Digital Commons Network^™

Bibliotherapy Use By Welfare Teams In Secondary Colleges, Pam Harvey

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Bibliotherapy – the use of books to heal – is a concept that dates back to the time of the philosopher Aristotle who believed that literature had healing effects and that reading fiction was a way of purging illness. But how is bibliotherapy practiced now in secondary schools? This study investigates bibliotherapy use in a regional Australian city with adolescents who have chronic illness. It explores the responses of members of welfare teams (welfare co-ordinators, school nurses and teacher-librarians) within secondary schools to questions on how books are used with students experiencing issues. Findings indicate that although bibliotherapy practice is …

Casualties Of Schooling? 18 To 22 Year Old Students In A Tertiary Bridging Programs, Robert Whannell, Bill Alen, Kathy Lynch

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

A sample of 81 students between the ages of 18 and 22 years in a tertiary bridging program at a regional university completed a questionnaire examining how demographics, social context, academic engagement and the ability to cope with the curriculum complexity influenced academic success in high school and adversely affected their preparedness for tertiary study. The demographics of the study participants, including socio-economic status, private/public school attendance and first in family to attend university were such that the study participants could not be considered to be members of a disadvantaged group. The study supports the hypothesis that a number of …

Towards A Classroom Pedagogy For Learner Autonomy: A Framework Of Independent Language Learning Skills, Hayo Reinders

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In recent years there has been a growing recognition of the importance of learner autonomy and the role of individual learners in directing their own learning process, both inside and outside the classroom (Alford & Pachler, 2007; Benson, 2000; Breen, 2001; Conacher & Kelly-Holmes, 2007). However, in practice it is not always clear how to support learners in this role, and how to ensure they are ready to assume it. This paper explores some of the teaching aspects related to the development of learner autonomy and proposes a framework of skills that could be used by teachers as a guide …

“Use-It-Or-Lose-It”? Interrogating An Educational Message From Teen Brain Research, Monica A. Payne

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Recent neuroimaging research has encouraged a fundamental shift in psychological thinking about cognitive development in adolescence. Challenging the existing view that early childhood was the most critical period for intellectually hard-wiring the brain, findings led researchers to speculate that early adolescence might be the more important use-it-or-lose-it period. Despite cautions from critics and some neuroscientists themselves, the new story seems to be following its predecessor in acquiring the status of hard fact. An eclectic sampling of texts examines possible implications of the penetration of this hypothesis into educational discourse. Elements of classism and adultism are identified, and considered with reference …

The Construction Of Education As An Area Of Study At Murdoch University: 1974-2003, Di Gardiner, Tom O’Donoghue, Marnie O'Neill

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper is concerned with the extent to which both structural and agency factors were at play in the establishment and maintenance of an innovative model of Education Studies at Murdoch University in Western Australia, from the mid 1970s to 2003. Regarding structural factors, the fact that the University was established as one of a number of ‘new’ universities on the national scene, with a brief to break out of the curricular traditions of the established universities, meant that there was latitude for the adoption of new curriculum structures in outlining the parameters of Education Studies. However, it required the …

Stress Among Prospective Teachers: A Review Of The Literature , Sallie Gardner

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Student-teacher distress has the potential to impact on the individuals who are to become teachers, the profession and the education system. This review examines what is known of psychological distress among university students, teachers and student-teachers, the demands associated with their practical experiences and the known impact of psychological distress. A brief overview of contemporary stress management approaches is also presented. The reviewer contends that the potential problem for prospective teachers requires a holistic approach, beginning through understanding contemporary strategies available to individual university students, and preventative stress management programs provided within tertiary education, which may be made available to …

The Relationships Between University Students’ Chemistry Laboratory Anxiety, Attitudes, And Self-Efficacy Beliefs, N. Izzet Kurbanoglu, Ahmet Akim

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The aim of this study is to examine the relationships between chemistry laboratory anxiety, chemistry attitudes, and self-efficacy. Participants were 395 university students. Participants completed the Chemistry Laboratory Anxiety Scale, the Chemistry Attitudes Scale, and the Self-efficacy Scale. Results showed that chemistry laboratory anxiety was correlated negatively to chemistry attitudes and to self-efficacy. On the other hand, chemistry attitudes were found to be positively associated with self-efficacy. The path model showed that self-efficacy predicted chemistry laboratory anxiety in a negative way. Also, self-efficacy has a direct and positive effect on chemistry attitudes which in turn affects chemistry laboratory.

