabo actividades significativas sin compartir, necesariamente, los mismo espacios físicos/geográficos. Pueden neutralizar las apariencias físicas o cualquier otro marcador que enfatice la diferencia. Puede ser un primer paso positivo hacia unir a la gente».

Y no hay que olvidar que la interactividad es un apartado muy importante en los videojuegos. No sólo asumimos el rol de otra persona, sino que tenemos que tomar decisiones que afectan el desarrollo del juego. Darvasi explica que:

«Los videojuegos dejan que los jugadores experimenten con múltiples soluciones y elecciones. Un juego puede enseñar a un jugador la diferencia entre elegir un camino violento y uno pacífico. Una simulación puede llevar a un jugador a darse cuenta de que la no violencia, la diplomacia y el compromiso pueden ser más fructíferos que la violencia y el antagonismo. Al contrario que los libros y el cine, el mundo cambia de acuerdo a sus decisiones, lo que puede tener un efecto cognitivo más profundo, y psicológico, que los medios tradicionales».

Da también algunos ejemplos de juegos concretos que pueden utilizarse para trabajar la empatía de los estudiantes en determinados temas, aunque reconoce que no está claro si la capacidad para la empatía puede profundizarse en etapas más avanzadas de la vida «Lo que los juegos pueden hacer es animar a los jugadores a sentir empatía por otros en una variedad de circunstancias, ya sean víctimas de guerra (‘This war of mine’), dificultades en la comunidad LGBTQ (‘Gone home’) y cómo una familia afronta la pérdida de un niño (‘That dragon, cancer’). Esto puede abrirnos los ojos a la realidad de otra persona y, quizás, incluso actuar o cambiar actitudes para mejorar el mundo de algún modo».

¿Y los videjuegos comerciales?

Donde la industria del videojuego recibe más críticas no es tanto en esos juegos serios estudiados en el paper para la UNESCO, sino en los comerciales, en los grandes lanzamientos, que son los que llegan a un público mucho más amplio. En ellos pueden ya estar desarrollándose, sin que el jugador se dé cuenta, habilidades psicomotrices, de relación con el espacio y formas creativas para resolver conflictos, y Darvasi cree que algunos pueden utilizarse con el mismo objetivo de educación para la paz:

«Soy un gran fan del uso de juegos comerciales, y hay muchos que son tanto serios en su temática como exitosos comercialmente, como ‘1979 Revolution: Black Friday’ y ‘This war of mine’. Incluso juegos AAA increíblemente populares como ‘World of Warcraft’ o ‘Skyrim’ tratan asuntos como los refugiados y el racismo. Sé de un profesor en Noruega que utiliza ‘The Walking Dead’ para enseñar filosofía moral, y otro que enseña historia con ‘Civilization’. Conforme la industria madure, veremos más y más juegos exitosos comercialmente que son también serios en su temática».

No todos los títulos son igual de adecuados para su uso educativo, sino que tienen que tener ciertas características que faciliten que los jugadores puedan trabajar en su capacidad empática y de resolución de conflictos. «Para producir empatía, es crucial ofrecer una perspectiva convincente», explica Darvasi: «Algunos estudios sugieren que los jugadores sienten más empatía por personajes presentados en tercera persona o como los otros».

Pero lo más importante es el contexto, es decir, no utilizar el juego como algo separado de otras facetas del asunto que se quiere enseñar, o en el que se quiere trabajar. El investigador explica aquí que «el éxito en el uso del juego para un resultado productivo depende, principalmente, del contexto. Si hay objetivos de aprendizaje específicos, es importante contextualizar el juego con lecturas, vídeos, preguntas, debates, etc».

Aula

En los últimos años, se ha hablado mucho sobre la gamificación de la enseñanza, cómo se pueden utilizar juegos para mejorar la capacidad de concentración de los estudiantes o para facilitar la comprensión de conceptos un poco más complicados. «Los videojuegos tienen mucho que enseñarnos sobre cómo mejorar la educación», señala Darvasi, que afirma que también hay que entender cómo enseñan los juegos y cómo los gamers pueden aplicar esos principios al mundo real: «los videojuegos son increíbles herramientas de aprendizaje; un jugador, a menudo, empieza un juego realizando acciones simples y, según el juego avanza, tiende a volverse más y más difícil. Al final, el jugador está realizando acciones complejas y procesando con rapidez una gran cantidad de información, todo gracias al juego».

