Researchers at Griffith University in Mt Gravatt have received continued funding for their AI-powered ‘facial recognition’ camera system to monitor koala crossings in South East Queensland.
The project, now in its third year, uses cameras with artificial intelligence software to identify individual koalas using wildlife crossings. The data provides insights into koala movement to support conservation efforts for the vulnerable species.
Led by Professor Jun Zhou from Griffith’s School of Information and Communication Technology, the project recently received a $100,000 grant from the Queensland Government’s Department of Environment and Science. This follows previous funding of $90,000 in 2021 and $100,000 last June.
Photo credit: Griffith University
“This project extends our innovative AI-powered koala monitoring system to cover wider areas of koala habitat in South East Queensland, and engage with 14 local community groups across 10 local government areas to facilitate the installation and maintenance of the camera network,” Professor Zhou said.
Since 2021, the team has set up cameras at 24 locations in Redland City. The AI analyses the footage to recognise individual koalas and track their crossing activity.
Frank Mikula from Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary said the technology is valuable for koala conservation.
Photo credit: Griffith University
“We’re all about sharing information and it’s really good to be able to put people in contact and create that conduit between researchers so that everyone can get to the same goal faster,” Mikula said.
“The technology does the heavy lifting for us, and that’s really important moving forward.
“With increased knowledge about how koalas are crossing roads, we can better inform mitigation and management so that we can ensure a better long-term future for koalas.”
The project engages with 14 community groups across 10 local council areas. The aim is to facilitate data-driven planning to protect declining koala populations in the region.
How did you learn your times tables? Many adults today, recall having learnt all of them ‘off by heart’, through rote memorization, but there is a strong argument to support that a more ‘meaningful’ approach will have greater long-term benefits.
Rote learning is simply a way for the brain to store data short-term and does not require a deep understanding of a concept. In order to commit all 144 times tables to long-term memory, they must be accessed, repeated, and tested frequently.
What we have learnt over the years, is that learning in meaningful ways, is far more effective.
At NumberWorks’nWords, we know that true mastery of a concept (the times tables in this instance), requires a higher order thinking, which in turn leads to the formation of new neural pathways. The brain’s ability to make connections in this way is referred to as neuroplasticity.
A highly effective approach to the teaching
of mathematics is called Cognitive Guided Instruction (CGI). Like Bloom’s
Taxomony (Benjamin Bloom 1956), it focuses on ‘conceptual understanding’ over
‘process’ and suggests learning without understanding, limits a child’s ability
to problem solve and apply what they have learnt to new situations.
So let’s return to the task of learning the
Times Tables and explain how, at NumberWorks’nWords, we do this in a more
meaningful way.
Our program incorporates a range of
strategies when learning the times tables, so children are afforded the
opportunities to make connections in their understanding of number and number
properties, patterns, place value, operations and more.
Our comprehensive visual and interactive resources, used in conjunction with concrete materials, written representations and most importantly, explicit teaching, empower our students to make connections in real and relevant ways.
When something ’clicks’ for a child, it is like it is locked in. Suddenly, the steps make sense and the new piece of information is literally attached or connected to something permanent in the brain.
Recalling and using this information becomes fluid and purposeful, and enables the child to understand the concept, rather than simply following a process that has no meaning.
When teaching the Times Tables, we always
start with the easiest patterns (x1, x2, x10, x5) then move onto the
progressively more difficult (x3, x4, x9, x11, x6, x7, x8, x12). The accepted
standard of fluid recall is to be able to solve each table in 3 seconds or
less.
Photo Credit: Pexels
Below are some strategies that you may find
helpful, as your child masters each of the times tables.
1X
The number always stays the same. Explaining this as ‘one group of’ something, helps the child to see that there is a conservation of number and that the ‘one group’ does not change.
2X
Some children may not initially see that the 2 times table is the same as the addition doubles strategy. Once this connection is made, the 2x process is often understood in a different perspective and it alters the way the brain arranges the numbers.
Using visualisation also helps, eg 2×3 or 2 groups of 3 is like an insect’s legs (3 on each side), 2×4 is a spider’s legs, 2×6 is a carton of 12 eggs in 2 rows.
3X
Children learn to skip count in 3s and also learn an addition strategy called ‘count on’ which means you put the large number in your head and count on up to 3 steps forward, eg if you know 3×3 =9, then 4×3= 9 count on 3 more, hence 9 (big number in your head) count on 10…11…12 (the answer).
