Education Commons^™

The Seeker, Sivakumar Alagumalai Ed., Murray Thompson Ed., James Anthony Gibbons Ed., Andrew Dutney Ed.

Shannon Research Press

This book is dedicated to acknowledge and honour the work Prof John P Keeves. A seeker of knowledge, John is exemplary in highlighting the nexus between instruction, learning and research. John’s diversity of learning experiences and contributions to students, colleagues and the broader community are highlighted through the broad range of articles in the book.

PART 1 FROM SCHOOL TO UNIVERSITY

• Chapter 1 Observations from a Family Perspective by John S. Keeves & Wendy Keech
• Chapter 2 Student Days at PAC by Ren Potts
• Chapter 3 Prince Alfred College 1934-1977 by Murray Thompson & Alan Dennis
• Chapter 4 John’s Reflection …

On Reflection, James Anthony Gibbons

Shannon Research Press

This book commences with a criticism of constructivism as the basis for curriculum design followed by an attempt to argue an alternative. It is possible to proceed to criticise constructivism as the basis for curriculum design by illustrating the issues with references to extracts from curricula used by various countries and Departments of Education. This book takes a different route. The assumption is made that criticism will be clearer if related to a substantial part of a curriculum rather than extracts from a variety of curricula from a variety of countries. The focus is on the recently developed, and currently …

Measuring School Effects Across Grades, Njora Hungi

Shannon Research Press

This study investigates the issue of the value-added components of the education provided across Grade 3 and Grade 5 in primary schools in South Australia and how these components could be measured. The study shows that it is very difficult to identify effective or ineffective schools because the amount of variance left unexplained at the school-level is small. As a solution to this problem, it is more meaningful to identify effective or ineffective schools when the school effects are expressed in terms of years of learning that a student spends at school.

Science, Technology And Society In Science Education, Debra Tedman

Shannon Research Press

This study had four major purposes. First, the study developed and used scales to measure the strength and coherence of students', teachers', and scientists' views, beliefs and attitudes in relation to science, technology and society (STS). Second, the factors which influenced the development of strong and coherent views on STS by students, were examined. Third, the study investigated whether male and female students differed in the strength and coherence of their views on STS. Fourth, structured group interviews with teachers provided information for the consideration of the problems encountered by teachers and students in the introduction of STS courses.

Learning The Chinese Language In An Australian School, Ruilan Yuan

Shannon Research Press

This study deals with the learning of Chinese as a foreign language across school grades in South Australia. The purposes of the study are briefly to measure student achievement in learning the Chinese language across grade levels from Year 4 to Year 12 over a period of 12 months; investigate the factors that influence learners' continuing with the study of the Chinese language; and identify the factors that influence student achievement in learning the Chinese language within and between school grades. The term 'Chinese language' in this study refers to the Mandarin Chinese language, rather than the many other dialects …