Digital Commons Network^™

Clinically Practising Nurses' Perceptions Of Professionalism, Diane E. Twigg

Theses : Honours

This study describes clinically practising nurses’ perceptions of professionalism and compares these with reports of nurses’ perceptions of professionalism in the published literature. A phenomenological approach was chosen to identify and interpret the phenomena (professionalism). Ten Registered Nurses representing a range of clinical nursing positions were interviewed on the subject. Data were analysed using an interpretive methodology which identified themes and meanings. Credibility of results was established through participant validation of the identified themes and meanings and by researcher and data triangulation. The study identified six themes common to all participants’ descriptions: expertise based upon a sound education, continued learning, …

The Effects Of Internalising A Narrative Text Structure On The Comprehension And Recall Of Narrative Texts, Julie M. Bayly

Theses : Honours

This study was an analysis of an aspect of oral language comprehension. The major purpose was to evaluate the impact of the facilitating effect of a knowledge of a narrative text framework, upon listeners' comprehension of narratives.

One research question was addressed: In the immediate recall of a simple, unfamiliar narrative text, presented orally, once only, will year six listeners who have been taught the schematic structure of narratives perform significantly better than similar year six students who have not?

A teacher-devised listening text was modified from an S.R.A. (1975) listening kit. The results of that test were used as …

Training Technicians Or Educating Teachers : An Internship Program For Teacher Educators In Papua New Guinea, Denis Mclaughlin

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In 1987,the Bachelor ofEducation (Tertiary) became operational at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG). This offers a three year program to prepare experienced Community School teachers for positions as lecturers in Community Teachers Colleges. The second year of the program is a supervised internship in oneof these teachers colleges, a year which is intended to be one means among others of stimulating quality education in Papua New Guinea. This paper aims to present a theoretical rationale for the internship year, to explain how its design is intended to work towards the achievement of the goal of qualitative improvement in …

Pastoral Care In Schools : Some Implications For Teacher Training, Ron Best

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In Britain, teachers' concern for children as more than "empty buckets to be filled with knowledge" is widely recognised as a professional obligation. It is also legally enshrined in the concept of the teacher in loco parentis. There is nothing particularly new about this. Arnold of Rugby placed academic achievement third behind the promotion of Christian values and "gentlemanly conduct" in the priorities he set for his staff, and in public boarding-schools the roles of house master and matron were considered important means by which pupils' personal, physical and (supposedly) moral well-being were protected. What is relatively new is the …

School-Based Teacher Education, Heather J. Thanos

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Pre-service teacher education can and should integrate learning about teaching through continuous school-based experience. It is in the dynamic environments of schools and classrooms that prospective teachers learn through observation, experience and reflection to make critical judgements, in real and changing circumstances, about what it means to teach. Moreover, it is through continuous school-based teachIng experience, in a variety of school contexts, that prospective teachers construct their own critical consciousness of the social purposes of schooling and not just the technical skills of teaching. An upheaval in teacher education in Australia is currently foreshadowed by the Australian Education Council (AEC) …

Book Reviews

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Books reviewed. Lokan, J. and McKenzie, P. (eds). (1989). Teacher appraisal : issues and approaches. Australian Education Review, No. 28. Melbourne: ACER. Christie, F. (Ed.). (1990). Literacy for the Changing World: A Fresh Look at the Basics. Melbourne: ACER. Willis, S. (ed.). (1990). Being Numerate: What Counts? Melbourne: ACER. Brennan, B. (ed.). (1990). Continuing Professional Education : Promise and Performance. (Australian Education Review No.30), Melbourne: ACER. Atkin, J., Bastiani, J., and Goode, J., (1988). Listening to Parents, Kent: Croom Helm. Ralph Pethnan. (1986) Teaching for Human Rights : Pre-school and Grades 1-4. Canberra: Australian Government PublIshing Service. VIDEO REVIEW Educating …

Curriculum Decision Making For National Interest In The Tertiary Sector: An Evaluation Of A Curriculum Project, Stephen Duggan, Lyndall Boyle

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper is concerned with a study of comparative curriculum practice within the tertiary sector. Within Australia, curriculum practice, innovation, planning and evaluation has occurred mainly within the primary and secondary school system. However, since the mid-1980s, educational strategies for national interest have seen the evolution of informed curriculum research and development within the tertiary sector, as universities and colleges endeavour to meet nationally determined educational goals and objectives. This study relates the research process involved when tertiary educators (and researchers) are faced with the task of reconciling local, regional and national objectives. In particular, it considers the dynamics of …

