Education Commons^™

Towards Optimal Student Engagement In Teacher Education, Laurie Brady

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This article, written by a teacher educator who won an AUTC National Teaching Award in 2003, focuses on the strategies that might be used in teacher education programs as distinct from addressing subject matter concerns. Endorsing the need for optimal engagement, the article posits a model combining student centred learning (arguing that some strategies by their very nature require greater degrees of student exploration and interaction); problematic and situated learning which finds an ideal expression in case method; and more far reaching expressions of field -based experience including team teaching on site, mentoring and community based professional development

Assessing The Nature Of Science Views Of Singaporean Pre-Service Teachers, Tan L. Thye, Boo H. Kwen

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Despite the many developments in the teaching of science, an aspect that continues to be neglected appears to be the character and nature of science (NOS). This is becoming especially important in the light of recent developments in pedagogy, as, for example, more teachers adopt constructivist methodologies and computing technology enables simulations that may blur the lines between models and reality. From the literature, it is known that teachers' modern NOS conceptions, though not a sufficient condition for transmission of modern NOS views, is necessary. In this study, pre-service teachers' NOS conceptions are assessed with an adapted Views of the …

Reflection : Journals And Reflective Questions : A Strategy For Professional Learning, Maggie Clarke

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Reflective journals have been used widely in teacher education programs to promote reflective thinking (Freidus, 1998; Carter & Francis, 2000; Yost, Senter & Forlenzo-Bailey, 2000). Smyth (1992) advocated that posing a series of questions to be answered in written journals could enhance reflective thinking. It was for this reason that reflective responses to directed questions were introduced in 2002 and subsequently in 2003 in the Bachelor of Education 4th year primary internship program at the University of Western Sydney, Australia. The internship program provided a sustained ten-week period of time in a school that afforded student teachers the opportunity to …

Learning 'Through' Or Learning 'About'? The Ridiculous And Extravagant Medium Of Opera : Gardner's Multiple Intellegences In Pre-Service Teacher Education, Julie White, Mary Dixon, Lynda Smerdon

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In recent years, pre-service teacher education has attempted to incorporate into programs an understanding of Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences as it applies to schools. In this paper the tension between ‘learning about’ multiple intelligences and ‘learning through’ multiple intelligences supports Gardner’s (1993) distinction between ‘understanding’ and ‘coverage’. This paper examines the use of the performing arts in the professional studies component of our teacher education program. During 2002 at The University of Melbourne, a group of education students were offered the opportunity to develop an opera in order to learn about assessment and curriculum. Thirty-seven of the students volunteered …

Why We Need More Aboriginal Adults Working With Aboriginal Students, Damien Howard

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The culturally shaped communicative context of classrooms has been documented to be an important influence on social and educational outcomes for Indigenous students. There is increasing evidence that it may be a critical factor in the outcomes of Indigenous students with conductive hearing loss (CHL) during their school years. This article describes research that explores social and educational disadvantage associated with conductive hearing loss in two remote schools with wholly Indigenous class groups taught in English by non-indigenous teachers.

Is 'Education' Becoming Irrelevant In Our Research?, R, S. Webster

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

It is argued in this paper that in a culture of ‘performativity’ research into ‘education’ is often avoided. It is observed in many research publications that attention is given to techniques of learning, teaching, management, social equity, identity formation, leadership and delivery of the curriculum, without a justification being offered as to why such instrumental approaches should be regarded as being ‘educational’. Often research quite unproblematically adopts rational-economic justifications couched in terms of ‘efficiency’ and ‘effectiveness’. Such approaches are however identified as nihilistic and not educational (Blake et al., 2000)

Preservice Teachers' Epistemological Beliefs And Conceptions About Teaching And Learning : Cultural Implications For Research In Teacher Education., Kwok-Wai Chan

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Four epistemological belief and two teaching/learning conception dimensions were identified from a questionnaire study of a sample of Hong Kong preservice teacher education students. The epistemological belief dimensions were labelled Innate/Fixed Ability, Learning Effort/Process, Authority/Expert Knowledge and Certainty Knowledge. The somewhat different results on epistemological beliefs from Schommer’s findings with North American college students suggested the possible influence of cultural contexts. The teaching/learning conceptions were labeled Traditional and Constructivist Conceptions. MANOVA indicated no significant statistical differences across age, gender and elective groups in their epistemological beliefs and conceptions. Canonical Correlation Analysis showed significant relations between epistemological beliefs and conceptions about …

