Online Education

Students world over are whole-heartedly accepting online education. The advantages of online education have made it the popular mode of education among the students of all age groups in all parts of the world. This growing popularity of online education has led to the emergence of a large number of educational institutions offering online education for a wide range of subjects. The growth of educational institutions offering relearning facilities has been significantly high in the US, Europe and the developed nations of the world.

Online Education- Changing Perception

In the past people perceived online education as an unserious and unscrupulous way of laying hands of a fast degree and getting good grades without much effort and hard work. People also had doubts about the reputation of education institutes offering online education. However, the times have changes significantly and today the majority of educational institutions offering online education are well established. Most of the world's leading education institutions have commenced online programs, which vindicate the validity of online education. Most of the online courses offer in-depth learning to the students in their respective educational modules.

Factors Contributing To The Growth of Online Education

Online education is becoming popular because most of the educational institutions offering online courses ensure qualitative learning. Talented professors and subject matter experts are at the helm of affairs at almost all accredited universities and colleges offering online courses and online degree programs. The students can be assured of good results in such courses.

Here are some factors that have contributed to the fast paced growth of online education:

· Flexible schedule

The biggest advantage of online education is that the students can do effective utilization of their time, which is the most precious resource. People participating in online education have the freedom of maintaining a flexible schedule, which helps them tremendously and it has come as a boon for the people who are working and want to continue their education.

· Student-Centered Learning

The students in online education have an advantage because they are in charge of their learning experience. The students can prioritize their schedule and complete the assignments as per their comfort levels and convenience. This is possible because the teachers in online mode of education are not teaching you all the time. As an online student, you have the liberty to select the mode of learning.

· Fair Playing Field

Online education is growing in popularity because it offers a level playing field to all the students. When you are learning online, your performance is the only criterion that affects the decision-making and your gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, and other considerations do not cloud the decision making process. This is one of the major factors contributing to the growth of online education.

All these advantages of online education may prompt you to join e learning. However, before you take the plunge and enroll in an online course, please make sure that you are familiar with the methodology of online education.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/349497

University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools

Technical Academies

The Coalition Agreement confirmed the Government’s intention to improve the quality of vocational education, including increased flexibility for 14-19 year olds and create new Technical Academies, as part of plans to diversify schools provision. These will be established across England to develop vocational and technical education that engages young people and meets the needs of modern business.

University Technical Colleges

University Technical Colleges (UTCs) are the best-known model, and specialise in subjects that need modern, technical, industry-standard equipment - such as engineering and construction - and teach these disciplines alongside business skills and the use of ICT.
Pupils integrate academic study with practical learning, studying core GCSEs alongside technical qualifications. The ethos and curriculum are designed with local and national employers who also provide support, and work experience for students.
In the 2011 budget it was announced that at least 24 UTCs are planned to be open by 2014.
UTCs are sponsored by:

• universities
• local employers
• FE Colleges with strengths in the UTC’s specialist subject areas.

The first UTC - the JCB Academy in Staffordshire - opened in 2010.
The Black Country UTC in Walsall is scheduled to open in September 2011.
Funding has been allocated to UTCs in Aston and Greenwich.

Studio Schools

Studio Schools are an innovative new model of 14 to 19 year-old educational provision. They are small schools - typically with around 300 pupils - delivering mainstream qualifications through project based learning.
Students work with local employers and a personal coach, and follow a curriculum designed to give them the employability skills and qualifications they need in work, or to take up further education.

Yale University

Yale University is a private institution that was founded in 1701. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,405, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 342 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Yale University's ranking in the 2014 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 3. Its tuition and fees are $44,000 (2013-14).

Yale University, located in New Haven, Conn., is known for its excellent drama and music programs, which reach outside the classroom with student organizations such as the Yale Whiffenpoofs, a famous a cappella group, and the Yale Dramatic Association. The Yale Bulldogs compete in the Ivy League and are well known for their rivalry with Harvard. Students are assigned to live in one of 12 residential colleges during their time at Yale. Each college has a master and dean who live in the college and eat with students in the dining halls. Cultural houses provide a space for students to build a sense of cultural identity on campus.

