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Articles 1 - 29 of 29
Full-Text Articles in Education
A Study Of The Use Of Graphic Organiser Software To Support The Development Of Organisational And Problem Solving Skills In A Middle School Curriculum, Suzanne Bursey
Theses : Honours
Early adolescence, classified from 10-14 years, is an important stage of development where thinking, planning and reasoning skills are evolving. Many young adolescents in this age group encounter problems with these skills in the transition from primary school to high school. Middle school is an educational context which focusses on the provision of support for young adolescents in this transitional period. Graphic organizer software is a program designed to help users visualize problems and organize information into logical structures. This study considered the conditions under which the problem solving and organizational skills of middle school students can be enhanced using …
The Practice Of Homework : A Critical Ethnography : The Story Of Four Families, Jacqueline Hubbard
The Practice Of Homework : A Critical Ethnography : The Story Of Four Families, Jacqueline Hubbard
Theses : Honours
This thesis explores the homework experiences of four students and their families through the lens of critical inquiry. The stories of the participants are told through conversational interviews with students and their parents/caregivers, as well as their classroom teacher, in a bounded study. Drawing on these stories, the issue of homework is 'problematised', and analysed in light of issues such as institutional power and hegemony. A critical review of the literature reveals a significant gap in the existing research on homework in relation to the inclusion of student and parent voices. The study addresses this silence by listening to the …
The Development Of A Valid And Reliable Instrument To Assess Constructivist Practices In Primary Classrooms, Bianca Herlihy
The Development Of A Valid And Reliable Instrument To Assess Constructivist Practices In Primary Classrooms, Bianca Herlihy
Theses : Honours
This study investigates the development of an instrument to measure teachers' constructivist practices in their classrooms. The Department of Education Curriculum Framework for Western Australia is based on a constructivist learning environment, and this study has sought to develop an instrument for exploring individual Western Australian teachers utilisation of a constructivist learning environment in their classrooms. While there are a number of studies relating to constructivist classroom practices, the literature review indicates that there is little research about actual practice in a Western Australian primary school context. The instrument was developed from an extensive review of the literature. Key theorists …
The Effects Of Incorporating A Word Processor Into A Writing Program: Seven Individual Case Studies, Natalie Beck
The Effects Of Incorporating A Word Processor Into A Writing Program: Seven Individual Case Studies, Natalie Beck
Theses : Honours
Writing is a "complex interplay of social, physical, and cognitive factors" (Daiute, 1985a, p.1) and an essential part of every young child's school life. However, "every school has at least a few children who can be classified as non-writers" (Aumack, 1985, p.46). Some children are often inhibited and "frustrated when they attempt to express themselves with pencil and paper'' (Aumack, 1985, p.46) and are put off by the thought of writing, erasing and rewriting, thus producing "children who do not want to write" (Aumack, 1985. p.46). In response to these statements, this qualitative study examined the effects of incorporating a …
Lower Secondary Student Attitudes Towards Social Studies In A Catholic School, Ekaterina Thiveos
Lower Secondary Student Attitudes Towards Social Studies In A Catholic School, Ekaterina Thiveos
Theses : Honours
This case study examined lower secondary student attitudes towards social studies and identified the factors that influenced attitudes in one Catholic secondary school located in the Perth metropolitan area. A total of 4 75 students were enrolled in Years 8 to 10 at the school in 1999. A modified version of Student Attitudes Towards Social Studies (Moroz 1996) questionnaire with 94 items, was utilised to gauge secondary student attitudes towards the learning area. A total of 421 lower secondary students participated in the survey. The data was analysed using the statistical software package SPSS 9. 0 for Windows, where descriptive …
Year 9 Student Attitudes Toward Social Studies In A Western Australian Government High School : A Case Study, Leah Elizabeth Anne Hansberry
Year 9 Student Attitudes Toward Social Studies In A Western Australian Government High School : A Case Study, Leah Elizabeth Anne Hansberry
Theses : Honours
This study identifies the status of social studies in one metropolitan Government secondary school in Western Australia. This was achieved by investigating the attitudes of Year 9 students, at the case study school, toward the subject and by identifying the factors responsible for influencing these attitudes. A focus of the study was to explore the impact of student gender on attitudes toward the learning area. The underlying theoretical basis for the study contends that attitude toward social studies is a function of the interrelationship of student, teacher and learning environment variables. The empirical database for the study was quasi-experimental in …
An Evaluation Of Digital Chisel 3.0 As A Multimedia Authoring Tool In A Year Seven Classroom, Robert Richardson
An Evaluation Of Digital Chisel 3.0 As A Multimedia Authoring Tool In A Year Seven Classroom, Robert Richardson
Theses : Honours