Are Beginning Teachers With A Second Degree At A Higher Risk Of Early Career Burnout., Richard Goddard, Patrick O'Brien

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study investigated the impact that holding a second university degree has on levels of burnout that is reported by beginning teachers during their first year of employment. This research formed part of an ongoing investigation that aims to identify important elements relating to teacher well-being during the transition from university to a teaching career. One hundred and twenty three teachers responded to a mail survey six weeks after they commenced full-time teaching (T1) and again six months later (T2). On both occasions the survey included the Educators Survey version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI: Maslach, Jackson, & Leiter, …

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?" …

Autonomy In Foreign Language Learning: An Exploratory Analysis Of Japanese Learners, Miyuki U. Surma

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Learner autonomy has received increased attention: in the recent language teaching and learning literature. Although Holec (1981) proposed a somewhat categorical definition of learner autonomy, this concept can be viewed in various ways depending on factors such as context and culture. One may posit, for example, that learner autonomy is based on Western values and as such, is not as easily accessible in the Asian context. With such variables in mind, the purpose of this study is to gain a greater understanding of Japanese students' beliefs regarding foreign language learning in a particular context. This is undertaken by utilising multi-modal …

Lecturer Receptivity To A Major Educational Change In The Context Of Planned Change At Rajabhats In Thailand, Anusak Ketusiri

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In accordance with the National Education Act of t999, the educational system in Thailand was changed after 1999, the largest educational change in Thailand in 50 years. The achievable aims of the change were divided into eight main aspects covering, primary, secondary and higher education. These were: (1) ensuring access to basic education for all; (2) reform of the curriculum and learning processes; (3) encouraging participation and partnership in education; (4) restructuring of educational administration; (5) enhancing educational standards and quality assurance; (6) reform of teachers; faculty staff, and educational personnel; (7) mobilisation of resources and investment for education; and …

A Study Of 1st And 2nd Year Catholic University Students' Perceptions Of Their Senior Religious Education Classes In Catholic Schools In Western Australia, Leslie G. Saker

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of 1st and 2nd year university students of their years eleven and twelve religious education classes at a Catholic school. A secondary purpose was to understand students’ acceptance or non-acceptance of official Catholic Church doctrine/dogma and why. Four research questions were asked to direct the study. 1. Are Catholic schools in Western Australia carrying out the mandate for their existence, that is, the Catholic education of their students? 2. Did students perceive their religious education classes as aiding their religious development? 3. Are students accepting or rejecting important doctrinal …

Student Beliefs About Learning In Religion And Science In Catholic Schools, Philip F. Cox

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The focus of this study is the impact of student perception of the validity of content on student learning. It is proposed that, if the content of a subject is perceived by students as being different to the content of another subject, a result of this perceived difference is that students will treat their learning in these subjects differently. To test this proposal, student beliefs about items from the content of the religious education course are compared with student responses to items of content of their science course. A sample of 1418, year 11 students from nine co-educational Catholic secondary …

Facilitating Teacher Professional Learning : Analysing The Impact Of An Australian Professional Learning Model In Secondary Science, Rachel Sheffield

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In education, innovations are frequently introduced to promote changes to the curriculum, teachers' practice, and the classroom environment, however, these initiatives are often implemented without sufficient evaluation to monitor their impact and effectiveness in bringing about the desired changes. This thesis analyses the impact of a teacher professional learning program on lower secondary science teachers' practice. It examines the relationship between teachers' concerns about the strategies incorporated in the Collaborative Australian Secondary Science Program (CASSP) and teachers' ability to understand the strategies, on their ability to utilise those strategies in the classroom. It also seeks to determine teachers' beliefs about …

Beyond Written Computation, Alistair Mcintosh, Len Sparrow

Research outputs pre 2011

This collection of papers based on research into aspects of number is a result of a writing conference held on Rottnest Island, near Perth, Western Australia. The concept of the conference emanated from Alistair Mcintosh and Len Sparrow and was based on two similar meetings organised by Cal Irons and Bob Reys.

All papers in this book were discussed at the Rottnest conference and subsequent changes were made by the authors based on comments and recommendations from the peer group who attended the conference.

