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Edith Cowan University

2006

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Articles 1 - 30 of 91

Full-Text Articles in Education

Beliefs About Language Learning Of Foreign Language- Major University Students, Mustapha X. Altan Sep 2006

Beliefs About Language Learning Of Foreign Language- Major University Students, Mustapha X. Altan

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Beliefs are a central construct in every discipline which deals with human behavior and learning. Teachers’ beliefs influence their consciousness, teaching attitude, teaching methods and teaching policies. Teachers’ beliefs also strongly influence teaching behavior and, finally, learners’ development. The formation of teachers’ educational beliefs in language teaching/learning process will exert an indiscernible effect on forming effective teaching methods and will bring about the improvement of learners’ language learning abilities (Horwitz, 1985). The Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) was administered to a total of 248 foreign language-major university students at five universities. The participants were in the departments of English, …

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Reflective Teaching Practice Among Student Teachers: The Case In A Tertiary Institution In Nigeria, B O. Ogonor, M M. Badmus Sep 2006

Reflective Teaching Practice Among Student Teachers: The Case In A Tertiary Institution In Nigeria, B O. Ogonor, M M. Badmus

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The study examined the reform outcome of reflective teaching introduced by the Faculty of Education among the student teachers in a Nigerian University during the 2002\2003 teaching practice exercise. Three hundred and four students who were in the final and penultimate years of graduation comprised the sample for the study. Six research questions were raised to direct the thrust of the study. Four sets of instruments were used. They were all open ended, targeted at eliciting information on student teachers’ activities and support by teachers of partnership schools during the teaching practice, perception of student teachers’ performance by Faculty and …

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Math Modeling In Educational Research: An Approach To Methodological Fallacies, Bakhtiar S. Varaki, Lorna Earl Sep 2006

Math Modeling In Educational Research: An Approach To Methodological Fallacies, Bakhtiar S. Varaki, Lorna Earl

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Math modeling is currently at the focus of educational methodologists' attention. However, little is known about the extent to which principles of the math modeling lead to methodological fallacies in educational research. The main purpose of this paper is to explore the nature and principles of math modeling and to examine its application in educational research according to transcendental realism theory. The conclusion of the article suggests some methodological fallacies in educational research. Finally, the implications of the fallacies in educational research are considered.

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The Effects Of Cooperative Learning On The Abilities Of Pre-Service Art Teacher Candidates To Lesson Planning In Turkey, Ayhan Dikici, Yasemin Yavuzer Sep 2006

The Effects Of Cooperative Learning On The Abilities Of Pre-Service Art Teacher Candidates To Lesson Planning In Turkey, Ayhan Dikici, Yasemin Yavuzer

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Cooperative learning is in many ways a more effective learning method than individual and competitive learning. In this study, the effects of cooperative learning on the abilities of the pre-service art teacher candidates to plan lessons were emphasized. For this purpose, 32 art teacher candidates were selected for the experimental group, and 32 art teacher candidates were selected by random sampling method. An evaluation rubric was developed to evaluate the lesson plans that the art teacher candidates prepared. Points that increased two by two from 0 to 10 were included in the rubric. A cooperative learning program was developed for …

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Which One Is Better: Saying Student Teachers Don't Reflect Or Systematically Unlocking Their Reflective Potentials: A Positive Experience From A Poor Teacher Education Faculty In Ethiopia, Jeylan Wolyie Hussein Sep 2006

Which One Is Better: Saying Student Teachers Don't Reflect Or Systematically Unlocking Their Reflective Potentials: A Positive Experience From A Poor Teacher Education Faculty In Ethiopia, Jeylan Wolyie Hussein

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper is informed by Deweyean pragmatism, critical pedagogy, Marxist humanism and social constructivism, all of which see teacher professional learning as a process of constructing knowledge and identity through critical interdependence. In addition to presenting the philosophical root of the reflective approach to teaching and the structure for engaging student teachers in reflective processes, I present the outcome of my own and my colleagues’ attempts to unlock the reflective potentials of student teachers at a poor teacher education faculty in Ethiopia and a theoretical/methodological framework to deal with the reflective data. I hope that teacher educators who work with …

