Google removes school ratings and reviews From 30 April, existing reviews or ratings of schools on Google have been removed and users will not be able to submit new reviews or ratings. The search engine giant has told schools the change is designed to prevent 'unhelpful or prank reviews', not to mention defamatory remarks about staff and students. While many parents use the ratings and comments to inform their enrolment decisions, reviews that are ancient, anonymous and or weird are not uncommon. 'Obviously, the star ratings have a big impact on [school] credibility', says Tim Nelson of school marketing business Look Education. To read the full article, visit The Age website.
Unlocking High-Quality Teaching report In an era of rapid change, it is important to not lose sight of the potential of high-quality teaching and the power of refining teaching practices that have demonstrated impact. The Unlocking High-Quality Teaching report aims to deepen understanding of the complexities of teaching and its multifaceted nature as a discipline grounded in scientific research, but so too an art requiring creativity and a craft necessitating constant collaborative reflection and improvement. Focusing on 20 practices that support five key goals of high-quality teaching, this report draws from extensive research to delineate what we know – and what remains to be understood – about each. It also has built on the qualitative insights of more than 150 schools from 40 countries to better understand the complex realities of implementing these practices in day-to-day teaching. To read the full report, visit the OECD website. Image source: OECD