Education Commons^™

The Best Practice Guide For Early Childhood Education And Care Food Environment: Module 3: Food Education (Version 1.0), Ros Sambell, Connie N. Ihlein, Audrey Elford, Lochie Clark, Amanda Devine, Helen Alexiou, Lennie Barblett, Fiona Champion, Penelope Clark, Kathy Cologon, Wendy Cook, Katie Dix, Leanne Elliston, Amanda Ferguson, Ricky Gelman, Jodie Gray, Natalie Gulberti, Debbie Jordan, Karen Krist, Deana Leahy, Stacey Mckenzie, Sandra Murphy, Merryn Netting, Ciara O’Flaherty, Asha Rojahn, Blake Stewart, Aimee Sullivan, Suzanne Tamone, Henry Tan, Sandra Vale, Danielle Waterson, Jill Whelan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Food education (FE) in early learning settings is more than cooking – it is an opportunity to experience food in ways that include cooking but go far beyond. Food education gives children the opportunity for exploration, experimentation, learning, teamwork, skill building and much more. At the same time, services must balance safety, regulatory requirements, diverse developmental and cultural needs, family expectations and practical constraints such as time and staffing.

The FE module has been developed to support Early Childhood Education and Care settings (ECEC), for children from birth to 5 years, to create food experiences that are safe, engaging, inclusive …

The Best Practice Guide For Early Childhood Education And Care Food Environment: Module 2: Menu And Meal Quality (Version 1.0), Ros Sambell, Audrey Elford, Connie N. Ihlein, Lochie Clark, Amanda Devine, Helen Alexiou, Lennie Barblett, Caterina Benati, Fiona Champion, Bek Clancy, Penelope Clark, Kathy Cologon, Wendy Cook, Katie Dix, Kirsty Elliott, Leanne Elliston, Amanda Ferguson, Ricky Gelman, Jodie Gray, Natalie Gulberti, Lorraine Hingston, Karen Krist, Deana Leahy, Penny Love, Stacey Mckenzie, Tamia Matthews, Merryn Netting, Ciara O’Flaherty, Asha Rojahn, Blake Stewart, Aimee Sullivan, Suzanne Tamone, Henry Tan, Sandra Vale, Jill Whelan, Erin Wild

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Menu and meal quality is central to the role early learning settings play in children’s growth, development and wellbeing. The food provided across the day shapes children’s nutrient intake, their developing relationship with food, and the eating patterns they carry into later life. At the same time, services must balance nutritional quality with food safety, food allergen management and dietary needs, cultural diversity, family expectations, and practical constraints such as budgets, time and access to supplies.

This Menu and Meal Quality (MMQ) module aims to:

- Support ECEC services to provide menus and meals that align with the Australian Dietary …

The Best Practice Guide For Early Childhood Education And Care Food Environment: Module 1: Mealtime Environment And Practices (Version 1.0), Ros Sambell, Audrey Elford, Connie N. Ihlein, Lochie Clark, Amanda Devine, Helen Alexiou, Lennie Barblett, Rebecca Byrne, Fiona Champion, Laine Chilman, Penelope Clark, Kathy Cologon, Wendy Cook, Kirsty Elliott, Leanne Elliston, Amanda Ferguson, Ricky Gelman, Jodie Gray, Natalie Gulberti, Shae Haylen, Judith Howard, Karen Krist, Deana Leahy, Eloise Litterbach, Jodie Mcgough, Stacey Mckenzie, Merryn Netting, Ciara O’Flaherty, Gabrielle Orr, Asha Rojahn, Hilary Smith, Aimee Sullivan, Suzanne Tamone, Henry Tan, Sandra Vale, Jill Whelan, Sally Whitaker

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Mealtimes in early learning settings are more than a routine to help children eat. They are important opportunities for connection, learning and development, and for supporting children’s confidence and comfort around food and eating. At the same time, services must balance safety, regulatory requirements, diverse developmental and cultural needs, family expectations and practical constraints such as time and staffing.

