Education Commons^™

Digital Fluency: Skills Necessary For The Digital Age., Gerry White

Dr Gerald K. White

Many researchers argue that major innovations, especially the internet, adopted by society, have an effect on the structure of the human brain, which may or may not be a change for the better. If the structure of the human brain and ways of finding information and communication are changing as a result of the internet, then changes to the way that students learn, and probably what they are learning, would appear to follow. This article examines the skills that will be required for the twenty first century that will need to be embedded in educational curricula in order to achieve …

Interpreting Data: Where’S The Evidence?, Katherine Dix

Dr Katherine Dix

Are There More Gifted People Than Would Be Expected In A Normal Distribution? An Investigation Of The Overabundance Hypothesis, Russell Warne, Lindsey Godwin, Kyle Smith

Russell T Warne

Among some gifted education researchers, advocates, and practitioners, it is sometimes believed that there is a larger number of gifted people in the general population than would be predicted from a normal distribution (e.g., Gallagher, 2008; N. M. Robinson, Zigler, & Gallagher, 2000; Silverman, 1995, 2009), a belief that we termed the “overabundance hypothesis.” We tested this hypothesis by searching public datasets and the published literature for large representative datasets, 10 of which were found in 6 sources. Results indicated that the overabundance hypothesis was mostly unsupported by the data. Moreover, most datasets included approximately the same (or fewer) gifted …

A Survey Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine Knowledge Among Health Educators In The United States, Ping Johnson, Jennifer Priestley, Roy Johnson

Jennifer L. Priestley

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is popular among U.S. health care consumers, but no study has examined how much health educators know about CAM. Purpose: To examine the knowledge of basic CAM concepts and common CAM therapies among health educators in the U.S. Methods: An online survey was conducted among 1,299 health educators with valid e-mails on a professional listserv. The response rate was 39%. The 16-item CAM knowledge scale yielded a Cronbach's alpha of .71. Results: Participating health educators were most knowledgeable about chiropractic and massage therapy, familiar with the general definition of CAM, understood whether acupuncture is …

Digital Fluency : Skills Necessary For Learning In The Digital Age, Gerald White

Dr Gerald K. White

This article examines the skills that will be required for the 21st century that will need to be embedded in educational curricula in order achieve them. It begins by considering how communicating between people has changed and current educational responses. A view of 21st century skills follows with an argument for some core subjects that will be necessary. Learning and teaching are then discussed leading to a view about what is needed in order to develop digital fluency in education, for now and the future.

Partnering For School Improvement : Case Studies Of School-Community Partnerships In Australia, Sharon Clerke

Sharon Clerke

The case studies in this booklet illustrate the creative ways in which Australian schools are responding to local needs by establishing and building partnerships with community organisations and businesses. These partnerships have been formed to share resources, both human and material. They are providing students with access to breakfast clubs, homework and tutoring programs, after-school fitness and sporting activities, and other programs designed to re-engage students. Local businesses that want students to know more about employer expectations and the realities of the workplace are providing work placements and work experience, traineeships and apprenticeships. Some schools are partnering with other educational …

United We Stand: A Collaborative Approach To Legacy Print Collections, Matthew Revitt, Deborah Rollins

Matthew I Revitt

No abstract provided.

Learning And Fearing Mathematics, Sarah Buckley, Kate Reid

Dr Sarah Buckley

Findings from psychology and neuroscience can help educators to better understand the processes underlying children’s learning of, and feelings towards, mathematics. Sarah Buckley and Kate Reid explain.

Session M - From Experimental Psychology To A Science Of Learning, Ottmar Lipp, Sacha Develle

Dr Sacha DeVelle

Concurrent Session Block 3

Towards A Science Of Learning, Sacha Develle

Dr Sacha DeVelle

Recent discoveries in neuroscience, psychology and education have raised new questions about how learning takes place, emphasising the need for inter-disciplinary collaboration for a new ‘science of learning’, as Sacha DeVelle explains.

Influences On Children’S Numeracy Skills, John Ainley

Dr John Ainley

John Ainley reports on an analysis of the impact of background characteristics on young children's numeracy skills.

Informing Policy And Practice, John Ainley

Dr John Ainley

Comparing results from large-scale assessments can usefully inform education policy and planning, and educational practice in schools and classrooms, as John Ainley explains.

Reading And Engagement, Nicole Wernert

Nicole Wernert

In order to learn, students need to have some level of engagement in their classroom activities, including engagement in reading, as Nicole Wernert explains.

Making A Difference In Developing Countries, David Tout

David (Dave) Tout

The work of ACER in education is making the difference in educational outcomes for students across the world, particularly in developing countries.

Questioning The Standards Of Literacy And Numeracy, David Tout, Juliette Mendelovits

David (Dave) Tout

David Tout and Juliette Mendelovits examine why we receive such differing reports on the literacy and numeracy skills of young Australians.

Questioning The Standards Of Literacy And Numeracy, David Tout, Juliette Mendelovits

Juliette Mendelovits

David Tout and Juliette Mendelovits examine why we receive such differing reports on the literacy and numeracy skills of young Australians.