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What Music Teachers Want: The Emergence Of A Unified Understanding Of An Ideal Teacher Education Course, Julie Ballantyne Jun 2006

What Music Teachers Want: The Emergence Of A Unified Understanding Of An Ideal Teacher Education Course, Julie Ballantyne

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

‘Burnout’ and praxis shock seem to be causing teachers to leave the profession early. Much research suggests that this is a reflection on the quality of teacher education programs. Interviews with teachers who were in their first four years in the secondary music classroom reveal how they view their pre-service preparation, and therefore provide an insight into how pre-service teacher education might be effectively reconceptualised. This paper explores the relationship between Zeichner and Liston’s (1990) teacher education ‘traditions’ and early-career music teachers’ perceptions of an ‘ideal’ teacher education course. Analyses of interviews with 15 early-career secondary classroom music teachers suggest …

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Texts And Contexts: International Sources And Universalistic Discourse In Australian Teacher Education 1900-1950, Malcolm Vick Jan 2006

Texts And Contexts: International Sources And Universalistic Discourse In Australian Teacher Education 1900-1950, Malcolm Vick

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Australia has a long history of what has been pilloried as ‘cultural cringe’, and of bemoaning its isolation from ‘overseas’ developments. In recent years, the valuing of ideas and practices from elsewhere has been transformed under the rubric of ‘world best practice’ within a global economy and culture, both in political discourse generally, and in a raft of reports on the need for reform of teacher education in particular (see Vick, 2006a). Here, I document overseas borrowings in the form of texts in teacher education during the first half of last century, focusing on teachers colleges in Sydney, Melbourne and …

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Employing Technologies To Engage Students With Diverse Needs In Rural School Communities, Chris Forlin, Graeme Lock Jan 2006

Employing Technologies To Engage Students With Diverse Needs In Rural School Communities, Chris Forlin, Graeme Lock

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper considers the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to enable students to access the curriculum in inclusive classrooms. The research considers the latest trends regarding promotion of the use of ICT in education in Australia and then considers the outcome from the perspective of one state, that of Western Australia. In particular, the focus is on the use of ICT in remote and rural school communities for supporting inclusive practices. While it seems clear that considerable financial support has been allocated to the enhancement of access to ICT across Australia by various education departments, there are several …

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The Minister For Education And Sociology Of Education: Australian Textbooks 1970-2005, Anthony Potts Jan 2006

The Minister For Education And Sociology Of Education: Australian Textbooks 1970-2005, Anthony Potts

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Relations between Ministers for Education and Faculties of Education have often been uneasy. The history of Australian teacher education readily attests to this (Hyams, 1979). This paper uses comments by Australia’s then Federal Minister for Education, Dr Brendon Nelson, on the place and utility of sociology in teacher education courses as a catalyst to examine the content of social foundations of education textbooks for the period 1970-2005.

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Changing Students Valuing Of Moral Education: From Pain To Gain: A Case Of Curtin University Of Technology. Curtin University Of Technology, Malaysia., Azlin Hj Alwi Jan 2006

Changing Students Valuing Of Moral Education: From Pain To Gain: A Case Of Curtin University Of Technology. Curtin University Of Technology, Malaysia., Azlin Hj Alwi

EDU-COM International Conference

Everyone recognizes the need for educating youngsters about the importance of moral values, in today‘s complex world. Teaching moral values to youngsters is easy. However, to make them value what they learnt is not. In Malaysia, Moral Education is a subject is introduced in the primary school and is continued further at the university level as a strategy to ensure that all students are able to discern right from wrong and make ethical decisions. The question raised is, how can we ensure that the knowledge acquired form the subject is internalized, with long lasting benefits to them? One approach is …

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Emerging Opportunities For Income Growth At The University Of Dar-Es-Salaam: Private Public Partnership Development Projects, A S. Chungu Jan 2006