Preparing Quality Teachers: Making Learning Visible, Felicity Mcardle

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Teacher quality is recognised as a lynchpin for education reforms internationally, and both Federal and State governments in Australia have turned their attention to teacher education institutions: the starting point for preparing quality teachers. Changes to policy and shifts in expectations impact on Faculties of Education, despite the fact that little is known about what makes a quality teacher preparation program effective. New accountability measures, mandated Professional Standards, and proposals to test all graduates before registration, mean that teacher preparation programs need capacity for flexibility and responsiveness. The risk is that undergraduate degree programs can become ‘patchwork quilts’ with traces …

Chinese Teachers’ Views On The Increasing Use Of Putonghua As A Medium Of Instruction In Hong Kong Schools, Xuesong (Andy) Gao, Pamela Pui-Wan Leung, John Trent

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The use of a particular language as medium of instruction (MOI) is a complex issue in multilingual and post-colonial contexts such as Hong Kong, on which teachers’ voices are often neglected. To capture their voices, this paper reports on an interpretive inquiry of eight experienced Chinese teachers’ professional experiences with a focus on their perceptions concerning the increasing use of Putonghua as MOI in Chinese classes in Hong Kong. Through a collaborative interpretative process, the study revealed a wide spectrum of perceptions including reservations and enthusiasm for the switch to Putonghua as MOI. The findings suggest that the participants’ perceptions …

The Relationship Between A Teacher Check List And Standardised Tests For Visual Perception Skills: A South African Remedial Primary School Perspective, Janet Richmond, K Holland

Research outputs pre 2011

Occupational therapy in remedial education settings has been questioned by the South African Government as they see occupational therapy as a costly service and thus has challenged occupational therapy clinicians’ approach to assessment. This study was undertaken to establish whether the results of standardised tests of visual perception skills, relate to teachers’ observations in respect of primary remedial school age children (six to eleven years) attending a short term remedial school because of low scholastic achievement despite having average or above intellectual ability. The Test of Visual Perceptual Skills – Revised, the Developmental Test of Visual Perception-2, the Jordan Left-Right …

The Mds Mortality Risk Index: The Evolution Of A Method For Predicting 6-Month Mortality In Nursing Home Residents, Davina Porock, Debra Parker-Oliver, Gregory F. Petroski, Marilyn Rantz

Research outputs pre 2011

Accurate prognosis is vital to the initiation of advance care planning particularly in a vulnerable, at risk population such as care home residents. The aim of this paper is to report on the revision and simplification of the MDS Mortality Rating Index (MMRI) for use in clinical practice to predict the probability of death in six months for care home residents.

An Ambience Of Power? Challenges Inherent In The Role Of The Public Transport Transit Officer, Christine Teague, Lelia Green, David Leith

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Facilitating The Teaching-Learning Process Through The Reflective Engagement Of Pre-Service Teachers, Gloria Jean Rodman

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The repeated use of reflection throughout their teacher preparation experience can be useful in encouraging growth and improving pedagogical knowledge, teaching performance and professional development among pre-service teachers. This study looks at how the reflective engagement of these teachers in a structured classroom activity reinforces the application of the teaching-learning process in the classroom and enables them to construct meaning from that application. It seeks to identify ways in which the teachers engage in reflection; determine their levels of reflective engagement; examine what they discover about teaching through reflection; and establish how this reflection affects their pedagogical ability.

Cross-National Comparisons Of Background And Confidence In Visual Arts And Music Education Of Pre-Service Primary Teachers , Deirdre Russell-Bowie

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper reports the findings of a study on pre-service teachers’ background and confidence in music and visual arts education. The study involved 939 non-specialist pre-service primary teachers from five countries. Initially the paper identifies the students’ perceptions of their background and confidence in relation to music and visual arts education. Secondly it examines any differences between the visual arts and music education background and confidence of Australian students and those from the other four countries. Results indicated that 25% of the subjects agreed or strongly agreed that they had a good background in music education and 16% indicated that …

Self As Teacher: Preliminary Role Identification Of The Potential Teaching Candidate, Lisa A. Gross, Shanan Fitts, Tracy Goodson-Espy, Ann-Marie Clark

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In this study, the researchers used qualitative surveys to explore potential teaching candidates’ preliminary perceptions of self as teacher and examine how roles are identified, defined and constructed in the context of a tutoring lab that provides support to English Language Learners. Prospective candidates’ perceptions of their tutees, children whose cultural identities and backgrounds differ from their own, are also examined. Findings indicate participants’ teaching identities and conceptualizations of their roles as teachers became more specific and elaborated over the course of the semester. Additionally, the significance of multiple practicum experiences in diverse settings for ongoing identity development and for …

Historical Novels: Engaging Student Teachers In K-10 History Pre-Service Units, Grant Rodwell

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

No abstract provided.

