Here are some links to some of the things Rupert Murdoch has said recently about Australian education and our national future.
Education is a global currency
An article in the Australian newspaper in which he says that business companies need to take a more active part in working with government to ensure that the schools are giving people an education.
First Cut: a video cut from the Boyer lecture.
Australians seem to be headed in the wrong direction.
ABC Fora - the first 2008 Boyer Lecture - video:
A Golden Age of Freedom: Aussie Rules: Bring back the Pioneer.
In this first lecture, Rupert Murdoch sees a golden age on the horizon but he’s concerned that Australia is ill-prepared to join it. He warns that unless we reform what he calls our “19th century” education system we’ll be left behind. And woe betide the bludgers, as Murdoch makes special mention of the dire consequences of “institutionalising idleness”.
The Boyer lectures - Audio versions and transcripts available
There are 6 lectures in all, at this date, 2 still to come.
The first lecture was delivered on Sunday 2 November. The last will be delivered on Sunday 7 December.
Lecture 1: Aussie rules: bring back the pioneer
In his first lecture Rupert Murdoch scans the future and beholds a golden era. But will we be part of it? The Australia he sees simply is not prepared for the challenges ahead. A classic Russell Drysdale painting provides inspiration.
Lecture 2: Who’s afraid of new technology?
Technology has helped transform the world. Some say it has turned it upside down. Rupert Murdoch argues that we must not be prisoners of the past - modern day Luddites - if we are to succeed in the golden era.
Lecture 3: The future of newspapers: moving beyond dead trees
Rupert Murdoch at heart is a traditional newspaperman. But he sees the wood for the trees. Newspapers will thrive in the 21st century if proprietors fully comprehend what it means to be alive in the era of information.
Lecture 4: Fortune favours the smart
An important theme of the lectures is the pressing need for Australia to develop human capital. But to do this successfully our schools need serious reform, otherwise the global bar will seem set far beyond our reach.
Julia Gillard’s response:
JULIA GILLARD: I certainly think Rupert Murdoch is making a hell of a lot of sense. When we look at how our schools go against the schools around the world, when our children do international testing and we can compare them with children in other countries, we know two things from that testing.
Firstly for our high achieving students we are not doing enough and secondly that we have too long a tale of students that don’t reach minimum standards and overwhelmingly, they are students from poor backgrounds.
Lectures still to come
Lecture 5: The global middle class roars
Rupert Murdoch’s recent trips to China and India have convinced him of one thing: there is no alternative to economic growth as a remedy for poverty. Caste and communism have condemned hundreds of millions to wretched lives.
Lecture 6: The 21st century
The Oxford of Rupert Murdoch’s youth was one of the most privileged places on earth. But freedom and information have changed the order of things. On a global scale more people than ever are taking advantage of the revolution. And that’s how it should be.
Big Ideas
Each of the lectures is followed up with a Radio National conversation between Robyn Williams and a guest, on a topic related to the Boyer lecture.
You might like also to listen to an ABC Forum: 21st century learning
This was a forum recorded at the National Curriculum Corporation Conference, 13 November 2008, on what a 21st century education might actually look like.
Head of the National Curriculum Board and Director of the Melbourne Education Research Institute
Valerie Hannon
Director of Strategy for the UK Innovation Unit
Chris Wardlaw
Former Deputy Secretary of Education in Hong Kong
Michael Stevenson
Vice President of Global Education at Cisco Systems
3 Comments
Some of his comments are true, but no Australian could agree to embrace the immigration of skills. Do we really want to be dominated by a foreign skills base? In a land where mediocrity is encouraged, this is where it will go.
Hi Kerrie
I do not feel that Rupert Murdoch at heart is a traditional newspaperman or newsman of any ilk. His Fox News in America is notoriously neo-conservative and has no credibility for those who know better.
I would no more trust his opinions on education than I would on news. His top down attitude towards dressing up op-ed as news would have to affect his attitude towards education — and as the move towards networked learning involves de-centralising knowledge, he shouldn’t be given credence.
An interesting documentary on him:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6737097743434902428
The Boyer Lecture 2008 was presented by Rupert Murdoch under the title “A Golden Age of Freedom”. Mr Rupert Murdoch is the chief Executive and chairman of News Cooperation who depicts the current issues of Education and various aspects of media in the changing society. In his six lectures, Mr Murdoch has mainly emphasised on the Australian Perspective comparing it with the global issues of education, rise of middle class and how spread of information through globalisation has brought change in the society. Thus this review will analytically asses Murdoch lectures leading to key ideas which he has presented .Then in this Review, I will also be discussing how these lectures are significant and I would be presenting an argument regarding any gaps or structural problems with the significant examples .In the End, the Review will lead to a conclusion by looking at arguments whether this reading should be listed in next time unit or not.
