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The Effect Of Problem Posing Oriented Analyses-Ii Course On The Attitudes Toward Mathematics And Mathematics Self-Efficacy Of Elementary Prospective Mathematics Teachers, Hayri Akay, Nihat Boz

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Research on mathematics teaching and learning has recently focused on affective variables, which were found to play an essential role that influences behaviour and learning. Despite its importance, problem posing has not yet received the attention it warrants from the mathematics education community. Perceived self-efficacy beliefs have been found to be a strong predictor of mathematical performance, while problem posing is considered to be a fundamental ability in mathematical learning. On the other hand majority of research in this area present a positive relation between attitude toward mathematics and success. Therefore, it is shown that attitude toward mathematics is a …

Aspire: Formation Of Pre-Service Teachers Through Leadership, Community Engagement And Retreat Training, Chris Hackett, Shane Lavery

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This article explores the experiences of pre-service teachers who are involved in a program promoting leadership, community engagement and retreat training. It initially presents a review of the literature on the significant links between teacher commitment and quality teaching. It then describes how four significant dispositions: care, leadership, service and reflective practice, are embedded in a program entitled ‘ASPIRE’ at The University of Notre Dame Australia. The program is designed to assist pre-service teachers in recognising and developing their sense of teaching vocation. An outline of the research methodology is provided. Specifically, the research is based on qualitative data derived …

The Competencies Of An English Teacher: Beginning Student Teachers’ Perceptions, Sorrel Penn-Edwards

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper presents the results of a survey conducted with first year Education students at a Queensland university on the levels of competency in literacies expected for teachers in schools. Eight aspects were chosen to be examined to discover the skill levels students thought to be essential for effective teaching and to compare these with their estimation of their own skill level; spelling and grammar competency rated the highest, ICT/computing and visual aspects the lowest for teachers. Students rated their own spelling competency at the highest level and knowledge of genre the lowest. They were asked how they intended to …

Philosophical And Pedagogical Patterns Of Beliefs Among Vietnamese And Australian Mathematics Preservice Teachers: A Comparative Study, Bao Hiep Ly, Christine Brew

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Swayed by global pressures and poor international academic standing, Vietnam in 2002 initiated further school-wide curriculum change reflecting a student-centred reform agenda. Initial research on implementation is producing mixed results. One explanation is a mismatch with a Confucian Heritage Culture as a social-constructivist philosophy may counter the traditional widespread teacher-centred classrooms in Vietnam. School mathematics is often regarded as culture-independent as similar topics are taught across nations. We take as a premise that the adoption of the reform agenda is a worthwhile goal. Presented are the findings of a small scale study that set out to explore antecedent philosophical predispositions …

Pre-Service Primary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Early Childhood Philosophy And Pedagogy: A Case Study Examination, Alison Lord, Laura Mcfarland

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study examined the experiences of three primary teacher education students participating in early childhood-focused community play sessions, as well as their perceptions of early childhood and primary philosophy and pedagogy. The purpose was to explore perceived differences in primary and early childhood pre-service teacher courses, which may then translate to differences in approaches to pedagogy in the field. Three pre-service teachers participated in a weekly community play session on a rural university campus in NSW, Australia. As these students had been educated in primary education pedagogy, a focus group interview was conducted to gain insights to their experiences in …

Attitudes Toward Communication Skills Among Students’-Teachers’ In Jordanian Public Universities, Fathi M. Ihmeideh, Aieman Ahmad Al-Omari, Kholoud A. Al-Dababneh

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The present study was carried out to determine the positive and negative attitudes among 289 students of class teachers and childhood teachers' disciplines using the communication skills attitude scale (CSAS) in Jordanian public universities. GPA, year level of students were recorded. Overall results of study revealed that the mean of positive attitude score was 4.03. The mean of negative attitude scale score was 3.63. There were no significant differences between class teachers and childhood teachers students in their positive and negative attitudes toward communication skills. Students with grade point averages 2 and more have positive attitudes toward communication skills than …

Increasing Effectiveness Of Strategic Planning Seminars Through Learning Style, Nail Yildirim

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This research tests the effectiveness of taking learning style variables from the Kolb learning model in designing strategic planning seminars. We observe in our research that the participants in the seminar – school principals – positively judge the effectiveness of the seminar. The research also tests the seminar’s effectiveness in terms of the appropriateness of the schools’ strategic plans. The research finds that the plans are largely successful. The findings indicate that the effectiveness of in-service training seminars increases when the learning styles of the participants are taken into account when planning the seminars.

