Education Commons^™

Social Media And English Language Writing Performances Of A Ghanaian Esl Class: The Nexus, Ramos Asafo-Adjei, Ronald Osei Mensah, Ernest Kwesi Klu, Enock Swanzy-Impraim

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The nexus among social media usage and the English language writing performances of a Ghanaian English as Second Language (ESL) class was investigated in this enquiry. The simple qualitative case study design was used, and the data was collected from a co-educational government secondary school Form 2 General Arts One class in Ghana. A focus group discussion (FGD) guide was employed to elicit the data, and the data were synthesised and analysed using the Data Analysis Spiral. It was evidenced that social media has adversely impacted the students’ English Language learning, as oblivious and non-standard contents have been smuggled into …

Lesbian, Anorexic, Disabled, And Big: Other Ways Of Being A Female Physical Education Teacher, Gustavo González-Calvo, Valeria Varea

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Research has shown that Physical Education (PE) is a white, male, and able body-dominated profession, particularly in Spain. When some female pre-service PE teachers, who had a difficult relationship with their bodies and sports abilities, enrol in such a degree, some of these problematic relations come to light. Participants for this study were four female pre-service teachers who self-identified as lesbian, anorexic, visually impaired, and big respectively. Data were collected through participant-produced texts, graphical representations, and interviews. The authors then reconstructed the participants’ stories which are presented in the form of narratives. The conceptual tool of embodying norm-criticality helped us …

Flipping The Thinking On Equality, Diversity, And Inclusion. Why Edi Is Essential For The Development And Progression Of The Chemical Sciences: A Case Study Approach, M. Anwar H. Khan, Timothy G. Harrison, Magdalena Wajrak, Michele Grimshaw, Kathy G. Schofield, Alison J. Trew, Kulvinder Johal, Jeannette Morgan, Karen L. Shallcross, Joyce D. Sewry, Michael T. Davies-Coleman, Dudley E. Shallcross

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

All learners have a contribution to make to the development of the Chemical Sciences, be that in novel ways to teach, and their perspectives and contexts, but also in research, both in chemical education and the wider Chemical Sciences. Through four case studies, this paper explores interactions with diverse groups and how this has altered perspectives on both teaching and research. The case studies include work with visually impaired adults, a project bringing together First Peoples in Australia with academics to explore old ways (traditional science) and new ways (modern approaches), primary (elementary) school perspectives on teaching science, and a …

Developing A Resource For Arts Educators To Enhance The Social And Emotional Well-Being Of Young People, Leanne Fried, Christine Lovering, Sarah Falconer, Jacinta Francis, Robyn Johnston, Karen Lombardi, Kevin Runions, Karen Forde, Naomi Crosby, Lilly Blue

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Mental health concerns prevent positive well-being and are key challenges for Australian children and young people. Arts organisations play a role in enhancing the positive mental health of children and young people. This paper describes the involvement of young people and their parents in the development of a resource for arts organisation’s intentional support of social and emotional well-being. Methods: Six focus groups were conducted with 19 young people who participate in dance, drama, and circus programs, and 17 of their parents. Questions explored how the arts currently, and potentially, support their social and emotional well-being. Results: Three overarching …

Digital Literacy: A Review Of Literature, Lennie Barblett, Raisa Akifeva, Leanne Lavina, Fiona Boylan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This report describes the main themes of collected literature to examine and explain the information in relation to making best practice recommendations for using digital technologies with children, and their families using Better Beginnings programs. These themes include:

• definitions of literacy,
• digital literacy in the context of childhood and children’s rights,
• dimensions of children’s digital literacy,
• digital technology, children and families,
• digital divide and diversity,
• eSafety, privacy, protection,
• children’s digital literacy learning, and
• librarian staff as digital literacy mentors and advocates.

