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Full-Text Articles in Education
Shifts In Space And Self: Moving From Community To University, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Erica Southgate, Ann Jardine, Shamus Smith, Janine Delahunty
Shifts In Space And Self: Moving From Community To University, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Erica Southgate, Ann Jardine, Shamus Smith, Janine Delahunty
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
University enrolments have grown at an unprecedented rate over the last decade and this participation is only set to increase (Kemp & Norton, 2014; Universities Australia, 2015). However, rates of completion during the same period have remained relatively static, and the numbers of students who depart university remains significant, consistently hovering between 15-18 per cent of the total Australian student population (Higher Education Standards Panel, 2018). Disproportionate numbers of these early leavers are from rural and remote areas, so exploring how regional and remote learners consider their post-schooling futures can provide some insight into the fundamental issues behind this attrition. …
The Long And Winding Road: Experiences Of Students Entering University Through Transition Programs, Theresa Millman, Jacinta M. Mcnamara
The Long And Winding Road: Experiences Of Students Entering University Through Transition Programs, Theresa Millman, Jacinta M. Mcnamara
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
This article presents outcomes of two studies which focus on the lived experience of transition by students entering higher education in NSW (New South Wales), Australia, from two divergent pathways: Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and a university based enabling program. The studies intersect in two fundamental ways. First, the theoretical foundations (Mezirow's Transformational Learning Theory and Bourdieu's Social Capital Theory) which emphasise the role of habits of mind and the habitus respectively in an individual's life. Second, both studies have identified the primacy of the contribution of education to changing notions of self. The studies have found that successful …
Identifying The Characteristics Of Support Australian University Teachers Use In Their Design Work: Implications For The Learning Design Field, Shirley Agostinho, Lori Lockyer, Sue Bennett
Identifying The Characteristics Of Support Australian University Teachers Use In Their Design Work: Implications For The Learning Design Field, Shirley Agostinho, Lori Lockyer, Sue Bennett
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
Quality teaching is a strategic objective for universities; thus, there is an expectation that university teachers design high quality learning experience for their students. The field of learning design has developed over the past 15 years as a way to support teachers in their design work. There has been significant research and development work that has focused on creating support tools to help teachers plan, develop and deliver learning experiences. However, little is known about what supports teachers access and use when they design and overall how teachers undertake their design work. This paper presents the findings from a qualitative …
Canadian University Students' Gendered Attitudes Toward Plagiarism, Sahar Bokosmaty, John F. Ehrich, Michelle J. Eady, Kenton Bell
Canadian University Students' Gendered Attitudes Toward Plagiarism, Sahar Bokosmaty, John F. Ehrich, Michelle J. Eady, Kenton Bell
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
Prior research on plagiarism has indicated that men may have a greater predisposition toward academic dishonesty than women. However, little research has been conducted using psychometrically tested instruments to validate such claims. To address this gap, a survey was conducted with 377 undergraduate students at a Canadian university on their attitudes toward plagiarism using a psychometrically validated instrument (the Attitudes Toward Plagiarism Questionnaire - Revised). Using differential item functioning/Rasch analysis, no overall differences in attitudes toward plagiarism based on gender were found. A descriptive analysis of both men and women revealed that while only a concerning minority of students reported …
Evaluation Of Waste Isoflurane Gas Exposure During Rodent Surgery In An Australian University, Kelly Johnstone, Cora Lau, Jane L. Whitelaw
Evaluation Of Waste Isoflurane Gas Exposure During Rodent Surgery In An Australian University, Kelly Johnstone, Cora Lau, Jane L. Whitelaw
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
Biomedical researchers use of inhalational anesthetics has increased in recent years. Use of isoflurane as an inhalational anesthetic may result in human exposure to waste anesthetic gas. Potential health effects from exposure include genotoxic and hepatotoxic effects with some evidence of teratogenic and reproductive effects. Research suggests that exposure to waste anesthetic gas within human hospital settings has improved substantially but exposures to biomedical researchers and veterinarians still requires improvement. A number of biomedical research facilities are located at The University of Queensland, Australia, where researchers and animal handlers are potentially exposed to waste isoflurane gas. There is limited published …
How Technology Shapes Assessment Design: Findings From A Study Of University Teachers, Sue Bennett, Phillip Dawson, Margaret Bearman, Elizabeth K. Molloy, David J. Boud