4X
Once a child masters the 2X tables, then the 4X is simply double the 2X. eg. 2×7=14, so 4×7= double 14 which is 28. This is particularly easy when there is no need to bridge the tens.
If the child does need to bridge the tens, the connection to place value and partitioning become important eg 2×8 can be considered as 5+3+5+3 which the child could then put the ‘friendly’ numbers together and mentally arrange them as 5+5+3+3 = 10+6.
5X
Children learn to skip count in 5s orally because they can quickly learn the pattern of the words. Reciting the pattern is actually a quick and efficient way to get an answer to a 5X table, so this is an easy connection for children to make.
Photo Credit: Pebels/Ida Bagus Anggarama
X6, X7, and X8
I group these together because it allows children to see that they are not as difficult as they may have first thought. Once the child masters the earlier tables (x1, x2, x3, x4, x5, x9, x10, x11), it means they can turn them all around to solve any table that includes a 6, a 7 or an 8.
Making this connection straight away, means children will more readily apply the learnt strategy, now in a meaningful way to the more ‘difficult’ tables.
I often explain to students who are learning their tables with us, that there is a useful strategy, or pattern to almost all of them.
However, there is a small list of specific tables that I recommend they do commit to memory. When children realise that the list is so small, it makes the overwhelming task of learning (memorising) ‘all’ of the tables, seem very easy indeed.
6×6=36
6×7=42
6×8=48
7×7=49
7×8=56
8×8=64
9X
Not everyone is aware of the many strategies and patterns that exist in the 9 time tables. Firstly, the 2 digit answers in every instance (1-10) always appear as the same combinations of digits ie 2 and 7 go together to make 3×9=27 as well as 8×9=72, 3and 6 go together as 36 and 63 etc. The added clue is that the 2 digit combinations actually add to make 9, so this helps the child to remember which ones go together.
When presented with a 9 times table, eg 9×8 the child can think that 10 x 8 would be 80, so 9×8 will start with a 7 and the number that goes together with 7 is 2. The answer is 72.
Then of course there is always the ‘using the fingers’ strategy. By counting off the 10 fingers 1 to 10, simply curl over the finger represented in the 9x fact. (See image below)
10X
It is important for children to understand why the zero goes on the end of any number that is being multiplied by 10. The pattern of simply ‘adding’ a zero is easy, but again the risk is that children will simply follow a process without really attaching any meaning to it. Using language like ‘adding’ can actually confuse many children with the process of addition and of course that is not what is happening here.
When children make the connection to the changing place value of the digits, they will realise that the original number is now 10 times bigger! When learning to multiply by ten, children need opportunities to manipulate and arrange concrete materials and to see the process visually, before they can understand what is happening.
The learning of concepts such as fractions, decimals will be so much easier once children have this fundamental understanding of the 10 times tables.
Photo Credit: Pexels/August de Richelieu
11X
The obvious pattern in the repeated digit makes the 11s easy to recall, but again, it is important to develop this understanding through cognitive guided instruction (so the child knows the answer is the combination of the already learnt 10x fact plus the 1x fact)
12X
Like the 11s, the 12 times tables are the combination of the already learnt 10x fact and 2x fact.
At NumberWorks’nWords we know that mastery
of the Times Tables is a fundamental core skill. We focus on core skills and
the teaching of meaningful strategies, because it is proven that the more
connections children make as they learn each table, the more readily they will
be able to apply their understanding to each new mathematical problem in the
future.
This competition is proudly sponsored by NumberWorksnWords in Mount Gravatt. Every entrant will receive a free evaluation and a free lesson. All entrants will go into a draw, the winner will receive a whole term’s tuition, worth $650.
TO ENTER: Simply pass the problem below onto your child and ask them to solve it. Then complete the entry form below it. Competition closes on October 8, 2023.
Two Eastern European nationals have recently been found guilty and sentenced for their involvement in a “sophisticated” card-skimming racket that targeted ATM sites in Brisbane. One of the offenders was arrested at an Upper Mount Gravatt property.
Robert Marincat, a 34-year-old Romanian, and Hubert Krawczyk, a 22-year-old from Poland, were sentenced by Brisbane Magistrates Court for their roles in the ATM scam. The two were represented by Beavon Lawyers and faced charges related to card-skimming devices installed at ATM sites in Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall and Browns Plains.
The gadgets used in the scheme were delivered to Australia camouflaged among electrical equipment, according to the court. These gadgets have pinhole cameras that film unsuspecting bank clients inputting their PINs and keep crucial information. Furthermore, the card skimmers put at the ATM locations had magnetic strips meant to collect the card numbers of clients.