The Mealtime Environment and Practices (MEP) module has been developed to support Early Childhood Education and Care settings (ECEC), for children from birth to 5 years, to create mealtimes that are safe, calm, inclusive and responsive to each child, while reflecting …

Beyond Compliance: Transformative Co-Design For Gender-Based Violence Prevention In Higher Education, Narelle Lemon, Christina Gray, Jason Goopy, Lisa Holmes, Bec Ball, Melissa Perry, Elisa Fear

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study examines how university staff and students experience transformative learning through voluntary participation in a gender-based violence (GBV) prevention programme that transcended compliance-oriented approaches. While universities increasingly rely on mandatory modules that fail to create sustainable change, this research investigates whether self-nominated participation and co-design pedagogy can foster genuine transformation and voice development among participants from diverse disciplinary backgrounds. A qualitative multi-method design examined eight university students (aged 18–24) at an Australian university through pre-post focus groups, observational field notes, and artefact analysis. Participants voluntarily engaged in workshops co-designing peer-focused social media prevention messaging. Inductive thematic analysis identified patterns …

Bishop’S Categories 40 Years On: Reclaiming And Sustaining Story And Culture Authors, Helen Adam, Libby Jackson-Barrett, Nicola Daly, Maria Nayr De Pinho Correia Ibrahim, Gloria Boutte

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Bishop’s foundational framework for analysing multicultural children’s literature has provided essential tools for understanding cultural representation for almost 40 years. However, the evolution of First Nations children’s literature and the increased Indigenous control over publishing and storytelling suggest Bishop’s original three categories may not fully capture the complexity of contemporary Indigenous storytelling. This study reports on a comprehensive analysis of 750 books by and about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, employing yarning methodology and Indigenous research approaches to examine patterns of cultural representation across historical periods. Whilst Bishop’s categories remain relevant, two additional categories emerged: Culturally Sustaining and Cultural …

From Awareness To Articulation: How Character Strengths Support Wellbeing Literacy In Pre-Service Teachers, Narelle Lemon, Marnie Harris, Rozita Dass, Carli Sanbrook, Rikki James, Tammy Green, Bev Adkin, Gail Berman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Teacher wellbeing demands urgent attention given documented attrition and burnout, yet teacher education programmes often treat wellbeing as peripheral to professional preparation. Sustained teacher wellbeing is also linked to enhanced pedagogical efficacy, professional engagement, and the modelling of wellbeing for learners. This study examines how character strengths function as a scaffolding language through which wellbeing literacy, the intentional language to comprehend and compose wellbeing for self and others, is integrated within initial teacher education for pre-service teachers. Six podcast episodes from the Teachers Supporting Teachers series captured conversations between pre-service teachers and university academics exploring character strengths understanding and enactment. …

The Transformational Possibilities Of Liberal Vocationalism: A Case Study Of Post-Year 10 Outdoor Education In Western Australia, David Aldous, Dawn Penney

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper discusses the transformative potential that liberal vocationalism, aligned with contemporary visions of lifelong and lifewide learning, presents for outdoor learning across institutional and industry settings. Utilising Bernstein’s sociological theory, the paper explores this transformation through an illustrative case study of the relations, knowledges and identities of post-Year10 Outdoor Education in Western Australia (WA). The case study highlights how Outdoor Education in WA has been organised through distinct classificatory relations that exist between government, regulatory bodies and individual industry providers that serve to distinguish Outdoor Education from outdoor learning that is ongoing and able to be pursued by people …

Making Room For ‘Feelings’: What's At Stake For The Theory Of Practice Architectures?, George Variyan, Brad Gobby

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper responds to Thelin, K. [2024. What about feelings? Elaboration on and consideration of the theoretical construct of emotions in practice and practice architectures. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 1–14] intriguing proposal that the theory of practice architectures (hereafter TPA) would benefit from an augmentation to its oft-repeated analytical mantra of ‘sayings, doings and relatings’ by adding the notion of feelings. Thelin's work is motivated by the increasing realisation amongst adherents that TPA has thus far been relatively silent on how emotions mediate practice. As such, there are ongoing efforts to think through the place of emotions in …

