Education Commons^™

The Ultra Project (The Universities Language Teaching Research Agreement) : A Joint Investigation By Edith Cowan University, Western Australia And The Guangzhou Foreign Language University, The People's Republic Of China, Into The Use Of Intensive And Immersion Approaches To Language Teaching And Learning At University Level, Alistair L. Mcgregor, Ian G. Malcolm

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

The Transition From Primary To Secondary School: Self-Regulated Learning And Achievement Motivation, Denise Kirkpatrick

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research investigated changes in students' academic performance during the transition from primary to secondary school. Students' perceptions of their experience during the transition were investigated in an attempt to to provide an explanation for any changes that occured in academic performance.

Wild Beasts And Other Curiosities: West Australian Research, Issues And Innovations In Early Childhood Education, Martyn Wild (Ed.)

Research outputs pre 2011

Editorial Is it true that young children need to play more, that perceptual-motor programs don't work, or that schools can learn lessons from child care? Do you know how to turn children into 'greenies', help them express the wild beast within, or use computers to develop vital skills? If you're unsure, outraged, confused or curious, then this book is for you! Practitioners and academics in early childhood have written these papers for the Edith Cowan Memorial Conference for Early Childhood in 1996. The chapters are diverse in style and topic, but are linked by the authors' deep interest in the …

Children's Knowledge And Understanding Of Basic Number Facts, Jack Bana, Richard Korbosky

Research outputs pre 2011

Automatic recall of all the basic number facts is a major objective in primary school mathematics. This is an objective that is not easily attained. Many students have problems acquiring the skills which lead to correct and immediate responses (automatic recall) for all the basic number facts. Knowledge of the basic number facts is essential for undertaking all computation efficiently. These basic facts are defined as 0 + 0 to 9 + 9 for addition and their subtractive opposites; and 0 x 0 to 9 x 9 for multiplication and their inverses in division. This is a total of 390 …

Diversity Awareness In Management Education: Survey Results 1995 Research Project, Catherine Smith

Research outputs pre 2011

While much is known about female disadvantage in learning, less research has explored their advantages, or the advantages and disadvantages experienced by male students. It seems to be generally assumed that gender issues are exclusively female issues. This project sought to dispel this myth by gathering information about male students' perceptions and experiences, and comparing them with those of female students, to highlight perceptual differences and their implications for learning.

A Focus On Learning : Wuality In Teaching & Learning : The Proceedings Of The Teaching & Learning Forum, Edith Cowan University, Perth, February 1995, Laurie Summers (Ed.)

Research outputs pre 2011

These papers represent the proceedings of the fourth Teaching and Learning Forum conducted in Perth from February 7-9, 1995. Curtin University hosted the first two Forums and we at Edith Cowan University the third and fourth. In 1996 the honour (and the hard work) transfers to Murdoch.

The Forum's objectives were:

• To bring together people in higher education who are interested in practical teaching issues (Lecturers, managers, administrators, students, support, general and technical staff).

• To share ideas, information and practices in a variety of mutually supportive, friendly and co-operative ways.

• To celebrate quality in teaching and learning …

Mental Computation In School Mathematics: Preference, Attitude And Performance Of Students In Years 3, 5, 7 And 9, Alistair Mcintosh, Jack Bana, Brian Farrell

Research outputs pre 2011

Commencing in 1989 a team consisting of Alistair Mcintosh, Paul Swan and Ellita de Nardi at Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia, probed the strategies used by children of primary school age when calculating mentally, with a view to developing and promoting more appropriate and effective mental computation...This present monograph, which looks at the mental computation of Western Australian students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, is one of the outcomes of this collaborative research project.

Literacy At A Distance: Language And Learning In Distance Education, William Louden, Judith Rivalland

Research outputs pre 2011

This study provides a description of the practices and strategies of distance learning for students in Years 6 to 10. It describes the materials and modes of delivery of distance education, and identifies three influences on achievement. A model for improvement is proposed, identifying ten prospective areas for improvement of distance education services...

