Education Commons^™

Multilingual Zambia - Language Issues In Primary/Secondary Schools Of The Eastern/Southern Provinces, Kenzie Steiner

NUTR/GLST 498b: Global Research Experiences in Nutrition and Health

Introduction: Zambia is a multilingual country that uses 8 different languages for instruction including English and 7 other indigenous languages.

Methods: Survey research conducted between May-June 2022 on 6-7th graders within 9 Zambian schools. Classroom observations made and teachers interviewed.

Results: In Eastern and Southern Provinces, Zambian teachers speak an average of 5 languages while students speak an average of 2. Both teachers and students say English remains the most important language followed by first languages.

Conclusion: Continued research on language-in-education policies and impacts on student performance must be conducted if “One Zambia, One Nation” is meant to promote all …

Primary Specialisations In Australia: Graduates’ Perceptions Of Outcome And Impact, Susan Main, Matt Byrne, Joseph Scott, Kevin Sullivan, Annamaria Paolino, Eileen Slater, Jason Boron

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In 2014, the Australian Government established the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) to advise on how teacher education programmes could ensure new teachers were adequately prepared for the classroom. Following this, the Australian Government endorsed a key recommendation of the TEMAG Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers report, the inclusion of specialisations in primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE). This research was conducted at an Australian public university that, in 2016, had embedded specialisations in a revised primary teacher programme structure and was one of the first ITE institutions in Australia to graduate primary teachers with a specialisation. Using a mixed-methods …

Using Song To Teach Sight Words, Taylor Hagood Guin

Graduate Research Showcase

This research is about how a group of seven kindergarten classes used a short and straightforward song to recognize the following six common kindergarten sight words: on, off, up, us, no, & go. As a current music educator and former middle grades English teacher, I wanted to create an opportunity to establish cross-curricular connections in my music classroom. For this specific experiment, seven different classes, including General Education, Self-Contained Special Education, and English Language Learning classes, were selected. They were taught these six sight word songs through the “Sight Word Song.” I selected the sight words specifically because the students …

Investigating Primary Preservice Teachers’ Ultraviolet Radiation Awareness And Perceived Ability To Teach Sun Safety, Joseph Scott, Robyn Johnston, Mark Strickland, Jill Darby, Elin Gray

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Issue addressed

Sun protection practices in Australian primary schools remain inconsistent. Therefore, this study investigates primary PSTs sun protective sun behaviours, ultraviolet (UV) radiation awareness and perceived ability to teach sun safety.

Methods

A convenience sample of undergraduate PSTs (N = 275; mean age = 23.13 years) enrolled at one Western Australian university completed an online survey. Descriptive analyses provided features of the data. Factors associated with sun protection behaviours and perceived knowledge and skill to teach sun safety were explored using multivariable logistic regression models.

Results

Lesser than 10% of participants reported using sun protective measures daily (midday shade …

Social Value And Its Impact Through Widening Participation: A Review Of Four Programs Working With Primary, Secondary & Higher Education Students, Jioji Ravulo, Shannon Said, Jim Micsko, Gayl Purchase

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In 2017 the Office of Widening Participation conducted a program- wide analysis of the Social Return On Investment (SROI) to evaluate the impact of four Widening Participation programs at Western Sydney University (WSU). The programs evaluated were Fast Forward, Strive Towards Educational Participation and Success (STEPS), First Foot Forward, and Pasifika Achievement To Higher Education (PATHE). The overlapping aim amongst the four programs is to increase higher education participation rates, particularly for students coming from low socio-economic backgrounds. The SROI framework provided a holistic analysis by intertwining qualitative and quantitative data. The analysis showed that each program-albeit with differences-produced a …

The Impact Of Within-Class Grouping Vs. Within-Grade Grouping, Johannah Bloemendaal

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project was to compare two types of ability grouping and if one type had more of an impact than the other in a primary classroom. In this study, one type of ability grouping, known as within class ability grouping was implemented in one second grade classroom in 2017-2018. Another type of ability grouping was implemented the next year where all three of second grade classrooms were grouped according to ability, which is considered to be within grade ability grouping. Students were assessed with the AddVantage+MR (AVMR) assessment to determine placement. Then they were placed …