Impact Of Extra-Curricular Activities On Adolescents' Connectedness And Cigarette Smoking: Annual Report, Donna Cross, Greg Hamilton, Rob Mcgee, Margaret Hall

Research outputs pre 2011

Cigarette smoking is the primary cause of preventable death in Australia, killing approximately 19,000 people every year.⁸ Up to 90% of smokers begin smoking by 18 years of age.^9,10 In spite of the obvious public health burden, current approaches have led to very modest decreases in adolescent smoking in the past 10 years. ¹¹ The Smoking Cessation for Youth Project (SCYP)⁴ was a cluster randomised control trial that resulted in lower cigarette smoking among Year 10 students who received a harm minimisation intervention over two years. This project also led to the identification of connectedness as a …

The Role Of Physical Education And Sport In Education (Spined) : Extending At Risk Students' Participation In School Life: A Case Study Of Progress Within A Specialist Sports School, Dawn Penney, Andrew Taggart, Sean Gorman

Research outputs pre 2011

This case study focused on developments at Clontarf Aboriginal College and Football Academy, a Specialist Sports School in the Perth metropolitan area. The study specifically explored:

• the ways in which the development of an Australian Rules Football academy at the school have enhanced opportunities for Aboriginal students, many of whom may be deemed in educational terms 'at risk', to engage in school life;

• the organisational I institutional, social, cultural and economic factors (i) enabling and (ii) inhibiting enhancement of educational and sporting opportunities and take-up of these opportunities by the Aboriginal students;

• the extent to which progress …

An Investigation Of The Motivational Aspects Of Peer And Self-Assessment Tasks To Enhance Teamwork Outcomes, Catherine Mcloughlin, Joseph Luca

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Music In Primary Schools, Alan True, Wendy Fullerton

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Formative Study Of Aggression Prevention And Reduction In Junior Primary School: Final Report Presented To The Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation: Book 1 Of 2, Donna Cross, Greg Hamilton, Clare Roberts, Margaret Hall

Research outputs pre 2011

This one year formative study aimed to conduct a feasibility trial of current evidencebased practice to reduce and prevent aggression among junior primary school age children. The project comprised three stages: assessing the types of direct and indirect aggression among junior primary school students and the current practices of teachers and schools to address this behaviour and linking successful current practices to evidence-based research to inform the development of a classroom teaching and behaviour management intervention.

Aggression is broadly defined as negative acts which are used intentionally to harm others, and may be classified as proactive, reactive or instrumental aggression. …

Edu-Com 2004 International Conference: New Challenges For Sustainability And Growth In Higher Education, John Renner (Ed.)

Research outputs pre 2011

EDU-COM 2004, an international conference held in Khon Kaen, Thailand from the 24th to the 26th November, 2004 took the theme: New Challenges for Sustainability and Growth in Higher Education. EDU-COM 2004 was sponsored and organised by Edith Cowan University, Khon Kaen University and Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University/

The Conference was structured to address five sub-themes pertinent to the challenges facing higher education worldwide:

• Collaboration between campus and community in Higher Education

• Collaboration targeting multi-cultural and cross-cultural issues in Higher Education

• Collaboration through new teaching and learning technologies in Higher Education

• Collaboration for quality: valuing and evaluating …

Using Modelling For Teaching Social Skills To Children With Autism: A Literature Review &, Effects Of Video-Modelling On The Acquisition And Generalisation Of Play Behaviour In Children With Autism, Claire R. Paterson

Theses : Honours

Impaired social functioning is a characteristic feature of autistic spectrum disorder. Various interventions have been developed to address social dysfunction in children with autism. The purpose of this paper is to review studies that have examined the efficacy of using modelling procedures to teach children with autism social skills. Modelling involves observing a model performing a target behaviour intended for the observer to imitate. Modelling techniques have effectively incorporated a range of models including adults, peers, and target children by observing videotapes of themselves. Peer-mediated strategies have been shown to substantially increase social behaviour in children with autism, however generalisation …

The Construction Of Alienated Students And Students At Educational Risk : A Study Of The Justice And Education Discourses In Western Australia, Melanie Zan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis locates, examines and interprets the written sources of information guiding how delinquent school-aged young people are viewed in relation to their education in Western Australia. The study involved an examination of texts discussing post industrial socio-historical events and currently policy, practice and research in relation to students who are alienated from school, including those who have criminal histories. An exploration of the discourses assembled around the costruction of Western Australian school-aged offenders as alienated students revealed an ongoing assumption that children and youth from low socio-economic backgrounds are often governed as low school achievers who are less likely …