Language And Communication Enhancement For Two-Way Education : Report, Ian G. Malcolm

Research outputs pre 2011

Indigenous Australians command many languages including autochthonous (Indigenous) and contact languages (creoles and Aboriginal English). This project is concerned with the majority who speak English, especially those who speak English as a first language, in an Aboriginal English variety. The project was developed by Edith Cowan University in cooperation with the Education Department of Western Australia as a response to an increasing demand from teachers of Indigenous students for help in providing for their needs as speakers of Aboriginal English. It was funded from the DEBT National Priority (Reserve) Fund to enable the University to develop course modules in Aboriginal …

Report On The Evaluation Of The 1994 Western Australian Transition Support Program For Students With Disabilities, Errol Cocks, Judy Cockram, Trish Formentin, Hannah Cocks

Research outputs pre 2011

The "Transition Support Program" described in this report is the Western Australian Transition Support Program for students with disabilities, a pilot program funded by the Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET) under the Transition Support Component of the National Equity Program for Schools.

1.1 BACKGROUND

Major changes are evident in the expectations for and aspirations of students with disabilities, particularly as they move from school attendance to community options. This has resulted in an increasing focus on the need for policy and program development to support students as they make the transition from school into adult life...

The Journey Of Making Meaning In Drama : A Case Study In A Metropolitan Priority School, Heather A. Timms

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Children with a low socio-economic background frequently fail within our schools. The school milieu is a potential contributor to this scenario, as schools are generally designed for the attributes, needs, and skill levels that are characteristic of middle• class children. It is therefore important to explore alternative learning frameworks that will enable these children to function within the school system. Drama offers unique and exciting possibilities in this field. Previous research endorses the use of drama in education for this specific purpose; and the theories propounded by learning and language theorists and drama educationalists provide a strong theoretical framework.

Language Attitudes In Relation To Language Functions: An Investigation Of The Attitudes Of The Botswana Cambridge 'O' Level Senior Certificate (Cosc) Students, Joel M. Magogwe

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research study attempts to assess the language attitudes among Botswana Cambridge '0' level Senior Certificate (COSC) students in relation to the official functions of Setswana and English. The study assumes that: (1) there is a general positive attitude towards English and Setswana and that allows for bilingualism; (2) the students are instrumentally motivated to learn English because of the socio-economic gains associated with it; (3) the students are integratively motivated symbol of nationhood to learn Setswana because Setswana is a and attitudes among L2 learners political independence; (4) in Botswana arc influenced language by the functions the language is …

A Comparison And Contradistinction Of The Methods Of Selecting Educational Computer Software Employed In W.A. Primary Schools, D. P. Hurrell

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis reviews the methods and criteria that Western Australian school teachers and District Consultants of computers use in the selection of Educational computer software. Questionnaires were used to survey these two groups ( N=301, teachers and N=20 District Consultants) on aspects such as: how they select software; what criteria they employ in selecting software; how confident they feel about software selection; their level of training in software selection; and the skills and resources they have in software selection. This data was then analysed through the application of computer based analysis programs. From the data collected some questions arose about …

The Effects Of Nonjudgemental Feedback On Gender Equity In Teacher Student Interaction In Primary School Physical Education, Brian D. Owen

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study examined whether gender role dependent and independent teacher behaviours could be influenced by the provision of peer observation and nonjudgemental feedback. Sixteen Year 4/5 classroom teachers, eight males and eight females were selected and divided into two groups of eight, a control group and an intervention group. The teachers were provided with standardized physical education programmes. A total of 64 physical education lessons were observed. For each group of teachers two lessons were recorded as baseline data to show established behaviour patterns. For the rest of the study, the control group continued to be recorded with no feedback …

Teacher Planning In A Era Of Accountability For Student Outcomes, Scott C. Zehnder

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The focus of the study of teaching has shifted gradually away from the process-product research paradigm to one which emphasizes the role of teacher and student thought processes. Researchers have identified teacher planning as an area of study likely provide insights into the role of teacher thought processes. Since the nineteen seventies a number of important studies into teacher planning have been completed. An examination of the teacher planning literature revealed that certain types and functions of planning recur in the research. The literature also shows that the rational-linear planning models which are prevalent in teacher pre-service education do not …

An Identification Of Affective Characteristics Which Employers Are Seeking In Bible College Graduates, Alan Meers

