As part of its celebrations of the ‘father of evolution’ Charles Darwin's 200th birthday, Charles Sturt University (CSU) will host a film presentation and discussion, particularly for Years 10 to 12 high school students and their teachers, to explore the theory of evolution. Participants will view the critically acclaimed documentary film, ‘Flock of Dodos: The Evolution – Intelligent Design Circus’ and be able to discuss evolution and natural selection with CSU scientists attending the event. “Darwin’s theory of evolution is one of the most significant advancements in our understanding of the natural world. This break-through in our scientific understanding still affects many facets of modern life, despite first being published 150 years ago in his seminal book, On the Origin of Species,” says the University’s Dean of the Faculty of Science, Professor Nick Klomp. The event runs from 9.30 to 11.30am, Tuesday 10 February, in the Riverina Playhouse, 8 Cross St, Wagga Wagga.

As Australia looks at international experience, including those of Norway, in the formation of a new Indigenous representative body in 2009, a leading Sami academic included a trip to Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Wagga Wagga on her recent visit to the country. In Australia to attend the triennial World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education in Melbourne, Associate Professor Asta Balto, from Norway, travelled to CSU to discuss Indigenous education. The Sami people are Indigenous to the northern parts of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia. With a lengthy involvement in Sami education, Asta Balto is currently Associate Professor in Pedagogy at the Sámi University College in Guovdageaidnu, Norway and was recently engaged to help develop the Sami perspective in teacher education in Sweden. While at CSU, Associate Professor Balto met with Mr John Muk Muk Burke, a Wiradjuri man and one of the University’s Indigenous Learning Skills Advisors “It was a privilege to be able to talk first hand with a Sami woman about her people’s struggle for representation, particularly as Australia looks at models for an Indigenous representative body,” said Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at CSU, Dr Mary O’Dowd, who accompanied Associate Professor Balto in Australia. “Clearly the Sami Parliament would be one very relevant model. Asta was also very interested in our research at Charles Sturt University on ‘whiteness’ as it is integral to our shared nations’ understandings of how to achieve social justice for Indigenous people in Australia.”

It is pure coincidence that two photography students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) selected the same subject for their short-listed entries in the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2009. Students Ms Kate Lewis and Mr Matt Regan, both from Wagga Wagga, have been named as finalists in the National Photographic Portrait Prize. The photographs, ‘Philip’ and ‘Treaties for Mad Men Only’ will next year hang in the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra. “It was a pure coincidence that both photographs feature the same subject, Kate’s father Philip Lewis,” said Bachelor of Arts (Photography) Course Coordinator, Mr James Holcombe. “Matt saw Kate’s father at the gym and thought he would make a great subject, so asked him to pose quite independently of knowing Kate.” The two photographs can be seen in the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery until Sunday 11 January 2009 as part of Solo, a graduation exhibition by CSU photography students. “The selection of these two works to hang in the National Portrait Gallery is a huge achievement for the students, as they competed against seasoned professionals to join the other finalists,” said Mr Holcombe. Ms Lewis and Mr Regan are among the first group of students to complete the photography course through the School of Visual and Performing Arts at CSU at Wagga Wagga.

The Austrade Export Award for the best international marketing plan by a student enrolled at a NSW-based university has been won by Ms Michelle Hasler, a Charles Sturt University (CSU) distance education student enrolled in a Bachelor of Business (Marketing). Lecturer at CSU’s School of Marketing and Management Ms Katherine Attree said, “The preparation of an international marketing plan is a requirement for the compulsory subject International Marketing in the Bachelor of Business (Marketing). Michelle undertook an enormous amount of research and prepared a very comprehensive and detailed plan that analysed the viability of entry into the New Zealand marketplace as a first international venture for a small South Australian company, Wellness & Lifestyle, which operates in the allied health industry. She thoroughly deserves the $500 award for a NSW student entry.” Ms Hasler said, “I found the process very challenging and a very valuable learning experience.”

