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"OBE Forum"
Channel
7 News, Perth Week of 12 June 2006
On 7 June, Channel 7 recorded an "OBE Forum". Invited guests include the Minister for Education (who declined to participate), the Shadow Minister for Education (who DID participate), the Acting CEO of the Curriculum Council, the Director-General of the Department of Education and Training, the Director of Catholic Education WA, Mr Greg Williams, Mr Marko Vojkovic and A/Prof Steve Kessell representing PLATO, a representative of the independent school teachers' union, and selected teachers and students. Unfortunately the Curriculum Council attempted to "stack" the meeting by bringing along a dozen or more teachers, all pro-OBE. Moderator Reece Whitby told PLATO that the broadcast coverage would be balanced, pro and con.
Synopsis
of the Monday 12 June instalment
[discussion paraphrased not necessarily “quoted”]
Reece Whitby (moderator): Let’s start by asking: What is OBE?
Paul Albert (Director-General Dept Education & Training): … it’s simply good teaching.
Ken Maguire (Independent Education Union President): … the current situation with the yr 11-12 CoS “needs fixing”.
Lynette Virgona (English teacher): We need to come together and make this work.
Steve Kessell (retired Assoc Prof and teacher educator): the Curriculum Framework was a good idea… but the new courses have no syllabi, no set content, and these Mickey-Mouse levels… it’s all gone horribly, horribly wrong!
Reece Whitby: Is it the case that the implementation next year isn’t about what’s best for students, but to meet a political goal?
[groans of No from the stacked audience]
Lois Joll (Responsible for OBE Implementation): Teachers are ready. We surveyed principals… they are all ready to proceed.
Steve Kessell: You have to be an OBE supporter to become a principal.
Mike Keely (SSTUWA President): That’s a cheap shot. I think that gentleman ought to apologise….
[Steve Kessell: No apology offered]
Mike Keely: We have not had an OBE approach to the implementation -- Some teachers are raring to go, others are not ready.
Teresa Howe (Independent Teachers’ Union): Our members are anxious and distressed… teachers are saying the courses are not ready.
Reece Whitby: Who is supporting the planned implementation next year, of the year 11-12 courses, as they stand?
Noemi Reynolds (Maths Teachers’ Assoc President): As the courses stand, no one!
Marko Vojkovic (PLATO): 93 % of teachers … 93 %… say the courses are not ready.
David Axworthy (Acting CEO, Curriculum Council): … [defends the courses]
Reece Whitby: Tomorrow night, we’ll look at assessment changes.
News presenter Rick Ardon: 7 News invited the Education Minister Ljiljanna Ravlich but she declined to be involved.
Synopsis
of the Tuesday 13 June instalment
[discussion paraphrased not necessarily “quoted”]
News presenter Ric Ardon: Our 7 News "OBE Forum" has highlighted confusion over how children will be graded at school under outcomes-based education. The government has promised some change since our Forum was held, but they have yet to be endorsed by teachers.
Reece Whitby (moderator): Last night, our Forum argued over whether teachers are ready for OBE. Tonight, it's the new Levels, a system that assesses students from 1 to 8.
Natalie Clews (Ballajura Community College): … my students have been doing OBE since Year 1… My Year 9's and 10's ask "How am I going to improve?"… "What's my next level?"…
Marko Vojkovic (PLATO): The levelling process is far too subjective; it is not accurate enough; and it's invalid, mathematically, to rank students.
Reece Whitby: Is this being politically correct…. [drowned out by pro-OBE stacked audience groaning NO]
Noemi Reynolds (Maths Teachers' Assoc President): … students will do anything for high levels…
Reece Whitby: Maybe Johnny needs to hear that he's failed it.
Helen Edberg (Teacher, Hamilton SHS): … students know low levels won't make them a neuroscientist of the future…
Reece Whitby: Critics of OBE claim that there is a lack of clear content, and that directions given to teachers is gobbledegook.
Steve Kessell [now listed as Retired Assoc Professor "and PLATO lobby group" - last night he was a "Teacher educator" - did DET / CC asked that he be "unmasked"?]:
[Steve had just read out an edu-babble Level descriptor, but this was not shown on-screen] Do you think that Year 11 students understand that?
Cathy Ryan (English teacher, Helena College): … I'm telling you, the role of the teacher is to make them understand it…
Steve Kessell: Who WROTE this NONSENSE?
Cathy Ryan: It's NOT nonsense.
Steve Kessell: I have two masters' degrees and I don't understand it.
Reece Whitby: But will they be able to count, write, speak…
Judy de Grauw (Teacher, Girrawheen SHS): It actually puts the stress on grammar, language, syntax, spelling… which were not in the old syllabus.
Mike Keely (SSTUWA President): The put-downs about our ability to produce very literate and numerate students… I'm sick of them, they come from the media, from politicians, from all over the place.
Reece Whitby: From the boss of education, a simple promise to parents.
Paul Albert (Director-General Dept Education & Training): I can assure them their children will not suffer. [But last night Paul maintained they'd be "better off" under OBE -- now just "not suffer"??? ]
Angela Knight (Teacher, Swan View SHS): I have felt isolated, alone… and really, really angry that the media has (sic) done that… I welcome tonight's discussion, a great discussion, both sides of the argument… and I really enjoyed the discussion.
[Applause]
End of OBE Forum -- it only ran for the two nights
