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The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018: Building climate resilience for food security and nutrition

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11 September 2018, Rome – New evidence continues to signal that the number of hungry people in the world is growing, reaching 821 million in 2017 or one in every nine people, according to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018 released today. Limited progress is also being made in addressing the multiple forms of malnutrition, ranging from child stunting to adult obesity, putting the health of hundreds of millions of people at risk.

Hunger has been on the rise over the past three years, returning to levels from a decade ago. This reversal in progress sends a clear warning that more must be done and urgently if the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger is to be achieved by 2030.

The situation is worsening in South America and most regions of Africa, while the decreasing trend in undernourishment that characterized Asia seems to be slowing down significantly.

The annual UN report found that climate variability affecting rainfall patterns and agricultural seasons, and climate extremes such as droughts and floods, are among the key drivers behind the rise in hunger, together with conflict and economic slowdowns.

“The alarming signs of increasing food insecurity and high levels of different forms of malnutrition are a clear warning that there is considerable work to be done to make sure we ‘leave no one behind’ on the road towards achieving the SDG goals on food security and improved nutrition,” the heads of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) warned in their joint foreword to the report.

“If we are to achieve a world without hunger and malnutrition in all its forms by 2030, it is imperative that we accelerate and scale up actions to strengthen the resilience and adaptive capacity of food systems and people’s livelihoods in response to climate variability and extremes,” the leaders said.

The impact of climate variability and extremes on hunger

Changes in climate are already undermining production of major crops such as wheat, rice and maize in tropical and temperate regions and, without building climate resilience, this is expected to worsen as temperatures increase and become more extreme.

Analysis in the report shows that the prevalence and number of undernourished people tend to be higher in countries highly exposed to climate extremes. Undernourishment is higher again when exposure to climate extremes is compounded by a high proportion of the population depending on agricultural systems that are highly sensitive to rainfall and temperature variability.

Temperature anomalies over agricultural cropping areas continued to be higher than the long-term mean throughout 2011–2016, leading to more frequent spells of extreme heat in the last five years. The nature of rainfall seasons is also changing, such as the late or early start of rainy seasons and the unequal distribution of rainfall within a season.

The harm to agricultural production contributes to shortfalls in food availability, with knock-on effects causing food price hikes and income losses that reduce people’s access to food.

Slow progress on ending all forms of malnutrition

Poor progress has been made in reducing child stunting, the report says, with nearly 151 million children aged under five too short for their age due to malnutrition in 2017, compared to 165 million in 2012. Globally, Africa and Asia accounted for 39 percent and 55 percent of all stunted children, respectively.

Prevalence of child wasting remains extremely high in Asia where almost one in 10 children under five has low weight for their height, compared to just one in 100 in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The report describes as “shameful” the fact that one in three women of reproductive age globally is affected by anaemia, which has significant health and development consequences for both women and their children. No region has shown a decline in anaemia among women of reproductive age, and the prevalence in Africa and Asia is nearly three times higher than in North America.

Rates of exclusive breastfeeding in Africa and Asia are 1.5 times higher than those in North America where only 26 percent of infants under six months receive breastmilk exclusively.

The other side of hunger: obesity on the rise

Adult obesity is worsening, and more than one in eight adults in the world is obese. The problem is most significant in North America, but Africa and Asia are also experiencing an upward trend, the report shows.

Undernutrition and obesity coexist in many countries, and can even be seen side by side in the same household. Poor access to nutritious food due to its higher cost, the stress of living with food insecurity, and physiological adaptations to food deprivation help explain why food-insecure families may have a higher risk of overweight and obesity.

Call for action

The report calls for implementing and scaling up interventions aimed at guaranteeing access to nutritious foods and breaking the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition. Policies must pay special attention to groups who are the most vulnerable to the harmful consequences of poor food access: infants, children aged under five, school-aged children, adolescent girls, and women.

At the same time, a sustainable shift must be made towards nutrition-sensitive agriculture and food systems that can provide safe and high-quality food for all.

The report also calls for greater efforts to build climate resilience through policies that promote climate change adaptation and mitigation, and disaster risk reduction.

Key facts and figures

  • Number of hungry people in the world in 2017: 821 million or 1 in every 9 people
    • in Asia: 515 million
    • in Africa: 256.5 million
    • in Latin America and the Caribbean: 39 million
  • Children under 5 affected by stunting (low height-for-age): 150.8 million (22.2%)
  • Children under 5 affected by wasting (low weight-for-height): 50.5 million (7.5%)
  • Children under 5 who are overweight (high weight-for-height): 38.3 million (5.6%)
  • Percentage of women of reproductive age affected by anaemia: 32.8%
  • Percentage of infants aged below 6 months who were exclusively breastfed: 40.7%
  • Adults who are obese: 672 million (13% or 1 in 8 adults)

Note to editors
The heads of agencies issuing today’s report are: José Graziano da Silva, Director-General of FAO; Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of IFAD; Henrietta H. Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF; David Beasley, Executive Director of WFP; and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO.

