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2006

Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)

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Acer Enews 12 December 2006, Acer Dec 2006

Acer Enews 12 December 2006, Acer

ACER eNews Archive

No abstract provided.


Early Childhood Education : Pathways To Quality And Equity For All Children, Alison Elliott Nov 2006

Early Childhood Education : Pathways To Quality And Equity For All Children, Alison Elliott

Australian Education Review

AER 50 calls for a coherent, long-term national action plan and timeline to develop and implement an integrated, well-funded, regulated and managed system of early childhood education and care with clear goals, priorities and outcomes. The review describes the current provision of early childhood services in Australia and examines relevant policy. It also provides an overview of the early childhood education research, in Australia and internationally, and uses this body of work to identify and illuminate the central issues.


Acer Enews 11 November 2006, Acer Nov 2006

Acer Enews 11 November 2006, Acer

ACER eNews Archive

No abstract provided.


Professionally Speaking - November 2006 Nov 2006

Professionally Speaking - November 2006

Professionally Speaking

Table of contents for this issue: (a) Plagiarism and authentication: what can teachers do about it?; (b) Plagiarism : it sounds like the plague. What is it and how can I avoid it?; (c) The three R’s; (d) Libraries: vital for learning.


Acer Enews 10 October 2006, Acer Oct 2006

Acer Enews 10 October 2006, Acer

ACER eNews Archive

No abstract provided.


Australian Students Achievement In The Timss 2002 Mathematics Cognitive Domains, Sue Thomson Oct 2006

Australian Students Achievement In The Timss 2002 Mathematics Cognitive Domains, Sue Thomson

TIMSS Australia Monograph Series

The TIMSS assessment materials are organised on the basis of two domains: a content domain and a cognitive domain. The content domain describes the content that is intended to be assessed; while the cognitive domain describes the cognitive abilities students use to answer the items. The content domains are fairly consistently and readily found in the curricula of the participating countries, and are the subject of the major international and national reports for TIMSS. Developing reliable and valid achievement scales for the cognitive domains is not as straightforward, and differences among students across and within countries in their mathematical knowledge …


Acer Enews 09 September 2006, Acer Sep 2006

Acer Enews 09 September 2006, Acer

ACER eNews Archive

No abstract provided.


Acer Enews 08 August 2006, Acer Aug 2006

Acer Enews 08 August 2006, Acer

ACER eNews Archive

No abstract provided.


Standards For School Leadership : A Critical Review Of The Literature, Lawrence Ingvarson, Michelle Anderson, Peter Gronn, Andrew Jackson Aug 2006

Standards For School Leadership : A Critical Review Of The Literature, Lawrence Ingvarson, Michelle Anderson, Peter Gronn, Andrew Jackson

Teaching standards and teacher evaluation

This document contains the review of literature, which maps recent and current developments in relation to standards for school leadership, professional learning and purposes for standards, such as professional development and certification, in Australia and overseas. It also provides a brief review of contemporary theory and research on leadership relevant to leadership standards. There is widespread concern about the recruitment, preparation, continuing professional development and recognition of school leaders. Leadership standards are a central component of most proposals for addressing these concerns.


Teacher Education Accreditation : A Review Of National And International Trends And Practices, Lawrence Ingvarson, Alison Elliott, Elizabeth Kleinhenz, Phillip Mckenzie Aug 2006

Teacher Education Accreditation : A Review Of National And International Trends And Practices, Lawrence Ingvarson, Alison Elliott, Elizabeth Kleinhenz, Phillip Mckenzie

Teacher education

In June 2005 the National Institute for Quality Teaching and School Leadership commissioned ACER to conduct a project to provide advice on developing a national system for the accreditation of pre-service teacher education programs. The project brief fell into two main sections. The first was to conduct a literature review examining: (a) Current accreditation and course approval policies and practices in Australia to identify similarities and differences and implications for a national accreditation system; (b) Developments in the accreditation of teacher education programs in other countries and whether any of the identified approaches could provide a basis for a national …


Acer Enews 07 July 2006, Acer Jul 2006

Acer Enews 07 July 2006, Acer

ACER eNews Archive

No abstract provided.


Standards For School Leadership, Lawrence Ingvarson Jul 2006

Standards For School Leadership, Lawrence Ingvarson

Research Developments

ACER has examined national and international developments in school leadership standards and assessment for prospective and established school leaders to assist in identifying options for a national system for assessment. Lawrence Ingvarson explains. In recent years, school leaders' work has been characterised by increasing complexity in expectations and greater demands for accountability. The introduction of self managing schools has entailed the devolution or decentralisation of a number of new responsibilities to school leaders.


Australian Certificate Of Education: Exploring A Way Forward, Geoff N. Masters Jul 2006

Australian Certificate Of Education: Exploring A Way Forward, Geoff N. Masters

Research Developments

Geoff Masters explains why Australia needs greater national consistency in senior school certificates and how an Australian Certificate of Education would likely benefit all Australian students.