Primary Goals, Information-Giving And Men's Understanding: A Qualitative Study Of Australian And Uk Doctors' Varied Communication About Psa Screening, Kristen Pickles, Stacy M. Carter, Lucie Rychetnik, Kirsten Mccaffery, Vikki A. Entwistle

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objectives (1) To characterise variation in general practitioners' (GPs') accounts of communicating with men about prostate cancer screening using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, (2) to characterise GPs' reasons for communicating as they do and (3) to explain why and under what conditions GP communication approaches vary. Study design and setting A grounded theory study. We interviewed 69 GPs consulting in primary care practices in Australia (n=40) and the UK (n=29). Results GPs explained their communication practices in relation to their primary goals. In Australia, three different communication goals were reported: to encourage asymptomatic men to either have a PSA …

Using Unannounced Standardised Patients As A Quality Improvement Tool To Improve Primary Care, Heike Schutze, Elizabeth Harris, Mark Fort Harris

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at the 2nd International Conference on General Practice & Primary Care, 18-19 September 2017, Zurich, Switzerland

Victorian Teacher Supply And Demand Report 2012 And 2013, Paul R. Weldon, Chandra Shah, Glenn Rowley

School and system improvement

This report provides forecasts of the supply and demand for teachers in Victoria from 2014 to 2020. The teaching workforce includes all teachers from K to 12. This is the tenth in the series of such reports, the first of which was released in 2001. Unlike previous reports, this one includes a section on Early Childhood and has more extensive analysis of the future demand for teachers in the state.

Activating Primary Care Copd Patients With Multi-Morbidity (Apcom) Pilot Project, Sameera Ansari, Hassan Hosseinzadeh, Sarah Dennis, Nicholas Arnold Zwar

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract from the 8th International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) World Conference, 25-28 May 2016, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Use Of Mobile And Cordless Phones And Cognition In Australian Primary School Children: A Prospective Cohort Study, Mary Redmayne, Catherine L. Smith, Geza Benke, Rodney J. Croft, Anna Dalecki, Christina Dimitriadis, Jordy Kaufman, Skye Macleod, Malcolm R. Sim, Rory Wolfe, Michael J. Abramson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Use of mobile (MP) and cordless phones (CP) is common among young children, but whether the resulting radiofrequency exposure affects development of cognitive skills is not known. Small changes have been found in older children. This study focused on children's exposures to MP and CP and cognitive development. The hypothesis was that children who used these phones would display differences in cognitive function compared to those who did not. Methods: We recruited 619 fourth-grade students (8-11 years) from 37 schools around Melbourne and Wollongong, Australia. Participants completed a short questionnaire, a computerised cognitive test battery, and the Stroop colour-word …

Physical Activity And Fitness Outcomes Of A Lifestyle Intervention For Primary Care Patients With Depression And Anxiety: A Randomised Controlled Trial, Adrienne Forsyth, Frank P. Deane, Peter G. Williams

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Patients currently being treated for depression and/or anxiety were referred by their GP and randomised to a 12-week individually tailored diet and exercise lifestyle intervention or an attention control group. Assessments at baseline and 12 weeks included the Active Australia Survey for self-reported physical activity, chair stands, arm curls and a 3-min step test to measure physical fitness. Intent-to-treat analyses using linear mixed modelling showed both groups significantly improved participation in physical activity and muscular endurance. There were no significant differences in improvement between groups. The only group by time interaction was found for body mass index and indicated greater …

Primary Healthcare System Of Pakistan: Challenges To Self-Management Of Type 2 Diabetes, Rashid M. Ansari, Hassan Hosseinzadeh, Nicholas Arnold Zwar

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This review article is aimed at describing the primary healthcare system of Pakistan and its challenges in the face of epidemic of type 2 diabetes, focusing particularly on the middle-aged population of rural area of Pakistan. The main concern in Pakistan is that its middle-aged population is facing the onslaught of obesity and overweight due to lack of physical activity. In addition unhealthy eating habits making it more difficult for this population to control their weight. All these factors are contributing to a high risk of type 2 diabetes for the population of Pakistan. This article provides insight into the …

From Arrays To Algebra, Lorraine Day

Education Conference Papers

By identifying the learning experiences that need to be developed in the primary school, and how secondary teachers can build on these experiences, ensures solid algebraic understanding and a smooth transition between primary and secondary mathematics. Using concrete materials, within a concrete-representational-abstract pedagogical approach, may be seen as one among many methods that contribute to the overall process of developing algebraic skills. Linking an area-based model to previous understandings involving numbers should assist the conceptual understanding of algebraic expansion and factorisation to ensure that students are not just fluent in algebraic manipulation but also understand how the processes work.

