LibGuides: Study Abroad: Education Sources: Australia

Map of Australia

Travel Information

The U.S. Department of State provides information on traveling to various countries, including passport and visa requirements.

Australian Curriculum

Australian Curriculum

Information about Australia's curriculum standards can be found on the the Australian Curriculum website maintained by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment, and Reporting Authority (ACARA). Curriculum information can be browsed by subject area (e.g., science, languages), general capabilities (e.g., literacy, critical and creative thinking), or cross-curriculum priorities (e.g., sustainability).

General information about ACARA and the development of the curriculum standards can be found on the About page. Resources related to the F-10 curriculum and the senior secondary curriculum are also available.

A resources section highlighting information about curriculum connections, STEM, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture may also be useful to browse.

Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)

Australian council for Educational Research
The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization whose mission is to create and promote research-based knowledge, products, and services that can be used to improve learning across the life span. Their online research repository contains ACER's research available in digital form, including reports, working papers, conference papers, and newsletters

Cultural Norms

For information about cultural norms in Australia, try these resources:

Culture Shock! Australia by Ilsa Sharp
Publication Date: 1997
"Culture Shock!" practical guides offer the inside information you need whether you're a student, a parent, a globetrotter, or a working traveler. Each "Culture Shock!" title is written by someone who's lived and worked in the country, and each is packed with practical, accurate, and enjoyable information to help you find your way and feel at home.
Living Abroad in Australia by Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey
Call Number: 919.4047 Au7813li 2014 (Oak Street)
ISBN: 9781612386768
Publication Date: 2013

Library Catalog
Search for items at the University of Illinois.

Try searching using the following keywords:

Australia -- social life and customs
Etiquette -- Australia
Australia -- Guidebooks
Visitors, Foreign -- Australia
Americans -- Australia
Business etiquette -- Australia

Australian Department of Education and Training

Department of Education and Training Website

The Department of Education, Skills and Employment is a governmental department responsible for national policies and programs that help Australians access quality and affordable early child care and childhood education, school education, higher education, vocational education and training, international education, and research. The Department works with states and territories to provide quality early learning, schooling, and improved student outcomes through parent engagement and quality teaching and learning environments.

The Department's website provides a variety of reports and resources related to schooling, early learning, and higher education.

Education and Training Portfolio

Education, Skills and Employment

Further information and resources can be found in the Education, Skills and Employment page on the Australian governmental directory website. This page contains contact information for the Ministers of Education, as well as links to various educational agencies' websites, including the Department of Education and Training; the Australian Curriculum, Assessment, and Reporting Authority; and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.

Background Information on Education System

For a brief overview of the Australian educational system and related topics, try the article "Australia" available in the Social Sciences, Health, and Education Library's reference book:

International Education by Daniel Ness; Chia-Ling Lin
Call Number: Q. LB15 .I565 2013 SSHEL Reference Non-circulating
ISBN: 9780765620491
Publication Date: 2013-02-26

Another useful background article, "Australia" is available through the library's online collection:

International Encyclopedia of Education by Penelope Peterson, Eva Baker, Barry McGaw
Call Number: Online Resource
ISBN: 9780080448947
Publication Date: 2010

Publications from UNESCO and the CIA may also be of help in your research:

UNESCO Sustainable Goals for Education
Data from UNESCO's Institute of Statistics provides detailed information on education, literacy, funding, and more for each country.
CIA World Factbook: Australia
For more general information about the country of Australia, try the CIA World Factbook. This resource provides information about the geography of the country, including natural hazards. Some educational information is included underneath the "People and Society" section.

Natural Disasters and School Emergency Drills

Geoscience Australia
Information about school emergency drills such as fire drills or drills for other natural disasters may not be available online. However, another way to be prepared is to be aware of some of the common natural disasters that occur in Australia. Geoscience Australia is a governmental website containing more information about Australia's natural hazards, some of which are listed below:
Bushfires
Bushfires and grassfires are common throughout Australia as many of the country's native plants are fire prone and combustible. Grassfires move quickly, passing in 5-10 seconds and smoldering for a few minutes. Bushfires, on the other hand, move more slowly. They pass in 2-5 minutes and can smolder for several days.
Earthquakes
Although Australia is not on the edge of a tectonic plate, the continent nevertheless can experience occasional earthquakes due to the placement of other tectonic plates.
Flooding
Flooding can occur due to heavy rainfall, storm surges, or earthquakes that cause damage to dams. In the flat inland regions of the continent, floods may spread over many miles and last several weeks. However, in the mountain and costal regions, flooding can happen rapidly with few hours' warning.
Landslides
These are most frequent in areas with high rainfall, cliffs and steep slopes, and/or unstable rock types.
Severe Wind, Thunderstorms, and Tornadoes
Severe storms can occur anywhere in Australia and are the most frequent natural hazard to occur. They are most common along the east coast from central Queensland to central New South Wales. Tornadoes occur most commonly in the south western and eastern parts of the continent.
Tsunamis
The tsunami risk in Australia is relatively low along the southern coasts and is moderate along the west coast of the continent, due to more earthquake and volcanic activity in that region.

Education Periodicals of Australia

These Australian education periodicals are available through the library's collection of online journals and can be searched for relevant articles:

Access
Published by the Australian School Library Association, this journal focuses on collaborative curriculum development, inquiry-based learning, information technology and its integration into learning/teaching programs, information management, information literacy, and literature. Available from 2006 online.
Australian Aboriginal Studies
This journal is published by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) and aims to provide a publication outlet for Indigenous Australian authors and for researchers working in collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia. Available from 2006 online.
The Australian Educational Researcher
The AER is the scholarly journal of the Australian Association for Research in Education. Available from 1985 online.
The Australian Journal of Education
This international peer-reviewed journal publishes education research conducted in Australia and internationally to inform educational researchers, educators, administrators, and policy-makers about contemporary issues in education. Available from 1999 online.
Discourse
This is an international, fully peer-reviewed journal publishing contemporary research in the cultural politics of education. The journal publishes academic articles from throughout the world which contribute to contemporary debates on the new social, cultural, and political configurations in the field of education. Available from 1980 online.

General Asia-Pacific Education Journals

There are many journals focused on various aspects of education in the Asia-Pacific region. The following journals are available online through the library's website and can be searched for relevant articles:

The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher
The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher (TAPER) is an international journal of original research presenting empirical and theoretical studies in education, with an emphasis on successful educational systems in the Asia-Pacific region and the national educational systems in the region that up to now have been underrepresented in the research literature. Available from 2013 online.
Asia-Pacific Education Review
The Asia Pacific Education Review (APER) covers all areas of educational research, with a focus on cross-cultural and comparative studies in a broad Asian-Pacific context. It aims to stimulate research, encourage academic exchange, and enhance the professional development of scholars and other researchers who are interested in educational and cultural issues in the Asia-Pacific region. Available from 2000 online.
Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education
This journal promotes rigorous research that makes a significant contribution to advancing knowledge in teacher education across early childhood, primary, secondary, vocational, and higher education. Available from 1996 online. Most recent 18 months not available.
Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education
The Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education publishes peer-reviewed original research, topical issues, and best practice articles from throughout the world that deal with Cooperative Education (Co-Op) and Work Integrated Learning/Education (WIL). Available from 2000 online.

Finding More Resources in the Library Catalog

To find more information about the educational system of Australia, try these tips for searching the library catalog to find books, magazines or journals, DVDs, and many other resources:

Here are some keywords that may be useful in your search:

Education -- Australia
Education, higher -- Australia
Education -- curricula
Curriculum planning
Curriculum evaluation