Schools, Space And Atmospheres: The Value Of Student Videos In Negotiating Contested Spaces In New Urban Vertical Schools, Prue Miles, Kylie Boltin, Stuart Poyntz, Jill Willis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Voices of young people are essential in civic discourse about thriving futures. Yet dialogue can be complicated when the experiences of adults and young people are vastly different, for example in school spaces designed by adults in cities designed for adults. Vertical, highrise inner city schools represent this intersection. A new genre of school in Australia, vertical schools symbolise aspirations for young people and livable cities as designed by adults. This paper draws from data collected in the Thriving in Vertical Schools project to explore the importance of affective learning atmospheres for students, and the value of digital stories to …

A Brunerian Theoretical Framework For Ece: A Review Of Jerome Bruner’S Theoretical Contributions To Early Childhood Education, Samantha Wynne, Christine Robinson, Dee O’Connor

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper presents the findings of an independent study, a systemic narrative literature review, that identifies and synthesises Jerome Bruner’s theoretical propositions related to young children’s knowledge construction and learning from birth to the early years of schooling. The research contributes the Brunerian Theoretical Framework, the first contextualised synthetisation of Brunerian theory as it relates to Early Childhood Education (ECE). Bruner’s postmodern constructivist and culturalist perspectives related to epistemology, theory, and pedagogy are explicated in the review of literature. Importantly, this paper explores Bruner’s culturalist provocation to centre epistemological inquiry in education. Bruner proposes that when educators adopt an epistemic …

Music Teacher Wellbeing And Flourishing In Australian Primary Schools, Han Meng, Jason Goopy, Narelle Lemon

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Teacher wellbeing is often generalised across roles, while a nuanced understanding of specialist teachers is often overlooked. This study used the positive psychology strengths-based PERMAH model to investigate factors that support wellbeing and flourishing of primary school music teachers in Australia and opportunities for growth. As part of a larger mixed-methods research project, data for this article were generated through interviews with 14 music teachers who deliver primary school class music and were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings indicated that music teacher wellbeing was promoted by joy derived from students’ learning, passion for teaching music, and recognition and support …

School Is No Longer A Lone Wolf Effort: Leadership Strategies For Inclusive, Community-Based School Cultures, Stuart Woodcock, Elias Avramidis, Umesh Sharma, Pearl Subban, Caroline Sahli Lozano, Harry Kullman, Tim Lorman, Sergej Wüthrich, Margarita Knickenberg

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Based on the premise that the successful implementation of inclusion is largely dependent on the educators’ commitment to inclusive ideals, this study sought to examine the ways principals promote an inclusive vision and foster the development of associated practices in their school community. The study employed an exploratory qualitative research design, collecting data through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 12 principals of highly-ranked inclusive schools from four countries: Australia, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain. In so doing, the emphasis was placed on the principals’ perspectives and practices that contribute to the development of an inclusive school culture. The iterative process …

The Ecology Of Hope: Building Rainbows In Education Systems, Jennifer Achari

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Hope is frequently invoked in education, yet rarely theorised. Where it has been theorised, it has been understood in two largely separate ways: as an individual psychological capacity, in the positive-psychology tradition and as a critical-emancipatory stance, in the pedagogy of hope. This article proposes a third: a theory, the ecology of hope, that locates hope not in the individual alone but in the relationship between a person and the systems that surround them. Bringing the cognitive psychology of hope into dialogue with ecological systems theory, the social-ecological account of resilience, and utopian methodology, in which a better society is …

A Delicate Balance: Experiences And Wellbeing Of Pre-Service Teachers Navigating Demands And Benefits Of Studying While Working As A Teacher, Caroline F. Mansfield, Jane Kirkham, Narelle Lemon, Lisa Papatraianou

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In the face of a global teacher shortage various strategies are being used to bolster the teaching workforce. In Australia, one such strategy has been to employ pre-service teachers under alternative permission to teach contracts. Given the recency of this phenomenon, there is little empirical evidence about the impact of this strategy on pre-service teachers, specifically how this experience may influence their wellbeing and retention in the profession. Utilising the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework, this study explores the benefits and demands of alternative permission to teach arrangements on pre-service teachers, and in particular the impact on their wellbeing and career …

First-Year Academic Success Strategies For Student Veterans, Vincent Ciarla

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored the perceptions and experiences of student veterans regarding academic success strategies during their first year of college. The study was guided by three research questions examining perceived difficulties, needed support systems, and overall transition experiences. Five student veterans who had successfully completed their first year at a community college participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using multi-cycle coding procedures, including open coding, pattern coding, and cross-case analysis, resulting in the identification of recurring themes.

