Education Commons^™

Post-School Adult Life For Young People With Down Syndrome, Kitty Rose Foley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Down syndrome is a chromosomal birth disorder affecting one in 650 to 1000 live births in Western Australia. The life expectancy for people with Down syndrome has increased dramatically over the past two generations leading to these young people having changing needs in terms of social, economic and personal life. Encompassed within this, is the successful transition from school to post-school, a time of upheaval, stress and important decisions for young people with intellectual disabilities. The International classification of functioning, disability and health (ICF) is a world renowned framework which provides a scientific basis and standardised language for describing and …

Stakeholders' Perceptions Of Technical, Vocational Education And Training : The Case Of Kenyan Micro And Small Enterprises In The Motor Vehicle Service And Repair Industry, Susan W. Ngure

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Technical, vocational education and training (TVET) in Kenya has undergone major changes since colonialists introduced it at the beginning of the twentieth century. Since then, TVET has evolved in the areas of science, technology and innovation to provide skills that will propel the country to middle-level industrialised status by the year 2030. However, current training and development (T&D) processes in Kenya have been criticised for being rigid and irrelevant to industry, creating a mismatch of skills produced by the training institutions and those demanded by the industry; it is upon this criticism that this research is built. The focus of …

Impacts Of The Changing Nature Of The Vocational Education And Training (Vet) System On Educators Within The Vet System In Australia, Mairead Dempsey

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Australia has experienced an unprecedented rate of change in recent times dominated by economic discourses that point to the need for the VET system to contribute to economic development. This discourse includes increasing the competence of the present and future workforce to meet the emerging needs of the economy so Australia can compete in the global market. The VET sector in Australia operates within a National Training Framework that has been constantly changing over the past decade.

This study considered the impact of the changing nature VET policy on trainers of VET. The study …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Small Business Owner-Managers' Participation And Learning In An Online Discussion Forum : Not Quite Paradise Found, Tara Laureen Smith

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Small business owner-managers (SBOMs) are a difficult group to engage in formal face-to-face training and learning activities. Research to encourage SBOMs' participation has focused on two main themes: first, trying to ascertain why they do not attend training and, second, determining their learning preferences. They are reluctant to attend formal training because they prioritise business operations (no time to attend training), perceive training as a poor return on investment, have negative perceptions of training and education, and believe the training provision often does not meet their needs. In terms of their learning preferences, it is clear that SBOMs prefer informal, …

Developing Knowledge For Real World Problem Scenarios : Using 3d Gaming Technology Within A Problem-Based Learning Framework, Michael Garrett

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Problem-based learning is an instructional strategy that emphasises active and experiential learning through problem-solving activity. Using gaming technologies to embed this approach in a three-dimensional (3D) simulation environment provides users with a dynamic, responsive, visually engaging, and cost effective learning experience. Representing real world problems in 3D simulation environments develops knowledge and skills that are applicable to their resolution.

The Simulation, User, and Problem-based Learning (SUPL) Design Framework was developed to inform the design of learning environments which develop problem-solving knowledge for real world application. This framework identifies design factors relative to the user, the problem-solving task, and the 3D …

A Model Of Employment Literacy: Young People In Western Australia, Katherine F. Britton

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This exploratory study aimed to examine the meanings of employment literacy among young people undertaking vocational education or training (VET), trainers, funding representatives and employers in Western Australia. A further objective was to develop a model of employment literacy that would inform training or educational organisations. Employment literacy incorporates the personal and social dimensions that young disadvantaged people require to secure and maintain employment. It also includes the understandings and capacity to access infonnation from a variety of sources and negotiate with a range of people in employment related settings. In-depth interviewing was the main method used so that different …

The Effect Of A Reflex Replication Program On Retained Primary Reflexes, Motor Coordination, Vocabulary, Visual Motor Ability And Rapid Naming In Preprimary Aged Children, Deborah Callcott

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The link between movement and cognition is not new, but remains steeped in controversy in the educational community. One of the reasons for this controversy has been the lack of substantial research that supports the link between movement programs and observable academic benefits. The results of recent research have indicated that the retention of primary reflexes, particularly the tonic neck reflexes in young children, can result in difficulties that affect the overall functioning of the child. The retainment of reflexes may lead to clumsiness, poor eye hand coordination, poor manipulative skills and consequently academic achievement may be compromised in some …

An Investigation Of The Factors That Influence The Career Aspirations Of Year 12 Science Students, Christina R. Holly

