Education Commons^™

Lessons From The Trenches: A Call For Transformative Leadership Perspectives In Tesol, Lauren Stephenson

Education Papers and Journal Articles

In these complex times of high-velocity global events, there is a sense of loss and, in particular, a question as to whom leadership, teacher education and the broader education profession are meant to serve, and what roles and function they should play in our lives. It is therefore appropriate to advocate for a pedagogy of hope and optimism, for enhanced teacher leadership and for continually enhancing individual and collective learning. If such change is grounded in the principles of transformative leadership, we must keep sight of key values of empathy, liberation, emancipation, democracy, equity and justice through our teacher leadership …

International Service Learning: Benefits, Challenges And Experiences Of Pre-Service Teachers, Dianne Chambers, Shane Lavery

Education Papers and Journal Articles

This study explores the experiences and perceptions of 13 Australian early childhood, primary and secondary pre-service teachers who undertook a two-week international service-learning immersion in an educational setting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Qualitative data were collected pre-immersion through an anonymous questionnaire, and post-immersion through reflective journals/reports and focus group interviews. Results suggest that benefits included academic development and cross-cultural learning. Challenges involved language difficulties and coming to terms with the poverty and history of Cambodia. The participants indicated that the immersion was extremely relevant to them, both professionally and personally. Finally, cultural experiences encouraged the participants to generate cultural knowledge …

Perceptions Of Pre-Service And Graduate Early Childhood And Primary Teachers Regarding Their Confidence In Teaching Religious Education In Catholic Primary Schools, Sharon Law-Davis, John Topliss

Education Papers and Journal Articles

This research reports an exploratory study of 22 pre-service teachers involved in the Religious Education courses offered by The University of Notre Dame Australia, as part of the university’s accreditation to teach religious education. The study examined the influence of key factors on how confident these pre-service teachers perceived themselves to be to engage with the necessary knowledge to effectively teach religious education in a Catholic school. The pre-service teachers were surveyed pre and post their final-year internship, and subsequently, six of these were interviewed at the end of their first term of employment. Results indicated that out of the …

Teaching Mathematical Proof At Secondary School: An Exploration Of Pre-Service Teachers' Situative Beliefs, Kristin Lesseig, Gregory Hine

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Despite the recognized importance of mathematical proof in secondary education, there is a limited but growing body of literature indicating how preservice secondary mathematics teachers (PSMTs) view proof and the teaching of proof. The purpose of this survey research was to explore PSMTs’ knowledge and beliefs about proof and proof teaching in the context of secondary mathematics teaching and learning. Six cases (PSMTs’ survey responses) were purposively selected from an entire data set comprising participants from the United States and Australia. Using a situative learning perspective as the theoretical framework, the authors developed a sensible belief system (Leatham, 2006) for …

An Historical Ethnography Of The Enactment Of Rawl’S Theory Of Justice As Applied To The Education Of Learners With Disability In Western Australia, Dianne Chambers, Chris Forlin

Education Papers and Journal Articles

The education of students with disability has changed dramatically over the past 50 years. Universal declarations and conventions have underpinned many of these changes at both an international level and within Australia. In the early 1970s, the philosophy of John Rawls provided a theory of justice to preserve social justice and individual liberty within communities. This mirrored attempts to advance education to ensure social justice, rights and access to education for learners with disability. This micro-historical ethnography provides a review spanning the past half century in Australia of changes to the education of students with disability. Underpinned by an ethnographic …

Investigation Of Early Career Teacher Attrition And The Impact Of Induction Programs In Western Australia, Janine E. Wyatt, Michael O'Neill

Education Papers and Journal Articles

This paper contributes to the limited knowledge about Australian early career teacher (ECT) attrition. The population studied included ECTs employed by the Department of Education Western Australia from 2004–2018. This quantitative study focused on ECT attrition rate and profiling ECTs who were likely to leave teaching, and used mixed-methods to investigate ECTs university preparation, intent to stay, resignation reasons and the combined supports received while employed. Study findings reinforced the need for a standardised definition and method of measuring attrition to enable comparisons, and provided information to optimise conditions in retaining ECTs. Ultimately, this will inform planning for teacher workforce …

