Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Primary education in Australia'
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1
Gillan, Kevin P. "Technologies of power : discipline of Aboriginal students in primary school." University of Western Australia. Graduate School of Education, 2008. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2008.0183.
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This study explored how the discursive practices of government education systemic discipline policy shape the behaviour of Aboriginal primary school students in an urban education district in Western Australia. First, this study conducted a Foucauldian genealogical discourse analysis of the historical and contemporary discursive forces that shaped systemic discipline policy in Western Australian government schools between 1983 and 1998 to uncover changing discursive practices within the institution. This period represented a most turbulent era of systemic discipline policy development within the institution. The analysis of the historical and contemporary discursive forces that shaped policy during this period revealed nine major and consistent discursive practices. Secondly, the study conducted a Foucauldian genealogical discourse analysis into the perspectives of key interest groups of students, parents and Education Department employees in an urban Aboriginal community on discipline policy in Education Department primary schools during the period from 2000 to 2001; and the influence of these policies on the behaviour of Aboriginal students in primary schools. The analysis was accomplished using Foucault's method of genealogy through a tactical use of subjugated knowledges. A cross section of the Aboriginal community was interviewed to examine issues of consultation, suspension and exclusion, institutional organisation and discourse. The study revealed that there are minimal consistent conceptual underpinnings to the development of Education Department discipline policy between 1983 and 1998. What is clear through the nine discursive practices that emerged during the first part of the study is a strengthened recentralising pattern of regulation, in response to the influence of a neo-liberal doctrine that commodifies students in a network of accountability mechanisms driven by the market-state economy. Evidence from both genealogical analyses in this study confirms that the increasing psychologisation of the classroom is contributing towards the pathologisation of Aboriginal student behaviour. It is apparent from the findings in this study that Aboriginal students regularly display Aboriginality-as-resistance type behaviours in response to school discipline regimes. The daily tension for these students at school is the maintenance of their Aboriginality in the face of school policy that disregards many of their regular cultural and behavioural practices, or regimes of truth, that are socially acceptable at home and in their community but threaten the 'good order' of the institution when brought to school. This study found that teachers and principals are ensnared in a web of governmentality with their ability to manoeuvre within the constraints of systemic discipline policy extremely limited. The consequence of this web of governmentality is that those doing the governing in the school are simultaneously the prisoner and the gaoler, and in effect the principle of their own subjection. Also revealed were the obscure and dividing discursive practices of discipline regimes that contribute to the epistemic violence enacted upon Noongar students in primary schools through technologies of power.
2
Longobardi, Paul. "Religious education: Outcomes-based integration across the primary curriculum." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2002. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/735.
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This study shows that the integrity of curriculum in Catholic Schools can be demonstrated through an integrated curriculum, with Religious Education (R.E.) as the primary focus, centre point and generator of learning experiences across all subjects or Key Learning Areas (K.L.As). The contemporary, Catholic nature of curriculum is able to be developed via an outcomes-based approach that integrates R.E. with other Key Learning Areas. The "Integrated Religious Education Outcomes Approach" represents a personal belief of the author, developed as a classroom teacher in five Catholic schools and a member of three schools' Executive. The response to this belief is the motivation behind this study. The theoretical response includes an examination of integration and the function and purpose of outcomes- based education. There is relevance and potential for Religious Education curriculum outcomes to be linked to other Key Learning Areas Consequently, the role of Catholic schools in developing courses of work within a Catholic setting, and the religious dimension of the broad curriculum and of each K.L.A., are explored. Findings show that there is validity to the development of an approach that integrates R.E. outcomes when programming courses of work. This practical response IS demonstrated in a uniquely Catholic unit of work that focuses on one of the R.E. themes recurring across the Primary school. The integrated unit used in this study sets out the outcome and content links across and between all K.L.A.s. Findings show that it is a document from which teachers are able to facilitate the teaching and learning process, whilst maintaining course requirements of the N.S.W. Board of Studies' K.L.A. Syllabuses and the Wollongong Diocesan R.E. Curriculum Guidelines. Findings also show that teachers are supported in developing the practice of integration, an increased awareness of the function of outcomes, and the significance of R.E. in the formal curriculum. The study shows that teachers are willing to embrace trends and methodology that assist planning, organise and present learning in new ways and promotes R.E. within the context of the broader curriculum.
3
Barblett, Lennie. "What counts as accountability? : Towards an accountability framework for the pre-primary." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2000. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1383.
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Accountability in the pre-primary year has become a focus for attention as schools develop corporate school plans. Pre-primary teachers can no longer work in isolation and are required to implement the school development plan in order to account for their portion of the school's work. This study aimed to find out how pre-primary teachers accounted for their educational programs and what factors influenced their accountability notions and practices. The study conducted in Western Australia used an ecological theoretical framework. Data was collected using multi-modal techniques and analysed using an interpretive-constructivist approach. Three case studies, a questionnaire and focus groups of pre-primary teachers were the main methods used for data collection. The study revealed that implementation of the school development plan by pre-primary teachers was not uniform. Along a continuum of pre-primary teacher accountability, three main patterns of variation were revealed in a typology of the accountability landscape. At one end of the continuum was the group of teachers who felt threatened by the school development plan and so did not engage with the plan. In the middle were a group of teachers who were isolated from the school and uncertain about engaging with the plan. At the other end of the continuum were the pre-primary teachers who were fully engaged with the school development plan. The accountability framework designed in this study may assist pre-primary teachers by supporting them to interact with the accountability processes in the primary school setting.
4
Odgaard, Judith Clare. "Western Australian Graduate Diploma of Education (Primary) Students' Perceptions of Sustainability." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2014. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1442.
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In late 2011, the researcher investigated a cohort of Western Australian (WA) Graduate Diploma of Education Primary (GDE-P) students’ perceptions of Sustainability across a broad range of biophysical/natural, social and cultural, economic and political spheres. The study occurred during the seventh year of UNESCO’s Decade of Education for Sustainability Development, and when Sustainability Education became one of three cross-curriculum priorities of the new Australian Curriculum. Importantly, the students’ perceptions were interpreted during the context of the Post Global Financial Crisis and after Julia Gillard replaced Kevin Rudd as the Labor Prime Minister. The intense political context was often supported by controversial media debates covering a range of themes linked to Sustainability: Climate Change, the introduction of a carbon tax, global economics, population and the refugee crisis associated with the Christmas Island detention policy.