How Technology Shapes Assessment Design: Findings From A Study Of University Teachers, Sue Bennett, Phillip Dawson, Margaret Bearman, Elizabeth K. Molloy, David J. Boud
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
A wide range of technologies has been developed to enhance assessment, but adoption has been inconsistent. This is despite assessment being critical to student learning and certification. To understand why this is the case and how it can be addressed, we need to explore the perspectives of academics responsible for designing and implementing technology-supported assessment strategies. This paper reports on the experience of designing technology-supported assessment based on interviews with 33 Australian university teachers. The findings reveal the desire to achieve greater efficiencies and to be contemporary and innovative as key drivers of technology adoption for assessment. Participants sought to …
Beyond The Academic Precariat: A Collective Biography Of Poetic Subjectivities In The Neoliberal University, Catherine Hartung, Nicoli Barnes, Rosie Kate Welch, Gabrielle H. O'Flynn, Jonnell Uptin, Samantha Mcmahon
Beyond The Academic Precariat: A Collective Biography Of Poetic Subjectivities In The Neoliberal University, Catherine Hartung, Nicoli Barnes, Rosie Kate Welch, Gabrielle H. O'Flynn, Jonnell Uptin, Samantha Mcmahon
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
The ‘neoliberal turn’ in the higher education sector has received significant intellectual scrutiny in recent times. This scrutiny, led by many established academics working within the sector, has highlighted the negative repercussions for teaching and research staff, often referred to as the ‘academic precariat’ due to their tenuous employment prospects within an increasingly market-driven system. This critique of the modern university can also inadvertently position academics as either resisting or complying with neoliberal governance. This does not adequately account for the nuanced and poetic ways in which professional, personal and gendered subjectivities are formulated, intertwined and negotiated. In this paper …
‘Students That Just Hate School Wouldn’T Go’: Educationally Disengaged And Disadvantaged Young People’S Talk About University, Samantha Mcmahon, Valerie Harwood, Anna Hickey-Moody
‘Students That Just Hate School Wouldn’T Go’: Educationally Disengaged And Disadvantaged Young People’S Talk About University, Samantha Mcmahon, Valerie Harwood, Anna Hickey-Moody
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
This paper contributes to a growing body of literature on widening university participation and brings a focus on the classed and embodied nature of young people’s imagination to existing discussions. We interviewed 250 young people living in disadvantaged communities across five Australian states who had experienced disengagement from compulsory primary and secondary schooling. We asked them about their education and their educational futures, specifically how they imagined universities and university participation. For these young people, universities were imagined as ‘big’, ‘massive’ alienating schools. The paper explores how the elements of schooling from which these young people disengaged became tangible barriers …
Noel Castree (University Of Wollongong) On Christophe Bonneuil And Jean-Baptiste Fressoz's The Shock Of The Anthropocene: The Earth, History, And Us, Noel Castree
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
Book review of: Christophe Bonneuil and Jean-Baptiste Fressoz, The Shock of the Anthropocene: The Earth, History, and Us (translated by David Fernbach), New York: Verso, 2016. ISBN: 9781784780791 (cloth); ISBN: 9781784780814 (ebook).
The Process Of Designing For Learning: Understanding University Teachers' Design Work, Sue Bennett, Shirley Agostinho, Lori Lockyer
The Process Of Designing For Learning: Understanding University Teachers' Design Work, Sue Bennett, Shirley Agostinho, Lori Lockyer
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
Interest in how to support the design work of university teachers has led to research and development initiatives that include technology-based design-support tools, online repositories, and technical specifications. Despite these initiatives, remarkably little is known about the design work that university teachers actually do. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study that investigated the design processes of 30 teachers from 16 Australian universities. The results show design as a top-down iterative process, beginning with a broad framework to which detail is added through cycles of elaboration. Design extends over the period before, while, and after a unit is taught, …
Supporting And Engaging Students Who Are The First In Their Families To Attend University: A Practise Paper, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea
Supporting And Engaging Students Who Are The First In Their Families To Attend University: A Practise Paper, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
Globally, first-in-family learners represent a significant proportion of the university student population, yet these high rates of participation are not necessarily matched by equally high success rates. Instead, internationally the research on this group indicates that these learners are at greater risk of departure from university when compared to their second and third generation peers, often as a result of limited exposure to academic culture and expectations. This article provides an overview of current research on first-in-family learners and also, offers some recommendations for supporting and engaging with this cohort within university settings.
