AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY - EDUCATION OF THE FUTURE NOW - Austrade
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION OF THE FUTURE NOW
CONTENTS
TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING EDUCATION............................3
LET’S CALL IT EDTECH............................................................. 4
AUSTRALIA AND TECHNOLOGY.............................................6
THE AUSTRALIAN EDTECH INDUSTRY.................................10
PARTNER WITH AUSTRALIAN EDTECH COMPANIES........16
THE AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM............................. 20
INVEST IN AUSTRALIA............................................................30
INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS................................................... 36
WATCH VIDEO
AUSTRALIA LEADS THE WAY WITH EDUCATION
TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS FOR POLICY MAKERS,
GOVERNMENTS, INSTITUTIONS, SCHOOLS,
EMPLOYERS, LEARNERS AND INVESTORS.
Globally, technology is revolutionising the
way education is experienced, consumed
and purchased.
Growing connectivity and urbanisation across developed and developing countries is
boosting participation in formal and non-formal education. Internet access has improved,
along with user interfaces and the content and services provided in online environments.
Service delivery is also enriching the experiences of learners who are studying in
traditional ‘on-campus’ modes. Data analytics and alternative platforms allow learners
to adapt content to their own personal learning style.
This is where technology and consumer demand meet.
TECHNOLOGY
IS CHANGING EDUCATION IS EVOLVING
EDUCATION
There is increasing:
Emphasis
on skills and capabilities and decreasing emphasis on acquiring a body
of knowledge. This is connected to a rise in the significance of credentials relative
to qualifications
Power
for individuals to curate their own learning, while the power of institutions as
gatekeepers of knowledge is decreasing
Focus on rapid acquisition and application of skills to meet employer needs and the
pace of economic transformation
Global mobility - producing global citizens less defined by national experience
Competition and the need to vie for the attention and interest of learners
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 3
Education technology – or edtech –
is the provision of technology solutions
for education purposes.
Edtech covers a variety of elements across the educational life cycle and can be
classified under broad categories:
Student recruitment Data analytics
and admissions
LET’S CALL IT Testing and Internship
EDTECH
assessment management
Teaching and Student financing
learning and parental
engagement
Infrastructure tools
Accreditation
such as learning
and credentials
management
management
systems
While they sometimes provide a completely integrated solution, Australian edtech
companies generally excel at solving one element of the value chain, applied across
one or more of the sub-sectors within the education industry.
THE BENEFITS OF EDTECH
Supports and improves the
provision of online learning
Enables
delivery in markets that
were previously inaccessible, such
as those in developing countries
Allows
connections with customer
segments that are not easily
engaged in classroom learning,
such as adult learners with
established careers
Supports
large-scale improvements
in labour productivity, particularly
for non-classroom based education
Enables assessment at scale and
with integrity
Increases student engagement
and retention
Enables
personalised and adaptive
approaches to learning
Facilitates lifelong learning
Supports efficiencies in
administrative functions
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 5
There are several reasons - specific to
Australia - that have enabled Australian edtech
companies to design world-leading products,
platforms and applications.
1. A SOPHISTICATED NATION 2. A CONNECTED NATION
Australia
is a wealthy country with a Nearly
75 per cent of Australians use
high standard and uptake of education mobile phones to access the internet,
as well as a culture of lifelong learning making Australia one of the most mobile
AUSTRALIA AND A national school curriculum and connected countries in the world1
national training packages allow for By 2020, the average Australian
TECHNOLOGY large-scale trials and rollouts of edtech
products and services
household will have approximately
29 internet-connected devices and
will spend A$3.2 billion on connected
Online
learning and blended delivery is
A NATION THAT ENABLES recognised by government, corporate devices and services2
and education sectors Australian online consumers spend
WORLD-CLASS EDTECH
an average of 24.2 hours a week3 and
World
class research and development
institutions focus on areas of emerging A$19.9 billion per year on online retail4
information technology relevant to In 2016, Australia ranked sixth ahead
education (such as machine learning, of Singapore, the UK and South Korea
augmented reality and virtual reality) as in BSA’s Global Cloud Computing
well as government investment in the Scorecard. This compares the cloud-
associated infrastructure to support this computing readiness of 24 countries
Australian consumers are technology- that account for 80 per cent of the
savvy and are willing to adopt early world’s IT markets5
and buy new technologies
3. A SKILLED NATION 5. A MULTILINGUAL
Australia’s
secondary education NATION
enrolment rate is the world’s
Nearly 30 per cent of the population
third highest6
was born overseas10
Australia
is ranked 2nd in the United
There
are nearly 300 languages
Nations Development Programme’s
spoken in Australia11
Human Development Report
2016, which measures a country’s More
than 2.1 million Australians speak
investment in its people an Asian language at home – about
10 per cent of the population. Around
Australia has a higher percentage
1.3 million speak a European language
of employed people in knowledge-
in addition to English10
intensive services than the US, Japan
and South Korea7 Cultural diversity makes Australia an
ideal location to develop new content
More than 40 per cent of Australia’s
and trial it, with the end goal to
workforce holds a tertiary qualification8
service global markets
One
in five university students is
Combined skills and language
studying a science, technology,
capabilities present opportunities for
engineering or maths subject9
edtech companies to use Australia
as a base for translation or market
4. A WELL POSITIONED development activities
NATION
Australia is in the Asian Time Zone
and bridges closing of the US and
opening of the European business day
O
ffers 24-hour access for organisations
with round-the-clock operations
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 7
Key supporting industries in Australia enable
BIG DATA ANALYTICS
world-class edtech. Australia is pioneering new
solutions for the storage and
A CYBER SECURE NATION A GAME-DEVELOPING analysis of large data sets, working
Australia is at the forefront of online safety NATION on global big data research
and security. Robust legislation, advanced projects such as the Square
Australia has a dynamic and
law enforcement capability, rigorous Kilometre Array, which will produce
sophisticated game development
policy development and strong technical one Exabyte of data per day.
industry, with a long history of
defences, like those present in Australia,
developing and marketing products for
are all key in this area.
the largest game publishers in the world.
