Education Commons^™

To Teach Or Not To Teach? The Experiences And Self-Perceptions Of Early Career Teachers In Western Australian Catholic Primary Schools That Led Them To Remain In The Profession, Deborah Black

Theses

The focus of this research was Early Career Teachers (ECTs) in Western Australian Catholic primary schools, their experiences and self-perceptions that led them to remain in the profession. The review of literature highlighted four aspects that were pertinent to ECTs’ decisions to remain in the profession. These four areas were: motivation to join the teaching profession; likes and dislikes of teaching; challenges faced as a teacher; and, strategies used for coping with challenges faced that maintained motivation to remain in the teaching profession.

The study focused on an instrumental case study, the conduct of which was located predominantly in the …

The Nature And Scope Of Outdoor Education In Western Australian Secondary Schools, Duncan Picknoll

Theses

Outdoor Education (OE) is an important learning area taught in many Western Australian (WA) schools. However, very little is known about its nature and scope, and how its delivery may differ between school sectors. Given the valuable contribution of OE to the holistic development of children and adolescents, it appears to be an under-resourced and undervalued learning area.

The primary aim of this study was to gather data regarding where and how OE was being taught in secondary schools in WA and to compare the findings to similar studies undertaken in Victoria, South Australia (SA), New Zealand and Singapore.

This …

Establishing Factors That Enable Or Inhibit Student Access To Academic Support Office Services, Louise Johnston

Theses

With the increasing diversity of students entering higher education there is a greater need and obligation to assist in creating an even playing field to ensure the academic success of all students. Learning support has received much attention in the last decade with the introduction of a more diverse population. Consequently, now more than ever, universities must ensure best practices are implemented for enhancing academic skills of students. This qualitative case study, undertaken at one university in Sydney, examined the factors that enabled or inhibited students from accessing Academic Support Office services. A survey and interviews were used to collect …

Mentoring Beginning Teachers In Catholic Schools In Western Australia: An Exploratory Study, John Topliss

Theses

The study identified and explored the mentoring experiences in the transition fromgraduate to Early Career Teacher (ECT) in selected Catholic primary and secondary schools in Western Australia. The research addressed a significant deficit, as presently the lack of a system-wide framework for the mentoring of ECTs, the cessation of the current ECT program and the limited training of mentors, has resulted in less than ideal mentoring experiences for ECTs. The study examined the perceptions of ECTs in the transition from graduate to Beginning Teacher and involved three distinct yet inter-related phases that explored the mentoring experience. The first phase sought …

Educators' Practices For Promoting The Spiritual Development Of Children Aged 3 To 4 Years, In The Context Of Catholic Childcare Centres In Western Australia, Christine Robinson

Theses

The Australian early years’ mandated document, the Early Years Learning Framework (Department for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations [DEEWR], 2009), outlines the need for educators to attend to children’s spiritual capacity as part of a holistic approach to the early years (p. 9). Additionally, policy that governs the Catholic sector (such as Early Childhood Education Care Policy 2-B6 (Catholic Education Commission Western Australia [CECWA], 2013a)) reinforces this requirement for educators to attend to the holistic development of children, inclusive of their spiritual capacity alongside the cognitive, social, emotional, physical, creative and moral capacities. Consequently, educators employed in Catholic childcare are …

Mobile Learning In Early Childhood Education: A School-University Partnership Model, Serena Davie

Theses

Mobile learning (mLearning) devices are ideal for 21st century learning. mLearning devices are light and, therefore, mobile so that young children can use them anywhere. Examples of mLearning devices are tablet computers, programmable robots such as Bee-Bots and robotic Lego. The term 21st century learning is used around the world and includes the skills of collaboration, communication, new literacy, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. New literacy has emerged because of new technologies and being literate in the 21st century now includes being digitally literate. However, mLearning is not widely used in early childhood education despite the fact that schools are …

Play - Lost In Transition? Teacher Beliefs About Pedagogic Continuity Across The Transition To Formal Schooling, Linda Bellen

Theses

In the current educational climate of teacher accountability, high-stakes assessment and outcomes-based learning, play as a valued pedagogy is being questioned more than ever. In Australia, the recent push-down effect of an academic curriculum has resulted in the ‘schoolification’ of prior-to-school settings, with less emphasis on play-based pedagogy. Traditionally, in early childhood education, the dominant pedagogy is play-based and is used to support and facilitate children’s learning, while in schools learning is more formalised, directed and structured with the presence of a mandated curriculum. This ideological divide in pedagogical approaches between the two contexts is first evident as children begin …

Examination Of Primary School Teachers' Analysis Of Literacy Assessment Data, Mary-Anne Zevenbergen

