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Full-Text Articles in Education
Pestering Staff Into Online Learning: An Integrated Plan, H. J. Jones
Pestering Staff Into Online Learning: An Integrated Plan, H. J. Jones
Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers
Universities are striving to provide quality learning experiences for their diverse student population and online learning is one aspect of this changing environment. This paper notes barriers that have been recognised that impede faculty uptake of online learning and examines some of the strategies that can be implemented to overcome these barriers. A plan for integrated implementation of online learning is proposed which consists of Planning & Promotion, Education, Support, Training, Encouragement and Recognition & Reward (PESTER). The elements of the plan are described in detail and an example of an implementation plan is provided.
De-Reifying Learners: Grappling With Student Ethics In Postgraduate Workbased Degrees, M. Childs, R. Wagner
De-Reifying Learners: Grappling With Student Ethics In Postgraduate Workbased Degrees, M. Childs, R. Wagner
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Adult education theory makes a number of claims about the value of prior knowledge learners bring to a learning process. Our work as adult educators in a university setting attempted to operationalize these claims by placing value on the prior knowledge and professional practices of adults with whom we worked during the period 1999-2007. We developed three postgraduate workbased learning degrees that were conducted at the nexus of work and learning within the community, adult education and emergency services. Within these programs we established “communities of practice” (Wenger 1998) within which learners and academics represented their practices, conducted research, developed …
E Learning: Issues Of Pedagogy And Practice For The Information Age, N. Yelland, S. Tsembas
E Learning: Issues Of Pedagogy And Practice For The Information Age, N. Yelland, S. Tsembas
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
It is evident that information and communication technologies (ICT) have transformed our lives and reshaped the nature of everyday activities and contemporary times are often called the ‘information age’ or the ‘knowledge society’. From banking to watching television, from wars to computer games, ordering groceries online and booking holidays, we employ the use of ICT to communicate and facilitate a myriad of pastimes. However, in the educational arena the advent of new technologies seems to have had a minimal impact. Indeed, there are many educators who have attempted to rethink the nature of their work and reconceptualize their curricula and …
Women Returning To Study: Stories Of Transformation, P. Lysaght
Women Returning To Study: Stories Of Transformation, P. Lysaght
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
What happens when women return to study after years spent in the home or in poorly paid jobs requiring limited professional skills? How do they assess their abilities on the basis of their experiences and how can professional advisers support them in this process so that their potential is realised? This chapter has as its focus the experiences of six women returning to study who were required to think about their skills and abilities in ways that they had never previously contemplated (Lysaght, 2001). Their understanding of intelligence, particularly as it was reflected in their own lives, was challenged at …
Learning In New Times: Writing Through The "Eyes Of Genre", H. Chen
Learning In New Times: Writing Through The "Eyes Of Genre", H. Chen
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The concept of genre has emerged as a subject of interest in cross-disciplinary areas such as arts, literature, media, linguistics and applied linguistics (see Paltridge 1997 for a detailed review). In applied linguistics, the term genre has been considered as a powerful means for classifying and describing discourse. A journal article, a job application letter, a novel or a newspaper article is each regarded as belonging to a genre and having its own typical schematic structures. Genres, in this sense, provide us with resources for interpreting and participating in communicative events.
