Education Commons^™

Seddon, T. (1994), Context And Beyond: Reframing The Theory And Practice Of Education, Falmer, London, 230 Pp., $115., Bruce Haynes

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

No abstract provided.

Student Teacher Self-Esteem In The Practicum, Rosemary Dobbins

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This article is based on a study in which I have been involved for the last four years, investigating the learning of final-year primary student teachers and their school-based teacher educators during the practicum. My investigation has confirmed findings from other research indicating that student teachers’ learning in the practicum is a complex process (Feiman-Nemser, 1985; Britzman, 1986; Goodman, 1986; Zeichner, 1986; Calderhead, 1991; Groundwater-Smith, 1993). Student teacher self-esteem was found to play a central role in the complexity of the learning process. Two particular findings in relation to student teacher self-esteem are discussed in this article. Firstly, student teacher …

A Model For The Development Of Teachers In A Remote Area Of Western Australia, Jim Heslop

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The purpose of this article is to describe the shortcomings of the preparation of teachers who are appointed to remote schools within the Ngaanyatjarra Lands district of Western Australia. The article also suggests a model for the development for teachers who are appointed to the region that will address the shortcomings.

Harris, Kevin (1994), Teachers : Constructing The Future, The Falmer Press, London, 150 Pp., Isbn 0 7507 0301 6 (Pbk) $34.95., Bruce Haynes

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

No abstract provided.

Peterson, L. (1995). Stop And Think Learning: A Teacher’S Guide For Motivating Children To Learn: Including Those With Special Needs. Camberwell, Victoria: The Australian Council For Educational Research., A. M. Blackmore

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

No abstract provided.

The Enhancement Of Science Process Skills In Primary Teacher Education Students, William Foulds, John Rowe

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The science process skills of primary teacher education students in Western Australia are often poorly developed. Their lack of skills is part of a more general and widespread problem. Hackling and Garnett (1991) state that " students at all levels show poorly developed skills of problem analysis, planning, and carrying out of controlled experiments. " In a study of first year tertiary students Moneira (1980) claims that many students cannot identify the basic phenomena and even the basic question involved in experiments. He suggests that they see experiments merely as using equipment rather than as a process of generating information.

Interrupting The Institutional, Narrative On Teacher Training: The Potential Of School-Based Teacher Education, Carol Hogan, Barry Down

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Currently, teacher education is at the crossroads. Stimulated by a plethora of government reports and inquiries there are cries for reform, restructuring and change. As teacher educators we have grappled with the complexities, contradictions and tensions emanating from these reform efforts on two fronts. At the institutional level, we have suffered the alienating consequences of restructuring through budget cuts, staff sackings, 'efficiencies', and the casualisation of academic work. At the collegial level, we have struggled to make sense of the "teacher training business" and what it means to be a teacher and teacher educator in this increasingly hostile environment (Bullough …

Biggs, F. & Potter, G.K. (1995), (2nd Edition). Teaching Children In The First Three Years Of School. Melbourne Australia: Longman., Loraine Corrie

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

No abstract provided.

Communication Between Theory And Practice: How Student Teachers Develop Theories Of Teaching, Adrienne Waghorn, Ken Stevens

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The teaching profession continues to have difficulty in codifying a body of knowledge on which to base pre-service teacher education programs. One problem is the gap between the student teachers’ theoretical beliefs and their practical experiences in classrooms. Student teachers often fail to implement their ideas and instead comply with the status quo in the classroom. Previous research has identified the student as dealing with this dilemma by developing a mind set which places theory in one compartment and practice in another. This paper describes a study of ten student teachers at the end of their training. Their descriptions of …

Learning To Live With Conformity: Student Teachers' Reactions To Multiple Conformity Factors During Teaching Practice, Clive Mcgee

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper reports one aspect of a larger research project on the teaching practice experiences of staff, student teachers and associate teachers. The project is located in the School of Education at the University of Waikato, New Zealand, and early phases have already been reported in occasional papers and conference papers (Calder, Faire and Schon, 1993; Faire, 1994; Harold, 1994; McGee, Oliver and Carstensen, 1994.

Effective Teaching, Peter Westwood

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In this paper I intend to support the hypothetical statement attributed to Socrates in Murray's (1994) article, namely that 'Excellent teaching is that which produces learning and understanding.' If I am wrong in what I say it is your business to take up the argument and refute me.

Hatton, E. (Editor), (1994), Understanding Teaching: Curriculum And The Social Context Of Schooling, Sydney, Harcourt Brace, 415 Pp., Bruce Haynes

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

No abstract provided.