The researcher sought to use an explanatory mixed methods approach for the investigation. However, measuring GDE-P students’ perceptions of Sustainability through a quantitative instrument proved to be unreliable and the researcher focused on interpretivist-constructivist qualitative methods. Subsequently, rich feedback from 18 students was obtained using semi-structured interviews that linked to both UNESCO’s definition of Sustainability and associate themes within the Australian political debate. The research findings underscore the multitude of factors that frame perceptions of the term Sustainability and the subjectivity that even well educated people encounter when dealing with this global priority. In addition, the research emphasises the need for its inclusion in pre-service teacher training, supported by ongoing professional learning for both pre-service and established primary teachers. It is vital teachers are aware of the complex themes within Sustainability as a key multimodal literacy and cross-curriculum priority in the emerging Australian Curriculum.
5
Leitao, Natalie C. "Teacher-student relationships in primary schools in Perth." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2008. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/196.
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This study investigated teacher-student relationships at Perth metropolitan schools in Western Australia. From the literature, three key social and emotional aspects that affect teacher-student relationships, namely, Connectedness, Availability and Communication, were identified as important to good, positive teacher-student relationships. Data were collected in four parts: (1) through a teacher questionnaire; (2) through a student questionnaire; (3) through teacher interviews; and (4) through student interviews. The three relationship aspects formed the structure of a teacher questionnaire in which ten stem-items were conceptualised from easy to hard - four stem-items for Connectedness, three for Availability, and three for Communication - and answered in three perspectives: (1) an idealistic attitude, this is what I would like to happen; (2) a self-perceived Capability, this is what I am capable of, and (3) Actual Behaviour, this is what actually happens, using three ordered response categories: not at all or some of the time (score 1), most of the time (score 2), and almost always (score 3). The same three aspects formed the structure of a student questionnaire in which ten stem-items were conceptualised from easy to hard and answered in two perspectives: (1)a realistic view, this is what does happen; and (2) an idealistic view, this is what I wish would happen. Questionnaire data were collected from 43 primary teachers concerning 139 teacher-student relationships and 139 primary school students. Interview data were collected from 25 primary teachers and 139 students gave either, or both, a brief written comment and some verbal answers to relationship questions.
6
Nishida, Yukiyo. "The challenge of multiage primary education in public education : case studies in Australia, Canada and the USA." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.439812.
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Wigman, Albertus. "Childhood and compulsory education in South Australia : a cultural-political analysis." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1989. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09PH/09phw659.pdf.
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Wright, Trudy, and n/a. "Primary health care : the health care system and nurse education in Australia, 1985-1990." University of Canberra. Education, 1994. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20061110.171759.
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Primary health care as a model for the provision of health services was
introduced by the World Health Organization In the mid 1970s. Initially
viewed as a means of health promotion and advancement of wellness in
developing countries., it was soon to be adopted by industrialised countries to
assist in relieving the demand on acute care services. This was to be achieved
through education of the community towards good health practices and the
preparation of nurses to practice in the community, outside of the acute care
environment Australian nurses were slow to respond to this philosophy of
health care and this study has sought to examine why this is so. It has been
found that there are a multitude of reasons for the lack of action In the decade
or more following the Declaration of Alma Ata and the major Issues have been
identified and elaborated.
Some of the major reports of the time that were associated with and had some
Influence on health care and nurse education have been examined to identify
recommendations and how much they support the ethos of primary health
care. These include the Sax committee report of 1978 and a submission by
the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations In 1987.
As part of the investigation, nursing curricula from around Australia in the
mid 1980s have been examined to determine the degree of the primary health
care content according to guidelines recommended by the World Health
Organization. It was found that generally at that time, there was a deficit In
the preparation of undergraduate students of nursing for practice In the area
of primary health care when the world, including industrialised nations, was
making moves towards this model of health care delivery.
Factors Influencing the slow response of nursing have been examined and
finally recommendations for further studies have been put forward.
9
McDavitt, Karen. "School social work: Supporting children’s primary education in the South West of Western Australia." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2017. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1979.
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In many countries, social workers play a role in the education of children. In Australia, this is evident in the state of Victoria which has a long history of school social work. However, it is not the case in Western Australia where there are very few government-funded social work roles in public schools. With the barriers to education rising for increasing numbers of students, the social work profession could be one component in a multi-disciplinary whole that supports students and the broader community so that each child has the best chance of reaching their full potential.
This thesis poses the question: Is there a role for social workers in regional primary schools in the South West of Western Australia in relation to identifying and addressing external barriers to education? The term external barriers to education is used in this thesis to denote barriers which, unlike disability or illness, are external to the child. The Australian Association of Social Workers’ Practice Standards for School Social Workers provide a list of the range of issues that may impact on a student’s ability to engage with education, identifying areas where a social worker is well placed to provide support and direction. For the purpose of this study, the focus is on those matters external to the child, such as (but not limited to) family changes, drug and/or alcohol misuse within the home environment, poverty, violence, abuse and neglect, transiency or instability of housing.
To answer the research question, this study first reviews literature pertaining to education, social work and government policy and then explores the experiences of five Edith Cowan University social work students who undertook a field placement in one of three host regional government primary school in the South West of Western Australia. The study also explores the perspectives of five staff from the three host schools and the external field educator who supervised all five students. Data was collected by way of interviews and focus groups with the participants, with the data then being subject to thematic analysis.
The rich data derived from this study depicts the work undertaken by the social work students, the possibilities for the profession of social work and the implications this research may have in relation to identifying and addressing external barriers to children’s learning and education. The findings are distinct and unambiguous, identifying a major gap in the support that is offered to students and their families. This thesis suggests that the gap identified by this study may result in children having reduced possibilities to learn and, as a result, they may be denied life opportunities; a matter which it is argued could impinge upon children’s human right to education.
10
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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Candy, Judith. "Early education : experiences and perceptions of minority group parents and young children." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2004. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/783.