Most commercial interactive multimedia authoring packages are designed to be used by teachers and trainers to build commercial training or classroom teaching applications (Handler, Dana, Peters & Moor, 1995; Magel, 1997). The evolution of interactive multimedia technologies however, has made it possible for students to become actively involved in creating their own interactive multimedia projects, and in so doing, gain considerable learning benefit (Lehrer 1993). Facilitating this in the classroom and particularly at the Year Seven level, requires the use of a cost-effective, purpose-built authoring tool. Digital Chisel 3.0 (DC3), was developed by Pierian Spring Software (1997), as just such …
How Do Family Members Perceive, Understand And Explain The Experience Of Homework? : A Case Study Of Four Families, Cathryn Voak
How Do Family Members Perceive, Understand And Explain The Experience Of Homework? : A Case Study Of Four Families, Cathryn Voak
Theses : Honours
The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine family member perceptions and experiences of homework. More broadly, it seeks to illuminate the nature and social function of homework practices in families and in so doing, highlights the complex relationship between schools and family life. The study involved four families and their experiences of homework. The families were selected on the basis that the parents came from a range of socio-economic backgrounds which may impact upon their children's attitudes and experiences of homework and schooling. The approach adopted to investigate this phenomenon is that of case study. Specifically, this case …
Stories Of School : Perspectives Of The Low Literate Adult, Anne Shipway
Stories Of School : Perspectives Of The Low Literate Adult, Anne Shipway
Theses : Honours
This thesis explores the school experiences of low literate adults through their perspective recognising that the 'voice' of the low literate adult is absent from the arena of adult literacy research. Stories are co-constructed by the participant and the researcher with particular emphasis on mai1uaining the voice of the research participant. Through this thesis I argue that the inclusion of the low literate adults perspective is an essential element in gaining a deeper understanding of themes and issues which impact on literacy attainment.
A Caregiver's Perceptions And Practices In Relation To Her Speech To An Under 2-Year-Old Age Group In A Childcare Centre, Irene Wong
Theses : Honours
The objective of this study was to investigate what a caregiver sees as her role in relation to young children's oral language development. This study examines her perceptions and beliefs, as well as the various activities that she thinks facilitates language development with under 2-year-old children. The main focus of the study is her language interactions with the children while they took part in three activities. The investigation involved qualitative case study research to collect the oral language interactions between the caregiver and the young children and the activities she provides. The features of the caregiver's speech to young children …
An Investigation Into How Year Two Children Use Drawing And Writing Together To Produce A Narrative, Kelly J. Joice
An Investigation Into How Year Two Children Use Drawing And Writing Together To Produce A Narrative, Kelly J. Joice
Theses : Honours
This study was designed to investigate how Year Two children use drawing and writing together to produce a narrative. The participants in this study were one class from a metropolitan, co-educational, independent school. A qualitative descriptive case study approach was selected for this investigation. The researcher collected data by conducting four sessions in which the participants were given the opportunity to write and draw together to produce a narrative. The narrative written and drawn documents were then organised into categories. Each of these categories indicated the common relationships between drawing and writing evident in the children's work. The results of …
The Effectiveness Of Using Drama In Presenting Spiritual Material To School Students, Geoff Pollard
The Effectiveness Of Using Drama In Presenting Spiritual Material To School Students, Geoff Pollard
Theses : Honours
This thesis is concerned with determining the effectiveness of using drama in presenting spiritual material to school students. As a performer in schools I often wondered if the "magic" of the stage was what the students identified with or whether in addition they were also understanding and learning spiritual truths. As an undergraduate religious student I was exposed to the research of Goldman who concluded that Scripture teaching in Primary Schools should be minimised because he believed the students were incapable of understanding parables and miracles. I looked back on my school performance years and the warm reception given to …
Young Children's Understanding Of Design In The Technology Process, Jean E. O'Sullivan
Young Children's Understanding Of Design In The Technology Process, Jean E. O'Sullivan
Theses : Honours
This study explored the development of children's thinking when social constructivist principles of learning were implemented through technological experiences. The study monitored the development of children's understanding of “design" through project work, using classroom based action research. In addition to investigating children's understandings, the study explored the use of technology in early childhood curriculum to develop the skills said to be required in the next millennium. The study found that five year old children are capable of "designing" and that technology is an effective vehicle for developing socially, contextually and culturally appropriate learning experiences.
A Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Gross Motor Rhythm Imitation Training And Verbalised Rhythm Imitation Training In Developing Rhythm Imitation Skills In Pre-Primary Children, Liane Molewyk
Theses : Honours
The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Gross-motor Rhythm Imitation Training and Verbalised Rhythm Imitation Training in developing rhythm imitation skills in pre-primary children. Students of two pre-primary classes, with the same teacher, from a middle class metropolitan, co-educational government school were the participants in the research. One class was involved in the Gross-motor Rhythm Imitation Training Programme and the other in the Verbalised Rhythm Imitation Training Programme. The training programme was conducted four days a week for eight consecutive weeks. The researcher devised a ‘Rhythm Imitation Test' which was conducted before and after the training …
The Implementation Of First Steps In Four Primary Classrooms, Janet Hunter
The Implementation Of First Steps In Four Primary Classrooms, Janet Hunter
Theses : Honours
The First Steps Project was developed by the Education Department of Western Australia to facilitate literacy learning of students who were perceived to be "at risk". The project has resulted in state-wide professional development for teachers, and the subsequent marketing of the program interstate and overseas. The purpose of this study is to present an insight into the various ways that teachers use First Steps in their classrooms and to discover where different teachers stand within the theoretical framework of language learning, and what orientation and experiences lead them to make the planning, teaching and evaluation choices they make. The …
Accountability Perceptions Of Passive Students In Cooperative Learning, Narelle Day
Accountability Perceptions Of Passive Students In Cooperative Learning, Narelle Day
Theses : Honours
Cooperative learning is being widely adopted as an effective strategy to increase student academic learning in a social setting. A significant concern is that some students have been observed to remain passive during cooperative learning. Active participation in the group process is required for effective learning. Student Accountability, for their own and other group members learning, is one factor influencing student participation. To modify passive behaviour, the students' self-perceptions of accountability influencing the behaviour must be identified. Passive students' perceptions in cooperative learning have been explored by few researchers. There is a dearth of published of research about student perceptions …
Teacher's Perceptions Of The Introduction Of A Middle School Within A Western Australian Independent Girls' School, S. M. Lienert
Teacher's Perceptions Of The Introduction Of A Middle School Within A Western Australian Independent Girls' School, S. M. Lienert
Theses : Honours
In 1995 an independent girls' school in Perth, Western Australia, decided to introduce a Middle School. 'This meant changing the traditional structure of grouping children aged between 5 and 12 years into primary school and children aged between 13 and 17 years into secondary school. The aim of the Middle School was to provide increased educational opportunities for 12 to 14 year old students. When the introduction of a Middle School was announced teaching staff expressed a number of concerns with respect to their new roles and the new school operations. These concerns raised questions about whether years of teaching …
Perceptions Of Lower Secondary Design And Technology Teachers About The Utilisation Of The Design Process, Desire Mallet
Perceptions Of Lower Secondary Design And Technology Teachers About The Utilisation Of The Design Process, Desire Mallet
Theses : Honours
This study investigated the perceptions of lower secondary school teachers about the utilisation of a design process. Seven Design and Technology teachers from government and private secondary schools, situated in Perth metropolitan area, were selected. The participants have been using a design process in lower secondary school for at least eighteen months prior to the study. Each participant was interviewed individually and the interviews were audio-recorded. The Education Department of Western Australia considers a design process as a central element in the Technology and Enterprise learning area of the Student Outcome Statements. However, not much is known about how this …