Australia’s commitment to cyber security
The industry continues to make an
is evidenced by the:
international impact disproportionate
200
THERE ARE MORE THAN
Development
of the Australian Cyber to its size. More than 200 Australian
Security Strategy game development companies
Appointment of first Australian are creating digital games across
Ambassador for Cyber Affairs mobile, console, computer, handheld
and browser platforms that are
Launch of the Australian Cyber
internationally recognised for their
Security Growth Network GAME DEVELOPMENT
design creativity, innovation, quality
Increased number of specialised and technical skills. COMPANIES IN AUSTRALIA
cyber security university courses
Nearly 70 per cent of Australians play
Increased
number of commercial cyber
video games for entertainment12, but
security practitioners in Australia
games are also used extensively in
Cybersecurity will need to form the basis education and edtech.
of every new technology going forward,
including edtech, and Australian companies
are well placed to respond to this.
See www.austrade.gov.au/edtech/partner-with-australian-edtech-companies/
for a selection of Australian edtech companies adopting gamified solutions.
8 AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 9
Australia has more than 350 edtech companies
servicing the entire education ecosystem.
In its most recent analysis of the industry, Australia is the world’s third most
Frost & Sullivan found that the Australian popular destination for students.17
edtech market is expected to grow to International education is Australia’s
A$1.7 billion by 2022.13 The market is third largest export, valued at $A22.4
expected to grow significantly amidst billion in 2016 and supports more than
increasing student demand for education 130,000 Australian jobs.18 While there
services and technology innovation, is strong forecast demand for ongoing
competition amongst institutions and delivery of education in Australia, the
THE
decreasing acquisition costs.13 greatest emerging opportunities will
be borderless and enabled by edtech.
Of the almost 200 edtech companies
AUSTRALIAN
Research by Deloitte Access Economics
surveyed by EduGrowth in 2017, almost
forecasts one billion prospective learners
half offer solutions for the secondary
EDTECH
across 29 markets by 2025.19
school sector and over 40 per cent offer
solutions for the university sector.
INDUSTRY The majority of Australian edtech
solutions are Software as a Service
THE AUSTRALIAN
EDTECH MARKET IS
EXPECTED TO
(SaaS) and app-based solutions, with
a relatively even split between B2B
(Business to Business) and B2C (Business GROW TO
to Consumer) business models.14
Over 12 per cent of Australian startup
A$1.7 B BY 2022
founders are targeting the education
industry - making it the fifth largest
industry vertical being targeted nationally.15 Corporate Australia is also active
In the state of Victoria, education is the in edtech. PwC delivers a 21st
single largest industry vertical being Century Minds Program focussed
targeted by startup founders.16 on STEM initiatives while Navitas
Australia’s reputation in delivering high Ventures has launched the
quality education has long been recognised world’s first global edtech census
domestically and in international markets. that maps 5000 companies over
These same credentials have translated to 50 countries.
our edtech industry as well.TECHNOLOGY AND AUSTRALIAN ONLINE EDUCATION
Australia’s National Broadband
Many Australian edtech solutions serve to Network will help online
education grow
support and improve the expanding provision The rollout of the National
of online learning. Broadband Network (NBN),
Australia’s open-access data
The Australian online education industry There are more than 1,100 online network project, will aid online
has expanded rapidly in the past five education providers in Australia, education growth in Australia by
years. Technological developments and generating approximately $A5.4 billion raising the number of internet
increasing positive public perception in revenue.20 Leading online providers connections and increasing the
of online courses have been vital to in Australia include Ducere, Online speed of data transfer across
this growth. Education institutions Education Services, Open Colleges, Australia. The NBN is also likely to
have harnessed the greater reliability Open Training and Education Network, stimulate software and program
of internet connections and mobile and Open Universities Australia. As innovation as the online education
technology to deliver to more students. student demand surges, industry market broadens.20
The trend towards reskilling and lifelong revenue is forecast to increase by an
learning is also expected to support annualised 4.5 per cent over the next five
growth in flexible methods of study, such years to $A6.8 billion.20
as online education.20
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 11AUSTRALIA’S COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION IN EDUCATION
Australia is leading the way with innovative, world-class solutions for
the education sector. The commitment to delivering the best-of-the-
best has never been greater.
Australia pioneered distance education The virtual reality simulator at UNSW U
niversity of Technology Sydney
programs such as School of the Air, called AVIE is a world first which casts has created what it believes is the
Open Universities Australia and other 360-degree 3D images using a floor- world’s first transdisciplinary faculty
correspondence programs which have to-ceiling screen and is available for of innovation
delivered quality educational services to student use and industry training Melbourne Polytechnic hosts the only
learners across Australia for decades LaTrobe University launched a academically integrated finance and
Deakin University was the first university gamified app to guide students innovation intelligence system. It is
in the world to partner with IBM’s in learning capabilities such as the first tertiary education institute
ground-breaking machine learning and innovation and big picture awareness, to provide students and industry
artificial intelligence program, Watson cultural intelligence, collaboration, and partners access to the world’s single
In communicating and influencing largest global repository of innovation
another world first, Deakin
University is offering a suite of degree South Australian schools are using and analytics
programs through a global massive robots to assist teachers and improve DeakinDigital
is offering a world-first
open online course (MOOC) provider. curriculum in a world-first study system of independently verified,
While the University of Queensland, Queensland and Victoria have made evidence-based employability
the Australian National University, coding and robotics compulsory in credentials. Backed by Deakin
the University of Adelaide and Curtin schools from prep to Year 10 University, the credentials provide
University are offering MicroMasters recognition of an individual’s skills and
My eQuals is a digital authenticated
through a MOOC provider capability learned through work and
qualifications system used by
Australia’s first MOOC provider, life, benchmarked against globally
universities in Australia to issue
Open2Study, was launched by Open recognised standards
electronic transcripts and graduation
Universities Australia in 2013 documents. My eQuals is Australia’s
Western Australia is leading the world response to the Groningen
in an international coding program for Declaration, which is an international
children. Worldwide there are just over initiative involving 56 universities and
1000 dojos, or learning places, where 20 private sector companies from
children learn computer coding, and around the world
95 of these are in Western Australia.