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In Australia there has been little research into the experiences and perceptions of education of parents from different minority groups whose young children attend school in this country. This study investigated the experiences that overseas born parents from non-English speaking backgrounds have of their own and their children's education in countries outside Australia, experiences of their children's early education in Australia, as well as those of their young children between 6 and 9 years of age attending school in this country. Despite marked differences in educational policies and practices operating in the participants' countries of origin, almost all parents in this study had experiences of education in childhood which were unlikely to be conducive to the building of warm and friendly future relationships with teachers and schools. Feelings of fear and hostility due to the extremely formal role methods, repressive discipline, and harsh corporal punishment administered by authoritarian and often cruel teachers, particularly in early primary years, were consistently described as pervasive elements in the education of most of the parents participating. In contrast, many aspects• of education in Australia were regarded as superior, however unsatisfactory communication, lack of awareness and interest demonstrated by schools and teachers meant that many of these parents also had negative experiences of education in this country. Dissatisfaction with their children's progress resulting in feelings of powerlessness due to the perceived lack of information, concerns about insufficient academic rigour, motivation and discipline were a source' of anxiety for many participants. Discussions with the young children of participants revealed their preferences for non academic activities outside the classroom, and those involving creativity •and/or• motor skills. Children's dislikes related mainly to relationships with their peer group, with difficulties in making /retaining friendships, bullying and racism as issues of concern. Relationships with teachers seemed to be both positive and negative, however little help with problems concerning the peer group seemed forthcoming, and minimal evidence of positive affirmation of the cultural and linguistic differences of these children was noted. Recommendations and implications include the need for teachers and schools to develop more cultural awareness in order to understand the differing perspectives of linguistically and culturally diverse families, and appreciate the role that parents’ prior experiences of education play in the formation of attitudes towards their children’s education. The importance of improving relationships, building authentic collaborative partnerships between teachers and minority group parents, and providing more information about school goals and programmes with opportunities to discuss these freely, is stressed. The use of overseas born parents’ expertise and home experiences both as resources to facilitate optimum outcomes for their children, and a means of increasing respect, understanding and trust between linguistically and culturally diverse families and the “mainstream” school population, is also strongly recommended.
12
Strikwerda-Brown, J. G. "Student and teacher perceptions of a season of sport education in a regional primary school." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1999. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1234.
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An interpretive case study approach was employed to examine student and teacher perceptions of the implementation of a sport education in physical education program (SEPEP) in a Western Australian regional primary school. Choi’s (1992) curriculum dimensions were used as a framework. Three year seven teachers implemented SEPEP using a team teaching approach. The focus teacher, Ms Jenson, a highly regarded classroom teacher, described herself as non-sporty and lacking confidence and expertise in PE teaching. Students in her SEPEP volleyball class were considered less popular and less athletic when compared with those in the other two SEPEP classes. A focus volleyball team comprising five girls and a boy of varying sporting interests and abilities were targeted to determine student perceptions of the program. Both the students and the teachers were positive in their overall thoughts and feelings about SEPEP. Greater enjoyment of PE classes, improved range and level of learning outcomes and liking of the student-centred structure of the program were reported.
13
Hor, Su-yin Education Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences UNSW. "Exploring gifted primary students' perceptions of the characteristics of their effective teachers." Awarded by:University of New South Wales. Education, 2006. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/24307.
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This study sought to explore the question of what personal and professional characteristics may be particularly relevant to effective teachers of the gifted, by investigating the characteristics of effective teachers identified in both the general teacher effectiveness literature and the gifted education literature, through the perceptions of gifted primary students about teachers they regarded as effective. A questionnaire was created for this study, comprised of items which represented characteristics identified from the literature review and determined to be relevant to students' experiences. This questionnaire was distributed to the sample of intellectually gifted primary students (n = 168), and their responses were examined for differences between moderately gifted (n = 74) and highly gifted primary students (n = 94), as well as female (n = 84) and male (n = 81) gifted primary students. This study also recorded gifted primary students' opinions regarding what they believe were the characteristics that made their nominated teachers so effective, through the use of an open-ended question in the questionnaire. This study found that the characteristics of effective teachers identified in both the general teacher effectiveness and the gifted education literatures were supported by gifted primary students' perceptions of their nominated teachers. This study also found differences between moderately gifted and highly gifted primary students, as well as gender differences on a number of characteristics. These differences support the need to examine, more carefully, teacher behaviour and strategies in the classroom for differences in how they may influence the learning of students of different levels of ability and gender. A qualitative analysis of gifted primary students' answers to the open-ended question also revealed in-depth information about how teachers' characteristics are related to each other, and how students perceive them to be effective, as well as suggesting characteristics that were not identified in the previous review of the literature.
14
Fontaine, Samuel G. "An evaluation of the orientation program for newly appointed Catholic primary principals." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2001. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1054.
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The structure and operation of Catholic schools in Western Australia have been in a process of change since the early 1970’s. Prior to 1971, most Catholic primary schools were administered by religious orders and much of the religious character of the school reflected the charisma of the particular religious order that operated the school. In the Year 2000 most Catholic primary schools former part of a state-wide system in which the Catholic Education Office (CEO) plays a major administrative and co-ordinating role.
15
Errington, Rowena. "Teachers' reading theories and preferred practices with varied pupil abilities." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1994. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1089.
