Digital Commons Network^™

The Nature And Provision Of Instruction In Summary Writing For Students From Years 7-9, D. A. Bergin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

As students progress through our education system they are increasingly asked to independently comprehend and compose informational material to show evidence of their ability to use and learn from texts. One skill which facilitates students' abilities to learn from texts is summarizing. Research into summarizing suggests it is a complex skill needing explicit and systematic instruction. However, materials to which teachers turn to for advice on strategies and instruction do not always reflect the findings of research. This being the case, this study set out to investigate what teachers understood about the nature of summarizing and the extent to which …

Improving Provision For Disaffected Students: Toward A New Educational Model, Cecilia Netolicky

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this study is to develop and review strategies and policies to drive retentive teaching-learning environments for disaffected students, modifying their modus operandi sufficiently for them to qualify and retain a tertiary place or position in the workforce, or sustain a return to mainstream schooling. I employed action research methods to examine Strike Four. an educational model servicing students with severe social and/ or emotional difficulties and behavioural disorders. I tested the Strike Four model during an intensive study period on two programs. Part 1 of the thesis comprises three Chapters. An introduction to the issue of the …

Extending The Boundaries : Portraits Of Activism In Perth, Western Australia, Alan Wilson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

For some analysts, post-industrial capitalist societies have pathological deficiencies which manifest themselves locally and further afield, in marginalisation and oppression of people and despoliation of the environment. For those who are passionately driven to challenge those consequences of the dominant paradigm, activism is deemed to be a potent force for effecting social and political change. The aim of this study was to establish how activists integrate issues, context, strategies, personal factors and other influences into a strategy for action.

A Methodology For The Selection Of A Paradigm Of Reasoning Under Uncertainty In Expert System Development, Vivian Campbell

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The aim of this thesis is to develop a methodology for the selection of a paradigm of reasoning under uncertainty for the expert system developer. This is important since practical information on how to select a paradigm of reasoning under uncertainty is not generally available. The thesis explores the role of uncertainty in an expert system and considers the process of reasoning under uncertainty. The possible sources of uncertainty are investigated and prove to be crucial to some aspects of the methodology. A variety of Uncertainty Management Techniques (UMTs) are considered, including numeric, symbolic and hybrid methods. Considerably more information …

The Effect Of Lip-Slur Practice On Increasing Pitch Range In Brasswind Instrument Students, Robert L. Benton

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Lip-slur exercises comprise part of the practice routines of many professional and serious amateur brasswind players. There are several reasons why so many players practise lip-slurs. One of those reasons is the belief that lip-slurs contribute to the development of the brasswind high register. This study argues that while there is a vast amount of anecdotal evidence from many authors widely deemed to be influential in the form of method books or writings that lip-slurs can contribute to the development of the brasswind high register, there has been little research to support this widely held belief. This study used a …

Predicting The Severity Of Radiation Skin Reactions In Women With Breast Cancer, Davina Porock

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Skin reactions are unavoidable side effects of radiotherapy for breast cancer that may limit the amount of treatment a patient is able to receive. As well, the discomfort associated with the treatment may negatively affect the patient's quality of life and their willingness to complete a course of treatment that typically extends over seven weeks. Prior literature suggests that variations in patients' tissue reactions to radiation may be related to Individual patient characteristics. Before health care providers can intervene to prevent or minimise skin reactions, a clinical model that helps predict which patients will experience more skin reactions is needed. …

Perceptions Of Elder Abuse Among Australian Elderly Individuals And General Practitioners, Marianela Cuevas

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Research available on elder abuse is limited. There continues to be a lack of uniformity in how to define and identify the problem, as well as how to intervene. One group which continues to be excluded from the process of gaining knowledge on the issue of elder abuse is the elderly themselves. As general practitioners are the primary source of health care for older people, their perspectives on elder mistreatment should be explored as well. The first objective of this study was to examine whether differences existed in the perceived severity of potentially abusive situations between three groups of older …

Art Therapy In Mainstream Primary Schools In The United Kingdom And The United States Of America : Identifying Connections With The Australian Experience, Jan Bowdler

