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1
Wilson, Mack. "Japanese schools in the Australian mirror : perceptions of schools among Japanese students in Australia /." Title page, contents and conclusion only, 2001. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09AR/09arw751.pdf.
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2
Dettman, Pamela. "The accreditation model of whole-school evaluation in Australian independent schools." Thesis, Dettman, Pamela (1988) The accreditation model of whole-school evaluation in Australian independent schools. Masters by Research thesis, Murdoch University, 1988. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/40891/.
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The central aim of this thesis is to examine the usefulness of the archaeological and genealogical methods, as explicated by Michel Foucault, for exploring ecofeminism as a liberation movement and emerging field of academic inquiry. In particular, I will be using Foucault's concepts of "discursive formations", "discursive practices" and "power/knowledge relations" in order to investigate the factors which constrain and enable the circulation of ecofeminism as it enters the academy and appears in grass roots liberation movements. The purpose of studying ecofeminism in this way is to enable a bringing into play of the activist voices displaced by some philosophical commentaries. On a more implicit level, the inquiry is guided by Donna Haraway's concepts of "situated knowledges" and "cyborg politics". Together, the works of Foucault and Haraway will be employed to argue for a politics which aims at avoiding the use of essentialist and universalising frameworks. I am also arguing that it is, perhaps, a shared ethics and politics, rather than a unified epistemology, that gives rise to ecofeminist positions.
3
Wise, Rod. "Deepening Australian democracy : what can schools do? /." Connect to thesis, 2000. http://eprints.unimelb.edu.au/archive/00000695.
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4
Edwards, Ruth M. "Organizational culture in Australian Anglican secondary schools." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/8117.
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ABSTRACT The central purpose of this research is to understand the nature of culture in Australian Anglican Secondary schools and determine whether they share any commonalities in their organisational culture. The study is situated in the theoretical framework of organisational culture and uses the qualitative methodology of Grounded Theory to derive meanings from empirical data and to generate theory in an under-researched area. This research has concentrated on staff perceptions and experience of school culture with a special focus on the religious dimension. The major research tool was in-depth interviews of over seventy practitioners in three case study schools. Additional standard methods of data collection were also used to strengthen validity. The design of the project incorporates the diversity within the Anglican Church. Case studies occurred in schools in three different Anglican dioceses in three different cities and states. The churchmanship in each school represented different strands within Anglicanism. A breadth of educational variables was also represented: one school was long-established, two more recent; one was single-sex, two were co-educational; two were totally independent, one was part of a school system. Theoretical sensitivity was heightened through incorporation of historical and sociological writings on Anglicanism which helped interpret the emerging theory. The theory developed progressively using the Grounded Theory principle of constant comparison. This was applied both within sites and across sites. On the first level of conceptualisation, the culture in each individual site was analysed and described. On the second level, common themes relevant to understanding the religious factor were identified across all sites. Initially five conceptual categories for generic Anglican school culture were identified. These were later refined to two controlling ones, those of Tension and Anglicanism. These were shown to inter-relate with three subsidiary categories: Perceptions, Independent Schooling and Leadership. A theory is proposed that organizational culture in Anglican schools is typically characterised by a range of tensions relating to their dual educational and religious roles, and to differing social and spiritual interpretations of Christian faith.
5
Jericho, Adrienne John, and n/a. "Perceptions of Principal Appraisal: Experience in Australian Lutheran Schools." Griffith University. School of Cognition, Language and Special Education, 2004. http://www4.gu.edu.au:8080/adt-root/public/adt-QGU20040919.113840.
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This study was an investigation into participant perceptions of principal appraisal in Australian Lutheran schools where a national, systematic appraisal process for principals, entitled Principal Appraisal for Development (PAD), has been in place since 2000. The study group for the investigation consisted of fifteen principals, ten chairpersons of school councils and two district directors, all of whom had been involved in the process. The literature review indicated that whilst there was substantive scholarly writing on the purpose and methods of principal appraisal, there was a lack of recorded research on the experience and longer term outcomes of appraisal. Accordingly, the focus of the study was an examination of participant perceptions of the experience and impact of appraisal. The study's theoretical underpinning was symbolic interactionism and it adopted a qualitative approach to answer the central research question: What are principal and governing council chairperson perceptions of the efficacy of principal appraisal processes in Australian Lutheran schools? Data for the study were gathered through focus group and individual qualitative interviews. In addition, documents associated with the appraisal process were obtained for analysis. The data were then analysed using grounded theory methods, leading to the generation of three theoretical propositions. The first proposition was that the efficacy of principal appraisal depended on the completion of an explicit process that followed six clearly defined and understood steps; the second: that five perceptions of the efficacy of the appraisal process could be identified amongst participants; and the third: that the role played by key players in a spirit of trust in the process and in one another facilitated perceptions of efficacy in the appraisal process. Furthermore, the context in which the process took place, the actual purpose of the process and the nature of responses by participants emerged as key factors in each proposition. In particular, these factors determined whether the appraisal process advanced through the six defined stages required to ensure meaningful, long-term development for the principal, which of the perceptions of efficacy of the process for development was held by participants, and the extent to which trust in one another and in the process was evident. From these propositions eight statements that describe the experience of study participants were identified. These comprised: their belief that a development purpose must have priority in appraisal for perceptions of efficacy of the process; credible messages needed to emerge from the appraisal process for perceptions of its efficacy; appraisal needed to be perceived as a complex process of change involving meaning-making; principal as agent and initiator in the appraisal process facilitated perceptions of efficacy; a supportive and improvement-oriented environment for professional development was associated with perceptions of efficacy of the process; professional development of the principal needed to be perceived as a complex process; trust in the process and in one another was necessary for perceptions of appraisal's efficacy; and appraisal was recognised as having outcomes that may distract from development. These findings have specific implications for the policy and practice of principal appraisal in Lutheran schools, especially as PAD is reviewed. The findings also have application to other appraisal settings and generated key questions to assist in developing, implementing and evaluating principal appraisal systems. The study also indicated that those involved in the appraisal process need to think through how appraisal, development and accountability are related. These concepts are important and legitimate, and are to be both separated and recognised in any employment context. The study found that appraisal that resulted in development was a complex process of change involving shifts to meaning and behaviour. Such a process needed to be supported through an environment of trust with an improvement focus. The study has indicated that appraisal for development needs to be informed more fully by an understanding of the professional development literature. In summary, the study has contributed to an understanding of the place of appraisal in the learning and development of school principals.
6
Jericho, Adrienne John. "Perceptions of Principal Appraisal: Experience in Australian Lutheran Schools." Thesis, Griffith University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/365186.
Full textAbstract:
This study was an investigation into participant perceptions of principal appraisal in Australian Lutheran schools where a national, systematic appraisal process for principals, entitled Principal Appraisal for Development (PAD), has been in place since 2000. The study group for the investigation consisted of fifteen principals, ten chairpersons of school councils and two district directors, all of whom had been involved in the process. The literature review indicated that whilst there was substantive scholarly writing on the purpose and methods of principal appraisal, there was a lack of recorded research on the experience and longer term outcomes of appraisal. Accordingly, the focus of the study was an examination of participant perceptions of the experience and impact of appraisal. The study's theoretical underpinning was symbolic interactionism and it adopted a qualitative approach to answer the central research question: What are principal and governing council chairperson perceptions of the efficacy of principal appraisal processes in Australian Lutheran schools? Data for the study were gathered through focus group and individual qualitative interviews. In addition, documents associated with the appraisal process were obtained for analysis. The data were then analysed using grounded theory methods, leading to the generation of three theoretical propositions. The first proposition was that the efficacy of principal appraisal depended on the completion of an explicit process that followed six clearly defined and understood steps; the second: that five perceptions of the efficacy of the appraisal process could be identified amongst participants; and the third: that the role played by key players in a spirit of trust in the process and in one another facilitated perceptions of efficacy in the appraisal process. Furthermore, the context in which the process took place, the actual purpose of the process and the nature of responses by participants emerged as key factors in each proposition. In particular, these factors determined whether the appraisal process advanced through the six defined stages required to ensure meaningful, long-term development for the principal, which of the perceptions of efficacy of the process for development was held by participants, and the extent to which trust in one another and in the process was evident. From these propositions eight statements that describe the experience of study participants were identified. These comprised: their belief that a development purpose must have priority in appraisal for perceptions of efficacy of the process; credible messages needed to emerge from the appraisal process for perceptions of its efficacy; appraisal needed to be perceived as a complex process of change involving meaning-making; principal as agent and initiator in the appraisal process facilitated perceptions of efficacy; a supportive and improvement-oriented environment for professional development was associated with perceptions of efficacy of the process; professional development of the principal needed to be perceived as a complex process; trust in the process and in one another was necessary for perceptions of appraisal's efficacy; and appraisal was recognised as having outcomes that may distract from development. These findings have specific implications for the policy and practice of principal appraisal in Lutheran schools, especially as PAD is reviewed. The findings also have application to other appraisal settings and generated key questions to assist in developing, implementing and evaluating principal appraisal systems. The study also indicated that those involved in the appraisal process need to think through how appraisal, development and accountability are related. These concepts are important and legitimate, and are to be both separated and recognised in any employment context. The study found that appraisal that resulted in development was a complex process of change involving shifts to meaning and behaviour. Such a process needed to be supported through an environment of trust with an improvement focus. The study has indicated that appraisal for development needs to be informed more fully by an understanding of the professional development literature. In summary, the study has contributed to an understanding of the place of appraisal in the learning and development of school principals.Thesis (Professional Doctorate)
Doctor of Education (EdD)
School of Cognition, Language and Special Education
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7
Oakes, Ivan Alvin James. "Two Western Australian Primary Schools’ Responses to the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority Guidelines on internationalisation in schools." Thesis, Curtin University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/70387.