12 AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY110+
FOSTERING INNOVATION IN AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES
Around the country, Australian universities are fostering innovation and commercialisation
through over 110 in-house incubators and accelerator programs21, such as:
Cicada
Innovations (UNSW, ANU, UTS UTS Hatchery
and University of Sydney) La Trobe Accelerator Program (LTAP)
Curtin Accelerate Victoria University Hanger
University of Melbourne Accelerator Swinburne University
Program (MAP) Innovation Precinct
University
of Sydney Incubate Queensland University of
University
of Wollongong iAccelerate Technology Bluebox
UNSW Michael Crouch
Innovation Centre
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 13Many Australian edtech companies have used
academic research to underpin the design and
development of their edtech products.
ACADEMIC FACULTY CREATES SMART SOFTWARE
The Melbourne Graduate School of growth for students aged 13 and over.
Education at the University of Melbourne The C21 assessment system was used in a
is a world leader in teaching and pilot study of 800 students across grades
educational research, ranked number five and nine in Colombia and Peru and
one in Australia and number five globally. is currently being used in Australia, Costa
ACADEMIC It provides extensive research and
consulting services to international
Rica, Finland, the Netherlands, Singapore
and the United States.
FOUNDATIONS organisations including the World
Bank, UNESCO, UNICEF, the Asian
Teacher Exit Capability and
IN AUSTRALIAN
Assessment Tool (TEXCAT): which
Development Bank, the Education
uses a secure web-based platform to
Endowment Fund (UK) and education
EDTECH
enable teacher accreditation authorities
ministries around the world.
and educational institutions to assess
Various research centres within the the graduating teacher’s pedagogical
School including the Assessment knowledge and skills.
Research Centre and the Centre for
Smart:tests (Specific Mathematics
Program Evaluation have developed
Assessments that Reveal Thinking):
education software solutions, including:
which provide online diagnostic
21st Century Skills (C21): which uses mathematic tests for middle-school
collaborative problem solving tasks to students and is being licensed to the
facilitate individual social and cognitive Israel Bureau of Education.THE INFLUENCE OF EDTECH COMPANY
PROFESSOR JOHN HATTIE FOUNDED BY
Laureate Professor John Hattie is the DR. ALAN FINKEL
Director of the Melbourne Education
The former Chancellor of Monash
Research Institute and an internationally
University and Australia’s Chief Scientist,
renowned academic. His influential book
Dr. Alan Finkel, founded educational
Visible Learning: A synthesis of over 800
software company Stile Education.
Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement
Dr. Finkel also co-founded Cosmos
is believed to be the world’s largest
Magazine, which operates a secondary
evidence-based study into factors that
schools science education program
improve student learning. Involving more
called Cosmos for Schools: a curriculum-
than 80 million students from around
complete collection of interactive,
the world and bringing together 50,000
classroom-ready science lessons for
smaller studies, the study found positive
Years 7 - 10. Every unit is based on a
teacher-student interaction was the most
recent story from Cosmos Magazine,
important factor in effective teaching.
making them engaging and relevant to
Australian education technology students. The lessons offered by Stile
companies have developed edtech also bring in material from the CSIRO's
products that are informed, designed popular children's science magazine,
and developed based on the educational Double Helix, and include interactive
research of Professor Hattie, such as interviews with CSIRO scientists.
Pearson Australia Lightbook and Verso.
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 15Here are just some of the world-class Australian
solutions, platforms and programs that are
setting the benchmark for the edtech industry
around the world.
3P LEARNING
PARTNER WITH 3P Learning is a global online education
company offering cloud-based
The company’s continued
dedication to education has
AUSTRALIAN resources for schools and students in
grades K-12. The company provides a
positioned it as the top-ranked
provider of online mathematics and
EDTECH portfolio of digital education solutions
to improve outcomes in subjects -
literacy solutions in multiple regions
including Australia, New Zealand
COMPANIES including mathematics and literacy
- guided by a mission to help students,
and the United Kingdom. As a
result of its service to the academic
families and teachers love learning. community, 3P Learning has been
FOR INNOVATIVE, WORLD- 3P Learning solutions are designed
awarded ‘Multinational Company
of the Year’ at the GESS Education
CLASS EDTECH SOLUTIONS by educators for educators and
Awards in 2016 and 2017, Microsoft
serve millions of students and
Global Education Partner of the
teachers in thousands of schools
Year 2016, as well as numerous
around the world. 3P Learning
international product awards
products, such as Mathletics and
including Winner of BESSIE Award
Spellodrome, incorporate the latest
2016 (Mathletics) and multiple BETT
pedagogical practices and are fully
Award nominations in 2016.
aligned with international curricula to
address academic performance and
assessment standards.CAHOOT LEARNING LEARNOSITY
Cahoot is a cloud based learning approaches. Collaborations occur Learnosity operates a B2B, SaaS Learnosity delivers millions of tests an
platform developed by CPDlive. within the course environment and model and provides a suite of hour - 500 million assessments were
between the various stakeholders technologies (APIs) that helps delivered in 2016 – with 25 million
Targeted specifically at the global
who design, develop and facilitate organisations build and deliver active user accounts in May 2017.
professional education market,
compelling Cahoot learning e-learning and online assessment
Cahoot reclaims the human learning Learnosity counts digital publishers,
experiences at scale. delivery solutions across a wide range
experience in a digital world. testing organisations, cyber schools,
of sectors, including K-12, higher
Unprecedented rates of change Cahoot achieves completion rates learning management systems,
education and corporate education.
experienced by all industries have amongst the best in the world at certification and awarding bodies,
significantly shifted how we learn and over 80 per cent. From la Grange’s With intuitive authoring, powerful as well as technology companies
grow as individuals and organisations. perspective, it comes about through analytics and over 65 technology- amongst their clients and has offices
what he calls the 4.0 of learning - enhanced items, Learnosity provides in Sydney, New York, Los Angeles
Co-founders Errol la Grange and
connecting heart and mind, with the core technical foundations and Dublin.