Emerging Opportunities For Income Growth At The University Of Dar-Es-Salaam: Private Public Partnership Development Projects, A S. Chungu

EDU-COM International Conference

Tanzania in 1986 went through a reform programme of shifting from central planned to a marketeconomy in that, trade, exchange and interest rates were liberalized and more than half of the 400 parastatals were closed down and/or privatised. In the second round of reforms that took in 1996 included institutional and structural reforms, at this time further transformation to a market economy, public administration and investment in key development sectors (education, health, agriculture, water, roads) took place. Such transformations resulted in increased macroeconomic stability and growth levels averaging 6 percent last year. In line with national reform programme, the University …

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What Effects Does Peer Group Study Have On Students’ Learning In Commerce Mathematics? A Case Study Of Diverse Ethnic Learning, Crystal Chun Yun Lau Jan 2006

What Effects Does Peer Group Study Have On Students’ Learning In Commerce Mathematics? A Case Study Of Diverse Ethnic Learning, Crystal Chun Yun Lau

EDU-COM International Conference

Nowadays collaborative learning (CL) has been widely known as the most effective form of learning. Yet, despite all the studies and anecdotal experiences reported by teachers and researchers, the paradigm remains largely unused in university contexts. CL is a philosophy that encompasses all elements of group work and learning situations where students cooperate in order to accomplish a specific learning objective. It is a philosophy that fits in today's globalized world and provides an opportunity for students to become better citizens of the world. CL provides the mechanism for students to interact positively with people who think differently, not only …

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Teaching English As A Foreign Language To Grade 7 Students In Thailand: Genre-Based Versus Traditional Method, Sanguansri Torok, Russell F. Waugh Jan 2006

Teaching English As A Foreign Language To Grade 7 Students In Thailand: Genre-Based Versus Traditional Method, Sanguansri Torok, Russell F. Waugh

EDU-COM International Conference

This study compared a genre-based method of teaching English to Prathom (grade) 7 secondary students in Thailand and a traditional method. Rasch-generated linear scales were created to measure reading comprehension (based on 18 items with 300 students) and attitude and behaviour to learning EFL (based on 36 items with 296 students). The data for both scales had a good fit to a Rasch measurement model, good separation of measures compared to the errors, good targeting, and the response categories were answered consistently and logically, so that valid inferences could be drawn. Ninety students from three secondary schools in Ratchaburi, Thailand, …

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Engaging Diversity Through Brain Hemispheric Orientation (Bho) Among College Students: Some Implications On Their Mathematics Performance., Flerida C. Alvaro Jan 2006

Engaging Diversity Through Brain Hemispheric Orientation (Bho) Among College Students: Some Implications On Their Mathematics Performance., Flerida C. Alvaro

EDU-COM International Conference

This study primarily sought empirical results to be used for a more complicated future research undertaking. This study categorized the students of the College of Teacher Education according to their left, right, or confluent brain hemispheric orientation through a preference scale. Also, these college students were classified with respect to their low, average, or high level of Mathematics performance basing from the grades in Mathematics subjects. Diversity in college students‘ gender, age, and ethnicity were analysed for their effect on the brain hemispheric orientation as well as their effect on their level of Mathematics performance. Likewise, this study investigated the …

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Asian Students’ Perceptions Of Group Work And Group Assignments In A New Zealand Tertiary Institution, Jacqui Campbell, Mingsheng Li Jan 2006

Asian Students’ Perceptions Of Group Work And Group Assignments In A New Zealand Tertiary Institution, Jacqui Campbell, Mingsheng Li

EDU-COM International Conference

Globalisation, cultural diversity, and structural reconfiguration in organisations of all types, have led to academics in New Zealand tertiary institutions embracing changes in their course delivery approaches. One of these changes is the emphasis on collaborative learning, featuring group work and group assignments. This study examines Asian students‘ perceptions of the much-promulgated collaborative learning concepts in the form of group work and group assignments. The research was conducted in 2005 in a New Zealand tertiary institution. Twenty-two Asian students participated in one-hour individual semi-structured interviews. The study found that Asian students valued highly the significance of classroom group discussions where …