Research Developments (No. 16) -- Full Issue Jul 2006

Research Developments (No. 16) -- Full Issue

Research Developments

Table of contents for this issue: (a) Australian Certificate of Education: Exploring a way forward; (b) Pathways to literacy; (c) Standards for school leadership; (d) Improving science learning


Improving Science Learning, John Ainley Jul 2006

Improving Science Learning, John Ainley

Research Developments

Science education experts have called for an urgent re-thinking of the way science is taught in Australia arguing that a greater focus on enquiry and reasoning is needed to boost students’ waning interest in science as John Ainley explains. The recent ACER conference Boosting science learning: what will it take? concluded with a session led by a panel of experts developing a three-point proposal for science education.


Effective Teaching Practices For Students With And Without Learning Difficulties: Constructivism As A Legitimate Theory Of Learning And Of Teaching?, Ken Rowe Jul 2006

Effective Teaching Practices For Students With And Without Learning Difficulties: Constructivism As A Legitimate Theory Of Learning And Of Teaching?, Ken Rowe

Student learning processes

Much of what is commonly claimed as ‘effective teaching practice’ and implemented during the early and middle years of schooling in Australian schools, for either mainstream students or for those experiencing learning difficulties, is not grounded in findings from evidencebased research. Of particular concern is that despite a lack of supporting evidence for its utility, the prevailing educational philosophy of constructivism (a theory of self-directed learning rather than a theory of teaching) continues to have marked influences on shaping teachers’ interpretations of how they should teach – aided and abetted by the content emphasis given during pre-service teacher education, as …


Assessment During The Early And Middle Years: Getting The Basics Right, Ken Rowe Jul 2006

Assessment During The Early And Middle Years: Getting The Basics Right, Ken Rowe

Student learning processes

Following a contextual introduction and a brief discussion of the fundamental importance of monitoring growth, this paper draws from emerging evidence-based research findings and ‘state-of-the art’ practice in assessment and reporting of students’ developmental and learning progress. The paper argues that the monitoring of individual progress over time requires both diagnostic and developmental assessments of such progress on well-constructed empirical scales (or quantitative ‘maps’) that are qualitatively described. The use of such ‘maps’ enables early detection of potential ‘risk factors’, and the monitoring of both individuals and groups across the years of schooling. Such ‘maps’ and their reporting products constitute …


Pathways To Literacy, Alison Elliott Jul 2006

Pathways To Literacy, Alison Elliott

Research Developments

Alison Elliott discusses how all children, including the most vulnerable, can be given the best chance to be ready to read. Most children are well on their way to reading independently by the end of the first year of school. How well children progress depends on their pre-requisite understandings and skills – or ‘readiness’ at school entry. The concept of ‘readiness’, although not currently popular in Australia, is central to reading.


Professionally Speaking - June 2006 Jun 2006

Professionally Speaking - June 2006

Professionally Speaking

Table of contents for this issue: (a) Quality Assessment in Science Workshop for teachers; (b) Balanced approach needed for students with learning difficulties; (c) Training great teachers.


Acer Enews 06 June 2006, Acer Jun 2006

Acer Enews 06 June 2006, Acer

ACER eNews Archive

No abstract provided.


Growth In Literacy And Numeracy In The First Three Years Of School., Marion Meiers, Siek Toon Khoo, Ken Rowe, Andrew Stephanou, Prue Anderson, Kathy Nolan Jun 2006

Growth In Literacy And Numeracy In The First Three Years Of School., Marion Meiers, Siek Toon Khoo, Ken Rowe, Andrew Stephanou, Prue Anderson, Kathy Nolan

ACER Research Monographs

This report describes the findings from the first three years of the ACER longitudinal Literacy and Numeracy Study (LLANS). The longitudinal study was established in 1999 in a context in which there was significant national interest in improving achievement in literacy and numeracy for all Australian children, and a particular interest in the development of foundational skills in the early years of school. A nation wide sample of 100 schools was selected in proportion to the population of each state and territory and ten students were randomly selected from each of these schools. This provided a cohort for LLANS of …


National Assessment Program : Civics And Citizenship Year 6 And Year 10. Technical Report 2004, Nicole Wernert, Eveline Gebhardt, Martin Murphy, Wolfram Schulz Jun 2006

National Assessment Program : Civics And Citizenship Year 6 And Year 10. Technical Report 2004, Nicole Wernert, Eveline Gebhardt, Martin Murphy, Wolfram Schulz

Civics and Citizenship Assessment

This report describes the technical aspects of the National Civics and Citizenship Sample Assessment and summarises the main activities involved in the data collection, the data collection instruments and the analysis and reporting of the data. Chapter 2 summarises the development of the assessment domain and describes the process of item development and construction of the instruments. Chapter 3 reviews the sample design and describes the sampling process. Chapter 3 also describes the process of weighting to derive population estimates. Chapter 4 summarises the field administration and data management procedures, including quality control and the cleaning and coding of the …


Rethinking And Reshaping Early Childhood Care And Education Policy : Visions And Directions For The Future., Alison Elliott Jun 2006