The report is part of tracking progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 2-Zero Hunger, which aims to end hunger, promote food security and end all forms of malnutrition by 2030. The report also tracks progress on six of the seven World Health Assembly global nutrition targets.

Last year’s report observed that three factors are behind the recent rise in hunger: conflict, climate and economic slowdowns, and provided an in-depth study of the role of conflict. This year’s report focuses on the role of climate variability and extremes to explain the observed trends in food security. The attribution of climate variations and extremes to climate change is beyond the scope of this report.

ENDS

Contacts

FAO
Zoie Jones
+39 06 570 56309 (Rome)
+39 331 431 0003
Zoie.Jones@FAO.org

IFAD
Katie Taft
+39 334 608 3657 (Rome)
k.taft@ifad.org

UNICEF
Sabrina Sidhu
+1 9174761537 (New York)
ssidhu@unicef.org

WFP
Frances Kennedy
+39 346 7600806 (Rome)
Frances.Kennedy@wfp.org

WHO
Fadela Chaib
+41 22 791 3228 (Geneva)
+41 79 475 5556
chaibf@who.int

El impacto de los videojuegos en el cerebro de los niños

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¿Es bueno que los niños jueguen a videojuegos? ¿afecta a su desarrollo? ¿cómo impacta en su cerebro estar horas delante de una pantalla matando monstruos o jugando al Candy Crush? ¿es perjudicial que un niño se duerma viendo dibujos animados en una tableta?

Conozco niños que permanecen ingentes cantidades de tiempo leyendo– simplemente sentados y leyendo—, sin moverse durante 8 horas al día. Siempre ha habido chicos así, también cuando yo era pequeño. Nunca entendí porque se sentaban y leían cuando podían venir a pescar conmigo. ¡Qué pérdida de tiempo! Curiosamente, nunca he conocido a un padre que limite el tiempo de lectura de un niño. ¿por qué es mejor limitar el tiempo de TV o el jugar al ordenador o consolas que limitar el tiempo de lectura? ¿Por qué nos preocupamos por los niños que están 4 horas delante de un ordenador haciendo lo que les gusta y no nos preocupamos porque el mismo niño este 6 o 7 horas sentado en un pupitre, más dos horas de deberes haciendo lo que otros les obligan? Sugiero reconsiderar si el niño aprende conocimientos más valiosos, o potencia habilidades cognitivas en el ordenador que en la escuela, particularmente porque el ordenador es elegido y el colegio es obligado.

Los niños vienen de serie adaptados para el cambio, su cerebro es más plástico precisamente para aprender. No les importan cambiar; al contrario, les estimula. A los adultos nos gusta menos el cambio porque no es agradable modificar nuestra forma de pensar cuando llevamos 40 años haciéndolo de una forma. Cuando aparecieron la poesía y el teatro, Platón la criticó en La República, se criticó la aparición de libros en la Edad Media, porque corrompía las mentes. Más tarde, que la televisión “atonta” el cerebro y ahora, más de los mismo, con los ordenadores, las tablet, smartphones y videoconsolas.

Primero debemos considerar la edad del niño asociada a su capacidad de elección y responsabilidad y después valorar el tipo de actividad que realizan con el dispositivo. No es lo mismo ver un vídeo de Peppa Pig que jugar a matar monstruos o que interactuar en redes sociales con desconocidos.

Hasta los tres años

A partir del segundo año de vida, los niños pueden interactuar algo con dispositivos en juegos básicos tipo ¿Cuál es el león? Son, esencialmente espectadores pasivos que no interactúan con el dispositivo. En juegos simples no duran más de cinco minutos porque requieren atención sostenida y proactividad que no pueden mantener mucho tiempo. Se aburren al no ser plenamente conscientes de las metas, logros, niveles y recompensas del juego, que sí motivan a edades mayores, su interés no pasa de los colores y muñequitos moviéndose.

Su relación con los dispositivos electrónicos se centra en ver dibujos animados, cantajuegos o algunos vídeos absurdos, como una niña que abre 50 huevos sorpresa. Desde el punto de vista psicológico, no hay ninguna diferencia con ver televisión y la proximidad no daña sus ojos porque si les molesta, se cansa la vista o secan los ojos, simplemente dejan de mirar, cosa que no hacen los niños mayores cuando juegan activamente.

 

El componente homeostático del sueño (el tiempo que lleva despierto) es demasiado fuerte a esta edad como para que un dispositivo electrónico pueda restarle horas del sueño

A este respecto, algunas investigaciones indican que enfocar constantemente en rangos visuales cercanos, puede hacer estresar y cansar el ojo y eventualmente conducir a la miopía. Sin embargo, las investigaciones, no encuentran correlación entre el uso de estos dispositivos y la miopía. La causa más importante de la miopía en niños es simplemente la herencia. Los niños con padres miopes tienen más probabilidades de desarrollar miopía.