Victorian Modern Cursive Handwriting In West Australian Schools, Deborah Ann Taylor
Victorian Modern Cursive Handwriting In West Australian Schools, Deborah Ann Taylor
Theses : Honours
The Victorian Modern Cursive script was introduced to Western Australia as the newly recommended handwriting style in 1990. The choice of this handwriting style, which is a foundation style similar to the Simple Modern Hand (Gourdie, 1981), was based upon the prediction that its use would facilitate the transition from beginners' script to full cursive writing. This assumption has not been tested in West Australian schools and hitherto no evaluation of the new handwriting model has been conducted. This study set out to evaluate and compare the legibility and fluency of cursive writing of a group of Year 3 children …
Word Reading Strategies: A Replication And Follow Up Intervention, Andrew Davoll
Word Reading Strategies: A Replication And Follow Up Intervention, Andrew Davoll
Theses : Honours
The first stage of this study involved a replication of the cluster analysts procedures used by Freebody and Byrne (1988) to classify Year 2 readers according to their word reading strategies based on lists of irregular and pseudowords. A four-cluster-solution produced three groups similar to those reported by Freebody and Byrne (1988), and a fourth group which could not be classified using their criteria. A three-cluster-solution produced a more parsimonious interpretation, with these groups meeting the criteria for "LB" (low on both Irregular and pseudowords), "HB" (high on both), and "Phoenician" readers (average or above on pseudoword, low on irregular …
The Effects Of Different Methods Of Cloze Test Construction And Their Relationship With A Standardised Reading Comprehension Test, Trevor Michael Edward Forde
The Effects Of Different Methods Of Cloze Test Construction And Their Relationship With A Standardised Reading Comprehension Test, Trevor Michael Edward Forde
Theses : Honours
The purpose of this study is to provide guidelines to classroom teachers for the construction of valid and reliable cloze comprehension tests. Review of the related literature suggested there are many diverse and contradictary opinions as to the most appropriate method of constructing cloze tests. The subjects were 49 Year 5 primary school children from two metropolitan schools. Three different comprehension tests were administered. The Gap Reading Comprehension Test and two Cloze Comprehension Tests consisting of 50 and 100 word deletions, in which the deletions began at either the fifth or sixth word of the second sentence. The Cloze Tests …
An Analysis Of Errors Made Both On Computer Administered Tests And Paper And Pencil Tests And A Comparison Between Them, Gary Fullarton
An Analysis Of Errors Made Both On Computer Administered Tests And Paper And Pencil Tests And A Comparison Between Them, Gary Fullarton
Theses : Honours
Sound assessment is essential in mathematics education. Computer Administered Testing is one measuring device being researched for the assessment of mathematics. A concern with the advent of Computer Administered Testing is the possibility that the mode of testing influences how students perform on tests (Bugbee & Bernt 1990; Ring 1993). This study applied Newman Error Analysis Interviews to investigate if first year Bachelor of Arts Primary Education students exhibit different error patterns for mathematics test items in a Computer Administered System compared with those in an equivalent Paper and Pencil Test. The implementation of the Computer Administered Test did not …
The Use Of Generic Teaching Materials Versus Brand Specific Teaching Materials With Home Economics Food And Nutrition Students, Lyn Blackwell
The Use Of Generic Teaching Materials Versus Brand Specific Teaching Materials With Home Economics Food And Nutrition Students, Lyn Blackwell
Theses : Honours
Studies have found that between 80 and 90 percent of home economics teachers use commercially sponsored teaching materials in their classrooms. The literature suggests that in some cases teachers do not have the skills for evaluating these materials and may be unsuspectingly endorsing the products used in their classrooms. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not the use of brand specific teaching materials had the potential to influence the development of brand awareness in Year 8 Food for Fitness students exposed to these materials. Test instruments which reflect Fishbein's theory of reasoned action were developed to …