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The purpose of this study was to examine issues related to teachers' theoretical orientations to reading and teachers' preferred strategies for good, poor and very poor readers. A questionnaire was completed by 140 primary teachers in 10 schools. Teachers were asked to rate 6 bottom-up strategies and top-down strategies according to how helpful they were for good, poor and very poor readers. They were also asked to order 6 components of the reading process so that their theoretical orientations to reading could be determined. In addition, teacher provided information about the demographic variables, grade taught, experience, and additional training. Eight teachers also completed follow-up interview about the use of reading strategies in their classrooms. Questionnaire results in relation to teachers' theoretical orientation to reading revealed that 75 could be classified as Bottom-up teachers, 51 could be classified as Interactive teachers, and 14 could be classified as Top-down teachers. There were significant differences between teachers, in that Top-down and lnteractive teachers preferred top-down strategies more than Bottom-up teachers. However, only Interactive teachers were completely consistent in their theoretical orientations to reading and preferred strategies as all groups tended to prefer combined top-down and bottom-up strategies. There was no significant relationship between teachers' theoretical orientations to reading and the demographic variables, grade taught, experience, and additional training. Questionnaire results in relation to teachers' preferred strategies for good, poor and very poor readers showed that they preferred the top-down strategies of shared book, reading to pupils, and language experience for all readers, and significantly preferred top-down strategies more for good readers than for poor readers. Again there was a tendency to prefer a combination of top-down and bottom-up strategies There was no significant relationship between either grade taught by teachers or teachers' experience and the strategies they preferred for good readers. However, teachers with 1 to 15 years experience were more inclined than teachers with 21 or more years experience to prefer top-down strategies for poor and very poor readers. Similarly, when the variable "additional training was examined, teachers in the 'reading course’ group were more inclined than teachers in the ‘no reading’ group to prefer top-down strategies for all readers. Interviews supported most of these findings and gave further insight into the reasons for teachers' strategy choices. In addition, they suggested some differences between the strategies teachers said they preferred and the strategies teachers said they used. Sometimes influences within the school resulted in teachers being unable to implement their preferred strategies. Results of the present study are discussed in relation to the literature on which the study was based, and implications for education practice and future research are outlined.
16
Lester, Leanne J. "Bullying and the transition from primary to secondary school." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2012. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/546.
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Peer relationships within the school environment are one of the most important determinants of social and mental wellbeing for adolescents and as such, schools have become increasingly aware of the prevalence, seriousness and negative impacts of bullying behaviour. The transition from primary to secondary school provides both challenges and opportunities as many adolescents undergo transition while experiencing environmental, physiological, cognitive and social changes as part of the adolescent development process. This is also a period during a student’s school life when their risk of being bullied is higher than at other times.
The aim of this study was to use longitudinal data to examine bullying experiences and their temporal association with other problem behaviours, social and mental health during the transition period from primary to secondary school. The findings from this research will facilitate the development of empirically grounded recommendations for effective school policy and practice to help reduce the bullying experiences and enhance the social and mental health of adolescents who are transitioning from primary school to high school.
Longitudinal data collected during the Supportive Schools Project (SSP) were used to address the aim of the study. The SSP project recruited 21 Catholic education secondary schools in Perth, Western Australia, and tracked 3,459 students from the last year of primary school (Year 7) to the end of the second year of secondary school (Year 9). The SSP aimed to enhance the capacity of secondary schools to implement a whole-of-school bullying reduction intervention. Students completed a self-administered questionnaire on four occasions that allowed for a longitudinal assessment of their knowledge, attitudes, and bullying experiences during the transition from primary to secondary school.
This research comprised four stages. The predictive relationship of bullying perpetration and victimisation and the future level of involvement in other problem behaviours were explored in Stage 1 of this research. Stages 2 and 3 investigated the direction and strength of the relationships between social and mental health factors (e.g., loneliness at school, connectedness to school, peer support, safety at school, depression and anxiety) and bullying victimisation during early adolescence, and determined the most critical time to focus school-based social health and bullying intervention programs. Stage 4 investigated the social health predictors and mental health outcomes of chronic victimisation over the primary to secondary school transition period.
Six research questions were tested as part of this research and are reported in a series of five peer-reviewed publications. The first research question, (Does the level of bullying involvement predict level of engagement in problem behaviours?) was addressed in Stage 1. Results from Stage 1 found high correlations between cyberbullying and traditional forms of bullying, and found levels of traditional victimisation and perpetration at the beginning of secondary school (Year 8) predicted levels of engagement in problem behaviours at the end of Year 9. Cyberbullying was not found to represent an independent risk factor over and above levels of traditional victimisation and perpetration for higher levels of engagement in problem behaviours. Stage 1 results highlighted the importance of reducing the frequency of bullying prior to and during transition to lessen the likelihood of future involvement in bullying and other problem behaviours. Knowledge of the temporal relationships between social and mental health and bullying experiences over the transition period may allow for early intervention to address bullying, which in turn, may lessen the likelihood of involvement in other problem behaviours. These results from Stage 1 led to Stages 2 and 3.
Stage 2 addressed the relationship between social health and bullying experiences, answering Research Questions 2 and 3 (What is the temporal association between peer support, pro-victim attitudes, school connectedness and negative outcome expectancies of bullying behaviour and perpetration-victimisation over the transition period from primary to secondary school?; What is the temporal association between social variables such as connectedness to school, peer support, loneliness at school, safety at school and victimisation during and following the transition period from primary to secondary school?). Stage 3 involved examining the temporal relationship between mental health and victimisation addressing Research Question 4 (What is the temporal association between mental health and bullying victimisation over the transition period?). The significant reciprocal associations found in the cross-lag models between bullying and social and mental health indicate social and mental health factors may be both determinants and consequences of bullying behaviours (Stages 2 and 3). Based on the magnitude of the coefficients, the strongest associations in the direction from victimisation to the social health variables occurred from the beginning to the end of Year 8, suggesting these relationships may already be well established for some students by the time they complete primary school. Reducing students’ victimisation in Year 8 may, therefore, protect students from poorer social and mental health outcomes during the first and subsequent years of secondary school.
Understanding the social health predictors and mental health outcomes of those chronically victimised over the transition period led to Stage 4 of this research. Stage 4 answered Research Questions 5 and 6 (How do social variables such as connectedness to school, peer support, loneliness at school, and safety at school predict class membership in bullying victimisation trajectories over the transition period?; Can class membership in bullying victimisation trajectories predict mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety?). Using developmental trajectories of victimisation during and following the transition from primary to secondary school, adolescents were assigned to non-victim, low, increasing and stable victimisation groups. Adolescents with poorer social health were more likely to be in the increasing and stable victimised groups than in the not bullied group. Students in the low increasing victimised group had poorer mental health outcomes than those in the stable and not bullied groups. Unexpectedly, the impact of victimization onset at the start of secondary school had a greater impact on mental health than prolonged victimisation beginning at an alternative developmental stage. The results of Stage 4 reiterate the importance of intervening to reduce bullying prior to and during the transition period.
There are limitations which may affect the validity and generalisability of these research findings. Threats to the internal validity of this study include data collection methods, selfreport data, measurement limitations, and attrition. The causal links and trajectory groups were studied over a relatively short, but critical, social time period consisting of immense social growth and development of social skills and relationships. For some students, the associations studied may have been well established prior to their involvement in the study.
