Education Commons^™

Civics And Citizenship Education, Suzanne Mellor, Marion Meiers, Pat Knight

Marion Meiers

This edition of The Digest is focused on research about civics and citizenship education, and in particular, research into the role of schools in supporting students to become active and informed citizens. The Digest also reports on what research tells us about young people's civic knowledge and engagement, and about what motivates young people to participate in society.

Pisa In Brief : Highlights From The Full Australian Report : Challenges For Australian Education : Results From Pisa 2009 : The Pisa 2009 Assessment Of Students' Reading, Mathematical And Scientific Literacy., Sue Thomson, Lisa De Bortoli, Marina Nicholas, Kylie Hillman, Sarah Buckley

Kylie Hillman

No abstract provided.

Pisa In Brief : Highlights From The Full Australian Report : Challenges For Australian Education : Results From Pisa 2009 : The Pisa 2009 Assessment Of Students' Reading, Mathematical And Scientific Literacy., Sue Thomson, Lisa De Bortoli, Marina Nicholas, Kylie Hillman, Sarah Buckley

Kylie Hillman

No abstract provided.

Pisa In Brief : Highlights From The Full Australian Report : Challenges For Australian Education : Results From Pisa 2009 : The Pisa 2009 Assessment Of Students' Reading, Mathematical And Scientific Literacy., Sue Thomson, Lisa De Bortoli, Marina Nicholas, Kylie Hillman, Sarah Buckley

Kylie Hillman

No abstract provided.

National Assessment Program : Ict Literacy 2008 : Year 6 And Year 10 : Technical Report, Chris Freeman, John Ainley, Julian Fraillon, Eveline Gebhardt, Kate O'Malley, Wolfram Schulz

Dr Wolfram Schulz

This report describes the technical aspects of the National ICT Literacy Sample Assessment and summarises the main activities involved in the data collection, the data collection instruments and the analysis and reporting of the data. Chapter 2 summarises the development of the assessment domain and describes the process of item development and construction of the instruments. Chapter 3 reviews the sample design and describes the sampling process. Chapter 3 also describes the weighting procedures that were implemented to derive population estimates. Chapter 4 summarises the field administration and data management procedures, including quality control and the cleaning and coding of …

Evaluation Of The Impact Of Leading Australia’S Schools Participation (2006-2008) On School Effectiveness, Elizabeth Kleinhenz, Stephen Dinham, Clare Ozolins, Michelle Anderson, Catherine Scott

Dr Elizabeth Kleinhenz

No abstract provided.

National Assessment Program : Ict Literacy 2008 : Year 6 And Year 10 : Technical Report, Chris Freeman, John Ainley, Julian Fraillon, Eveline Gebhardt, Kate O'Malley, Wolfram Schulz

Julian Fraillon

This report describes the technical aspects of the National ICT Literacy Sample Assessment and summarises the main activities involved in the data collection, the data collection instruments and the analysis and reporting of the data. Chapter 2 summarises the development of the assessment domain and describes the process of item development and construction of the instruments. Chapter 3 reviews the sample design and describes the sampling process. Chapter 3 also describes the weighting procedures that were implemented to derive population estimates. Chapter 4 summarises the field administration and data management procedures, including quality control and the cleaning and coding of …

National Assessment Program : Ict Literacy 2008 : Year 6 And Year 10 : Technical Report, Chris Freeman, John Ainley, Julian Fraillon, Eveline Gebhardt, Kate O'Malley, Wolfram Schulz

Dr John Ainley

This report describes the technical aspects of the National ICT Literacy Sample Assessment and summarises the main activities involved in the data collection, the data collection instruments and the analysis and reporting of the data. Chapter 2 summarises the development of the assessment domain and describes the process of item development and construction of the instruments. Chapter 3 reviews the sample design and describes the sampling process. Chapter 3 also describes the weighting procedures that were implemented to derive population estimates. Chapter 4 summarises the field administration and data management procedures, including quality control and the cleaning and coding of …

School Attendance And Retention Of Indigenous Australian Students, Nola Purdie, Sarah Buckley

