Education Commons^™

Parents: Active Partners In The Educational Achievement Of Their Children, Michael O'Neill, Shane Lavery, Anne Coffey

eJournal of Catholic Education in Australasia

Parents exercise a significant influence on student achievement and psychosocial functioning within the school environment. However, the best way to involve parents as active partners in the education of their children is not always evident. This article explores the perceptions of parents and their role in the academic achievement of students in nine high performing Catholic secondary schools in Western Australia. Initially, the review of literature focuses on three constructs: relational trust, parental involvement and policy documents for Catholic schools. Data collection involved a series of focus group interviews in which parents were invited to reflect not only on their …

Theological Foundations Of Pastoral Care In Catholic Universities, Thomas V. Gourlay

eJournal of Catholic Education in Australasia

One defining element of life in any Catholic educational institution, whether it be primary, secondary, or tertiary, is the focus on pastoral care for staff and students. This paper provides a distinctly Catholic definition of the term ‘pastoral care’ and briefly examines the theological foundations that underpin this concept, particularly, in relation to its application in the Catholic university. The paper traces the motif of pastoral care through the Scriptures and, building on insights from St. Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Constitution on Catholic Universities, Ex Corde Ecclesiae (1990) and the broader theological anthropology of the Vatican II Council. The …

How Will A Fourth Cross Curriculum Priority Of Catholicity And An Eighth General Capability Of Wisdom Contribute To Catholic Curriculum In Tasmanian Catholic Schools?, Bobbi-Jo Bailey, Alanna Stretton, Anita Cunningham

eJournal of Catholic Education in Australasia

The Australian Curriculum identifies seven general capabilities (knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions) and three cross curriculum priorities (Sustainability; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures; Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia) that students require for twenty-first century engagement and learning. In its implementation of the Australian Curriculum, The Tasmanian Catholic Education Office (TCEO) is considering introducing a fourth cross curriculum priority of Catholicity and an eighth general capability of Wisdom, in order to enhance the Catholic curriculum for Tasmanian Catholic schools. Using the stages of theological reflection outlined by Dr. Drasko Dizdar, this article will explore why a fourth …

The Nature And Scope Of Outdoor Education In Western Australian Secondary Schools, Duncan Picknoll

Theses

Outdoor Education (OE) is an important learning area taught in many Western Australian (WA) schools. However, very little is known about its nature and scope, and how its delivery may differ between school sectors. Given the valuable contribution of OE to the holistic development of children and adolescents, it appears to be an under-resourced and undervalued learning area.

The primary aim of this study was to gather data regarding where and how OE was being taught in secondary schools in WA and to compare the findings to similar studies undertaken in Victoria, South Australia (SA), New Zealand and Singapore.

This …

Experiences Of Overseas Trained Teachers Seeking Public School Positions In Western Australia And South Australia, S Datta-Roy, S Lavery

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Many overseas trained teachers migrate to Australia in search of different lifestyles. In their endeavour to find suitable teaching positions in public secondary schools, overseas trained teachers often confront multiple challenges. This study explored the different issues that 12 overseas trained teachers experienced before obtaining a teaching position in a public secondary school in either Western Australia or South Australia. Data were collected through using twelve in-depth semi-structured interviews and researcher generated field notes. The results indicate that participants experienced the following challenges: apparent lack of information on post immigration life in Australia; danger of misinformation; registration delays; inconsistency in …

The Impact Of Mobile Learning On Student Performance As Gauged By Standardised Test (Naplan) Scores, S Males, F Bate, J Macnish

Education Papers and Journal Articles

This paper discusses the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) performance of Years Five, Seven and Nine students in standardised tests prior and post the implementation of a mobile learning initiative in a Western Australian school for boys. The school sees the use of ICT as important in enhancing its potential to deliver optimal educational outcomes. However, the School is also cognisant of the shared concern of teachers and parents in the school community about an over-reliance on mobile devices for learning, to the detriment of students’ accomplishments in literacy and numeracy. The paper examines NAPLAN results from …

Constructing Quality Childcare: Perspectives Of Quality And Their Connection To Belonging, Being And Becoming, C Robinson

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Discourse on quality, within the context of childcare, has moved beyond the level of licensing to consider children’s right to belong. Within Western Australia (WA), there has been a paradigm shift as international research literature on quality childcare has advocated the long- term benefits for individuals and the community when children experience high quality early education and care. This paradigm shift has resulted in new legislation in WA that articulates the components of quality across childcare, as well as the criteria on which centres are assessed. This paper reports the findings of an investigation into the constructs of quality from …