These findings collectively suggest that by secondary school bullying behaviours and outcomes for students are fairly well established. Prior to transition and the beginning of secondary school appears to be a critical time to provide targeted social health and bullying intervention programs. The results of this study have important implications for the timing of school-based interventions aimed at reducing victimisation and the harms caused by long-term exposure.
17
Liando, Nihta V. F. "Foreign language learning in primary schools with special reference to Indonesia, Thailand and Australia /." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1999. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09ARM/09arml693.pdf.
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Gillan, Kevin P. "Teaching principals : Educational restructuring and transformational leadership." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1997. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/879.
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The restructuring of. the Education Department of Western Australia (EDWA) since 1987 has seen the devolution and decentralisation of administrative responsibilities from the central education authority to schools. The onset of an era of educational restructuring has significantly changed the work of primary school principals. They have become responsible for the transformation of schools from a bureaucratic form of organisation to ones that are characterised by school based decision-making and management. The new form of organisation is intended to sustain a process of continuous school improvement. As well as managing change there has also been an expectation for principals to provide educational leadership. School decision-making and management appears to have intensified the work of the principal. The schools of EDWA offer a special opportunity to study the way in which principals who have increased responsibility for managing change and establishing school based decision making and management have responded to the challenge of leadership. In the research literature theories of transformational leadership have been viewed by several researchers and perhaps education authorities as a desirable form of leadership. According to this view transformational leadership may enhance school based decision-making and management during a period of educational restructuring. This study considers the case of the teaching principal in EDWA primary schools. The focus of the research is to establish the extent to which principals who are successful in managing school improvement during a period of educational restructuring are using transformational leadership practices. Leithwood's (1994) synthesis of transformational leadership practices is used to conceptualise the way.in which principals attempt to do their work. The qualitative study used a sample of three teaching principals who were reported as being successful in managing change. The study focussed on whether teaching principals had been able to make use of opportunities to demonstrate any or all of the dimensions of transformational leadership. This research comprised a pilot study followed by the main study. The participants in both studies were selected using a purposive sampling technique to maximise variation. The pilot study involved three teaching principals from country and city schools. Three teaching principals and two teachers from each of their schools in both city and country areas participated in the main study. In each study data were collected using a semi - structured interview schedule. Principals and teachers in the main study were asked the same questions as a means of obtaining data triangulation. The findings of the study suggested that educational restructuring had compressed the amount of time in which teaching principals had to complete their educationalleadership1 administrative and teaching work. This resulted from an intensification of the principals' work. The findings indicated that many of the practices in Leithwood's (1994) synthesis of transformational leadership are being used and are relevant to the leadership of teaching principals during an era of restructuring. However, the study found some limitations of the model as it applied to the Western Australian context. These appeared in the dimension of developing a widely shared vision. It was found that in the Western Australian context the operationalisation of developing a widely shared vision in a school was obstructed due to a centralised. focus on objectives and outcomes.
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Shand, Coral Jean, University of Western Sydney, of Arts Education and Social Sciences College, and School of Education and Early Childhood Studies. "Primary school teachers integrate electronic storybook software into their teaching/learning practices through addressing issues of pedagogy, organisation and management." THESIS_CAESS_EEC_Shand_C.xml, 2002. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/577.
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The combination of literature and technology provides a powerful scenario for learning and it is made a reality through the use of electronic storybook software. This study concentrates on the everyday decisions made by teachers concerning why, how and in what way learning occurs in their classroom. Three case studies show how primary teachers engaged in action research to introduce electronic storybooks into their classrooms, monitoring changes in pedagogy, organisation and management. It is confirmed that teachers can integrate electronic storybooks into their classroom practices to create enjoyable and productive learning experiences. A range of pedagogical approaches was used and the introduction of electronic storybooks had a positive effect on student motivation, enthusiasm and achievement of learning goals, and resulted in changes in the physical composition of the classroom and the way learning was structured. The teachers received confirmation of their own ability to integrate technology into teaching and learning. The results of this study have direct implications for teaching practices and reinforce the need for teachers to develop confidence and competence as technology usersMaster of Education (Hons)
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Lunay, Ralph G. "A study of feelings of alienation among relief teachers servicing Western Australian government metropolitan primary schools." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2005. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/659.
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It is perhaps fair to say that the relief (substitute) teacher should be viewed as an extremely important educational resource, Reviewed literature spanning the better part of twenty years indicates that in parts of Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, many students spend as much as one full year (or more) of their K-12 education having curriculum delivered to them by these individuals. Unfortunately, the literature also indicates that many relief teachers are still viewed by many as less than "real" teachers in terms of perceived competence, skill and capability. In addition to this, the existence of a number of pervasive, enduring systemic problems have been identified as being present in the educational systems of the abovementioned regions, which have been seen to impact negatively on the relief teacher, making the difficult job they do, even more arduous. There is reason to hypothesise that as a result of exposure to these problems, relief teachers could be expected to suffer from feelings of alienation and further "disconnection" from tenured (or contracted) colleagues, and that this may further marginalise them from the rest of the greater educational community. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether feelings of alienation were present in relief teachers servicing Western Australian government metropolitan primary schools, and if so, what they identified as contributing to those feelings. Additionally the research attempted to ascertain what (if any) support strategies for relief teachers were actually offered by the schools that had been serviced by the subject population. The research itself was qualitative in nature, using semi-structured interviews as the main data gathering tool, with twenty "currently serving" relief teachers being interviewed. The current study established strong positive links between feelings of alienation in the subject population and exposure to a number of major systemic problems, which currently exist within the educational "system" of this state. The present research also identified a number of support strategies offered by some schools, which indicates some cognisance of the problems faced by relief teachers during the course of their work. " As a result of the research findings, several recommendations for further action emerged. Implementation of these should, logically, go some considerable way toward reducing feelings of alienation and disconnection among relief teachers, and more importantly augmenting their effectiveness as an arguably increasingly important educational resource.
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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.
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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.
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Power, Bianca Mary. "Portraits of Quality Arts Education in Australian Primary School Classrooms." Thesis, Griffith University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366233.
