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Full-Text Articles in Education

Secondary Students' Skills Of Measuring Liquid Volume And Understanding Of Uncertainty Of Data, Wayne M. Keady Jan 1999

Secondary Students' Skills Of Measuring Liquid Volume And Understanding Of Uncertainty Of Data, Wayne M. Keady

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research is a detailed study of students' skills of measuring liquid volume, the decisions they make when planning to collect data and whilst collecting data, and the extent to which they understand the uncertainty associated with the data they collected. These skills and understandings are at the heart of scientific literacy (Duggan & Gall, 1996a). The introduction of the Working Scientifically strand in the Australian national curriculum framework and profile of learning outcome statements for science (Australian Education Council, 1994) illustrates the increased emphasis placed in curriculum documents on investigation skills and scientific literacy. The profile of outcome statements …


Film Dialogue Translation And The Intonation Unit : Towards Equivalent Effect In English And Chinese, Jian Li Jan 1999

Film Dialogue Translation And The Intonation Unit : Towards Equivalent Effect In English And Chinese, Jian Li

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis proposes a new approach to film dialogue translation (FDT) with special reference to the translation process and quality of English-to-Chinese dubbing. In response to the persistent translation failures that led to widespread criticism of dubbed films and TV plays in China for their artificial 'translation talk', this study provides a pragmatic methodology derived from the integration of the theories and analytical systems of information flow in the tradition of the functionalist approach to speech and writing with the relevant theoretical and empirical findings from TS and other related branches of linguistics. It has developed and validated a translation …


The Good Language Class: Teacher Perceptions, Rosemary Senior Jan 1999

The Good Language Class: Teacher Perceptions, Rosemary Senior

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This is a qualitative, descriptive study of group processes in classes of adult language learners, viewed from the perspective of practising teachers. The study has an internal narrative which takes the reader through the process of the research, from the initial question raised by a casual classroom conversation to the discussion chapter which questions a number of assumptions underlying current English language teaching practices within western educational contexts. The study falls into two distinct phases. The first phase uses the constant comparative method of data collection and analysis to integrate the perceptions of 28 experienced language teachers into the following …


Teaching Students With Severe Disabilities To Perform A Pre-Lunch Routine Using The System Of Least Prompts, Keenan Gerard Rodericks Jan 1999

Teaching Students With Severe Disabilities To Perform A Pre-Lunch Routine Using The System Of Least Prompts, Keenan Gerard Rodericks

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The system of least prompts has been used to teach a variety of daily living skills to students with severe to moderate disabilities. The present study attempted to determine the effects of the system of least prompts when used to teach a pre-lunch routine to two students with severe disabilities. The students were categorised as autistic, or as having autistic characteristics, with severe to moderate intellectual disabilities and communication deficits. The results indicated that the system of least prompts was effective in facilitating a change in students' responses. Three effects were observed in relation to the hypotheses, First, there was …


Some Determinants Of Success And Failure In First-Year University Business Units At Private Colleges, Clive P. Oliver Jan 1999

Some Determinants Of Success And Failure In First-Year University Business Units At Private Colleges, Clive P. Oliver

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study investigates some of the determinates of academic success and failure (and dropout) from first year university level Business units at two private business colleges in Perth, Western Australia. Private business colleges are convenient vehicles for international and Western Australian students who do not possess adequate academic assessments for direct entry into university, and for students who might benefit from an enhanced pastoral support system, in the transition from secondary education to tertiary education. The study is important to private providers and to universities who are trying to help students succeed at university. The study utilises a model of …


A Critical Analysis Of Devolution And The Corporate Reform Of Teachers' Work, Patrick O'Brien Jan 1999

A Critical Analysis Of Devolution And The Corporate Reform Of Teachers' Work, Patrick O'Brien

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The corporate transformation of bureaucratic public education in Western Australia commenced in the late 1980s. The reforms announced in the Better Schools Report (1987) aimed to devolve responsibility to schools for the purpose of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of public education. Designed to be responsive, adaptable, flexible and accountable, the administrative style accompanying the reforms is described as corporate managerialism. Devolution has impacted heavily on schools and teachers' work. Evidence presented in this thesis suggests that the corporate values and practices that dominate the organisation and management of schools create personal and professional conflict for many classroom teachers. Devolution …


The Literacy-Related Knowledge Of The Children In Two Western Australian Preprimary Centres And The Literacy-Related Practices In Their Homes, Susan M. Beilharz Jan 1999

The Literacy-Related Knowledge Of The Children In Two Western Australian Preprimary Centres And The Literacy-Related Practices In Their Homes, Susan M. Beilharz