Mentors Report On Their Own Mentoring Practices, Peter Hudson

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Implementing an Australian National Curriculum will require targeting both teachers and preservice teachers. Classroom teachers in their roles as mentors are well situated for developing preservice teachers. This mixed-method study presents mentors’ reports on their mentoring of primary preservice teachers (mentees) in mathematics (n=43) and science (n=29). Mentors claimed they mentored the teaching of mathematics more than the teaching of science; 20% or more indicated they did not provide mentoring practices for 25 out of 34 survey items in the science and 9 out of 34 items in the mathematics. Mentors also claimed that professional development on effective mentoring can …

Teachers’ Influence On Integration Of Tools Into Mathematics Teaching, Sibel Yesildere

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper examines the process through which three pre-service teachers learn to use mathematical tools; it also looks at pre-service teachers’ instrumentation of tools into mathematics teaching. Three pre-service teachers were studying at a primary mathematics teacher training program at Dokuz Eylül University in Turkey. During an eight-week period, workshops were conducted on curriculum tools with pre-service teachers. Subsequently, pre-service teachers’ lessons were observed in real school settings. The findings are underpinned by the theoretical framework based on the instrumental approach to tool use. Results indicate that pre-service teachers had difficulty in applying the appropriate use of tools, and teachers’ …

Effect Of Apology Focus On Perceptions Of Sincerity, Apology Acceptance And Forgiveness, Sophie M. Beesley

Theses : Honours

The restorative justice process involves bringing the offender, their families, the victim and other stakeholders together, to discuss a particular offence and the impact on all those involved (Braithwaite, 2002). The intention of the restorative justice approach is to repair harm and restore relationships through forgiveness and reconciliation (Braithwaite, 2002). One way of achieving forgiveness is through an apology, and it is asserted by researchers that forgiving is significantly increased by an apology if the victim perceives that the apology is sincere, however, the indicators victims used to perceive the wrongdoer as truly sorry were unclear (Allan, Allan, Kaminer, & …

Pubertal Trajectory And The Management Of Menstruation In Females With Rett Syndrome And Down Syndrome, Olivia Annelies Knight

Theses : Honours

Background: Puberty is a challenging transition for all young women and particularly so for those with an intellectual disability. Individuals with an intellectual disability often experience both cognitive and physical impairment and a wide range of comorbidities. This review explores research into the pubertal trajectory and the management of menstruation in two syndromes within intellectual disability. Rett syndrome which is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder and Down syndrome which is a chromosomal birth disorder. Aim: The purpose of this review was to identify research exploring pube1ial trajectory and menstrual management in females with Rett syndrome and Down syndrome and …

From Canter To Cantor: Negotiating Constraints, And The Perceptions Of Elitism In Serious Leisure Pursuits : The Experiences Of A High Performing Athlete And Artist, Lorraine O'Neill

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Everyone experiences leisure differently but, for people who excel in a chosen field, a hobby can become a serious goal-oriented leisure pursuit. Many talented people, however, fail to reach their leisure goals due to constraints. This study explored individual life experiences of serious leisure participants. It focused on the lived experiences of individual event [horse] riders and opera singers who successfully negotiated their constraints, enabling them to reach their high performance goals.

The purpose of this study was to explore positive personal strategies that individuals used to negotiate constraints in serious leisure. This was done by exploring intrapersonal, interpersonal and …

Rewiring Head And Heart : An Investigation Into The Efficacy Of A Clinical Psychotherapeutic Modality For The Treatment Of Depression, Genevieve Milnes

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This is a presentation of the psychotherapeutic treatment modality, „Rewiring Head & Heart (Rewiring)‟ that combines cognitive therapy (“head”) with psychodynamic exercises (“heart”) into an evidence-based clinical treatment modality for use by therapists. This study extends previous research conducted by Milnes (1998). Descriptions of the origins of the treatment modality, the underpinning theoretical framework, and practical application in the Rewiring Manual are followed by an empirical investigation of its efficacy on a sample of adults with depressed mood, before discussing case studies and issues of clinical application of Rewiring. Rewiring consists of two contributing elements – Cognitive Fluency (CF) and …

Ethical Concerns Over The Use Of Fear Appeals When Targeting Vulnerable Populations, Stephanie Hutchinson

Theses : Honours

Advertising is a promotional tool that marketers use to build awareness of an organisations product or service, and the success of their communication efforts lie in being able to effectively and efficiently reach their target audience, therefore different appeals are used to persuade different audiences. This study was conducted to determine if there was a positive relationship between the use of fear appeals targeted to vulnerable people, and the advertisement being perceived as unethical, therefore providing a better understanding of the effects of advertising tactics that involve a disadvantaged target audience who may be prone to manipulation, and the detrimental …

