Education Commons^™

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 …

Perceptions Of Large-Scale, Standardised Testing In Religious Education: How Do Religious Educators Perceive The Bishops’ Religious Literacy Assessment?, Antonella Poncini

Theses

This research provides a Western Australian perspective of teaching and assessing Religious Education (RE) in Catholic schools. The perspective recognises RE as a learning area reserved for classroom instruction. This educational focus aligns RE with other learning areas as well as highlights the important role that RE plays in the evangelising mission of the Catholic Church.

A pragmatic approach to research was implemented to focus on religious educators’ perceptions of a large-scale, standardised assessment in RE called The Bishops’ Religious Literacy Assessment (BRLA). This assessment is developed by the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia. The research surveyed 238 religious …

I'M Proud To Be A Toy Teacher: Using Cra To Become An Even More Effective Teacher, Derek Hurrell

Education Papers and Journal Articles

The role of manipulative materials in mathematics can be a contentious one. It seems that in the mind of some teachers, manipulatives are fine in the early years but have no place in a rigorous maths classroom as the students get older. It is a topic worth our consideration.

An Investigation Into The Impact Of High-Stakes Testing, Through The Naplan Assessment, On The Teaching And Learning Of Mathematics In One Primary School, Linda Cranley

Theses

In 2008, the implementation of the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) commenced in all schools across Australia. This assessment of mathematical and literacy standards across Australia raised questions about the impact which high-stakes testing has on teaching and learning. This research specifically focused on the effect NAPLAN has had on the teaching and learning of mathematics. The study explored perspectives about NAPLAN from key participants; students, teachers and parents at one Western Australian Primary School. These perspectives included the potential anxiety experienced by students and how this affected their performance in NAPLAN. According to recent research on …

Where We Were…Where We Are Heading: One Multiplicative Journey, C Hurst, D Hurrell

Education Papers and Journal Articles

A journey into multiplicative thinking by three teachers in a primary school is reported. A description of how the teachers learned to identify gaps in student knowledge is described along with how the teachers assisted students to connect multiplicative ideas in ways that make sense.

Is It Time To Start Reconsidering The Teaching Of Time?, D Hurrell

Education Papers and Journal Articles

How students are taught about the difficult concept of time needs to be carefully considered, in terms of both the key aspects involved as well as the sequencing. Examples of concrete activities to support the teaching of time are included.

Notre Dame Academics Lead $150,000 Education Project, Leigh Dawson

Media Release Archive

Three senior School of Education academics at The University of Notre Dame Australia’s Fremantle Campus will facilitate a $150,000 project to assist selected teachers to become mentors in an effort to address longevity in the teaching profession and improve teaching quality in Western Australia.

The project is being funded by the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia which is upskilling teachers who have been identified as potential professional mentors.

The Smarter Schools National Partnership for Improving Teacher Quality, a $550 million Federal Government program over five years, aims to implement a range of nationally sustainable reforms to attract, train, place, …

A Study Of The Perceptions And Worldviews Of Mature Age Pre-Service Teachers Aged Between 31 And 53 Years, Matthew B. Etherington

Education Papers and Journal Articles

This study presents the perceptions and worldviews of 17 mature age second-career pre-service teachers in career transition. The aim was to explore the experience of becoming a primary school teacher after a first career. The second-career pre-service teachers were enrolled on a fulltime basis at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE/UT). The primary data were collected from 17 separate interviews of approximately 1 h; over two separate calendar years, which totalled a five-month interviewing period. The interviewees volunteered to be part of the study and were aged between 31 and 53 and enrolled in two high academic entry-level …