The early childhood phase of childhood (particularly birth to age five) is one of the most under - researched …

Child Studies Multiple – Collaborative Play For Thinking Through Theories And Methods, Anna Sparrman, Yelyzaveta Hrechaniuk, Olga A. Smith, Klara Andersson, Deniz Arzuk, Johanna Annerbäck, Linnea Bodén, Mindy Blaise, Claudia Castañeda, Rebecca Coleman, Florian Eßer, Matt Finn, Daniel Gustafsson, Peter Holmqvist, Jonathan Josefsson, Peter Kraftl, Nick Lee, Karín Lesnik-Oberstein, Sarah Mitchell, Karin Murris, Alex Orrmalm, David Oswell, Alan Prout, Rachel Rosen, Katherine Runswick-Cole, Johanna Sjöberg, Karen Smith, Spyros Spyrou, Kathryn B. Stockton, Affrica Taylor, Ohad Zehavi, Emilia Zotevska, Sonja Arndt, David Cardell

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This text is an exploration of collaborative thinking and writing through theories, methods, and experiences on the topic of the child, children, and childhood. It is a collaborative written text (with 32 authors) that sprang out of the experimental workshop Child Studies Multiple. The workshop and this text are about daring to stay with mess, “un-closure” , and uncertainty in order to investigate the (e)motions and complexities of being either a child or a researcher. The theoretical and methodological processes presented here offer an opportunity to shake the ground on which individual researchers stand by raising questions about scientific inspiration, …

Conceptualising The Education And Care Workforce From The Perspective Of Children And Young People, Jennifer Cartmel, Susan Irvine, Linda Harrison, Lennie Barblett, Francis Bobongie-Harris, Leanne Lavina, Fay Hadley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Children are significant stakeholders within education and care settings. Their views can be invaluable in thinking about what matters to conceptualising, assessing and improving quality in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) settings. As stakeholders, children’s views are rarely listened to by Australian policy makers to assess what constitutes quality and how the quality can be improved. In the process of updating two nationally approved Australian Learning Frameworks (ALFs): Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia 2.0 and My Time Our Place: Framework for School Age Care in Australia 2.0, …

How Public Libraries In Western Australia Support The Language And Literacy Learning Of Children From Birth To Age Three Years, Jennifer Ruth Campbell-Hicks

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Early language and literacy skills develop rapidly during the first three years of children’s lives. Successful development of these skills is based on dynamic interactions and supportive relationships within children’s families and communities. However, nearly a quarter of Australia’s children do not receive the necessary support or proactive interactions, and therefore start their schooling at age four or five with inadequate language and literacy skills. Reducing early difficulties is beneficial since evidence indicates that children who struggle at the start of their education rarely catch up.

Children and their families may be supported with language and literacy learning by engaging …

Content And Frames Of ©Wechat And Chinese State Media - A Critical Literacy Reflection Of The Narratives During The Early Stage Of Covid-19 Pandemic, Zhe Jing

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Governments back disruptive politics on the Internet platforms to influence people. During the global health crisis, because of the popularity and demographic penetration, ©WeChat is said to be one of these platforms. The influential dynamics, the circulated contents relevant to diasporic audiences and the app’s global users are yet to be contextually understood through the educational lens of critical literacy. This study is underpinned by a critical literacy reflective framework which synthesises components from several critical literacy practices: content and frame analysis, critical pedagogies, and specific literacy domain practices to provide guideline for the investigation. The findings demonstrate how state …

Transforming Transitions To Primary School: Using Children’S Funds Of Knowledge And Identity, Fiona Boylan, Lennie Barblett, Leanne Lavina, Amelia Ruscoe

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Transition to school experiences influence children’s wellbeing, development, and learning at the time of transition and future transitions. Effective transitions require schools to engage with children and families in ways that connect and empower them in the transition process. In this study children aged 3–6 years and their teachers used a Funds of Knowledge (FoK) and Funds of Identity (FoI) lens to reimagine transition practices for children and their families. Through a design-based thinking process, qualitative data was collected from four professional learning days, as well as individual coaching sessions, observations of the first days of school, and stakeholder interviews. …

“I'M Making A Positive Change In My Life”: A Mixed Method Evaluation Of A Well-Being Tertiary Education Unit, Ben Piggott, Paola Chivers, Caroline Bulsara, Jenny Conlon, Kaine Grigg, Sarah Ann Harris, Michelle Lambert, Lynne Millar, Christina M. Pollard

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Issue Addressed:

Mental health disorders (MHDs) are prevalent amongst university students with detrimental impacts on individual students, universities and the wider community. There is an urgent need for proactive and preventative strategies to address the mental health crisis in the university population. This study evaluated the efficacy of a 13-week unit developed to directly educate university students about ways to improve and maintain well-being.