La única precaución, que hay que tomar, aparte del volumen, es el brillo y tipo de luz que emite la pantalla, es decir, si los ven por la tarde noche debemos controlar el brillo ya que un brillo elevado y hacia tonos azules podría retrasar su DLMO (dim light melatonin onset), la hora de segregación biológica de la melatonina cuando el cerebro detecta que no hay luz y ordena a la glándula pineal la segregación de esta hormona que induce los cambios neurofisiológicos para el inicio del sueño. Lo mejor es activar la opción blue shade que bloquea la luz azul o utilizar alguna aplicación similar o poner un filtro de luz azul. Este consejo es válido para todas las edades. Como norma general, la exposición a la luz brillante por la mañana adelanta la hora del sueño de la noche, y por la tarde, lo retrasa.

Por último, el componente homeostático del sueño (el tiempo que lleva despierto) es demasiado fuerte a esta edad como para que un dispositivo electrónico pueda restarle horas del sueño; se dormirá por muy interesante sea lo que vea. Al contrario, un tablet con el brillo y sonido muy atenuado puede ayudarle a conciliar el sueño en días difíciles.

Entre los tres y los seis años

A esta edad siguen viendo contenidos musicales, dibujos animados y películas. Los ven una y otra vez y no siguen el hilo argumental aunque pueden repetir los diálogos de memoria.

En juegos sencillos, tipo Candy Crush, si pueden estar más tiempo pero se terminan cansando, sobre todo si hay otras alternativas de juego, en el exterior o con hermanos o amigos

Por otro lado, empiezan a jugar a juegos sencillos ya que no tienen habilidades cognitivas plenamente desarrolladas para juegos avanzados. Algunas facultades cognitivas necesarias de análisis, planificación y ejecución no están maduras en su cerebro. Aparte de que se está consolidando la lectoescritura necesaria para muchos juegos. Pueden intentarlo, pero su atención no pasa de unos minutos. En juegos sencillos, tipo Candy Crush, si pueden estar más tiempo pero se terminan cansando, sobre todo si hay otras alternativas de juego, en el exterior o con hermanos o amigos.

Las precauciones que debemos tomar son las mismas que para los menores de tres años en cuanto a hora, luminosidad y volumen y una precaución adicional. No se pueden ir a dormir jugando porque el juego requiere proactividad y estimulación e iríamos en contra del vector del sueño que requiere lo contrario.

Entre los seis y nueve años

Podemos tomar las valoraciones del apartado de entre tres y seis años, pero aumentando la tendencia al videojuego, sobre todo por parte de niños con los juegos deportivos y, lo más importante, el inicio del uso del ordenador.

A esta edad se ha producido la consolidación de la lectoescritura y, por tanto, el ordenador y el smartphone abre un mundo de posibilidades que hay que vigilar porque acceder a contenidos no aptos o inadecuados es fácil. A estas edades, el niño debe ver como normal que interactuemos junto a ellos y por supuesto la posibilidad de acceder al historial de uso para detectar acceso a contenidos no adecuados.

Por otro lado, es obvio que el ordenador es la mayor herramienta de información hoy en día y lo será en el futuro. Por tanto, el aprendizaje e interacción no debe limitarse si se hace de manera adecuada. Si un niño de siete años oye la palabra brontosaurio y se va a su dispositivo electrónico a buscar en Google su significado es algo bastante positivo, lo mismo que lo fue en nuestra época cuando consultábamos la enciclopedia.

Si un niño de siete años oye la palabra brontosaurio y se va a su dispositivo electrónico a buscar en Google su significado es algo bastante positivo

Respecto al uso de videojuegos, ahora pueden estar más tiempo atentos ya que ahora si aprenden estrategias y sus habilidades cognitivas les permiten interacciones más complejas de planificación y ejecución. Podemos dar unas recomendaciones sobre el cansancio y sequedad ocular. Usar la regla de 20-20-20, cada veinte minutos, mirar durante 20 segundos a un objeto situado a 20 pies (6 metros).

A partir de los 9 años

Entramos en la edad dorada de los videojuegos, como bien explica Barbara Chamberlin, directora de la Universidad Estatal de Nuevo México:

“Los juegos ofrecen una retroalimentación inmediata, puedes ver tu progreso, puedes intentar algo y frustrarte por un momento pero, cuando lo superas, más adelante aprendes más y más y retroalimenta tu centro de recompensa… Es por eso por lo que el juego es tan atractivo para nosotros”.

El videojuego ha llegado para quedarse. Cada vez hay más y más que son muy entretenidos, conectando con un mayor número de gente. El 65% de los hogares tienen uno o más dispositivos para jugar, sin contar los smartphone que hoy día son tan potentes como los ordenadores.

A partir de esta edad, podemos tomar los consejos anteriores sobre la luz, el volumen y sobre todo tener en cuenta estos aspectos:

● El mejor juego para el desarrollo temprano del cerebro es el que se produce en el exterior, con otros niños y con componente físico. Siempre que exista esa opción debemos promoverla en el niño. Si no es posible, el videojuego o uso del ordenador no es perjudicial, es una alternativa más.

