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Full-Text Articles in Education

Philosophies And Pedagogies Of Mathematics, Boris Handal May 2016

Philosophies And Pedagogies Of Mathematics, Boris Handal

Boris Handal

The paper discusses major philosophical stances on the nature of mathematics as held by foundationalists and quasi-empiricalism supporters. It is argued that the contrasting philosophical views between the two groups parallels in many respects the pedagogical debate between behaviourism and socio-constructivism. It is also argued that behaviourism has been influenced by foundationalist conceptions of mathematics while socio-constructivism has been influenced by quasi-empirical philosophies.


The Class Size Paradox, Boris Handal, Marguerite Maher, Kevin Watson May 2016

The Class Size Paradox, Boris Handal, Marguerite Maher, Kevin Watson

Boris Handal

No abstract provided.


Numeracy Education Through Mobile Apps, Boris Handal, Iona Novak, Kevin Watson, Marguerite Maher, Jean Macnish, Katrina Eddles-Hirsch May 2016

Numeracy Education Through Mobile Apps, Boris Handal, Iona Novak, Kevin Watson, Marguerite Maher, Jean Macnish, Katrina Eddles-Hirsch

Boris Handal

Numeracy achievement of Australian school children is a national priority according to the Australian Curriculum. There is increasingly compelling evidence that numeracy needs to be a focus in all curriculum areas, not solely in mathematics (Human Capital Working Group, 2008). At the same time, there is an ever-increasing scope for the use of mobile technologies to enhance learning and teaching. This article examines how numeracy and mobile learning work together as teachers in the Middle Years are mentored to use iPad applications (apps) effectively within their own curriculum area to enhance the learning of numeracy for children in their classes.


Academic Perceptions Amongst Educators Towards Elearning Tools In Dental Education, Boris Handal, Catherine Groenlund, Tania Gerzina May 2016

Academic Perceptions Amongst Educators Towards Elearning Tools In Dental Education, Boris Handal, Catherine Groenlund, Tania Gerzina

Boris Handal

This paper reports an explorative study about academic educators’ perceptions towards learning management systems (LMS) and eLearning tools as used in dental education. Fifty-five educators participated in an online survey which explored their views on eLearning tools within the context of their own professional training background and teaching needs. In general, educators felt that the eLearning LMS (also known as WebCT/Blackboard) was a tool that suited their teaching and learning needs in terms of flexibility, interactivity and accessibility despite a significant level of self-reported lack of competence in the technology. The paper describes current eLearning professional development initiatives in light …


Academics Adopting Mobile Devices: The Zone Of Free Movement., Boris Handal, Jean Macnish, Peter Petocz May 2016

Academics Adopting Mobile Devices: The Zone Of Free Movement., Boris Handal, Jean Macnish, Peter Petocz

Boris Handal

This exploratory research characterised the degree of adoption of mobile learning (ML) devices among academic staff at an Australian university. It also sought to evaluate the impact of academics’ perceptions about possibilities and constraints in the adoption of these technologies. A zone of free movement (ZFM) scale was developed and validated to quantify the magnitude and direction of those perceptions. Results showed that academic staff are characteristically at the third of the Russell’s (1995) six developmental stages of technological adoption. Lack of time to integrate ML into courses, limited availability of mobile devices, little familiarity with the tools, as well …


Development Of The New Academic: The Case For Blended Delivery, Boris Handal, Elaine Huber May 2016

Development Of The New Academic: The Case For Blended Delivery, Boris Handal, Elaine Huber

Boris Handal

This case study reports the design, implementation and evaluation of an academic induction program, delivered using a blend of in campus and online environments at Macquarie University.


A Framework For Categorising Mobile Applications In Mathematics Education, Boris Handal, Joe El-Khoury, Chris Campbell, Michael Cavanagh May 2016

A Framework For Categorising Mobile Applications In Mathematics Education, Boris Handal, Joe El-Khoury, Chris Campbell, Michael Cavanagh

Boris Handal

New learning technologies have brought fresh challenges to teachers in selecting appropriate educational resources, particularly in regards to mobile devices. There are an impressive number of educational mobile learning applications, more commonly known as apps, that teachers need to understand before integrating them into the classroom. To make this process more effective, educational apps can be categorised according to their specific role in the teaching and learning of mathematics along with their media richness. A framework of nine distinct categories of apps emerged, grouped into three main clusters, namely, investigative, productivity and instructive tools. The framework was validated with examples …