Improving The Scientific Thinking Of Preservice Secondary Science Teachers, Mark Hackling, Patrick Garnett, Frank Dymond

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Previous studies indicate that many preservice science teachers lack facility with those formal reasoning patterns that are critical for learning science. The purpose of this project was to develop, implement and evaluate a curriculum package directed at improving preservice secondary science teachers' scientific thinking. A matched treatment-control, quasi-experimental design revealed significant gains achieved through use of the curriculum materials.

Classroom Interaction: Some Qualitative And Quantitative Differences In A Mixed-Ethnicity Classroom, Gary Partington, Vincent Mccudden

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Children's classroom success has been attributed to a variety of factors (Watts, 1975). Among these factors are the quality and number of interactions occurring between the teacher and the students (Brophy and Good, 1974). Students who attract a greater proportion of the teacher's time and experience more positive interactions are more likely to be successful than other students. Additionally it has been argued (McKessar and Thomas, 1978) that some students may have greater expertise in capturing a teacher's attention, that is, by initiating interactions, while King (1979) considered that students engaged in behaviours which were designed to maintain the teacher's …

Optimal Axillary Thermometer Placement Time For Recording Neonatal Temperature, Athalie Johnston

Theses : Honours

Since body temperature is a reflection of neonatal wellbeing, taking and recording an accurate temperature is an important nursing role. Research has shown that axillary temperature adequately reflects core body temperature and is the recommended site for neonates. However, researchers have been unable to agree on the length of thermometer placement time to record an accurate axillary temperature. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal thermometer placement time to record the maximum axillary temperature in newborn infants using a descriptive correlational design. Axillary temperatures were taken using a convenience sample of 100 healthy, term neonates between 38 …

Personal Practice Of And Beliefs About Breast Self Examination In Students Of Nursing, Charles Lancaster

Theses : Honours

Epidemiological data reveal that breast cancer is a major health problem to women today. Although there are no known means for preventing it, detection and early diagnosis of breast cancer can be readily made through Breast Self Examination (BSE), an inexpensive, non-invasive, cost--effective procedure undertaken by women themselves. Yet, while most women have heard of BSE, very few perform it. By employing Pender's (1987) Health Promotion Model (HPM) as the theoretical nursing framework, it is possible to study reasons for this noncompliance. In this study, two areas are looked at specifically: perceived susceptibility to breast cancer and perceived benefits from …

A Study On The Integration Of Existing Community Transport Resources Within The Boundaries Of The City Of Stirling, Thremy Richard

Theses : Honours

The study was designed to investigate if, the community transport providers operating within a local authority were able to meet the daily requests for transport to the frail aged and disabled persons living in this locality. Then to ascertain if these transport providers were fully utilising their transport vehicles, which could be volunteers in cars, or a small bus. If they were able to meet these demands, would they be interested in sharing their vehicles by becoming part of an integrated community transport service? The data collection techniques consisted of firstly conducting a qualitative meta-analysis on a selection of community …

The Influence Of Prior Knowledge Of Expository Text Structure On Comprehension In Young Children, Zenda Johnson

Theses : Honours

The effects of the instruction of report text structure on students’ comprehension of expository material with familiar m1d unfamiliar topics was investigated in both the short and long term. Two comprehension measures were used (ability to restructure an unstructured report text through written composition, and written recall of facts). Forty two Year Three students were matched in comprehension ability based on initial general comprehension performance in a standardized test, and were assigned to either an Experimental group which received text structure instruction, or a Control group which received no special instruction. Results indicated that the instruction and practise in report …

Adventure Outdoor Education And Physical Self-Concept: The Effects Of Adventure Percieved Activities, David Lawson

Theses : Honours

(a) There were no significant differences in the Physical Self Concept of adolescents who participated in Outdoor Education adventure activities, when compared to the Control group. (t = 0.9869, p > .05). (b) There were no significant differences in the Physical Self-Concept of those adolescents who perceived the activities to be of a high adventure nature compared with those who perceived them to be of a medium adventure nature (t = -0.3405, p > .05). (c) Males did not exhibit a more significant change in Physical Self-Concept than females, as a result of the adventure activities (t = 0.3405, p > .05) (d) …

Information Technology In Youth Agencies : A Rural Perspective, Rod Underwood, Barry Sherridan

Research outputs pre 2011

A survey of rural youth agencies investigated current or projected applications of computer technology to agency management and service delivery. The expectations of agency administrators regarding computer usage by youth workers, the nature of training provided or considered desirable, and identification of issues critical to the applications of computer technology in rural youth: services were studied. Youth agencies generally recognised that computers have the potential to enhance the quality of service provision. The lack of formal training in the use of computers may have serious implications for future developments.