Potential And Opportunity: Critical Issues For Australian Catholic Education Into The 21st Century Edited By Helen Raduntz, Auslib Press, Blackwood South Australia. 1995 Xxix + 264 Pages. ($29), Cynthia Dixion

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

No abstract provided.

Citizenship Education: Australian And Singaporean Perspectives, Richard Berlach

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The issue of what it means to be a citizen of a country is currently on the educational agenda in both Australia and Singapore. It seems that over the years, both nations have realised that the schooling system is a powerful and effective vehicle through which a country’s united vision can be disseminated, and through which individuals can be encouraged to make a valuable contribution to the national good. For a variety of reasons, however, the nature of a united vision appears to be problematic for both Australia as well as Singapore. With both countries being considered, this paper presents …

The Practicum As Workplace Learning: A Multi-Mode Approach In Teacher Education, Susan Groundwater-Smith, Christine E. Deer, Helen Sharp, Paul March

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper has as its focus the portrayal of, and justification for, a multi modal practicum curriculum which is directed to address the needs of qualified teachers. The subject “The Reflective Practitioner in the School” is one which takes the concept of workplace learning most seriously. For too many years teacher education has treated the practicum curriculum as a pre service “practice teaching” subject sequence and has not concerned itself with ways in which in service professional development can be constructed as continuous with the pre service practicum program.

Shared Reading Strategies In Secondary Art Classes: An Opportunity For Reflective Practice, Linda Ashton

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Louis Smith’s chapter on biographical method in Denzin and Lincoln’s 1994 text refers to the “reflective practitioner”, a term first used by Schön (1987). It reminds teacher educators that “Clearly it is one thing to be able to reflect-in-action and quite another to be able to reflect upon our reflection in action so as to produce a good verbal description of it; and it is still another thing to be able to reflect on the resulting description” (Schön, 1987 in Denzin and Lincoln, 1994: 293). Eraut (1995) expands on these ideas suggesting that Schön “neither analyses everyday practice nor attempts …

Changing Initial Teacher Education: Limitations To Innovation In The United States, Australia And The United Kingdom, Neville Hatton

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In 1996, the University of Sydney implemented a two-year postgraduate form of initial teacher preparation, the Master of Teaching degree. The program incorporates an integrated core study based on use of a distinctive case methodology, together with reflective approaches and portfolio assessment. After meeting practicum requirements, candidates will enter an internship with a conditional “licence to teach”. This paper will examine the processes which led to the devising and introduction of the M.Teach, including factors which could hinder achievement of its goals. Conditions for revision and innovation in Australia will be compared with those applying in the United States and …

Collaborative Theory-Building In Pre-Service Teacher Education, Gloria Latham

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper will describe a fourth year tutor program for pre-service teachers which subscribes to principles of collaborative theory building. Tutors, in a team teaching situation, learn to document prior beliefs and understandings, autobiographical accounts of prior learning and critical classroom incidents in order to analyse and articulate personal and public theories about teaching and learning. The value placed on cognitive and reflective practices is discussed with a view towards empowering the learner and adjusting pre-existing beliefs about teaching.

Where Are The Women? A Report Into Issues Related To Women's Access To Workplace Literacy Programs, Marion Milton

Research outputs pre 2011

This study sought to investigate the provision of workplace literacy courses available for women in female dominated industries, and women's access to and participation in those courses. Further, it was intended to interview women who had dropped out or not accessed available courses.

Prior to discussing the study, it seems appropriate to locate it within the current economic, social and political climate of the Australian workplace, with a particular focus on the increasing demand for literacy skills.

Creating Effective Learning Environments In Print: A Guide For Lecturers And Designers Of Independent Study Materials, Jan Herrington

Research outputs pre 2011

This book is about providing the assistance that you need to create effective printed learning materials. It focuses on the needs of the writer of a distance unit, but the principles apply equally to any self-directed study materials. The book has been developed to assist you with the preparation of your study materials, and to describe some of the many support services available to you.

It also provides guidelines on non-discriminatory writing and a useful editorial style, sometimes described as a 'house style'. Above all, Creating Effective Learning Environments in Print will help to ensure that documents you produce are …

Proceedings Of The 21st Annual Conference Of The Western Australian Science Education Association, Mark W. Hackling (Ed.)

Research outputs pre 2011

The Western Australian Science Education Association (WASEA) is an informal group of science educators that meets annually for a conference at one of the Perth universities. The conference is organised by a committee of representatives from the universities and has contributed greatly to collegiality amongst the community of science educators in Perth.

The first meeting of WASEA was held at the Churchlands College of Advanced Education in 1975 and has been held each year except in 1979 and 1991 when the W ASEA meeting was incorporated into the meeting of the Australian (now Australasian) Science Education Research Association.

These Proceedings …

Inspirational Women At Edith Cowan University: Women In Leadership Project, Linley Lord (Ed.)

