Education Commons^™

What Our Students Want In And From Their Library, Veronica Wells, Robin Imhof, Debbie Johnston

Veronica Wells

University of the Pacific’s Stockton Campus Library is currently in the process of a multi-phase renovation that will offer 21st century design and functionality. Our team conducted several assessment methods to understand more fully how our students use –or choose not to use—study spaces and various pieces of furniture in the Stockton library. The results of this project will help answer the questions: “What do our students want or need in library learning spaces – both academic and social?” and “How might we create learning spaces in the library that will enable a variety of student use preferences?” We have …

Pisa 2015: Financial Literacy In Australia, Sue Thomson, Lisa De Bortoli

Dr Sue Thomson

The main focus of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) financial literacy assessment is on measuring the proficiency of 15-year-old students in demonstrating and applying the knowledge and skill that they have learned in and out of school. Like other PISA domains, financial literacy is assessed using an instrument designed to provide data that are valid, reliable and interpretable. PISA is an international comparative assessment of student achievement directed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). PISA measures how well 15-year-olds, who are nearing the end of their compulsory schooling in most participating educational systems, are prepared …

Pisa 2015: Financial Literacy In Australia, Sue Thomson, Lisa De Bortoli

Lisa De Bortoli

The main focus of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) financial literacy assessment is on measuring the proficiency of 15-year-old students in demonstrating and applying the knowledge and skill that they have learned in and out of school. Like other PISA domains, financial literacy is assessed using an instrument designed to provide data that are valid, reliable and interpretable. PISA is an international comparative assessment of student achievement directed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). PISA measures how well 15-year-olds, who are nearing the end of their compulsory schooling in most participating educational systems, are prepared …

Data-Based Decisions Guidelines For Teachers Of Students With Severe Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Bree A. Jimenez, Pamela J. Mims, Diane M. Browder

Pamela J. Mims

Effective practices in student data collection and implementation of data-based instructional decisions are needed for all educators, but are especially important when students have severe intellectual and develop- mental disabilities. Although research in the area of data-based instructional decisions for students with severe disabilities shows benefits for using data, there is limited research to demonstrate teachers in applied settings can acquire the decision-making skills required. The purpose of this research was to demonstrate how teachers from five states acquired a set of data-based decisions implementation guidelines through online professional development. Recommendations for practice and future research are included.

National Research On The Postgraduate Student Experience: Case Presentation On The First Year Postgraduate Student Experience (Volume 1 Of 3), Gary Hamlin, Shelley Kinash, Linda Crane, Amy Bannatyne, Madelaine-Marie Judd, Ashley Stark, Bill Eckersley, Helen Partridge, Ken Udas

Linda Crane

This case presentation on the first year postgraduate student experience is grounded in Australian national research on postgraduate student experiences. This is not a typical or traditional case study, in that the pages that follow present perspectives, stories and proposed solutions from a large number of people. To bound the case presentation to one or two narratives or ‘cases’ would severely limit the impact. This case presentation is therefore thematic, interweaving many stories, quotes, descriptions, and perspectives on the first year postgraduate student experience.

National Research On The Postgraduate Student Experience: Case Presentation On The First Year Postgraduate Student Experience (Volume 1 Of 3), Gary Hamlin, Shelley Kinash, Linda Crane, Amy Bannatyne, Madelaine-Marie Judd, Ashley Stark, Bill Eckersley, Helen Partridge, Ken Udas

Amy Bannatyne

This case presentation on the first year postgraduate student experience is grounded in Australian national research on postgraduate student experiences. This is not a typical or traditional case study, in that the pages that follow present perspectives, stories and proposed solutions from a large number of people. To bound the case presentation to one or two narratives or ‘cases’ would severely limit the impact. This case presentation is therefore thematic, interweaving many stories, quotes, descriptions, and perspectives on the first year postgraduate student experience.