Theses

The 21st century has seen many changes in educational assessment practices across the world. Australia has been part of the international trend promoting greater use of assessment data to improve educational standards. This study took place within the context of a data-driven educational environment. The aim of the study was to examine how primary school teachers use the data from literacy assessments to inform their pedagogical decisions. A mixed methods study, using a purposive sample of teachers, investigated strategies used by teachers to analyse data from assessment to identify students’ abilities and use the data to inform subsequent instruction and …

Contextual Experiences Of Overseas Trained Teachers Before And After Obtaining A Teaching Position In A Public Secondary School Of Western Australia And South Australia In Reference To Their Cultural Perspectives, Sushmita Datta Roy

Theses

The focus of this research was an exploration of the experiences of overseas trained teachers in the public secondary schools of Western Australia and South Australia, in reference to their cultural perspectives. Due to ongoing teacher shortage in the Australian public secondary schools (Weldon, 2015) many overseas trained teachers opt to migrate to Australia in the hope of establishing a new teaching career in the country. In the process, overseas trained teachers often undergo a range of contextual experiences, some that are challenging and some rewarding. It becomes meaningful, therefore, to explore the contextual experiences of overseas trained teachers and …

The Introduction Of Montessori Teaching And Learning Practices In An Early Childhood Classroom In A Remote Indigenous School, Catherine Holmes

Theses

The purpose of this research was to observe and describe the effect of Montessori pedagogy in a remote Aboriginal Early Childhood program to ascertain whether this alternative approach to education provides a more culturally appropriate practice than past methods. The significance of the study lies in the need to "close the gap" (Department of Premier & Cabinet [DPMC], 2016, p.1) between the achievement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. The study endeavours to describe the effect of Montessori pedagogy through the response of those most closely associated with Aboriginal education: students, parents, caregivers, community members and educational professionals.

Three dimensions of …

Classroom Teachers Meeting The New National Professional Standards For Teachers Specifically Standards 1.4 And 2.4, Lisa Buxton

Theses

Commitment to enhancing the educational outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people has long been the aspiration in Australia. Research over many years has, however, noted inequitable outcomes between these children and their non-Indigenous counterparts. The groundswell of support for reconciliation and the ongoing determination to enhance the educational outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people more recently has seen the inclusion of two new Standards in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers that teachers have to meet to gain and retain registration as a teacher in Australia. The first Standard required …

The Readiness Of Primary Trained Graduate Teachers To Effectively Manage Classrooms In Kimberley Schools In Western Australia, Amanda Mccubbin

Theses

This study is unique in that it investigates the nature of the relationship between classroom management strategies, neophyte teachers and Indigenous students, in remote area classrooms. Given that the student population and teaching conditions in remote schools is usually significantly different from the demography of the students encountered in pre-service practica, the purpose of this research is to determine the effectiveness of course-specific classroom management strategies with Indigenous students located in a specific remote region of Western Australia.

This study was undertaken in both Department of Education and Catholic Education Office schools within the Kimberley region of Western Australia. This …

Playing To Engage: Fostering Engagement For Children And Teachers In Low Socioeconomic Regions Through Science And Mathematics Play-Based Learning, Stephanie Smith

Theses

Commitment to improving the literacy and numeracy results of children from low Socio Economic Backgrounds (SES) has long been a priority of the Australian Federal and State Governments. Upon entering formal schooling these children frequently start on a back foot compared with their middle and high SES counterparts. Often this is because of differences in their upbringing, including limited access to educational toys, more limited vocabulary as they engage with adults and other children and infrequent attendance at early learning facilities.

Over the past decade, as identified by the Australian Chief Scientist, the number of children selecting career pathways into …

Are We Closing 'The Gap'? Evaluation Of The Use By Sydney Catholic Systemic School Teachers Of Essential Secondary Science Assessment Online Data And Its Impact On The Performance Of Subsequent Cohorts Sitting Essaonline, Gary Carey

Theses

Formative assessment practices hold the key to improving the quality of student learning in our educational institutions. Unfortunately, these formative practices are often not well understood by practitioners and opportunities to improve the learning outcomes for our students are lost. This study investigated whether the Catholic Education Office Sydney’s (CEO) commitment to the use of the Essential Secondary Science Assessment online (ESSAonline) was having an impact on the performance of subsequent cohorts of students sitting ESSAonline. The findings of the study clearly show that whilst the test is a powerful driver which can lead to improvement in the performance of …

The Effect Of De-Privatisation Of The Mathematics Classroom On The Teacher, Jennifer Chu

Theses

To improve teacher quality and student outcomes, teachers involved in the Reading and Mathematics Project (RAMP) in Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Sydney have been required to de-privatise their classrooms so that teaching and learning can be observed by, and studied with, other educational colleagues within their own school. This study sought to ascertain how this approach to professional learning has impacted teachers, from their perspective, in the context of primary mathematics education. Teachers were able to voice the conditions under which de-privatisation would be most conducive to their learning and to improvements in the teaching of mathematics across …