Anthony Morris see a distinct gap
work and purpose. required for any online learning
in professional online education.
product while clients design the
“It does not honour the wealth of CPDlive works with leading US
overall user experience and provide
real-life experience, knowledge and universities including Stanford
the learning content.
collective problem solving capability University, Georgia Tech and
that professionals can bring into Massachusetts Institute of Technology Specifically designed to be used as
learning programs,” said Morris. (MIT). CPDlive has embarked on an part of a bigger learning solution,
exciting new program with MIT to co- Learnosity’s technology seamlessly
Cahoot is designed to draw out
design, develop and deliver two MIT integrates into third-party solutions,
their insights through a mixture of
Professional Certificates made up of providing end users with powerful
technology smarts, learner-centered
eight courses. and engaging learning experiences.
design and highly collaborative
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 17MATHSPACE OPENLEARNING
Mathspace is the world’s first adaptive Mathspace has partnered with various OpenLearning has created a social OpenLearning works with over 400
mathematics program allowing organisations to grow their presence learning platform that enables the organisations including leading
students to receive feedback at every outside of Australia. authoring and delivery of online universities, professional bodies,
step of a maths problem, and includes courses within a vibrant learning businesses and government. They
In 2016 a partnership with Pearson
handwriting recognition for mobile community. Their platform is offer fully online and blended
saw Mathspace integrate with
devices. Each step of students’ maths SaaS-based and cloud-hosted and postgraduate courses at UNSW,
Pearson’s flagship MathLab product
reasoning is automatically graded, all courses are accessible from online vocational qualifications
which serves over 3 million users in
with feedback, hints and suggestions PC and Mac as well as Android with TAFE NSW and professional
North America. In 2017 Mathspace
guiding students to the final answer. and iOS phones and tablets. The development courses from Engineers
was selected by the education
Mathspace’s focus on the process of platform has an extensive set of Education Australia.
technology arm of the Hong Kong
solving a maths problem - rather than API’s that enable integration with
government (HKEdcity) to be the OpenLearning is also the national
just the final result - distinguishes it LMS, web-based applications and
country’s digital Maths program. online learning platform in
from the vast majority of online maths services and third party data.
Mathspace was selected after a Malaysia - adopted by all 20 public
programs, which are primarily based
competitive global tender as part OpenLearning was founded at the universities, 8 private universities
around multiple-choice.
of their eResources Acquisition University of New South Wales and all 34 polytechnics supporting
Mathspace includes a full digital project which will run until 2019. (UNSW) in 2012 and launched its more than 450,000 students.
textbook, instructional videos, a In 2017 Mathspace also partnered first course in computing that year. OpenLearning has a 35-person
powerful adaptive learning engine, with Westpac Bank to provide There are now more than 800,000 office in Kuala Lumpur supporting
and is available on all devices, Mathspace Essentials free to all students from over 180 countries universities and partnerships with
with alignment to multiple curricula Australian students. studying OpenLearning accredited Malaysia Telecom, Media Prima
(including Australia, the US, UK, Hong and non-accredited courses. and Cybersecurity Malaysia.
Kong and Singapore) for Grade Five
through to pre-calculus.
18 AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGYWANT TO KNOW ABOUT
MORE AUSTRALIAN
EDTECH SOLUTIONS?
Visit www.austrade.gov.au/edtech for
a selection of Australian edtech
solutions covering:
Administrative
solutions
School
solutions
English language solutions
Vocational
education and
training solutions
Sector
agnostic solutions
Learning management systems
Virtual reality solutions
Online
assessment solutions
Tutoring
solutions
Corporate training solutions
Game-based
solutions
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 19Australia has an integrated education system
supported by the Australian Qualifications
Framework (AQF) - a national policy for
regulated qualifications across schools, vocational
education and training and higher education.
THE THE AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM IN NUMBERS
AUSTRALIAN In 2016:
EDUCATION
9,400+ schools with 3.8 million students
• Government: 6600+; Catholic: 1700+; Independent: 1000+
SYSTEM
• Primary: 6200+; Secondary: 1400+; Combined: 1300+;
Special Schools: 460+
120+ English language colleges with 150,000+ students
IT’S ROBUST, INTEGRATED 5000+ registered training organisations with 4.5 million students
125 higher education providers
AND RENOWNED
43 universities with 1 million students
In May 2016 it was estimated
that over 3 million people aged
15 to 64 were enrolled in formal
study in Australia. Of these, 1.2
million people were aged 15
to 19 and 741,100 people were
aged 20 to 24.22THE AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM AT A GLANCE
PRIMARY SECONDARY VOCATIONAL
PRESCHOOL HIGHER EDUCATION AQF LEVEL
SCHOOL SCHOOL EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Doctoral Degree Level 10
Masters Degree Level 9
Bachelor
Honours Degree
Vocational Level 8
Graduate Diploma
Graduate Diploma
Vocational
Graduate Certificate
Graduate Certificate
Bachelor Degree Level 7
Associate Degree
Level 6
Advanced Diploma
Diploma Level 5
Certificate IV Level 4
Certificate III Level 3
Certificate II Level 2
Certificate I Level 1
Senior Secondary Certificate
of Education
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 21Formal schooling starts with a foundation States and territories are responsible
year, followed by 12 years of primary for the delivery of school education
and secondary school, until at least in Australia with schools operated by
the age of 16. In the senior secondary government and non-government
years, students can study for their Senior education authorities, including faith-based
Secondary Certificate of Education, and independent schools. All schools
which is required for entry to most are registered with the state or territory
Australian universities and vocational education regulators and are subject to
education and training institutions. It is government requirements in terms of
also recognised as an entry requirement infrastructure and teacher registration.
for many international universities.