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This study explores the extent to which two Western Australian primary schools are embracing internationalisation in response to the expectations set by the Australian Curriculum Assessment, and Reporting Authority (ACARA). Findings indicate that to some extent the two schools are internationalising their learning and teaching, curriculum and school activities but the focus is limited due to many intervening factors. The thesis makes recommendations for the improvement of internationalisation strategies in schools.
8
Boyle, Maureen, and n/a. "Principals' perceptions of school based management in Australian Capital Territory government schools." University of Canberra. School of Teacher Education, 1999. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20060609.152858.
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This thesis investigates the views of principals in government schools in the Australian
Capital Territory (ACT) regarding school based management (SBM). School based
management is defined as the delegation of certain decision making functions from
central bureaucratic control to a group of personnel located at the school site. In the
case of the ACT, delegation of decision making to school sites began in 1974. An
additional set of responsibilities was delegated in the 1997/98 period. This study
concentrates on the latter period but also takes the extended period of devolution into
account.
This investigation is based on qualitative and quantitative methods of enquiry and data
collection to investigate principals' perceptions of SBM, particularly in relation to the
demographic variables of the schools, and selected personal and professional
characteristics of the principals. Initially twenty six semi-structured interviews were
conducted with principals to determine a framework of seven constructs in relation to
SBM. Qualitative data are reported by drawing on the extensive unabridged transcripts
of the interviews. The data arising from the interview stage formed the basis for
construction of a questionnaire administered to the total population of ninety seven
principals in government schools in the ACT. The questionnaire consists of
demographic, personal and professional items concerning the school and the principal,
items related to the impact of SBM, questions regarding the principals' perceptions of
satisfaction with their work, and the importance principals place on selected aspects of
their role, particularly following the extension of SBM.
Results of the questionnaire are reported using frequency distribution for each of the
items in the questionnaire, followed by factor analysis and analysis of variance to test
significant differences in the principals' views at the 0.05 or greater level. Results of
these analyses show that principals have common perceptions in general about the
nature and impact of SBM. Principals' perceptions are however, mediated by a
number of independent variables. These are gender of the principal, experience of
more than one year's work outside the field of education, the sector of their school, ie
primary, high school or college, and the geographic location of the school. Their
participation in SBM training programs, bureaucratic support to assist them in
implementing SBM, and their expressed need for continued professional development
are additional independent variables where statistically significant differences are
apparent.
Principals in this study view the extension of SBM responsibilities more as an
administrative function, than an opportunity to engage in restructuring the school.
They see that their role has expanded to place strong emphasis on business
management and they consider that they are now working in a market oriented climate
where competition for students is a real issue. Hours of work have increased, and
maintenance of a balance between work and personal life is a growing concern.
Despite this they do not want to return to the former arrangements and continue to
express satisfaction with the intrinsic rewards of their profession such as contact with
students, colleagues and the community.
These results provide important insights into the type of SBM evident in ACT
government schools at the time of this study. A number of recommendations for future
research and practice are presented related to the findings and linked to the key themes
arising in the literature.These suggest ways that SBM can and might be used as a
catalyst for development of a new paradigm for education, which will meet the needs
of a 'knowledge society' (Drucker, 1995) and engage schools in moving 'beyond the
self managing school', (Caldwell and Spinks, 1998).
9
Booth, Sarah. "Teaching Aboriginal curriculum content in Australian high schools." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2014. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1522.
Full textAbstract:
Many misconceptions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders stem from Australia’s period of colonisation in the 18th and 19th centuries when Indigenous people were believed to be inferior by European settlers. It is disturbing that after 200 years these negative ideas still exist and are often perpetuated through the mass media. Even though schools are well positioned to challenge these colonial values; unfortunately there are many factors which affect the depth and quality of teaching Aboriginal content, such as culture, history and contemporary issues.
The government has aimed to disperse the inconsistencies associated with teaching Aboriginal perspectives by implementing a new Australian Curriculum with prescribed Aboriginal content. However, these changes will only have an impact if teachers are equipped and motivated to implement them. Therefore, understanding what influences teachers’ choice of content and approach to teaching Aboriginal Studies was a key aspect of this study. To explore these influences, non-Aboriginal teachers were interviewed at both government and independent schools. A desktop audit analysing the courses at Western Australian universities placed the participants’ responses into context of the pre-service and in-service learning available. An audit of the Australian Curriculum explored the expectations placed on teachers and the depth to which Aboriginal perspectives can be taught or avoided in secondary schools.
This study identified four key issues that affected the teaching of Aboriginal curriculum content by non-Aboriginal teachers. These factors are: time management, school culture, teacher interest and preconceived ideas of both teachers and students. These issues must be addressed in order to improve the quality teaching of Aboriginal perspectives by standardising in-service learning and pre-service learning. Furthermore, improving cultural competency and acknowledging Aboriginal culture is critical at every school, regardless of the number of Aboriginal students. This study also revealed that the presence of an Aboriginal and Islander Education Officer could have a big impact in providing support, information and an Aboriginal presence at the school. Without these changes it will be difficult to disperse colonial values and challenge negative stereotypes
10
Young, Catherine Mary. "Identification of gifted students in Australian Catholic primary schools." Thesis, Australian Catholic University, 2019. https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/download/01b2b8b2a32763aaf35541ff6ccfa950caea3adaf7ee759109aea698def025c4/2418664/0-YOUNG_2019_Appendices_Indentification_of_gifted_students.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
The research investigated the problem of identification of giftedness in primary-aged school students. The study was conducted in primary schools in a large Australian metropolitan Catholic education system, referred to in the study as the system that claims best practice and has historically provided strong support for the specific needs of students with learning difficulties. Gifted education is, however, new to the culture of this system of schools and the under-identification of gifted students has been identified as a matter of concern. The scholarly literature provides considerable research regarding teacher attitudes and their impact on gifted education and gifted students, but little research has been undertaken to investigate the impact of teachers’ knowledge, attitudes and experiences on the identification of giftedness. To address this gap in the research, the present study examined the question: How is the identification of giftedness of students in primary schools influenced by the knowledge, attitudes and experiences of principals and teachers?
Using a mixed methods design within the paradigm of pragmatism, the research data were collected in two phases: the collection and analysis of quantitative data at a system level through an online survey, and case study involving analysis of school documentation and semi-structured interviews across six sites.
In Phase One, the online survey was distributed across the system of 111 Catholic primary schools. The responses from the system-wide survey assisted in the selection of schools with high and low rates of identification of gifted students as case study sites for the second phase of the study. In Phase Two, a total of six principals and 44 teachers participated in the case study from across six sites selected as three successful- and three non-successful schools. Phase Three included the final synthesis and analysis of all data. The data collected sought to determine the knowledge, attitudes and experiences of teachers and leaders, and school approaches and practices of identification, and their influence on the identification of giftedness in these schools.
The central findings of the study are reflected in a proposed model, which elucidates specific elements in relation to knowledge and attitudes of educators, and the approaches and practices of schools, towards gifted education and identification of giftedness that enable the effective identification of giftedness. Within knowledge, the levels of training and the significance of understanding the multidimensional nature of giftedness were identified as core to the process of identification of gifted students in the primary school setting. Positive attitudes towards giftedness, and a shared responsibility for the identification process, among the school leadership and teachers leads to effective identification. The research also found that sharpened focus on identification through leadership, embedded school-wide policy and practices, provision of resources, and ongoing professional learning are key elements of effective identification. Essential to the identification process is the involvement of teachers and leaders in early and ongoing identification practices using a range of accessible objective and subjective measures.
The model highlights the complex interplay of factors that contribute to effective identification of giftedness and the significance of teacher, leader and systemic commitment to gifted education. The research findings and recommendations have significance from the perspective of educational system leaders and school-based practitioners who have the challenge of effectively identifying, and responding to, the needs of their gifted students.
11
Levido, Amanda. "The implementation of media arts in Australian primary schools." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2021. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/211142/1/Amanda_Levido_Thesis.pdf.
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This thesis explores how primary school teachers implement the Media Arts subject strand of the Australian Curriculum: The Arts into their classrooms. The study presents three case studies that explore how teachers and students engage with the key concepts of Media Arts and what pedagogical approaches are employed to foster Media Arts learning. The thesis makes a series of recommendations, based on the findings of this study, about how to implement Media Arts in more cohesive ways into primary school classrooms.
12
Mudhan, Parmesh. "Participation of Indigenous students in education: an exploration of the significance of place in an Indigenous community school." Thesis, Mudhan, Parmesh (2008) Participation of Indigenous students in education: an exploration of the significance of place in an Indigenous community school. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2008. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/693/.
Full textAbstract:
This study explores the pedagogical significance of life experiences of Indigenous students from an Australian community school and its relation to school participation. In particular the study focuses on the implications of students’ associations with ‘place’ on school curriculum. With the rate of participation of Indigenous students in education currently lower compared with non-Indigenous students, this study further informs our understanding of this phenomenon.
The study is interpretive, based on the perspectives of students, staff and parents of an Indigenous community school successful in improving participation of Indigenous students to Year 10, and informed by the researcher’s own lived experiences teaching Indigenous students in three different countries. During this time, it was observed that Indigenous students’ association with place was a significant factor in their participation in education.
Gruenewald’s multidimensional framework for place-conscious education is employed to guide the analysis and interpretation of data as it provides a means of addressing two important issues revealed in the review of literature on participation. First, participation is examined and interpreted in different ways, and second, a common thread in the differing interpretations is the concept of place. Analyses of the data reveal two overarching dimensions: Place and Aboriginality. Further analysis, informed by notions of place-conscious education reveal five identifiable elements for enhancing participation of Indigenous students in education: Curriculum Method, Curriculum Content, Careers, Partners and Identity. Educational programs that recognise how these elements are related to place and action them are likely to be more effective in enhancing participation of Indigenous students in education.