The Models Used By Elementary School Teachers To Solve Verbal Problems , Yasin Soylu

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

One of the most important goals of mathematics education is to improve students’ problem solving skills, which can only be realized by teachers who are well-trained in this field. In this context, the purpose of the studies on the subject is to investigate the models used by elementary school teachers to solve verbal problems and their opinions in this process. A multiple-case study was conducted for this study which employs the Problem Information Scale comprised of eight open-ended questions. The study sample consists of a total of 100 elementary school teachers. Six of them were selected for individual interviews on …

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 …

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’ …

Misunderstanding Lawyers' Ethics, Monroe H. Freedman, Abbe Smith

Hofstra Law Faculty Scholarship

The title of Daniel Markovits's book, A Modern Legal Ethics, gives the impression that it is a comprehensive treatise on contemporary lawyers' ethics. The contents of the book, however, are both more limited and more expansive than the title suggests. Markovits's treatment of lawyers' ethics concerns itself with what he conceives to be the pervasive guilty conscience of practicing lawyers over their "professional viciousness", and how lawyers can achieve a guilt-free professional identity "worthy of ... commitment." Markovits's goal in the book is to "articulate a powerful and distinctively lawyerly virtue," one that will provide "ethical vindication of [lawyers'] professional …

Undergraduate Music Student Stress And Burnout, Helen Jane Orzel

Master's Theses

Burnout is fatigue and diminished interest caused by long-term stress. It is characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment. In the university music atmosphere, stress and burnout are prevalent and accepted as part of the culture. Symptoms and causes of general stress and burnout have been well researched, but much less has been presented on college musicians' burnout, let alone how to deal with it. This study examines the sources of stress, burnout, and ways of coping for undergraduate music students.

A questionnaire with both quantitative and open-ended questions was administered during the 2009 spring semester. Participants …

Does Nighttime Television Influence Attitudes Toward Drinking?, Mike Mchone

Master's Theses

Alcoholism is a problem in the United States. Television portrays individuals drinking alcohol. Is television influencing attitudes toward drinking? An experiment was performed with students from San Josè State University in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications to discover if television would indeed influence them to drink.

Two groups, both Mass Communication classes, participated in an initial survey, and then the test group class viewed a dramatized program in which the main character was depicted drinking glamorously. Both classes then took the same survey again. Results were analyzed via a t-test. Although there was a change in attitude regarding …

If I Could Choose: Internalized Homophobia Of The Queer Cinema Movement, James Joseph Flaherty

Master's Theses

This thesis offers a critical examination of essentialist and constructionist theories of queer identities, with emphasis on portrayals of internalized homophobia in film. The thesis examines three films released at the latter part of the first New Queer Cinema movement (1991 - 2000) - American Beauty (1999), Urbania (2000) and Velvet Goldmine (1998). Using criticisms of Queer as performativity, as theorized by Judith Butler, in addition to the works of Gregory M. Herek, Harry M. Benshoff, Jeffrey Weeks, and other theorists and academics, the thesis analyzes the use of characterization, mise-en-scene, and spatial and temporal relationships in these films as …

Toward A Single-Consciousness: Challenging "Un-American-Ness" Of People Of Color, Bhawana Kamil

Master's Theses

Race is a major axis of social injustice in America. Social injustice is due to both maldistribution of material resources and opportunities and non-recognition or mis-recognition of people of color. One form of mis-recognition is the accusation that a person of color is not a real American, creating a conflict of identities (i.e., racial and American): a double-consciousness. This accusation has its origins in faulty ideas about race, identity, and race-group membership.

This paper presents a new model of identity that addresses these faulty ideas and provides a conceptual structure within which one can consistently maintain a single-consciousness while maintaining …

Visual Framing Of Patriotism And National Identity On The Covers Of Der Spiegel, Andrea Marie Pyka

Master's Theses

This thesis studied how Der Spiegel, a news magazine in Germany, visually framed images of German patriotism and national identity on its front covers between 1947 and 2009. This study specifically examined whether the covers showed an increase in symbols of patriotism and national identity following four major events in Germany. The events included: the building of the Berlin Wall, the reunification of Germany, the adoption of the Euro, and the 2006 World Cup. A framing analysis of the covers showed that there was an increase in symbols of national identity across each of these four events. However, based …

A Phonetic, Phonological, And Morphosyntactic Analysis Of The Mara Language, Michelle Arden

Master's Theses

This thesis presents a linguistic analysis of the Mara language, a Tibeto-Burman language spoken in northwest Myanmar and in neighboring districts of India. Data has been gathered through interviews with a native speaker. The analysis includes a full phonetic segment inventory of the dialect and a phonological analysis of contrastive sounds and contextual variants. Sound files embedded in the document illustrate the phonetic system. Mara's distinctive phonetic features include the loss of word-final consonants, a set of voiceless sonorants, pre- and post- aspirated nasals, and lowered and unlowered vowel pairs. The morphosyntax of Mara pronominal words demonstrates a split-ergative case …