Investigating University Educators' Design Thinking And The Implications For Design Support Tools, Sue Bennett, Shirley Agostinho, Lori Lockyer
Investigating University Educators' Design Thinking And The Implications For Design Support Tools, Sue Bennett, Shirley Agostinho, Lori Lockyer
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
All university educators perform design work as they prepare and plan learning experiences for their students. How such design work is undertaken, conceptualised, and optimally supported is the focus of ongoing research for the authors. The purpose of this article is to present the results of a research study that sought to gain a richer understanding of university educators' design work; investigate how the idea of Learning Design could support design work; and examine how learning designs could be made available within a Learning Management System (LMS) as a design support tool. An overview of the outcomes from the entire …
Can Noisy Gardeners Turn Over A New Leaf? Evaluation Of Landscapers And Gardeners On A University Campus, Laurent P. Maziere, Jane L. Whitelaw, Linda A. Apthorpe
Can Noisy Gardeners Turn Over A New Leaf? Evaluation Of Landscapers And Gardeners On A University Campus, Laurent P. Maziere, Jane L. Whitelaw, Linda A. Apthorpe
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
Abstract presented at AIOH 2016, 3-7 December 2016, Gold Coast, Australia.
Discourses Of Betterment And Opportunity: Exploring The Privileging Of University Attendance For First-In-Family Learners, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Cathy Stone, Janine Delahunty, Josephine May
Discourses Of Betterment And Opportunity: Exploring The Privileging Of University Attendance For First-In-Family Learners, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Cathy Stone, Janine Delahunty, Josephine May
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
Much of the literature on university access and participation positions people from disadvantaged backgrounds as those who have not 'traditionally' attended university. Certain student cohorts are presented as lacking the skills or requisite knowledges to achieve academic success, requiring additional assistance from institutions to address these gaps. Rather than approach such students from a position of 'lack', this article problematises the concept of privilege, particularly as this relates to the perceived benefits of university attendance. Drawing on rich qualitative interviews with first-infamily students, this article discusses the nature of these learners' expectations of university, particularly those related to the promise …
A Passion For Geography Flourishes At The University Of Wollongong, Gordon R. Waitt
A Passion For Geography Flourishes At The University Of Wollongong, Gordon R. Waitt
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
University of Wollongong acknowledges that never has there been a more exciting or important time to do Geography. There are new global challenges, problems and anomalies emerging that need creative solutions. University of Wollongong recognised that a Geography degree provides graduates with an eclectic and interdisciplinary skill-set necessary to address these challenges. Graduates will be trained in both the skill sets of a scientist and a social scientist, alongside communication, writing, and analytical skills. UOW Geography graduates will be analytical and critical thinkers toward social, cultural and physical problems and issues. The UOW Bachelor of Geography provides graduates with a …
Evaluation Report 2015: Investigating The Effectiveness Of The In2uni Year 12 University Preparation Program, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Valerie Harwood, Steven J. Howard, Ken Cliff, Janine Delahunty
Evaluation Report 2015: Investigating The Effectiveness Of The In2uni Year 12 University Preparation Program, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Valerie Harwood, Steven J. Howard, Ken Cliff, Janine Delahunty
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
In2Uni's Year 12 University Preparation Program (UPP), which commenced in 2014, is an innovative program for students in their HSC year working towards an ATAR. It targets schools in UOW catchment areas, and particularly those identified as being from the 39 low-ICSEA (Index of Community and Socio-Educational Advantage) areas. Students must meet eligibility criteria, one being that their academic performance is not currently on the trajectory to meet university entry requirements (In2Uni, My Way, 2016). Once accepted into UPP, students attend on-campus study sessions for two hours per week over a 20- week period from April to September. The general …
A Comparison Of Chinese And Australian University Students' Attitudes Towards Plagiarism, John Ehrich, Steven J. Howard, Congjun Mu, Sahar Bokosmaty
A Comparison Of Chinese And Australian University Students' Attitudes Towards Plagiarism, John Ehrich, Steven J. Howard, Congjun Mu, Sahar Bokosmaty
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
Student plagiarism is a growing problem within Australian universities and abroad. Potentially exacerbating this situation, research indicates that students' attitudes toward plagiarism are typically more permissive and lenient than the policies of their tertiary institutions. There has been suggestion that this is especially so in Asian countries relative to Western countries; however, very little research has sought to empirically validate this suggestion. Moreover, existing research in this area has typically compared international and domestic students studying in Western countries. As yet, no studies have directly compared Chinese and Australian university students' attitudes toward plagiarism, as they exist within their native …
'University Wasn't Spoken About At Home, It Was Just Assumed That We Would Start Working…': First-In-Family Students, Family Capital And Higher Education Participation, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea
'University Wasn't Spoken About At Home, It Was Just Assumed That We Would Start Working…': First-In-Family Students, Family Capital And Higher Education Participation, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