Relevant industry groups include the
Each Australian state and territory has Australian Curriculum, Assessment and
a different approach to preschool (also Reporting Authority, Education Services
known as kindergarten) with some Australia and the Australian Council for
SCHOOLS IN
operating independently and some Computers in Education.
within primary schools.
AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS: THE FIGURES
As of 201623 there are:
3,798,226
enrolled students (65% Government, 20% Catholic,
15% Independent)
394,762 full-time equivalent in-school staff
344,676
children enrolled in preschool programsAN EXCITING VICTORIAN STATE INITIATIVE
The Victorian Government’s A$128 million Tech Schools Initiative will see
construction of ten Tech Schools across the state by 2018. The schools
will use leading-edge technology, discovery and innovation to deliver the
advanced education and training that students need to flourish in the rapidly
changing global economy. There will be a strong emphasis on Science,
Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) skills.
Victoria also has six Science and Mathematics Specialist Centres to engage
students and teachers in contemporary, experiential science, technology,
engineering and mathematics, or STEM curriculum.
THE AUSTRALIAN THE TECHNOLOGIES
CURRICULUM CURRICULUM
There is a national standard that sets out This sits under the main Australian
what Australian students are taught. It Curriculum and has two distinct but
means that all Australian students have related subjects:
access to the same content, and their
Design
and Technologies, in which
achievements can be judged against
students use design thinking and
consistent national standards.
technologies to generate and produce
The current curriculum gives attention to designed solutions for authentic needs
seven general capabilities that are vital and opportunities
for life and work in the 21st century: Digital Technologies, in which students
Literacy capability use computational thinking and
information systems to define, design
Numeracy capability
and implement digital solutions
Information and communication
technology capability
Critical and creative thinking
Personal and social capability
Ethical understanding
Intercultural understanding
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 23AUSTRALIA IS COMMITTED TECHNOLOGY IN SCHOOLS
TO DIGITAL LEARNING The Australian Governments, both AUSTRALIAN ENGLISH
The National Innovation and Science
national and state, support the LANGUAGE TRAINING
appropriate use of technology in
Agenda’s Inspiring all Australians in Australia is a well-respected
Australian schools to prepare students to
digital literacy and STEM measure24 will supplier of English language
learn, train and live in a digital world.
see a variety of initiatives introduced to training services and is the
increase the participation of students and Australian schools are rich in ICT only country in the world with
the wider community in STEM and to resources and infrastructure, however an English language training
improve their digital literacy. They include: many are adopting a Bring Your Own accreditation and quality
Device policy, which allows students assurance framework. English
initiatives
to inspire curiosity
to bring their own digital devices to Australia is the national peak body
and develop science and maths
school for the purposes of learning. for the English language sector,
knowledge in early childhood
This concept recognises that students representing over 120 colleges.
online computing challenges for Year and their parents and caregivers would Over 80 per cent of international
5 and 7 students nationally like to use the same digital devices at students learning English in
Information and Communication school and at home. Australia choose to study with an
Technology (ICT) summer schools for English Australia member college.
Australian schools have one computer
Year 9 and 10 In 2016, there were over 150,000
for every student compared to the
support
for school leaders to drive OECD average of one computer for enrolments in English language
digital literacy and partnerships every five students. And the average courses in Australia.
between ICT leaders and schools 15-year-old Australian student spends
Total funding for this initiative is A$112.2 more of their school day – around
million over four years from 2016.24 an hour – on the internet than their
counterparts around the world.25
24 AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGYBENEFIT FROM AUSTRALIA’S UNIQUE NATIONAL
SCHOOLS INTEROPERABILITY PROGRAM (NSIP)
NSIP aims to advance the development of digital learning services and
infrastructure for schools across Australia. To achieve this NSIP is promoting
technical standards and supporting projects that solve problems associated
with data exchange between systems and organisations.
This includes support for the Systems Interoperability Framework, which has
been endorsed as the preferred method for exchanging data in the Australian
school sector. It also includes the development of the Learning Services
Architecture, which is an agreed national approach for integrating information
systems that exchange data about learners in schools.
NSIP has also developed National Data Exchange Information Contracts
in conjunction with school authorities and solution providers to support
solutions that perform core school processes such as: enrolment, attendance,
timetabling, assessment, finance and well being.
For more information visit nsip.edu.au
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 25Australia’s Vocational Education and Training
(VET) sector is based on a partnership between
governments and industry.
Industry and employer groups contribute There are approximately 5000 RTOs in
to training policies and priorities, and Australia. Across metropolitan and regional
to developing qualifications that deliver areas, Australia has 58 government-
skills to the workforce. owned TAFE institutes and university TAFE
AUSTRALIAN
divisions, as well as the Australia-Pacific
VET qualifications are provided by
Technical College (APTC).
registered training organisations
VOCATIONAL
(RTOs) which include government VET industry bodies include TAFE
institutions called Technical and Further Directors Australia and the Australian
EDUCATION
Education (TAFE) institutions, as well as Council for Private Education and Training.
private institutions.