Engaging Postgraduate Students And Supporting Higher Education To Enhance The 21st Century Student Experience: Good Practice Guide, Linda Crane, Shelley Kinash, Gary Hamlin, Bill Eckersley, Helen Partridge, Amy Bannatyne

Linda Crane

Introduction to Good Practice Guides to Support the Postgraduate Student Experience:

This Good Practice Guide to support the Postgraduate Student Experience is part of a suite of resources developed during the 2014 Strategic Priority Project: Engaging postgraduate students and supporting higher education to enhance the 21st century student experience, funded by the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching. This three part guide is primarily intended to provide recommendations that can be used for easy reference by the following stakeholders:

• Postgraduate students seeking to maximise their engagement with their program of study;
• Educators seeking to improve their curriculum and/or support …

Engaging Postgraduate Students And Supporting Higher Education To Enhance The 21st Century Student Experience: Final Report, Linda Crane, Shelley Kinash, Amy Bannatyne, Madelaine-Marie Judd, Bill Eckersley, Gary Hamlin, Helen Partridge, Sarah Richardson, Harry Rolf, Ken Udas, Ashley Stark

Linda Crane

The diversity of this 21^st century student profile is amplified not just by advancing technology and cultural change, but by the exponential rise in numbers in a demographic that was previously sparsely populated and research-focussed. This project will (1) undertake a comprehensive analysis of the broad experiences of Australian coursework postgraduate students, and the relationship these broad experiences have to learning, and (2) establish evidence-based recommendations, including best practice guidelines, that can be used to impact and enhance Australia's postgraduate students' experiences.

Understanding The Completion Patterns Of Equity Students In Regional Universities, Karen Nelson, Catherine Picton, Julie Mcmillan, Daniel Edwards, Marcia Devlin, Kerry Martin

Dr Julie McMillan

Icils At A Glance: Highlights From The Full Australian Report – Australian Students’ Readiness For Study, Work And Life In The Digital Age, Lisa De Bortoli, Sarah Buckley, Catherine Underwood, Elizabeth O'Grady, Eveline Gebhardt

Elizabeth O'Grady

The International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) is the first international comparative study that examines students’ acquisition of computer and information literacy: ‘the ability to use computers to investigate, create and communicate in order to participate effectively at home, at school, in the workplace and in society'. This publication includes highlights from the full Australian report called ICILS 2013: Australian students’ readiness for study, work and life in the digital age which is available for download from http://research.acer.edu.au/ict_literacy/6/

Improving Student Outcomes? You Have To Be In It For The Long Haul, Lawrence C. Ingvarson

Dr Lawrence Ingvarson (Consultant)

Can Engagement Be Compared? Measuring Academic Engagement For Comparison, Ling Tan, Xiaoxun Sun, Siek Toon Khoo

Dr Siek Toon Khoo

Student engagement is a reflection of active involvement in learning. In digital learning environment, research studies on engagement have been focused on detecting behavioral and psychological engagement indicators from the patterns of activities using feature engineering, but student engagement estimates were rarely compared across sessions or across domains of learning. This paper describes how this could be done by revisiting engagement instrument, diagnosing engagement indicators, estimating engagement parameters, and equating. This study illustrates how engagement reliability can be improved by refining engagement indictors. We demonstrated through DataShop data that student engagement levels can be compared across domains of learning.

Finding The Right Fit: University Course Selection And Completion, Daniel Edwards

Dr Daniel Edwards

As higher education enrolments continue to climb, the proportion of students failing to graduate remains high among some cohorts, according to analysis by Daniel Edwards.

Next Steps: Measuring Reading Progress, Ross Turner

Ross Turner

Monitoring progress in literacy requires the international cooperation of the education community, as Ross Turner explains.

Film Literacy In The Primary Classroom, Marc Barrett

Marc Barrett

The recent move in Britain towards a nation-wide film literacy program to support young learners of English prompted ACER research into the use of film within Australian primary schools.

Group Work In Online Business Education – Pain Or Gain?, Steffen Zorn, Rhonni Sasaki, David Qian, Anne-Marie Chase

Dr Anne-Marie Chase

Equipping Students For Life After School, Geoff Masters

Prof Geoff Masters AO

Identifying and developing the knowledge, skills and attributes required for life and work is an ongoing challenge in school education.

Diving Deeper With Assessment, Hilary Hollingsworth

Dr Hilary Hollingsworth

ACER is helping educators to understand and implement assessment practices for positive classroom change and improved learning.