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

What has become apparent in recent years is the lack of upper secondary students choosing science related subjects in their final years of schooling. Even of those students who choose science subjects to study in Years 11 and 12 in Australia, many tend to choose non-science pathways for tertiary education options (department of Education, Science and Training, 2003). This is worrying trend, given the numbers of science professionals and teachers required in the new age of technology. By investigating a sample of Western Australian Year 12 students that study any science related subjects, it is expected that there may be …

Exploring The Clinical Nurse Educator's Ability To Foster Student Reflection, Jessie M. Johnson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this study is to understand how Clinical Nurse Educators use reflective practices with students. While the value of reflective practice has been vigorously discussed in both nursing and educational literature, studies to support its benefits remain strangely elusive. The appeal of reflective practice has arisen out of a sustained conviction that life experience offers a legitimate and rich form of knowledge. If captured, it may narrow the gap between the non practical nature of theories and the complexities of everyday practice problems. The research question for this study is: "How do Clinical Nurse Educators foster student reflection?" …

The Construction Of A Business English Curriculum, Relevant To The Workplace, And Making Use Of Word Processing In Place Of Handwriting, Ladawan Wattanaboot

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Since the Thailand economic crisis in 1997 there has been a sense of urgency expressed in many areas of the society that businesses must modernize their practices and focus more on international trade and communication. Two important components of the changes required are better use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and better use of the English language for business communication. In the education arena this has translated into the need to provide graduates with better skills in the use of English and computers. These two skill areas come together naturally in the study of Business English. In Thailand Rajabhat …

Nature Of Talk And Interaction In The Singapore History Classroom, Pamela Chellappah Thuraisingam

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

History is a complex subject. It is more propositional than procedural in nature (Nichol, 1984), and involves adductive thinking (Booth, 1983), where historical evidence and facts are 'teased out' and a convincing account of the past is then reconstructed through speculation, imagination and empathy (Nichol, 1984; Booth, 1983). The teaching and learning of history should not just be the transmission of knowledge, but rather it should involve a process whereby students and teachers interact in order to analyze evidence, raise questions and hypotheses, synthesize facts, and communicate their ideas, understand others' viewpoints, consider values, reflect and engage in moral reasoning …

Strategies For Effective Virtual Education Delivery In Thailand, Nalinee Thongprasert

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

An increasing number of Thai universities arc using information and communication technologies to support virtual education delivery (VED). The main purpose of this study was to examine the strategies used by Thai universities to adopt the concept of ''virtual education delivery" as an education tool. The study attempted to determine the critical factors that influence success in implementing Thai VEDs, and identified the ways to facilitate such adoption. These factors were synthesised with Thai environmental and cultural factors to develop a strategic framework which can be used to assist universities in Thailand to achieve more effective implementation of VEDs. The …

What Does A Child's Story Tell You?, Tamara Anne Bromley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The stories that students tell in the classroom have the potential to be an invaluable resource for teachers. Through a focus on the language used, these stories can provide teachers with information about their students' sociocultural backgrounds and therefore, the knowledge that students bring to the context of the classroom. In today's diverse classrooms, teachers need to discover this information about their students to enhance the planning process for students' learning. The stories that students tell provide teachers with one avenue by which they can begin to meet the requirements of the Curriculum Framework for Kindergarten to Year 12 Education …

Developing A Post Compulsory Evidence-Based Alcohol Education Curriculum That Is Relevant To Students And Acceptable To Teachers, Fiona Farringdon

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The aim of this study was to develop a post compulsory, alcohol education curriculum that would be perceived as relevant by students and acceptable to teachers. The study had its conceptual basis in harm minimisation that has considerable justification in terms of what school-based alcohol education can realistically achieve. A harm minimisation approach is supported by parental attitudes, teachers, young people and government policy. To ensure the curriculum was developed in the Western Australian education context it has been linked to the Western Australian Curriculum Framework and adheres to the principles that underpin the framework. Furthermore, this study draws on …

The Framing Of Truancy : A Study Of Non-Attendance Policy As A Form Of Social Exclusion Within Western Australia, Jan Gray

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Truancy is a product of socially constructed knowledge. The final product of this knowledge provides insight into the defining features of current societal beliefs, values and fears, becoming a powerful framing influence for definitions of acceptable patterns of school attendance and behaviour. In this sense, the perceived incidence of truancy within a community has far more impact on the creation and enactment of public policy associated with young people who do not regularly attend school than the incidence itself. This does not deny the incidence of truancy, nor the empirical data indicating correlates of truancy, illiteracy, crime, poverty and unemployment. …

The General Board Of Education In Western Australia 1847-1871: Its Establishment And Performance, Derek Jowle