13
Mudhan, Parmesh. "Participation of Indigenous students in education: an exploration of the significance of place in an Indigenous community school." Mudhan, Parmesh (2008) Participation of Indigenous students in education: an exploration of the significance of place in an Indigenous community school. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2008. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/693/.
Full textAbstract:
This study explores the pedagogical significance of life experiences of Indigenous students from an Australian community school and its relation to school participation. In particular the study focuses on the implications of students’ associations with ‘place’ on school curriculum. With the rate of participation of Indigenous students in education currently lower compared with non-Indigenous students, this study further informs our understanding of this phenomenon.
The study is interpretive, based on the perspectives of students, staff and parents of an Indigenous community school successful in improving participation of Indigenous students to Year 10, and informed by the researcher’s own lived experiences teaching Indigenous students in three different countries. During this time, it was observed that Indigenous students’ association with place was a significant factor in their participation in education.
Gruenewald’s multidimensional framework for place-conscious education is employed to guide the analysis and interpretation of data as it provides a means of addressing two important issues revealed in the review of literature on participation. First, participation is examined and interpreted in different ways, and second, a common thread in the differing interpretations is the concept of place. Analyses of the data reveal two overarching dimensions: Place and Aboriginality. Further analysis, informed by notions of place-conscious education reveal five identifiable elements for enhancing participation of Indigenous students in education: Curriculum Method, Curriculum Content, Careers, Partners and Identity. Educational programs that recognise how these elements are related to place and action them are likely to be more effective in enhancing participation of Indigenous students in education.
14
White, Mathew A. "An Australian co-educational boarding school as a crucible for life : a humanistic sociological study of students' attitudes from their own memoirs /." Title page, table of contents and abstract only, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/2440/37957.
Full textAbstract:
The aims of this study were to define an Australian boarding school, provide a summary of international and Australian boarding school literature, and complete a small-scale qualitative investigation of students' views in a co-educational boarding school. At first glance, it appeared that contemporary Australian boarding schools were a reproduction of the influential public boys' schools of Great Britain. Although there have been a number of histories of Australian independent schools, the boarding element has often been portrayed as Dickensian and remains an overlooked area of educational research. In particular, the literature available about Australian residential schooling over the past 20 years has been limited to a handful of significant studies by Cree and Trimingham Jack. In this study 45 Australian and overseas students were asked to write memoirs of 4-5,000 words about their boarding experience emphasising their thoughts, feelings and aspirations. The limitation was that all respondents were full-time boarders for at least one year when the questionnaire-survey was completed. The memoir-based humanistic approach of the Polish- American sociologist Florian Znaniecki, as developed for the analysis of personal and group social systems in the culturally diverse context of Australia by J. J. Smolicz, was employed to interpret the memoir data. The memoir method has been well documented in Australia, as a means of collecting and analysing concrete and cultural facts, mainly in relation to the study of minority ethnic groups and their cultural actions. The humanistic approach emphasized that the researcher must accept cultural phenomena from the viewpoint of its participants and not from that of an outside observer. In the present study, this approach permitted the researcher to understand the experiences and attitudes of individual students towards an Australian co-educational boarding education through their own eyes. The memoirs analysed were generated from 26 concrete questions, which revealed place-of-birth, ethnic identity, and languages spoken at home. This provided the researcher with verifiable information about the everyday lives of the respondents. The second half of the memoirs required response to 23 questions - these yielded cultural data. These questions required students to reflect on their situation, attitudes and experiences of boarding as a system of education. This information could only have been provided by the participants themselves and gave the researcher direct access to the memoir writers' individual and group consciousness. The study discovered that a number of the students were in the process of re-evaluating and re-interpreting the advantages and disadvantages of boarding school as a social system transmitted to them by parents, friends, family, and teachers. The respondent's personal statements revealed that the relationships among students and among students and staff in the boarding House tended to be primary in nature, in that they were personal, informal, and involved the entire human personality. From these data, it appeared that the success of a boarding school was determined by the personal atmosphere, support, and comfort of the boarding House. Consideration of the empirical data found that 43 of the 45 respondents' memoirs believed that their overall experiences at the research boarding school were positive. Negative observations stressed the pressures of homesickness, tedium of school life and a lack of freedom thereby supporting Goffman's view of a "total institution". The majority of students' memoirs were ambivalent towards religion at the research school. Nevertheless, 11 stressed its significant implication in their day-to-day lives. The memoirs suggested that an education at the research boarding school was a crucible that forged students through a variety of experiences, positive and negative, individual and collective, for life. Overall, the memoirs support the observation that boarding school acts as a social system for the acceptance of new cultural values, such as the cultural diversity respondents' experienced in their lives at boarding school. The study revealed an attitudinal shift in the group that welcomed the cultural pluralism of the school and recognised the cultural monism of the home. These memoirs revealed that boarding school was a significant factor in fostering independence and embracing cultural diversity as experienced in the crucible of the boarding school. These findings challenged the popular maxim that an Australian residential education was an anachronistic, inflexible, colonial-British model and suggested that it has the potential to act as a system of education that prepares its students for the challenges of life.Thesis (Ph.D.)--School of Education, 2004.
15
Kalend, Steven L., and n/a. "The evolution of secondary school representative sport in Australia (1977-1983)." University of Canberra. Education, 1985. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20060804.124742.
Full textAbstract:
For many years, considerable time and effort was devoted by
teachers in Australian schools to the organisation of sporting
activities for students. As a result, School Sports Associations were
formed in most Australian States early this century. These
Associations provided intra state and inter state competition on a
limited scale.
It was not until the early 1970's that any co-ordinated effort
was made to bring together all the States' and Territories' activities.
Regular meetings of Association Secretaries led to the formation of
the Australian State Secondary Schools Sports Council in 1973.
This was the beginning of a new era in secondary school
representative sport in Australia. The creation of a forum for States
to discuss matters of mutual interest resulted in a greater awareness
within school communities of the benefits provided by sporting
activities.
This generation of interest eventually led to the formation of
the Australian Secondary Schools Sports Federation in 1977. This
body, representing all States and Territories became identified as
the controlling body of secondary school sport in Australia and has
continued to develop this role over the years.
Since the formation of the Australian Secondary Schools Sports
Federation, there has been significant growth in representative
sporting activities, greater liaison and improved relations with
community groups and systematic generation of relevant policies aimed
at the betterment of school sport.
After several years of operation, the role of the Federation
was supplemented by the establishment of the Australian Schools Sports
Council. This body represents both Primary School and Secondary School
Sports Associations throughout Australia. After considerable effort,
the Council was successful in obtaining Commonwealth Government funding
for the employment of a National Executive Director to work full-time
on the promotion of school sport.
The years 1977-1983 saw dramatic growth in school sporting
activities in Australia. Many problems were encountered some of which
were ultimately solved. Other problems continue to occupy those who
work within the organisation and their solution would appear to be the
main task for the future.
16
Gwilliam, John W., and n/a. "Christian schools and parental values : a case study in the Australian Capital Territory." University of Canberra. Education, 1986. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20060713.132927.
Full textAbstract:
In the western world the Protestant Christian
Day School Movement is now a recognised element in
education systems. It is a movement which has had
phenomenal growth over the past twenty years and
it continues to grow.
Mostly, the parents of children who attend these
schools were educated in a government school. This
thesis seeks to find the reasons why parents are
choosing Christian Schools and not government ones
as they themselves attended.
A variety of values are examined ; religious,
academic and pastoral, and as the reader will discover,
while it is not easy always to make a clear distinction
between these values, some trends are so strong that
the researcher believes that some valid conclusions
may be drawn.
A considerable amount of data was collected
by the use of two surveys done at the Trinity Christian School at Wanniassa,and one survey conducted among
parents of the O'Connor Christian School at Lyneham.
The Biblical Values Survey provides an interesting
over-view of the perceived achievement of a Christian
School while the Choosing a School Survey clearly
shows why these parents are dissatisfied with government
schools and what they expect their child will gain
from a Christian School experience.
A computer analysis was done on one block
of data which highlights the need for Christian
School administrators to be aware of the various
priority areas which do exist in the minds of the
parents of their students.
17
Welch, Ian, and n/a. "Reconstituting a tradition : core curriculum for Australian schools : a retrospect." University of Canberra. Education, 1985. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20061110.121837.
Full textAbstract:
The publication of the Curriculum Development Centre's
discussion paper 'Core Curriculum for Australian Schools' in June
1980 stimulated discussion of the concept of core curriculum in
Australia. The driving force came from the Foundation Director
of the CDC, Dr Malcolm Skilbeck. This study discusses the themes
and directions to which Skilbeck was committed through a study of
his work prior to his return to Australia in 1975 and his
subsequent writings.
The study considers Skilbeck's work against general thinking
on educational matters in Australia and overseas. The initial
discussion centres on Skilbeck's work in the United Kingdom prior
to 1975. This concludes that his views were moulded by his own
research on the American progressive educator John Dewey and that
Dewey's ideals of a democratic society moulded and sustained by a
democratic core curriculum have been dominant in all Skilbeck's
subsequent thinking. The study reviews the establishment,
working and conclusions of the CDC Core Curriculum and Values
Education Working Party.
In two subsequent chapters, the study looks at Skilbeck's
approach to cultural mapping and school-based curriculum
development as the two fundamental Planks of his approach to the
development and implementation of a core curriculum for
Australian schools. The study shows that Skilbeck's concept of
cultural mapping is helpful but does not succeed in providing an
effective basis for the articulation of national guidelines. In
consequence, the CDC did not succeed in providing a framework
sufficient to hold together the infinite range of possibilities
opened UP by school-based action.
