Digital Commons Network^™

Using Ict-Based Instructional Technologies To Teach Science: Perspectives From Teachers In Trinidad And Tobago., Rawatee Maharaj-Sharma, Aarti Sharma, Aditi Sharma

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate how science teachers in Trinidad and Tobago use ICT-based instructional technologies in classroom science teaching. The participants were 30 secondary school science teachers who completed their Postgraduate Diploma in Education within the last 2 years from the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago. The teachers were asked to prepare lesson plans which demonstrate their use of instructional technologies to teach science topics within their term’s schemes of work. They were subsequently asked to explain their reasons for using the selected instructional technologies. The findings revealed that PowerPoint was the …

More Than Standardisation: Teacher’S Professional Literacy Learning In Australia?, Veronica Gardiner, Wendy Cumming-Potvin, Christine Kay Glass

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Current policies guiding literacy and teacher professional learning in Australia, tend to foreground the importance of standardised practice and assessment in classrooms and schools. However, enactments of print-oriented literacy and professional learning in alignment with this emphasis stand in contradiction with contemporary approaches, which implicate consideration of diversity and contextual relevance. This paper positions teacher problematisation and negotiation of this contradiction as key for broadening literacy learning horizons. Incorporating multiliteracies, Cultural Historical Activity Theory and sociocritical perspectives on policy and professional learning, the authors propose a multidimensional framework for exploring and supporting dynamic and conflictually sensitive teacher learning processes. Such …

Commercially Available Digital Game Technology In The Classroom: Improving Automaticity In Mental-Maths In Primary-Aged Students., John O'Rourke, Susan Main, Susan M. Hill

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In this paper we report on a study of the implementation of handheld game consoles (HGCs) in 10 Year four/five classrooms to develop student automaticity of mathematical calculations. The automaticity of mathematical calculations was compared for those students using the HGC and those being taught using traditional teaching methods. Over a school term, students (n=236) who used the HGCs and Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training showed significant improvement in both the speed and accuracy of their mathematical calculations. Data collected in interviews during the intervention period from students, staff and parents were analysed to provide further information on the implementation and …

How Well Prepared Are Australian Preservice Teachers To Teach Early Reading Skills?, Linda J. Meeks, Coral R. Kemp

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Preservice early childhood and primary teachers from teacher preparation institutions across five Australian states were surveyed regarding their perceptions of preparedness and ability to teach early reading and spelling skills, as well as their knowledge of components of early reading, such as phonemic awareness, alphabet knowledge and early spelling patterns. Surveys were conducted in the final year of the teacher training courses and targeted students attending teacher education institutions providing teacher training in the area of early literacy. Although preservice teachers generally rated themselves as prepared to teach early reading, most demonstrated minimal to very poor knowledge of the components …

Pre-Service Teachers’ Tpack Development And Conceptions Through A Tpack-Based Course, Levent Durdu, Funda Dag

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study examines pre-service teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) development and analyses their conceptions of learning and teaching with technology. With this aim in mind, researchers designed and implemented a computer-based mathematics course based on a TPACK framework. As a research methodology, a parallel mixed method approach was used. The data were collected from 71 pre-service teachers taking the course. The TPACK survey, a semi-structured interview, and evaluation scores of pre-service teachers’ microteaching performance, which also included analysis of lesson plans, were used as data collection instruments. The findings indicated that the implemented instructional processes affected pre-service teachers’ TPACK …

Influences Of Instructional Policies On Novice Teacher Cognition: Help Or A Hindrance?, Gokcen Gok Kaca, Nur Yigitoglu

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study investigates how novice English as a foreign language teachers (EFL) navigate their teaching in a university setting while attending an in-service teacher training program to improve their teaching skills. The purpose is to explore the influences of the curriculum followed at an intensive English program on novice teachers’ cognitions. Two Turkish novice teachers of English took part in this study, in which qualitative data collection was employed. Findings revealed that the teachers encountered certain challenges in realizing the curriculum objectives. These included confusions regarding the curriculum followed in their teaching context and tensions between their beliefs and practices …