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Interactive E-Assessments, Geoffrey Crisp Jan 2006

Interactive E-Assessments, Geoffrey Crisp

EDU-COM International Conference

It is useful for teachers to reflect on the future formats that will be necessary for assessment tasks. There is currently much discussion concerning the need for immersive and authentic learning environments. Teachers will need to investigate assessments that mix real and virtual environments, testing declarative knowledge and also conditional and procedural capabilities. Teachers will need to contemplate using assessments that measure approaches to problem solving and student responses in terms of efficiency, ethical considerations and the involvement of others. This image of assessment is still sometime away, but will be within reach in the short term. Are academic staff …

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Teaching English As A Foreign Language To Grade 6 Students In Thailand: Cooperative Learning Versus Thai Communicative Method, Sutaporn Chayaratheee, Russell F. Waugh Jan 2006

Teaching English As A Foreign Language To Grade 6 Students In Thailand: Cooperative Learning Versus Thai Communicative Method, Sutaporn Chayaratheee, Russell F. Waugh

EDU-COM International Conference

This study compared a cooperative learning method of teaching English to Prathom (grade) 6 secondary students in Thailand and a communicative method. Rasch-generated linear scales were created to measure reading comprehension (based on 28 items with 300 students) and attitude and behaviour to learning EFL (based on 24 items with 300 students). The data for both scales had a good fit to a Rasch measurement model, good separation of measures compared to the errors, good targeting, and the response categories were answered consistently and logically, so that valid inferences could be drawn. Ninety students from three secondary schools in Ratchaburi, …

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Engaging Diversity At An Australian University: Chinese International Students' Perceptions Of Their Social Experience While Studying In Australia, James Cross Jan 2006

Engaging Diversity At An Australian University: Chinese International Students' Perceptions Of Their Social Experience While Studying In Australia, James Cross

EDU-COM International Conference

Increasing diversity of student populations at Australian universities has raised research attention on how international students are coping with their academic and social life. A research project conducted with Chinese students studying at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Western Australia in 2005 revealed various cultural and equity issues which impact on the Chinese international students' academic and social experiences in Australia. This paper focuses on the social aspects of the findings from this study. It was found that most Chinese students reported poor social life and interaction with local and other international students on and off campus. Developing friendship with …

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The Use Of Weblogs To Students’ Learning Engagement: A Case Study Of Brick And Mortar Course, Sylvia Ping Ping Chin Jan 2006

The Use Of Weblogs To Students’ Learning Engagement: A Case Study Of Brick And Mortar Course, Sylvia Ping Ping Chin

EDU-COM International Conference

The purpose of this case study was to determine the effect of the easy-to-use and cost-free Weblog as an instructional tool on students‘ engagement in their learning process. Weblogs are a new and effective platform for information sharing and interaction among the bloggers (Marlow 2004) and was introduced in Pre-University IT course. This course was offered in a traditional class environment but the coursework and group discussion/communication occurred virtually. Weblogging enabled students to share their work with each other online, and make it available from and to any computer that is connected to the Internet. The curricula were designed to …

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The Developments In Paramedical Science And The Implications Of National And International Accreditation And Registration In Alliance With Ambulance Authorities, Barry Gibson, Richard Brightwell Jan 2006

The Developments In Paramedical Science And The Implications Of National And International Accreditation And Registration In Alliance With Ambulance Authorities, Barry Gibson, Richard Brightwell

EDU-COM International Conference

The School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Sciences at Edith Cowan University established a new Bachelor of Science (Paramedical Science) degree in 2004. The program is a joint initiative between Edith Cowan University and St. John Ambulance and is the only Paramedical degree being taught within Western Australia. In preparing the graduates to work in the profession as qualified paramedics, it was essential to integrate the theoretical content taught by both the university and the ambulance corporation with significant practical experiences being delivered in the ambulance and hospital environments. The implications for this type of arrangement have been far reaching, …