The Interaction Between Marketing Dynamics And The Perception Of Healthy Food Choices, Shalini Perera

Theses : Honours

The present focus on healthy living has created many business opportunities including the health food market. With the increase interest and the rapid growth, many significant changes with regard to people's perception and interactions with food choices are inevitable. Therefore, this study seeks to expand the marketing literature with regard to interaction between marketing dynamics and perceptions of healthy food choices. The sample consisted of 150 survey questionnaire respondents. The unit of analysis for this research was identified as the Edith Cowan University and therefore the sample was drawn from within the university. The research framework for the study was …

Dancing With Risk: Risk-Taking As A Performance Practice In Contemporary Dance, Gemma Dawkins

Theses : Honours

Why is risk intentionally cultivated in contemporary dance? What purpose does it serve, for performers, choreographers and audiences? This thesis explores the ways in which risk-taking affects the meaning and significance of a dance work. It seeks to question whether the use of risk can render a dance more powerful, affecting or confronting, or whether intentional risk overshadows and, thus, detracts attention away from the aesthetic content. I also ask how being 'at risk' affects the performer. Can it engender investment and authenticity? The risks explored in this thesis include both physical and emotional or intellectual risks. I refer to …

Experiences And Perceptions Of How Community-Based Interventions Can Promote Young Adults' Resilience To Suicide Within Rural/Regional Communities, Tracy Evans

Theses : Honours

In the literature, both statistics and studies have noted that suicide in rural/regional young adults' is an important concern. Recent research suggests, that to facilitate a primary approach to suicide prevention in young people, there is a need to promote the protective construct of resilience at a community level, highlighting strategies such as connectedness, and decreasing the stigma related to mental illness and health-seeking behaviour (Commonwealth Department of Health & Aged Care, 2005; Injury Control Council of Western Australia, 2006). However, there is a need to investigate and identify the links or mediating factors that promote individual resilience within a …

An Exploration Of The Impact Of Brand Personality On Consumer Buying Intentions Toward Specialist Stationery Products Across Age Groups, Chalinun Aurmanarom

Theses : Honours

The market for stationery products is constantly evolving particularly in light of technological influences and changes in the range of items available beyond single category products. Customers now seek more than pens and paper products; rather they are looking towards convenient specialist stationery one-stop-shop options. This research aimed to provide insight into consumers' specialist stationery products (SSPs) purchasing intentions across different age groups. A qualitative design via focus groups was used to gather consumer information. This process allowed for expressions of personal feelings and emotions relating to SSPs purchasing experiences to be captured. The findings revealed that brand personality is …

Young Heterosexual Women's Negotiations Of Sexual Consent Within Casual Encounters And Intimate Relationships, Melissa Burkett

Theses : Honours

This thesis examines young heterosexual women's negotiations of sexual consent in their casual sexual encounters and intimate sexual relationships with men, and their perceptions and understandings of consent and sexual violence with regard to these different sexual contexts. It explores the nature of young women's negotiations of sexual consent with the intention of facilitating a deeper understanding of the issue of women's consensual engagement in unwanted, pressured and coerced sexual activity. This thesis fills a void in the qualitative research literature on how consent is actually negotiated in everyday (hetero) sexual encounters through analysing the interviews of eight young women …

Differing Attitudes Towards The Cannabis Infringement Notice Scheme As A Function Of Career Aspirations And Dispositional Variables, Mark Thomas Wallace

Theses : Honours

This paper investigated the predictive relationship between individuals' career aspirations, dispositional variables such as temperance mentality and need for closure, and recent cannabis use, and attitudes towards the Cannabis Infringement Notice (CIN) scheme in Western Australia; and also examined if differences in attitudes towards CIN scheme existed between different career aspiration groups. The CIN scheme, a harm reduction strategy, came into effect on 22 March 2004 (Lenton, 2004). Harm reduction is one of three strategies encompassed by the policy of harm minimisation, which underpins Australia's approach to drugs and drug related harm (Ryder, Walker, & Salmon, 2006). Studies investigating attitudes …

Terrorism In Australia: Myth Or Reality? A Psychometric Study Into The Western Australian Public's Perception Of Terrorism, Richard Sargent

Theses : Honours

Terrorism is not a new concept as terrorist individuals and organisations since time immemorial have used the threat of violence or actual violence to generate fear in individuals, organisations and governments alike. Fear is a powerful weapon and it is used in order to gain political, ideological or religious objectives. The attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon on the 11th September 2001 (9/11) highlighted the dangers of the inadequate intelligence, border security and immigration practices that led to this event. The attacks were a security wake up call not only for the United States of America but …