Learning In The Workplace: New Forms Of Learning For Preservice Teachers, A. Hill
Learning In The Workplace: New Forms Of Learning For Preservice Teachers, A. Hill
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Internationally and within Australia, the workplace learning or professional experience component of teacher education programs has gained renewed focus. While there is no doubt that newcomers to teaching are entering a profoundly changed profession (Smyth, Dow, Hattam, Reid, & Shacklock, 2000) the imperatives to address the workplace-learning component of teacher education are not often articulated. In the USA and Britain for example, there is an increased emphasis on the role of workplace or school based experiences, with a concurrent reduction or elimination in the universitybased component, while in Australia, recent government reports (Committee for the Review of Teaching and Teacher …
Children's Spirituality: An Essential Element In Thinking And Learning In New Times, W. Vialle, Russell Walton, Stuart Woodcock
Children's Spirituality: An Essential Element In Thinking And Learning In New Times, W. Vialle, Russell Walton, Stuart Woodcock
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
As the twenty-first century unfolds with its emphasis on global concerns and typified by technology that is obsolete before it is out of its packaging, we need to reconsider what we understand by thinking and learning. Such reframing is essential if we are to adequately educate the twenty-first century learner. In the past, we neatly separated the cognitive realm of thinking and learning from the physical, social and emotional realities of the learner. However, substantial research has clearly established the interdependence and connectedness of each of these spheres within individuals. Spirituality, though, has barely been considered in these constructions of …
Productive Pedagogies And Deep Mathematical Learning In A Globalised World, Mohan Chinnappan
Productive Pedagogies And Deep Mathematical Learning In A Globalised World, Mohan Chinnappan
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
In recent years the educational community at large has been giving attention to teaching practices that would create citizenry that are capable of independent thought and innovation. As a consequence, this theme has been given prominence in reforms that are being supported by policy makers and curriculum developers. While such a move can be seen as a welcome change, less has been said about the nature of knowledge and skills that learners need to be innovative and how these would empower them to be more productive and function effectively in a globalized society. The issue has received attention in discussions …
Scaffolding And Learning: Its Role In Nurturing New Learners, I. Verenikina
Scaffolding And Learning: Its Role In Nurturing New Learners, I. Verenikina
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Recently created NSW Institute of Teachers (NSWIT) put the quality of teaching at the top of its agenda. The Framework of Professional Teaching Standards emphasises the importance of teachers’ effective communication with their students (NSWIT 2006, pg3). The importance of teacher - student communication in learner’s achievements is strongly emphasised in the socio-cultural educational theory, originated by Lev Vygotsky (1978) and further developed in modern research (Daniels 2001). This theory describes the process of teaching and learning as "much more than face-to-face interaction or the simple transmission of prescribed knowledge and skills" (Daniels 2001, pg2) but rather places stress on …
The Ontology Of Learning Environments, G. Brown
The Ontology Of Learning Environments, G. Brown
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The learning environment is a significant focus for both educational practice and theorising. Although the term learning environment is used widely, it is used inconsistently and is under- or poorly-theorised. At the same time, there have been a number of interesting developments in curriculum and pedagogy, such as authentic curriculum, situated curriculum, rich tasks, productive pedagogies and new learning, that call for fresh and typically more complex approaches to curriculum, pedagogy, learning and organization. Recent theorizing in realist philosophy of science and social science is developing social theory in ways that provide useful insights into these matters. These insights critique …
Learning In New Times: Globilisation, Learning And The Postcolonial Condition, C. Fox
Learning In New Times: Globilisation, Learning And The Postcolonial Condition, C. Fox
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
‘Globalisation and postcoloniality are perhaps two of the most important terms in social and cultural theory today’ (Gikandi 2001, pg 627). Learners in the 21st century are immersed in local, national and international learning settings that are transformed by new global cultures. In earlier times, Western ideas of modernisation and social change were drawn on to explain shifts in learning experience as students learned new technologies, and developed expertise around new workplaces or professions. In our new times, students live in an incoherent transitional state between the excitement of ever broadening access to information and the crisis of disintegration of …
Equality Of Opportunity In New Times: The Politics Of Learning And The Learner In The New Word Disorder, P. Kell
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
