Education Commons^™

Connecting And Collaborating Across Oceania And Its Diaspora: A Shared Approach To Meaningful Development And Engagement, Jioji Ravulo

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Through this short, critical piece, I, as someone who comes from an Indigenous Pacific heritage, aim to challenge the way in which mainstream society positions societal problems as siloed, isolated from a structural, collective understanding of societal problems generally evident in Indigenous epistemologies. I suggest that by using an anti-oppressive social work practice approach where power imbalances are examined and understood within a wider context, we, as a Pacific community, are better equipped to create strategies and solutions that are inclusive of those traditionally not included in the conversation for change. We need to promote the importance of creating a …

Engagement And Qualitative Interviewing: An Ethnographic Study Of The Use Of Social Media And Mobile Phones Among Remote Indigenous Youth, Kishan A. Kariippanon, Kate Senior

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In 2012, Kishan Kariippanon began an ethnographic study on the use of social media and mobile phones by Indigenous youth practicing traditional culture in a remote community in Northern Australia. A prepaid mobile phone service is available in most Northern Territory remote Indigenous communities. This case study provides an account of the vital practical steps for engagement and conducting qualitative interviewing in an Indigenous community where traditional structure of kinship and communications is practiced. The case sheds light on the particular challenge of gaining trust and building an authentic relationship with individuals and the community as part of the engagement …

Educator Engagement And Interaction And Children's Physical Activity In Early Childhood Education And Care Settings: An Observational Study Protocol, Karen Tonge, Rachel A. Jones, M. Hagenbuchner, Tuc Nguyen, Anthony D. Okely

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Introduction: The benefits of regular physical activity for children are significant. Previous research has addressed the quantity and quality of children's physical activity while in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings, yet little research has investigated the social and physical environmental influences on physical activity in these settings. The outcomes of this study will be to measure these social and physical environmental influences on children's physical activity using a combination of a real-time location system (RTLS) (a closed system that tracks the location of movement of participants via readers and tags), accelerometry and direct observation. Methods and analysis: This …

Playwriting And Flow: The Interconnection Between Creativity, Engagement And Skill Development, Paul Gardiner

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Understanding, encouraging and developing creativity in the classroom is an international priority (Craft, 2011). This article outlines the findings of research into playwriting pedagogy. It interrogates the conceptual assumptions that surround teaching and learning for creativity, and how these ideas influence teacher practice and student experience. It argues that student engagement and creativity are fundamentally and reciprocally linked. To better understand how to teach and foster creativity in a classroom, teachers' views on creativity and creative processes are explored through Csikszentmihalyi's (2008) theory of 'flow' and the lessons this provides for understanding engagement. The article argues that the teachers' views …

The Paradox Of Engagement: Land Stewardship And Invasive Weeds In Amenity Landscapes, Peter Klepeis, Nicholas J. Gill

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In New South Wales, Australia, rural landscapes are undergoing profound change as a result of exurbanization. Newcomers-amenity migrants-are drawn to the scenic beaches, forests, and open landscape character of this part of Australia near Sydney and they join existing communities of long-term residents, notably ranchers involved in dairy, beef, and other types of primary agricultural production. The rural to exurban transition is stimulating both intended and unintended socio-ecological changes, especially the proliferation of invasive weeds, which are considered to be a top national priority as they threaten Australia's agricultural economy. Drawing on interview and survey research from three case studies …

Exploring Engagement In Tasks In The Language Classroom, Jenefer Philp, Susan Duchesne

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This article explores how learners engage in tasks in the context of language classrooms. We describe engagement as a multidimensional construct that includes cognitive, behavioral, social, and emotional dimensions of engagement among second and foreign language learners in the classroom. We discuss key concepts and indicators of engagement in current research on task-based interaction and outline some of the issues in researching engagement in this context.