The Effects Of Combining Direct Instruction, Metacognitive Instruction And Co-Operative Learning Strategies To Teaching Summarizing To Year 6 Students, D. A. Bergin
Theses : Honours
Summarizing is one of several study skills students are asked to do as evidence of their ability to learn from texts and it is one which students find difficult. Research suggests that part of the difficulty students experience with summarizing is due to the lack of instruction students received in summary writing and the quality of that instruction. Therefore the purpose of this study was to design an instructional procedure for teaching summary writing to primary school students and to investigate the; effects this form of instruction had on students' summaries. This study involved pre-testing, instruction in summarizing, followed by …
The Relationship Between Time Devoted To Independent Recreational Reading And Reading Achievement Scores, R. Fragomeni
The Relationship Between Time Devoted To Independent Recreational Reading And Reading Achievement Scores, R. Fragomeni
Theses : Honours
The purpose of this study was to conduct a preliminary assessment, in the Western Australian context, of the relationship between reading achievement scores and time devoted to independent recreational reading, and the extent to which gender and socio-economic status, affect this relationship. The data pertaining to time spent in independent recreational reading were collected by means of a questionnaire. The subjects and their teachers were trained by the researcher in the procedure to be followed in the questionnaire completion. The data relating to reading achievement scores were generated through the administration of the comprehension sub-test of the Progressive Achievement Test …
Spelling In The Secondary School: A Review Of The Current Situation, Joan Rodrigues
Spelling In The Secondary School: A Review Of The Current Situation, Joan Rodrigues
Theses : Honours
The purpose of this study was to discover the strategies being employed by secondary school teachers to assist students with spelling difficulties. Teachers in the English and social studies departments of three Perth high schools were interviewed and asked to indicate the criteria they used to identify students with spelling problems and the teaching methods they employed to help those students overcome their problems. They were also asked to identify the causes of spelling difficulty. Staff at the local district offices and the Ministry of Education were interviewed to establish what support services were available for teachers who wished to …
A Case Study To Investigate The Use Of Computers Across A School Population, Janine Bersan
A Case Study To Investigate The Use Of Computers Across A School Population, Janine Bersan
Theses : Honours
The National Advisory Committee on Computers in Schools (Commonwealth Schools Commission, 1983) recommended to support computing in both government and non-government schools in Australia over 1984 - 1986. This led to the injection of computer resources to schools. The Western Australian Government then provided significant funds for the provision of computer equipment to primary and secondary schools (1987 -1989). Primacy schools in Western Australia now have on average three computers per primary school. The Ministry of Education has produced a policy document on computer use in primary education which clearly outlines goals to be achieved by all primary school teachers …
The Improvement Of The Teaching Of Informational Writing: A Study Of Six Teachers, Lisbeth Berridge
The Improvement Of The Teaching Of Informational Writing: A Study Of Six Teachers, Lisbeth Berridge
Theses : Honours
The purpose of this study was to focus on the progressive stages through which six teachers moved in their efforts to improve children's writing of informational texts. An action research approach was used to control and monitor the work of the researcher and the six teachers as they sought to improve their classroom practice in the teaching of writing. The essential features of the approach were for the teachers to collaborate with the researcher in: a) discussing their problems and in devising suitable solutions; b) formulating a working hypothesis; c) working out an appropriate plan comprised of the steps of …
Student Perceptions In A Social Studies Classroom, Maria Darby
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 …