Yale is comprised of the College, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and 13 professional schools. Included in the professional schools are the top ranked Law School and highly ranked School of Management, School of Medicine , School of Art and School of Nursing. The School of Drama, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and Divinity School are also well-regarded graduate programs. The Yale Record is the oldest college humor magazine in the nation. Dwight Hall is an independent umbrella organization that fosters student service and activism in the local New Haven community. Yale is well known for its secret societies, the most famous of which are the Skull and Bone Society, which boasts members such as George W. Bush and John Kerry, and the Scroll and Key Society. Distinguished Yale alumni include actress Meryl Streep, Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward and actor Edward Norton.

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school):

Yale is both a small college and a large research university. The College is surrounded by thirteen distinguished graduate and professional schools

2014 Quick Stats

PO Box 208234

New Haven, CT 06520

[map]

Phone: (203) 432-4771

2013-2014 Tuition

$44,000

 

tuition and fees

Students

5,405

 

enrolled

50%

 

male / 

50%

 

female

Admissions

Dec. 31

 

application deadline

7.0%

 

accepted

Very good University, read more here: 

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/yale-university-1426

'EducationSeat

Princeton University

Princeton University is a private institution that was founded in 1746. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,336, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 600 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Princeton University's ranking in the 2014 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 1. Its tuition and fees are $40,170 (2013-14).

Princeton, the fourth-oldest college in the United States, is located in the quiet town of Princeton, N.J. Within the walls of its historic ivy-covered campus, Princeton offers a number of events, activities and organizations. The Princeton Tigers, members of the Ivy League, are well known for their consistently strong men’s and women’s lacrosse teams. Students live in one of six residential colleges that provide a residential community as well as dining services but have the option to join one of more than 10 eating clubs for their junior and senior years. The eating clubs serve as social and dining organizations for the students who join them. Princeton’s unofficial motto, "In the Nation’s Service and in the Service of All Nations," speaks to the university’s commitment to community service.

Princeton includes highly ranked graduate programs through the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. One unique aspect of Princeton’s academic program is that all undergraduate students are required to write a senior thesis. Notable alumni include U.S. President Woodrow Wilson; John Forbes Nash, subject of the 2001 film "A Beautiful Mind"; model/actress Brooke Shields; and First Lady Michelle Obama. According to Princeton legend, if a student exits campus through FitzRandolph Gate prior to graduation, he or she may be cursed never to graduate.

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school):

Princeton University is unique in combining the strengths of a major research university with the qualities of an outstanding liberal arts college.  2014 Quick Stats Princeton, NJ 08544 Phone: (609) 258-3000 2013-2014 Tuition $40,170   tuition and fees Students 5,336   enrolled 51%   male /  49%   female Admissions Jan. 1   application deadline 7.8%   accepted Great University! Wanna read more about Princeton : http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/princeton-university-2627 'EducationSeat

Harvard University

Harvard University is a private institution that was founded in 1636. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,658, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 5,076 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Harvard University's ranking in the 2014 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 2. Its tuition and fees are $42,292 (2013-14).

Harvard is located in Cambridge, Mass., just outside of Boston. Harvard’s extensive library system houses the oldest collection in the United States and the largest private collection in the world. There is more to the school than endless stacks, though: Harvard’s athletic teams compete in the Ivy League, and every football season ends with "The Game," an annual matchup between storied rivals Harvard and Yale. At Harvard, on-campus residential housing is an integral part of student life. Freshmen live around the Harvard Yard at the center of campus, after which they are placed in one of 12 undergraduate houses for their remaining three years. Although they are no longer recognized by the university as official student groups, the eight all-male "final clubs" serve as social organizations for some undergraduate students; Harvard also has five female clubs.

In addition to the College, Harvard is comprised of 13 other schools and institutes, including the top-ranked Business School and Medical School and the highly ranked Graduate Education School, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Law School and John F. Kennedy School of Government. Eight U.S. presidents graduated from Harvard College, including Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. Other notable alumni include Henry David Thoreau, Helen Keller, Yo-Yo Ma and Tommy Lee Jones. In 1977, Harvard signed an agreement with sister institute Radcliffe College, uniting them in an educational partnership serving male and female students, although they did not officially merge until 1999. Harvard also has the largest endowment of any school in the world.