The study considers the limited published reactions to the
CDC Paper. It notes that the termination of the CDC by the
Committee for Review of Commonwealth Functions in early 1931
prevented the fuller dissemination and debate of the topic during
19S1 and subsequently. The study notes that responses were
disaapointingly few and in many cases failed to address the
central questions raised by the CDC paper, in particular the idea
of national curriculum guidelines and their application through
school-based curriculum development. The major responses came in
the State of Victoria where local circumstances encouraged
discussion of the issues raised by the CDC.
The study concludes that the CDC discussion paper was a
valuable stimulus to discussion of curricular foundations at the
time it was released but represented a point of view that was not
fully understood or appreciated at the time. It laid the
foundation for the renaissance of the general concept as
'democratic curriculum' in 1986 and provides important
indications of the potential for the development of the
Participation and Equity Program.
18
Cavanagh, Robert F. "The culture and improvement of Western Australian senior secondary schools." Curtin University of Technology, Faculty of Education, 1997. http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=11830.
Full textAbstract:
The operation and development of Western Australian senior secondary schools is based upon traditional theories of organisational management and school administration. The study sought to explore alternative conceptions of the nature of schools and the processes by which they can be improved.Examination of research on school effectiveness revealed that student learning outcomes were consequential on the values and norms of the staff of schools. These values and norms constitute the culture of a school and govern the professional activity of teachers. School culture can be contrasted with the formal school organisation in which the work of teachers is prescribed by explicit rules and regulations. Viewing schools from a cultural rather than organisational perspective requires conceptualising the school as a learning community. A learning community is bonded together by common expectations about the roles of teachers and the learning of students. The predominant consideration is the educative mission of the school and not the requirements of the formal organisation. Organisational development is viewed as cultural transformation. The improvement of the school is facilitated by the growth of a school culture which is supportive of the professional needs of teachers and the educative needs of students.The study utilised a developmental mixed-method research approach to investigate the nature, temporal stability and improvement of the culture of local senior secondary schools.A quantitative instrument was developed to measure aspects of school culture identified in the school effectiveness literature. The School Cultural Elements Questionnaire (SCEQ) provided a measure of the level of teacher efficacy, emphasis on learning, collegiality, collaboration, shared planning and transformational leadership in local schools. The SCEQ data were supplemented by data from a ++stratified sample interview programme in two schools. Empirical findings indicated school culture was internally dynamic, in interaction with its external environment and capable of changing. Interview data provided examples of internal and external influences on the maintenance, growth and decline of school culture.The results of the empirical phases of the study were applied in the development of a model of school culture, the School Improvement Model of School Culture. The model contained six cultural constructs which are characteristic of school culture and the processes by which it can be transformed. The model was then applied in a detailed examination of practical and theoretical aspects of Western Australian systemic school improvement initiatives. The effectiveness of these initiatives was explained as a consequence of implementation strategies and their interaction with the prevailing school culture.The study is important for school level personnel, school improvement programme designers and educational researchers. In particular, the School Improvement Model of School Culture provides a significant alternative conception of the nature of schools and the processes by which they improve.
19
Turk, Naomi Esther. "Access to music education in South Australian state secondary schools /." Title page, contents and introduction only, 2001. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09AR/09art9391.pdf.
Full text
20
Cavanagh, Robert. "The culture and improvement of Western Australian senior secondary schools." Thesis, Curtin University, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/2189.
Full textAbstract:
The operation and development of Western Australian senior secondary schools is based upon traditional theories of organisational management and school administration. The study sought to explore alternative conceptions of the nature of schools and the processes by which they can be improved.Examination of research on school effectiveness revealed that student learning outcomes were consequential on the values and norms of the staff of schools. These values and norms constitute the culture of a school and govern the professional activity of teachers. School culture can be contrasted with the formal school organisation in which the work of teachers is prescribed by explicit rules and regulations. Viewing schools from a cultural rather than organisational perspective requires conceptualising the school as a learning community. A learning community is bonded together by common expectations about the roles of teachers and the learning of students. The predominant consideration is the educative mission of the school and not the requirements of the formal organisation. Organisational development is viewed as cultural transformation. The improvement of the school is facilitated by the growth of a school culture which is supportive of the professional needs of teachers and the educative needs of students.The study utilised a developmental mixed-method research approach to investigate the nature, temporal stability and improvement of the culture of local senior secondary schools.A quantitative instrument was developed to measure aspects of school culture identified in the school effectiveness literature. The School Cultural Elements Questionnaire (SCEQ) provided a measure of the level of teacher efficacy, emphasis on learning, collegiality, collaboration, shared planning and transformational leadership in local schools. The SCEQ data were supplemented by data from a stratified sample interview programme in two schools. Empirical findings indicated school culture was internally dynamic, in interaction with its external environment and capable of changing. Interview data provided examples of internal and external influences on the maintenance, growth and decline of school culture.The results of the empirical phases of the study were applied in the development of a model of school culture, the School Improvement Model of School Culture. The model contained six cultural constructs which are characteristic of school culture and the processes by which it can be transformed. The model was then applied in a detailed examination of practical and theoretical aspects of Western Australian systemic school improvement initiatives. The effectiveness of these initiatives was explained as a consequence of implementation strategies and their interaction with the prevailing school culture.The study is important for school level personnel, school improvement programme designers and educational researchers. In particular, the School Improvement Model of School Culture provides a significant alternative conception of the nature of schools and the processes by which they improve.
21
Yates, Jennifer M., and n/a. "Teachers' perceptions of the work of school counsellors in ACT government schools." University of Canberra. Education, 1995. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20061112.104819.
Full textAbstract:
This study examines teachers' perceptions of the work of School Counsellors
within government schools in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Data
were drawn from questionnaires returned by a representative sample of 279
teachers and principals, from 16 primary and 8 high schools.
The purpose of the study was to: (i) partially replicate a study by Leach
(1989) of Western Australian teachers' perceptions; and (ii) investigate
whether or not teachers could be considered to be supportive of a general
trend towards a broadening role for school psychologists which is evident in
the literature. This trend suggests that practitioners of applied psychology in
schools may prefer an expanded role which encompasses indirect service
delivery in addition to the more traditional, child centred role.
Respondents were asked to indicate their perceptions of the frequency of 65
tasks performed by School Counsellors, the competence with which those
tasks were performed and the usefulness of those tasks. Also examined were
perceptions of the process and quality of service delivery, and of actual and
preferred qualifications and experience of School Counsellors. These results
were compared with those of Leach (1989). Respondents were invited to
prioritise service delivery in light of their professional needs. A factor
analysis of respondents' perceptions of School Counsellors was undertaken.
The results were similar to Leach's (1989) findings and indicated a general
endorsement of the current work of School Counsellors, with traditional,
direct service delivery tasks generally perceived as being performed more
frequently and with more competence than the more innovative, indirect
types of service delivery. There was a strong indication that respondents
would like more of both types of service delivery, particularly indirect
services, made possible through increased resourcing.
Increases in respondents' classification level positively correlated with
increased perceptions of task frequency and competence with which tasks
were performed. A positive correlation was also found between the
frequency of professional contact that respondents perceived they had with
School Counsellors and their perceptions of the process and quality of
service delivered by these practitioners.
In relation to the process and quality of service delivery, few teachers
perceived that School Counsellors communicated clearly about the services
they offer, procedures used or results gained. This concern with
communication was reinforced through examination of the factors
underlying teachers' perceptions of both the frequency and usefulness of
tasks.
This study suggests that ACT teachers and principals are, to some extent,
already experiencing and valuing some aspects of the trend in service
delivery reflected in the literature. Discussion highlights the important role
communication plays in indirect service delivery, and links it with the
findings of this study, particularly as it relates to teachers' and
administrators' apparent lack of knowledge of the qualifications and
experience of School Counsellors.
22
Rolfe, Annie. "School design and procurement and educational goals: A qualitative case study of two Australian schools." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2019. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/130702/13/Annie%20Rolfe%20Thesis.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
Rapid population growth in Australia requires extensive new school infrastructure. This qualitative case study of two Australian government schools investigated implications for educational goals of differing school design and procurement approaches (public private partnerships (PPP) and state managed). Key findings: (i) primary challenges in providing school facilities were budgetary and time pressures in the face of ever-growing student populations; (ii) differences arose between PPP and non-PPP procurement regarding communication and management of school facilities; (iii) both school buildings appeared constrained by prescriptive design guidelines; and (iv) products of both design and procurement processes appeared to affect educational goals for intellectual, physical, social and emotional wellbeing.
23
Mellor, Graeme J., and res cand@acu edu au. "Reimagining the Catholic School: an exploration of principals’ responses to changing contexts of the contemporary catholic school." Australian Catholic University. School of Educational Leadership, 2005. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp114.25102006.
Full textAbstract:
The focus of this research project was the changing perception amongst practising Catholic school principals of the nature and purpose of the contemporary Catholic school. This examination was set within the changing social, ecclesial and educational contexts within which the Catholic school has operated in the decades following the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). The research which was conducted amongst principals in the Archdiocese of Brisbane, Australia, was focused by two research questions. These were:How do principals currently perceive the purpose of Catholic schools? How do they perceive Catholic schools changing? The review of the literature examined elements of the changing environment of the contemporary Catholic school. It also surveyed the ways in which that literature described the effects of changing social, ecclesial and educational contexts upon the sense of purpose amongst principals of Catholic schools. The demise of “inherited meanings” and the reconstruction or reimagining of a new meaning structure provided the conceptual template for the study. Since the study explores the perceptions of leaders concerning their schools in times of extensive and foundational contextual change, it involved an interpretive research design. An epistemological stance of constructionism was adopted because it acknowledges the impact which engagement with the research exerts upon participants’ construction of meaning. An interpretivist theoretical perspective served to structure the research in a manner that was congruent with the philosophical foundations of the research questions. The employment of the research orientation of symbolic interactionism was appropriate because it holds that meaning and interpretation of phenomena are to be understood by listening to the voices and perspectives of the participants within a given context. A case study approach was utilised in the execution of the research design which allowed for flexible, systematic and continuing data collection, analysis and participant feedback. Data were collected through the use of personal, open-ended questionnaire, semistructured interviews, critical review interviews, focus groups and independent review and were analysed using constant comparative method. The research led to the conclusion that in the contemporary Catholic school, a high priority is given to the offering of a holistic educational experience to students. This, in turn, is predicated upon an anthropology which adopts a more unitive rather than dualistic view of the human person. This represents a significant conceptual movement within the period under study. A greater emphasis is also placed upon the evangelising role the Catholic school, which, in turn, acknowledges the increasingly secular environment within which it operates. At the same time, there is a strong, expressed belief amongst its leaders that the contemporary Catholic school offers an experience of a redemptive community in which its members can find acceptance, inclusion and a sense of the spiritual dimension of life which transcends the status of affiliation with the institutional Church.