Endothelial-Transcytosed Myeloperoxidase Activates Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Via A Phospholipase C-Dependent Calcium Signaling Pathway, Thuan Thai, Fei Zhong, Lei Dang, Enoch Chan, Jacqueline Ku, Ernst Malle, Carolyn L. Geczy, John F. Keaney., Jr, Shane R. Thomas

Education Papers and Journal Articles

During vascular inflammation, the leukocyte-derived enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO) is transcytosed across the endothelium and into the sub-endothelial extracellular matrix, where it promotes endothelial dysfunction by catalytically consuming nitric oxide (NO) produced by endothelial NO synthase (eNOS). In the presence of chloride ions and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), MPO forms the oxidant hypochlorous acid (HOCl). Here we examined the short-term implications of HOCl produced by endothelial-transcytosed MPO for eNOS activity. Incubation of MPO with cultured aortic endothelial cells (ECs) resulted in its transport into the sub-endothelium. Exposure of MPO-containing ECs to low micromolar concentrations of H₂O …

The Shape Of Reasoning: Using Geometry To Promote The Reasoning Proficiency, Derek Hurrell

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Derek Hurrell shares a number of geometry tasks designed to tease out students' reasoning. Concrete materials are used to initiate discussions and develop a culture of reasoning in the mathematics classroom.

An Empirically Based Practical Learning Progression For Generalisation, An Essential Element Of Algebraic Reasoning, Max Stephens, Lorraine Day, Marj Horne

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Generalisation is a key feature of learning algebra, requiring all four proficiency strands of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics (AC:M): Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving and Reasoning. From a review of the literature, we propose a learning progression for algebraic generalisation consisting of five levels. Our learning progression is then elaborated and validated by reference to a large range of assessment tasks acquired from a previous project Reframing Mathematical Futures II (RMFII). In the RMFII project, Rasch modelling of the responses of over 5000 high school students (Years 7–10) to algebra tasks led to the development of a Learning Progression for Algebraic …

The T.I.T.U.S. Project: Implications Of A Catholic Spiritual And Faith Formation Programme On The Teaching Of Classroom Religious Education In Australia, Christine Robinson, Jessica Fic

Education Papers and Journal Articles

This paper presents findings emanating from a larger investigation. In essence, this qualitative project sought to uncover the ways in which early childhood Religious Education (RE) teachers’ experience of a formation-based program, known as The T.I.T.U.S Project (Testament In Teachers Using Scripture), transformed their own religious literacy and subsequently, their teaching of RE; it is these findings that form the focus of this paper. Religious literacy is explained as consisting of more than content, to include the complex relationship of content with both context and learner. It is in this nexus between content, context and learner that The T.I.T.U.S Project …

An Historical Enthnography Of The Enactment Of Rawl's Theory Of Justice As Applied To The Education Of Learners With Disability In Western Australia., Dianne Chambers, Chris Forlin

Education Papers and Journal Articles

The education of students with disability has changed dramatically over the past 50 years. Universal declarations and conventions have underpinned many of these changes at both an international level and within Australia. In the early 1970s, the philosophy of John Rawls provided a theory of justice to preserve social justice and individual liberty within communities. This mirrored attempts to advance education to ensure social justice, rights and access to education for learners with disability. This micro-historical ethnography provides a review spanning the past half century in Australia of changes to the education of students with disability. Underpinned by an ethnographic …

Working With Practitioners And Learning Trajectories: Sharpening The Focus On Mathematical Reasoning In Grades 5-9, Dianne Siemon, Lorraine Day, Rosemary Callingham, Marj Horne

Education Conference Papers

This paper will report on the role of practitioners in a recent Australian study that developed empirically based learning and assessment frameworks (i.e. learning trajectories) for algebraic, geometrical, and statistical reasoning in the middle years of schooling. To understand the nature of the teachers’ role, the paper begins with a description of what is meant by ‘curriculum’ in Australia and the implications of this for teacher decision making and planning. We then provide a rationale for the study and a brief description of the methodology before illustrating how teachers were involved in the iterative research design through task development and …