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis is a history of the politics of education in nineteenth century Western Australia with a particular focus on educational administration. It traces the activities of the educational pioneers in Western Australia and in particular synthesises research material from a wide variety of sources to demonstrate and explain: •How and why these pioneers established an education system in Western Australia; •The difficulties faced by the pioneers and how they overcame those difficulties; •Why the General Board of Education ("the Board"), which was formed by the early pioneers, was established in 1847; •How and why the Board was terminated in …

Insights Into Drama In The Early Childhood Setting: A Rationale For The Use Of Drama, Lynette Kaye Moss

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research is an investigation into the implementation of drama in early childhood education conducted in one Perth metropolitan primary school, over a three-week period. The six drama lessons were taught by the researcher/practitioner in a Pre-primary and a Year One class. These students were chosen for their limited exposure to the Drama in Education experience. The expectation was of a less conditioned response both in their conduct and expression within the drama environment. The lessons were captured on video and transcribed, then analysed utilising an ethnomethodological methodology. The responses of these children were recorded in an attempt to disclose …

The Routines And Rituals Of A Design And Technology Classroom: An Ethnographic Study, Shaun Wellbourne-Wood

Theses : Honours

This research examines questions and issues raised from an ethnographic study of a secondary design and technology classroom. A critical ethnographic methodology was employed to explore the 'way of life' in design and technology and examine how aspects of this micro-culture impact on teaching and learning. This ethnographic account includes description and discussion of four significant aspects of design and technology culture. The first examines the predominant masculine culture within this classroom and the subject area at large. The second is the story of four girls and their perceived alienation and exclusion from the dominance of "a boy subject". Third …

Parent And Teacher Attitudes To Pharmacological Management Of Medically Diagnosed Attention Deficit Primary School Children, K. J. Angel

Theses : Honours

The purpose of this study was to compare the attitudes of parents and teachers to the use of pharmacological management or intervention for the child with ADHD in the classroom. Particular focus was placed on differences in attitude toward the use of stimulants, for the management of emotional/behavioural, cognitive/academic, social and classroom organizational behaviours of children with ADHD. Thirty female Western Australian primary school teachers and 90 female parents participated in the present investigation. Participants included: (a) parents of non-medicated children with ADHD, (b) parents of medicated children with ADHD, (c) teachers in regular primary schools, and (d) parents of …

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 …

The Effects Of Teaching A Specific Top-Level Structure On The Organization Of Written Texts, K Brown

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of teaching a specific top-level structure on students' recall and organization of expository text. The hypothesis to be investigated was that students explicitly taught the scientific report text structure schema would show improved recall and organization of written report text protocols. The report text structure utilized in this study was derived from Sloan and Latham's top-level structure of text organization devised from schema theory and semantic memory models.

Part-Time Work: The Attitudes, Perceptions And Opinions Of Year 11 Students, Marilyn Ralph

Theses : Honours

A large number of full-time secondary students of all types have part-lime jobs although research shows that these jobs are not sought or shared proportionately amongst the student sub-groups. Previous research suggested that social class or socio-economic status (each defined in different ways by different researchers) had an effect on whether or not students engaged in part-lime work. However none suggested why this might be so. The purpose of this study was lo investigate the factors which influenced the decisions which students from different socio-economic backgrounds made about paid part-time work and to determine whether there were differences amongst these …

Reasons For The Underrepresentation Of Females At Head Of Department Level In Physical Education In Government Secondary Schools In Western Australia: Perceptions Of Female Physical Education Teachers, Regina D. Bloot

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study focuses on reasons why so few females hold Head of Department positions in physical education in government secondary schools in Western Australia. Despite the almost equitable proportion of females and males teaching the subject, and the absence of Ministry of Education policy constraints on female promotion since 1972, females remain grossly underrepresented in leadership roles. In 1991, women held only five (7%) of the 70 substantive Head of Department appointments. Individual indepth interviews were used as the means of data collection to document female teachers' own accounts of their lives, career aspirations, and what they perceived to be …

A Case Study To Investigate The Use Of Computers Across A School Population, Janine Bersan

Theses : Honours

The National Advisory Committee on Computers in Schools (Commonwealth Schools Commission, 1983) recommended to support computing in both government and non-government schools in Australia over 1984 - 1986. This led to the injection of computer resources to schools. The Western Australian Government then provided significant funds for the provision of computer equipment to primary and secondary schools (1987 -1989). Primacy schools in Western Australia now have on average three computers per primary school. The Ministry of Education has produced a policy document on computer use in primary education which clearly outlines goals to be achieved by all primary school teachers …