24
Ojoo, Annabel Raduma. "A comparative evaluation of environmental education practices in South Australian schools /." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1998. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09ENV/09envo39.pdf.
Full text
25
Kovacs, Jane. "Facilitating change in Australian schools applying a business quality improvement model /." Swinburne Research Bank, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/63104.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (DBA) - Faculty of Business and Enterprise, Swinburne University of Technology, 2009.Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Professional Doctorate of Business Administration, Faculty of Business and Enterprise, Swinburne University of Technology, 2009. Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (p. 269-284)
26
Brooks, Zoe A. "An examination of middle leadership positions in Western Australian secondary schools." Thesis, Curtin University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/367.
Full textAbstract:
This study examined the complexities inherent within secondary school middle leadership positions. These formal positions typically have line management accountability for the supervision of teaching and/or ancillary staff, through the Deputy Principal to the Principal. The study investigated the formal position requirements, as well as the professional perceptions and expectations of Western Australian, secondary school middle leaders. A mixed methods research design was used with a qualitative phase followed by a quantitative phase of data collection and analysis. The qualitative phase involved two stages of data collection and analyses. Firstly, a document analysis was conducted on the formal position descriptions of middle leadership positions in a purposive sample of ten Western Australian secondary schools. The formal position descriptions detailing the professional responsibilities of middle leaders were collected and analysed using content analysis techniques. Additionally, nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of subject, pastoral and program-based middle leaders across three Western Australian secondary schools. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with a senior leader of each school sampled. The quantitative phase involved the construction and administration of an instrument designed to measure middle leaders’ perceptions of their role. The survey data were subsequently statistically analysed using the Rasch measurement model.The results of interviews with middle and senior leaders revealed six key aspects of the middle leadership position including: the dual and dynamic nature of middle leadership; the organisational functions of middle leaders; the problems and limitations associated with middle leadership positions; the effective qualities of middle leaders and their professional needs; the support and review requirements of the position, as well as the aspirations and role satisfaction of middle leaders. The results of the quantitative survey reveal middle leaders attitudes relating to five key facets of their position, including: role clarity; role authority; role support; role value and role fulfilment. The combined results of the qualitative and quantitative phases of the study resulted in the identification of seven key areas for the growth and development of middle leadership position in secondary schools. These include: the development of clear expectations and a school-wide understanding of the position; a focus on strengthening the influence of middle leaders on whole-school development; the provision of opportunities for leadership and management development; the need for peer support initiatives; the need for consistent performance appraisal and feedback processes; a focus on collaboration between middle and senior level school leaders; and the promotion of the position within the school and educational community.The implications of this study for schools include the need for clear role definition for middle leaders and targeted professional development opportunities, with a focus on leadership development. A significant outcome of this research is the construction of an instrument which measures middle leaders’ role perceptions. The instrument could be used by schools as a means of identifying the needs of middle leaders within a specific context and could also be usefully applied to future research into middle leadership. The work of middle leaders is vital in secondary schools and this research provides insight into the many dimensions of the role.
27
Gray, Valerie Joyce. "Teaching and learning with ICT in Western Australian government primary schools." Thesis, Curtin University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/1960.
Full textAbstract:
Have you ever wondered how far educators have come in response to the political push for improvements in teaching and learning with ICT? As a society, we have a responsibility to prepare young people to make a strong contribution to our future. This is characterised by rapid technological change in global communications and interactions. Since the early 1980s, governments around the world have committed vast resources to the provision of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in schools. This means that schools have been implementing the introduction of ICT for nearly thirty years!This research examines how successful Western Australian primary schools and their teachers have been in implementing the use of ICT in teaching and learning. The research has been informed by a previous study that took place nearly ten years ago and resulted in the Pearson report (2001) and later the DET Teacher ICT skills survey (2005). The current research examined the role that leadership, teacher attitudes and professional learning played in ICT implementation. The study utilised a mixed methods approach to data gathering which included participant observations as well as auto-ethnographic methods.The key outcomes of this research indicate that teacher proficiency and skills in utilising ICT in teaching have not significantly improved over time in the sample schools used in this study. This is despite successive Western Australian governments making substantial investment into new technologies, high-speed broadband and professional learning opportunities for teachers and schools.The study concludes that for the successful integration of ICT into teaching and learning teachers and administrators must have time to develop and reflect on technology based pedagogy, as well as time and opportunities to engage in continuous, meaningful professional learning that not only considers the technical aspects but also new pedagogy and best practice to better meet the needs of their children. This can only be done if administrators and teachers change their attitudes and beliefs about how technology can enhance their teaching and learning. In addition, they must rethink the philosophical and pedagogical assumptions of education by making better use of the technologies that already exist in their schools by changing what we do in the classroom.
28
Faulkner, Matthew. "The Induction Of Beginning Teachers In Western Australian Catholic Primary Schools." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1994. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1470.
Full textAbstract:
The survey study was primarily exploratory and descriptive in nature and attempted to report on the perceptions of beginning teachers entering the Catholic primary schools in Western Australia in 1991. Their perceptions on the form of induction they received, and how their pre-service teacher education equipped them for this transition were attained. In addition, data from Catholic primary school principals, Catholic Education Office of Western Australia administrators and teacher institutions administrators were collected in relation to perceptions of the transitions from teacher training to teacher employment. The main sources of data collection were questionnaires and interviews. The data collated indicated that most principals and administrators support the conclusions expressed in the literature that most graduates are satisfactorily prepared for the teaching role. However, this is only the start of an ongoing process of pre-service, induction and professional development. Few of the beginning teachers in the population were given any concessions in their initial months of teaching and few received an effective, ongoing induction plan to ease them into their teaching careers. The literature on induction is prescribed to support the importance of developing school based comprehensive induction plans for the beginning teachers who enter the workforce each year. Finally, based on the results of the survey study and literature, a framework of a model for induction was prescribed to assist in the development of a comprehensive, system based induction policy for Western Australian Catholic primary school.
29
Xu, Jia. "Implementation of workplace learning in the accountancy schools of Australian universities." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2015. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/84346/1/Jia_Xu_Thesis.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
This exploratory study seeks to further our understanding of Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) programs in the Accountancy schools of Australian universities. It emphasises the significance of the role of the university in monitoring and administrating these programs. The study uses a qualitative method with mainly open-ended questions via an online questionnaire. The responses from senior accounting academic decision-makers identified the major forms of WIL used and the most challenging issues. WIL is perceived to be an important program that should be included in degree courses, and strong efforts should be made to overcome the challenges involved in conducting such a program.
30
Watt, Margaret Wendy. "Maintaining the difference: The disadvantaged schools program and its implementation in a Western Australian high school." Thesis, Watt, Margaret Wendy (1989) Maintaining the difference: The disadvantaged schools program and its implementation in a Western Australian high school. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 1989. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/51390/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis is about the Disadvantaged Schools Program of the Australian Government's Schools Commission. It operates on two levels: the general rationale and objectives of the Program, and a case study of its implementation in a Western Australian High School.
The Program was set up primarily as an attempt to improve the schooling, and hence the life chances, of disadvantaged children. The research was undertaken on the assumption that the most obvious connection between schooling and life chances in Australian society concerns the gaining of educational credentials needed for access to jobs and further education. Therefore improving the life chances of disadvantaged children through schooling must amount primarily to helping them gain those credentials. The central question addressed in this research is whether the D.S.P. as implemented in that school achieved this goal.
The central conclusion is that the Program activities over the period did not lead to improved scholastic attainment, and, further, that they were not designed to do so. Two related explanations are offered for this. The first is a lack of clear direction in the guidelines provided by the Schools Commission. The second concerns the freedom given to the staff, under the Commission's implementation policy, to determine the direction of the school's goals. The staff were found to have used this freedom to modify the school's curriculum in ways that tended to reduce students' opportunities to gain educational credentials. This was related to generally held beliefs about the students' limited capacity to gain those credentials.
The researcher had a participant status as a member of the school's staff and a resident of its neighbourhood. The approach to gathering and analysing data varied according to the nature of the material. National D.S.P. policy was examined through an analysis of Schools Commission documents. Data about the case study school was obtained in a variety of ways: examination of documentary records held in and out of the school, and observation and interviewing within the school.
The significance of this study goes beyond the apparent failure of the Commission's reform initiative to improve the life chances of the students in that school at that time. The conclusions point to the obstacles in the way of any attempt through schooling to improve the position of the least privileged groups in the class structured Australian society. The obstacles highlighted are those which arise from the class-based ideology of teachers, who must be responsible for the implementation of any such liberal educational reform.