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The status of arts education in primary schools is, according to the extant literature and popular commentary, infrequent and substandard. A small number of studies reflect on what actually occurs when arts education is taught in primary school classrooms. This thesis presents thick, rich, descriptive portraits of the nature of quality arts education occurring in Australian primary school classrooms. Two case sites were involved in this study – one primary school in Victoria, one in Queensland.
Working within the interpretivist paradigm, portraiture methodology was employed, supported by a case-study approach. Crystallization was used as a methodological referent to ensure the validity and reliability of data collection and representation. The nine domains of Bamford and Glinkowski’s (2010) Effect and Impact Tracking Matrix (EITM) acted as a scaffold to inform instrument development, data collection, and subsequent data organisation of completed portraits of quality arts education in Australian primary school classrooms.
Arts education was found to be happening in the primary school classrooms involved in this study, within generalist as well as specialist classrooms. It was asserted that the nature of quality arts education needs to be defined broadly. Such a broad definition is presented.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Education and Professional Studies
Arts, Education and Law
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Mildenhall, Paula. "An exploratory case study using an expert learning process designed to promote number sense in a year 6 classroom." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2005. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/663.
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Miskolci, Jozef. "Inclusive Education and Distributed Leadership: A Qualitative Research Study of Primary Schools in New South Wales (Australia) and Slovakia." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/11679.
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This thesis explores how research participants perceive and understand the concepts of inclusive education, distributed leadership and their relationship in practice in two public primary schools: one in New South Wales (Australia) and one in Slovakia. These two schools were identified by external informants as good practice examples of inclusive education. To explore participants’ understanding of these concepts, their relationship and how they manifest in practice in the two schools, the study used qualitative research methods based on interviews and group discussions collected through ethnographic procedures. The thesis scrutinises the research problem of whether practising distributed leadership in any way hinders, assists or is irrelevant to practices of inclusive education in the two schools through two theoretical paradigms: organisational and socio-political. When looking through the prism of the organisational paradigm, the thesis exposes two main understandings of inclusive education, distributed leadership and their relationship, which offer two different answers to the research problem of this thesis. In the first understanding, practising distributed leadership principally neither assists nor hinders achieving goals of inclusive education. The concept of inclusive education is narrowly seen as a set of goals that target students exclusively, and not adult school stakeholders, while distributed leadership is only seen as a set of processes with no specific goal. In the second understanding, distributed leadership is constructed as an indispensable component of inclusive education. This understanding broadens the target group of inclusive education from exclusively students to all school stakeholders, and extends distributed leadership beyond its narrow frame of only including processes to also encompass democratic goals and inclusive values as well. The thesis exposes that both perspectives are held in the researched schools, which may influence how inclusive education and distributed leadership are practised across the sites. In contrast, when looking through the prism of the socio-political paradigm, the thesis reveals that research participants presented a limited understanding of inclusion, while positioning the main problem either in individual children or schools as organisations. This thesis discusses particular wider social and political conditions or contexts of the two researched primary schools which may significantly constrain and shape their practices of inclusion and distributed leadership and also how these practices relate to each other.
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Hollands, Jill C. "The changing nature of the Catholic school community." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2009. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/162.
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The role of the Catholic school, as outlined by Catholic leaders within dioceses around Australia and supported by Vatican documents, is to assist in the Church's role of proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ. Catholic schools aim to promote Gospel values within the daily life of their community. Integral to this expectation is the teaching of the traditions, doctrine, and practices of the Catholic faith, supported by the presence of Catholic educators. The shifting nature of Catholic schools has meant that in recent times, some members of the school community are not familiar with beliefs and practices of the Catholic faith. This growing world-wide trend indicates a changing community expectation of the role of the Catholic school, where dements of Catholic culture are at odds with the contemporary culture to which children are exposed in their daily lives. This portfolio examines the impact of the changing nature of the Catholic school community on the Catholic nature of Catholic schools. This impact is considered from both global and local perspectives. The Structure of the portfolio includes a document analysis of key literature related to this change, supported by a small, illustrative case study of four rural schools in Western Australia. Early chapters examine the structures of governance existing within both contexts and determine the extent to which these structures enable the Catholic school to fulfil the Church's mission. The portfolio outlines challenges faced by Catholic school communities in promoting the Church's Gospel value message through a Catholic values-based curriculum. The small investigation undertaken as part of the portfolio draws on both quantitative and qualitative data to determine the role played by the Catholic elements of schools in strengthening the promotion of the Gospel value message within the life of the school community. Conclusions are drawn to assist Catholic schools work toward strengthening the development of an authentic Catholic culture within the life of the school, and the implementation of a Catholic, values-based curriculum. These recommendations provide guidance for Catholic schools in developing a shared understanding of the Church's Gospel value message promoted within the life of the school community.
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Fellowes, Janet. "Boys and writing: Attentiveness levels and the impact of single gender classes and teaching methods." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2005. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/660.
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The study is concerned with boys' literacy learning. It seeks to gauge whether the change to a single-gender class brings about any improvement in the boys' attentiveness levels during writing lessons and also to ascertain whether attentiveness is influenced by other factors associated with the learning tasks, and with the teacher's pedagogical and management practices.
This study involves the scrutiny of writing lessons in three classes in Western Australian metropolitan primary school - a Year 5 co-educational class, a Year 6 allboy's class ( comprising boys from the Year 5 class) in the hands of one teacher and the same class in the hands of another.
Attention levels are measured at various times during writing lessons in the three classes and the approaches taken by the three teachers in the delivery of writing lessons are closely monitored.
The performance of a particular boy in these classes is also studied in the hope that a useful comparison might be made between his results and those of the classes generally.
The study concludes that higher levels of attentiveness will not necessarily flow from the introduction of an all-boys' class and that teaching methods are of greater importance in this regard.
However, the study does indicate that all-boys' classes are potentially advantageous in creating an environment where boys feel more assured and contented and that a possible consequence of this is a willingness on the part of boys to participate more fully in lessons. The study also highlights that any potential for greater attentiveness of boys during writing lessons is unlikely to be realized if the teacher maintains a negative view about boys' capacity to learn and achieve. Finally the study observes there is great individual difference in attentiveness of individual boys, even when there is an overall pattern of higher or lower attentiveness.