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study investigates both the literacy-related knowledge of two groups of children beginning their preprimary education and the literacy-related practices identified by their parents as taking place in their homes. The two groups of children were attending preprimary centres located in different suburbs of Perth; one was in a low socio-economic status northern suburb and the other was in a high socio-economic status inner metropolitan suburb. The results of a questionnaire about family literacy practices showed that there was a wide range of literacy-related practices and materials available in the majority of the households involved in the study. The results …


Development And Evaluation Of A Scaffolding Guide To Help Lower Secondary Science Students Use The Internet To Search For, Select And Organise Information For The Construction Of Personal Text, Andrea Tunks Jan 1999

Development And Evaluation Of A Scaffolding Guide To Help Lower Secondary Science Students Use The Internet To Search For, Select And Organise Information For The Construction Of Personal Text, Andrea Tunks

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a scaffolding guide to help lower secondary students use the internet to search for and organise information for the construction of personal text. An intact Year 10 science class participated in the study. Data were collected using the scaffolding guide completed by students, work samples, a questionnaire designed to elicit from students their perceptions about the research guide, observational notes made by the researcher and debriefing interviews conducted with the teacher and with a group of students. The study identified the skills needed by students to search for and select …


Effects Of Physical Appearance On Year 7 Students' Perceptions Of The Intellectual And Social Competence Of Their Peers, Helen Walmsley Jan 1999

Effects Of Physical Appearance On Year 7 Students' Perceptions Of The Intellectual And Social Competence Of Their Peers, Helen Walmsley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study was designed to investigate the effects of (a) the presence of an obvious disability, (b) physical attractiveness, and (c) the sex of peers on children's attitudes towards accepting a peer. A 2 X 2 x 2 factorial design was used in which the three between-subject variables were (a) whether or not the subject had a disability, {b) whether the subject was attractive or unattractive, and (c) the sex of the respondent. A sample of 200 Year 7 students was divided into four groups containing 25 girls and 25 boys. The students were given background information, and shown a …


Crosslinguistic Influence In The Speech Of Hungarian-English Bilinguals, Valerie Kollmann Jan 1999

Crosslinguistic Influence In The Speech Of Hungarian-English Bilinguals, Valerie Kollmann

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The study is written in an attempt to report on factors that affect language transfer between Hungarian and English and on the extent 1.1 and 1.2 lexical elements are integrated into the speech in either language. An attempt is made to classify the functions of the integrated lexical elements. Furthermore, it is hypothesised that transfer could be interpreted as a production strategy. Data collection included a questionnaire and audio recording of interviews and observations of eleven bilingual participants involved in problem solving tasks.


Teaching And Learning In Higher Education : Nurturing Critical Reflection For Bridging Theory/Practice Links : A Case Study In Social Work Education, Gary Keith Ovington Jan 1999

Teaching And Learning In Higher Education : Nurturing Critical Reflection For Bridging Theory/Practice Links : A Case Study In Social Work Education, Gary Keith Ovington

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The 1990s has witnessed two 'institutions' in 'crisis': higher education and social work. In higher education. government has brandished its quality sword and the long-neglected area of teaching is prominent in the war cry. In social work, major stakeholders have constructed the crisis as the 'theory/practice problematic' and the systemic intervention has been the prima facie increasing power of non-academic bodies to shape social work curriculum. This study is set within this context of quality teaching and theory/practice issues. It is an action research study of the teaching and learning dynamic of a first year social work subject which seeks …


The Response Of Secondary Students From Non-English Speaking Backgrounds To A Visual Arts Course, Jean O. Aitken Jan 1999

The Response Of Secondary Students From Non-English Speaking Backgrounds To A Visual Arts Course, Jean O. Aitken

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Interest in multiculturalism has been expressed by educators for a number of years. Much of the literature concerning multiculturalism in visual arts education calls for the adoption of a culturally inclusive curricula in order to meet the needs of all students. In his consideration of conceptions of curriculum, Eisner (1988) made reference to a preferred body of knowledge which often excludes students from minority groups within society. Many Australian schools are experiencing increases in enrolments of students from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB). These students may themselves be immigrants or the children of one or both parents born in another country. …


Barbadian Teachers' Personal Practical Knowledge About Advocated Pedagogic Practices Used In The Education Of The Under-Fives, Sonja M. Anderson Jan 1999

