Education Commons^™

The Effect Of Outlines, Headings And Summaries On The Recall Of Informational Text, John S. Latham

Theses : Honours

The purpose of this study was to investigate various text-based ways of assisting Year Seven readers to enhance their recall of informational texts. The theory that was tested in this investigation is that text-based reading aids which secure the activation and rehearsal of relevant form and/or content schemata for written texts will enhance the recall of the content and structure of those texts. To investigate the comparative impact of the text conditions, 105 Year Seven students from a large primary school in a northern suburb of the Perth Metropolitan Area were ranked on the basis of their reading comprehension scores. …

Student Perceptions In A Social Studies Classroom, Maria Darby

Theses : Honours

This study describes differential student perceptions towards Social Studies in a high school classroom. A case study approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative data gathering techniques, was used to collect data by seeking individual students' perceptions of the classroom environment, the teacher, classroom instruction and the Social Studies subject content. Social Studies education in Western Australia has been guided by the Social Studies K-10 Syllabus which has been implemented for almost 10 years. In 1990 a comprehensive review of the curriculum was commissioned by the Ministry of Education and undertaken by Print (1990a). This study found that a need existed …

An Investigation Of Changes To The Tertiary Entrance Examination Art History Syllabus And Art Teachers' Perceptions Of Those Changes, A. Ivankovic

Theses : Honours

In 1986, a new Tertiary Entrance Examination Art Syllabus was introduced to the secondary school curriculum. Four years have passed since the implementation of this syllabus without 11 formal evaluation having taken place. Because the changes to the Art Syllabus were implemented swiftly, it is considered appropriate to investigate any discrepancies between the intended changes to the Tertiary Entrance Examination Art History Syllabus and art teachers' perceptions of those changes, This study was prompted by concern expressed by art teachers over the changes in the Tertiary Entrance Examination (TEE) Art Syllabus. A foreshadowed minor change in the 1992 Art History …

Monitoring Standards Of Science Investigation Skill Attainment By Tongan Secondary Science Students, Fisi'ihoi Mone

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the science investigation skill attainment of Tongan Form 5 (16 years of age) General Science students. Benchmark statements were developed to describe the range of science investigation skills and standard of performance that should be expected of Tongan Form 5 General Science students. A written test of science process skills and a practical test of science apparatus skills, were developed to assess the level of attainment of science investigation skills by students who have completed Form 4 and Form 5 General Science in Tonga. The instruments were piloted twice in Western …

A Comparison Of Mental Strategies Used By Skilled And Unskilled Mental Calculators, Paul Swan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this study was to investigate the various strategies used by year seven students when carrying out division computations mentally. A comparison was made between the strategies used by high and low performing mental calculators. A number of high and low performing mental calculators were chosen as a result of their performances on twelve interview items. Both groups of students were given a set of division problems to complete mentally. After solving each problem the students were asked on a one-to-one basis to reflect on the strategy or method they used to solve the problem. The interviews were …

Job Factors Contributing To The Job Satisfaction And Job Dissatisfaction Of Primary Principals In One Ministry Of Education District In Western Australia, G. R. Martin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Recent changes in the Western Australian education system, resulting from the release and implementation of Better Schools in Western Australia: A Programme for Improvement (1987), have induced significant changes in the nature of the Western Australian primary principalship. Within this context of change, this research explores job factors contributing to the job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction of primary principals in one Ministry of Education district in Western Australia. Studies based on Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory, conducted in educational and non-educational settings, in addition to previous principal job satisfaction research were important in the development of the study's conceptual framework and research …

Claremont Teachers College Alumni Association : 10th Anniversary, 1980-1990, Alumni Association

Research outputs pre 2011

On the 9th June 1990, the Claremont Teachers College Alumni Association completed its first 10 years. From a fairly humble beginning the Association has continued to grow until it now has in excess of 250 members.