Chaos Theory And Competency Based Teacher Education, Clive Chappell

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Central paradigms of modern science are being questioned by an emerging group of scientists called chaos theorists. They argue that the reductionist approach to analysing real systems in order to predict future behaviour of the system cannot succeed. They go further arguing that unpredictable dynamic systems when observed holistically reveal patterns which have the capacity to bring order to chaos. This paper suggests that the reductionist approach to investigation and the ideology of determinism has been absorbed by many other disciplines including education and that investigators in these disciplines need to re-assess their activities in the light of the work …

Political Education In Australia : 'Well-Being' For Youth, Harry C. J. Phillips

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Interest in political socialisation and education, and the agencies through which it occurs, can be traced back to the beginnings of political theory. Much of Plato's Republic was devoted to the proper training patterns of various 'classes' in his ideal state. He reasoned that if political socialisation or civic training was defective a political system would inevitably degenerate through timocracy, oligarchy, and democracy to tyranny (Phillips and Rielly, 1982, 24). Aristotle, as Plato's outstanding student, took it for granted that the legislator should make the political education of the young a major goal. To ensure the stability of the Constitution, …

Rottnest Island : A Reference List, Jennifer Browne

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Perth's North-West Corridor: A Bibliography, E. E. Mcgowan, J. M. Renner

Research outputs pre 2011

The Joondalup Campus of the Western Australian College of Advanced Education is now well established and growing rapidly in size. In part this growth has resulted in an increasing demand for literature on the Perth North-West Corridor and increasing attention being directed to research on the environment and culture of the area. This bibliography has been prepared to facilitate research and scholarship both on the campus and beyond and to assist citizens of the Northern Corridor interested in learning more about their region...

The Development Of The 'Nursing Home/Hostel - Quality Of Life Index': A Tool To Measure The Quality Of Life Of Permanent Residents In Geriatric Care Institutions, Linda Pettit

Theses : Honours

The purpose of this study was to develop the 'Nursing Home/Hostel: Quality of Life Index' (NH/H:QLI). This was to be a tool which would indicate the 'quality of life' of elderly residents in geriatric care institutions, such as nursing homes and hostels. Several means were employed to establish the validity of the tool. These were: consultation with experienced geriatric nurses, an examination of similar types of tools and correlation with another already established tool; Bigot's Life Satisfaction Index. The reliability of the NH/H:QLI was established by determining how well the scores correlated on a test re-test format. Kendall's Tau was …

Patient Attitudes Toward Self-Medication During Hospitalization, Elizabeth A. Reilly

Theses : Honours

This study explored patient attitudes toward the behaviour of self-medication during hospitalization using Ajzen's and Fishbein's model of Reasoned Action {1980}. The goal of Ajzen's and Fishbein's model is to predict and understand an individual's behaviour. This study adapted the model and identified seven variables which were thought to influence a person's intention to self-medicate. Two hypotheses were developed based upon the relationships between the variables in the model and their predicted effect upon the behaviour of self-medication. Correlational statistics were performed to determine the general relationships between a subject's specific and general attitudes toward the behaviour of self-medication, their …

A Survey Of Computer Usage In Year 11 And 12 Accounting In Western Australian Secondary Government Schools, Grazyna Critch

Theses : Honours

Computer technology has changed the process of accounting and as a result computer usage has become an essential skill for the accountant. Consequently, computer applications are advocated in the accounting curriculum, the vocational rationale verified by virtue of the fact that the accounting profession itself is calling for computer training as part of accounting education. Although there is widespread agreement about the need for computer usage within accounting education, there is often a dichotomy between the educational goal and its application in practice. This is because computer usage in accounting is not without problems; while there are many factors which …