Dr Sarah Buckley

Engagement or participation in education is a key factor affecting the life chances of all Australians, and it is particularly important for Indigenous Australians who have an overall lower level of participation in education than non-Indigenous Australians. Higher levels of educational attainment improve employment opportunities, are associated with higher income and promote participation in all societal activities. Education includes preschool education, primary and high school education, tertiary education and vocational training, as well as education and training outside a formal institutional framework. This issues paper deals with school attendance and retention. This paper draws upon key national and international literature …

Postgraduate Research Experience 2009 : The Report Of The Postgraduate Research Experience Questionnaire, Ali Radloff, Daniel Edwards, Hamish Coates, B Guthrie, C Tilbrook

Dr Daniel Edwards

Each year, graduates of Australian higher education institutions who have completed a doctoral or research masters degree are invited by their institution and Graduate Careers Australia (GCA) to respond to the Postgraduate Research Experience Questionnaire (PREQ) about four months after graduation. This report presents the results from the ninth PREQ survey conducted since 1999. The PREQ asks graduates to respond to 28 statements about seven aspects of their research degree. The first 27 statements measure the quality of supervision, the intellectual climate of the department in which the respondent studied, the development of generic skills, the quality of the infrastructure …

Engaging International Students In Australian Tertiary Education : Linking Leadership With Learning, Ali Radloff, Hamish Coates

Ali Radloff

This paper argues that while Australia has been enormously successful enrolling international students, this may have distracted institutional leaders’ from their core education business. The paper reviews how international education has grown to be a formative and important facet of Australian tertiary education. This growth owes much to leaders, and review of large-scale survey results shows that commercial capabilities are very important for contemporary leaders. At the same time, however, there is evidence that key facets of quality may be in need of closer review. As Australia’s international education effort matures, it is argued that this needs to be underpinned …

Cognitive Skills Testing Program (Cstp) 2010 Pilot Test Summary Report, Hamish Coates, Daniel Edwards, Chris Freeman, Luc Le, Sam Hambur, Philip Brown

Dr Daniel Edwards

No abstract provided.

Cognitive Skills Testing Program (Cstp) 2010 Pilot Test Summary Report, Hamish Coates, Daniel Edwards, Chris Freeman, Luc Le, Sam Hambur, Philip Brown

Dr Luc Tu Le

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of The Special Tertiary Admissions Test (Stat), Hamish Coates, Tim Friedman

Dr Tim Friedman

This paper reports findings from the first national Australian study of the predictive validity of the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT). Background on tertiary admissions procedures in Australia is presented, followed by information on STAT and the research methods. The results affirm that STAT, through the provision of baseline and objective data, offers a valid and efficient means for ensuring that people who are capable of success at university are able to gain admission. They affirm the importance of taking an evidence-based disciplinary perspective to university admissions. Implications for the development and use of the assessment are considered.

Trial Of The Engagement Matrix: Component 1: The Effectiveness Of Labels. Report, Petra Lietz, Mollie Tobin, Sarah Buckley

Student learning processes

The Engagement Matrix (EM) was designed by the Department of Education and Children’s Services in South Australia to measure engagement levels of students enrolled in the Innovative Community Action Networks (ICAN)/ Flexible Learning Options (FLO) program once a term. Innovative ICANs work with young people (year 6-age 19), families, schools, community groups, businesses and different levels of government to encourage young people to finish their secondary education. Flexible Learning Options (FLO) was first introduced in 2006 as an enrolment option in ICAN schools which is funded by DECS. FLO is an approach that is more flexible than the traditional full-time …

An Exploration Into How Physical Activity Data-Recording Devices Could Be Used In Computer-Supported Data Investigations, Victor R. Lee, Maneksha Dumont

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

There is a great potential opportunity to use portable physical activity monitoring devices as data collection tools for educational purposes. Using one such device, we designed and implemented a weeklong workshop with high school students to test the utility of such technology. During that intervention, students performed data investigations of physical activity that culminated in the design and implementation of their own studies. In this paper, we explore some of the mathematical thinking that took place through a series of vignettes of a pair of students engaged in analyzing some of their own activity data. A personal connection to the …

An Analysis Of Preschool Enrollment And Student Progress Measures Among Primary And Elementary Students., Charles David Freeman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a difference in Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) scores exists between students who attended Tennessee's Voluntary Preschool for All program, Head Start, private preschool, or daycare and those who did not attend any type of preschool program for students in grades kindergarten through fifth. The sample consisted of students who attended kindergarten through fifth grade during the 2009-2010 school year in one east Tennessee school system. Data gathered were from Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) scores obtained during the 2009-2010 school year and a survey. …

