If not education, then what?

Parental education is not a good proxy for measuring socioeconomic status, writes Trevor Gale.

The problem with equity

We must look beyond what works and engage with what equity means, says Trevor Gale.

Jockeying for equity

It would be naive to think that challenging the new equity policy environment, and jockeying for position within it, are just political moves. They are also about what equity is and how it can be addressed, says Trevor Gale.

When equity is just not enough

In many ways, student equity is a numbers game. But Trevor Gale argues we need to develop new ways of understanding higher education if we are to develop a more sophisticated approach to equity.

Good teaching matters

Equity is not an add-on to good teaching, it is part of it. It contributes to the part of teaching that makes it good, says Trevor Gale.

Three challenges for equity

If the higher education sector is to take seriously the federal government’s 20/40 targets, then there are three main challenges that need to be confronted, writes Trevor Gale.

The equity year that was

It could be dubbed the “year of equity” in higher education, says Professor Trevor Gale. And it came in four roughly overlapping periods

Measure for measure

Any new measure of SES needs to have the confidence of the sector and is fit for purpose, writes Trevor Gale.

Going for broke

Educational attainment of parents will be used as the indicator of socioeconomic status, but it’s not the whole story, says Trevor Gale.

A surprising omission

There appears little space for regional and rural issues in the Bradley Review, says Dianne Bills and Trevor Gale.

"These are our children" : polyamorous parenting

Some LGBT individuals are polyamorous—that is, they have relationships with multiple partners of the same and/or the other gender. This chapter discusses the findings from an Australian focus group of 13 polyfamily participants, and also presents an overview of previous research on polyparenting. Issues of being “out” to their children, relations with extended families and friendship networks, and navigating broader societal systems and structures are the greatest concerns for polyparents. The duality of lack of visibility and fear of disclosure is examined in the context of formal societal structures such as education, health, and the law; less formal networks such as family, friends, neighbors, and social groups; and the mass media and popular culture. Another theme we discuss is how polyfamilies can be supportive environments. Shared child rearing is creating new forms of kinship structures that are beneficial to both children and adults in polyfamilies, although attachment to transient members of the family is raised as a concern. The chapter concludes with a call for more research into all facets of polyfamilies as well as the need for legitimization and resource development in social, health, educational, media, and legal institutions.

Difficult birth for power sharing

There is meant to be collaboration between doctors and midwives in maternity care but this is being hindered by unequal and disrespectful cultures and practices.