Barbadian Teachers' Personal Practical Knowledge About Advocated Pedagogic Practices Used In The Education Of The Under-Fives, Sonja M. Anderson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study investigated the personal practical knowledge of twenty-one Barbadian teachers in relation to a range of pedagogic practices advocated for use in the education of children under five years of age. The investigation of this knowledge was based on an interpretative perspective. The conceptual underpinning was framed by Personal Construct Psychology (Kelly, 1995), and its methodology, the repertory grid technique. The grid was formulated and used in a sample of schools with under-fives. Findings were clarified, confirmed and elaborated by the use of in-depth interviews conducted with teachers in their classroom settings. The findings revealed that teachers construed pedagogic …


Teacher Receptivity To System Wide Change: The Introduction Of Student Outcome Statements In Secondary Schools In Western Australia, Rose Moroz Jan 1999

Teacher Receptivity To System Wide Change: The Introduction Of Student Outcome Statements In Secondary Schools In Western Australia, Rose Moroz

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The study has three aims. One is to investigate teachers’ receptivity to the use of Student Outcome Statements in Western Australian government secondary schools. The dependent variable is receptivity towards the use of Student Outcome Statements and is measured in four aspects: Overall Feelings, Attitudes, Behaviour Intentions and Behaviour. Two is to investigate the relationships between receptivity, as the dependent variable and ten independent variables: non-monetary cost benefits, alleviation of fears and concerns, significant other support, feelings compared to the previous system, shared goals (shared teaching goals and cohesiveness), collaboration (team teaching, involvement in decision making and teacher collaboration) and …


Notions Of Justice Through Drama, Elvira Sammut Jan 1999

Notions Of Justice Through Drama, Elvira Sammut

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This paper explores and describes the lived-experience of a group of 16-year-old girls in a drama class designed to heighten awareness of values of social justice. The students involved are experienced drama students, with a good knowledge of the theory of role-play and play-making, as well as, sound dramatic skills and techniques. The lived-experience provided the source for the research study that used film as a medium to inculcate notions of justice and equity in the classroom through self-devised drama. Phenomenological research was conducted with a group of seventeen Year II drama students. The students took part in a series …


Visual Arts History And Visual Arts Criticism : Applications In Middle Schooling, Lisa Paris Jan 1999

Visual Arts History And Visual Arts Criticism : Applications In Middle Schooling, Lisa Paris

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Visual arts history and criticism occupy central positions in visual arts curriculum statements in Western Australia. This status is sustained by the belief that the study of visual arts history and criticism actively contributes to the education of the student as a "whole person". In reality however, rather than attending to the holistic education of students, the application of visual arts history and criticism in Western Australian schools tends to be pragmatic and instrumental - visual arts teachers often use visual art works as "learning aids" because they don't have time, interest or experience in dealing with visual arts works …


Student And Teacher Perceptions Of A Season Of Sport Education In A Regional Primary School, J. G. Strikwerda-Brown Jan 1999

Student And Teacher Perceptions Of A Season Of Sport Education In A Regional Primary School, J. G. Strikwerda-Brown

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

An interpretive case study approach was employed to examine student and teacher perceptions of the implementation of a sport education in physical education program (SEPEP) in a Western Australian regional primary school. Choi’s (1992) curriculum dimensions were used as a framework. Three year seven teachers implemented SEPEP using a team teaching approach. The focus teacher, Ms Jenson, a highly regarded classroom teacher, described herself as non-sporty and lacking confidence and expertise in PE teaching. Students in her SEPEP volleyball class were considered less popular and less athletic when compared with those in the other two SEPEP classes. A focus volleyball …


The Measurement Of Classroom Music Learning Using An Outcomes Framework In Western Australian Schools, Beverley J. Pascoe Jan 1999

The Measurement Of Classroom Music Learning Using An Outcomes Framework In Western Australian Schools, Beverley J. Pascoe

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study addresses the problem of a lack of reliable and systematic methodology for evaluating progress in classroom music, using an outcomes framework, in primary and secondary schools in Western Australia. An innovative range of assessment tasks was developed for use at system, school or classroom level in order to develop a Music Achievement Scale, so that in the future, meaningful reporting of student outcomes in music, in relation to The Arts Student Outcome Statements (Education Department of Western Australia, 1996), can occur. Music tasks were tested with a representative sample of 2191 government primary school students from Years 3 …


Attaining Professional Goals Using The Expertise Of Colleagues, Esme Pashley Jan 1999

Attaining Professional Goals Using The Expertise Of Colleagues, Esme Pashley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study examines one method of providing professional development, which addresses the individual needs of experienced successful classroom teachers. It is a qualitative investigation into how teachers attain their professional goals using the expertise of their colleagues through a collaborative and collegial process Data were collected from regular meetings by the participants and their personal journal entries related to the project The data were then compiled in a context chart and a descriptive matrix, to enable case studies to be compiled. The findings contribute to enhanced understanding of how professional development may be provided to experienced classroom teachers.