2014 Quick Stats

Undergraduate Admissions Office, 86 Brattle Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

Phone: (617) 495-1000

2013-2014 Tuition

$42,292

 

tuition and fees

Students

6,658

 

enrolled

51%

 

male / 

49%

 

female

Admissions

Jan. 1

 

application deadline

6.0%

 

accepted

Great University, Want to read more about Harvard -

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/harvard-university-2155

'EducationSeat

Montclair State University

Motto                  Carpe Diem
Motto in English Seize the day
Established   1908
Type            Public University
Endowment $47.1 million (2009)[1]
President      Susan Cole, Ph.D
Admin. staff 4,500
Students       18,498
Undergraduates 14,590
Postgraduates 3,908[2]
Location      Montclair, New Jersey, United States
Campus       Suburban
Sports         Red Hawk Athletics
Colors         Red and White          
Nickname    Red Hawks
Mascot        Rocky the Red Hawk
Website       www.montclair.edu

973-655-3060 (Phone)
973-655-5452 (Fax)

Our Mailing Address
Montclair State University Foundation
1 Normal Avenue

Montclair, NJ  07043
For general information about the University, contact us at: 973-655-4000.

Undergraduate Admissions

College Hall, Room 100
Telephone:  973-655-4444

Fax:  973-655-7700

Graduate Admissions

College Hall, Room 203
Telephone:  973-655-5147

Fax:  973-655-7869

Financial Aid

College Hall, Room 208
Telephone:  973-655-4461

Fax:  973-655-7712

Student Accounts

College Hall, Room 218
Telephone:  973-655-4177

Fax:  973-655-4421

Information Technology
Helpdesk

University Hall, 5th Floor

Telephone:  973-655-7971

Facilities Service Desk

Telephone: 973-655-5444

University Police

University Police Building
Emegency Phone:  973-655-5222

Confidential Tips Hotline:  973-655-5128

California Institute of Technology University

Summary

California Institute of Technology is a private institution that was founded in 1891. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 997, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 124 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. California Institute of Technology's ranking in the 2014 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 10. Its tuition and fees are $41,538 (2013-14).

Caltech, which focuses on science and engineering, is located in Pasadena, Calif., approximately 11 miles northeast of Los Angeles. Social and academic life at Caltech centers on the eight student houses, which the school describes as "self-governing living groups." Student houses incorporate an admired Caltech tradition: dinners served by student waiters. Only freshmen are required to live on campus, but around 80 percent of students remain in their house for all four years. The Caltech Beavers have a number of NCAA Division III teams that compete in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Integral to student life is the Honor Code, which dictates that "No member of the Caltech community shall take unfair advantage of any other member of the Caltech community."

In addition to its undergraduate studies, Caltech offers top graduate programs in engineering, biology, chemistry, computer science, earth sciences,mathematics and physics. Caltech participates in a significant amount of research, receiving grants from institutions such as NASA, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Health and Human Services, among others. Caltech maintains a strong tradition of pranking with theMassachusetts Institute of Technology, another top-ranked science and technology university. Companies such as Intel, Compaq and Hotmail were founded by Caltech alumni. Famous film director Frank Capra also graduated from Caltech.

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school):

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is one of the world's leading science and technology research institutions. Our 300 faculty members, 1,200 graduate students, and 1,000 undergraduates expand human knowledge and advance society through bold, collaborative explorations and creative, intensive scholarship in fundamental and applied sciences, and engineering. "What makes Caltech unique," says President Jean-Lou Chameau, "is our focus-on education, on science and engineering, but most of all, on giving everyone at the Institute the means and flexibility to pursue his or her best ideas." Caltech students are some of the brightest minds from around the world. Our students hail from 49 states and 62 different countries, and 98% of our students placed in the top tenth of their graduating classes. Though the admissions process is competitive--only 13% of applicants receive offers of acceptance--the Institute is committed to making a Caltech education accessible to all students. More than 50% of students receive need-based assistance, the average need-based financial aid package is worth more than $35,000, and the average need-based scholarship totals more than $30,000. The Institute operates advanced research facilities on its campus and oversees an international network of astronomical observatories, the seismological laboratory, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Caltech scientists have accelerated scientific discovery and launched new fields in molecular biology, geochemistry, and aerospace. Our faculty have earned 32 Nobel Prizes, 13 National Medals of Technology, 57 National Medals of Science, and 112 National Academy Memberships. Through the Caltech Office of Technology Transfer, our faculty obtain nearly 140 patents annually, and our students and faculty have started more than 80 companies since 1995. The Caltech campus is located in the city of Pasadena, just 10 miles from Los Angeles, with access to regional and commercial industrial centers, government agencies, and educational and cultural institutions. Student life at Caltech revolves around the eight campus Houses, which revel in their distinct personalities and unique traditions, including a long history of elaborate pranks carried off around the country. Caltech students can participate in more than 150 clubs that celebrate a wide range of interests or compete in 17 NCAA Division III-level varsity sports. The Honor Code governs life at Caltech, affording students such privileges as take-home tests, permission to collaborate on assignments, and keys to campus buildings.