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Advertising Practioners’ Educational Prerequisites: Differentiating The Needs Of Creatives From Non Creatives, Katherine Toland Frith, James Chen, Malcolm Chung Jan 2006

Advertising Practioners’ Educational Prerequisites: Differentiating The Needs Of Creatives From Non Creatives, Katherine Toland Frith, James Chen, Malcolm Chung

EDU-COM International Conference

Singapore‘s advertising industry is one of the clusters identified as an important growth area in the country‘s creative economy. The growth of the media industry, in particular the advertising industry has thus added urgency to call for higher institutions in Singapore to help nurture a pool of creative manpower by providing a well-rounded and comprehensive relevant education on advertising. An effective education policy is therefore a prime instrument in facilitating developments in this industry. A joint research initiative was conducted with the participation of a few advertising companies in Singapore. These included both creative agencies as well as media buying …

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Identifying The Challenges In Teaching Computer Science Topics Online, Yuwanuch Gulatee, Barbara Combes Jan 2006

Identifying The Challenges In Teaching Computer Science Topics Online, Yuwanuch Gulatee, Barbara Combes

EDU-COM International Conference

In an attempt to provide educational opportunities for students who are working or who are located at a distance, many universities have developed wholly online distance education programs. These online courses use web technology as a distributed learning mechanism. However, online distance learning in Computer Science courses remains challenging for both teachers and students. Research has shown that there is a significant risk factor for online courses in Computer Science. Course developers and teachers need to be aware of the particular needs of Computer Science students when establishing online courses, if they wish to graduate successful and satisfied students. This …

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An Ontology Based Approach To The Integration Of Heterogeneous Information Systems Supporting Integrated Provincial Administration In Khon Kaen, Thailand, Malee Kabmala, Lampang Manmart, Chaiyaporn Chirathamjaree Jan 2006

An Ontology Based Approach To The Integration Of Heterogeneous Information Systems Supporting Integrated Provincial Administration In Khon Kaen, Thailand, Malee Kabmala, Lampang Manmart, Chaiyaporn Chirathamjaree

EDU-COM International Conference

Information systems are a necessity to the administration of organizations. In a recent reform to the Thai administration, the governor of each province is entrusted with the full responsibility for the strategic planning and execution of the Integrated Provincial Administration (IPA). This presents a big challenge and many difficult problems for a potentially fast growing, both economically and demographically, province, such as Khon Kaen. To provide the administrator of the province with reliable and up to date information, the Provincial Operation Centre (POC) has been set up and assigned the task of collecting all required information from disparate information systems, …

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Effects Of Teaching In English At Swedish Universities, Ingrid Johansson, Bosse Jonsson Jan 2006

Effects Of Teaching In English At Swedish Universities, Ingrid Johansson, Bosse Jonsson

EDU-COM International Conference

English plays an increasingly important role at Swedish universities but not much is known about its effects on the quality of teaching and learning. Therefore, a large research project which is collaborative and interdisciplinary, crossing language studies in humanities with education, is being planned. One of several aims of the project is to study the consequences of teaching in English on learning and study achievements. A few pre-studies have been carried out in order to develop more detailed research questions. Two of the pre-studies will be presented in this paper. In one of them, ten university teachers with Swedish as …

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Augmenting Postgraduate Student Problem-Solving Ability By The Use Of Critical Thinking Exercises, M N. Johnstone Jan 2006

Augmenting Postgraduate Student Problem-Solving Ability By The Use Of Critical Thinking Exercises, M N. Johnstone

EDU-COM International Conference

This paper describes the results of a research programme whose focus was critical thinking and explores how information technology (IT) postgraduate students model problems. Some results from the programme show that IT students appear to improve their problem-solving ability by undertaking structured critical thinking exercises. An AC Nielsen survey commissioned by DETYA in 2000 sought to gauge employer satisfaction with graduates using a variety of methods including questionnaires, focus groups and in-depth interviews. A key finding was that ‗the skills employers consider to be most important in graduates are creativity and flair, enthusiasm and the capacity for independent and critical …