A Case Study Of Effective Practice In Mathematics Teaching And Learning Informed By Valsiner’S Zone Theory, V Geiger, J Anderson, D Hurrell

Education Papers and Journal Articles

The characteristics that typify an effective teacher of mathematics and the environments that support effective teaching practices have been a long-term focus of educational research. In this article we report on an aspect of a larger study that investigated ‘best practice’ in mathematics teaching and learning across all Australian states and territories. A case study from one Australian state was developed from data collected via classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with school leaders and teachers and analysed using Valsiner’s zone theory. A finding of the study is that ‘successful’ practice is strongly tied to school context and the cultural practices …

An Exploratory Study Investigating The Impact Of A Differentiate Framework Of Instruction On Generalist Teachers Perceived Confidence To Teach Visual Arts, K Eddles-Hirsch

Education Papers and Journal Articles

This article reports on an exploratory study that addressed the low confidence levels of 80 generalist primary student teachers enrolled in a mandatory visual arts course. Previous studies in this area have found that a cycle of neglect exists in Australia, as a result of educators’ lack of confidence in their ability to teach visual arts. This is believed to create a knock on effect whereby generalist primary student teachers enter mandatory tertiary visual arts units with little belief in their own art ability. This exploratory study centred on proactively applying the Tomlinson Model of differentiation in an effort to …

Beginning Teacher Induction In Secondary Schools: A Best Practice Case Study, S Kearney

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Beginning teacher induction is becoming an increasingly popular process in acculturating teachers to their new careers. The problems that teachers face early in their careers are well known, and effective and ongoing induction is one of the foremost practices for alleviating the pressures that teachers face early in their careers. While induction practices have become more common in recent years, there are still no mandated structures for inducting teachers into the profession throughout Australia. In a collective case study of six different programs in independent schools in Sydney, Australia, the author showcases one case in particular that illustrated best practice …

Taking Care Of Youth Mentoring Relationships: Red Flags, Repair, And Respectful Resolution, J Maccallum, S Beltman, A Coffey, T Cooper

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Mentoring is portrayed in the literature as benefiting young people, but ineffective or early termination of youth mentoring relationships can be detrimental. Researchers have not adequately explored issues surrounding the breakdown of youth mentoring relationships. Underpinned by a socio-ecological perspective, in this exploratory study we consider the various contexts within which these important relationships exist and identify early warning signs or red flags that a mentoring relationship is struggling. We interviewed mentees, mentors, and coordinators from four Western Australian youth mentoring programs about their experiences of mentoring relationships. Our findings suggest that red flags and repair strategies may be specific …

Student Leadership In The Middle Years: A Matter Of Concern, A Coffey, S Lavery

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Traditionally, student leadership has been seen as the prerogative of senior students. Very little research has been conducted on how schools nurture and develop leadership skills in students in the middle years of schooling. This article provides an overview of student leadership in six secondary schools with a particular focus on student leadership opportunities in the middle years. These schools were drawn from the Government, Catholic and Independent sectors in Western Australia. Specifically, the opinions and experiences of either principals or their delegates were sought in order to develop a sense of the importance placed on student leadership in the …

Where We Were…Where We Are Heading: One Multiplicative Journey, C Hurst, D Hurrell

Education Papers and Journal Articles

A journey into multiplicative thinking by three teachers in a primary school is reported. A description of how the teachers learned to identify gaps in student knowledge is described along with how the teachers assisted students to connect multiplicative ideas in ways that make sense.

Using A Collaborative Assessment Design To Support Student Learning, S Kennedy-Clark, S Kearney, V Galstaun

Education Papers and Journal Articles

The purpose of the study was to try to develop an understanding of how groups of pre-service teachers organised, planned and built two information and communication technologies (ICT) resources using a learn-technology-by-design framework. The benefits for students in using a learn-by-design approach have been well researched, and the research has covered a broad range of research streams. A design-based research approach underpins the research. This paper presents the observational data, which was collected in an ICT in the Education unit of study. The collaborative design assessment provided pre-service teachers with the opportunity to collaboratively build an Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) resources …

Is It Time To Start Reconsidering The Teaching Of Time?, D Hurrell

Education Papers and Journal Articles

How students are taught about the difficult concept of time needs to be carefully considered, in terms of both the key aspects involved as well as the sequencing. Examples of concrete activities to support the teaching of time are included.