CCTV footage revealed by Police prosecutor Jenny James show Krawczyk and a third individual, who will also face court at a later date, inserting the pinhole camera and skimmer at a National Australia Bank ATM in Queen Street Mall. Moreover, similar devices were also discovered at a NAB ATM in Browns Plains.
Surveillance then led the police to arrest the men at the mall as they attempted to leave. The following day, Robert Marincat was apprehended at an Upper Mount Gravatt property, where he was found in possession of identical devices.
Jenny James emphasised the organised nature of the operation, with custom-built devices being shipped in from other countries. She pointed out that these offences were committed shortly after both Krawczyk and Marincat arrived in Australia.
The scam carried significant potential consequences, Ms. James explained, since the defendants could have reaped substantial gains if the card skimmers at multiple ATM locations hadn’t been promptly intercepted by NAB staff and the police.
The offenders pled guilty to various counts, including having equipment for committing a crime and acquiring another’s identification information. Krawczyk also pleaded guilty to obstructing police.
Brendan Beavon of Beavon Lawyers argued for the release of his clients, highlighting that neither had a criminal history, and both had already spent over 40 days in custody. He went on to say that they were unlikely to profit financially from their acts and that they may risk deportation if they were released.
Magistrate Andrew Moloney said that whilst there is no proof that the perpetrators benefitted in any manner, they are nevertheless severe examples of this conduct. He emphasised that they strike at the heart of the financial system.
Both Marincat and Krawczyk received 12-month jail terms that were suspended after three months. They will be held for another six weeks before being released.
Husband-and-wife team Louise and Josh Daly left their careers as scientists to combine their shared passions for good food, coffee, and dogs, to open Little Black Pug Cafe in Mt Gravatt, a community-focused cafe whose name pays homage to their two pugs, Bowie and Mate.
Pet parents looking for a dog-friendly cafe will find that this unique cafe not only welcomes dogs with open arms, but also caters to them with their own special menu.
“Our backgrounds in science bring a different approach to our food and coffee. We love simple, tasty food, done with precision and care. We also care for the environment and aim to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as we can,” Louise shared.
Owners Louise and Josh with their pugs
The menu caters to different diets with many gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan friendly options. It focuses on fresh, seasonal ingredients and caters to a variety of tastes and diets. For dogs, treats include grain-free beef and veggie meatballs, Peking duck wings, and chicken necks.
There are two dog-friendly dining areas – the Garden, accessible from the Berge St entrance, and the Front, accessible from Logan Rd. Your dog can even enjoy his own warm “puppyccino” made with frothy lactose-free milk.
For their human companions, menu options range from classic breakfast fare like croissants and eggs on toast to gourmet lunch and dinner choices. Burgers like the ‘Nicolas Cajun’ with housemade Cajun charcoal grilled chicken, fresh tomato, lettuce, and spicy aioli put a creative spin on cafe’s grub.
‘Mr Benedict Wafflebatch’ is an inventive take on eggs benedict, with a housemade savoury cheese waffle base topped with popcorn chicken, poached eggs, and hollandaise.
With its dog-friendly vibe, creative menu, and passionate owners, Little Black Pug Cafe looks like the perfect spot for pet parents and their four-legged friends to grab a bite in Mt Gravatt. Leashes ready Brisbane – this cafe should be next on your list for an enjoyable meal for both humans and hounds alike!
Silent discos, where people can groove to the beat wearing wireless headphones. Basketball workshops with the Southwest Metro Pirates. Check out what’s coming up at Westfield Mt Gravatt.
From Monday to Sunday, 18 to 23 Sept 2023, Westfield Mt Gravatt will be abuzz with excitement as it becomes a part of Brisbane Festival 2023 and presents an extraordinary event called Silent Discos. This is a unique and immersive musical experience for attendees of all ages so everyone is invited to move to their own rhythm at the Town Square dining precinct, near the Hotel Beach House.
Here’s what the event has in store:
Musical Magic: Participants can groove to the hottest tunes while wearing wireless headphones, creating a surreal musical atmosphere. It’s a fantastic way to dance to your favorite tracks without disturbing others.
Laser Light Show: Get ready to be dazzled by laser lighting effects that will transform the Town Square into a mesmerizing dance floor.
Interactive Games: Alongside dancing, attendees can enjoy various interactive games, adding an element of excitement and competition to the event.