Si los videojuegos se aplican en las aulas, y si pueden ser importantes en la educación para la paz, es en su capacidad para mantener el interés de los estudiantes. En palabras de Darvasi, «(los jugadores) quieren persistir y continuar, pese a los desafíos y las decepciones. ¿Cómo podemos motivar a los estudiantes del mismo modo en aulas y escuelas? ¿Cómo podemos usar los sistemas empleados en un videojuego para mejorar el sistema educativo? Esto incluye dar a los estudiantes capacidad de elección, progreso en los niveles de habilidad individual, maestría de habilidades y conceptos y reconocimiento de que el éxito se alcanza, a menudo, en un camino pavimentado por el fracaso».

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Australian: Q&A: Protesters confront Education Minister Simon Birmingham over university fee increases

Noticias

Australian/ 16 may 2017/By: Georgina Mitchell/Source: http://www.theage.com.au

Education minister Simon Birmingham has been confronted by student protesters on live television, after the government controversially proposed in the federal budget to cut funding to universities while raising student fees.

Mr Birmingham appeared alongside Greens senator Larissa Waters, shadow treasurer Chris Bowen and representatives from the university and business world in a special episode of the ABC’s Q&A on Monday night.

 

The panel planned to dissect the budget and what it had to offer for all sectors of society.

However, in the hours before the program aired, Q&A producers drew the ire of students for refusing to include a young person on the panel.

A handful of students waved signs and banners outside the Arts Centre Gold Coast under the watchful eye of police, with slogans including «Game of Loans» and «education for all, not just the rich».

In the studio, the situation heated up after a questioner pointed out Mr Birmingham had been an active student politician who opposed increases to fees.

«So why is it now, 20 years on, that your view has complete changed?» the questioner asked, to applause. «Can you please justify to me why you think that the proposed changes to increase fees and lower the HECS repayment threshold is fair for university students across this country?»

Mr Birmingham said a lot has changed over the last 20 to 30 years, and began to say there had been enormous growth in the number of students going to university when a woman began shouting from the crowd.

«You’re making students pay,» the woman said, as Ms Waters nodded in agreement. The program did not show the protester in the audience but her shouting was audible.

The woman continued shouting until she was grabbed by security guards and removed from the audience.

Another audience member then began to shout: «How can you justify the cuts to the tax repayment thresholds?» before he too was removed.

Host Tony Jones tried in vain to bring order as the audience applauded the interjections.

«I think you can see it’s a university town, there’s a good deal of passion here in the audience,» Jones said.

Mr Birmingham, who had agreed to answer the first woman’s interjection, said students have been protesting for generations.

Ms Waters quipped: «It’s a shame they’re not being listened to.»

Labor says it will oppose the government’s proposed changes to higher education, which include a 7.5 per cent increase in fees, reducing the HECS loan repayment threshold to an annual salary of $42,000, and applying an efficiency dividend to universities.

The Greens have also opposed the controversial changes, meaning the government will need to negotiate with the Senate cross-bench if they want to pass the $2.8 billion in savings.

It is the second time protesters have drowned out an education minister on Q&A, after a group of students in Sydney unfurled a banner and began chanting at Christopher Pyne in 2014.

Those students – also protesting cuts to higher education – forced the program to cut to file footage of a musical performance while they were removed by security.

In response, the program launched a review of its security policies and apologised to Mr Pyne, who is now the minister for defence industry.

Source:

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/qa-protesters-confront-education-minister-simon-birmingham-over-university-fee-increases-20170515-gw5i9m.html

 

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Nueva Zelanda construirá un colegio para refugiados sirios en Turquía

Noticias

Nueva Zelanda/15 mayo 2017/Fuente: antena3

Nueva Zelanda ha donado durante los últimos años cerca de 15 millones de euros para mejorar la situación de los iraquíes y sirios que huyen de sus países de origen debido a los conflictos armados.

Las autoridades de Nueva Zelanda han anunciado que construirán un colegio para refugiados sirios en la provincia de Sanliurfa, en el sureste de Turquía, en un intento por contribuir a la educación de los menores que se han visto obligados a abandonar Siria debido al aumento de la violencia.

Según el acuerdo firmado entre ambos países, el Gobierno neozelandés ha ofrecido 896.000 euros para llevar a cabo la edificación de 23 aulas en varias instalaciones educativas, lo que permitirá que al menos 1.800 refugiados puedan asistir a la escuela para continuar con sus estudios. Los fondos también incluyen el mobiliario y los sistemas de calefacción y aire acondicionado de los colegios en cuestión, según ha informado el diario local ‘Daily Sabah’.

Esta medida constituye el segundo proyecto educativo que Nueva Zelanda y Turquía ponen en marcha de forma conjunta para mejorar la calidad de vida de los refugiados sirios en el país euroasiático. En 2013, Nueva Zelanda financió la construcción de otros tres colegios en los campos de refugiados de Adiyaman, Kahramanmaras y Osmaniye, lo que supuso un desembolso de dos millones de liras turcas (512.000 euros).