The Impact Of Conducting Practitioner Research Projects On Teachers’ Professional Growth, Annette Hilton, Geoff Hilton

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

There is growing interest in the effectiveness of practitioner research for promoting teachers’ professional learning. It is important to determine if and why practitioner research is effective for teachers, however, it is also necessary to determine what support they need to develop research skills to design and implement practitioner research. This article reports on a year-long pilot study that aimed to design a model of professional learning to enhance teachers’ research skills and support them to conduct their own research. The study involved 11 participants from four schools. Eight full-day workshops were designed to develop research skills and scaffold the …

Heads You Win, Tails I Lose: The Dilemma Mandatory Reporting Poses For Teachers, Meredith Falkiner, Donald Thomson, Belinda Guadagno, Andrew Day

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Australian teachers are mandated to report instances of child maltreatment should they suspect a child is being maltreated. Some teachers are reluctant to make a report based on suspicion alone. This review examines the barriers that may prevent teachers from reporting. It is suggested that to overcome these barriers and form a reasonable belief that a child is being maltreated, teachers may attempt to seek out proof by questioning the suspected victim. Inappropriate questioning can have detrimental consequences such as wrongful reporting when maltreatment is not occurring, or worse, no report made when a child is being maltreated. Based on …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Using Peer-Dialogue Assessment (Pda) For Improving Pre-Service Teachers' Perceived Confidence And Competence To Teach Physical Education, Narelle Eather, Nick Riley, Drew Miller, Bradley Jones

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Developing effective methods for improving student learning in higher education is a priority. Recent findings have shown that feedback on student work can effectively facilitate learning if students are engaged as active participants in the feedback cycle; where they seek, generate and use feedback in the form of dialogue. This novel study investigates the use of peer dialogue assessment as an assessment for learning tool used in an existing undergraduate physical education course. Our findings demonstrate that when thirty six undergraduate physical education students were provided with instruction and practice using peer dialogue assessment after consecutive teaching performances, they exhibit …

Primary Mathematics Trainee Teacher Confidence And Its Relationship To Mathematical Knowledge, Stephen J. Norton

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The purpose of this paper is to examine trainee primary school teachers’ confidence in their mathematical content knowledge (MCK) and confidence to teach specific primary mathematics concepts (mathematics pedagogical content knowledge –MPCK) which was correlated to their actual MCK on specific tasks. For this correlational study survey and test data were collected from a cohort of 210 trainee teachers. It was found that confidence to do and to teach mathematics was reasonably strongly correlated with competence. Trainee teachers’ confidence varied greatly depending on the specific mathematics they were attempting. When presented with specific tasks, trainees were well aware of the …

Improving The Computational Thinking Pedagogical Capabilities Of School Teachers, Matt Bower, Leigh N. Wood, Jennifer W.M. Lai, Cathie Howe, Raymond Lister, Raina Mason, Kate Highfield, Jennifer Veal

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The idea of computational thinking as skills and universal competence which every child should possess emerged last decade and has been gaining traction ever since. This raises a number of questions, including how to integrate computational thinking into the curriculum, whether teachers have computational thinking pedagogical capabilities to teach children, and the important professional development and training areas for teachers. The aim of this paper is to address the strategic issues by illustrating a series of computational thinking workshops for Foundation to Year 8 teachers held at an Australian university. Data indicated that teachers' computational thinking understanding, pedagogical capabilities, technological …

School Leaders’ Perspectives On Educating Teachers To Work In Vulnerable Communities: New Insights From The Coal Face, Lynette Longaretti, Dianne Toe

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Classroom teacher quality can significantly impact student learning outcomes. Increased access to skilled teachers in low socioeconomic status (SES) schools could substantially improve the learning outcomes and engagement levels of young people.

The National Exceptional Teaching for Disadvantaged Schools (NETDS) programme is a university based Teacher Education programme that has been implemented by Deakin University in the Geelong/Werribee area. It seeks to prepare high achieving pre-service teachers (PSTs) to teach in low SES school settings.