One-To-One Laptop Program: Effect On Boys' Education, Steven Males

Theses

Since the beginning of 1:1 laptop programs in schools there has been extensive research undertaken about the effectiveness of how laptops are used for teaching and learning. With an educational environment in Australia where the use of Information Communications Technology (ICT) is one of the five general capabilities of the Australian Curriculum, an expectation to use ICT effectively for teaching and learning is explicit. However, the use of laptops for teaching and learning is complex for teachers and students. Furthermore, parents are expected to support their child’s learning in a digital age where mobile devices for learning are common. Therefore, …

What Are The Professional And Personal Needs Of Beginning Western Australian Catholic School Principals During The First Four Years Of Their Appointment?, Debra Sayce

Theses

The purpose of this research was to explore the professional and personal needs of beginning Western Australian Catholic school principals in the first four years of their appointment. The role of the Catholic school principal is becoming increasingly complex and demanding as society, schooling and the Catholic Church undergo rapid and unprecedented change. It is imperative that educational authorities redress the impact of the demands and complexities of school principalship in order to better recruit, prepare, and sustain principals. It is therefore timely that the professional and personal needs of beginning Catholic school principals are examined.

The review of literature …

Developing Tomorrow's School Leaders: The Western Australian Catholic Education Aspiring Principals Program, Shane A. Glasson

Theses

The Aspiring Principals Program is a two-year principal preparation program convened by the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia. The program targets selected primary school assistant principals and secondary school deputy principals aspiring to principalship of Western Australian Catholic schools. The eight aspirants who commenced the program in January 2011 and graduated in December 2012 participated in the research. The purpose of the research was to explore aspirant perceptions of Catholic principalship before, during and upon completion of the program together with the influences provoking discernible perception changes. Specifically, four aspirant perceptions were explored by the research: Catholic principalship role …

Perceptions Of Leaders, Teachers, Students And Parents In High Performing West Australian Catholic Secondary Schools Within The Context Of Tertiary Entrance Examinations, Michael O'Neill

Theses

As for most of the developed world, Australia is no different in its scrupulous evaluation of school performance data. Annually much attention is given to data surrounding the performance of students, teachers and schools in high stakes Tertiary Entrance Examinations as students seek to qualify for a variety of university programs. So called ‘league tables’ are produced measuring school performance on a number of criteria which differ marginally from state to state. Such tables identify both successful and less successful schools. Notwithstanding the limitations of such comparisons and the fact that success is a relative term there is a great …

Service-Learning As A Way Of Developing Pre-Service Teachers’ Knowledge, Perceptions, And Cultural Awareness Of Aboriginal Education, Glenda Cain

Theses

This research explored service-learning as a way of developing pre-service teachers’ pedagogical literacy skills and cultural perceptions with regard to Aboriginal education through involvement in an Aboriginal educational setting. The purpose was for pre-service teachers to gain a better understanding of Aboriginal education whilst developing their own literacy knowledge and instructional skills. Service-learning was the teaching method chosen as it involves experiential learning with structured opportunities for critical thinking and reflection.

A qualitative approach was favoured whereby investigations occurred in a naturalistic setting. As such, the direct experiences of pre-service teachers formed the basis of data gathering and analysis. Field …

The Role Of Values Education In Primary School Bullying Prevention And Mediation, Janine Brown

Theses

This study explores the incidence and implications of bullying in primary school and the beliefs parents and educators share about the explicit application of a values based approach to bullying interventions and mediations. Interviews and focus group discussions explored current anti-bullying practices employed by teachers and principals. The study also examined specific values perceived to be relevant by parents and educators, in the endeavour to successfully resolve the growing incidence of bullying conflict situations and the serious implications for both victims and bullies.

Individual interviews and focus group discussions were administered in three Catholic systemic primary schools to a sample …

Indigenous Secondary Education: What Implications For Counsellors Lie In The Stories Of Indigenous Adults, Who As Children, Left Their Home Communities To Attend School?, Suzanne Jenkins

Theses

Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of the peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that the child of a farm worker can become the president of a great nation. Nelson Mandela

Access to a ‘good’ education is often argued as deserving of the highest priority. The available research pertaining to the educational experience of Australian Indigenous students, however, too often reflects a picture of profound disadvantage, particularly in relation to their non-Indigenous counterparts. In 2008, Prime Minister Rudd announced …

Development And Trial Of A Report Card On Children’S Physical Activity In Western Australia, Maria Doolan