Great University!

'EducationSeat

Top Studying Tips

With education comes the process of learning, one of the main ways of learning is to study. Studying can sometimes be annoying for people that get sidetracked easily, but with these simple tips, studying could become a daily event for you.

Clearing your mind – Clearing your mind before studying decreases the chance of thinking about other things whilst you’re studying. A quick method of doing this, is to write down whatever you’re thinking about on a piece of paper before you start to study.

Snacks – Before you start your studying session, grab some food that won’t give you a burst of energy. Focus on food that has a low carbohydrate level, which will not only give you a small amount of energy, but it will also boost your serotonin, which is a chemical in your brain that makes you feel good.

Time Management – Managing the time of studying sessions can greatly impact the time in which you can associate in other key events you like to participate in on a weekly basis. To help you achieve this, write up a timetable at the start of each week, helping you to plan out your week, adding events as they pop up.

Study Area – Your study area is one of the most important factors when it comes to achieving the most from your study sessions. Your study area should be somewhere you feel relaxed and not at risk of being easily distracted.

Join a group – Joining a group for studying may sound a bit stupid, but it’s actually one of the best ways of studying! Having more than one person studying with you can be a really positive way of learning, mostly because you can test one another’s skills and knowledge with some small quiz questions.

Focus - Do not have your Computer (Unless you using it for studying purposes), Mobile phone or anything in that category. 

Write down keywords - Sometimes you have to read a lot and you might forget what you have read.

I recommend to write down keywords after '5 Pages, say short what you readed so you could look back to that when you're done and remember.

EducationSeat

Nys Education Department - SED: CTB/McGraw-Hill Awarded HS Equivalency Diploma RFP

New York State Education Department (SED) Commissioner John B. King, Jr. announced today that SED intends to execute a contract with CTB/McGraw-Hill to develop a new New York State High School Equivalency Diploma assessment to replace the General Educational Development (GED) test.  GEDTS, a new for-profit entity created by the American Council on Education and Pearson Incorporated, has announced plans that will double the cost of the exam in 2014. The Governor and Legislature must include an appropriation for the development of the new assessment in the State Budget. King said that, in the long run, CTB/McGraw-Hill’s new assessment will save the State money compared to the new pricing structure announced by Pearson.

"The members of the Board of Regents are concerned with two things: accessibility and rigor," New York State Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch said. "While the GED was run by a not-for-profit, the system worked fairly well.  But a Pearson GED monopoly would put our students at the mercy of Pearson’s pricing.  We can’t let price deny anyone the opportunity for success.  That’s why, rather than pay Pearson twice the current cost or limit the number of students who can take the exam, the Regents approved a competitive process to develop a new assessment." 

King noted that New York’s shift to the Common Core Standards (adopted by New York State along with 44 other states) requires a change in the pathway to a New York State High School Equivalency (HSE) Diploma.

"We need a more rigorous exam that reflects the change in the standards," King said.  "A New York State equivalency test will help ensure access and rigor.  And we’re going to look at other pathways to high school equivalency.  The Regents’ goal is to ensure everyone has the opportunity to earn a high school diploma that reflects the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college and a career." 

New York State law prohibits charging individuals to take HSE exams.  The State budget traditionally includes an appropriation to cover the cost of administering the tests.  The announcement by GEDTS that the new GED test, beginning in January 2014, will cost each candidate $120 effectively doubles the cost that New York State currently pays to administer the GED test. In response to the increased cost and changes in the administration and content of the GED test beginning in January 2014, the Board of Regents approved a competitive RFP to identify an appropriately rigorous assessment for a HSE Diploma at the most reasonable price.

CTB/McGraw-Hill’s new HSE assessment, Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC), will be a secure, reliable and valid assessment that meets the directions and specifications in the RFP and will be operational by January 2, 2014. The TASC will be aligned to New York’s P-12 Common Core Standards as quickly as possible.