AND TRAINING Number of VET
students by location26
WORLD-CLASS TERTIARY
EDUCATION
57,600
1,095,600
484,500
245,200
1,338,200
83,700
1,117,600
75,300Australia’s higher education system is made up
of universities and higher education providers
that play a critical role in fuelling innovation,
driving productivity and giving students the
skills they need for future success.
There are 125 registered higher Higher education peak bodies include
education providers in Australia. There Universities Australia, the Group of Eight,
are also 43 universities; 40 of which are the Australian Technology Network
Australian, two international, and one of Universities, Innovative Research
AUSTRALIAN
private specialty university. Australian Universities, the Regional Universities
universities have more than one million Network, the Australian Council for
HIGHER
enrolled students and employ over Private Education and Training and the
100,000 staff. Council of Private Higher Education.
EDUCATION AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY RANKINGS
37 Australian universities have been Sixteen of Australia’s universities appear
included among the world’s best in the in the ranking of the world’s top 100
latest QS World University Rankings. universities less than 50-years-old, and
Seven Australian universities are in the half of these are in the top 50. This is a
the global top 100, with a further 10 higher number of young universities than
making the top 300. any other nation in the world.27
Five Australian institutions claimed The Quality Indicators for Learning and
top 25 places in the Times Higher Teaching (QILT) is an alternative ranking
Education ranking of the most system that compares higher education
international universities - a new institutions and study areas, based on
measure that takes account of the results of thousands of surveys
the proportion of international staff completed by domestic and international,
and students and the strength of current and former students.
international reputations and cross-
border research collaborations.
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 27AUSTRALIA’S RESEARCH EXCELLENCE PROCUREMENT
Research is a defining characteristic of Australia’s universities. Indeed, to be IN AUSTRALIAN
recognised as a university, our institutions must demonstrate quality-benchmarked UNIVERSITIES
research proficiency in at least three disciplines. This structural prerequisite balances
the spread of knowledge with the creation of knowledge. The Australian Universities Procurement
Network (AUPN) works to improve
Australia accounts for nearly 3 per The €1.5 billion Square Kilometre strategic procurement practices
cent of the world’s research output, Array telescope has been jointly in Australian universities through
with less than half a per cent of the awarded to Australia, New Zealand a collaborative approach focusing
world’s population and southern Africa on: sharing expertise and business
The Commonwealth Scientific and Australia has one of the world’s intelligence; promoting the benefits of
Industrial Research Organisation highest rates of patent applications aggregated purchasing; greater efficiency
(CSIRO), Australia’s national science for innovations in renewable energy in processes; professional procurement
agency and one of the largest and most and biotechnology education opportunities; and encouraging
diverse research agencies in the world, the development of regional and national
Australian
scientists and researchers
is in the top 1 per cent of world scientific aggregated procurement contracts.
have been responsible for or
institutions in 14 of 22 research fields Australian Universities ultimately make
contributed to major breakthroughs
their own procurement decisions or
Across
22 scientific research fields, and technological advances around
may choose to outsource the selection
over 80 per cent of Australia’s major the world, including:
and implementation of high-value
scientific research publications have a • Wi-fi procurements to professional service firms.
relative impact of at least 20 per cent • Google Maps
above the global average28 • Black box flight recorder
Australia has educated 15 Nobel • Bionic ear
laureates over the last century, in the • Spray-on-skin
fields of medicine, science and literature • Penicillin as a medical antibiotic
T
he Australian Synchrotron is the • CETO wave energy
largest stand-alone piece of scientific • Permaculture
infrastructure in the southern hemisphere • Cervical cancer vaccine
28 AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGYAUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 29
Investors have a choice of engagement
models, including:
INVEST IN Establishing an Australian subsidiary to Establishing an Asia Pacific
AUSTRALIA
supply the local market headquarters in Australia, given
Australia’s extensive economic and
cultural ties with Asia
Establishing joint ventures or Establishing joint ventures or
strategic alliances with an Australian strategic alliances with Australian
company with complementary companies to research, develop,
technologies, products or services upscale or commercialise niche
that yield competitive advantage and Australian technologies to launch
expanded market access in global marketsAUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 31
WHY INVEST IN AUSTRALIA?
A high ranking global economy Ease of doing business in Australia A partner for growth in Asia
With a population of just 24.2 million, Australia’s political stability, transparent Australia provides a base for expansion
Australia is the 13th largest economy regulatory system, and sound into fast-growing Asian nations. Ten of the
in the world and the fifth largest in the governance frameworks underpin its country’s top 12 export markets are in Asia.
Asian region.29 Australia’s economic economic resilience. Ranked in the
Australia has strong business and
growth has outperformed other major global top five on the Index of Economic
cultural ties with Asia. The country’s
advanced economies. Global forecasts Freedom30, Australia’s effective
medium and long-term growth outlook
predict Australia will maintain its position governance and control of corruption
is supported by increasingly strong
as the world’s 13th largest economy (in provide multinationals with a safe,
ties to the rapidly growing Asian
US dollar terms) in 2017. secure business environment.
region. Recently completed free trade
Australia’s nominal GDP is estimated at Australia is ranked 15th out of 190 agreements make Australia even more
US$1.3 trillion (A$1.7 trillion) and accounts economies for ease of doing business, competitive and increase prospects for
for 1.7 per cent of the global economy. and fifth when compared to economies greater two-way investment.
Australia has almost tripled the value of with a similar or larger population.
its total production in two decades.29 Australia’s Quality of Judicial Processes
Index is rated the world’s best.31
Global rankings come in 3rd for enforcing
contracts, 5th for ease of getting credit
and 7th for starting a business.31
Offering competitive office space rates
and remuneration for professionals,
Australia’s major cities also enjoy some of
the highest quality of living in the world.
Six Australian cities are ranked in the
global top 40 for their quality of living.32
These credentials attract some of
the world’s largest organisations to
Australia. All Top 20 FT Global 500
companies and all Top 10 Fortune
Global 500 have operations in Australia.