Methods:

Fifty-eight university students from five disciplines participated in a 13-week elective undergraduate unit “Well-Being Fundamentals for Success” as part of their degree. The Act Belong Commit mental health promotion campaign framework formed the basis of …

Development Of A Teaching Performance Assessment In Australia: What Did We Learn?, Rebecca Spooner-Lane, Tania Broadley, Elizabeth Curtis, Peter Grainger

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Following increasing criticism of the variability in graduate teachers’ readiness to enter the profession, the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) introduced a program accreditation requirement that all initial teacher education (ITE) providers must implement a Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA) in the final year of their teacher education programs. AITSL were not prescriptive in how ITE providers must meet the program standard which has resulted in 12 TPAs being implemented across 42 ITE providers. This paper outlines the development and implementation of one endorsed TPA designed to measure the readiness of graduating teachers, whilst taking into consideration the …

Bridging Theory And Practice Within An Alternative Teacher Education Program, Gulistan Gursel-Bilgin

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study examines the commitments of an alternative teacher education program in linking theory and practice, one of the most prominent problems of the field. This qualitative phenomenological study drew from semi-structured interviews with seven faculty members and associate instructors, electronic surveys with seven program students, participant observation and field notes in seminar sessions, one program faculty meeting, and one community meeting, and curriculum materials. The findings suggest that the design of the program and the roles and (inter)actions of the stakeholders within the program created a dialectical interplay. Linked with this interplay, Teachers’ Society provided a setting for collaborative …

Metacognition In Teaching Of English Language Teachers In Bhutanese Secondary Schools, Yeshi Moktan, Somruedee Khongput

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Despite numerous studies advocating for metacognitive interventions in day-to-day language instruction, little is known about teachers' awareness of their metacognition and how they process their cognition while teaching. This study aimed to examine English language teachers' metacognitive awareness in the Bhutanese context and their use of metacognition by adopting a mixed-method approach. Two phases of data collection were employed. A self-report questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from 42 English language teachers from ten schools in Thimphu, Bhutan. Subsequently, qualitative data were collected through one classroom observation and two semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers selected purposively. The findings …

Enhancing Online Presence During The Sudden Transition To Online Teaching: Case Studies Of Macau Award-Winning University Teachers' Practices And Phronesis, Yulong Marvin Li, Jing Sun, Hong Chen, Xiaojing Liu

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Research about the sudden transition from offline to online in Macau during the pandemic is limited. Using the Community of Inquiry (COI) framework as the deductive thematic analysis template, we interviewed six award-winning teachers at a teaching-oriented local tertiary institute about their online teaching practices concerning social, cognitive, and teaching kinds of presence. As the result of the collective case study, we found that the teachers, to some extent, echoed the good practices recommended in the COI in improving online presence. Meanwhile, the six teachers' seemingly practical skills reflected their accumulated phronesis or wisdom of practice. It is because the …

Ecologies Of Learning For Inclusive Pedagogy In Spanish Secondary Education, Inmaculada Orozco, Anabel Moriña

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

From the theoretical basis of the ecology of learning and inclusive pedagogy, this article explores the activities, resources and interactions practised by 25 Spanish teachers in compulsory secondary education. This qualitative study involved semi-structured and individual interviews. A progressive analysis of the data was carried out using an inductive system of categories and codes. The results show that the activities were varied and all of them put students at the centre of the teaching-learning process. The resources that stood out were technologies and peer support. Interactions were characterised by the need to nurture affection and get to know and motivate …

Reporting Values, Partnership With Parents And The Hidden Curriculum: A Qualitative Study, Veronica Elizabeth Morcom

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The Australian government funded the West Australian project ‘Reporting Values to Parents’ as part of ‘The Values in Action Schools Project’ (2009). The two aims of the qualitative study were to develop a common values language supported by observable behaviours and an appreciation that values education is fundamental to schooling. Teachers used an action research process to create authentic values activities and involve parents in the assessment process. Parents shifted their perspectives to ratify teachers’ role to teach values explicitly. Students experienced a deeper sense of connection and belonging at school. Educators can adapt the activities in this paper to …

Explicit Instruction: Evaluating The Fidelity Of A Teacher's Practice Supported By Professional Development And Directive Coaching - A Case Study, Christophe Baco, Marie Bocquillon, Laëtitia Delbart, Antoine Derobertmasure