The Silent Discos bring not just musical enjoyment but also a fantastic opportunity for families to come together, dance, and have fun in a unique way. It’s an event that encourages self-expression and celebrates the joy of music.
Basketball Workshops: Take Your Skills to the Next Level
Then from Monday to Friday 25 to 29 Sept 2023, Westfield Mt Gravatt will host Basketball Workshops, taking family fun to the next level. Families are invited to learn from the best and elevate their basketball skills.
Key details of the Basketball Workshops:
Hosted by Professionals: The workshops will be led by professionals from the Southwest Metro Pirates, providing participants with top-notch training and insights into the world of basketball.
Ultimate Training Program: These workshops are designed to help attendees take their basketball skills to the next level. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, there’s something for everyone to learn and enjoy.
Enjoy a memorable week of fun, entertainment, and skill development at Westfield Mt Gravatt and make this school holidays a blast for the entire family.
Amended plans for ‘Pavilion,’ a new luxury apartment development in Upper Mount Gravatt have received approval, supporting the suburb’s inclusion into a cluster of suburban business districts that could form a mini Central Business District outside Brisbane.
The project, led by Oakridge Property Group, will feature 144 one- to three-bedroom apartments across multiple mid-rise buildings, a slight increase from the 141 medium density units which were initially proposed by the developer.
The design by architecture firm MAS-Architecture Studio aims to provide residents with high-end amenities and facilities. Apartments will have access to a swimming pool, BBQ entertainment areas, water features and garden courtyards.
Photo Credit:MAS-Architecture Studio
The Pavilion development will feature three towers spread across the site. Tower 1 and 3 will stretch over most of the area, with the square-shaped central Tower 2 situated between them.
The new design aims to add natural ventilation to lobbies on typical floors, streamline apartment layouts, and reinvigorate the street interface by allowing direct access from Klumpp Road to apartment terraces. Other changes from the original proposal are increasing the total area of shared amenities by moving the swimming pool and shortening the visitor parking ramp.
Mount Gravatt as Mini CBD
Photo credit: Google Street View
Along with Indooroopilly, Carindale, and Chermside, Upper Mount Gravatt forms a cluster of suburban business districts outside of the Brisbane city centre, which gives it a “mini-CBD” character.
The Brisbane City Plan 2014 has categorised Upper Mount Gravatt as a ‘PC 2 Regional centre’ under its zoning plan.
Examples of intended development for suburbs under the PC 2 Regional centre are regionally significant commercial, residential community, cultural and entertainment uses as well as retail requiring large catchments. High rise buildings containing a mix of uses are also allowed, according to the city plan.
Teachers, parents, and administrators know that the education system is under stress and the situation does not seem to be getting any better. Meanwhile, one particular education provider is bringing things back to basics when it comes to the development of Literacy and Numeracy skills in Australia.
Julie Christophers had been a teacher for 25 years. She trained as a literacy and numeracy specialist, which led to a range of roles including support teacher, working with children with special needs, and twice as an Acting Principal.
In 2016, Julie left teaching, disillusioned with a curriculum that had become so overcrowded, that students were no longer afforded the time to consolidate their understandings.
“Even with my years of experience, I didn’t feel I was able to make a positive difference anymore.”
“Later that year, I accepted a position to manage the Ashgrove Centre of a company called NumberWorks’nWords. Within the first week, I was absolutely blown away! Students were engaged, excited and enthusiastic about learning and the results they were achieving in every lesson, confirmed to me that this was what I had been missing!”
I remember thinking, “If every classroom could look like this, education would be revolutionised in Australia.”
Clayfield and Mount Gravatt
After a few months, Julie was so convinced that she and her husband invested in opening a NumberWorks’nWords in Clayfield which then led to opening another in Mt Gravatt a few years later.
“It’s just been so rewarding because I can see the immediate difference we are making.”
What makes it different?
Whilst the education system, even in the private sector, struggles to get the ratio of students per teacher to less than 1:25, the NumberWorks’nWords ratio is 1:3.
Every child works on their own individualised and tailored lesson plans. The proprietary software is an incredible resource, much like a dynamic textbook of modelled examples and interactive learning opportunities, but the most important difference is that every child has the support of a tutor in the teachable moments.
“The key difference our system offers is that the students need to prove they have mastered what they are working on before they move onto the next concept, skill or level. Schools simply can’t afford the time to do this for every child and in the classroom there are few resources to help individual students catch up.”