Aboriginal Student Engagement And Success In Kimberley Tertiary Education, John Guenther, Anna Dwyer, Sandra Wooltorton, Judith Wilks

Nulungu Journal Articles

Over recent years, considerable effort has been put into increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) participation in higher education. While there are signs that enrolments are increasing, the sustained engagement and successful completion of higher education remains challenging, particularly in remote locations. With this in mind, a collaborative research project among researchers from three northern Australian tertiary education institutions was designed to understand student perspectives, particularly from remote contexts, about their engagement and success towards completion in higher education. Based on a qualitative research design situating Indigenist/interpretive research within a critical realism metatheory, we present findings from the …

Middle School Students' Views About Leaders And Leadership, Shane Lavery, Anne Coffey

Education Papers and Journal Articles

This article presents the views of 72 Australian middle school students from 12 metropolitan schools across six states and territories as to their understanding of leadership. Initially, literature is reviewed regarding the developments in middle-years education and theories of leadership pertinent to student leadership. The research methodology is then explained, providing an overview of the participants, the school contexts and methods of data collection and analysis. The subsequent section on results is presented under three topics: examples of good leaders, attributes that make a good leader and participants’ understanding of the concept of leadership. A final discussion is centred on …

Learning Cycles: Enriching Ways Of Knowing Place, Sandra Wooltorton, Peta White, Marilyn Palmer, Len Collard

Nulungu Journal Articles

We share a story about a katitjin bidi, a learning journey in a bioregion with a multimillennial Aboriginal history. As part of this katitjin bidi, three environmental educators implemented a place-based pedagogy called ‘becoming family with place’, while a fourth participated in the preplanning and final reflective stages. Our story includes cycles of ways of knowing, resulting in an enriched practice of being-with our place. Our story is underpinned by Aboriginal epistemologies to reimagine regenerative futures linked with those of ‘the long now’ — the past, present and future here now. Ours is a particular story that lives …

Living Water: Groundwater And Wetlands In Gnangara, Noongar Boodjar, Sandra Wooltorton, Len Collard, Pierre Horwitz

Nulungu Journal Articles

Different languages, knowledge systems and ways of knowing impact upon shared understandings of place across and within landscapes. In this article we illustrate ways in which Noongar and English language-based understandings of groundwater and wetland interactions can inform a third space. Noongar knowledges recognise deep interdependences across social, linguistic, ecological, physical and spiritual domains, while English ways of knowing highlight separations and abstractions such as those between people and nature, and spirit and matter. The English language assumes a linear sense of time in which the past is always behind the present, where going forward is associated with progress. Noongar …

Perceptions On Proof And The Teaching Of Proof: A Comparison Across Preservice Secondary Teachers In Australia, Usa And Korea, Kristin Lesseig, Gregory Hine, Gwi Soo Na

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Despite the recognised importance of mathematical proof in secondary education, there is a limited but growing body of literature indicating how preservice secondary mathematics teachers (PSMTs) view proof and the teaching of proof. The purpose of this survey research was to investigate how PSMTs in Australia, the USA and Korea perceive of proof in the context of secondary mathematics teaching and learning. PSMTs were able to outline various mathematical and pedagogical aspects of proof, including purposes, characteristics, reasons for teaching and imposed constraints. In addition, PSMTs attended to differing, though overlapping, features of proof when asked to determine the extent …

Love In Education: West Australian Early Childhood Pre-Service Teachers' Perspectives On Children's Right To Be Loved And Its Actualisation Within Their Future Practice, Dee O'Connor, Christine Robinson, Linda Cranley, G Johnson, Ainslie Robinson