In March 2005, Western Sydney was in the grip of what the media referred to as a week of riots. According to the press, police were attacked by gangs of rioting youths throwing, bottles, rocks and fireworks at police in the suburb of Macquarie Fields. The “riots” were reported as a spontaneous response to the death of two youths in a high-speed car crash as a result of being chased by police in “hot pursuit”. The high speed chase in residential streets, a dangerous and highly controversial police practice was justified as being necessary as the car was allegedly stolen. …
Teachers As Learners: Change, Identity And Relationships In Public Schooling, G. Vogl
Teachers As Learners: Change, Identity And Relationships In Public Schooling, G. Vogl
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
In the last few decades, there have been massive cultural and structural changes in the workplace across the globe. These changes that have occurred to the labour process have been complex and varied. However, some general trends can be identified with regard to a neo liberal Australian workplace. This chapter is part of a much larger qualitative study which explored the impact of workplace changes on the day to day working lives and social relationships of employees across a range of private and public sector workplaces. This study was influenced by my own subjectivity as I watched the impact of …
Two Games And One Movement? The Paralympics And The Olympic Movement, P. Kell, M. Kell, N. Price
Two Games And One Movement? The Paralympics And The Olympic Movement, P. Kell, M. Kell, N. Price
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Every four years the Paralympic and the Olympic games combine to become the largest single sporting movement on the globe. The combination of these sporting events is characterised by a complex and often contradictory relationship. The Paralympics are intended as a parallel event to the Olympics and it is a relationship that often sees the Paralympics as nothing more than a “side show” to the Olympics. This relationship introduces questions about whether it is in the best interests of the sports people with disabilities and Paralympian athletes. There is also a concern that aspects of the Paralympics reinforce outdated notions …
Introduction - Learning And The Learner: Exploring Learning For New Times, P. Kell, W. Vialle, D. Konza, G. Vogl
Introduction - Learning And The Learner: Exploring Learning For New Times, P. Kell, W. Vialle, D. Konza, G. Vogl
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Learning and the learner: Exploring learning for new times is a collaboration emerging from the Faculty of Education in the University of Wollongong. It is the outcome of an international workshop held in September 2004 involving researchers from Australia and overseas. The workshop was funded and staged by the Faculty of Education as part of the activities of the research group termed Learning and the Learner. This book has emerged from this workshop and the subsequent exchanges and interactions that arose from the workshop and this book is an exploration of the questions about the nature and character of learning …
Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities In New Times: Responding To The Challenge, D. Konza
Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities In New Times: Responding To The Challenge, D. Konza
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Australia began to integrate students with disabilities into mainstream classrooms in the mid 1970s after almost a century of educating students with disabilities in segregated settings. This was in response to both research findings about the relative effectiveness of special education settings, and a shift in attitudes in the Western world towards how people with disabilities should be educated, and indeed, live their lives. A significant factor in the changing of attitudes was the principle of “normalisation” – the right of people with disabilities to learning and living environments as close to normal as possible – developed by Bank-Mikkelson (1969) …
An Integrated Approach To Teaching Games For Understanding (Tgfu), Paul I. Webb, Philip J. Pearson
An Integrated Approach To Teaching Games For Understanding (Tgfu), Paul I. Webb, Philip J. Pearson
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) approach developed by Bunker and Thorpe (1982) places a whole different approach to the teaching of games. The focus of the model is placing the student or athlete in a game situation where tactics, decision-making and problem solving is critical. Other variations and terminology include ; ‘game sense’, ‘play practice’, and ‘game centred approach’. This paper will review the literature of TGfU. There are four categories of games: net/court, invasion, striking/fielding and target games. Teachers need to have a good understanding of the categories and sports and activities to be able to analyse them. …
Developing Effective Questioning In Teaching Games For Understanding (Tgfu), Philip J. Pearson, P. Webb
Developing Effective Questioning In Teaching Games For Understanding (Tgfu), Philip J. Pearson, P. Webb
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The use of questioning is often used to enhance the teaching of games utilising the Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) approach. However, for questioning to be effective, it needs to be planned and specific to the outcomes that the teacher/coach requires from the participants. A process has been developed to assist teachers and coaches to construct effective questions. The process involves the teacher/coach analysing the categories of games-invasion, striking/fielding, net/court and target games and then choosing a sport from one of these categories. Following this the teacher/coach determines the elements to be an effective player using the subcategories: technical, tactical/strategic, …