Julie’s two centres have produced a long list of great stories, like the Grade 9 boy who had failed Maths and English for many years at school. After one term at NumberWorks’nWords, he passed both subjects. By the second term, he averaged B- and by the third term, he got an A in an assignment, something his parents could not believe.
NumberWorks’nWords specialises in Maths and English tuition for children aged Prep to Year 10. Whether students are requiring intensive catch up, support to keep up or challenging extension, NumberWorks’nWords helps them achieve their goals.
Free Assessment
NumberWorks’nWords Mount Gravatt offers a free assessment for new students. The software is used to compile a baseline report reflecting how the student is tracking against the curriculum.
“The assessment allows us to identify individual needs, which we can then explain in a detailed report for parents during the evaluation session.”
Julie is currently running a monthly competition on Mount Gravatt News where all entrants receive the free assessment plus the first lesson free, with no further obligation. It runs during the last 10 days of each month, look out for it.
Julie also writes a column offering support and advice for parents to help their children get the best educational outcomes.
“It never ceases to amaze me how quickly a child’s confidence returns when they know they have the support they need.”
Julie’s passion and indeed NumberWorks’nWords mission, is to make a positive difference in the lives of children. The results in her Clayfield and Mt Gravatt centres are speaking for themselves.
NumberWorks’nWords Mount Gravatt is a proud Promotional Partner of Mount Gravatt News.
Mt Gravatt East local Emma White is leading the charge to help raise awareness of prostate cancer by joining The Long Run and conquering 72km this September.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) campaign calls on Australians to run, walk or ride 72km throughout Prostate Cancer Awareness Month to raise awareness and funds for research and support.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the region, with one Australian man diagnosed every 22 minutes.
Ms White said she was inspired to take action after her dad, Steve, was diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier this year.
“Witnessing my dad’s strength and determination through his diagnosed has inspired me to take action and make a meaningful difference by raising funds and awareness,” she said.
Photo Credit: Supplied
“Before my dad’s diagnosis, prostate cancer was something I was aware of but never thought it would impact my family.
“Throughout the last few months, I have felt the challenges of a diagnosis through PSA tests, MRIs, ultrasounds, biopsies, a PET scan, and surgery, which has given me a profound understanding of the impact this cancer can have on individuals and their families.
“I would encourage others to join The Long Run and stand alongside everyone in the fight against prostate cancer. By getting involved, you’re raising awareness, promoting early detection, and supporting those battling.
“Every step we take, and every dollar we raise contributes to research, resources and support networks.”
Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, Anne Savage, commended Emma for making a difference.
“Community action is key to cancer control, helping us to raise awareness of Australia’s most commonly diagnosed cancer and encourage early detection,” Ms Savage said.
“Importantly, The Long Run helps us support men and their families, providing vital funding for clinical trials and PCFA prostate cancer nurses.
“Emma is an inspiration – demonstrating that together we can make a difference, helping love go the distance against prostate cancer.”
Several thousand eager runners, walkers and cyclists are expected to join The Long Run this September, with a total goal of $1 million for research, support services and awareness. Go to www.thelongrun.org.au to register.
Preparations for a statewide strike are underway, with educational institutions such as Seton College in Mt Gravatt East and St Bernard’s School in Upper Mt Gravatt joining forces with over 100 other Catholic schools across Queensland.
The impending strike, driven by concerns over work conditions and compensation, is garnering attention as the Independent Education Union – Queensland and Northern Territory (IEU-QNT) and the Queensland Catholic Education Commission (QCEC) find themselves in a negotiation dispute.
With an estimated 4,000 staff members from these Catholic schools expected to participate, the walkout is scheduled for one hour on 23 Aug 2023. This coordinated effort seeks to address issues surrounding increased workloads, proper recognition for school officers and ancillary staff, and equitable wage increments.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Highlighting that the decision to strike is a last resort after failed negotiations, Terry Burke, the Secretary of IEU-QNT, emphasizes the goal of urging Catholic school employers to reconsider their stance and return to negotiations with comprehensive solutions for employee concerns.
However, a spokesperson from QCEC recently stated that during a Fair Work Commission conference on 15 July 2023, union representatives collectively agreed that formal negotiations had concluded.
Adding complexity to the situation is an upcoming staff vote on the current Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) offer. The QCEC spokesperson reveals that employees are eager to accept the presented benefits without delay, leading to plans for an employee vote in early September.
Educators, students, parents, and the broader community are closely watching this significant event, recognising its potential to reshape the education landscape in Queensland.