The increases in the number of students attending higher education, particularly those who are the first in their immediate family to attend university provided the impetus for the study outlined in this article. Whilst previous research has explored the qualitative experience of being a first in family student, very few studies have explicitly focussed on how attending university interacts and impacts upon the immediate family of the learner. Drawing upon in-depth semi-structured interviews, this article will detail the findings from a small-scale study conducted in an Australian university that explored the interaction of the family home place and students' enactment …
Arriving, Surviving, And Succeeding: First-In-Family Women And Their Experiences Of Transitioning Into The First Year Of University, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea
Arriving, Surviving, And Succeeding: First-In-Family Women And Their Experiences Of Transitioning Into The First Year Of University, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
This article outlines a qualitative narrative inquiry study conducted within Australia that focused on a group of female students commencing university, all of whom were the first in their family to pursue higher education. During 1 year of academic study, 17 women participated in periodic interviews as each moved through the year. By following the students, the study reveals a very different perspective on the student experience, one that is often missing in policy documents and university discourse, which can place these students within a deficit discourse. Instead, by approaching this topic from a strengths perspective, the intent was to …
"I Generally Say I Am A Mum First . . . But I'M Studying At Uni": The Narratives Of First-In-Family, Female Caregivers Transitioning Into An Australian University, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea
"I Generally Say I Am A Mum First . . . But I'M Studying At Uni": The Narratives Of First-In-Family, Female Caregivers Transitioning Into An Australian University, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
The university student experience is both evolving and diverse. Increasing numbers of older students are accessing universities worldwide, and also access for student equity groups is a key policy driver in countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, United States, and others. However, among this change and flux, how individuals manage their transition into this environment with reference to new and existing identities is worthy of further exploration. This article draws on 2 separate but complementary Australian research projects that explored the experiences of students who had all commenced university after a significant gap in learning. The participants that feature …
Filling Up Silences-First In Family Students, Capital And University Talk In The Home, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea
Filling Up Silences-First In Family Students, Capital And University Talk In The Home, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
Internationally, research has indicated that returning to education for older learners provides the means for growth and change, for some students this can translate into a sense of 'empowerment' and control in their personal lives. However, what is not so well researched is how having a significant 'other' present within the university landscape impacts the household and other family members. Exploring how this return to education influences others provides a basis for institutional approaches to engaging with and supporting the lifelong learning of family members, ultimately assisting in the access and participation of current and future generations. This article draws …
Technology Tools To Support Learning Design: Implications Derived From An Investigation Of University Teachers' Design Practices, Sue Bennett, Shirley Agostinho, Lori Lockyer
Technology Tools To Support Learning Design: Implications Derived From An Investigation Of University Teachers' Design Practices, Sue Bennett, Shirley Agostinho, Lori Lockyer
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
The need to improve the quality of higher education has fostered an interest in technology tools to support effective design for teaching and learning. Over the past decade this interest has led to the development of tools to support the creation of online learning experiences, specifications to underpin design systems, and repositories to share examples. Despite this significant activity, there remain unanswered questions about what shapes university teachers' design decisions and how tools can best support their design processes. This paper presents findings from a study of university teachers'; design practices that identified teachers' perceptions of student characteristics, their own …
Breaking The Barriers: Supporting And Engaging First-In-Family University Learners And Their Families, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Josephine May, Cathy Stone
Breaking The Barriers: Supporting And Engaging First-In-Family University Learners And Their Families, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Josephine May, Cathy Stone
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
Universities attract students from a wide range of backgrounds, yet equity of access and participation for all potential students remains elusive. Access and participation is highly differentiated in the United Kingdom, North America and Australia (Abbott-Chapman, 2006; Couvillion-Landry, 2002-2003; Forsyth & Furlong, 2003; James, 2008; Schuetze & Slowey, 2002) and poorer educational outcomes for students who are first-in-family (FiF) are recorded globally (ABS, 2013; Harrell & Forney, 2003; Lehmann, 2009; National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2012). The international research on this group indicates that they are collectively less likely to go to university and also, after arrival, may not …
"I 'Feel' Like I Am At University Even Though I Am Online." Exploring How Students Narrate Their Engagement With Higher Education Institutions In An Online Learning Environment, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Cathy Stone, Janine Delahunty
"I 'Feel' Like I Am At University Even Though I Am Online." Exploring How Students Narrate Their Engagement With Higher Education Institutions In An Online Learning Environment, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Cathy Stone, Janine Delahunty
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