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Training teachers in evidence-based practice is a societal challenge. We conducted practical action research to investigate the impact of a professional development programme (the aim of which is to train teachers in explicit instruction) established according to the principles of effective professional development on one teacher's practices. A holistic case study was conducted with one teacher randomly selected among a group of volunteers. An original methodology was developed to measure the fidelity of the teacher’s practices to the different teaching practices and stages of explicit instruction. The teacher's practices were filmed on four occasions and analysed using an observation grid …

Exploring Teacher Educators’ Knowledge About Critical Thinking: A Case From Pakistan, Saima Bibi, Saba Hanif

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In Pakistan, it is aimed at both national and international levels to promote and develop critical thinking among students and teachers at all educational levels (sustainable development goals, VISION 2025, national standards for teachers, national educational policies, etc.). However, little research has investigated teachers' critical thinking knowledge. The present study explored critical thinking knowledge of teacher educators from teacher training institutes. The teacher training institutes of the most populous and developed province of Pakistan were taken as the sample of the study. Exploratory survey method was used for data collection. The study found that the majority of teacher educators lack …

In-House Efforts To Enhance Pre-Service Language Teachers’ Intercultural Competence, Nur Gedik Bal

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The goal of the current study was to ascertain pre-service English language teachers’ impressions of the impact of thematic speaking tasks on the development of their intercultural competence in an online Spoken English course. Moreover, the effect of certain demographic variables on pre-service teachers’ cultural intelligence (CQ) was also investigated. The findings revealed a significant difference between the CQ of students with and without overseas experience. Pre-service teachers who could speak languages other than their mother tongue and English had significantly higher CQ scores than students who could not speak other languages. However, there was not a significant difference between …

Measuring Australian Preservice Teachers’ Asia Capability And Perceived Readiness To Teach The Asia Cross-Curricular Priority., James F. Toohey, Peter R. Grainger, Michael Carey

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Preservice teachers are soon-to-be graduates expected to deliver the Cross-Curricular Priority ‘Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia’. Teachers of all learning areas are expected to teach about Asia, irrespective of their knowledge or capabilities in Asian contexts. The curriculum review has revised expectations for ‘Asia literacy’ in graduates. The changes de-emphasise cultural knowledge, and instead, promote relationship-building and intercultural understanding. This research identified 31 preservice teachers’ perceptions of their Asia literacy and preparedness to teach the related curriculum initiative. Grainger and Christie’s (2016) linguistic model was used to define and measure Asia literacy. Thematic analysis identified (1) how participants conceptualised …

Professional Voices: Building Professional Identity In An Initial Teacher Education Programme, Jennifer Shand

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Very few professional areas in Australia attract as much political, media and community attention as teaching, and by association, few areas of professional training attract as much attention as initial teacher education. Recently, the Next Steps: Report of the Quality Teacher Education Review (Department of Education, Skills and Employment, 2022) has drawn attention to the need for preservice teachers to develop professional skills as a way to ensure ‘classroom readiness’ before graduating. Research in the higher education sector and within initial teacher courses indicates that nascent professional identities can support the transition from university to profession. Using a thematic analysis …

Exploring Language Teachers’ Cognition Of Learner Autonomy In Turkish Tertiary Efl (English As A Foreign Language) Context, Sevgi Erel, Hasan Bedir

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study explored language teachers’ beliefs on learner autonomy in different educational contexts at a university setting in Turkey adopting an explanatory mixed methods design. Teacher cognition has been investigated extensively all over the world. Yet, teacher cognition on learner autonomy has received less attention. Regarding teachers’ voices as essential to understand how they perceive learner autonomy, the study was structured in two phases- questionnaire survey and narrative inquiry. SPSS Version 23 and content analysis were utilized to analyse the quantitative and qualitative data emanated from the research. The findings revealed that while teachers considered learner autonomy from different perspectives, …

Using Change Laboratory Methodology In Initial Teacher Education, Kellie Tobin

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Initial Teacher Education remains the focus of policy reform and research in Australia with the broad aim of improving the quality of pre-service teacher education. There remains dispute about limited evidence justifying ongoing reforms, particularly in relation to gaps in understanding how providers and schools work collaboratively in the joint activity of ITE. This paper argues for the potential of Change Laboratory (CL) methodology in contemporary educational research. The research examined the implementation of CL methodology in an Australian ITE program. Participants included 13 school-based and university-based educators. Participants were required to co-design a unit of work for an ITE …