● Jugar mejor con amigos o familiares tanto presencialmente como online.

● No jugar antes de dormir porque estimula y va en contra del vector del sueño.

● El juego nunca debe reducir horas de sueño. Hasta los 12 años no es recomendable usar videojuegos después de las siete u ocho de la tarde.

CONCLUSIONES DEL USO DE VIDEOJUEGOS POR EDADES

Desde el punto de vista del entorno donde hemos evolucionado como especie, el mejor juego es el que se produce en el exterior, moviéndose y en grupos de niños de diferentes edades. El juego es el mejor medio para aprender destreza y habilidades cognitivas de todo tipo incluidas las sociales. Los beneficios son inmensos, por ejemplo sobre la miopía.

El uso de dispositivos electrónicos para entretenimiento es una alternativa más. Más que rechazar debemos integrar los dispositivos electrónicos en la vida de nuestros hijos, aprovechando sus ventajas e intentando evitar sus inconvenientes. Los videojuegos mejoran diferentes capacidades cognitivas, hay varios estudios serios que lo corroboran como optimizar la planificación, gestión de recursos y funciones ejecutivas. Incluso varias multinacionales buscan sus líderes entre los mejores jugadores de videojuegos.

A los niños les gusta sobre todo la libertad, autodirección y competencia que encuentran en los videojuegos. Toman sus propias decisiones y se esfuerzan por conseguir superar los retos que ellos mismos han elegido pueden resolver problemas difíciles y exhibir habilidades extraordinarias. En el juego, la edad no importa, pero la habilidad sí. De esta manera, los videojuegos son una forma más de juego verdadero.

Cuando son pequeños hay que controlar el tipo de luz, el brillo, el volumen, que no reduzca horas de sueño y que no sea el único medio de entretenimiento, los dispositivos electrónicos son solo uno más. Según crecen debes supervisar el tipo de actividad y lo que es más importante los contenidos a los que acceden, sobre todo en redes sociales.

Si un niño parece obsesionado con los videojuegos e infeliz cuando no está jugando, no saques la conclusión de que los juegos son la causa de la infelicidad. Porque no lo haríamos si leyera diez horas al día echándole la culpa a los libros, y psicológicamente es la misma obsesión. En su lugar, tenemos que averiguar que lo que puede estar faltando o funcionando mal en otros aspectos de su vida y si puedes o no ayudar a resolver ese problema. Muchos casos de obsesión por jugar en mundos virtuales son porque el mundo real no produce la misma felicidad en el niño y debemos averiguar por qué. Puede ser el colegio, los padres, los amigos o simplemente una forma de evadirse de los problemas cotidianos.

*Mario Fernández Sánchez es licenciado en Antropología Cognitiva, Máster en Neurociencia por la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid y Psicobiología Evolutiva y Neurociencia Cognitiva por la Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. Doctorando en Neurociencia por la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Su blog https://unpulpoenungaraje.wordpress.com/

The next step for an accomplished nurse

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The next step for an accomplished nurse

Perhaps it’s impossible to ‘have it all’, but Brenda Bruce is squeezing as much as she can out of life. She’s a Clinical Nurse Consultant for Safety and Quality at Alice Springs Hospital, a fitness instructor, a wife, and a doting mother of two. Not long ago, she was a postgraduate student too, fitting in study hours where she could to gain her third qualification. With a husband in the military, Brenda’s family has had to pack up their life and move around Australia every few years, making long-term employment a challenge. But with an incredible work ethic, which often gets her up at 4am to fit more into her day, Brenda’s can-do attitude is truly admirable.

Brenda working with nurse colleague

Brenda’s passion for nursing began after high school, when a friend convinced her to attend university together and study nursing. Quickly developing a passion for the field, Brenda completed both a Bachelor and Graduate Certificate, where she learned skills in general nursing, as well as emergency and critical care. With years of experience under her belt and a desire to climb higher into a management role, Brenda enrolled in Curtin University’s Master of Health Industry Management, online through Open Universities Australia. Brenda wanted to open herself up to the health industry at large, after a career in the very skill-specific field of nursing.

Brenda laughing

Having now graduated with her master’s degree, Brenda looks back on her experience as highly valuable and applicable to the real world. Working study hours into her already jam-packed schedule was quite the challenge, but Brenda managed to stay motivated by knuckling down for 12 weeks at a time, then taking a break to enjoy life with her family. Amongst the house moves, the birth of children, and the many employment changes, Brenda got to the finish line after 9 years. She was glad to have had the freedom to take her time, rather than sacrifice time with her loved ones, or let leisure and hobbies fall by the wayside.

‘Too busy’ has never been an excuse in Brenda’s eyes. Good things come with time, patience and hard work, and since graduation, good things have come Brenda’s way.