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Children's right to love is a recognised fundamental human need set down within the 1992 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This recognition stems from an acknowledgement that the Early Years of Development are emotionally driven (Degotardi, S., & Sweller, N. (2012). Mind-mindedness in infant child-care: Associations with early childhood practitioner sensitivity and stimulation. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 27(2), 253–265. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2011.09.002.). Young children respond best to those with whom they experience love and acceptance (Carter, M. A., & Fewster, C. (2013). Diversifying early years’ professional learning: One size no longer fits all. Australasian Journal of …

The Challenges Of Beginning Teacher Induction: A Collective Case Study, Sean Kearney

Education Papers and Journal Articles

The induction of beginning teachers is an imperative process in enculturating teachers to their new careers and helping them overcome the hurdles in the early years of teaching and the registration processes teachers undergo. Although induction practices in Australia have become more common in recent years, the data shows there is still much work to do. The current article presents a collective case study of six induction programs, which sought to ascertain the nature of beginning teacher induction in the independent school sector in NSW. Although difficult to generalise across the entire schooling sector, it is likely that the cases …

Reasons Why I Didn't Enrol In A Higher-Level Mathematics Course: Listening To The Voice Of Australian Senior Secondary Students, Gregory Hine

Education Papers and Journal Articles

This research project investigated the reasons why senior secondary school students elect not to enrol in a higher mathematics course. All Year 11 and Year 12 mathematics students within Western Australian schools (aged 17–18 years) were invited to participate in a single, anonymous, online survey comprised predominantly of qualitative items. In line with a symbolic interactionist theoretical perspective, participant responses (n = 1351) were analysed to determine the meaning students conferred upon decisions to enrol in mathematics courses. In particular, responses indicated that students are dissatisfied with mathematics, there are other more viable courses of study to undertake, and that …

Proof By Contradiction: Teaching And Learning Considerations In The Secondary Mathematics Classroom, Gregory Hine

Education Papers and Journal Articles

This professional practice paper is underpinned philosophically by the indisputable centrality of proof to the discipline of mathematics. Proof offers students the opportunity to deepen their own understanding of mathematical ideas, to construct and defend logical arguments, and to think critically about the veracity of mathematical statements. Such opportunities afford students key skills required for further study, and arguably for a myriad of careers. Proof by contradiction is a particular mathematical technique taught in Australian senior secondary classrooms (ACMSM025, ACMSM063) which will be explored in this paper. In particular, several worked examples will be outlined alongside implications for best instructional …

Using Immersive And Modelling Environments To Build Scientific Capacity In Primary Preservice Teacher Education, Reem Mohammed, Shannon Kennedy-Clark, Peter Reimann

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Research has shown that primary school teachers often have a poor background in science and scientific concepts, and as a consequence may feel particularly under-prepared to teach science. This study examines the effect of an intervention that investigated the knowledge and understanding of science concepts for a group of 8 first-year preservice primary teachers. The intervention consisted of engaging the participants using two technology-based resources: Omosa, a 3D game-like virtual learning environment (VLE), and Omosa NetLogo, a simulation/modelling environment. A small-N study design was used in this study to determine whether or not the intervention resulted in improving preservice teachers’ …

Promoting Resilience For Teachers: Pre-Service And In-Service Professional Learning, Caroline Mansfield, Susan Beltman

Education Papers and Journal Articles

No abstract available for this publication.

Challenging Identity: Development Of A Measure Of Veterinary Career Motivations, Martin Cake, Michelle L. Mcarthur, Caroline F. Mansfield, Sanaa Zaki, Kira Carbonneau, Susan M. Matthew

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Background: While little is known about the motivations underpinning veterinary work, previous literature has suggested that the main influences on veterinary career choice are early/formative exposure to animals or veterinary role models. The aim of this study was to develop and provisionally validate a veterinary career motivations questionnaire to assess the strength of various types of career motivations in graduating and experienced veterinarians.