This project investigated the views of school leadership teams in low SES schools including their views of an exemplary teacher, and the understandings and skills …

Becoming Exceptional: Exploring Selves And Assemblages In The National Exceptional Teaching In Disadvantaged Schools Program, Jo Ailwood, Margot Ford

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper explores the work of ‘becoming exceptional’ amongst a group of preservice teachers taking part in the National Exceptional Teaching for Disadvantaged Schools program (NETDS). The NETDS program is directed towards mentoring and supporting outstanding preservice teachers to transition into the schools where they can make a significant difference. For us, as teacher educators leading the teaching of our University’s NETDS program, the most important questions became ones of self and transformation for the participating preservice teachers. To begin these explorations we make use of concepts provided by Deleuze and Guattari, and expanded upon by Braidotti; the …

Thinking With/Through The Contradictions Of Social Justice In Teacher Education: Self-Reflection On Netds Experience, Keita Takayama, Tiffany Jones, Rose Amazan

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Improving teacher quality has become the hallmark of Australian education reform with a plethora of measures introduced in teacher education to improve future teachers’ instructional competencies. This policy focus has also changed the discussion of strategies for addressing disadvantages in schools; improving teacher quality, as opposed to addressing structural inequalities in the system and larger society, has become the “solution.” This paper looks at the National Exceptional Teaching for Disadvantaged Schools (NETDS), which aims to channel high performing teacher education students to disadvantaged schools. Using the taxonomy of conservative, liberal and critical approaches to education reform, the …

Purpose-Built, Web-Based Professional Portfolios: Reflective, Developmental And Showcase, Susan Blackley, Dawn Bennett, Rachel Sheffield

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This pilot study examined student engagement with a web-based digital professional portfolio through the 3C process of collect-critique-curate. To overcome common problems associated with electronic portfolios, including cost; specificity; lifelong access; and ease of use, the study used Weebly as its portfolio platform. The creation and use of the portfolio was embedded into the first professional studies unit in the second year of an undergraduate initial teacher education degree, and technical seminars ensured that the base portfolio was created. As students reflected on possible sources of evidence to demonstrate achievement of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL, 2011) and …

Co-Operating Teachers, School Placement And The Implications For Quality, Carmel G. Roofe, Loraine D. Cook

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

It is widely understood by teacher educators and administrators responsible for the practicum of student teachers that co-operating teachers play a critical role in student teacher development. This research sought to examine student teachers perception of their co-operating teachers during practicum and ascertain the extent to which subject specialisation, gender and school placement influenced their perception. Through the use of a questionnaire, data were collected from 195 student teachers during the final week of their practicum. The results indicated that student teachers had a positive perception of their co-operating teachers and perceived their co-operating teachers to be providing developmental and …

Any Time, Any Place, Flexible Pace: Technology-Enhanced Language Learning In A Teacher Education Programme, Jocelyn M. Howard, Adèle Scott

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Ongoing developments in e-learning, improved internet accessibility and increased digital citizenry provide exciting opportunities to integrate effective classroom pedagogies with online educational technologies, creating mixed-mode courses to enhance student engagement and facilitate greater autonomous learning. This research examines pre-service teacher education students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of experiential and digitally-mediated tools which take them beyond the constraints of traditional lecture-type delivery. Quantitative and qualitative results from distance and face-to-face cohorts show the value the students ascribe to tools employed in a modified language course. These are discussed in relation to reported changes in students’ proficiency in the target language and …

Exploring The Value Of Service-Learning On Pre-Service Teachers, Amanda Mergler, Suzanne B. Carrington, Peter Boman, Megan P. Kimber, Derek Bland

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Service-learning as a transformative pedagogy within university education is becoming increasingly popular in Australia. Advocates of service-learning indicate that the practice of combining community based voluntary work with theoretical in-class academic knowledge leads to a greater awareness about diversity and difference in students. While such claims are enticing, particularly in pre-service teacher education where there is a need for teachers to understand and embrace diversity, it is important to determine the veracity of such claims. The current study used a repeated measures design to explore whether engaging in service-learning as part of an inclusive education unit resulted in changes in …