Brenda using hospital equipment

You’re never too busy to better yourself

The road to good things can feel intimidating, and we’ve always got an excuse as to why we should hold off. But it’s important to make time for our goals – achievement builds confidence and satisfaction, making life all the more rich. If further education is your road to good things, you can start your journey today when you enrol through Open Universities Australia.

Through OUA, you can:

  • Find the right course for you – We can guide you in your selection from over 170 degrees, and 1300 subjects, from leading Australian unis.
  • Start studying, regardless of history – We offer single undergraduate subjects from full degrees without any entry requirements.
  • Gain credit towards your degree – Apply for credit for past study, or your work experience, and finish faster.
  • Graduate with a degree from a leading uni – Study through us, but graduate with exactly the same university degree as on-campus students.
  • Feel supported from start to finish – Our Student Advisors can guide you in the right direction and help with your enrolment.

To express your interest in any of the courses on offer through OUA – fill out the form on this page, and a friendly student advisor will get in contact. Otherwise, head over to our website to browse over 270 degrees and 1600 subjects from leading Australian universities.

Related courses through OUA:

Master of Advanced Nursing Practice – Griffith University

Master of Public Health – Griffith University

Master of Infection Prevention and Control – Griffith University

Master of Health Care Management – Murdoch University

Bachelor of International Public Health – University of New South Wales

Bachelor of Community Health – University of South Australia

4 ways to influence the future of education

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4 ways to influence the future of education

A love of teaching is rarely a problem for teachers, but burnout can be. Sometimes, even experienced and successful teachers begin to feel the challenges outweigh the rewards, leading to lower levels of satisfaction with the career they once loved.

But while time spent with young people —supporting, inspiring and helping them to achieve—seems like a source of happiness, the hidden key to job satisfaction could be stepping into a role that offers you greater influence. To reinvigorate your love of teaching, it may make sense to advance your own qualifications, and pursue other ways to help students outside the classroom.

Looking to make a real difference? Time to lead

Looking towards leadership positions can help great teachers harness their passion in ways that are more effective and rewarding on a grander scale. Have you ever felt restricted in your ability to contribute to students’ learning outcomes and wellbeing? How about the professional learning culture within your school?

Changing the culture and systems within a school can rarely be achieved without seeking a promotion into roles such as head of faculty, curriculum coordinator or principal. A recent research report from the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership about the challenges and rewards of becoming a principal, highlights that principals often report higher rates of job satisfaction than other educators. It’s usually attributed to the positive impact their work can have on students and families: they can see more clearly how they are making a difference. Yes, it does mean more responsibility—but it also means better pay and more say, without diminishing your sense of purpose.

Equip yourself to address educational challenges

The impact of educators matters more than ever. CEO of the Australian Council for Educational Research Professor Geoff Masters authored a policy update in May 2016 to outline five challenges in Australian school education. Masters pointed to the fact that many students are falling behind and not meeting minimum standards, in part due to the inequitable distribution of quality leadership and ineffective day-to-day practices.

When schools struggle to recruit and retain effective leaders, student performance tends to suffer. Preparing yourself to move into leadership roles within your own school can support an education environment that gives kids greater continuity and the opportunities they need to succeed. Differences in outcomes between schools is also affected by whole-of-school practices and how they are implemented.

By equipping yourself to become a great leader, you can play a larger role  in making highly effective practices the norm: such as improved teacher collaboration, professional development opportunities, behaviour management and monitoring student progress in meaningful ways. Landing a promotion that empowers you to support sector-wide improvements in Australia’s education system, is sure to create a sense of achievement at the end of the work day.

Support and nurture your fellow teachers

Feel exhausted by the extra obligations that often accompany teaching? It may be unclear why striving for a promotion will help, but leadership doesn’t simply equal more paperwork. Advancing your career can be an opportunity to use your experience to help others—which feels great! Being an excellent teacher affects hundreds of students, but being an empathetic coach and mentor to other teachers allows your influence to  benefit an even larger audience.

As a school leader or principal, you can often focus more time on improving teaching and learning beyond one classroom, giving others greater confidence and impact. You know first-hand the difficulties of high workloads, reporting and assessment requirements, managing student behaviour and navigating school politics: as a leader you are in a position to do something about this and implement change that enhances productivity.

Research published in the Harvard Business Review about what factors contribute to happiness and motivation at work showed that people experience their ‘best days’ when they make progress in meaningful work—even small wins matter.  Pursuing a leadership position means you can generate or champion great ideas that remove roadblocks and make the lives of teachers easier.

New knowledge delivers new energy

Gain the expertise you need to become a school leader and combine it with your experience to help alleviate the stress, confusion and isolation that teachers often face. To be considered for roles such a head of department or principal, you should consider a postgraduate degree such as a Master of Education from the recognised leader in education, Curtin University. High-level qualifications will enrich your critical thinking and inform new perspectives on professional practice. Postgraduate qualifications  also show employers that you’ve developed the in-depth knowledge needed to investigate and solve complex educational issues.