Findings indicated that participants experienced initial confusion related to institutional processes, challenges navigating educational benefits, and difficulty adjusting to differences …

Planes De Sucesión En Los Hospitales De La Región Metro De Puerto Rico, Eddie Correa Medina

Theses and Dissertations

Esta disertación aplicada ha sido diseñada con el propósito de conocer las percepciones, experiencias, vivencias y conocimientos de los líderes y gerentes en enfermería sobre la implementación de los planes de sucesión en los hospitales del área metropolitana de Puerto Rico. La utilidad de esta investigación parte del argumento que tienen estos planes para mejorar la retención de empleados, facilitar la transferencia de conocimientos, evitar la rotación excesiva en puestos críticos, entre otros elementos. En el primer capítulo se presentó la introducción de la disertación, lo que incluyó aspectos como el propósito, objetivos, audiencia, rol del investigador, contribuciones al campo …

El Estrés Laboral Como Factor De Riesgo En El Rendimiento De Los Docentes De Una Institución Privada De Educación Superior En Puerto Rico, Sarahi Alvarado Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

Los seres humanos en diferentes momentos de su vida han experimentado lo que es el estrés, y las organizaciones de una forma u otra han buscado disminuir o eliminarlo dentro del entorno laboral. El estrés laboral es un factor determinante en el desempeño laboral, las enfermedades y la estabilidad emocional de los recursos humanos en las organizaciones. Este trabajo se enmarca en un enfoque cualitativo a través de un estudio fenomenológico.

El propósito de este estudio fue valorar la incidencia del estrés laboral como factor de riesgo en el rendimiento de los Docentes de una Institución Privada de Educación Superior …

From Bias To Bottleneck: A Quantitative Analysis Of Gender Preferences In Tech Hiring, Uma Chidambaram

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation examined whether gender preferences influence hiring decisions in the information technology (IT) sector, and whether such preferences contribute to the ongoing labor shortage in the field. Despite national and international initiatives to close the gender gap, women continue to represent only 28% of the United States IT workforce and remain significantly underrepresented in technical and leadership roles. Grounded in the Eagly and Karau (2002) Role Congruity Theory of Prejudice, this study investigated whether evaluator gender and candidate gender alignment affect interview selection outcomes at the résumé screening stage for both leadership and non-leadership IT positions.

A quantitative, …

Impact Of Job Demands On Performance, Satisfaction, And Environment, Michelle Chin Loy

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation examined the relationships between job resources, job demands, work engagement, perceived stress, and job satisfaction among university employees. The target participants for the study were employees at an academic institution in the South Florida area. The researcher e-mailed two surveys to the employees, and a response rate of 20% was achieved. One survey was conducted to assess the psychosocial work environment factors, and the impact on the employees’ well-being. The sub-scales used were Job Resources, Job Demands, Well-being outcomes, and Stress. The other survey measured the work engagement, the employees’ well-being, and how they experience enthusiasm, commitment, …

Efectos Del Uso De La Tecnología En El Aprovechamiento Académico Y El Desarrollo De Habilidades Lingüísticas Y Escritas En Estudiantes De Tercero A Quinto Grado De Una Escuela Privada Del Área Este De Puerto Rico, Sonia I. Estrada Guzmán

Theses and Dissertations

El propósito de este estudio fue analizar los efectos del uso de la tecnología en el aprovechamiento académico y el desarrollo de habilidades lingüísticas y escritas de los estudiantes de tercero a quinto grado en una escuela privada del área este de Puerto Rico. La investigación buscó identificar cómo las herramientas tecnológicas influyeron en la comprensión lectora, el dominio de las reglas gramaticales, el conocimiento de las normas ortográficas y la capacidad de redacción escrita. El marco teórico utilizado fue la Teoría del Aprendizaje Móvil de Traxler. El diseño del estudio fue cuantitativo con un enfoque cuasiexperimental y el instrumento …