Adequate Yearly Progress In Arkansas 2009-10, Nathan C. Jensen, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

At the end of October, the Arkansas Department of Education released annual adequate yearly progress (AYP) figures for Arkansas schools. These results are based on benchmark and end-of-course test scores in math and literacy for both overall populations and subgroups within schools. They are used to determine whether a school meets state standards and, given their performance in the most recent two years, whether they are placed in the "school improvement" category

The On Track Survey 2009 : The Destinations Of School Leavers In Victoria : Statewide Report, Sheldon Rothman, Justin Brown, Kylie Hillman, Gary Marks, Phillip Mckenzie

Justin Brown

Findings presented in this report are based on the On Track telephone survey of 36,022 Year 12 or equivalent completers and 4,676 early leavers from the 2008 school year in Victoria. Year 12 or equivalent completers are defined as those who completed a Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), International Baccalaureate (IB) or Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL, Senior or Intermediate). The sample includes those who completed such qualifications in schools (98.7%), or in TAFE colleges or adult and community education providers (1.3%). Early leavers are defined as those students in Years 10, 11 and 12 who had registered their …

Vet Leadership For The Future: Contexts, Characteristics And Capabilities, Hamish Bennett Coates, V Lynn Meek, Justin Brown, Tim Friedman, Peter Noonan, John Mitchell

Dr Justin Brown

This study examines leadership in Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) sector. VET leaders make a vital and growing contribution to learners, industry and society, yet research on their work is limited. This has direct implications for ensuring leadership is most effective, and for framing evidence-based capacity development. To assist the sector, and in particular the people who find themselves running large and complex training organisations, this study paints a picture of what VET leaders do, and of how they can do it best.

Vet Leadership For The Future: Contexts, Characteristics And Capabilities : Research Briefing., Hamish Bennett Coates, V Lynn Meek, Justin Brown, Tim Friedman, Peter Noonan, John Mitchell

Dr Justin Brown

Key insights:

Leadership is about managing change and guiding growth in fluid environments.

Leadership requires a ‘change capable culture’ that gives space to lead.

VET needs strategies for managing the looming succession crisis.

Too little is known about leaders and their work.

Leaders’ roles and work focus are not clearly defined.

Markers of effective performance are not clearly defined and deployed.

Produce a framework of key capabilities and competencies.

Effective leadership education must be current and shaped by understanding of effective practice.

Challenges For Australian Education : Results From Pisa 2009 : The Pisa 2009 Assessment Of Students' Reading, Mathematical And Scientific Literacy, Sue Thomson, Lisa De Bortoli, Marina Nicholas, Kylie Hillman, Sarah Buckley

OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Australia

Focusing on reading literacy as the major domain for the PISA 2009 assessment, this national report examines Australian students' achievement in reading, mathematical and scientific literacy. Results are reported for the states, by gender, for Indigenous students, by location, language background and by socioeconomic background.

Pad-Agogy: A Quasi-Experimental And Ethnographic Pilot Test Of The Ipad In A Blended Mobile Learning Environment, Jeffrey Brand, Shelley Kinash

Jeffrey Brand

Does student use of mobile technologies make a difference to their learning? Many educators make this claim. This research will test and report the learning outcomes, technology orientations, attitudes, times on task & exposure frequencies with iPad tablet computers and make comparisons of these groups using other mobile devices and groups not using mobile devices. Methods include a quasi-experiment and design-based research (DBR) and ethnography. Participants will be 150 students over 2 semesters randomly assigned to rotating a comparison group using a traditional bound textbook and regular access to a Blackboard subject site, another comparison group using their existing mobile …

The Real Academic Revolution : Why We Need To Reconceptualise Australia's Future Workforce, And Eight Possible Strategies For How To Go About This, Hamish Bennett Coates, Leo Goedegebuure

Professor Hamish Coates

Academic work and its associated profession make substantial contributions to the socio-economic development of Australia. But rarely is the work or the profession itself front-page news. This needs to change, partly because of the growing significance of academic work, and partly because of diverse pressures facing universities and its professional workforce. The growing significance of the academic profession is juxtaposed, almost in perfect counterpoint, by its shrinking capacity.