Doctors' Approaches To Psa Testing And Overdiagnosis In Primary Healthcare: A Qualitative Study, Kristen Pickles, Stacy M. Carter, Lucie Rychetnik

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objectives (1) To explain general practitioners' (GPs') approaches to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and overdiagnosis; (2) to explain how GPs reason about their PSA testing routines and (3) to explain how these routines influence GPs' personal experience as clinicians. Setting Primary care practices in Australia including men's health clinics and rural practices with variable access to urology services. Participants 32 urban and rural GPs within Australia. We included GPs of varying ages, gender (11 female), clinical experience and patient populations. All GPs interested in participating in the study were included. Primary and secondary outcome measure(s) Data were analysed using grounded …

How Primary School Students Can Self-Manage Cognitive Load When Presented With Redundant Information, Faisal Mirza, Shirley Agostinho, Sharon K. Tindall-Ford, Fred Paas

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at the 8th Cognitive Load Theory Conference, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, June 15th - 17th, 2015.

How Finger Tracing Of Temperature Graphs On An Ipad Can Support Primary School Students' Learning, Shirley Agostinho, Sharon K. Tindall-Ford, Paul Ginns, Steven J. Howard, Wayne Leahy, Fred Paas

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at the 8th Cognitive Load Theory Conference, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, June 15th - 17th, 2015.

Modelling The Contribution Of Walking Between Home And School To Daily Physical Activity In Primary Age Children, Rebecca M. Stanley, Carol Maher, James Dollman

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background

The purpose of this study was to identify the independent association of frequency of walking trips between home and school with daily physical activity in a sample of school-aged children.

Methods

Participants were 109 children (mean age = 12.05 years [±0.71]) attending nine primary schools in Adelaide, South Australia. Physical activity was derived from accelerometers with total counts as the outcome variable. Transport patterns were self-reported for each of the previous five school days. Walking trips were summed for each day and across the school week. The relationship between the number of active transport journeys and individual school day …

Activating Primary Care Copd Patients With Multi-Morbidity (Apcom) Pilot Project: Study Protocol, Sameera Ansari, Hassan Hosseinzadeh, Sarah Dennis, Nicholas Arnold Zwar

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Poster presented at the 2015 Primary Health Care Research Conference, 29-31 July 2015, Adelaide, Australia.

Adventures With Mr Monkey: Stimulating Creative Writing In The Primary School Classroom Through Play, Chloe Gordon

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The importance of learning through play is now accepted as an integral component of early childhood classrooms. However, including opportunities for play in the primary school classroom can be challenging when competing with an overcrowded school curriculum. In this article I share my reflections on how I used play to stimulate my Year one students' creative writing in 2013.

Research In Action: Leading Literacy Learning In Primary Schools: Final Report 2013 - 2014, Deslea Konza

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

PALL Plus was funded by a Public Education Endowment Trust (PEET) grant and was conducted with the leaders of 12 primary schools serving low socio-economic communities in metropolitan Perth throughout 2013 and 2014. It was a development of the Principals as Literacy Leaders (PALL) pilot project funded by the Commonwealth Government in 2009-10, which was designed to assist primary school principals across Australia to develop their capacity to lead the teaching of reading in their schools...

Diagnosis Of Copd In The Context Of Multi-Morbidity: Primary Care Patients' Perspectives, Sameera Ansari, Hassan Hosseinzadeh, Sarah Dennis, Nicholas Arnold Zwar

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Presentation made at the PHAA 43rd Annual Conference, 15-17 September 2014, Perth, Australia.