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Kirkpatrick, Denise. "The transition from primary to secondary school: Self-regulated learning and achievement motivation." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1995. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/467.
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This research investigated changes in students' academic performance during the transition from primary to secondary school. Students' perceptions of their experience during the transition were investigated in an attempt to to provide an explanation for any changes that occured in academic performance.
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Brown, Diana J. "The role of visual art works in the theory and practice of education with reference to the perceptions of Western Australian primary visual arts specialist teachers." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1997. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/895.
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The study examines the role of visual art works in primary education. This involves three levels of investigation. Level 1 examines the role of these art works in the main philosophies of visual arts education; Level 2 examines the role of visual art works in the Western Australia Art and Crqft K-7 Syllabus; and Level 3 examines visual arts primary specialist teachers' perceptions of the role of visual art works in their teaching programmes. The purpose is to establish the relationships between these three levels of analysis so as to contribute towards an explanation of the disparity between the high commitment towards the use of art works at the level of curriculum framework, and the apparently minimal use of visual art works in classroom art teaching. The first level of analysis deals with the role assigned to the use of visual art [unreadable] four major philosophical theories of art education, namely: hand-eye training, child-centred art education, discipline-based art education (DBAE), and contextualist art education. The second level of analysis examines the influences of this theoretical debate on the structure of the Western Australian Art and Crafts Syllabus K-7, and also examines attempts to implement policy regarding the use of visual art works in schools. This is based on an examination of the relevant curricula documents, and interviews with four art educators involved in curriculum development The third level of analysis is based on interviews with visual arts primary specialist teachers. These interviews sought to discover their understanding of the role of visual art works in primary art education and in their own teaching.
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Knight, Raymond. "The interplay of formal and informal rule systems in government primary schools." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1996. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/951.
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The aim of this dissertation is to examine the effects of regulation upon the practice and behaviour of teachers within a bureaucratic educational organisation. More specifically, the study had been designed to understand how teachers make sense of the rules and regulations of their organisation and identify strategies that they apply to make these rules serve these interests. The rule system theory of Swedish sociologist, Burns and Flam, was employed to inform the study. Thirty teachers, employed at two school sites, were included in this qualitative study. The initial data were collected by questionnaires and a survey of formal rules. From this initial population a stratified sample of fourteen people was selected for interview. Eight subjects were interviewed a second time. The data collected by these means was coded according to its correspondence to the research questions raised for the study. The most significant finding arising from this study was that teachers' knowledge and level of consciousness of the rules and regulations were minimal. Information that they did have was gained through immersion in their workplace and contained a great deal of informal or cultural lore, based upon approximations of the actual regulations The teachers tended to rely on the principal of the school for information about what was permissible and what was not, including role reference direction. All of the teachers interviewed reported that they had an obligation to work within the rules and regulations, even though, as indicated above, they were not aware of the specifics of the formal rule system. A second significant finding related to the responses of the school administrators. Unlike the teachers, their knowledge of the rules was comprehensive but they reported that they often ‘interpreted' the regulation seeking the 'spirit rather than the 'letter' of the rule. They all reported that they believed the rules to be out-dated and, in many cases, irrelevant. Some of the administrators interviewed reported negative attitudes towards the regulations, bordering on contempt in one case the principals reported that they disregarded many of the rules when they felt impeded by them. The only exceptions were rules that carried negative sanctions for non-compliance. Therefore, much of the school level regulation was based on approximations of the official rules and regulations developed by the principal, who assured compliance amongst their staff. It is clear from this study that descriptions of schools as rule governed institutions are oversimplifications of how the formal and informal rule systems, as suggested by Burns and Flam, serve to steer bureaucratic organisations. Senior administrators use the formal rules to establish and bolster their power and authority; at the same time they use considerable discretion in applying or ignoring official rules in order to accomplish what they determine is in the interests of the school.
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Moore, Felicity Fay. "The role of good quality student-teacher relationships when working with students with challenging behaviours in mainstream primary schools in Western Australia." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2021. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2430.
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Good quality student-teacher relationships (STR) have been associated with positive behavioural, social/emotional, and academic outcomes for students, and poor quality STR have been associated with negative outcomes. The aim of this research was to explore the role of good quality student-teacher relationships in working with students with challenging behaviours in mainstream primary schools in Western Australia and determine which factors may enhance or constrain these relationships. A constructivist, qualitative approach was utilised to frame semi-structured interviews with twelve classroom teachers in mainstream primary schools. Thematic analysis commenced during data collection to inform subsequent interviews and indicate saturation of information. Findings suggest that while teachers recognise and value the role of good quality STR, broader school and system factors may have a stronger and sometimes conflicting influence on classroom practice. These results provide insight into the ways in which STR can effectively support students, and inform future directions for research, policy and practice regarding the promotion, development, and support of good quality STR in schools.
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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.
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Scarparolo, Gemma E. "Character cars : How computer technology enhances learning in terms of arts ideas and arts skills and proceses in a year 7 male visual arts education program." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2005. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/662.
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'The possibilities that the technology can offer are seemingly endless and remain to be fully explored in [visual] art education." (Callow. 2001. p,43) The aim of this research is to investigate whether the integration of Visual Arts Technology Tools (TECH-TOOLS) into Traditional Visual Arts Programs (TRAD-['ROG) enhance the students' learning in terms of Arts Ideas (AI) and Arts Skills and Processes (ASP) and whether it is a cost effective option for Western Australian primary schools. To determine whether it is worth the inclusion of TECH-TOOLS in terms of enhancing learning. this research will statistically state whether the combination of TECH-TOOLS and Traditional Visual Arts Media (TRAD-MEDIA) enhance the expressive outcomes of Year Seven boys' artwork. The comparative case study method has been chosen as the most suitable method to enable the Researcher to establish the impact that combining TECH-TOOLS with TRAD-MEDIA have upon Year Seven boys' artwork. The Control group only used TRAD-MEDIA and the Experimental group used both TRAD-MEDIA and TECH-TOOLS to create a piece of artwork based on the chosen theme, Character Cars. There were 23 students in the Control group and 24 students in the Experimental group, however not all students attempted or completed the task for reasons which will be explained in Chapter Four. Each group was involved in three sequenced activities based on the chosen theme, with the second activity varying only according to the media used to complete the task. Combinations of quantitative and qualitative methods have been used in this research. To present quantitative data which provides insights into whether Visual Arts (VA) teachers should be combining TECH-TOOLS with TRAD-MEDIA in their Visual Arts Programs (VAP), each piece of artwork was assessed and analysed using descriptive analysis of the data. Each participant completed a written feedback form outlining their attitudes, feelings and thoughts about their artwork and the media that they used. The Researcher and an independent Visual Arts Education (V AE) expert also took anecdotal records during the VA activities with the aim of recording the participants' involvement and enjoyment of the activities. This study is significantly different from the current research in this area u!; it will: provide quantitative data which will demonstrate Whether the combination of TECH-TOOLS and TRAD-MEDlA enhances students' artwork; link the relevant literature and findings of this study to the Western Australian primary school context; provide links to the Western Australian Curriculum Council's Curriculum Framework; and comment on the influence of gender in VAE. All of these factors contribute to the uniqueness of this study.