These first ten years have been most traumatic for the Claremont College. In 1982 the College lost its identity as a separate autonomous institution when it was amalgamated to become one of the campuses of the West Australian College of Advanced Education. In 1989 the campus closed its doors on its last teacher education graduates and ceased its role as a teacher education institution. …

Research Management Plan 1991, Western Australian College Of Advanced Education

Research outputs pre 2011

This management plan (June 1990) sets out the place of research in the spectrum of activities of the College and the state-wide responsibilities of WACAE. The College has a positive, unambiguous attitude to the promotion of research of high quality and has allocated funds and resources to that end. The College Research Committee is charged with the management of this rapidly developing research capacity. In discharging this function the Committee will review its Research Management Plan regularly and welcomes constructive input at any time.

Gender Equity : Retrospect And Prospect, With Recommendations For The School Of Education: Part 3, Lesley Patricia Newhouse

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Issues Facing And Shaping The Role Of District Superintendents During A Period Of Radical Change, Rod Chadbourne

Research outputs pre 2011

Before 1987, the work of superintendents was well known throughout the state education system. Their role had evolved over a long period of time and was firmly established - materially and in the minds of school staff. Sometimes people disagreed with how that role was discharged but they did have a clear idea of what it entailed. Superintendents also enjoyed a high profile. They were commonly seen to occupy powerful and prestigious positions, presiding over teachers' careers and curriculum developments. The Better Schools Report changed much of that...

School-Based Teacher Education, Heather J. Thanos

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Pre-service teacher education can and should integrate learning about teaching through continuous school-based experience. It is in the dynamic environments of schools and classrooms that prospective teachers learn through observation, experience and reflection to make critical judgements, in real and changing circumstances, about what it means to teach. Moreover, it is through continuous school-based teachIng experience, in a variety of school contexts, that prospective teachers construct their own critical consciousness of the social purposes of schooling and not just the technical skills of teaching. An upheaval in teacher education in Australia is currently foreshadowed by the Australian Education Council (AEC) …

Training Technicians Or Educating Teachers : An Internship Program For Teacher Educators In Papua New Guinea, Denis Mclaughlin

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In 1987,the Bachelor ofEducation (Tertiary) became operational at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG). This offers a three year program to prepare experienced Community School teachers for positions as lecturers in Community Teachers Colleges. The second year of the program is a supervised internship in oneof these teachers colleges, a year which is intended to be one means among others of stimulating quality education in Papua New Guinea. This paper aims to present a theoretical rationale for the internship year, to explain how its design is intended to work towards the achievement of the goal of qualitative improvement in …

Book Reviews

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Books reviewed. Lokan, J. and McKenzie, P. (eds). (1989). Teacher appraisal : issues and approaches. Australian Education Review, No. 28. Melbourne: ACER. Christie, F. (Ed.). (1990). Literacy for the Changing World: A Fresh Look at the Basics. Melbourne: ACER. Willis, S. (ed.). (1990). Being Numerate: What Counts? Melbourne: ACER. Brennan, B. (ed.). (1990). Continuing Professional Education : Promise and Performance. (Australian Education Review No.30), Melbourne: ACER. Atkin, J., Bastiani, J., and Goode, J., (1988). Listening to Parents, Kent: Croom Helm. Ralph Pethnan. (1986) Teaching for Human Rights : Pre-school and Grades 1-4. Canberra: Australian Government PublIshing Service. VIDEO REVIEW Educating …

Classroom Interaction: Some Qualitative And Quantitative Differences In A Mixed-Ethnicity Classroom, Gary Partington, Vincent Mccudden

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Children's classroom success has been attributed to a variety of factors (Watts, 1975). Among these factors are the quality and number of interactions occurring between the teacher and the students (Brophy and Good, 1974). Students who attract a greater proportion of the teacher's time and experience more positive interactions are more likely to be successful than other students. Additionally it has been argued (McKessar and Thomas, 1978) that some students may have greater expertise in capturing a teacher's attention, that is, by initiating interactions, while King (1979) considered that students engaged in behaviours which were designed to maintain the teacher's …

Gender Equity : Retrospect And Prospect, With Recommendations For The School Of Education: Part 1, Lesley P. Newhouse

