- This week I did two presentations – one at the University of the Free State (Effective enrollment: Creating a composite measure of educational access and educational quality) and the other at the NAPTOSA Gauteng Leadership Conference (South African Teacher Content Knowledge in Local and International Perspective).
- “When Schooling is the Fiercest Thing“ – World class presentation by Lant Pritchett on schooling in developing countries (at the Young Lives Conference). Insightful, interesting and funny. If you only watch one lecture this year on education in developing countries, this should be it! (The curriculum paper he talks about can be found here).
- “Much More Than Counting“ – Comprehensive (and very accessible) report by DG Murray Trust on supporting Mathematics between birth and five years of age. I particularly liked the table explaining what children should be learning at each stage and what can be done to support that learning.
- The attack of the MOOCs – Economist article on the rise of online higher education. More posts on technology and education to come (the tech seed has been planted somewhere in my consciousness).
- The amazing, surprising, Africa-driven demographic future of the Earth, in 9 charts (via @LydiaPolgreen).
- Two excellent In Our Time podcasts – one on the British Empire and the other on the Mughal Empire – both fascinating and led by wonderfully knowledgeable people. Really loved the Mughal Empire one.
- On 17 July 2013 Queen Elizabeth II signed into law a bill legalizing same-sex marriages in England and Wales. I now don’t understand people who can’t see that the trend is inevitable (and positive).
- 2010 Umalusi/HESA report on “Evaluating the South African National Senior Certificate in relation to selected international qualifications: A self-referencing exercise to determine the standing of the NSC“