Coproducing Global Change Research And Geography: The Means And Ends Of Engagement, Noel Castree

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This response identifies three areas of agreement with my interlocutors. One is the importance of global change science now and in the future; a second is the real capacity that geographers possess to shape the content and direction of global change science, building on past achievements; and the third is the existence of 'group think' in parts of global change science, presenting a target for constructive criticism but also an opportunity for serious engagement. The response then addresses specific points raised in the five commentaries. These points pertain to the burden of academic responsibility, the political aims of 'Changing the …

Public Preferences For Engagement In Health Technology Assessment Decision-Making: Protocol Of A Mixed Methods Study, Sally Wortley, Allison Tong, Emily Lancsar, Glenn P. Salkeld, Kirsten Howard

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Much attention in recent years has been given to the topic of public engagement in health technology assessment (HTA) decision-making. HTA organizations spend substantial resources and time on undertaking public engagement, and numerous studies have examined challenges and barriers to engagement in the decision-making process however uncertainty remains as to optimal methods to incorporate the views of the public in HTA decision-making. Little research has been done to ascertain whether current engagement processes align with public preferences and to what extent their desire for engagement is dependent on the question being asked by decision-makers or the characteristics of the …

"I 'Feel' Like I Am At University Even Though I Am Online." Exploring How Students Narrate Their Engagement With Higher Education Institutions In An Online Learning Environment, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Cathy Stone, Janine Delahunty

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This article outlines a collaborative study between higher education institutions in Australia, which qualitatively explored the online learning experience for undergraduate and postgraduate students. The project adopted a narrative inquiry approach and encouraged students to story their experiences of this virtual environment, providing a snapshot of how learning is experienced by those undertaking online studies. The study explores what impacted upon students' engagement in this environment and how different facets of their learning experience made a qualitative difference to how individuals enacted engagement. Drawing upon Sharon Pittaway's engagement framework, the article seeks to foreground student voice as the learners define …

The Teacher Care Project: Enhancing Motivation, Engagement And Effort Of A-Motivated Students, Dana J. Perlman

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of different relatedness supportive settings on the motivation, engagement and effort of a-motivated students in secondary physical education. 147 a-motivated students from 5 schools were taught in a setting that was either high or low in support for their need of relatedness. Data were collected using a pretest and posttest design to examine a-motivated student's level of motivation, engagement and effort. Repeated measures ANOVA's with follow-up comparisons were utilized to analyze the data. Results indicated that students engaged in the high supportive setting significantly increased their levels of motivation, engagement …

Catalytic Teaching: A Teaching Equation Transfers To Enhanced Student Learning, Claire Rogerson, Gerard Chomicz

Journal of Student Engagement: Education Matters

This paper proposes that the teaching equation – where students, their levels of engagement and motivation create lifelong learners – is achieved with catalytic teaching approaches. Positive teaching practices are integral to the effective running of everyday classrooms, with teacher–student relationships important to the overall emotional and cognitive development of students. Three practical approaches are proposed, to implement aspects of the teaching equation for enhanced student learning. Using catalytic teaching ensures all students have access to positive teaching practices, leading to better student emotional and learning outcomes.

The Engagement Of Social Media Technologies By Undergraduate Informatics Students For Academic Purpose In Malaysia, Jane Lim See Yin, Shirley Agostinho, Barry Harper, Joe F. Chicharo

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The increase usage and employment of Social Media Technologies (SMTs) in personal, business and education activities is credited to the advancement of Internet broadband services, mobile devices, smart phones and web-based technologies. Informatics programs are technological-oriented in nature, hence students and academics themselves would arguably be quite adept at using SMTs. Students undertaking Informatics programs are trained to thrive in challenging, advanced technical environments as manifestations of the fast-paced world of Information Technology. Students must be able to think logically and learn “how to learn” as “knowledge upon demand” is one of the expected capabilities of Informatics graduates. This rapid …

Monitoring Policy And Actions On Food Environments: Rationale And Outline Of The Informas Policy Engagement And Communication Strategies, H Brinsden, T Lobstein, J Landon, V Kraak, G Sacks, S Kumanyika, Boyd A. Swinburn, S Barquera, Sharon Friel, C Hawkes, Bridget Kelly, M L'Abbe, A Lee, J Ma, J Macmullen, S Mohan, C Monteiro, Bruce Neal, M Rayner, D Sanders, W Snowdon, S Vandevijvere, C Walker

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The International Network for Food and Obesity/non-communicable diseases Research, Monitoring and Action Support (INFORMAS) proposes to collect performance indicators on food policies, actions and environments related to obesity and non-communicable diseases. This paper reviews existing communications strategies used for performance indicators and proposes the approach to be taken for INFORMAS. Twenty-seven scoring and rating tools were identified in various fields of public health including alcohol, tobacco, physical activity, infant feeding and food environments. These were compared based on the types of indicators used and how they were quantified, scoring methods, presentation and the communication and reporting strategies used. There are …