Revisión Sistemática Sobre La Actitud Del Docente De Educación Preescolar Frente A La Incorporación De Niños Especiales Dentro Del Programa Regular Y Sus Efectos En El Aprendizaje De Estudiantes Regulares De Usa, Período 2015 Al 2024, Fressia Mary Medina Greenbaum

Theses and Dissertations

El propósito de esta investigación fue evidenciar hallazgos sobre la actitud del docente de educación preescolar frente a la incorporación de niños especiales dentro del programa regular de educación preescolar y sus efectos en el aprendizaje de estudiantes regulares en preescolares de Estados Unidos de América. La posición que adopte el docente es de suma importancia para el logro de la incorporación de estudiantes especiales desde temprana edad, conocer cuáles son los obstáculos que enfrenta el docente y aclarar cuales son los beneficios tanto para estudiantes especiales como para estudiantes regulares.

La presente investigación utilizó la revisión sistemática como metodología, …

Análisis De Las Competencias Digitales Docentes Aplicadas Al Modelo Educativo Híbrido En Una Universidad Privada De Puerto Rico, Ishwara Ayala Ortiz

Theses and Dissertations

El modelo educativo híbrido ha surgido como una alternativa que integra la educación tradicional con los avances alcanzados durante la pandemia, convirtiendo la competencia digital docente en un aspecto cada vez más relevante. Esta disertación aplicada analizó las competencias digitales de docentes universitarios en la implementación del modelo educativo híbrido en una universidad privada de Puerto Rico, enmarcada en el modelo TPACK y la teoría conectivista.

El estudio adoptó un enfoque cuantitativo con diseño no experimental de corte transversal exploratorio, utilizando el cuestionario HybridEduCom para medir dichas competencias. La muestra estuvo conformada por 40 docentes de una IES privada en …

Increasing Reading Comprehension Of Middle School Students With Hearing Disabilities, Abbis Bivins

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, the effectiveness of researcher-created training sessions for teachers designed to improve reading comprehension in class for students who are deaf or hard of hearing was examined. The training was focused on key instructional components, including morphology, syntax, vocabulary, phonology, explicit feedback, and activation of prior knowledge. Additionally, parent-focused strategies such as collaboration with professionals, reading routines, summarization, interactive reading, and the use of home language were taught. A qualitative research design was used to explore the perceptions for both teacher and parent groups following participation in six 1-hour training sessions.

Teachers’ findings indicated increased confidence, intentional instructional …

Evaluación De La Efectividad De Un Curso Que Incluye Temas Sobre Diversidad Y Equidad En Una Universidad De Puerto Rico, Norangely López Llanos

Theses and Dissertations

El propósito del estudio fue evaluar la efectividad de un curso que incluyó temas sobre diversidad y equidad en una universidad de Puerto Rico. Se aplicó el Modelo de Kirkpatrick (2007), el cual contempló cuatro niveles de evaluación: reacción, aprendizaje (percepción de conocimiento), comportamiento y resultados (percepción de resultados). La investigación se desarrolló mediante un diseño transeccional descriptivo con enfoque cuantitativo y una muestra de 14 estudiantes.

Se plantearon cinco preguntas de investigación y se administraron cinco instrumentos validados y confiables. La primera evaluó la percepción de los estudiantes sobre la utilidad, relevancia y calidad del curso mediante el Cuestionario …

El Liderazgo Estratégico En La Gestión De Cambio Para La Innovación En Una Universidad Privada De Puerto Rico, Luis Javier Bosques Rodríguez

Theses and Dissertations

Esta disertación aplicada buscó determinar la importancia del liderazgo estratégico en la gestión de cambio para la innovación, según la percepción de los administradores académicos (rectores, decanos y directores) en una universidad privada de Puerto Rico. Se planteó que, en el contexto de una educación superior que enfrenta retos como desastres naturales, pandemias y exigencias tecnológicas, los líderes deben tener una visión estratégica clara para guiar a sus instituciones hacia la innovación y la competitividad.