Using The Cycle Of Learning To Differentiate For Students With Diverse Needs In Primary Schools, Amanda A. Webster

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Teachers are increasingly required to teach students with diverse needs in today's schools. The aim of the current study was to trial an action-planning and mentoring process based on the Cycle of Learning pedagogical framework to help teachers and school leaders plan and implement effective practices for students with diverse needs in their classrooms. Openended interviews were utilised to evaluate outcomes for students and teachers as a result of their work with mentors and the action-planning process. Participants reported they had more confidence and skills to teach students with diverse needs and students were more engaged.

Effects Of Problem Solving After Worked Example Study On Primary School Children's Monitoring Accuracy, Martine Baars, Tamara Van Gog, Anique De Bruin, Fred Paas

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Research on expository text has shown that the accuracy of students' judgments of learning (JOLs) can be improved by instructional interventions that allow students to test their knowledge of the text. The present study extends this research, investigating whether allowing students to test the knowledge they acquired from studying a worked example by means of solving an identical problem, either immediately or delayed, would enhance JOL accuracy. Fifth grade children (i) gave an immediate JOL, (ii) a delayed JOL, (iii) solved a problem immediately and then gave a JOL, (iv) solved a problem immediately and gave a delayed JOL, or …

Improving Awareness, Attitudes And Uptake Of The Australian Physical A Ctivity G Uidelines Among Primary School Students, Their Teachers And Parents, Lyn Phillipson, Danika Hall

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at the International Social Marketing Conference 2014, 17-18 July 2014, Melbourne, Australia

People With Multiple Unhealthy Lifestyles Are Less Likely To Consult Primary Healthcare, Xiaoqi Feng, Federico Girosi, Ian S. Mcrae

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Behavioural interventions are often implemented within primary healthcare settings to prevent type 2 diabetes and other lifestyle-related diseases. Although smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and poor diet are associated with poorer health that may lead a person to consult a general practitioner (GP), previous work has shown that unhealthy lifestyles cluster among low socioeconomic groups who are less likely to seek primary healthcare. Therefore, it is uncertain whether behavioural interventions in primary healthcare are reaching those in most need. This study investigated patterns of GP consultations in relation to the clustering of unhealthy lifestyles among a large sample of …

People With Multiple Unhealthy Lifestyles Are Less Likely To Consult Primary Healthcare. Evidence From 267,153 Australians, Xiaoqi Feng, Federico Girosi, Ian S. Mcrae

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at the Society for Social Medicine 58th Annual Scientific Meeting, 10-12 September 2014, Oxford, United Kingdom

A Brief Report On Primary Care Service Area Catchment Geographies In New South Wales Australia, Soumya Mazumdar, Xiaoqi Feng, Paul Konings, Ian S. Mcrae, Federico Girosi

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background To develop a method to use survey data to establish catchment areas of primary care or Primary Care Service Areas. Primary Care Service Areas are small areas, the majority of patients resident in which obtain their primary care services from within the geography. Methods The data are from a large health survey (n =267,153, year 2006-2009) linked to General Practitioner service use data (year 2002-2010) from New South Wales, Australia. Our methods broadly follow those used previously by researchers in the United States of America and Switzerland, with significant modifications to improve robustness. This algorithm allocates post code areas …

Impact Of Copd Diagnosis In The Face Of Multi-Morbidity: Primary Care Patients' Perspectives, Sameera Ansari, Hassan Hosseinzadeh, Sarah Dennis, Nicholas Arnold Zwar

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Poster presented at the 2014 Primary Health Care Research Conference, 23-25 July 2014, Canberra, Australia

Responding To The Evidence: Synthetic Phonics In Action: Final Report: Keys To Unlocking The Future 2012-2013, Deslea Konza

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This project aimed to develop the capacity of primary teachers and School Support Officers (SSOs) to deliver a synthetic phonics program to beginning and struggling readers in 12 primary schools in the Yorke and Mid North region of South Australia. It was designed to ‘value-add’ to the Principals as Literacy Leaders (PALL) project which had been implemented in the region over the previous three years, and to build a critical mass of skilled teachers in a region that usually scored below average in reading on NAPLAN assessments.

A synthetic phonics program refers to one that teaches the alphabetic code or …