And one in five businesses in Australia
with more than 200 employees is at
least 50 per cent foreign-owned.
32 AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGYInvesting in innovation
Australia has a strong record of Establishing
Innovation and Science
R&D TAX INCENTIVE
innovation, underpinned by its significant Australia – an independent body
government and private sector R&D responsible for strategic whole-of- Are you eligible for an R&D tax incentive?
investment and quality-enabling ICT government advice on all science, Companies performing eligible R&D activities can apply for:
infrastructure. The Australian Government research and innovation matters
makes a significant annual investment Support for Australian startups to
in science, research and innovation. In access Landing Pads in global Refundable Tax Offset
2015/16 it invested A$9.7 billion.33 innovation hotspots – Singapore,
Australia’s R&D expenditure as a San Francisco, Shanghai, Tel Aviv 43.5% for eligible entities with an
and Berlin. These will provide short- aggregated turnover of less than
percentage of GDP in purchasing power
term operational bases from which A$20 million (unless they are controlled
parity terms is strong. Australia is ranked
to access customers, entrepreneurial by tax-exempt entities)
in the top 10 among OECD member
talent, mentors, investors and (for income years from 1 July 2016)
nations for its total expenditure on R&D.34
a wider connected network of
Australia’s National Innovation and innovation hubs
Science Agenda is a framework for
New tax breaks for early-stage
Australian innovation policy. The
investors in innovative startups.
initiatives are worth $1.1 billion over the
Investors will receive a 20 per cent
next four years:
non-refundable tax offset based on the Non-Refundable Tax Offset 38.5%
A$250 million into a A$500 million amount of their investment, as well as
for all other eligible entities
Biomedical Translation Fund to a capital gains tax exemption
(for income years from 1 July 2016)
promote innovation in Australia’s strong The R&D Tax Incentive continues
biotechnology and healthcare sectors to helps companies doing eligible
A$200
million CSIRO Innovation Fund work to create new or improved
for co-investment in new startups and products, processes and services
accelerator opportunities by reducing their tax
For trade and investment, there is no better partner than Australia.
A$163 million for research-industry
partnership grants through the
Australian Research Council for 258
research projects
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 33London-based education software company,
Firefly, is finding Australia a perfect platform to
grow and expand its international presence.
Launched in 2011, Firefly – a learning According to Souter, the education
platform, parent portal, intranet and sectors in both countries have
learning management system all in one – established reputations as early adopters
has proved highly popular in hundreds of of technology and were good business
schools across the United Kingdom. and cultural fits.
To grow global sales further, Firefly “Australian education is open to new
executives wanted a permanent entrants and not afraid of market
INVEST IN presence overseas and an office able
to provide local support to its growing
disruptors. We witnessed a great cultural
attitude, and Australian schools always
AUSTRALIA international customer-base, so the Asia-
Pacific region became the focus.
seem willing to try something new. We
found genuine enthusiasm for new
technology and it didn’t matter where it
Firefly executives reviewed two options,
CASE STUDY Singapore and Australia.
came from,” he said.
“We chose Australia as a first step
abroad because it’s a great market for
new software and we knew there would
be few, if any, cultural barriers.”The new Sydney office has enhanced Firefly’s ability to support its
customers across the globe, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
LOCATION LOCATION EASE IN ESTABLISHING ACCESS TO THE ASIA-
“With an office on Australia’s east coast, A NEW OFFICE PACIFIC REGION
we can easily provide 18 hours of live
The company wanted to ensure their new The new Sydney office became
technical support to teachers around the
office was operational quickly so it turned operational in early 2015 and Firefly
world without asking employees to work
to Austrade’s London office for advice. has commenced building a sales and
out of hours. This is extremely valuable to
training team, which will market the
a software services company,’ said Souter. “Austrade were really great. They
company’s technology to Australian
gave us the information we needed
Second, with cloud services expanding, schools and provide ongoing support.
to set up in Sydney. They introduced
the time difference enables the
representatives from NSW Trade “Once we are established in Sydney,
company’s Sydney-based technical staff
and Investment; put us in touch with we will use the office as a base for
to execute server updates outside of
lawyers who helped with working visas; expansion into Asia,” said Souter.
the United Kingdom’s business hours,
and helped us understand how the
avoiding disruption to its customers. “It will be easy to hire the sort of people
schooling system works in Australia -
we need to spearhead that expansion
Souter added lifestyle as another particularly school budgeting cycles,”
because of the common language and
powerful attraction. “Australia is a great said Souter.
culture. The new Sydney office also
secondment location for London- based
means we will benefit directly from
employees, and our employees are keen
Australia’s links to Asia,” added Souter.
to work here.”
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 35Edtech in Australia has a strong and highly
involved support network across a variety of
relevant organisations. These organisations
offer support, advocacy, investment
opportunities, advice and encouragement to
Australian edtech companies.
Australian Computer Society Australian Information
INDUSTRY
Australian Computer Society (ACS) is Industry Association
the professional association and peak The Australian Information Industry
ASSOCIATIONS
body representing Australia’s ICT sector. Association (AIIA) is Australia’s peak
ACS’ mission is to deliver authoritative representative body and advocacy
independent knowledge and insight into group for those in the digital ecosystem.
technology, build relevant technology Since 1978 the AIIA has pursued
SUPPORT ORGANISATIONS capacity and capability and be a catalyst activities to stimulate and grow the
FOR EDTECH for innovative creation and adoption of digital arena, to create a favourable
technology for the benefit of commerce, business environment for its members
governments and society. and to contribute to Australia’s
acs.org.au economic prosperity. The AIIA does this
by providing a strong voice of influence;
building a sense of community through
events and education; enabling
a network for collaboration and
inspiration; and developing compelling
content and relevant information.
