A range of important issues for educators such as teacher workload, affordable housing, the Gonski schools funding campaign and the future of assessment and testing are to be tackled at this year’s Federation Annual Conference.
The event will be held July 2-4 at the new International Convention Centre (ICC) in Sydney’s Darling Harbour.
The problem of affordable housing for teachers will be outlined by Federation General Secretary John Dixon. The Future of assessment and testing will be explored by Federation Deputy President Gary Zadkovich and Federation Vice President Denis Fitzgerald. Federation President Maurie Mulheron will also update conference attendees on the Gonski schools funding campaign.
A number of guest speakers will also address the conference, on topics including edu-business, Aboriginal education and TAFE.
Three academics will explore the topic of edu-business as it relates to commercialisation in public schools. They are Professor Bob Lingard, from the School of Education at the University of Queensland; Dr Greg Thompson, Associate Professor Education Research at the Queensland University of Technology and Lecturer at the University of Queensland, Dr Anna Hogan.
On the topic of Aboriginal education, educationalist Dr Chris Sarra, who is founder and chairman of the Stronger Smarter Institute, will deliver an address.
Other guest speakers include two academics from the University of Sydney, who are conducting a research project: ‘Teaching and Learning – Review of Teacher Workload’.
They are: Susan McGrath-Champ, Associate Professor in Work and Organisational Studies at the University of Sydney Business School and Meghan Stacey, doctoral candidate with the Sydney School of Education and Social Work. Federation Senior Vice President Joan Lemaire will also speak on this issue.