Work Intensification And Professionalism : A Study Of Teachers' Perceptions In The State School System In Western Australia, Niall B. Richardson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The past two decades have witnessed the introduction throughout much of the Western world of what has become known as economic rationalism, and for some commentators, as economic liberalism. Grounded in neoclassical economic theory, and with close kinship to the Taylorist and Fordist principles of the early decades of the twentieth century, the vision of economic rationalism has led to measures which have tended to favour the business sector in Australia. Throughout the 1990s, the focus has been on the notions of competitiveness, competition, productivity, efficiency, and profit, while the notions of the individual, and of social justice and equity, …

Skill Acquisition And Transfer In A Simple Algebraic Task, Charan J. Singh

Theses : Honours

Speelman's (\999) finding that performance of a skill is based to some extent on the conter.t in which it is performed, rather than simply on the acquired skill itself, is not accounted for by the basic skill acquisition theories like ACT -R Theory or Instance Theory. The purpose of the current experiment was to examine whether the degree of change in context influences the degree of reduction in transfer. Forty participants were trained on an algebraic task and then tested in two different transfer conditions. Condition one included one new item and condition two included two new items in the …

Teachers' Experiences Of Teaching Children With Learning Difficulties, Michelle Francis

Theses : Honours

The purpose of this review is to present some of the issues involved in teaching children with learning difficulties (LD}. Approximately one in five children within mainstream classrooms will experience LD. Many of these children will also exhibit social, emotional or behavioural problems (for example, withdrawal, depression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Conduct Disorder). Teachers' perceptions and judgments about LD and their self-efficacy influence their teaching practice of students with LD. It is recognized that teachers cannot manage the needs of LD students alone and need support in their teaching from specialist consultants and also for their own psychological well-being. …

The Importance Of The Emotional Climate In Schools : Linking Teachers' Sense Of Belonging To School Community With Student Outcomes, Linda Rogerson

Theses : Honours

The way that children feel about school is important to their continued engagement with education. This review examines the issues that impact on the school environment and therefore influence students' school experience. A decline in educational standards in America prompted school reform research which has identified that the emotional climate in schools was impacting on students in that they felt alienated and disenfranchised from the school community. The emotional climate of a school stems from the nature of the relationship that exists between the students and staff of the school. A movement to establish caring community schools that promote the …

The Effect Of Technology-Based Lessons On Primary School Students Working In Mixed And Single-Gender Groupings, Brian Clarence

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study investigated primary school students working in mixed and single- gender groupings around a computer during technology-based lessons. In particular it observed the patterns of peer interaction that took place when students worked co-operatively in groups in lessons. In so doing, this study attempted to explain the effects of gender of the student and gender composition of the group, on peer interaction in such a situation. The study also focussed on the effect of gender groupings on the motivation of students and children's collaborative behaviours. The subjects for the study were twenty-nine students (sixteen boys and thirteen girls) in …

The Effect Of Cross-Linked Learning On Visual Arts Education, Cassandra Zervos

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study examined how computer technology had an effect on a Year 9 visual arts education class with regard to the Western Australian four Arts Learning Outcomes (WA 4ALO). The research was administered concurrently with a learning approach called Cross-Linked Leaming (CLL) (Zervos, 1997), which consisted of three components: (1) the subject (e.g., visual arts education in relation to the WA 4ALO); (2) the learner (i.e., a target group and how they learn); and (3) the tool (e.g., computer technology). This study addressed the problem of how to promote learning in visual arts education, especially with visual arts theory. Historically, …

Early Education : Experiences And Perceptions Of Minority Group Parents And Young Children, Judith Candy

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In Australia there has been little research into the experiences and perceptions of education of parents from different minority groups whose young children attend school in this country. This study investigated the experiences that overseas born parents from non-English speaking backgrounds have of their own and their children's education in countries outside Australia, experiences of their children's early education in Australia, as well as those of their young children between 6 and 9 years of age attending school in this country. Despite marked differences in educational policies and practices operating in the participants' countries of origin, almost all parents in …