With Open Universities Australia (OUA), there’s no need to give up your day job to take on further study. Through OUA, you can enrol in a Master of Education from Curtin University, and study online at any time. Graduates receive exactly the same qualification as on-campus students, but can obtain their Masters from the comfort of their own homes. This seven subject degree will build on your professional knowledge and hone your critical and independent thinking skills.

Become a student again and remember why it’s great to be a teacher.

Inspire the next generation with Curtin’s Master of Teaching

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Inspire the next generation with Curtin’s Master of Teaching

Teaching is a vital profession, promising a career that is challenging, rewarding and different with every new day. With a Master of Teaching from Curtin University, you’ll gain expertise in either Primary or Secondary school teaching – putting you in a position to inspire, and positively influence the lives of the next generation.

Are you teacher material?

If you love learning, and count empathy as one of your greatest strengths, teaching could be the career for you.

Ask yourself:

  • Do you enjoy talking to and meeting new people?
  • Have you ever enjoyed coaching a sports team, drama, dance or music group?
  • Do others naturally gravitate toward you for help? Do you have the patience to make sure they fully understand?
  • Do you enjoy sharing what you know, and get excited when you see someone have an ‘aha’ moment?

As a teacher, you get to be a part of your students’ growth and success. The enjoyment of seeing someone else gain knowledge and be successful is at the heart of being a great teacher.

Other typical traits include being organised, being able to manage your time well, and to be able to follow specific instructions, such as curriculum guidelines. A passion for education, life-long learning and resilience will also help you succeed.

When you start out as a brand new teacher-in-training, don’t worry– you don’t need to have all these skills and attributes on your first morning. You’ll develop them as you progress through your degree, and become profession-ready by graduation.

About Curtin’s Master of Teaching courses

Through Curtin, you can study primary (years one to six) or secondary (years seven to 12) education.

If you choose to specialise in Primary School education you will study all curriculum areas. If you choose Secondary School studies, you’ll be required to choose at least one major teaching area, including:

  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Humanities and social science
  • Arts

Additional areas of learning include created technologies, which looks at important technical skills such as programming, and how teaching professionals can use the latest technology to enhance their teaching.

The Masters has a strong commitment to diversity. You’ll discover how best to cater to the wide range of student populations here in Australia, and embed the right curriculum to meet their needs.

What’s exciting about the Masters is you have four opportunities to work in a school during the degree. During these practicums, you’ll develop the practical classroom skills that accompany the theoretical knowledge studied throughout your university degree. Practicums run for 10 day, 15 or 25 days at a time, giving you a strong connection between theory and practice. By studying this course through OUA and Curtin, you will have more professional experience days than required for accreditation – a fact we’re proud of.

What it’s like to study online

Apart from a few fixed requirements, like starting dates, assessment due dates or exams– you’re free to study on your own terms. You’ll decide when and where you attend your online lectures or seminars, when you’ll collaborate online and how your study time fits around your lifestyle.

Curtin University aren’t new to online study – they’ve been in the game for years. They take great care in ensuring that the quality of your study experience online is equal to that on campus. Take for example Curtin’s Collaborate sessions, which are online virtual classrooms. You can watch tutorials and chat to students and tutors in real-time, or catch up on the action at a later date. If you ever get stuck, your tutors will only be a phone call or email away.

 

Find out more about the Master of Teaching (Secondary Education) and the Master of Teaching (Primary Education) on the OUA website, or submit the form below to hear from a friendly student advisor.

New year, new role

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New year, new role

It’s the beginning of a new year – an invigorating time that is often accompanied by a higher level of drive, ambition and goal-setting. It’s the perfect time for job hunters to get out there and impress.

In Australia, February through to April is considered one of the most opportune periods of the year for employability thanks to new hiring budgets, and companies requiring fresh talent as part of their KPIs. Whilst January can be slow when it comes to landing interviews, it’s the perfect opportunity to get your ducks in a row before hitting the ‘apply’ button in February. Psychologist and career expert, Suzie Plush, outlines the three key phases to spruce up your personal brand, and ultimately land a great new job in 2019.

1. Review and craft your personal brand

January is traditionally a quiet time in the Australian job market so Plush’s advice is to take advantage of this lull by reviewing your online presence, ensuring your personal brand is in top shape before embarking on the application process.

“It’s becoming increasingly common practice for companies to check the social media profiles of job applicants during the recruitment process, and many would be shocked to discover the number of qualified candidates missing out on positions simply due to how they present online,” says Plush. “These days, the first step needs to be taking a good hard look at how you’re branding yourself across Facebook, LinkedIn and anywhere else you might appear online – everything a prospective employer can view on social media must reflect well on you”.

Plush says that beyond the obvious editing (such as removing any incriminating pics), it’s also about considering the little things that we often overlook when it comes to how we present ourselves. “Review every personal communication channel that could influence how you’re perceived to companies – is your email address simple and clear? And how do you currently sound on voicemail? It’s important to appraise all of these things.”