El investigador propuso examinar cómo estos líderes comprenden y aplican conceptos clave de liderazgo estratégico en la gestión de cambio e innovación. A través de …

Usage Behavior Of Hispanic English Learners With Bilingual Homework Resources In Developmental Mathematics At Community College, Debra Krieg

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation, grounded in the theoretical framework of metalinguistic awareness, was designed to understand how six Hispanic English learners (ELs) were utilizing homework help resources when offered in both English and Spanish. Specifically, the study was conducted at a mid-Atlantic community college with students enrolled in a developmental mathematics course. Homework has long been established as a tool that increases the probability of academic success. The shift to web-based assignments in developmental mathematics from traditional pencil and paper homework has yielded positive results yet little is known regarding how learners utilize bilingual digital assessment tools to achieve mastery of …

Percepción De Los Líderes De Organizaciones Sin Fines De Lucro De Puerto Rico Sobre La Utilidad De Las Herramientas De La Programación Neurolingüística, Ana Milagros García Del Valle

Theses and Dissertations

El propósito de este estudio fue explorar el grado de aceptación de la Programación Neurolingüística (PNL) como intervención para que los líderes puedan conocer el aprendizaje y desarrollen estrategias de comunicación. El marco teórico utilizado fue la Teoría de Niveles de Dilts (1989) y el Modelo de Cambio de Kotter (1996).

El diseño del estudio fue cuantitativo con enfoque cuantitativo-correlacional y el instrumento consistió en un cuestionario. En la primera pregunta los resultados demostraron un conocimiento moderado sobre los temas relacionados con la Programación Neurolingüística incluidos en el cuestionario. En la segunda pregunta los resultados reflejaron una percepción favorable hacia …

Nivel De Competencia Digital Del Profesorado De Enfermería En Puerto Rico Y Su Percepción Sobre El Impacto De La Tecnología En El Aprendizaje, Dimarys Cordero Pérez

Theses and Dissertations

Esta disertación aplicada tuvo como propósito analizar el nivel de competencia digital del profesorado de enfermería en Puerto Rico y su percepción sobre el impacto de la tecnología en el aprendizaje del estudiantado. Asimismo, se examinó la relación entre estas variables y se identificaron factores asociados con la competencia digital docente. El estudio se desarrolló bajo un enfoque cuantitativo, mediante un diseño no experimental de tipo correlacional. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 105 participantes, de los cuales 94 fueron incluidos en el análisis final tras un proceso de depuración de datos. La recolección de información se realizó mediante un instrumento …

The Effectiveness Of Behavioral Skills Training In Enhancing Teachers’ Ability To Write Specific, Measurable, And Individualized Iep Goals Targeting Quality-Of-Life Skills, Emilia Endean

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation sought to assess the effectiveness of a behavior skills training (BST) protocol in improving teacher behaviors for writing high-quality individualized education plan (IEP) goals that target quality-of-life (QoL) domains. High-quality IEP goals that target both academic and functional repertoires are required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) and are essential for students with disabilities to achieve meaningful outcomes. BST is an effective intervention for teaching a variety of skills. No prior research has explicitly examined the application of BST for teacher professional development in writing IEP goals.

This single-subject study used a time-lagged multiple probe …

Teachers’ Experiences Implementing An Ai-Supported Reading Program In Kindergarten Through Grade 2: A Generic Qualitative Study, Janet Harrell

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was completed to explore kindergarten through grade 2 teachers’ experiences implementing an artificial intelligence (AI)-supported reading program during literacy instruction. Guided by a generic qualitative design, the study was designed to examine how teachers prepared to use the program, integrated it into daily literacy instruction, used AI-generated data to inform instructional decision-making, and experienced the instructional and contextual conditions that supported or hindered implementation. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 10 kindergarten through grade 2 teachers with experience using Amira Learning. Data were collected through semi structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Four themes emerged from …