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Lecturer Receptivity To A Major Planned Educational Change At Rajabhat Universities In Thailand, Anusak Ketusiri, Russell F. Waugh Jan 2006

Lecturer Receptivity To A Major Planned Educational Change At Rajabhat Universities In Thailand, Anusak Ketusiri, Russell F. Waugh

EDU-COM International Conference

Thailand passed the National Education Act (1999) which introduced the largest educational change there in over 50 years. This study investigated lecturer receptivity to that change at four Rajabhat Universities in the second year of the implementation stage during 2002. Lecturer receptivity was conceptualised as relating to nine aspects of the change. Data were collected by questionnaire (N=659) with 50 stem-items answered in three perspectives. These were (1) how I expect the change to be planned, (2) how I think the change was really implemented, and (3) what my actual behaviour was. Data were analysed with a Rasch measurement model. …

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World Class Curriculum – On A Budget, S Ping Ping Maj, B N. Tran Jan 2006

World Class Curriculum – On A Budget, S Ping Ping Maj, B N. Tran

EDU-COM International Conference

Universities must compete in an increasingly difficult global market place. In order to successfully do so they must identify and profile market segments in order to achieve a unique selling position. Partnering may provide only part of the solution. The Cisco Network Academy Program (CNAP) is the world‘s largest network curriculum developed at an initial cost of US$75 million. There are advantages to becoming a Cisco academy such as access to on-line curriculum and low cost equipment. However, with over 10,000 Cisco academies world wide it is difficult to achieve a marketing advantage. Cisco provides low cost equipment but academies …

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The Utilization Of Portfolio In The Teaching/Learning On Seminar In Issues And Trends In Nursing Profession Subject, Pinya Noophakdee, Chonggol Surasvadi, Pongrat Ratanathai Jan 2006

The Utilization Of Portfolio In The Teaching/Learning On Seminar In Issues And Trends In Nursing Profession Subject, Pinya Noophakdee, Chonggol Surasvadi, Pongrat Ratanathai

EDU-COM International Conference

The objectives of this study were to compare the students‘ attitudes towards portfolios in Teaching and Learning, abilities in clinical problem-solving before and after seminar, determine the relationship of students‘ abilities in seminar between their peer groups‘ and the instructors, determine the relationship of students‘ seminar report writing abilities as evaluated by the instructors and themselves, and to study students‘ abilities on working process. The samples were 80 second-year students in the continuing program. The research tools were composed of 2 scales, 4 assessment forms, and MEQ test. The data were analysed by SPSS/FW program using mean, SD, Paired t-test …

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Project Priyadarshini: Empowering Students And Teachers To Be Agents Of Social Change, Vasundhara Padmanabhan Jan 2006

Project Priyadarshini: Empowering Students And Teachers To Be Agents Of Social Change, Vasundhara Padmanabhan

EDU-COM International Conference

Colleges and universities were regarded as ―Ivory Towers‖ kept aloof from the society and its life. But gradually it is being realised that teachers of higher education cannot do justice to their roles and responsibilities if they do not contribute their might to the realization of national goals, fulfilment of their social commitments and be the agents of social change. In our B Ed College, the students are provided opportunities to work with the community in collaboration with NGOs. In addition to this, last year, a concentrated effort was made to empower both the teachers and the student teachers by …

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English Learning Support For Working Staff: A Case Study Of Bimonthly Bilingual Posters For Staff Working In An Academic University, Suthee Ploisawaschai Jan 2006

English Learning Support For Working Staff: A Case Study Of Bimonthly Bilingual Posters For Staff Working In An Academic University, Suthee Ploisawaschai

EDU-COM International Conference

The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of providing English learning support for non-academic staff working in King Mongkut‘s University of Technology Thonburi. Staffs working in fields other than academia lack an opportunity to practice English. To do this, a series of bimonthly bilingual poster called KMUTT: I‘m Learning English was proposed. First released in March, the posters appeared twice a month in restrooms and elevators, as well as on the website. They covered such topics as news, fables, and conversations at work, sayings, and trivia. The researcher examined the impacts of this approach by surveying staff …

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