The Six lectures on “A Golden Age of Freedom” provides the reader with the critical analysis on the Murdoch view on Australia’s Proficiency. In his lectures, Murdoch clearly states that Australia could only overcome the problems of 21st century by adopting new ways of technology and study patterns. The main claim which Murdoch put in his lecture is the Rapid achievement and growth of third world countries such as India and China. Thus in comparing developing countries with a developed country like Australia Murdoch wants to highlight the main reason of success is the hard work and high expectations which has brought developing countries in a competitive context. In his argument Murdoch ,depicts how Australia should improve its literacy standards in the time of transformation .In, the end lecture Content clearly highlights how poor people without any support are rising their standards by studies whereas people of Australia who have all the support from government are still stagnant due to lack of education .
In the review of the above argument I, totally agree with Murdoch because as stated in his lecture, people of Australia are very much dependant on the government subsidiary and financial support .Seeing the scenario in developing countries the people need to work themselves to improve their living standards .So this dependency on the government is making people more lazy and creating gap between them and education. For Example: A person in Australia is aware that if he is not working or educating himself a hope of Centre Link is there to help him. Whereas in developing countries no financial Institution of government is available .Thus it is up to the person to starve and die or receive good education to get a good job.
Murdoch presents a clear argument that he is in strong favour of developing countries .Thus he explain that developed countries growth has been stagnant by stating an example of Europe which has lost the will to confront aggression .He also pointed out reckless nature of aggression of invasion on Georgia by Russia and Terrorist Bombings in Islamabad. During his assessment of Positive and Negative developments in the global world .Murdoch strongly believes that Australia should be part NATO which will enhance its chances to take part in global issues. Taking example of Global economy, Murdoch clearly defines that financial crisis around the world are the greatest challenges to the countries and explain that NATO should involve every country based on common values instead of specific geographical locations.
Another key point which Rupert Murdoch emphasis is migration of skilled immigrants to the country .In his lecture Murdoch praises the Australian immigration for opening doors for the skilled workers and explains how these workers add to the economic and technological prosperity of the country .To this point, I would like to raise a contradiction stating that more immigrants to Australia will definitely lead to a multicultural society. But what will be the future?
According to me, Murdoch fails to analyse the far reaching effects of migrants’ problems which create an imbalance in the domestic labour market .For an Example people coming from developing countries on skilled visa don’t work in the specific skilled field instead of that they do other casual jobs leading to taxi and working in farms .Thus the population of immigrants keeps on increasing whereas the position for skilled work remain stand still because nobody is ready to work .In the end Murdoch should widely think about the negative effects which migrants can bring to the country and how to overcome this problem by controlled migration.
The key flaw in the Murdoch article is the discussion about the human capital and education to the generation. He specially pinpoints Aboriginal generation as its key target to reform by the means of educating and giving them benefits. Considering Educational point of view I totally agree with educational reform because it is education which is going to create skills and develop the young generation .But Contradictory part is why more importance is levied on Aboriginal. I agree that they are the oldest settlers but in the developed world Australia has achieved a status of Multicultural Society where everybody is equal .Thus by giving special preference to Aboriginal people will create a level of difference in the society which can erupt riots or fights in future.
It is clear that Murdoch lecture is inspired by Era of Globalisation and Technological advancement .In his lecture which emphasis stress on how technological change had brought change in society and condition of working class which is specifically middle class in the developing countries. He has beautifully presented an example of his own life experience about how media has changed rapidly from papers to availability on the internet. He explains that technological change is for the betterment and creates new ideas for innovation and expression of freedom. According to Murdoch only way to defeat technology is to get ahead of it .To this I want to say that availability of free trade and global market is a Neo liberal view of Murdoch which gives an upper hand to developing world like India and china.
But in Relation to this I want to say that India and china are able to achieve progress due to growth of privatization of market socialism .Thus Privatisation of market has led to building up a strong relation between government and business which has resulted in the progress of the state.
CONCLUSION
After reading Murdoch Lectures, it is necessary that it should be listed as a required reading in various universities which teaches government and bussiness relationship .It is necessary because it allows readers to formulate their opinions regarding the lectures based on “A golden age of Freedom”. It makes people aware of the rising technological changes as well as informs them about different prospects of Education and global world. Another reason which, I would like to put forward in relation to these lectures is that these lectures gives a nice opportunity to the reader to form an argument because according to me Murdoch is forming one sided debate .Thus he lacks in Unfolding the alternatives and fails to discuss about the effect globally in accordance to the environment ,that how the new era of freedom changed the environment globally .In the end the lectures are great source to political science as it will help the political thinkers to review Murdoch argument carefully and make future modifications ranging from précising it into more qualitative than quantitative source.
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