Students’ Views About Learning With Technologies: A Literature Review, Kathryn Moyle, Guus Wijingaards, Susanne Owen

Professor Kathryn Moyle

There is a paucity of recent, formal education research that listens directly to students’ views of learning with technologies. Much of the research that has been conducted has tended to focus on evaluating students’ current experiences within a specific course, or concerned with tangible issues such as frequency of computer use, access to computers and the Internet, and evaluations of technical skill levels. Available research has tended to use quantitative or mixed method approaches, with data collected through surveys using convenience samples, Likert scales and free response questions. These methods are sometimes supplemented with interviews and observations. To establish an …

Designing A Learning Module Within A Dynamic Assessment Tool, Gayl O'Connor

Gayl O'Connor

This Work-in-progress report describes the conceptualization and design of a learning module within a dynamic assessment and learning research tool. The prototype module aims to provide learning opportunities and support as students aged 14 to 16 investigate the relationship between kinetic and potential energy, and the principle of conservation of energy. The six related tasks in the module will also provide opportunities for students to explore scenarios and develop science process (inquiry) skills, specifically the control of, and relationship between, experimental variables. In order to gain insight into the learning taking place, appropriate tasks were designed according to a blue-print …

The Importance Of Fractional Thinking As A Bridge To Algebraic Reasoning, Catherine Pearn, Max Stephens

Catherine Pearn

This presentation will discuss how Year 6 primary school students create algebraic meaning and syntax through their solutions of standard fraction problems. Sample solutions will show how students use best available symbols to move beyond arithmetic calculation and to create innovative chains of algebraic reasoning. Several efficient and successful multiplicative methods are used to achieve this goal—in contrast to less efficient methods, usually additive, which may work only with simple fractions. Teachers need to recognise the underlying algebraic meaning emerging from students solutions and help all students use more efficient strategies and build their own bridges to algebra.

Population-Level Approaches To Increasing Mental Health And Wellbeing In Schools: Kidsmatter And Mindmatters, Katherine Dix

Dr Katherine Dix

Good Practice Guides: Students, Institutions And Employers, Chris Ziguras, Jo Doyle, Cate Gribble, Racquel Shroff

Jo Doyle

University Completions And Equity, Daniel Edwards

Dr Daniel Edwards

University students from disadvantaged groups have a lower completion rate than their more advantaged peers, but most disadvantaged students do complete their degrees, research reveals.

A Comparison Of Student Perceptions To Actual Performance In Chemistry, Ross Hudson

Dr Ross Hudson

This research was part of a larger study into student performance in senior chemistry with regard to question type and content. This paper examines student perceptions about question type and context and compares these perceptions to actual performance. How students perceive different types of questions and how it influences their self-belief and motivation were the focus of this study. Student responses to different styles or types of questions have been well researched over time. In this study Year 11 chemistry students were quizzed about their preferences to Multiple-Choice questions and Open Response question types and how the presence of each …

Addressing The Learning Needs Of All Students, Geoff Masters

Prof Geoff Masters AO

Year-level curriculum expectations in our schools sometimes impose artificial ceilings on student learning, and many of Australia’s most able students are not achieving their true potential as a result. Geoff Masters explains why.

Understanding And Addressing The Learning Needs Of Our Highest-Performing Students, Geoff N. Masters

Prof Geoff Masters AO

No abstract provided.

Remember The Students: Lessons For Learning Outcomes Assessments, Jacob Pearce, Daniel Edwards

Dr Jacob Pearce

Assessments of student learning outcomes are important for institutional and system-level quality assurance, but should also help students improve their knowledge and skills.

Remember The Students: Lessons For Learning Outcomes Assessments, Jacob Pearce, Daniel Edwards

Dr Daniel Edwards

Assessments of student learning outcomes are important for institutional and system-level quality assurance, but should also help students improve their knowledge and skills.

Pathways To University: Beyond Prior School Achievement, Daniel Edwards

Dr Daniel Edwards

Daniel Edwards explores whether Australia’s university admissions pathways adequately meet the needs of students and society.