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Gender Equity : Retrospect And Prospect, With Recommendations For The School Of Education: Part 2: A Curriculum For Girls, Lesley P. Newhouse

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Prior Knowledge Of Expository Text Structure On Comprehension In Young Children, Zenda Johnson

Theses : Honours

The effects of the instruction of report text structure on students’ comprehension of expository material with familiar m1d unfamiliar topics was investigated in both the short and long term. Two comprehension measures were used (ability to restructure an unstructured report text through written composition, and written recall of facts). Forty two Year Three students were matched in comprehension ability based on initial general comprehension performance in a standardized test, and were assigned to either an Experimental group which received text structure instruction, or a Control group which received no special instruction. Results indicated that the instruction and practise in report …

The Role Of Computer Algebra Systems In Mathematics Teaching At Upper Secondary School, Wendy Johnstone

Theses : Honours

Computer algebra systems are programs that manipulate both symbols and numbers and so can reduce the tedium of algebra in the same way calculators can reduce the time and work involved in arithmetic. Some systems combine a wide ranqe of mathematical functions with graphing capabilities. As such they have the potential to reduce the time students spend calculating algorithms, allowing more time for concept development, which is enhanced by the ability of the program to concurrently represent mathematical functions graphically. Originally computer algebra systems were only developed for mainframe computers, but in recent years several systems have become available for …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of The Retelling With The Aid Of A Story-Map Procedure With Weaker Readers, Madeleine Boekeman

Theses : Honours

This study examines the effectiveness of the 'Retelling with the aid of a story-map procedure' as an instructional approach which could help weaker readers in their second year of schooling. Based on the literature and research findings which support a view of language as a developmental, holistic and natural process, the 'Retelling with the aid of a story-map procedure' was chosen. It was hypothesised that it would help the weaker readers make connections between oral language and written language, develop meaning seeking behaviours and increase their 'data pool' of linguistic knowledge. The goal of this study was to seek answers …

An Investigation Into Some Of The Processes And Strategies Underlying The Receptive Behaviour Of The Interlanguage Speaker, Kaye Malcolm

Theses : Honours

This study is based on Selinker's (1972, revised 1988) paper which describes the construct of interlanguage. Selinker claimed that the learner's interlanguage could be accounted for on the basis of three psycholinguistic processes and two strategies. He demonstrated how the operation of these processes and strategies could be inferred from the data of the learner's interlanguage performance in relation to the relevant first and second language systems, The processes and strategies identified by Selinker were: the processes of language transfer, overgeneralization and transfer of training, and the strategies of second language learning and second language communication. Selinker's claims relate to …

An Investigation Of The Use Of Verbalization To Improve Representational Drawing Performance, Patricia Waters

Theses : Honours

Drawing is a fundamental skill for the creation of art. This investigation set out to discover whether or not the application of verbalization to an efficient drawing strategy increased students' perceptual observation skills to enhance representational drawing ability. The study group consisted of 20 Year 8 art students from a northern suburbs coastal secondary school in Perth. Their ages ranged from 12 to 14 years. They were randomly divided into two groups, experimental and control. The pretest and posttest drawings of the students from both groups were analyzed by four expert judges using an evaluation guide to determine the accuracy …

Creativity In Aboriginal Students And The Implications For Language Teaching, Raeme Goves-Jacka

Theses : Honours

The current level of scholastic success of Aboriginal students in Western Australian schools is overviewed together with some concerns regarding Aboriginal cognition. The issues which appear to inhibit in Aboriginal children the sort of cognitive development which is beneficial for schooling are reviewed. These are seen as cultural discontinuity, Vygotsky's belief in the cultural transmission of language, political constraints and the concept that different cultures with different needs produce different modes of thinking. Aboriginal child rearing practices are also reviewed together with the definition, process and product of creativity. The review also deals with the creative person, the creative environment, …