Assisting Bulgarian Special Educators With Competency Development Online, R. Peterson, J. Herrington, D. Konza, M. Tzvetkova-Arsova, K. Stefanov
Assisting Bulgarian Special Educators With Competency Development Online, R. Peterson, J. Herrington, D. Konza, M. Tzvetkova-Arsova, K. Stefanov
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss an expansion of the Special Education Bulgaria (SEB) internet community that is required to pilot software created by the European Union’s (EU’s) Sixth Framework integrated project, TENCompetence. Design/methodology/approach – SEB is the product of a two-year research project designed to create a sustainable nation-wide community of practice (CoP) for special education in Bulgaria via the internet. This paper discusses the SEB features consistent with TENCompetence concepts of competency development, lifelong learning, and professional networking. It then describes the additional features needed to prepare a SEB pilot. Findings – SEB was …
Reframing Quality And Impact: The Place Of Theory In Education Research, Jan Wright
Reframing Quality And Impact: The Place Of Theory In Education Research, Jan Wright
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The various research assessment exercises in UK, New Zealand and now Australia have motivated discussions around the nature of ‘quality’ and the purpose of educational research. To a certain extent this is also a discussion about theory, although the word is unlikely to be mentioned, in that terms such as ‘value free’, ‘neutral’, ‘critical’, ‘practical’, ‘transformational’, ‘evidence-based’ all invoke particular ontological and/or epistemological positions, that are and can be contested. One of the questions educational researchers face in the context of such exercises, though again implicit, is what value is attributed to robust theoretically informed research and which theoretical positions …
Rage Against The Machine? Symbolic Violence In E-Learning Supported Tertiary Education, N. F. Johnson, David C. Macdonald, T. M. Brabazon
Rage Against The Machine? Symbolic Violence In E-Learning Supported Tertiary Education, N. F. Johnson, David C. Macdonald, T. M. Brabazon
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The move toward online course facilitation in tertiary education has the intent of providing education at any time in any place to any person. However, the advent of blended learning and e-learning innovations has ostracised, marginalised or ignored those who cannot afford or who are unable to access the latest hardware and software to take advantage of these opportunities. The Web 2.0 age is an era of assumptions: assumptions of participation, literacy and democracy. Yet such inferences are based on the need for high-speed Internet connections, and the latest computers are standard requirements. Those without the ability to access these …
Standards For Educational, Edutainment, And Developmentally Beneficial Computer Games, R. Peterson, I. Verenikina, J. Herrington
Standards For Educational, Edutainment, And Developmentally Beneficial Computer Games, R. Peterson, I. Verenikina, J. Herrington
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The results of a comprehensive review of the body of research concerning the developmental and educational value of computer gaming for children is reported. Based on the review, design criteria are proposed for educational and edutainment computer games. In addition, a hierarchy of educational, edutainment, and entertainment game categories is introduced. It is argued that a standard educational labeling system is needed to assist parents and teachers with selecting computer games. A gap in the research is highlighted with regard to the affordances of computer games to facilitate the development of young children’s higher order thinking. It is recommended that …
The Affordances And Limitations Of Computers For Play In Early Childhood, I. Verenikina, J. Herrington, R. Peterson, Jessica Mantei
The Affordances And Limitations Of Computers For Play In Early Childhood, I. Verenikina, J. Herrington, R. Peterson, Jessica Mantei
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The widespread proliferation of computer games for children as young as 6 months of age, merits a re-examination of their manner of use and their facility to provide opportunities for developmental play. This paper describes a research study conducted to explore the use of computer games by young children, specifically to investigate the affordances and limitations of such games and the features of children’s traditional play that can be supported and further enhanced by different kinds of computer play. Computer games were classified and selected according to game characteristics that support higher order thinking. Children aged 5 and 7 were …
Understanding University Teachers' Approaches To Design, S. J. Bennett, S. Agostinho, Lori Lockyer, Lisa Kosta, J. Jones, Barry Harper
Understanding University Teachers' Approaches To Design, S. J. Bennett, S. Agostinho, Lori Lockyer, Lisa Kosta, J. Jones, Barry Harper
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Although there has been significant research into approaches to teaching in higher education, comparatively little is known about university teachers’ approaches to design. This paper presents preliminary findings from a study that is investigating the design processes of Australian university academics across disciplines in the Arts, the Sciences and the Professions. A summary of the design processes of two Australian university teachers in the Sciences is presented. The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief background to the study and discuss the preliminary insights gained from these two individuals