31
English, Rebecca M. "Internationalising Australian secondary education." Thesis, Griffith University, 2012. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/61416/1/Internationalising_Australian_Secondary_Education.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis presents the findings of a case study of international students who enrol in Australian secondary schools. Specifically, it focuses on the ways that staff in three schools and two international colleges position Eastern Asian international students through discourses of cultural difference. It draws together the Discourse Historical Approach to Critical Discourse Analysis with the work of Basil Bernstein and Pierre Bourdieu. The study finds that groups of students are positioned positively or negatively depending on their relationship to the dominant discourses of the Australian school. Australian students, while rarely mentioned, were positioned positively. By contrast, the Eastern Asian international students were positioned negatively in relation to the privileged discourses of Australian schooling. These discourses reflected the cultural capital that was valued in the schools. In particular, the cultural capital of active and willing engagement in competitive sports and being rough, rugged and an ‘ocker’ were privileged at the schools. International students from Papua New Guinea, and a few Eastern Asian students who behaved as ockers, were positioned positively because they realised cultural capital that was valued at the schools. By contrast, the students who were unable to be positioned through these discourses, because they did not realise cultural capital that was valued, were not viewed favourably. As a result, the data showed that there was a hierarchy of positions at the schools that were constructed in staff accounts. The analysis of data suggests that only some students are positioned favourably in Australian schools. The students who were already able to construct privileged Australian school discourses were positioned positively. The data suggest that the majority of the Eastern Asian students were represented through negative discourses because they did not realise cultural capital that was valued at the schools. Findings of this study may assist schools to identify international students who may experience their Australian school education negatively. The findings may also contribute to assisting staff to better engage with international students.
32
Wilks, Patricia A., and n/a. "Teacher morale in A.C.T. primary schools." University of Canberra. Education, 1993. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20061110.132233.
Full textAbstract:
This study investigates morale as perceived by primary
school teachers. A survey was administered to level 1
teachers in A.C.T. government schools. Of the 280
surveys distributed 165 returns were able to be
processed, a 59% response rate.
Teacher morale has an effect on the quality of teaching
and hence student outcomes and is currently an
important aspect of the education debate. Teacher
stress, a product of low morale, has been of concern to
teacher unions and to education departments across
Australia.
Morale, for the purpose of this study, is defined as
a confident and forward looking state of mind relevant
to a shared and vital purpose.
The survey used in this study was a modified version of
Smith's Staff Morale Questionnaire. This instrument
identifies three factors of morale : "Cohesive Pride",
"Leadership Synergy", "Personal Challenge". Responses
relating to these factors were analysed with respect
to age, gender, years of experience, school in which
the teacher is employed and type of teaching duties.
Results indicated that school attended has an influence
on the level of "leadership synergy" and gender has an
influence on the level of "personal challenge".
This research may have implications for school
leadership and professional development programs and
policy.
33
McKay, Erin. "Sexuality Education in Western Australian Schools 2013-2014: Results of the First Western Australian Survey of Educators of Sexuality Education." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/15947.
Full textAbstract:
1 ABSTRACT 1.1 Aim The First Western Australian Survey of Educators of Sexuality Education 2013-2014 (WA Survey) aimed to assess the current state of sexuality education (SE) in the state of Western Australia (WA). 1.2 Significance The 2010, 1st National Survey of Secondary Teachers of Sexuality Education (NS) by La Trobe University, only had 16 respondents from Western Australia (WA). The National Survey (NS) outlined a number of recommendations for further research, which the WA survey aimed to address. This was achieved by gaining a more representative sample size than the NS through the design and execution of the survey. This difference involved providing the opportunity for all K-10 educators to participate. 1.3 Methods An online survey questionnaire was developed and distributed to all schools in WA. This included government, Catholic and independent schools and external agencies. The survey was open to all educators within the schools and obtained 1000 valid respondents. 1.4 Results Secondary school teachers are providing more hours of sexuality education instruction than the national average. However, they are mainly teaching about ‘abstinence from intercourse until married’, ‘effects of alcohol/drug use on decision-making’, ‘puberty’, and ‘sex and ethics (respectful relationships)’. The least taught subjects included ‘Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)’, ‘birth control’, ‘impact of media on sexual identity’, and ‘sexual orientation’. The WA Syllabus does not cover these topics. The updated 2015 version of the GDHR website also does not offer any learning activities on pregnancy prevention. This is of concern considering WA has proportionally high rates of STI in youth aged 15 to 19 (Department of Health, 2015), and teen pregnancies (Hilder L, 2014) when compared nationally. 1.5 Implication of findings The results of the WA Survey and key findings of this thesis are significant as they provide a snapshot of SE in WA. These results form a baseline measure ahead of the role out of the Australian Curriculum (AC) and new WA Syllabus which mandates SE from 2017. This baseline can be used to inform future policy and provision of training and support for educators to provide evidence based, comprehensive SE.
34
Moyle, Kathryn, and Kathryn Moyle@canberra edu au. "Digital technologies in Australian public schools : a narrative study of government policies." Swinburne University of Technology, 2002. http://adt.lib.swin.edu.au./public/adt-VSWT20060721.132427.
Full textAbstract:
Policies advocating the use of digital technologies in government schools
are promoted by all public school education systems in Australia. This is
reflected in the release of political media statements, policies, plans,
budgets, digital networking rollouts, curriculum developments, and
professional development activities. Resources are being directed towards
such initiatives from within school education budgets and from
departmental and 'whole of government' initiatives, at state, territory and
federal levels. While there is considerable activity being supported by
governments, outside of these activities academic publications specifically
about these school level initiatives are limited.
This research sets out to answer the question: 'what does public schooling
mean in Australia in the 21st century given its past tradition of free,
compulsory and secular schooling, and given the present policies that are
urging the ubiquitous use of digital technologies?' The purpose of this
research is to interpret, understand and explain the policies of the public
schooling systems in Australia advocating the use of digital technologies. In
doing so, this thesis aims to contribute to the development of a stock of
Australian research specifically in the schooling sector, about the use of
digital technologies in schools. Further, this thesis aims to stimulate and add
to the conversations concerning these policies. It is argued that the use of
digital technologies in schooling has the capacity to redefine what has
previously been understood by 'public schooling'.
This thesis is the outcome of an interpretative social inquiry where narrative
theory and hegemony have provided its theoretical bases. This thesis has not
set out to merge these theories nor has it attempted to reconcile the internal
differences within them, but rather, to draw from them, and to use
approaches that are pertinent to this study. While such an approach may be
contentious and bring some inherent difficulties, the intention of the research has been to draw upon the abstract understandings afforded by
these theories and apply them to concrete, particular, yet newly emerging
educational activities. This is to provide interpretative and explanatory
perspectives to the advocated use of digital technologies in Australian
schools and systems, and, in Chapter Six, to forward a proposition for future
action.
There are several different ways in which this thesis could have been
approached and finally could have been structured. Likewise, there are
many avenues that require research but have been left without investigation
due to limitations of size, space and time. This is not to negate their
importance, but rather it is to recognise the limits of this project and to
highlight the necessity for more research to be undertaken.
Throughout the thesis distance education has been considered in conjunction
with the policies directly impinging upon 'face to face' schooling. It is
argued that with the advocated use of digital technologies as an inherent part
of public schooling, there is emerging, a convergence in these two styles of
schooling. Further it is argued that experiences from school level distance
education practitioners have the potential to offer some insights that may be
useful for those in 'face to face' schools using digital technologies. It is
intended then, that the implications from this research will have the capacity
to influence how we view centrally developed school education policies,
curriculum leadership and management as well as what is intended to
happen in the classroom.
The thesis has been arranged into three parts. The first three chapters
comprise Part One. Chapter One identifies the research space for the thesis.
This is achieved by describing the fields of research from which this thesis
draws, and introduces the theoretical bases used in the research space
identified for this thesis. Chapter Two provides the theoretical bases for the
thesis in more detail. In doing so, positivist approaches to the research are
rejected. Chapter Three describes the research methods used to interpret,understand and explain the public schooling sectors' digital technologies
policies. Together, these three chapters provide an outline of the nature of
the research undertaking, and the theories and methods used.
Part Two also has three chapters. These are structured around the temporal
concept important to narrative theory; that of the past, the present and the
future. Chapter Four looks to the past and provides an account of the history
and three traditions, it is argued, impinge upon this research project. In
particular, this chapter discusses what was intended by the phrase 'public
education' in Australia during the 19th and 20th centuries. This chapter
establishes the context for the interpretations of the policies that follow.
Chapter Five seeks to understand and explain the policy narratives of the
present, defined as the research period between 1997 and 2001. This period
of time is thought of as sitting temporally between the past history and
traditions outlined in Chapter Four and the possible scenarios for the future,
proposed in Chapter Six.
Part Three brings the thesis to its conclusion by reflecting on the central
question identified for this thesis: 'what does public schooling mean in
Australia in the 21st century, given its past tradition of free, compulsory and
secular schooling, and given the present policies that are urging the
ubiquitous use of digital technologies?'
35
Kindler, Michael, of Western Sydney Nepean University, and Faculty of Education. "Human literacy: liberal neglect in A Statement on English for Australian Schools." THESIS_FE_XXX_Kindler_M.xml, 1996. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/272.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis critiques A Statement on English for Australian Schools (1994) for what it does, and what it does not, say in respect of literature education. It argues the need to reconceptualise the way literature education is thought to benefit adolescent readers. The initial discussion identifies the issues which are raised in that document. This yields the need to redefine literature education as Human Literacy. It does so on the basis of a theoretical exploration of reader and text. Human Literacy is able to define reader response to show certain orientations which have either been left out, misunderstood or inadequately portrayed in A Statement. This thesis places Human Literacy within real world educational aims of homo economicus as well as homo sapiens sapiens. Such a context recognises liberal and utilitarian value positions, and is able to balance these in a manner which A Statement does not. In placing Human Literacy within educational philosophies of competing models of practice, literature education becomes nested within a more comprehensive understanding of education. Human Literacy provides a way by which educational value of literature is maximised. However, this projects a paradigm shift for A Statement, by identifying a liberal neglect through flawed assumptions, omissions, and contradictions. The presence of these in A Statement inhibit literature from working to best advantage. Human Literacy provides a more comprehensive way by which current theory is accommodated within an English curriculumDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)
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Trethewey, Lynne. "A history of age grading in South Australian primary schools, 1875-1990 /." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1997. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09PH/09pht817.pdf.