Project Evidence: Responding To The Changing Professional Learning Needs Of Mentors In Initial Teacher Education, Jeanne Maree Allen, Simone White, Cheryl Sim

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This positioning paper seeks to contribute to the knowledge base of the changing professional learning needs of supervising or mentor teachers in initial teacher education. To do so, we draw from the work of Project Evidence, an Australian Office of Learning and Teaching funded project, designed to support teacher education through the development of a professional learning website. Our focus in this paper is our growing understanding of the complex work of teachers as they navigate new supervisory and mentoring roles in the current education context of high stakes standardisation. We examine the implications for their changing work practices within …

Perceived Social-Ecological Barriers Of Generalist Pre-Service Teachers Towards Teaching Physical Education: Findings From The Get-Pe Study, Brendon P. Hyndman

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Identifying and understanding the perceptions of pre-service teachers (PSTs) is vital to informing teaching practices. The purpose of the ‘Generalist Entry into Teaching Physical Education’ (GET-PE) study was to investigate Australian generalist PSTs' perceptions of the barriers to teaching physical education (PE) classes. A social-ecological model framework (SEM) was uniquely applied as the conceptual framework for the GET-PE study to analyse, explore and understand the multiple levels of barriers perceived by the generalist PSTs. A myriad of SEM level barriers were perceived by the generalist PSTs (n=71) at the intrapersonal level (knowledge gaps, physical abilities, reduced confidence), interpersonal level (community …

Transforming Pre-Service Teachers’ Beliefs And Understandings About Design And Technologies, Marnie Best

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Design and Technologies challenges students to think differently: to think critically and creatively. Yet, how, when and why students are exposed to Design and Technologies curriculum in school classrooms is at the prerogative of their teacher. For this reason, it is imperative that pre-service teachers are inspired by and engaged through relevant, rigorous and responsive courses throughout their undergraduate teaching program. Situated within the Bachelor of Education (Primary and Middle) degree at the University of South Australia, Australia, this study captures pre-service teachers’ emerging beliefs, attitudes and understandings of Design and Technologies. Drawing on the comparative responses of pre-service teachers …

Editorial’S Note, Surasak Buranatrevedh

Asian Medical Journal and Alternative Medicine

No abstract provided.

Nakhonchaiburin Another Move Towards International Medical Education (นครชัยบุรินทร์ อีกย่างก้าวสู่ความเป็นสากล ด้านจัดการเรียนรู้แพทย์), Surasak Buranatrevedh

Asian Medical Journal and Alternative Medicine

No abstract provided.

Prevalence Of Dyslipidemia And Associated Factors Among Medical Personnel In Nopparat Rajchathani Hospital, Orapun Theeratrakoolchai, Aurapan Chaimanee

Asian Medical Journal and Alternative Medicine

Introduction: Objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia and factors associated with dyslipidemia among medical personnel in Nopparat Rajchathani hospital.

Method: This cross-sectional descriptive study comprised 551 medical personnel aged 35 - 60 years who underwent an annual medical check-up in 2015. Personal and occupational data were collected by self-administered questionnaires. Dyslipidemia was identified based on serum total cholesterol, triglyceride,
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) following ATP III classification. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the associated factors for dyslipidemia.

Result: The prevalence of dyslipidemia among medical personnel in Nopparat …

Prevalence And Associated Risk Factors Of Thumb Pain From Using Smartphone In Secondary School Students At Khlongluang, Pathumthani Province, Santhanee Khruakhorn, Siriluck Kanchanomai, Kamonwan Kaewlek, Nisarat Jetjongjai, Chulaluck Kumkong, Nualchanok Nanon

Asian Medical Journal and Alternative Medicine

Introduction: Nowadays, smartphone has been popular and widely used. Other studies revealed that the use of smartphone was associated with pain or fatigue of fingers. Therefore, aims of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated risk factor between thumb pain and smartphone usage in lower secondary school students at Khlongluang district, age 12 - 15 years.