Flowcharting And Visual Literacy: Exploring Tacit Knowledge Through The Visual, B. Mckenzie
Flowcharting And Visual Literacy: Exploring Tacit Knowledge Through The Visual, B. Mckenzie
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
This paper discusses the flowcharting process undertaken by classroom teachers to explain how they transfer professional learning into classroom practice as a type of visual literacy that utilised a combination of both textual and visual concepts to assign meaning and share understanding. The ability to create and interpret information from a multiplicity of visual sources is becoming a ‘survival skill’ in today’s schools in particular and society in general; a necessity for the visually literate consumer. This is an ability that is supported by the use of reflection and the capacity to engage in critical thinking. Visual literacy is the …
Can Creative Engagement Be Taught: Walking The Talk, B. Mckenzie
Can Creative Engagement Be Taught: Walking The Talk, B. Mckenzie
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
How can we encourage classroom teachers to view their classrooms as creative spaces? To understand that in order to foster and develop creativity and enhance engagement in the children within that space they may be required to shift gears and both’ be’ and do things differently? How indeed- when the teaching examples and pedagogical practices provided for them by university educators are most often sadly lacking in both creativity and engagement. Researchers assert that many education courses lack cohesion and in fact hinder pre-service teacher development and understanding. Fostering a culture of creative engagement within any classroom requires the development …
Pedagogical, Technical And Organisational Considerations For Using An Online Simulation With Pre-Service Teachers, L. Kervin, Brian Ferry
Pedagogical, Technical And Organisational Considerations For Using An Online Simulation With Pre-Service Teachers, L. Kervin, Brian Ferry
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Simulations are fast becoming a popular way to use technology to engage users in learning about and critically reflecting upon workplace practices and experiences. This paper reports on our development and implementation of an online classroom simulation (ClassSim) created with the support of a large grant from the Australian Research Council entitled: Investigating a classroom simulation designed to support pre-service teacher decision making in planning and implementing literacy teaching (DP0344011). Our discussion is focused on pedagogical, technical and organisational considerations that have shaped the use of the software with more than 500 pre-service teachers.
Integrating Social Networking Technologies In Education: A Case Study Of A Formal Learning Environment, L. Lockyer, J. Patterson
Integrating Social Networking Technologies In Education: A Case Study Of A Formal Learning Environment, L. Lockyer, J. Patterson
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The concept of Internet-facilitated social networking is not new – we have evidence of the development of the concept and the technologies over decades. However, Web 2.0 technologies and the emergence of social networking sites has expanded accessibility and use beyond levels that may have been thought imaginable just two or three years ago. These developments have been accompanied with calls to integrate the new technologies and experiences of social networks within formal education. Yet, there is limited research on the potential or outcomes of such initiatives. This paper presents a case study that examines the technology and experience in …
Exploring The Pedagogical Foundations Of Museum Exhibitions And Their Websites, J. Herrington, G. Brickell, Barry Harper
Exploring The Pedagogical Foundations Of Museum Exhibitions And Their Websites, J. Herrington, G. Brickell, Barry Harper
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
This paper reports in research conducted in two museums in Australia on the beliefs and pedagogies that influenced the design and development of educational materials on museum websites, both for materials that explicitly accompanied and explained an exhibition, as well as additional educational resources related to the topics presented. The paper describes key themes emerging from the research including the perceived usefulness of exhibition-related websites, how the website links explicitly to curricula, beliefs on how people learn from museums and the role of websites.
The ‘Copy And Paste’ Function, Patterns Of Learner Activity And Enhancing Cognitive Tools, M. Morgan, G. Brickell, Barry Harper
The ‘Copy And Paste’ Function, Patterns Of Learner Activity And Enhancing Cognitive Tools, M. Morgan, G. Brickell, Barry Harper
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
This research analyses video data to examine changes between levels of process of textbased content of learners using two versions of the ‘Copy and Paste’ function, an unmodified control version and an experimental version with an embedded interaction strategy designed to prompt learners to process more content effectively. Observed learner activity types were categorized as involving Low, Medium or High levels of cognitive processing and the pattern of learner switching between these levels is examined. The conclusions drawn from this analysis indicate that learners not only need mediating artifacts that prompt them to use appropriate processing strategies but that they …