aiia.com.au
Key edtech events in Australia include the EduTECH Conference
Australia; AFR Edtech Summit and Educhange.Education Changemakers EduGrowth Knowledge Commercialisation StartupAUS
Education Changemakers (EC) provides EduGrowth is Australia’s edtech Australasia StartupAUS is a not-for-profit
innovation and leadership training to acceleration network for high growth, Knowledge Commercialisation organisation formed in 2013 by
more than 25,000 teachers and school scalable education. The not-for-profit Australasia is the peak body leading fifty leaders in the national start-
leaders across the world each year. Their organisation supports the accelerated best practice in industry engagement, up community. Its mission is to
acceleration arm EClabs works exclusively growth of technology startups commercialisation and entrepreneurship transform Australia through technology
with K-12 focused education startups and developing products and services for for public research organisations in entrepreneurship, believing a home-
they hold three day rapid accelerators the education sector. Australia and New Zealand. grown tech sector is vital to the future
in Melbourne and London, providing kca.asn.au of Australian jobs and wealth. It also
EduGrowth is committed to bringing
free training and support to early stage works to advocate for policies to create
the expertise of Australia’s world class Muru-D
education ventures and also identifying a supportive culture and encourage the
education system together with the Muru-D is the startup accelerator
which ventures move into a formal development of more entrepreneurs
innovation capabilities of the startup backed by Telstra. It invests in great
partnership with EC. This partnership with the right skills. It is supported
community, to boldly reimagine the teams with innovative technology and
provides entry into the global EC sales by volunteers who are immersed
learning experience. global ambitions. It has accelerated 73
channels, capital raises with strategic in Australia’s startup community,
education investors, ongoing strategic EduGrowth’s ambition is to see 100 startups to date across five locations responsible for organising grassroots
support from the EC team and office million learners educated globally per in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, efforts and coordinating community
space. EC is also behind Australia’s first annum by 2025 through Australian Perth and Singapore. It provides activities such as Startup Spring.
conference focused on K-12 education education. Since launching in October introductions to corporate partners, startupaus.org
ventures, Edupreneur, which is held as 2016, the organisation has established channel partners, marketing partners,
part of their larger Educhange Education a community of more than 1500 edtech and ‘productisation partners’ leveraging Sydney Education Technology Group
Festival in Melbourne. entrepreneurs, educators, technology the talents of Telstra personnel. It has Sydney Education Technology Group
educationchangemakers.com and business leaders. global alliances with 500 Startups, HAX, is a meet-up group with over 400
edugrowth.com.au Chinaccelerator, The Junction and The members, interested in connecting
Icehouse. Australian edtech graduates passionate educators, tech geeks, and
from Muru-D include Chatty Kids, investors who are interested in applying
ELLA, Fluid Education, Funetics, Inkerz, technology to solve current problems in
Momentum Cloud, OpenLearning, Our education.
Little Foxes and SoccerBrain. sydedutech.org
muru-d.com
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 37REFERENCES
1. Department of Industry, Innovation 12. Brand, J. E. & Todhunter, S. 24. Department of Education and
and Science, Australia’s Digital Digital Australia 2016. Eveleigh, Training, Inspiring all Australians in
Economy Update, 2016 NSW: IGEA 2015. digital literacy and STEM
2. Telsyte and NBN, Internet 13. Frost and Sullivan, Australian 25. OECD, Education at a Glance, 2015
uninterrupted: Australian households Edutech Market: Key Trends, 26. NCVER Total VET Activity 2015
of the connected future, 2016 Technologies and Opportunities Report, July 2016
3. Nielsen, Australian Connected 2016-2022
27. Times Higher Education, 150 Under
Consumers Report: Evolving 14. EduGrowth Australian Edtech 50 Rankings 2016
patterns of media consumption in Census 2017
the digital age, 2014 28. InCites, Clarivate Analytics (data as
15. Startup Muster, 2016 Annual Report at 8 November 2016)
4. NAB Online Retail Sales Index, 2016 16. Startup Victoria, 2017 Survey 29. International Monetary Fund, World
5. BSA, Global Cloud Computing 17. UNESCO, Institute for Statistics, Economic Outlook Database,
Scorecard, 2016 Education, Total inbound October 2016
6. World Economic Forum, Switzerland internationally mobile students, both 30. The Wall Street Journal and The
and Harvard University, Global sexes (2014 or latest data available, Heritage Foundation, 2016 Index of
Competitiveness Report 2016–17 extracted 12 October 2016) Economic Freedom
7. Cornell University, INSEAD, and 18. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Cat. 31. World Bank Group, Doing Business
the World Intellectual Property No. 5368.0 - International Trade in 2017: Equal Opportunity for All
Organisation, The Global Innovation Goods and Services (Table 11a), 2017 (released 26 October 2016)
Index 2016 19. Deloitte Access Economics, Growth 32. Mercer 2016 Quality of Living
8. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Cat. and opportunity in Australian Rankings
No. 62270DO001_201505 Education International Education, 2015
and Work, Australia, May 2015 33. Department of Industry and
20. IBISWorld Industry Report X0008, Science, The Australian
9. Deloitte Access Economics and Online Education in Australia, 2017 Government’s 2015-16 Science,
the Australian Computer Society, 21. Universities Australia, University Research and Innovation Budget
Australia’s Digital Pulse 2016 Startup Support Programs, 2017 Tables, July 2015
10. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Cat. 22. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Cat. 34. OECD, Main Science and
No. 6291.055.001 – Labour Force, No. 6227.0 – Education and Work, Technology Indicators Database;
Australia, Detailed – Electronic Australia, 2016 UNESCO Institute for Statistics,
Delivery, August 2016 Science, Technology and Innovation
23. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Cat.
11. Australian Bureau of Statistics, No. 4221.0 – Schools, Australia, 2016 Database, July 2016
Cat. No. 4102.0 - Australian Social
Trends, April 2013
38 AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGYYou can also read