Theses

Current levels of physical activity in Western Australian children and adolescents do not meet national physical activity recommendations. Insufficient physical activity and increasing levels of sedentary behaviours endanger the physical, mental and social health of young Western Australians. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a Report Card to monitor Western Australia’s status in delivering the 10 Key Rights (identified and articulated in the

Charter for Active Kids and developed by the Children’s Physical Activity Coalition) which aim to guide current and future physical activity interventions for Western Australian children and adolescents. The Report Card targeted multiple …

Assistive Technology: Effects Of Training On Education Assistants' Perceptions Of Themselves As Users And Facilitators Of Assistive Technology And Consequent Transfer Of Skills To The Classroom Environment, Dianne J. Chambers

Theses

With the increasing use of Education Assistant Special Needs (EASN) to support students with special needs in regular settings, it is important to consider the tools and knowledge that they bring to the role. The use of assistive technology (AT) as a support for students with special needs in Australia and globally is becoming more prevalent as the technology becomes increasingly affordable and more widely available. Consequently, it is important that the staff who are most likely to be working closely with these students are competent and confident in the use of AT. The purpose of this research was to …

Exploring The Development Of Student Leadership Potential Within A Catholic School: A Qualitative Case Study, Gregory Hine

Theses

The focus of this research was student leadership and student leadership development in a Catholic secondary school. Central to the thesis were the leadership experiences and self-perceptions of elected students aged 15-17 years as they participated in the school’s leadership program. These insights helped the researcher characterise the functioning Program of student leadership at the school, and to discern what kinds of leaders are produced through its efforts.

The review of literature considered five established leadership models: transactional leadership, transformational leadership, charismatic leadership, servant leadership, and distributed leadership. These models were analysed with regards to their strengths, limitations, and potential …

An Exploration Of The Study Abroad Experiences Of United States Students In Three Halls Of Residence At A Catholic University In Western Australia, Nicole Schiffer

Theses

The purpose of this research was to explore the ways United States students develop through studying abroad at a Catholic university in Western Australia. The significance of the research lies in the belief that host and home universities should be aware of the needs of these study abroad students. The needs of these students were understood through an exploration of the challenges faced, the support received, and the personal and professional development attained.

Four dimensions of the context contributed to an understanding of this study. These four dimensions were the University of Notre Dame Australia Fremantle, the UNDA three halls …

The Role Of The Imagination In The Religious Conversion Of Adolescents Attending Catholic Secondary Schools, Richard Patrick Branson

Theses

The mission of the Catholic Church is evangelisation, the purpose of which is conversion. At a diocesan level, the mission is carried out through the agencies of family, parish and school. Every Catholic school is mandated to carry out its part in the Church’s mission through its curriculum that incorporates both Religious Education and planned catechetical experiences. This study was devised to find out some students’ perceptions of their faith, the influences that they perceive on changes to their faith, and to describe how the imagination assisted their faith development and religious conversion. Fifteen Catholic secondary school students from four …

The Meaning And Personal Significance Of The Small Group Experience For A Group Of Recent Graduates From The Bachelor Of Counselling Degree At The University Of Notre Dame Australia, Martin Philpott

Theses

This research is a phenomenological study investigating the meaning and personal significance of the small group experience (personal growth) for a single cohort of eight mature-age graduates (male and female) who completed the Bachelor of Counselling degree at The University of Notre Dame Australia in the years 2005 and 2006. Two facilitators of these personal growth groups were interviewed, as were two agency supervisors who had access to these graduates during their clinical practice.

The research used qualitative methods in the collection of data. A semi-structured interview was conducted with purposefully selected participants to determine their understanding of the significance …

The Relationships Between Ethical Climates, Ethical Ideology, And Organisational Commitment, Martinus P. Putranta

Theses

A critical problem which faces higher education institutions in Indonesia is that of being able to generate staff’s commitment notwithstanding the inability of the institutions to provide their staff with comparable remuneration. This research sought to ascertain the potential of alternatives to extrinsic rewards in facilitating staff’s commitment in the Indonesian Catholic higher education institutions context. Two ethics-related variables, namely, institutional ethical climates and staff’s ethical ideology were chosen as the possible predictors. The choice was deemed relevant in respect of the endeavours of the institutional leaders to introduce codes of ethics to their institutions. A conceptual model delineating the …

Nurturing Faith Within The Catholic Home: A Perspective From Catholic Parents Who Do Not Access Catholic Schools, Carmela G. Suart

Theses

Throughout its history, the Catholic Church has regarded the family as the most influential factor in shaping and nurturing the faith of each generation. Within the family, parents are considered to be the first and primary educators of the faith of their children. Irrespective of years of genuine effort by the Catholic Church in Australia to support parents in their task of nurturing the faith of their children, the area of family catechesis still remains inadequately addressed, hence the significance of the study. The aim of this research was to investigate how Catholic parents, who do not send their children …