Ict In The Teaching Of Science And Mathematics In Year 8 In Australia: Report From The Iea Second International Technology In Education Study (Sites) Survey, John Ainley, Frances Eveleigh, Chris Freeman, Kate O'Malley

ACER Research Monographs

The IEA Second International Technology in Education Study (SITES) is an international comparative research program studying the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in education. Its central focus is on understanding how ICT affects the way teaching and learning takes place in schools. In many educational systems there is a desire to use ICT to support changes in teaching and learning and policies have been implemented to promote the use of ICT by equipping schools with computers and network connections, training teachers in the use of ICT and providing digital resources. Although there is a growing body of research …

The Impact Of Self-Efficacy And Motivation Characteristics On The Academic Achievement Of Upward Bound Participants, Brenda Leigh Brown

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of self-efficacy and motivation characteristics on the achievement of at-risk students. Seventy-nine Upward Bound program participants completed self-efficacy, motivation, and demographic questionnaires. The relationship between GPA and self-efficacy was significant, negative, and low in strength. High GPA was associated with high self-efficacy (as shown by lower numbers on the survey). Gender, length of time in the Upward Bound (UB) program, length of participation in the UB summer program, college sponsor (community or four-year college), self-efficacy characteristics, and motivation characteristics significantly predicted academic achievement as measured by GPA. The relationship between …

The Relationship Among Mathematics Anxiety, Mathematical Self-Efficacy, Mathematical Teaching Self-Efficacy, And The Instructional Practices Of Elementary School Teachers, Lydia Joan Smith

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to explore the relationships among the variables of mathematics anxiety, mathematical self-efficacy, mathematical teaching self-efficacy, and the instructional practice of elementary school teachers. The study included 320 practicing elementary teachers who teach mathematics to students in kindergarten through eighth grade. These teachers completed the Abbreviated Mathematics Anxiety Scale, the Mathematics Teaching and Mathematics Self-Efficacy survey, and the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Survey. Quantitative data analysis methods included descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. Results indicated a statistically significant relationship between mathematical teaching self-efficacy (efficacy) and mastery approaches to instruction, as well as …

Moving From A Predominantly Teaching Oriented Culture To A Research Productivity Mission: The Case Of Mexico And The United States, Gus Gregorutti

Faculty Publications

This study qualitatively analyzes the culture conflicts professors in the United States and Mexico are experiencing with the increasing pressures to produce more research about higher education. The first dataset was collected from 36 faculty members from 12 small and medium sized private, doctorate-granting universities. These universities are located in 11 states across the United States. The remaining data came from 44 faculty members employed at four small and medium sized private, doctoral granting universities in four states across Mexico. Results showed that universities in the US are transitioning from a predominantly teaching college culture to a more research orientation. …

Content Fundamentals For A Tv Show Aimed At Indigenous Children Aged 3 To 6: A Literature Review And Discussion Paper, David Norris

Indigenous Education Research

The following literature review was undertaken to establish a foundation for the discussion of potential content (and the issues pertaining to the implementation of that content) for an educational television program aimed at Indigenous children aged 3 to 6. Specifically, the literature was read with an eye to identifying the most effective and relevant learning styles, teaching techniques and subject matters that will successfully engage, support and inform Indigenous children and their families in the transition from home/pre-school to school, and onwards into their early years of schooling.

Spring 2010 Follow-Up Survey Of Freshmen Who Entered Western In Fall Of 2008: Descriptive Statistics, John M. Krieg, Beth Hartsoch, Linda D. (Linda Darlene) Clark, Grant Fosheim

Office of Institutional Effectiveness

The Spring 2010 Follow-Up Survey of Freshmen Who Entered Western in Fall 2008 (2nd Year Survey) holds particular importance to Western in that it focuses on student experiences in first year programs and GUR courses. Together with the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and the Committee for Undergraduate Education, the Office of Survey Research (OSR) created this survey in an attempt to shed light on the efficacy of and satisfaction with programs designed to foster student success early in their Western careers. The 2nd Year Survey consists of a mixture of open ended, multiple choice, and numerical response questions. This …