Economic contexts of Australian Education
Australia has an increasingly highly educated population
Throughout the industrialized world, governments are seeking effective policies for enhancing economic productivity through education, employing economic incentives to promote the productivity and efficient administration of schooling. Nations increasingly view schooling as a strategic instrument for promoting national economic development.
Sixty-one per cent of Australians aged between 25 and 64 have vocational or tertiary education. The tertiary graduation rate of 49 per cent is the highest among OECD countries – Australia consistently performs above the OECD average on a range of educational, skills and access to technology indicators. In all countries, social expectations of schooling, of further and higher education, and hence of the curriculum, are high and generally rising. Students are expected to acquire the foundations of general knowledge and ways of applying that knowledge. In practice the curriculum is subjected to pressure and forces which both produces imbalances and sharpens up or place in focus particular themes, issues, or aspects of contemporary life.
The youth of today complete high school at a higher rate than previous generations, have better relationships and more open communication with others, and on the whole quiet successfully negotiate the physical, cognitive and social challenge of adolescence. The concept of ‘youth’ have been shaped historically and affected by social and technological change and resultant changes in patter of education and employment.
Since 1990, Australia’s economy has grown in real terms by an average of around 3.3 per cent a year. Australia’s GDP in 2006–07 (in value terms) was just over $1 trillion, making it the world’s 13th largest economy overall and the 10th largest industrialized economy. Unemployment has fallen, from a peak of almost 11 per cent 15 years ago to below 5 per cent in 2008—the lowest level since the 1970s. Australia needs to identify the skills required to build our future workforce and seize opportunities for further growth. Whilst we have a strong economy, consideration needs to be given to the patchwork nature of it – and our responses and initiatives geared towards this reality.
Reference:* Elam M. Elam, “The 22nd Annual Gallup Poll Of the Public’s Attitudes towards the Public Schools,” Phi Delta Kappan 72 (September 1990): 49–50; and Stanley M. Elam, Lowell C. Rose.
* Gallup, M. “The 25th Annual Phil Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll Of the Public’s Attitudes toward the Public Schools,” Phi Delta Kappan 75 (October 1993): 144–45.
* Oakes, J. Keeping Track: How Schools Structure Inequality, “Grouping Students for Instruction,” in Encyclopedia of Educational Research, ed. Marvin C. Alkin (New York, 1992): 2: 562–68.
Throughout the industrialized world, governments are seeking effective policies for enhancing economic productivity through education, employing economic incentives to promote the productivity and efficient administration of schooling. Nations increasingly view schooling as a strategic instrument for promoting national economic development.
Sixty-one per cent of Australians aged between 25 and 64 have vocational or tertiary education. The tertiary graduation rate of 49 per cent is the highest among OECD countries – Australia consistently performs above the OECD average on a range of educational, skills and access to technology indicators. In all countries, social expectations of schooling, of further and higher education, and hence of the curriculum, are high and generally rising. Students are expected to acquire the foundations of general knowledge and ways of applying that knowledge. In practice the curriculum is subjected to pressure and forces which both produces imbalances and sharpens up or place in focus particular themes, issues, or aspects of contemporary life.
The youth of today complete high school at a higher rate than previous generations, have better relationships and more open communication with others, and on the whole quiet successfully negotiate the physical, cognitive and social challenge of adolescence. The concept of ‘youth’ have been shaped historically and affected by social and technological change and resultant changes in patter of education and employment.
Since 1990, Australia’s economy has grown in real terms by an average of around 3.3 per cent a year. Australia’s GDP in 2006–07 (in value terms) was just over $1 trillion, making it the world’s 13th largest economy overall and the 10th largest industrialized economy. Unemployment has fallen, from a peak of almost 11 per cent 15 years ago to below 5 per cent in 2008—the lowest level since the 1970s. Australia needs to identify the skills required to build our future workforce and seize opportunities for further growth. Whilst we have a strong economy, consideration needs to be given to the patchwork nature of it – and our responses and initiatives geared towards this reality.
Reference:* Elam M. Elam, “The 22nd Annual Gallup Poll Of the Public’s Attitudes towards the Public Schools,” Phi Delta Kappan 72 (September 1990): 49–50; and Stanley M. Elam, Lowell C. Rose.
* Gallup, M. “The 25th Annual Phil Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll Of the Public’s Attitudes toward the Public Schools,” Phi Delta Kappan 75 (October 1993): 144–45.
* Oakes, J. Keeping Track: How Schools Structure Inequality, “Grouping Students for Instruction,” in Encyclopedia of Educational Research, ed. Marvin C. Alkin (New York, 1992): 2: 562–68.