Online Practice & Offline Roles: A Cultural View Of Teachers’ Low Engagement In Online Communities, Sarah Howard, Jonathan Mckeown

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

An online community of practice (CoP) can extend teachers’ professional interaction beyond their school, but these practices are often underutilized. Using cultural theory, this paper proposes that teachers’ low engagement in online CoPs is that this “practice” is not part of their role as a teacher, individually or in their school culture. These ideas are examined through teachers’ low engagement in an online CoP as part of a research project. Findings suggest that teachers saw the online community as part of their role in the project, not as part of their “offline” role as a classroom teacher. The discussion conjectures …

Consent And Public Engagement In An Era Of Expanded Childhood Immunisation, Julie Leask, Annette J. Braunack-Mayer, Ian Kerridge

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Childhood immunisation programmes have seen well‐heralded successes in disease control. An increasing number of scheduled vaccines, narrowing risk–benefit ratios and public attention to vaccine safety raise new questions about consent. We first explore the challenges that this highly dynamic environment poses for valid consent. Then, we broaden this discussion to wider public engagement by suggesting how the public – the bearers of vaccine risk and benefit – can be better involved in immunisation policy.

Parent-School Engagement: Exploring The Concept Of 'Invisible' Indigenous Parents In Three North Australian School Communities, Richard D. Chenhall, Catherine Holmes, Tess Lea, Kate Senior, Aggie Wegner

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This report explores school-­‐parent engagement in three town-­‐based schools in the Northern Territory of Australia. Undertaken over a three year period between 2008 and 2010, the research team worked in partnership with The Smith Family and participating schools— Karama Primary School in Darwin; Moulden Park Primary School in Palmerston; and MacFarlane Primary School in Katherine-to explore what parents have to say about the schools that their Indigenous children attend and about education more broadly.

The research applied an exploratory case study approach using a mix of ethnographic and interview techniques. We observed children, parents and school environments; interviewed parents, teachers, …

Hearing The Student Voice - Examining The Processes Of Transition, Persistence And Engagement For A Group Of First Year, First In Family University Students, Sarah O'Shea

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This paper outlines a qualitative, narrative study that focuses on the student experience as it relates to a particular cohort of students namely women who are the first in the family to attend university. Seventeen students were recruited to participate in a series of four semi-structured interviews conducted throughout one academic year. These interviews investigated the processes involved in transition as well as the perceptions held about engaging in tertiary study and the hurdles encountered during the year. The research accompanied the students as each travelled through the university environment, exploring what it means to be a 'first-year student'. The …

Metacognitive Engagement During Field-Trip Experiences: A Case Study Of Students In An Amusement Park Physics Program, Wendy S. Nielsen, Samson Nashon, David Anderson

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

This paper reports on a study that investigated students' metacognitive engagement of in both out-of-school and classroom settings, as they participated in an amusement park physics program. Students from two schools that participated in the program worked in groups to collectively solve novel physics problems that engaged their individual metacognition. Their conversations and behavioral dispositions during problem solving were digitally audio-recorded on devices that they wore or placed on the tables where groups worked on the assigned physics problems. The students also maintained reflection journals on the strategies they employed to manage their own understanding as well as learning processes. …

The New Symbolic Space: The Use Of Popular Culture As Tools Of Engagement, Philip R. Fitzsimmons, Barbra Mckenzie

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

This paper will argue that young children are rapidly becoming the ‘new rich’ in regard to engaging with, understanding and exploiting the many forms of popular culture found in Australian society. While politicians, teachers and administrators argue and debate ‘skill acquisition’ and mastery over conventions, we will argue that children are tending to ignore school based texts and are engaging in reading texts that represent a ‘new interiorisation’ of cultural understanding and are using a new set of associated reading skills. At the turn of the new millennium Brockmeier predicted that reading as a skills based approach is only the …

Playing With Texts: Classroom Practices For Enriching Young Readers' Engagement With Texts, Pauline J. Harris, Barbra Mckenzie

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

This paper explores ways in which teachers may build bridges across children's home, community and school texts. It does so by looking at how children's texts form networks of relationships inside and beyond the text. These relationships significantly shape ways in which a reader interacts with the text in hand, other texts that the text-in- hand calls up, and other texts that the reader brings to bear. Further, these relationships provide teachers with valuable means for bridging children's home, school and community texts and literacy experiences. In exploring these relationships, implications for young readers and for classroom practices are described.