This article outlines a collaborative study between higher education institutions in Australia, which qualitatively explored the online learning experience for undergraduate and postgraduate students. The project adopted a narrative inquiry approach and encouraged students to story their experiences of this virtual environment, providing a snapshot of how learning is experienced by those undertaking online studies. The study explores what impacted upon students' engagement in this environment and how different facets of their learning experience made a qualitative difference to how individuals enacted engagement. Drawing upon Sharon Pittaway's engagement framework, the article seeks to foreground student voice as the learners define …
Exploring The Participation Of First In Family Students In University With Particular Reference To How This Impacts Upon Intergenerational Choices Around, And Perceptions Of, Higher Education, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea
Exploring The Participation Of First In Family Students In University With Particular Reference To How This Impacts Upon Intergenerational Choices Around, And Perceptions Of, Higher Education, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
Abstract of a paper presented at The Forum for Access and Continuing Education's (FACE) 21st Annual Conference, 2-4 July 2014, Salford, United Kingdom
Breaking The Barriers: Supporting And Engaging Mature Age First-Infamily University Learners And Their Families, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Cathy Stone, Josephine May
Breaking The Barriers: Supporting And Engaging Mature Age First-Infamily University Learners And Their Families, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Cathy Stone, Josephine May
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
This nuts and bolts session will report on preliminary findings from research currently being conducted with older, first-in-family university students. This student cohort often has family commitments and so the research was specifically interested in the impacts of returning to education for both the students and their family members. The study is significant because mature age/first-in-family students are often at risk of attrition and they also represent a growing student cohort; hence higher education institutions need to be actively engaging with this group to improve retention and explore the possibilities for intergenerational educational participation. This research has been funded under …
Investigation Of Chinese University Students' Attributions Of English Language Learning, Jinjin Lu, Stuart Woodcock, Han Jiang
Investigation Of Chinese University Students' Attributions Of English Language Learning, Jinjin Lu, Stuart Woodcock, Han Jiang
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
Despite the importance of developing students' learning autonomy in Chinese schools similar to Western cultured schools, many concerns are raised regarding the influence and effectiveness that learner autonomy has on students' academic achievements. The aim of this study was to identify the attribution patterns of Chinese university students for success and failure toward students who learnt through autonomy learning (student-centered approaches) compared with students who learnt through teacher-centered approaches. Within this study, mixed research methods were adopted, and students used a reflective method to distinguish whether they were taught English through a traditional or student-centered method. The findings of the …
Aime And The University Of Wollongong: The Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Paul Chandler, Valerie Harwood, Samantha Mcmahon, Amy Priestly, Gawaian Bodkin-Andrews
Aime And The University Of Wollongong: The Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Paul Chandler, Valerie Harwood, Samantha Mcmahon, Amy Priestly, Gawaian Bodkin-Andrews
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
The collaborative research partnership between the University of Wollongong and the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME), an Indigenous community organisation, has grown from internal university funding to national funding. This mutually beneficial partnership has resulted in: outputs to AIME for use in their program; funded educational opportunities for Indigenous students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels; and the design of statistical tools for the collection of quantitative data on the program.
Transitions And Turning Points: How First In Female Students Story Their Transition To University And Student Identity Formation, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea
Transitions And Turning Points: How First In Female Students Story Their Transition To University And Student Identity Formation, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
The purpose of this article is to explore how one group of students reflect upon their transition into the higher education environment. This qualitative research project followed one group of female undergraduate students as they moved through the first year of study. All of the participants were the first in their family to consider further education and each participated in four semi-structured interviews over one year. Drawing on the conceptual lens of 'turning points', the intent is to provide a 'close-up' analysis of the complex process of identity formation within the university landscape. By revisiting the students at various points …
Aim(E) For Completing School And University: Analysing The Strength Of The Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience, Gawaian Bodkin-Andrews, Valerie Harwood, Samantha Mcmahon, Amy Priestly
Aim(E) For Completing School And University: Analysing The Strength Of The Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience, Gawaian Bodkin-Andrews, Valerie Harwood, Samantha Mcmahon, Amy Priestly
Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)
Purpose: Generally, theory and research investigating the effectiveness of mentoring has offered little resounding evidence to attest to mentoring programmes being a strategic initiative that make a real difference in reducing the educational inequities many minority students endure. In contrast to this existing research base, the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) has often been cited as one of the most successful mentoring initiatives within Australia. It is the purpose of this chapter to examine how AIME may impact on the educational aspirations and school self-concept of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Methodology: A series of multi-group analyses were centred …