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis is a case study that explores art therapy programs that are being or have been established in mainstream primary education settings in the United Kingdom, United States of America and Australia. The study includes a review of literature which relates an application of art therapy principles and practice to an education framework and the developmental and emotional needs of primary age children. The art therapy programs are examined in terms of the target population (eg. abused, rejected, disaffected, vulnerable children); the value of these programs to children in the primary school system (ie. in helping to remove students' …

A Comparative Study Of Controversy In The Education Systems Of Western Australia, Victoria And New Zealand: Community Participation In Government Schools 1985-1993, Anne M. Coffey

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The release of Better Schools in Western Australia: A Programme for Improvement (1987), in line with other public sector agency reforms; contained a prescription for the restructuring of the Education Department of Western Australia from 11 bureaucratic to a corporate management system of school administration. These changes were intended to render the education system, and especially schools more flexible, responsive and accountable. Among the proposals for educational restructuring was a new opportunity for community participation through ''school based decision making groups." Contemporaneously, the education systems in Victoria and New Zealand were undergoing similar reforms. The research agenda for this thesis …

Early Discharge Planning : Primiparous Women's Perceptions Of Their Readiness For Going Home, Graeme N. Boardley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Early discharge for women after childbirth was introduced in Australia approximately ten years ago. Early discharge involves going home from hospital within three days of giving birth. Since its introduction, early discharge has been the subject of much debate. Previous research has argued the cost effectiveness and safety of early discharge, but little has been done to examine this phenomenon from the human aspect. An exploratory study of first time mothers, in an early discharge programme was undertaken to address how these women felt in relation to their readiness for going home. A purposive sample of twenty Caucasian, English speaking …

Attacking The Articulation Problem In Teacher Education, Robert G. Barker, Shelleyanne Scott, Beverly Showers

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

A continuing challenge for preservice teacher education is the articulation between initial training and subsequent practice. This study investigated the effect of a fully elaborated training model on the transfer of complex teaching strategies into the practice of first year graduates. A cohort of 30 graduates was followed through their first year of full time teaching to determine the frequency and appropriateness of their use of two complex teaching strategies, Concept Attainment and Inductive Thinking (Joyce and Weil, 1996). Although only some 10% of inservice teachers transfer new learning into their active teaching repertoires without workplace support for their new …

Investigating Assessment Strategies In Mathematics Classrooms : A Cd-Rom Resource Enabling Teachers To Explore Assessment Strategies In Mathematics Education, Tony Herrington, Len Sparrow, Jan Herrington, Ron Oliver

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Glass Ceilings, Glass Walls And Sticky Floors: Barriers To Career Progress For Women In The Finance Industry, Leonie V. Still

Research outputs pre 2011

Interest in the employment status of women has been an on-going research topic in Australia since the 1975 Royal Commission into Australian Government Administration conducted the first status review of the Australian federal public service (Taperell, Fox and Roberts, 1975). Since then numerous report have examined the position of women in the professions, particular occupations, tertiary institutions, state public services and industry and commerce. Despite the passage of time a similar finding emerges from these investigations: namely, that irrespective of the area being examined within Australian society, women's employment is still primarily confined to certain occupational groupings while they are …

Women And Leadership Working Paper Series: Paper No. 12: Career Barriers And The Older Woman Manager, Leonie V. Still, Wendy Timms

Research outputs pre 2011

The removal of the age retirement barrier has led to expectations that more and more older workers will remain in the workforce past the usual retirement age of 65. Women make up an increasing proportion of older workers, and Patrickson and Hartmann ( 1996) have shown that Australian women are planning not to retire in order to improve their retirement income.