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Canbolat, Muhsin. "The educational vision of Fethullah Gülen: Its implementation in two Australian schools." Thesis, Australian Catholic University, 2017. https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/download/9d717e0bc17ed5163b1e8c812fee0db0b7c9182050e38dae1a5b521ff6b13c7d/6442315/Canbolat_2017_The_educational_vision_of_Fethullah_G%C3%BClen.pdf.
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The research reported in this thesis explored the Fethullah Gülen’s educational vision and its interpretation in two Australian Gülen–inspired schools. The educational and social services he started with his close friends in the late 1960s grew rapidly and has become known as the Hizmet Movement. Although the Movement is involved in many different activities, intercultural dialogue and educational services are its main pursuits. Gülen’s educational vision and inspiration have resulted in the establishment of educational institutions, such as childcare, schools, tutoring centres, and universities, all around the world. The research in this thesis focussed on identifying the specific educational characteristics of two Australian schools founded on Gülen’s philosophy. The researcher examined a range of primary and secondary literature sources to analyse Fethullah Gülen’s educational vision to provide a background. Gülen’s educational vision emphasises integrity of the heart and intellect––academic and values education, and aims to raise virtuous individuals through holistic education, transforming knowledge into character development and role modelling. His educational vision reconciles science and religion, and approaches education as the best way to serve humanity. To explore the specific educational characteristics in schools, a case study approach was adopted with data being obtained from interviews, participant observation and school documents to identify the characteristics of the two schools in different Australian cities founded on Gülen’s philosophy and to determine how Gülen’s inspiration was transformed into practices at the schools. The major findings were that the schools were values–based and academically oriented. They adopted a balanced education that encompassed academic excellence and delivered values education to raise what Gülen terms the Golden Generation, an ideal generation that is well–educated in the sciences, and who possess deep ethical and moral grounding. The schools emphasised pastoral care services to further support students’ academic, moral and social development. Both schools were established and supported by the community, and addressed community values in the school environment. This thesis is significant as it is the first study that examines two Australian Gülen–inspired schools and their alignment with Gülen’s philosophy. It concludes with the potential contribution of Gülen’s educational philosophy and Gülen–inspired schools to the wider educational field, recommendations to two schools from findings and suggestions for further studies.
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Kindler, Michael. "Human literacy: liberal neglect in A Statement on English for Australian Schools." Thesis, View thesis, 1996. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/272.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis critiques A Statement on English for Australian Schools (1994) for what it does, and what it does not, say in respect of literature education. It argues the need to reconceptualise the way literature education is thought to benefit adolescent readers. The initial discussion identifies the issues which are raised in that document. This yields the need to redefine literature education as Human Literacy. It does so on the basis of a theoretical exploration of reader and text. Human Literacy is able to define reader response to show certain orientations which have either been left out, misunderstood or inadequately portrayed in A Statement. This thesis places Human Literacy within real world educational aims of homo economicus as well as homo sapiens sapiens. Such a context recognises liberal and utilitarian value positions, and is able to balance these in a manner which A Statement does not. In placing Human Literacy within educational philosophies of competing models of practice, literature education becomes nested within a more comprehensive understanding of education. Human Literacy provides a way by which educational value of literature is maximised. However, this projects a paradigm shift for A Statement, by identifying a liberal neglect through flawed assumptions, omissions, and contradictions. The presence of these in A Statement inhibit literature from working to best advantage. Human Literacy provides a more comprehensive way by which current theory is accommodated within an English curriculum
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Kindler, Michael. "Human literacy : liberal neglect in A Statement on English for Australian Schools /." View thesis, 1996. http://library.uws.edu.au/adt-NUWS/public/adt-NUWS20030902.170901/index.html.
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Bambach, Matthew. "Maximising Board governance effectiveness in small and medium-sized Australian independent schools." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2020. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2310.
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My experience of working with boards of independent schools has led me to conclude that boards often struggle to know how they might make their governance more effective. Very little has been written and few empirical studies have investigated governance of independent school boards in Australia, despite the considerable responsibility and power entrusted to them. This study asks how well such boards are governing and what they could do to engender fully effective governance.
Currently, there are no standards or instruments for assessing the effectiveness of board governance. This study identified seven governance effectiveness factors (GEFs) from the literature on governance in schools and other non-profit organisations. These factors were used as assessment instruments in seven case studies of school boards in small to medium-sized independent schools. The research was predominantly qualitative and involved four research methods: a survey, semi-structured interviews, a review of board documents and observation of board meetings.
The data were explored by assessing the GEFs within each case and across cases. The findings showed that five boards demonstrated poor governance effectiveness, one was very poor and only one was effective. Three unexpected themes emerged from the data, showing how boards can move towards governance by delegating operational management of the school to the principal. These involve boards understanding, first, the nature of governance and developing the intention to govern effectively, second, when and how to make the difficult transition from operational management to governance, and third, how to adapt their approach to governance as they gain experience with it. A model of this transition process and a framework to guide managers and researchers through key decisions were developed. These fill a critical gap in the literature on board management in independent school governance.
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Schiavon, Sara <1994>. "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages Education in Australia. The importance and limits of teaching Australian Indigenous languages in schools." Master's Degree Thesis, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10579/18689.
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Questa tesi tratta l’importanza e i limiti dell’educazione delle lingue Aborigene e dello Stretto di Torres nelle scuole in Australia. Le lingue Indigene in Australia hanno una storia difficile, fatta di privazioni che ne misero in pericolo la sopravvivenza. Negli scorsi decenni le lingue Aborigene sono state messe in risalto, in modo da salvarle dalla loro estinzione. Diversi programmi incoraggiano il loro insegnamento nelle scuole, tuttavia non c’è ancora una politica che lo regoli a livello nazionale. La prima parte della tesi si focalizza sulla condizione delle lingue Aborigene in Australia e sulla loro storia recente, così come sulle politiche e tattiche pedagogiche efficaci. Nella seconda parte, la ricerca si focalizza su due interviste con due insegnanti coinvolti nell’insegnamento delle lingue Aborigene, L’obiettivo è di portare alla luce l’importanza dell’introduzione delle lingue Indigene a scuola, e i limiti che le esperienze denotano. Le interviste sono state analizzate e confrontate in modo da evidenziare i diversi aspetti delle due esperienze. Entrambi gli intervistati valutano positivamente gli effetti che l’introduzione delle lingue Aborigene nelle scuole ha sugli studenti e le comunità. Tuttavia gli ostacoli non mancano e riguardano maggiormente la motivazione, la mancanza di politiche adeguate e la formazione degli insegnanti. Inoltre, entrambi concordano sulla necessità di una maggiore regolazione dell’insegnamento delle lingue Aborigene nelle scuole, cominciando dalle politiche, che faciliterebbero gli insegnanti e le comunità a creare programmi linguistici più efficaci.
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Cannon, Helen Mary, and res cand@acu edu au. "Redesigning the Principalship in Catholic Schools." Australian Catholic University. School of Educational Leadership, 2005. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp76.09042006.
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The purpose of this research was to determine how the role of the principal in the Catholic school could be redesigned so that more quality applicants are prepared to seek principalship and principals already in the role could be retained. The catalyst for this study derived from the shortage of suitable applicants for the position of principal, a problem that exists not only in Australia, but also in many Western countries. An exploratory mixed method design was chosen for the study with the data gathering divided into two phases. The first phase was the qualitative phase during which the data were gathered using focus group interviews and analysed using QSR N6. The second phase was the quantitative phase, where the data were collected using a survey constructed from the data gathered and analysed in the first phase. This research project asked the question, how can the principalship be redesigned to attract more quality applicants to the role and retain incumbents already in the role? The research revealed that, to answer the question a fundamental rethinking of the principalship is necessary and that such momentous change requires nothing less than a paradigm shift. The new paradigm would be based on sharing leadership rather than on an hierarchical approach. It would have structures that are flexible and customised to the local needs of the school and school community. Learning would be central and a work/life balance would be essential, for all principals. The new paradigm would also offer enough flexibility to encourage women to both take up, and remain in, principalship. The findings from this research led to the development of nine propositions, which, it is suggested, should inform and influence the new paradigm of principalship. Together with the recommendations, they provide a scaffold and a guide to action for redesigning the principalship.
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Reynolds, Mary E. "The contribution of knowledge management to learning an exploration of its practice and potential in Australian and New Zealand schools /." Pretoria : [s.n.], 2005. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-07022005-062930/.
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Bartsch, Malcolm Ian, and res cand@acu edu au. "The Dialogue of Theology and Education: Clarifying the role of Lutheran confessional theology for Australian Lutheran school education." Australian Catholic University. School of Religious Education, 1998. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp200.02072009.