The TASC will be administered on CTB/McGraw-Hill’s Online Assessment System (OAS). CBT/McGraw-Hill will use a phased-in approach for TASC computer-based testing over three years.  The cost per test over the three-year contract, including phased-in computer based testing, is $54 (not including reimbursement for test centers). 

Final approval of the contract is subject to approval by the Office of the State Comptroller.

Pens down, now: HSC students evacuated mid-exam Education

The fires which tore through NSW on Thursday broke out as many HSC students held pens in hand, studying for or sitting the exams they have worked towards for years.

Some had to evacuate mid-exam, while others are now unable to get to their next test.

But HSC student Olivia Creagh, from St Columba's High School at Springwood, said the emergency had put the exams into perspective.

Firefighters protect properties in Lithgow. Photo: Dean Sewell

"A couple of days ago the HSC was the worst thing I was going through. But now it seems so insignificant," she said.

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"The other day I was so worried that maybe I hadn't studied hard enough. But I don't care ... because there's worse things out there."

She was studying at the school library on Thursday when a teacher told her to leave the premises immediately.

The Lake Munmorah fire on the central coast prompted the evacuation of students sitting their HSC engineering exam. Photo: Jason Gordon

"They didn't tell us there was a fire though. It was only when I was outside, I saw the smoke. When I was driving home there was smoke everywhere and everyone was coming out of their houses to look at it."

Some of her fellow Year 12 students were completing exam papers on Thursday afternoon as the situation worsened.

Acting principal of St Columba's Phillip Stewart said they had decided to let those students finish the exam.

Mikahlia Holmes (right) with a friend at Lake Munmorah High School.

"They were effectively in lockdown so we didn't actually disturb them," he said.

"Once the exams were finished they then joined the rest of the school."

The whole school was placed in lockdown until it was able to be evacuated.

"We couldn't have got anyone offsite here with the speed that the fire came up, so all we could do was shelter in place until such time as we could get everyone out safely, and that's what we did," Mr Stewart said.

Students at Lake Munmorah High School on the central coast still had 30 minutes of their HSC Engineering Studies exam to go when they were interrupted by one of their deputy principals telling them they needed to put their pens down and evacuate.

"We went up and physically stopped the exam at 4.30pm and escorted the kids off," principal Lindsay West said.

If you want to read  more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/pens-down-now-hsc-students-evacuated-midexam-20131018-2vrel.html#ixzz2iovpC8gv

200 schools worse off in new scheme - Education

More than 200 public schools in NSW, many in low socio-economic areas, will receive less funding next year under the new Gonski-inspired model, despite an overall $100 million boost to the sector and gains at most schools.

Education Minister Adrian Piccoli announced the levels of funding every public school would receive in the form of additional ''equity loadings'' for socio-economic and indigenous disadvantage, two components of the new needs-based funding model.

The principal Peter Ezzy of Plumpton High with students Christy Velasco who is in year 10 and her brother Joma who is in year 8. The school will receive one of the biggest increases in disadvantage loadings in 2014. Photo: Tamara Dean

An amount of $300 million will go towards funding these loadings in 2014, $100 million of which is new funding. ''For the first time ever, every Aboriginal student in NSW attracts funding, and we are tripling the number of disadvantaged students who also receive funding,'' Mr Piccoli said.

Many schools will receive huge increases next year in the form of these loadings, including the western Sydney schools Plumpton High, which will receive an additional $605,529, Cranebrook, which will receive $620,725 and Chester Hill, $853,767.

Peter Ezzy, principal of Plumpton High School, said the additional funding would be of ''huge benefit'', and gave him certainty for the years ahead. ''We're not used to getting this sort of money, we're always used to trying to do the best we can on a limited budget,'' he said.

But about 200 schools, many in low socio-economic areas and some that have received high levels of special program or equity funding this year, will receive slightly less in the form of loadings in 2014.

These include Mount Druitt Public School and Wiley Park Girls High School, which will each receive $50,000 less.

Department of Education and Communities director-general Michele Bruniges said the department had capped the maximum amount any school could lose at $50,000. ''As the money comes in, we know that the curve of Gonski funding increases, so depending on the data that we collect each year that funding shock won't be great in [2015] or [2016] as it was in [2014],'' she said.