An important section of the older workers group are the managerial and professional women, aged in their 50s, who are part of the first generation of women to have long-term careers like men i.e. full-time careers extending over 25 …

Homework And Telework: A Guide To Best Practice In Human Resource Management, Peter Standen, Maryam Omari

Research outputs pre 2011

In Australia today there is widespread interest in homeworking and teleworking as flexible work options with significant advantages to both employers and employees. In the research behind this guide we surveyed 500 Australian organisations, finding employer interest in these advantages, along with uncertainty about how to implement homeworking, and some worries about potential drawbacks. Significantly, those organisations that had implemented homeworking reported positive outcomes. In an interview study, homeworkers themselves reported improved work performance, and were appreciative of the flexibility. This guide shows how to implement homework and telework to achieve such outcomes while avoiding the problems that concern managers.

Investigating Teaching Strategies In Mathematics Classrooms : A Cd-Rom Resource Enabling Teachers To Explore Teaching Strategies In Mathematics Education, Tony John Herrington, Len Sparrow, Jan Herrington, Ron Oliver

Research outputs pre 2011

Teaching mathematics has traditionally followed a standard pattern across the world. Students are placed in classrooms where they are seated individually, are required to listen passively and observe the teacher demonstrating mathematical procedure and then s1 end extensive time practicing the newly acquired ski ll s. Generally the content being taught comprises mathematical facts and skills taught sequentially in the order presented by a textbook. Students are then assessed by unseen pencil and paper tests for the purpose of grading and ranking. This cycle is then repeated with another mathematical topic which is viewed by students as discrete from the …

Address By Justice Robert Nicholson, Judge Of The Federal Court Of Australia, On The Occasion Of His Installation As Chancellor On Tuesday, 18 February 1997, Robert Nicholson

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Women And Leadership Working Paper Series: Paper No. 11: The Employment Status Of Women In The Australian Finance Industry, Leonie V. Still

Research outputs pre 2011

The finance industry is the seventh largest employer of women in Australia !Australian Bureau of Statistics, Labour Force Australia, 1996, p46). Yet despite its importance to women as a source of employment, no major review of the general overall employment status of women in the industry has occurred. Instead, research has concentrated on particular aspects of the sector - for example, part-time employment in banking !Alexander & Frank, 1990; Manning, 1990; Britt, 1995; Junor, Barlow & Patterson, 1993, 1994)...

A Descriptive Analysis Of Motor Learning Contexts Within A Netball Season Of Sport Education, Kirsten Scott

Theses : Honours

Time spent successfully engaged in motor skill activity has been found to have a high correlation with skill learning and achievement (Metzler, 1989). This study describes the different activities and key behaviours in which students are engaged and which ones provide opportunities to make motor skill responses. These key behaviours are described as they occur within a year eight netball class incorporating the sport education curriculum model. Selected students were observed in the natural setting to determine how their time was spent in a sport education unit. The method incorporated systematic observation, checklist recording and the use of interviews in …

Graduate Secretaries : The Politics Of Course Titles And Career Choices In A University Setting : Results Of A Research Project, Kaye Harrold

Research outputs pre 2011

Secretaries, typists, stenographers, personal assistants and word processing operators comprise approximately 10% of the female work force in Australia. Add to this the other 'categories' of receptionist and office assistant and the number increases markedly.

Yet 'secretaries' hold no status within the work force, there are fewer career paths, few job descriptions and little opportunity for recognition of the fact that industry and business could not function without their knowledge and skills.

Secretaries with tertiary qualifications have been in the Australian work force since 1972. What career opportunities were open to tertiary qualified secretaries? Did they receive the recognition and …

Profiling Esl Children: How Teachers Interpret And Use National And State Assessment Frameworks: Volume 1: Key Issues & Findings, Michael P. Breen, Caroline Barratt-Pugh, Beverly Derewianka, Helen House, Catherine Hudson, Tom Lumley, Mary Rohl

Research outputs pre 2011

The three volumes which make up this study describe in detail how a number of teachers in different school situations in different parts of Australia undertook the assessment of young children's development of English as a second language. Most of the teachers worked in pre-primary to Year 3 classrooms where the majority of the children were aged between five and eight years. The majority worked in a mainstream context in which the number of children speaking English as a second language (ESL) varied from more than half the class to two or three students. About a third of the teachers …