Research outputs pre 2011

This booklet profiles 10 exceptional University women who have excelled in their chosen careers. In their stories, these women outline their career history - their reasons for their choice of career and how they got to where they are today. They discuss the difficulties that they encountered along the way (such as sexism, racism, negative attitudes, lack of confidence) and how they dealt with these. They talk about the influence of role models on their careers and their own personal qualities which have contributed to their success. Some words of advice to career-minded women complete their stories.

These stories are …

Boys' Participation In Junior Secondary School Physical Education And Sport, Lynn Embrey, M. Drummond

Research outputs pre 2011

According to social lore, boys are meant to be good at Physical Education and sport. There is, however, increasing evidence to the contrary and it is now essential to consider why boys drop out of Physical Education and sport. There has been a good deal of research and subsequent literature detailing the plight of girls' involvement in Physical Education and sport. However, a dearth of literature and research exists where boys Physical Education and sport are concerned. Out of research comes practical implementation strategies that can be adopted by teachers to create a more favourable learning environment. Extensive research on …

Honouring Young Children: Research, Curriculum And Practice In Early Childhood Education, Loraine Corrie (Ed.)

Research outputs pre 2011

Early childhood educators tend to be people who like to agree with their colleagues. Often we avoid conflict situations and keep the peace by being silent, rather than raising our voices in dissent. But rapid changes to the field, coupled with the explosion of knowledge in the 90s, have opened up new dilemmas and new challenges for teachers. If we are to meet these challenges in a way that honours young children, then we need to talk about our differences and diverse views in a spirit of trust and professional collegiality.

The Second Edith Cowan Memorial Conference on Early Childhood …

Researching Education : Making Meanings To Make Better Schools, Bernard T. Harrison

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Accounting For And Quantifying Dependencies In Dichotomous Test Data, Barry Sheridan

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper reports on a strategy employing the Extended Logistic Model of Rasch to quantify dependencies in dichotomous test data by providing standard errors of measurement which are commensurate with the loss in information arising from dependencies among subsets of items. Data collected for the Australian Scholastic Aptitude Test were analysed and shown to exhibit strong dependencies among the items involved. A technique is presented for estimating the number of equivalent independent items (found to be 74 in this study) to the original test number (100).

Developmental Aspects : Metacognition And Problem Solving, Roseanne Gibson

Theses : Honours

Mathematical problem solving has been the focus of recent curriculum reform. Researchers have investigated factors that appear to influence mathematical problem solving: one of these factors is metacognition. This study identified metacognitive aspects and investigated the relationship of metacognition and age in the context of mathematical problem solving. Twenty four children were randomly chosen: eight children from years two. four and six. The children were given the same non-routine problem to solve. A semi-structured interview and observation protocol were developed and used to determine students' metacognitive aspects. There was an extensive descriptive analysis of metacognitive aspects and a systematic quantification …

Student's Attitude To Using The Internet At School After Limited Classroom Exposure, Anna Hu

Theses : Honours

This study focused on student's attitude to using the Internet at school. A questionnaire (the School Internet Attitude questionnaire) measuring student attitude to using the Internet at school incorporating three dimensions (cognitive, behavioural and affective) was administered twice to a sample of 64 Year 12 students from a Perth Metropolitan Independent school. The questionnaire was administered before and after a six lesson 'exposure' (the limited classroom exposure) to the Internet. Pre and post test attitude measures of all students were compared using dependent sample t_ test to determine if there were significant differences in student's attitude after the limited classroom …

Word Processors In Secondary English : A Survey And Discussion Of Usage In West Australian High Schools, Stuart D. Hakeney

Theses : Honours

The word processor would seem to have many positive applications to student writing in the English classroom. Writers working in the field (Chandler, 1987; Jenkins, 1989; Snyder, 1994) all agree that whether the technology is used as an editing aid to help poor hand writers and weak spellers get through the "grind" of writing, or as a dynamic tool which can be used as a new and exciting way of making meaning, its usefulness in subject English should not be overlooked. However, initial inquiries undertaken as part of this study, suggested that word processing technology had been largely ignored in …

A Whole School Approach To Literacy Intervention, G. J. Raison

Theses : Honours

This research project reports on the process of developing a whole school approach to literacy intervention in one multi-ethnic, designated disadvantaged primary school. The study describes how teachers worked collaboratively, using items from a resource package Successful Intervention K-3 Literacy, to critically reflect on their pedagogy in their efforts to better address the needs of those students in their classes who appeared to have difficulties with literacy learning. A modified action research method was used by the teachers to devise a context-specific school plan. Within the plan, they allocated time and resources to assist them as they shared and developed …