Rethinking And Reshaping Early Childhood Care And Education Policy : Visions And Directions For The Future., Alison Elliott

Early Childhood Education

At no time in the recent past has there been such keen interest in early childhood education. Finally, the decades of research showing the benefits of strong, rich early childhood programs on children's development and learning have captured community attention. Quality early childhood programs help children reach key developmental milestones and close learning gaps. At some point though, discussion on benefits and values must translate into vision, policy and action. This presentation is intended to highlight key issues facing early childhood education, to stress the importance getting the right mix of early childhood services, and to foreshadow some policy directions …


Using Data To Support Learning In Schools : Students, Teachers, Systems, Gabrielle Matters May 2006

Using Data To Support Learning In Schools : Students, Teachers, Systems, Gabrielle Matters

Australian Education Review

AER 49 examines the issues raised by the ACER Research Conference 2005: Using Data to Support Learning. It analyses the conference papers, distils the essence of the conference 'conversations', and contextualises them in the light of a survey of the broader Australian and international literature on using data to support learning. Section 1 sets the context by providing definitions and an organisational framework. Section 2 discusses some purposes for collecting and analysing educational data, and considers the role of data in professional work. It addresses issues associated with identifying potential data sources, including consideration of the decision-making required to locate …


Acer Enews 05 May 2006, Acer May 2006

Acer Enews 05 May 2006, Acer

ACER eNews Archive

No abstract provided.


Codebook: The Lsay 1998 Year 9 Sample Wave 8 (2005) Technical Report No. 37, Catherine Underwood May 2006

Codebook: The Lsay 1998 Year 9 Sample Wave 8 (2005) Technical Report No. 37, Catherine Underwood

LSAY Technical Reports

In 1998, a nationally representative sample of approximately 14,000 Year 9 students was selected to form the second cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth. The sample was constructed by randomly selecting two Year 9 classes from a sample of schools designed to represent state and sector. Reading and numeracy tests were administered to students in their schools to provide information on school achievement for use in later analyses of educational and labour market participation. Students also completed a background questionnaire about their educational and vocational plans and attitudes to school. Details on the 1998 survey are provided in …


Codebook: The Lsay 1995 Year 9 Sample Wave 11 (2005) Technical Report No. 36, Catherine Underwood May 2006

Codebook: The Lsay 1995 Year 9 Sample Wave 11 (2005) Technical Report No. 36, Catherine Underwood

LSAY Technical Reports

In 1995, a nationally representative sample of approximately 13,000 Year 9 students was selected to form the first cohort of the new Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth program. The sample was constructed by randomly selecting two Year 9 classes from a national sample of 300 schools designed to represent state and sector. Reading and numeracy tests were administered to students in their schools to provide information on school achievement for use in later analyses of educational and labour market participation. Students also completed a background questionnaire about their educational and vocational plans and attitudes to school. In 1996, these students …


The Transition To Full-Time Work Of Young People Who Do Not Go To University, Gary Marks May 2006

The Transition To Full-Time Work Of Young People Who Do Not Go To University, Gary Marks

LSAY Research Reports

This report focuses on the transition to full-time employment of young people who do not go to university. The majority of Australia's school leavers do not enrol in university, and it is important to better understand the pathways that they follow. The report uses a substantial longitudinal dataset to map the dynamics of the youth labour market, and identify the factors that are important in securing full-time work. The group analysed were part of a national sample of 13,613 young people who were first surveyed in Year 9 in 1995. The report follows them through to 2002 when their average …


Australian Certificate Of Education : Exploring A Way Forward, Geoff Masters, Margaret Forster, Gabrielle Matters, Jim Tognolini May 2006

Australian Certificate Of Education : Exploring A Way Forward, Geoff Masters, Margaret Forster, Gabrielle Matters, Jim Tognolini

Assessment and Reporting

In May 2005 the Department of Education, Science and Training commissioned the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to investigate and report on models and implementation arrangements for an Australian Certificate of Education (ACE). In particular, ACER was asked to investigate four options for the introduction of a new certificate. The current investigation has reviewed existing curriculum, assessment and certification arrangements in the senior years of school in Australia; explored current issues in senior secondary education and examined state and territory responses to these issues; looked at some alternative certification arrangements internationally—including the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program; investigated the use …


Teaching Science In Australia : Results From The Timss 1999 Video Study, Jan Lokan, Hilary Hollingsworth, Mark Hackling Apr 2006

Teaching Science In Australia : Results From The Timss 1999 Video Study, Jan Lokan, Hilary Hollingsworth, Mark Hackling

TIMSS 1999

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 1999 Video Study was conducted to investigate and describe Year 8 mathematics and science teaching practices in a variety of countries. This Australian report of the science component of the study includes many of the international results, but focuses on making comparisons and commentary from an Australian perspective. The study confirms that there is more than one way to successfully teach science. The results showed that teachers in the participating countries used a variety of teaching methods and combined them in different ways – providing several perspectives on effective teaching. The participating …