Suzie Plush

Suzie Plush – Psychologist and Career Expert

2. Develop a strategic plan

“When it comes to job hunting, there can be a number of advantages to taking a less is more approach” says Plush. “Focusing your energy on places that you believe are going to be the right cultural fit, whilst also providing career progression opportunities, will ultimately lead to higher job satisfaction.”

Plush says that January is a great time to research where you want to work, who you need to connect with and how your resume needs to look to capture their attention. “When it comes to your resume, it’s best to assume that you have 60 seconds max to sell yourself, so it’s very important to make sure that it starts with a very clear career profile followed by your key skills – your work history can flow from there”.

3. Take action

With the groundwork complete, it’s time to take action. From around the beginning of February job posts start to spike, and before you know it, you’ll be going for interviews.

“If there’s one piece of advice I would give to anyone going for an interview, it’s to do your research,” says Plush. “Explore the companies’ websites in detail to determine things like their key values, mission statement, areas of focus and, most importantly, how you can add value to the business”.

“Also, if possible, don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions before the interview to help get yourself prepared, for example who will the interview be with and what is their title? Then do your research on them too!”

Lastly, Plush says that a follow up email never hurts – and could in fact be something that sets you apart. “Dropping a note to say thank you for the interview opportunity and to express your interest in the role shows that you’re keen – and there’s nothing wrong with that!”.

 

If you’ve got a break over summer, it’s the perfect time to start reviewing and tweaking all the aspects of your personal brand – little bit of effort can go a long way. If some further study could help boost your resume, be sure to explore our catalogue of degrees and single subjects.

There’s no year like 2019 to kick some major career goals.

OUA Explained: Take study for a test-drive

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OUA Explained: Take study for a test-drive

Uni is a big decision, especially when you’re not sure about the study area, or about online study at all. To help you ensure you’ve made the right choice, we’ve got a few ways you can essentially ‘test-drive’ study through Open Universities Australia (OUA).

Ease in with single subjects

Not sure you’re ready for a full degree? The best way to find out is to have a go, without worrying about the time and financial commitment that a degree requires. Start with a single subject and see how you go – you can enrol right away in most single undergraduate subjects. If you’re looking at postgraduate subjects, be sure to check the entry requirements. Starting small can help you feel more capable, and help you decide whether the field of study is a good fit.

Try a ‘Pathway’

It can be hard to choose a degree without taking it for a spin – so why not do so through OUA Pathways? Pathways are a set of subjects that teach the basics of a study area – think of them like the typical ‘core subjects’ of a degree. These subjects appear in the structure of a number of different degree programs, which means that if you pass them, you’ll become academically eligible to enter these degree programs, should you decide to apply for one. The Pathway subjects will then be credited towards your degree, so there’s no need to repeat what you’ve learned already.

Try a pathway button

Your safety net, should you need it

If you’re not enjoying what you’ve enrolled in, you’ve got time to withdraw without paying fees, if you do so before (or on) the census date. This date occurs a few weeks into each study term – allowing you some time to experience the course, and ensure you’ve made the right decision.

Find out more

To learn more about the online study experience, watch our ‘OUA explained’ video series. We’ll take you through aspects like the time-span of your studies, study loans, and the online study environment, to name a few.

If you’ve got an idea of what you’d like to study, let us help you with the logistics. Fill out the form on this page to hear from a friendly student advisor – they’ll talk you through your options, and help you put your plan into action.

Experiences of Timorese language teachers in a blended MOOC for CPD

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Experiences of Timorese language teachers in a blended MOOC for CPD

Monty King, Partnership Manager at FutureLearn has had a paper published detailing the experiences of a group of Timorese English language teachers from Lorosa’e English Language Institute (LELI) in Dili, Timor-Leste, who participated in a professional development MOOC entitled Teaching for Success: Lessons and Teaching between March and April 2017.

Drawing on the pedagogical principles of blended learning; participants engaged with online course content, and once a week met as a study group to view some video content together and discuss issues arising from it. The authors draw on participant observation, individual and focus group interviews and post-course author reflections to outline the benefits and challenges of doing blended MOOCs in Dili, and propose that they can provide local English language teachers opportunities for subject area knowledge building, language literacy development and more general lifelong learning.

The full paper can be viewed here.

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Research insights

Implications of the ONS accounting change and looking ahead to the Post-18 review

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Implications of the ONS accounting change and looking ahead to the Post-18 review

Author: Lucy Stanfield, Strategy and External Affairs Lead at FutureLearn

2018 was a turbulent year in UK higher education policy and 2019 looks set to be the same. As we await the much anticipated Post-18 Review, leaks of which have implied that a reduction in student fees may be coming, every day seems to bring fresh Brexit woes for universities, from declining EU student numbers and grave concerns over research collaboration and funding. Whilst much remains unknown, this article explores a technical change from the Office for National Statistics which could have ramifications bigger than it may seem at first glance.