Method: Analytic cross-sectional study was conducted. Participants were secondary school students aged 12 - 15 years in Khlongluang district. Data were collected by Google form, questionnaires were consisted of 4 parts; demographic data, smartphone characteristics, the thumb pain or discomfort and associated …

Comparison Between The Effects Of Aquatic And Land Based Exercise On Respiratory Muscle Strength And Cardio-Pulmonary Fitness In Thai Overweight And Obese Participants, Sasipa Buranapuntalug, Khanistha Wattanananont, Chanoknan Bhakdikul, Krittavit Dangphet, Kornanong Yuenyongchaiwat, Khajonsak Pongpanit, Rungchai Chaunchaiyakul

Asian Medical Journal and Alternative Medicine

Introduction: Symptoms of breathlessness during activities are common problems among overweight and obese individuals. Further, obesity and overweight can lead to pulmonary and cardiovascular impairments. Several studies had recommended aerobic exercise for these participants. However, this type of exercise (i.e., landed exercise) is difficult for a person with overweight because of excessive weight bearing and results in aggravates pain at lower extremities. Therefore aquatic exercise may be an alternative exercise for individuals who suffer from obesity or overweight. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of aquatic exercise training and land based exercise training on respiratory muscle …

Relationship Between Cognition And Quality Of Life In Older People Living In Elderly Care Centers And Communities In Pathum Thani Province, Kitsana Krootnark

Asian Medical Journal and Alternative Medicine

Introduction: The numbers of older people have been increasingly shown and the tendency of the elders whom have been lacked of caring from family members. This caused depression and the restriction of physical or social engagement activities. It was a risk factor for cognitive impairment leading to decline quality of life in the elderly. This study aimed to find a relationship between cognitive function and the quality of life in older people.

Method: There were forty six participants from elderly care center in Pathumthani and participants from Rangsit community at Thanyaburi, Pathumthani (n = 108). All participants were interviewed by …

Relationship Between Q-Angle And Gait Parameter In Thai Aged 18 - 69, Phongpatin Tantipoon, Nuttaporn Praditpod

Asian Medical Journal and Alternative Medicine

Introduction: Quadriceps angle (Q-angle) is usually used as a clinical assessment measure to evaluate biomechanical function of knee joint. However, studies related to relationships between Q-angle and gait parameters in healthy people have been rarely reported. This study investigated the relationships between Q-angle and kinematic gait parameters in healthy Thai aged 18 - 69 years.

Method: One hundred and ten participants aged 18 - 69 years were divided into five age groups namely 18 - 29, 30 - 39, 40 - 49, 50 - 59 and 60 - 69 years (22 participants in each group). All participants were evaluated anthropometry …

Prevalence And Risk Factors Of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Fruit Transport Workers In Pathum Thani Province, Nuttaporn Praditpod, Santhanee Khruakhorn, Kanjana Kuanpung, Narut Panyasak, Suchart Thong-Art

Asian Medical Journal and Alternative Medicine

Introduction: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) have been frequently found and increased among workers. The WMSDs impacted on the payment for cost of medical care, cost of worker’s compensation and work performance. Objective was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms among fruit transport workers in Pathum Thani province.

Method: Two hundred and twenty eight fruit transport workers were interviewed. Inferential statistic was used to analyze association between factors and WMSDs by using Chi-squared test. The association was presented in Odds ratio (OR) and 95%CI. The significant level was set at p < 0.05.

Result: The response rate was …

Mentality Of Thai Beggars Portrayed In Drawings, Lertsiri Bovornkitti

Asian Medical Journal and Alternative Medicine

Introduction: Beggars are globally visible among the low-class populace, especially in underdeveloped and developing countries; however, it is not entirely true that all of them are from the lower classes of society, since a few of them have been found to be quite rich and educated. Currently, the reasons for begging have changed over those in the past, as a good number of beggars are hired for their performance. However, the phenomenon of begging reflects a complex issue of social inequality that needs to be addressed. The objective of this study was to identify reasons for begging, assessed from the …