Aboriginal Community Engagement In Primary Schooling: Promoting Learning Through A Cross-Cultural Lens, A Turner, K Wilson, J Wilks

Education Papers and Journal Articles

This article reports on action research conducted at a primary school in rural New South Wales, Australia. The research responded to an expressed school aspiration to foster greater understanding of local Aboriginal culture, historical perspectives and knowledge systems within the school. An exploratory model was developed using a mixed methods approach to investigate non-Aboriginal teacher perceptions and self-efficacy with teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content specified in the Australian Curriculum. A Bush Tucker Garden was established as a ‘Pathway of Knowledge’ acting as a vehicle for collaboration between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal stakeholders. Through their participation in this project the …

Reflections About Grasshoppers And Inchworms In The Information And Communication Technologies Era, Boris Handal, H Gonzales

Education Papers and Journal Articles

This article presents a multifaceted reflection on the different prevailing strategies to obtain knowledge in the educational system. In an effort to illustrate this complex process, the paradox of the grasshoppers and caterpillars are brought in their applications to the education system. This paradox has great relevance in the contemporary educational system because it points to a process that will alter the foundations of teaching and learning particularly in this age where ICT have achieved highly sophisticated levels. Grasshoppers’ dispositions — intuitive oriented, non-lineal and proactive—and those from the caterpillars — structured, predictive and reactive — have a profound and …

Student Perspectives Of A Leadership Program: Benefits And Shortcomings, G Hine

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Despite the importance of adolescent leadership development, little research has critically examined how to improve school-based leadership programs. The intention of this research was to explore how one Catholic secondary school developed leadership potential in adolescents, and how such efforts could be improved in the future. Perspectives of elected student leaders from Years 10 - 12 were examined using a longitudinal case study. The primary methods for collecting data included qualitative interviewing, field notes, journalling and document analysis. Based upon the collected data, the researcher inductively conceptualised strengths and shortcomings of the leadership program proffered by the student participants. According …

Hrec Members' Personal Values Influence Decision Making In Contentious Cases, Boris Handal, Kevin Watson, Keagan Brewer, Marc Fellman, Marguerite Maher

Education Papers and Journal Articles

This article identifies 14 contentious issues faced by Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs). The authors argue that HREC members will respond variably to these issues based on their own fundamental values and worldview. In particular, we propose that personal interpretations of current ethics regulations and HREC members’ attitudes to consequentialism, Kantianism, and utilitarianism in some cases affect their responses to contentious research issues. We seek to promote understanding of how personal and professional back­grounds of HREC reviewers influence their approaches to value-laden issues embedded in ethics applications. Taking the form of a literature review, our con­tribution highlights the need for …

Do You Delve Below The Tip Of The Iceberg? Language For Thinking And Learning, Sandra Lennox

Education Papers and Journal Articles

What are the similarities between an iceberg and language and literacy? Usually only about 10% of an iceberg is above the surface; the shape of the underwater portion is difficult to judge and can cause problems for the unwary. Identifying and providing the most effective support to foster early language and literacy skills can be equally hidden.

But language is complex. It is a tool for thinking and learning. Key skills developed during the early years are critical for success at school. Yet for many young children, gaps in vocabulary acquisition and development are well established before they enter school. …

A Comparison Of Catechesis Of The Good Shepherd And Godly Play, Gerard O'Shea

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and Godly Play are the two best known variants of Montessori style Religious Education programmes. While they have much in common, there are also obvious differences. This article offers a brief outline of the distinctive features of each programme, including some analysis of their effectiveness in terms of contemporary educational research. The article identifies four areas of significant difference, namely, the understanding of the Imago Dei, the stance taken towards sacraments and sacramentality, pedagogy and the conduct of the sessions themselves. The author argues that these differences create a natural constituency for each programme. …

Wikipedia Editing And Information Literacy: A Case Study, Lydia Dawe, Ainslie Robinson

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Purpose: This paper aims to evaluate the success of a Wikipedia editing assessment designed to improve the information literacy skills of a cohort of first-year undergraduate health sciences students.

Design/methodology/approach: In this action research case study (known hereafter as “the project” to differentiate this action research from the students’ own research), students researched, wrote and published Wikipedia articles on Australia-centric health topics. Students were given a pre- and post-test to assess levels of self-confidence in finding, evaluating and referencing information. Student work was also analysed in terms of article length and quantity and the type of information sources used.