The Office for National Statistics has long promised a review of how student tuition fees and maintenance loans are treated on the national accounts. This review finally arrived as an early Christmas present for HEIs and policy-wonks across the country on the 17th of December.

As Wonkhe put it “nothing has changed but everything is different”; now, the portion of student loans which is not expected to be repaid will be reclassified as Government spending, rather than Government lending. In real terms, this was essentially happening before the ONS ruling. But this is more than just a technical change – instead of the proportion of loans that are never repaid simply being wiped off the accounts, they are now very much alive and kicking on the Governments books. It means that students loans are viewed as a public spend and contribute to the deficit – the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) makes an estimate of around £12 billion in fact. Though it is important to note here that the OBR has not used the ONS’ methodology (which is still to be determined) so this figure is very much provisional. The change applies across the UK, but most of this will be accounted for by lending to students in England. This has an impact on how students (and their loans) are viewed by the ‘public’ and provides a huge political incentive to reduce tuition fees; less money loaned equals less contribution to the deficit.

 

So what? Universities:

Funding. In a sentence: this adds more fuel to the fire for the argument that tuition fees should be reduced.

Universities will be worried about funding as the Post-18 Review of Higher Education (due soon) will most likely take this ruling into account in its recommendations (even though the Department for Education will say that a technical change shouldn’t implicate policy). It now seems reasonably likely that tuition fees will be reduced – though in this current political environment its a dangerous game to make predictions. Under the current system most  university funding comes from tuition fees; the concern is that by reducing fees there is either less funding per head or fewer student places. Naturally, universities will argue that both of these things are bad. The usual commentators from Universities UK, MillionPlus, University Alliance, NUS and UCU have urged for the Government to make sure the Post-18 review takes into account all factors when considering tuition fees – not just the size of the deficit.

 

So what? Students:

At first glance this seems both good and bad for students. Good, because of the political impetus to reduce tuition fees. Bad, because they are now seen as a public spend (though, as before, that has in practice always been the case). But the reality is likely to be more negative than positive. Nick Hillman, Director of think tank HEPI, puts it best:

“students are likely to get hit because they suddenly look much more costly to current taxpayers, while the extra income tax they will pay as graduates in the future continues to be ignored. Unless we are careful, we are at risk of sleepwalking into a triple whammy of fewer university places, less funding per student and tougher student loan repayment terms”

There have been calls for grant funding to return. The previous system made large loans look more attractive – because there was a chance they would be repaid and they weren’t on the spending books anyway. With this no longer the case, there is an opportunity for the Government to reinstate grants, in which there is never any repayment assumed. Essentially, if the Government is never going to recoup a loan anyway, why not make it a grant? This would help the Government look good (social mobility, widening participation etc.) and would genuinely be good. Win, win.

This all said, the real implication of this change isn’t the change itself – it’s how other policies end up reacting to it. The Post-18 Review is the big one – and it’s still unknown.

 

Further reading:

Wonkhe and Wonkhe

BBC

ONS Press release

 

Category
Research insights

Educator spotlight: Challenging borders of entrepreneurship and collaboration

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Educator spotlight: Challenging borders of entrepreneurship and collaboration

From the start of the Demystifying Entrepreneurship course — part of an appropriately innovative degree venture — the cross-national team of educators from Deakin and Coventry Universities challenge learners, encouraging them to reconsider their assumptions about entrepreneurship and what it means to be an entrepreneur. With the city of Coventry in the background of the opening sequence, the first video in the course sees Dr Joan Lockyer call upon learners to ‘think about how you might be entrepreneurial or behave in an entrepreneurial way, even if it doesn’t involve you starting a business’. Elsewhere, thoughtful discussion prompts encourage learners to reflect on themselves and the field, and to ask more questions.

As well as expanding definitions and interpretations of entrepreneurship for learners, Joan and her fellow educators — Coventry University colleague Professor Gideon Maas and Dr Matt Mount and Steve Jaynes from Deakin — have also expanded their ways of working across continents. While the course might not be the first dual-partner collaboration on FutureLearn, the Entrepreneurism degree of which it is part, certainly is. Of the collaboration, Joan says “Academics are used to working collaboratively on research papers, but working on course design cross-institutionally presents a different set of challenges, not least the differences in time zones – meaning early starts for some and late finishes for others!” However, working together in this way has unearthed many benefits, she says. “Having two institutional and four academic perspectives means that the team has a wealth of knowledge and resources to draw upon and individuals’ specialisms, perspectives and examples add to the richness of the programme. The process has challenged us to be innovative in our approach and so we are practicing what we preach.”

 

  • Joan is an Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the International Centre for Transformational Entrepreneurship at Coventry University
  • Gideon is the Director of the International Centre for Transformational Entrepreneurship at Coventry University
  • Matt is Assistant Professor of Strategy and Innovation at Deakin Business School
  • Steve is a Lecturer in the Department of Management in Deakin Business School

 

Category
Research insights

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