The dip in these schools' funding comes despite former prime minister Julia Gillard's pledge that ''no school would lose a dollar'' under the new system.

Geoff Newcombe, executive director of the Association of Independent Schools NSW, said all schools in his sector had been guaranteed a 3 per cent increase on 2013 funding levels for next year.

Mr Piccoli said he was pleased with the new, fairer funding model.

''Julia Gillard made a political commitment at the time, it was not a commitment that I or anybody else in the NSW government made,'' he said.

Green MP John Kaye said the losses at some public schools were not acceptable, and ''the government should have realised there was a problem with their model'' when it meant some schools in low socio-economic areas would receive less.

Under the government's new Resource Allocation Model, schools will receive a base school allocation, plus equity loadings for disadvantaged students and targeted support for students - such as refugees - who require specific assistance.

Funding for students from low socio-economic backgrounds will be calculated using a new method called the Family Occupation and Education Index, which takes into account three measures relating to the child's parents - their highest level of school education, non-school qualifications and their occupation.

Federal opposition education spokeswoman Kate Ellis said she would closely examine the detail of the NSW arrangements.

"I look forward to seeing the additional funding from Labor’s hard fought education reforms flowing through to students and schools in NSW and will be closely studying the detail of the State Government’s announcement," she said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/200-schools-worse-off-in-new-scheme-20131022-2vz9n.html#ixzz2iouBlHXn

Private schools no guarantee of higher NAPLAN scores, study finds. Education

Private schools no guarantee of higher NAPLAN scores, study finds

"We found that NAPLAN test scores of students from Catholic and other private schools did not statistically differ from those in public schools." Photo: Marco Del Grande

Children who attend private primary schools don't perform any better in NAPLAN tests than their peers at public schools, new research shows.

It was the children of a healthy birth weight, who grew up in higher socio-economic circumstances in homes filled with books and had mothers who didn't work long hours who performed best at NAPLAN.

The study authors said their findings, to be presented at a conference next month, debunked conventional wisdom that ''private schooling enables children to achieve better academic results''.

Community spirit: Privately educated Amy Miller has opted to send daughter Isabella to the local public school. Photo: Jacky Ghossein

''We found that NAPLAN test scores … of students from Catholic and other private schools did not statistically differ from those in public schools,'' the authors said.

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''Our finding seems to suggest that 'nature' provides a more consistent role than 'nurture' at affecting children's cognitive outcome in this young age group.''

For the study, the University of Queensland researchers matched the 2008 and 2010 NAPLAN results of 15,000 year 5 students and 11,000 year 3 students with data from a long-term study that is tracking Australian children from age four.

After controlling for factors like household income, health indicators and parent education level, researchers found there was no statistical difference in the academic achievement of children from similar backgrounds, regardless of which type of school they attended.

''People who are sending their kids to public schools can be confident they're not disadvantaging their kids by doing so,'' one of the researchers, professor of health economics Luke Connelly, said.

''It's not the type of school that changes [the result], it's the things that are being done for the child at home.''

But Professor Connelly said that didn't mean parents paying for primary school education were wasting their money. ''This is one measure of school performance. It's not indicative of the overall value of the school experience for kids and parents.''

Two-thirds of the children in the study attended public schools, while 20 per cent were educated in the Catholic system and the rest at independent schools.

Researchers found that compared with NSW children, Victorian children performed better at reading, and Queensland children performed better at numeracy. All the other states consistently recorded lower test results than NSW in NAPLAN.

Children who weighed less than 2.5 kilograms at birth achieved ''significantly lower'' test scores, especially in grammar and numeracy, with the researchers suggesting low birth weight correlated with longer term developmental delays.

Children whose parents had completed year 12 had significantly higher test scores across all subjects. Students whose mothers worked long hours did worse in all tests except numeracy.

''One explanation for this may be that children of young ages typically spend more time with mothers than fathers; perhaps mothers who work long hours make greater sacrifices of the amount of parental time their children receive,'' the study authors said.

Researchers found year 5 students attending Catholic schools performed significantly worse than those at public schools in all subjects except reading and writing.

However, Professor Connelly said they would have to wait to see how this cohort performed in year 7 before drawing conclusions.

Want to read more? - Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/private-schools-no-guarantee-of-higher-naplan-scores-study-finds-20131012-2vf63.html#ixzz2iotj0AT9