The appointment of receivers to manage the private childcare operator ABC Learning Centres represents a prime opportunity for the Rudd government to make right the mistakes of the past, according to a Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic. The childcare operator yesterday went into voluntary administration with the receivers assuring parents that the centres will remain open. “Many early childhood experts had expressed concern about the growing monopoly of ABC, particularly in regional areas,” said Senior Lecturer with the CSU School of Teacher Education Ms Fran Press. “The Commonwealth should show leadership by brokering a deal between the three levels of government and the community sector to ensure the survival of childcare places. Not only would this ensure the retention of much needed childcare places, it would put them in a good position to work toward the fulfilment of election promises concerning the provision of early childhood education.” The fact ABC currently has about 30 per cent of long day care places in Australia is unusual. “No other country entrusts so much childcare to just one provider,” said Ms Press.

The signing of a new partnership between TAFE NSW Riverina Institute and Charles Sturt University (CSU) will highlight the importance of the new purpose-built teaching and learning centre at Riverina Institute’s Griffith Campus. The joint venture agreement signed on Thursday 6 November will see the development of new Integrated Degree/Diploma Programs in Early Childhood Studies and Nursing. “Signing the agreement with Charles Sturt University allows us to extend the pathways to careers from entry level to degree level,” said Riverina Institute Director Rosemary Campbell. “This will be exceptionally valuable to both employers and people seeking career paths in health and in children’s services.” “Charles Sturt University is strongly committed to improving access to and participation in higher education in Griffith and the western Riverina,” said CSU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Ross Chambers. “The University believes working with Riverina Institute and local government and organisations and businesses is the best way to do achieve this increased participation,” said Professor Chambers. 

For NSW senior high school students, the Higher School Certificate is the ultimate challenge and when competing against thousands of other students for limited university places, the more resources they can access the better. In the past, the Internet has not been seen as a consistently credible source of information for materials, but now teachers are encouraging students to get extra help online. In 2007, the Charles Sturt University (CSU) hosted website NSW HSC Online delivered 13 million pages to users, offering information to students, teachers and parents, with 2008 figures indicating even higher access, despite slightly fewer HSC enrolments. CSU lecturer and NSW HSC Online project coordinator Mr Bob Dengate believes that students and teachers benefit greatly from the site. "With material for 48 HSC subjects, supplemented by advice on study strategies and the availability of past examination papers and markers' comments, figures for this month are expected to approach two million pages."

Educators have recently begun to rethink the value of the tradition of homework, particularly for primary and middle school aged children. Is homework useful? Should our children do homework at all? If so, what would constitute quality homework for children? A free public lecture in Harden on Wednesday 15 October by Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer Dr Tracey Smith will use the example of mathematics to address all of these questions. It will explore perceptions about mathematics, how it is learned most effectively and how parents can help their children learn mathematics. “I will also examine how mathematics homework might be more meaningfully developed to enhance learning opportunities at home rather than create a battle zone for parents and their children,” said Dr Smith.

A rare collection of photographs that captured life in Wagga Wagga through the 1950s and 1960s will be discussed during a free public lecture by Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic and historian Dr Nancy Blacklow on Wednesday 15 October. The photos were taken by the first full-time photographer at The Daily Advertiser, Tom Lennon. The lecture, Beyond the Family Album: A Photographic Documentary of Wagga Wagga Life in the 1950s-60s will discuss the search for aspects of Lennon’s life and will endeavour to reconcile the eccentricities of Tom Lennon with his photographs of traditional conservatism of the 1950s and social changes of the 1960s. Dr Blacklow worked as a journalist for The Daily Advertiser before joining CSU. “The collection of 50 000 prints and 80 000 negatives is one of a kind,” said Mr Wayne Doubleday, the Manager of CSU Regional Archives. “It captures all aspects of life from social occasions to sporting events, local politicians to everyday street scenes and school children to performing animals.” The prints and negatives have been stored at the CSU Regional Archives.