Towards A Growth Mindset In Assessment, Geoff Masters

Prof Geoff Masters AO

Assessment and reporting processes shape student, parent and community beliefs about learning – sometimes in unintended ways.

Informing Policy In Developing Countries, Petra Lietz, Mollie Tobin

Dr Petra Lietz

Petra Lietz and Mollie Tobin discuss the impact of large-scale assessment programs on education policy in developing countries.

Does The "Negro" Still Need Separate Schools? Single-Sex Educational Spaces As Critical Race Counterspaces, La Mont Terry

Clarence "La Mont" Terry, Sr.

This article explores whether contemporary educators should consider single-sex educational settings as viable interventions in educating African American males. Using qualitative data from a 2-year study of single-sex educational spaces in two Los Angeles County high schools, the authors argue that when all-male spaces effectively function as Critical Race Theory counterspaces, the educational experiences of high school–aged Black males are positively transformed. These co-curricular, single-sex counterspaces can effectively shield Black males from the marginalizing effects of urban schooling while serving as platforms for productive reengagement in positive school trajectories. Research-based principles for designing effective single-sex educational settings are discussed.

Use Of Veterinary Records To Teach Laboratory Thinking Skills In Biology, Christopher Woolverton

Christopher J. Woolverton

No abstract provided.

A Brief Examination Of Professional Development Models, Imran Chaudary

Imran Anjum Chaudary

This paper aims to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the major professional development models by examining their underpinning assumptions in the light of the particular bodies of scholarship from the field of education. For this purpose, nine professional development models have been chosen from the Kennedy (2005) and a framework of analysis has been constructed by modifying the criteria of effective professional development reported in the Fraser, Kennedy, Reid, and Mickinney (2007) and the Piggot-Irvine (2006). There is no ‘one right answer’! No one particular form or model of professional development is better than others to be adopted; rather, …

Special Religious Education: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, Cathy Byrne

Dr Cathy Byrne

No abstract provided.

‘Jeesis Is Alive! He Is The King Of Australia’: Segregated Religious Instruction, Child Identity And Exclusion, Cathy Byrne

Dr Cathy Byrne

Religious categorisation occurs at enrolment in Australian state-run (public) primary schools, with children segregated into religious instruction classes during their first week. Lesson content has no government oversight and, in some schools, options are limited to Christianity. The effect of this categorisation on children’s attitudes to religious diversity is not well researched but the role of religion in public schools is increasingly controversial. Social identity theory (SIT) considers cultural hegemony as a factor in individual identity construction. SIT posits that inter-group bias increases with in-group identification and suggests that categorisation itself is a source of prejudice. This paper explores the …

Keeping Ignorance And Extremism Out Of Public Schools: The Role Of Teachers And Their Unions, Cathy Byrne

Dr Cathy Byrne

No abstract provided.

Cultural Transformations: Youth And Pedagogies Of Possibility, Korina Jocson

Korina Jocson

In what ways can educators build on youth culture to improve learning opportunities in the classroom? The educational and cultural projects described in this book are part of an emerging field that examines the benefits of youth participation in literary, digital media, and civics-related projects within schools and a variety of informal environments.

Mental Health Promotion And Early Intervention In Rural And Remote Australia Through The Kidsmatter Initiative, Katherine Dix, Stephen Mcdonald

Dr Katherine Dix

Testing A Model Of Undergraduate Competence In Employability Skills And Its Implications For Stakeholders, Denise Jackson

Denise Jackson

Despite the development of employability skills being firmly entrenched in higher education’s strategic agenda worldwide; recent graduates’ standards in certain skills are not meeting industry expectations. This paper presents and tests a model of undergraduate competence in employability skills. It highlights those factors which impact on competence in employability skills and identify ways in which stakeholders can adjust curricula and pedagogy to enhance graduate skill outcomes. Data was gathered from an online survey of 1008 business undergraduates who self-rated their competence against a framework of employability skills typically considered essential in graduates. The data was analysed using multiple regression techniques. …

Session O - Do Boys And Girls Read Differently Online? Evidence From Pisa 2009 Digital Reading Assessment, Tom Lumley, Dara Ramalingam, Juliette Mendelovits

Dr Tom Lumley

Concurrent Session Block 3

Cultural Differences In Teaching And Learning, Hilary Hollingsworth

Dr Hilary Hollingsworth

People in different cultures might learn in fundamentally different ways, Hilary Hollingsworth explains.

The Impacts Of Societal Context On Student Motivation And Engagement, Jonathan Stolk

Jonathan Stolk

Promoting a sense of societal connectedness is critical in today’s engineering educational environment. The NAE’s Grand Challenges for Engineering point to broad human concerns — sustainability, health, vulnerability, and joy of living — and human connectivity as the future of engineering problem solving. Engineering studies, however, are often presented in a completely decontextualized manner, with an emphasis on technical content that is free of any human meaning. As a result, students may have difficulty identifying either personal or societal value in their learning tasks. Through their course design, instructors can help students situate themselves and their engineering learning experiences within …