El embajador de Nueva Zelanda en Turquía, Jonathan Curr, ha señalado que el Gobierno neozelandés está «encantado» de comprometerse con las autoridades turcas en el marco de un proyecto educativo que sirve como ejemplo de la cooperación bilateral entre dos países.

«Esto supone una contribución modesta pero importante por parte de Nueva Zelanda y una muestra de la generosidad del Gobierno de Turquía y del pueblo turco hacia el gran número de sirios e iraquíes que se ven obligados a desplazarse», ha aseverado Curr.

Nueva Zelanda ha donado durante los últimos años cerca de 15 millones de euros para mejorar la situación de los iraquíes y sirios que huyen de sus países de origen debido a los conflictos armados.

Fuente: http://www.antena3.com/noticias/mundo/nueva-zelanda-construira-colegio-refugiados-sirios-turquia_201705135916b9730cf2161ded9d9b99.html

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Nueva Zelanda: Wellington’s Blue Dragon book fair helps kids and families in Vietnam’s capital

Noticias

Nueva Zelanda/Mayo de 2017/Autor: Chelsea McLaughin/Fuente: The Dominion Post

Resumen: La feria del libro Blue Dragon, en Ngaio Town Hall  es una recaudación de fondos anual en Nueva Zelanda para el Blue Dragon Children’s Education Center. El dragón azul fue establecido en Hanoi por el profesor australiano Michael Brosowski en 2004 para ayudar a niños de la calle, niños víctimas de la trata y familias en crisis. En Nueva Zelanda,  la organización Blue Dragon Children’s Trust, fue establecida por seis mujeres Wellington en 2010 para apoyar el centro de Hanoi Brosowski. Una historia de Dominion Post en 2009 sobre el Centro de Educación para Niños de Blue Dragon en Vietnam ayudó a llevar a Chinh Van Do a Nueva Zelanda a vivir. Cuando el Centro de Lengua y Educación al Aire Libre de Taupo leyó el artículo, se puso en contacto con Blue Dragon y ofreció una beca de tres meses a uno de sus estudiantes.

Buying a book in Wellington next weekend can help a Vietnamese child in need.

The Blue Dragon book fair, in Ngaio Town Hall next Saturday, is an annual fundraiser in New Zealand for the Blue Dragon Children’s Education Centre.

Blue Dragon was set up in Hanoi by Australian teacher Michael Brosowski​ in 2004 to give kids a better chance at life. It helps street kids, trafficked children and families in crisis.

Blue Dragon supports rural children from poor families to stay in school. The Blue Dragon book fair in Wellington raises ...

 

Blue Dragon supports rural children from poor families to stay in school. The Blue Dragon book fair in Wellington raises money to help continue its work in Hanoi.

The New Zealand leg of the organisation, Blue Dragon Children’s Trust, was established by six Wellington women in 2010 to support Brosowski’s Hanoi centre.

A Dominion Post story in 2009 about the Blue Dragon Children’s Education Centre in Vietnam helped bring Chinh​ Van Do to New Zealand to live.

Blue Dragon also supports poor children with disabilities in its Step Ahead programme.

 

Blue Dragon also supports poor children with disabilities in its Step Ahead programme.

When the Taupo Language and Outdoor Education Centre read the article, it contacted Blue Dragon and offered a three-month scholarship to one of its students.

Van Do, a former street kid shining shoes on the streets of Hanoi, was selected to come to Taupo and has been studying and working in New Zealand ever since.

The 28-year-old has studied both English language skills and IT in Taupo and Auckland, and recently moved to Tauranga for an electrical apprenticeship.

Blue Dragon Children's Foundation has played more than 2200 games of soccer. Pictured are its gaelic football champions.

 

Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation has played more than 2200 games of soccer. Pictured are its gaelic football champions.

For the fifth year in a row, he plans to travel to Wellington to help at the Blue Dragon Book Fair.

Describing the children’s education centre as a «home of hope», he says he always visits Blue Dragon on trips to Vietnam.

«They always make me feel so welcome. I try to help them out by playing soccer with the kids and helping them with their schoolwork.»

The work Blue Dragon does is important. «They are helping the kids and giving chances and creating opportunities for them.

«It’s like home for the kids.»

All proceeds of the book fair go to the Vietnamese organisation.

Fuente: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/92419053/wellingtons-blue-dragon-book-fair-helps-kids-and-families-in-vietnams-capital

 

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