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Aim: This study aims to clarify the role of Lutheran confessional theology in informing and shaping policy and practice for Australian Lutheran school education. In doing this, it also seeks to provide another step in the on-going process of developing for Australian Lutheran schools a comprehensive theoretical framework that reflects insights from both Lutheran confessional theology and educational theory and research. Scope: The thesis begins with the presupposition that education is a value-laden process and that schools need shared beliefs and values to function effectively. In the current scenario of change in society in general and in education in particular, such a common vision is difficult to maintain. However, Australian Lutheran schools begin with theology as the starting point for their value base. This means that they can share a common vision drawn from God's revelation in Scripture. However, this theology needs to be expressed in such a way that it can be brought into dialogue with educational theory and research in order to develop insights relevant for determining the nature and purpose of Australian Lutheran schools. Since Lutheran theology sees itself as 'confessional' in nature, and since the Lutheran Church defines itself in relation to its confessional writings, the Book of Concord (1580) is taken as the theological basis for this thesis. While the Book of Concord could be seen as containing documents from a different era, nevertheless it is still the accepted theological basis of Lutheranism and any attempt to provide a theoretical framework for Australian Lutheran schools would need to be consistent with its theology. Before examining the theology of the Book of Concord, the study briefly traces the development of Lutheran schools in Australia and the aims and purposes for which they were established. The role of theology in motivating the establishment of those schools is also considered. The rapid expansion of Australian Lutheran schools during the past three decades is then investigated for the purpose of identifying current issues faced by these schools which need to be addressed through insights from Lutheran confessional theology. The study then turns to the Book of Concord in order to summarise major emphases of Lutheran confessional theology. This is done to identify critical Lutheran theological perspectives which need to be brought into dialogue with the educational challenges faced by Australian Lutheran schools in the current context of rapid social, cultural and educational changes. The central teaching of the Book of Concord, the doctrine of justification by grace through faith on account of Christ, is examined first. This is followed by theology of the cross, law and gospel, the perspective of the 'two kingdoms' and the individual as saint and sinner. Throughout this process, the dialectic nature of Lutheran confessional theology is emphasised. In bringing these major teachings of the Book of Concord into dialogue with the educational issues identified earlier in the thesis, a number of implications are developed for Australian Lutheran school education. In particular, the Australian Lutheran school is considered as a 'confessional community' and examined from the perspective of the 'two kingdoms'. Other educational issues are explored, including Lutheran anthropology of the individual, the place of the Bible in Lutheran schools, the role of the law in Lutheran schools and the implications of 'theology of the cross' for life in the church and the world. Conclusions: In attempting to clarify the role of Lutheran confessional theology for Australian Lutheran school education this study deduces that theology and education exist in a process of 'dialectic dialogue' with each other, 'listening to each other' but also retaining certain levels of dialectic tension as each side responds to the other. However, this study also emphasises the dialectic nature of Lutheran confessional theology which must be preserved in order to avoid the danger that only one side of the theological tension will be considered in the dialogue with education. Thus this study concludes that if Lutheran confessional theology is to play its vital role in developing a comprehensive theoretical framework for Australian Lutheran school education, then a 'double dialectic' needs to be maintained - the dialectic tension within Lutheran confessional theology in dialectic dialogue with educational theory and practice. In this way balance can be maintained in developing insights into the nature and purpose of Australian Lutheran school education based on Lutheran confessional theology.
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Albinger, Kenneth Charles, and n/a. "Using Values: a Qualitative Analysis of Ethical Dilemmas Encountered by Australian Lutheran Secondary School Principals." Griffith University. School of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, 2005. http://www4.gu.edu.au:8080/adt-root/public/adt-QGU20060815.170949.
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Recent studies of effective leadership for schools suggest relationships between the work of principals and beliefs, values and theoretical knowledge. However, it is not clear how these relationships work. In schools of the Lutheran Church of Australia the situation is complicated by expectations that principals will be operating with a Lutheran Christian world view. The precise nature of the role of world view in determining professional action has not been fully researched. This study made use of analysis techniques grounded in symbolic interactionism to examine the construction of meaning and rationale for professional actions by Lutheran secondary school principals. It sought to understand the impact of value on meaning and decision in ethically challenging situations. The central question of this research was: What values influence the reflection of Australian Lutheran secondary school principals as they address ethical dilemmas in their woik? Drawing on the accounts given by three Australian Lutheran secondary pnncipals to provide data for analysis, and making use of membership category analysis techniques, the study found that three statements could be made: 1. There is evidence in the accounts to suggest that the way principals perceive dilemmas is the result of a filtering process where some facts ate not fully considered prior to action. 2. There is evidence in the accounts to suggest that the filtering process is more strongly influenced by sub-rational and trans-rational values than by rational values. 3. There is evidence in the accounts that each piincipal has a world view that is partially shaped by values implicit in the Christian tradition. These findings are tentative because of the limited scope of the research. They have implications for the theoretical literature, suggesting that mote attention needs to be given to the impact of trans-rational and sub-rational values as filters of perception in difficult decisions. 'The findings suggest that any study of the reflection of school principals in ethically challenging situations should take into account the power of non-rational values to be a lens that distorts what is considered in the reflective process'. They also have implications for further research by those interested in Lutheran schools and those interested in the importance of values in shaping perception. Finally they have implications for those who prepare piincipals for Lutheran schools, suggesting the need for a clearer articulation of a philosophy for Lutheran schooling and for the development of the habit of critical reflection in Lutheran principals.
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Albinger, Kenneth Charles. "Using Values: a Qualitative Analysis of Ethical Dilemmas Encountered by Australian Lutheran Secondary School Principals." Thesis, Griffith University, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366863.
Full textAbstract:
Recent studies of effective leadership for schools suggest relationships between the work of principals and beliefs, values and theoretical knowledge. However, it is not clear how these relationships work. In schools of the Lutheran Church of Australia the situation is complicated by expectations that principals will be operating with a Lutheran Christian world view. The precise nature of the role of world view in determining professional action has not been fully researched. This study made use of analysis techniques grounded in symbolic interactionism to examine the construction of meaning and rationale for professional actions by Lutheran secondary school principals. It sought to understand the impact of value on meaning and decision in ethically challenging situations. The central question of this research was: What values influence the reflection of Australian Lutheran secondary school principals as they address ethical dilemmas in their work? Drawing on the accounts given by three Australian Lutheran secondary principals to provide data for analysis, and making use of membership category analysis techniques, the study found that three statements could be made: 1. There is evidence in the accounts to suggest that the way principals perceive dilemmas is the result of a filtering process where some facts ate not fully considered prior to action. 2. There is evidence in the accounts to suggest that the filtering process is more strongly influenced by sub-rational and trans-rational values than by rational values. 3. There is evidence in the accounts that each piincipal has a world view that is partially shaped by values implicit in the Christian tradition. These findings are tentative because of the limited scope of the research. They have implications for the theoretical literature, suggesting that mote attention needs to be given to the impact of trans-rational and sub-rational values as filters of perception in difficult decisions. 'The findings suggest that any study of the reflection of school principals in ethically challenging situations should take into account the power of non-rational values to be a lens that distorts what is considered in the reflective process'. They also have implications for further research by those interested in Lutheran schools and those interested in the importance of values in shaping perception. Finally they have implications for those who prepare piincipals for Lutheran schools, suggesting the need for a clearer articulation of a philosophy for Lutheran schooling and for the development of the habit of critical reflection in Lutheran principals.Thesis (Professional Doctorate)
Doctor of Education (EdD)
School of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
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KLAASSEN, Anne, and anne klaassen@det wa edu au. "A LEARNING COMMUNITY APPROACH TO SCHOOLING : TWO AUSTRALIAN CASE STUDIES." Edith Cowan University. Education And Arts: School Of Education, 2006. http://adt.ecu.edu.au/adt-public/adt-ECU2006.0045.html.
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This research project investigates the implementation of a learning community approach in two rural Australian communities with a particular focus on the initiatives of a primary school in each community. Case study research describes and analyses the developments in each community and a cross case analysis examines similarities and differences in approach and outcomes.
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Zaidi, Atiya H. Education Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences UNSW. "Leadership behaviours of heads of schools and departments in Australian and Pakistani universities." Awarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Education, 2005. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/23315.
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This study examines transformational and transactional leadership behaviours of heads of schools/departments, and the individual level cultural dimensions idiocentrism-allocentrism, as perceived by academic staff in Australian and Pakistani universities. The principal research aim was to investigate the relationships between academics??? attributions concerning leadership behaviours of heads of schools/departments and cultural norms in a collectivistic and an individualistic culture. Samples of academic staff were randomly selected from Australian and Pakistani universities. The Australian sample consisted of 117 academics, and the Pakistani sample comprised 120 academics. Analysis was carried out using exploratory factor analysis, multiple regression analysis, and discriminant analysis. Within the context of the research, the results suggested that Australian and Pakistani university academics had similar attribution patterns for entities related to transformational, transactional, and passive leadership behaviours, and the cultural dimension allocentrism. The results also suggested that the academics of both samples did not differentiate between various transformational leadership behaviours, and perceived the transactional leadership behaviour contingent reward as part of the transformational leadership behaviour proactive leadership. Further, the academics of both samples perceived the transactional leadership behaviour passive management-by-exception and laissez-faire leadership as a single dimension, passive leadership. Analyses identified some critical relationships between perceived leadership behaviours of heads of schools/departments and idiocentrism-allocentrism variables for the two samples. The transformational leadership behaviour participative leadership was positively related to allocentrism and self-reliance for the Australian sample. The transactional leadership behaviour active management-by-exception was positively related to positive-competitiveness and negatively related to negative-competitiveness for the Pakistani sample. Passive leadership was negatively related to leadership outcomes for the Pakistani sample. Moreover, active management-by-exception and positive-competitiveness discriminated between the two samples. Leadership of schools/departments in universities has been found to be a multifaceted phenomenon. The research suggests that academics??? perceptions of leadership behaviours, cultural norms, and context have important implications for school/department leadership in universities.
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Rowe, Karina Janece. "A framework for environmental education in South Australian secondary schools : the missing ingredient." Title page, contents and abstract only, 2000. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09ENV/09envr878.pdf.
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Bibliography: leaves 84-86. Shows how environmental education could be incorporated within the current South Australian secondary school structures and critically evaluates current programs. Investigates a different frame work (International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program), as a means for overcoming some of the limitations for environmental education presented by the current DETE framework; and, student perceptions of what makes a successful environmental education program.
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Connelly, Jennifer Frances. "Narratives from the field of difference : white women teachers in Australian indigenous schools /." [St. Lucia, Qld.], 2002. http://www.library.uq.edu.au/pdfserve.php?image=thesisabs/absthe16853.pdf.
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