Methods: A cross-sectional sample of experienced veterinarians (n=305) and a smaller cohort of newly graduated veterinarians (n=53) were surveyed online using a long-form questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to iteratively derive a final, short-form questionnaire …

Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers' Self-Perceptions Of Readiness To Teach Secondary School Mathematics, Gregory Hine, Thuan Thai

Education Papers and Journal Articles

It has been argued that pre-service mathematics teachers (PSMTs) must possess a substantial level of both mathematical content knowledge and mathematical pedagogical knowledge to teach mathematics effectively. Therefore, studies have often evaluated teachers’ classroom readiness against these factors. However, to-date, only a few studies have sought PSMTs’ perceptions of their own readiness to teach. In this study, we evaluated PSMTs’ self-perceptions of readiness to teach secondary mathematics. Specifically, PSMTs’ self-perceptions of classroom readiness were explored in terms of mathematical content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and mathematical knowledge for teaching. The study was conducted at an Australian university with campuses in …

What Gendered Constructs About Mathematics Do Parents Have As Their Children Begin School In Australia?, Rachelle Glynn

Education Conference Papers

This study investigated whether parents have gendered constructs related to mathematics. Parents and their kindergarten-aged children from three primary schools in Sydney were interviewed to see what their understandings of boys’ and girls’ interests and abilities in mathematics were. Parents completed the Who and Mathematics questionnaire and were interviewed to determine if there were any gendered understandings and exactly what they were. The data shows that parents believe that boys are more likely to have an aptitude and interest in mathematics. In contrast, girls are perceived as more anxious, harder workers and in addition, that they have to work harder …

Learning From Their Mistakes - An Online Approach To Evaluate Teacher Education Students' Numeracy Capability, Thuan Thai, Kate Hartup, Adelle Colbourn, Amanda Yeung

Education Conference Papers

Teachers’ numeracy capability is essential for student learning in the classroom and important across all subject areas, not only within mathematics. This study investigated the use of online diagnostic tests as a form of assessment for learning, to evaluate and support teacher education students (TES) in developing their numeracy skills. Data was collected using the “Test” feature through the Blackboard learning management system at two Australian universities. In this paper, we report on trends amongst TES who showed growth in their numeracy capability through the repeated use of the diagnostic test.

Play-Based Learning In Western Australian Schools: Contributing To The Process From Policy To Practice, Dee O'Connor, Christine Robinson, Tracy Treasure, Linda Cranley, Samantha Wynne

Education Conference Papers

The role of play within Western Australian (WA) schools has been the subject of much debate since the publication, in 2016, of The Early Childhood Australia (ECA) Discussion Paper which called for a WA Play Strategy in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). The Discussion Paper was the result of a 2013 consultation of ECA’s WA based members. The members identified a noteworthy limitation to the opportunities that young children in WA have to play and that these opportunities are diminishing. Other significant organisations active within ECEC policy and practice in WA, including family, child and educator representation groups, publically …

"Content Without Context Is Noise": Looking For Curriculum Harmony In Primary Arts Education In Western Australia, Sian Chapman, Peter Wright, Robin Pascoe

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Arts education in Western Australian primary schools consist of learning opportunities outlined by mandated curriculum. However, assumptions underlying this curriculum involving access, resources and support impact schools’ capacity to implement the curriculum without them being adequately addressed by the written curriculum. Drawing on the policy enactment theory of Ball, Maguire, and Braun (2012), four contextual variables (situated contexts, professional cultures, material contexts and external factors) are used to highlight the differences between the written published curriculum and the implemented, practised curriculum. Drawing on interviews with 24 participants across four schools issues of geographic location, use of arts specialists, appropriate learning …

Contemporary Perspectives Of The Child In Action: An Investigation Into Children’S Connectedness With, And Contribution To, The World Around Them, C. Robinson, D. O'Connor, H. Wildy, G. Neylon

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Childcare within Australia has undergone significant reform as a result of the implementation of the nationally mandated Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework [EYLF] (Department for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations [DEEWR]. 2009. Belonging, Being and Becoming. The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations). The EYLF articulates contemporary perspectives of the child through its principles, practices and learning outcomes. Educators are required to promote these principles, practices and learning outcomes with children aged from birth to 5 years. This paper reports the findings from a research …