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Bible colleges are committed to helping students develop the skills which employers of their graduates are seeking in entry-level employees. Generally speaking, both colleges and employers are satisfied with the training and assessment in the cognitive and psychomotor domains, however the affective domain is of real concern to colleges and employers alike. This project sought to provide colleges with an instrument capable of assessing the developmental level of students in regard to the affective characteristics that employers of their graduates are seeking in entry level employees. There is a large body of literature, both secular and religious, suggesting that tertiary …

The Professional Background And Perceptions Of Principals On Their Leadership Role In Preprimary, Elizabeth Stamopoulos

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The incorporation of pre-primary centres into Western Australian government primary schools has shifted the responsibility for administrative, managerial and educational leadership from the kindergarten director to the primary school principal. Several pre-primary teachers and specialists in Early Childhood Education have expressed concern that principals lack theoretical and practical background in early childhood, have not been provided with professional development assistance, are providing inadequate educational leadership to pre-primary teachers, and yet a responsible for appraisal of pre-primary teachers. Similar concerns have been expressed in the United States, and resulted in the swing towards early academics and acknowledgment of the significant differences …

Difficulties Experienced By Year 10 Students When Solving Monohybrid Autosomal And X-Linked Genetic Problems, Christina Williams

Theses : Honours

Genetics is an important aspect of secondary education as it improves students, understanding of the inheritance of genetic diseases which are present in many families. Genetics also provides opportunities for students to learn important problem solving skills. Students experience difficulties with problem solving in genetics as they tend to rote learn algorithmic methods and not have a meaningful understanding of the concepts of meiosis, gametes and fertilisation which underpin genetics problems. Following instruction in the area of genetics, think-aloud protocols were collected from 20 Year 10 students, while solving four genetic problems. The students were also interviewed to probe their …

Identifying The Difficulties Experienced By Year 10 High School Students When Attempting To Solve Genetic Pedigree Problems, Richard Hamilton-Brown

Theses : Honours

Teachers rate genetics as one of the most difficult biology topics for high school students to understand (Finley, Stewart & Yarroch, 1982). It has been observed that some students are able to solve genetics problems using routine algorithmic methods, without understanding the basic underlying concepts (Stewart, 1982). The aim of this study was to identify the procedural errors and conceptual misunderstandings that the students had when attempting to solve genetic pedigree problems. Genetic pedigrees are diagrammatic representations of the members and ancestral relationships in a family (Cummings, 1991). Two male and two female students were selected from each of four …

Increasing The Participation Of Girls In Physical Education : The Identification Of Factors Influencing Enjoyment And Nonenjoyment Of Physical Education In A Selected Primary School, Grant R. Collins

Theses : Honours

This study focuses on the issue of girls' participation in physical education. One important aspect of participation is the enjoyment level of students. By identifying why girls enjoy and do not enjoy physical education, appropriate adjustments could be made within physical education to increase the participation level of girls. Fifteen Year 7 students from one class within a metropolitan independent school took part in the study. It was descriptive-analytic in nature and used both qualitative and quantitative research methods. A short questionnaire was used to categorise students into those who enjoyed physical education, those with divided perceptions of enjoyment in …

The Effect Of Metacognition On Learning Outcomes For Tertiary Level Computing Students, Susan Hastings

Theses : Honours

The Technical and Further Education system Australia-wide is in a state of change. There is a push to become more cost effective and to have courses that closely relate to the demands of the work place. As part of the change, courses at TAFE are increasingly being based on a competency-based system, with students being responsible for their own learning. This entails the use of course materials by students which allow them to work at their own pace. There is a perception by educators that this method of learning may suit some students, but that the majority require a more …

Reasons Given By Year 9 Girls For The Non-Selection Of Outdoor Education In A Selected Government School, Janene Walton

Theses : Honours

This study focuses on the reasons why fewer girls than boys are selecting outdoor education units in Year 9 in a selected government secondary school in Perth, Western Australia. Outdoor education has attracted increasing enrolments across all years since units were introduced at lower school level in 1987. However the percentage of girls enrolling has declined over the same period. The participation rate for Years 9 to 12 has consistently been about two times greater for boys than for girls. The study utilised group interviews as a means of data collection to document the girls' reasons for not selecting Outdoor …

Investigation Of The Ashenden Proposal For Redesigning Teachers' Work: The Case Of Secondary Teacher Librarians, G. A. Hornsby