Does The Generality Of Philosophy Of Education Ensure Its Triviality?, Paul Hagar

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

I will start by drawing attention to two assumptions about Philosophy of Education. These two assumptions underpin the belief that Philosophy of Education is a subject worthy of study by beginning teachers. The assumptions are: (a) Philosophy of Education discovers and develops substantial and informative general principles and theories about education (hereafter the content assumption. (b) These general principles and theories are applied by teachers in order to help solve some of their professional problems (hereafter the application assumption). In this paper I mainly will be canvassing reasons for doubting both of these assumptions. Then I will briefly consider some …

Forms Of Knowledge, Teacher Education And The Manipulation Of Beliefs, Peter G. Woolcock

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In this paper I will argue that Hirst's idea of forms of knowledge has a vital contribution to make to the education of teachers. In his 1965 paper, 'School Education and the Nature of Knowledge' (Hirst, 1974), Hirst argued that there are seven distinct forms of knowledge, each with its own unique concepts, distinctive logical structure, testability against experience and unique methods of testing. These seven forms of knowledge were mathematics, the physical sciences, the human sciences, history, religion, literature and the fine arts, and philosophy and moral knowledge. My paper, however, is not an attempt to reinstate forms of …

The Establishment Of An Effective Communication System In Schools, Graeme Lock

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

One of the emerging trends in Australian education in recent years has been the increasing amount of interaction between schools and their communities. Such a trend is no better exemplified than in the establishment of school-based decision-making groups. The closer relationship which has begun to exist between schools and their communities necessitates an improvement in communication. As part of an investigation into increasing community participation in school decision-making processes, the issue of school community communication procedures was examined, and its importance ascertained. This article will suggest methods by which school-community communication can be improved and briefly outline the implications that …

Has Restructuring Left High School Teachers Professionally Stranded?, Rod Chadbourne, Rod Quin

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In February 1987 the 'Better Schools Report' was released in Western Australia. It provided the blueprint for a radical restructuring of the state education system based on the principles of administrative decentralization devolution of authority, and corporate management, The proposed changes were designed to make schools more self-determining, They were also intended to make the delivery of education more responsive, flexible, and accountable. To those ends, the Ministry of Education's central office was streamlined, the nine regional offices were replaced by twenty nine district offices, principals were given responsibility for recommending the permanency of all new teachers, and a process …

Changing Societal And Familial Trends : Changing Teacher Strategies, Dawn Butterworth

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Teachers today are working in an era of rapid and complex change. Not only must they be aware of these societal and familial changes, but they must also know how to respond to the changed needs of individual children within the context of their changing families and society. It is no longer appropriate for teachers to operate on the basis of out-of-date stereotypes depicted by texts and teachings which have been based on earlier life-styles and circumstances. Teacher education institutions must also play their part in ensuring that both pre and post-service teachers are kept abreast of these rapid societal …

An Idea To Save Educational Theory, M. A. B. Degenhardt

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The future looks gloomy for educational theory. The place of theory in the education of teachers and in deliberations on educational policy, is being speedily reduced. The number of persons employed to teach educational theory is declining and many of those who remain are having to teach adulterated or dubiously 'relevant' theory regarding which they can feel no real enthusiasm or honest commitment. It is possible that some areas of educational theory which have developed impressively over the last two or three decades will almost vanish. Already one can discern the unhappy consequences for practice. Thus a valuable contribution to …

In Search Of Political Literacy : Teaching Philosophy Of Education In A Freirean Mode, Noel Preston

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The paper describes and analyses one attempt to teach philosophy of education at pre-service level. The course is based on Freirean insights and methodology. It argues that this provides a framework for a philosophy of education which aims at education for political literacy.

Personal And Professional Practices Of Breast Self-Examination In Nurses, Julia Agars

Theses : Honours

Breast cancer is the most frequently occurring cancer in females in Western Australia (W.A.). Despite technological advances the death rate from breast cancer is not decreasing. With the hope of reducing the mortality rates, preventative measures are being encouraged for the early detection of breast cancer. The Cancer Foundation of W.A. promote the performance of Breast Self Examination (BSE) on a monthly basis. The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency of BSE practice amongst nurses and the incidence of nurses teaching BSE to patients. The Health Belief Model (HBM) is used as a theoretical framework. This model …