Findings: …

Reframing Mathematical Futures Ii Project: Development Of A Draft Learning Progression For Algebraic Reasoning, L Day, M Horne, M Stephens

Education Conference Papers

Curriculum documents make a clear distinction between algebraic skills and algebraic reasoning, where the development of the former is far more readily articulated than the latter. While there are many studies of algebraic reasoning, these are usually topic specific and/or highly contextual. What are the big ideas of algebraic reasoning and is it possible to map their learning trajectory? This paper reports on the preliminary phase of a large national study in Australia which is designed to move beyond the hypothetical and to provide an evidence-based foundation for a learning progression. Using rich assessment tasks designed for middle years students …

Generalisation Through Noticing Structure In Algebraic Reasoning, L Day

Education Conference Papers

“Mathematicians see generalising as lying at the very heart of mathematics” (Mason, Graham & Johnston-Wilder, 2005, p.283). The Australian Curriculum: Mathematics develops number and algebra together as they complement each other. Developing number and algebra together provides opportunities for searching for patterns, conjecturing and generalising mathematical relationships. Further, it allows the focus to be on the process of mathematics and noticing the structure of arithmetic and our number system, rather than the product of arriving at a correct answer.

Developing Learning Progressions To Support Mathematical Reasoning In The Middle Years - Algebraic Reasoning, L Day, M Stephens, M Horne

Education Conference Papers

As part of the Reframing Mathematical Futures II Project on Mathematical Reasoning, algebraic reasoning was identified as one of the three areas to be investigated. This involved developing a hypothetical learning progression for algebra to inform the design of assessment tasks to test the progression. The assessment forms were then sent to trial schools and the data was analysed using Rasch analysis. This paper reports on the analysis of preliminary data received and outlines some implications for teaching.

Exploring Reasons Why Australian Senior Secondary Students Do Not Enrol In Higher-Level Mathematics Courses, G Hine

Education Conference Papers

In this research paper, I present the reasons why senior secondary students elect not to enrol in a higher mathematics course. All Year 11 and Year 12 mathematics students within Western Australian secondary schools were invited to participate in an online survey comprised chiefly of qualitative items. The key reasons espoused by students include an expressed dissatisfaction with mathematics, the opinion that there are other more viable courses of study to pursue, and that the Australian Tertiary Admissions Ranking (ATAR) can be maximised by taking a lower mathematics course. In addition, student testimony suggests that there are few incentives offered …

Child's Play The Developmental Benefits Of The Play Choices Of Modern Children: Implications For School Curricula, Doireann O'Connor, Tracy Treasure, Christine Robinson, M Mccormack, V O'Rourke

Education Conference Papers

This paper presents data from the Irish Neighbourhood Play Study. The Irish Neighbourhood Play Study explored the play choices of children from 0 to 15 years of age. This paper reports the findings on the play choices of children and these are presented alongside the levels of engagement within each play type. Construction Play, Motor Play, Fantasy (Imaginative) Play and Social Play are all applied as broad categories with detailed data presented that drills down into what elements of play children are choosing within each category. The developmental benefits of each play type are then explored and discussed. These findings …

Proof By Mathematical Induction: Professional Practice For Secondary Teachers, G Hine

Education Conference Papers

Mathematical induction is a proof technique that can be applied to establish the veracity of mathematical statements. This professional practice paper offers insight into mathematical induction as it pertains to the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics (ACMSM065, ACMSM066) and implications for how secondary teachers might approach this technique with students. In particular, literature on proof—and specifically, mathematical induction—will be presented, and several worked examples will outline the key steps involved in solving problems. After various teaching and learning caveats have been explored, the paper will conclude with some mathematical induction example problems that can be used in the secondary classroom.

Boys And Girls Come Out To Play: Gender Differences In Children's Play Patterns, D O'Connor, M Mccormack, C Robinson, V O'Rourke

Education Conference Papers

This paper presents findings from The Irish Neighbourhood Play Study; a national, cross-border research project which recorded children’s play patterns in Ireland during 2012. The study incorporated 1688 families across 240 communities. This study recorded the play patterns of children in Ireland aged birth-14 years. The findings of the study are discussed here in the context of gendered patterns. Particular emphasis is placed on the skill differences developed through various play choices. These differences are explored within the context of established literature on the learning strengths of boys and girls. Established bodies of literature on children’s learning across gender lines …

The Age Of Imagination: Imagining Play And Invention: Implications For Creative Development, D O'Connor, M Mccormack, C Robinson, V O'Rourke

Education Conference Papers

This paper presents findings from The Irish Neighbourhood Play Study; a national, cross-border research project which recorded children’s play patterns in Ireland during 2012. The study incorporated 1688 families across 240 communities. Data was established on the play choices of children aged from birth to 14 years. Multiple differentials were explored including socio-economic and geographical environments.

This paper focuses on the findings within imaginary play patterns for the full cohort. As such, it presents the play patterns for imaginary play in children aged birth-14 years. The findings are discussed in the context of developmental patterns with particular emphasis on the …