Theses : Honours

This thesis documents the implications of the Ashenden proposal for the work of teacher librarians in particular, and teachers in general. The participants are eight practising teacher librarians ‘in charge', from Perth metropolitan secondary schools. Data for this qualitative study was collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using the constant comparative method. The study identifies the main strength of Ashenden's proposal as his orientation\ towards the professional ideology of teachers which implies trust in the professional intentions, knowledge and discretionary judgements of teachers. The study also finds that the Ashenden proposal is incompatible with the work of teaching as a …

Using The "Questionnaire On Teacher Interaction" In The Professional Development Of Teachers., Darrell Fisher, Barry Fraser, John Cresswell

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

For some time in Australia, the Schools Council of the National Board of Employment, Education. and Training has been concerned with issues concerning the quality of teaching as evidenced through its reports on Teacher Quality: An Issues Paper (1989) and Australia's Teachers: An Agenda for the Next Decade (1990). These reports and others highlight the need for teachers to examine continually what they do in their classrooms. Most recently, teacher quality and the need for continued professional development of teachers has been the subject of a ministerial statement (Beazley, 1993). This report notes how the impact of, and responsibility for, …

Reflection, Rhetoric Or Reality : A Case Study In Preservice Teacher Education, Denis Mclaughlin, Pam Hanifin

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Over the last decade, the term 'reflection', has reemerged as a central focus surrounding the issue of providing a practical, technical oriented teacher preparation program, as opposed to a liberal, socially oriented, type education (Richardson, 1990). Whilst there has been much support for the image of the teacher as a reflective professional (Schon, 1983), there appears to be no definitive' description as to what constitutes reflective practice, or scholarly consensus as to the ways and means by which teacher educators might encourage its development. It has been described as "difficult" (Wildman & Niles, 1987), "fuzzy" (Tom, 1987), "problematic" (Ross, 1989), …

Teaching Language To Adults. Mixed Ability Teaching : Meeting Learners' Needs., E. J. Mcgilp

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Ainslie, Susan. (1994) Mixed ability teaching : meeting learners' needs. Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research, London.

Teaching English Communicatively In China - Educating Teachers Is Not Enough., Bernard Hird

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The extent to which the communicative language teaching approach is a relevant and viable methodology for English language teachers to use in China is an issue that has generated considerable interest in recent years. The conclusions drawn in this article are based on experiences of teaching in an in-service course for senior middle-school teachers of English in Hangzhou, China. The paper suggests that the communicative approach does have a role in English language teaching in China but that aspects of the approach need to be applied selectively and with caution. Some of the reasons for this stem from the nature …

Technology In Teacher Education : Using Multimedia To Enhance The Design And Make Processes., Brian Ferry, Christine Brown

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper reports on the use of a multimedia journal to enhance a subject in technology education. The subject was delivered to preservice teachers studying to be primary school teachers. The multimedia journal was used to assist in the delivery of the subject and to record the progress made by students. It is argued that multimedia used in this manner complements and extends upon the teaching program and becomes an integral part of the learning process

The Practicum In Tafe Teacher Education : The Challenge Of Contextual Diversity., Ralph Blunden

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The Hawthorn Institute of Education has had a long tradition of training Technical and Further Education (henceforth, 'TAFE') teachers. The TAFE context in general (and the practicum context in TAFE colleges in particular) gives rise to many difficulties and challenges which do not beset the pre-service education of secondary teachers (at least not to the same degree). In this paper, after briefly sketching the historical context of TAFE and TAFE teacher preparation, attention is drawn to the diversity of TAFE in Victoria. Following this, some examples of· practicum supervision situations are provided to illustrate how they differ from the standard …

Public Speaking For Graduate Student Reachers In The Diploma Of Education., D. M. Murison Travers

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Graduate student teachers in the Diploma of Education took part in a 10 hour elective on speaking in groups, aimed at helping those who were communication apprehensive or shy to overcome their fears. Confident speakers also took part, to provide modelling and assistance, and to learn ways of teaching oral communication in school. McCroskey's (1977) Verbal Activity Scale (VAS) and Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA) were used with a questionnaire evaluating the programme (EvaIProg) to compare the reactions of the more and less confident speakers to the activities. The less confident speakers claimed to benefit from the programme, which …