It's known as the PISA/TIMSS voyaging convoy. Every time worldwide tests results are discharged with association tables indicating champs and failures a gaggle of scientists, scholastics and grouped kindred explorers plummet on the most astounding performing nation or instruction framework to break down and write about "world's best practice". The objective continues evolving One issue with thusly of deduction is that nobody framework reliably beats the rest. In light of the 1995 and 1999 TIMSS (Trends in International Math and Science Study) results, Asian instruction frameworks in Singapore, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan overwhelmed. Accordingly, the emphasis was immovably on recognizing the reasons the Asian tigers were performing so well. In the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) 2000 results, Finland positioned first in education, fourth in arithmetic and third in science. Finland became the overwhelming focus and specialists and scholastics ran to Helsinki to find the reasons Finnish understudies performed at or close to the highest point of the table. By 2012, at the end of the day, an alternate training framework turned into the focal point of consideration. Finland descended the PISA rankings as another champ, Shanghai, rose as first in arithmetic, science and perusing. Apples aren't being contrasted with apples A second issue when making correlations is that the spots we've recognized as examples of overcoming adversity are distinctive to Australia. City-states like Singapore and instruction frameworks in profoundly performing spots like Hong Kong and Shanghai have remarkable qualities that separate them from nations like Australia, England and the USA. Contrasts in topography, the quantities of understudies and schools, the understudy cosmetics (as far as dialect, society and financial profile) and how schools, including educational modules and appraisal, are organized and oversaw significantly affect results. Singapore, when contrasted with Australia, is little topographically, more homogenous as far as dialect and culture and utilizes instructive practices that have long been out of support in Australia. These incorporate gushing kids in view of their abilities, and high-chance, focused tests and examinations. As noted in a paper titled How not to prevail upon PISA information: an unexpected examination, there are additionally social components clarifying solid execution that are troublesome, if not unimaginable, to exchange starting with one instruction framework then onto the next. Evident cases incorporate the effect of Confucian qualities and morals that stretch appreciation for power (particularly instructors), the conviction that achievement is conceivable with inspiration, fixation and diligent work, and the thought that training is focal if one is to accomplish a superior life. Confounding circumstances and end results Befuddling what has driven these nations to achievement speaks to the third trouble in expecting that what seems to prompt accomplishment in one nation can without much of a stretch be exchanged to another. To expect that everything we need to do in Australia to enhance test outcomes is to lessen the impact of the Australian Education Union, while being appealing to some, is both undemocratic and blameworthy of accepting circumstances and end results. There are a few advantages of abroad correlations PISA and TIMSS tests have been held for a long time. Thus, there is a decent arrangement of examination recognizing the attributes of more grounded performing instruction frameworks from which states and domains can learn. The early ethnographic work recording Japanese and American classes nitty gritty in Harvard distribution The Teaching Gap uncovers how the lessons in Asian classrooms are more unequivocal, obviously organized and sound and there is a desire that all understudies, with the essential offer and applications, some assistance with canning succeed. A later distribution by the Grattan Institute, Catching up: gaining from the best educational systems in East Asia, likewise distinguishes imperative lessons from fruitful Asian instruction frameworks. Positive variables incorporate giving instructors more opportunity to work cooperatively and to tutor each other, guaranteeing that educator training, course readings and the educational modules are commonly steady and concentrate on enhancing classroom rehearse. It ought to additionally be noticed that while Australian understudies don't perform in the top level in PISA and TIMSS tests, there is some reason for festivity. Understudies in the Australian Capital Territory perform well over the Australian normal and frequently coordinate the execution of top-performing abroad instruction frameworks. As far as lifting the execution of understudies from distraught foundations it is additionally critical to take note of that Catholic schools, in light of an investigation of the 2009 PISA results completed by the Australian Council for Educational Research, accomplish a value rating surpassing that of Finland. About the Author: Amy Parker writes too many academic papers for people who have troubles with it. She always gives needed advices, shows the examples of the papers and helps with writing at http://papersnetwork.net

Sarah Reynolds
Minimalist home office photo in Dublin

Our original brief for this family was to extend an existing 250m2 house designed by architect Ted Levy in 1970. It was perched a storey above the road on a hillside. We proposed excavating back from the road under the house, to create a new entrance and forecourt at street level. Extending underneath as well as forwards on the upper floors would take the floor area to 400m2. This was the subject of a successful planning application in 2006. As financial circumstances improved for our Client we proposed a radical new approach; a scheme to demolish the house entirely and provide a new-build roughly to the footprint and volume established in 2006. By folding the house into a series of split-level floors following the natural gradient, we succeeded in increasing the floor area to 500m2. Significantly, the new brief allowed us to take a more holistic approach to the site and the familys ecological footprint. We gained a new planning consent which incorporated sustainable elements to achieve a Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 and an Eco-homes rating of Very Good. The sustainable approach includes green roofs, rain-water harvesting and a full heat-recovery system. Passive techniques include solar-shading and a high thermal-mass exposed floor structure. The scheme is conceived as a highly-insulated and thermally massive twisted/distorted box: the upper part is clad in kiln-fired larch (a first, at the time of the Planning consent, for this material on a UK residence) which sits atop a half-buried rendered base. Learning from Frank Lloyd Wrights Falling Water, the house instinctively zig-zags up the hill, meeting the ground at different levels. A domestic staircase becomes dramatic as it winds up through a skylit central core, through the bedroom level and right up to the Master Bedroom suite. Symbolically this is placed above everything else, up at the former roof level, where a previously unseen view is revealed looking south over the rooftops of London.

The character of this 1920s weatherboard house stems from its original materials and details, its steeply-pitched roof and its beautiful established garden. The clients’ brief was to retain the much-loved ‘feel’ of the house while providing additional living spaces, a second bathroom and and an improved connection between the house and the North-facing courtyard area to the rear. During the concept design stage, we developed several planning options, some of which would have added a new first floor bedroom in the roof. The final scheme, however, retained the original, single-storey front section of the house and re-planned and extended it at the back to provide a second living room and a generous dining room opening directly to the courtyard. The wide steps that connect the dining room to the outdoor area double as a sunny place to sit and enjoy the garden. The clients were closely involved with all the design and detailing decisions for the house and the completed project is the result of the enjoyable collaboration that developed between the owners and the architect. The house is now filled with the clients’ paintings, sculpture, antiques and the objects they have collected on their travels. Photography: Robert Walsh @robertwphoto Builder: Cube Projects Landscape: Secret Gardens, www.secretgardens.com.au

This project located in the Brisbane suburb of Alderley, caught up in the middle of the GFC was a great success in a difficult market. The existing home was re-sold quickly after subdivision without renovation & both new town houses sold quickly in excess of budgeted prices. In fact one of the sales fell through but it very quickly re-sold at a higher price. These prices were considered records at the time & were substantially due to clever design, planning to optimally position the project in the market place. Wholly managed from concept to completion by Jacon Parry of Subdivision & Construction Management. To achieve success like this a key ingredient is a full understanding of being able to envisage the end project and understand what's involved all the way through as well as designing for the market. Yes, good design does cost money but bad design ends up costing more.