Developing Pre-Service Teachers’ Assessment Literacy In The Practicum: An Action Research Study, Mustafa Akın Güngör, Müzeyyen Nazlı Güngör

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper reports on an action research (AR) study that pre-service teachers conducted to assess their students in practicum. Based on Xu and Brown’s (2016) assessment literacy (TALIP) framework, we aim to empower them in a real classroom atmosphere. Data were collected systematically and came from interviews, pre-service teachers’ own exams, observations, evaluations of students, and reflections. The qualitative analysis was used to identify the realities and constraints of the classroom, to plan alternative ways of assessment, to reveal the observation results, and to make sense of the reflections. Results showed that pre-service teachers gained an awareness of the gap …

Walking Carefully Towards Bridging The Gap: Exploring Australian Music Educator Voices About Teaching Indigenous Music, Dawn Joseph, Bradley Merrick

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Facilitating an inclusive pedagogy to close the gap that exists within the teaching of Indigenous Knowledge in Australia is a tall order for many teachers. This paper draws on responses to a national study and explores how music educators include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music and culture into their practice. An online survey (December 2022-February 2023, N=109) informed the findings. Using thematic analysis, two themes (teaching challenges and opportunities, and bridging the gap) are discussed and key recommendations offered. Findings suggest that walking carefully towards bridging the gap is an opportunity for educational change in contemporary Australian classrooms.

The Effectiveness And Impact Of Post-Observation Feedback Sessions In An In-Service Training Program, Derya Ilgın Yaşar, Nurdan Gürbüz

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

An essential component of any training activity is observations, and in almost any teacher education or professional development context, observations are followed by feedback sessions aimed at improving teaching practices. Nevertheless, whether these sessions accomplish this aim is an issue of concern as it is highly related to how effective it is perceived to be. This study aims to explore how effective post-observation feedback sessions are perceived by the observed instructors, what factors make feedback effective, and whether feedback has any impact on their practices. Data were collected qualitatively by conducting semi-structured interviews with the instructors and Professional Development Unit …

Incorporating Digital Technologies Into Initial Teacher Education:Enhancing Preservice Teachers' Skills, Samantha Bothe

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Little is known about how preservice teachers learn the technological pedagogy and digital skills expected for graduate teaching. This article examines how digital technologies are incorporated into Initial Teacher Education in Victoria, Australia, specifically the Bachelor of Education, and identifies development opportunities for Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and digital skills. Case studies were conducted to investigate the practices at two universities. Data was collected through interviews and the collection of artefacts. Analysis was conducted using the lens of a Professional-Digital-Competence (P-D-C) framework. The analysis indicates that digital technologies are embedded predominantly within authentic learning tasks that replicate graduate teacher …

Relations Between Australian Primary Teachers’ Reported Professional Development Engagement And Their Science Teaching Practices And Efficacy Beliefs, James Deehan, Amy Macdonald

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

: Professional development has long been viewed as crucial to sustained improvement in the quality of primary science education. This paper considers professional development beyond the context of a specific program by examining how the science teaching efficacy beliefs and practices vary between teachers who both have and have not engaged with science professional development. This paper reports on a primarily quantitative study wherein a sample of 206 Australian public primary educators responded to an online survey capturing demographic, science teaching efficacy and science teaching practice data. Quantitative data were analysed via descriptive, ANOVA and Chi Square analyses. The supplementary …

“To Be Or Not To Be Neglected”: Latent Profile Analysis Of Null Curriculum Concerning 21st-Century Skills In Teacher Education, Güler Çetin, Altay Eren

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Using a cross-sectional survey research design, this study explored the latent profiles of 247 in-service and 459 pre-service teachers’ perceptions of the omitted or neglected parts of teacher education programs in Türkiye regarding 21st-century skills, with the intention of examining whether these profiles substantially differed between the in-service and pre-service teacher samples. Both groups were asked to respond to a null curriculum questionnaire for 21st-century skills. Preliminary analyses revealed that the factor structure of the questionnaire had a good fit for both in-service and pre-service teachers’ data and was invariant across samples and gender. Based on the results of the …