Teaching To Think, Felicity Haynes

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Given that a devolved curriculum empowers a teacher to educate for change, and indeed encourages cross curricular critical and creative thinking, this article offers a broad review of three current strategies for helping anyone to think critically and creatively instruction in formal logic, training in focusing attention, and creating a community of inquiry. It concludes that the latter is the preferred mode of teaching thinking for understanding and responsibility, both in schools and in pre service teacher education, because it captures the best balance between student engagement, the presentation of external social standards and the need for ongoing reflection on …

Constructivism And Scientific Realism? Which Is The Better Framework For Educational Research, Peter G. Cole

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The doctrines of constructivism and scientific realism have had a profound impact on recent progress in educational research. These doctrines are often depicted as conflicting doctrines in theoretical papers and methodology texts dealing with educational research issues. This paper explores the differences between the major tenets of constructivism and scientific reason. Different values ascribed to the scientific method in the context of these two doctrines are also examined. The paper focuses on three problems that have dogged the education research agenda: the conflict between the constructivist and scientific realistic viewpoints on science, the validity of observation statements and the role …

Crittenden, B. (1996), Thinking About Education: Essays For Discussion In Teacher Education, Addison Wesley Longman, Melbourne, 180 Pp. $29.95., Bruce Haynes

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

No abstract provided.

Lokan, Jan (Editor), (1994), Describing Learning. Implementation Of Curriculum Profiles In Australian Schools 1986, Melbourne, Acer Press, Research Monograph No. 50, Xxviii + 420 Pp., H. E. Melville-Jones

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

No abstract provided.

Colin Marsh (1996) Handbook For Beginning Teachers. Addison Wesley Longman: Australia. 406 Pp, Robert G. Baker

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

No abstract provided.

Student And Teacher Perceptions Of Teaching/Learning Processes In Classrooms: How Close Is The Partnership?, Robert G. Barker, Wally Moroz

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

As Hornstein observed in the beginning of the 1990s, the "enduring pattern" of instruction in social studies lessons is that which revolves around traditional "teacher centred and text-centred" teaching strategies (Hornstein, 1990). However, other research programs which have investigated the status of social studies (Cuban, 1991; Good and Harmon, 1987; Haladyna, Shaughnessy and Redsun, 1982a) have indicated that the core subject rates well with students when teaching strategies are interactive, inductive, and student centred. As Hutchens (1993) found, students became "hooked" on social studies when it involved cooperative learning, and student research strategies. In 1995, Moroz, Baker and McDonald, reported …

Practice Teaching In Remote Aboriginal Communities: The Need For Adaptation To The Social And Cultural Context, Gary Partington

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

As part of the teacher education program at Edith Cowan University, a small group of student teachers experience teaching practice in remote Aboriginal communities. In this paper, student teacher perceptions of their experiences on such a practice are presented to illustrate the influence of the practice on their views about teaching Aboriginal children. Through an investigation of journals written during the practice, it is apparent that students had considerable difficulty adapting their teaching to the context in which they were working, particularly in relation to the different cultural and social demands of the situation.

The Practice Of Beginning Teachers: Identifying Competence Through Case Writing In Teacher Education, Brenda Cherednichenko, Neil Hooley, Tony Kruger, Rose Mulraney

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Competent teachers display common attitudes and behaviours, yet it is apparent to those who attempt to categorise teachers' work, attitudes and behaviours that the identification of competence is extremely complex. This article suggests a rationale for demonstrating competence through case writing. Case writing documents and provides examples of student teachers and beginning teachers at work in teaching and leaming situations. These examples of teaching and learning are part of a portfolio of cases of teaching and learning which student teachers, teachers and teacher educators working within the Department of Education at Victoria University have developed. These collections provide 'snapshots' of …

The Importance Of Assessment Procedures To Student Learning Outcomes In Religious Education, Phillip Cox, John Godfrey

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The teaching of religious education has failed, in the past, to utilise the basic principles of good education. The use of assessment and evaluation techniques have been shunned by many teachers. The rejection of such essential teaching strategies has tended to be based on theological ideals rather than sound educational arguments.