Pastoral Care In Schools : Some Implications For Teacher Training, Ron Best

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In Britain, teachers' concern for children as more than "empty buckets to be filled with knowledge" is widely recognised as a professional obligation. It is also legally enshrined in the concept of the teacher in loco parentis. There is nothing particularly new about this. Arnold of Rugby placed academic achievement third behind the promotion of Christian values and "gentlemanly conduct" in the priorities he set for his staff, and in public boarding-schools the roles of house master and matron were considered important means by which pupils' personal, physical and (supposedly) moral well-being were protected. What is relatively new is the …

Curriculum Decision Making For National Interest In The Tertiary Sector: An Evaluation Of A Curriculum Project, Stephen Duggan, Lyndall Boyle

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper is concerned with a study of comparative curriculum practice within the tertiary sector. Within Australia, curriculum practice, innovation, planning and evaluation has occurred mainly within the primary and secondary school system. However, since the mid-1980s, educational strategies for national interest have seen the evolution of informed curriculum research and development within the tertiary sector, as universities and colleges endeavour to meet nationally determined educational goals and objectives. This study relates the research process involved when tertiary educators (and researchers) are faced with the task of reconciling local, regional and national objectives. In particular, it considers the dynamics of …

Improving The Scientific Thinking Of Preservice Secondary Science Teachers, Mark Hackling, Patrick Garnett, Frank Dymond

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Previous studies indicate that many preservice science teachers lack facility with those formal reasoning patterns that are critical for learning science. The purpose of this project was to develop, implement and evaluate a curriculum package directed at improving preservice secondary science teachers' scientific thinking. A matched treatment-control, quasi-experimental design revealed significant gains achieved through use of the curriculum materials.

Literacy In Perspective., Ken Willis

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

One aim of this Joint National Conference of the Australian Reading Association and the Australian Association of Teachers of English is to develop a National Literacy Policy. An essential pre-requisite to developing a policy on literacy is a definition of the term ''literacy''. This paper argues that if this definition is stated in general terms it will be of questionable value, as it will be open to multiple interpretations dependent on the context.

Professional Development And Training Needs Of School Principals In Tonga, Vili Vete

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The main aims of this study were to investigate and identify the perceived professional development needs of the school principals in Tonga in relation to the current situation. The inquiry was designed to provide a description of the understanding and perceptions which the principals and educators held concerning: I. The familiarity of principals and educators with the professional development issues and provisions made for the professional development of school principals . 2. The perceived professional development and training needs of school principals. 3. The extent to which the current provisions offered for professional development of school principals meet the needs …

Selecting Content For An Introductory Training Course In Industrial Relations, Helen Handmer

Theses : Honours

A nine-member panel with acknowledged expertise across a broad range of industrial relations interests made up the respondent population. Panelists opinions were collected, summarised, then re-submitted to the panel with an invitation to review their opinions in the light of the group summary. This process was repeated three times -the first consisting of individual progressively structured interviews, the other two being written surveys. A high level of consensus was achieved, both in ;1 content selections and in the reasons for choosing such topics. This resulted in the development of a course outline consisting of the following major topics - historical …

Factors That Impinge Upon The Implementation Of A Formally Structured Pastoral Care Programme In A Government School, Eleanor Watson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

There is substantial evidence to indicate that societal ills have entered the schools and become manifest in the school environment in the forms of student alienation from the mainstream of the school community and pressures upon schools to provide a range of care related services Although schools are not responsible for the ills of society there is a general community expectation that they will act to counteract any of the social or educational disadvantages that accrue to the young as a consequence. In order to address such issues, Pastoral Care programmes, appear to have been developed in an ad hoc …

A Pilot Study To Improve Academic Learning Time In Physical Education, Robert Walker

Theses : Honours

Academic Learning Time in Physical Education (ALT-PE) is defined as the portion of engaged time when a student is involved in practice appropriate to his or her ability. The amount of time students are appropriately engaged in physical education activities has been found to have a high correlation with student achievement (Godbout, Brunelle & Tousignant, 1983; Graham, Soares & Hanington, 1983; Harrison, 1987; Phillips & Carlisle, 1983; Placek & Randall, 1986; Silverman, 1985). The teacher has control over the amount of time children can practise the criterion skill in a particular lesson. Investigating the way in which the students spend …