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Hurrell, D. P. "A comparison and contradistinction of the methods of selecting educational computer software employed in W.A. primary schools." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1995. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1186.
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This thesis reviews the methods and criteria that Western Australian school teachers and District Consultants of computers use in the selection of Educational computer software. Questionnaires were used to survey these two groups ( N=301, teachers and N=20 District Consultants) on aspects such as: how they select software; what criteria they employ in selecting software; how confident they feel about software selection; their level of training in software selection; and the skills and resources they have in software selection. This data was then analysed through the application of computer based analysis programs. From the data collected some questions arose about the methods employed in software selection and whether they were conducive to the selection of good quality software. The current status of the Education Department's ( formerly called the Ministry of Education ) preferred document on software selection 'Software Focus' was also bought into focus as a result of the data collected in this study. The questions raised in this study relate to several important issues, not least of all, how can Western Australian primary school teachers be helped in making careful and considered selections of software for their classroom? The findings of the research, provided useful information about the attitudes, understandings, skills and needs of the teachers in W.A. primary schools with regards to the selection of educational software. It indicated a need for further training in software selection; a need for increased awareness of the Education Department document ‘Software Focus’ and a need to bring to the attention of teachers the importance of the proper selection of software for increased efficiency. It also indicated that 'Software Focus' would need to be reviewed and updated to be the effective resource for which it was designed. This research also provided useful information about the similarities and differences which exist between W.A primary school teachers and District Consultants with regards to software selection. This research indicated that District Consultants and teachers differ significantly in their methods of selection of software and the factors which influence that selection. Other significant indications are that District Consultant are: more likely to assess software before they use it; feel better trained in software selection; have more tertiary training in software selection; use 'Software Focus' more frequently in the selection of software, and believe teachers to be better trained and more competent in software selection than teachers themselves do.
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Payne, Cara. "Education for sustainability: An ethnographic study of 15 year-2/3 rural Western Australian children’s attitudes on sustainability." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2015. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1630.
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The study occurred in rural Western Australia in 2011, during UNESCO‟s Decade of Education for Sustainability Development, when sustainability became one of three cross-curriculum priorities of the Australian Curriculum. The study involved the development and implementation of a sustainability focused science program embedded in a class of 15 Year-2/3primary participants. The study emphasised a qualitative approach, but also included embedded quantitative data analysis. The aim of the science program focussed on the enhancement of the children‟s attitudes towards sustainability, to equip them with the skills needed to change their behaviours in relation to practicing the principles of sustainability. The children‟s attitudes towards sustainability were assessed before and after engaging in the program. A range of observation techniques identified changes in attitudes and behaviours, including children‟s work samples, teacher reflections, interviews and vignettes constructed from the synthesis of this data. In addition, both pre and post program questionnaires were administered to further assess attitudinal changes. The research offers an insight into children‟s attitudes to sustainability, as well as junior primary science learning and teaching practices that encourage decision making for sustainable development.
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Martin, G. R. "Job factors contributing to the job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction of primary principals in one Ministry of Education district in Western Australia." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1991. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1124.
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Recent changes in the Western Australian education system, resulting from the release and implementation of Better Schools in Western Australia: A Programme for Improvement (1987), have induced significant changes in the nature of the Western Australian primary principalship. Within this context of change, this research explores job factors contributing to the job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction of primary principals in one Ministry of Education district in Western Australia. Studies based on Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory, conducted in educational and non-educational settings, in addition to previous principal job satisfaction research were important in the development of the study's conceptual framework and research questions. Data to address the research questions were collected through a modification of Flanagan's critical incident technique. During interview sessions, eighteen primary principals were each asked to provide four sequences of events: two relating to periods of job satisfaction, and two sequences relating to periods of job dissatisfaction. An a posteriori approach to content analysis revealed that eleven job factors contributed to the job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction of primary principals; seven job content factors and four job context factors. Four job content factors and two job context factors were identified as being bipolar. Results indicated that principals' job satisfaction was strongly related to the job content, and that job dissatisfaction was related both to the job content and to the job context. Based on the results obtained, a description of a work situation which would make principals more satisfied with their work was described, and recommendations for further research were proposed.
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Edwards, Samantha Jade. "The perceived ‘classroom readiness’ and support of Western Australian primary graduate teachers." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2020. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2314.
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Graduate teachers are expected to be ‘classroom ready’ upon graduation, yet research suggests they are not. The difficulties faced by graduate teachers in their first years of teaching often result in low self-efficacy and attrition, which in turn can affect the achievement of their students.
Since its establishment in 2010, the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) have implemented a competency framework for both teachers and Initial Teacher Education (ITE) providers, aimed at improving not only all teacher quality in Australia, but the quality of ITE, graduating teachers and the support structures provided to them. This research project investigated how six primary graduate Department of Education of Western Australia (DoEWA) teachers perceived their ‘classroom readiness’, in light of these reforms. A qualitative methodology based in phenomenology was employed, as the study sought to describe the experiences of these graduate teachers with regard to the formal and informal support offered to them, including mechanisms such as the Graduate Teacher Modules and In-Class Coaching. Interviews were undertaken with the six teachers upon commencement of their second year of teaching.
The findings revealed that graduate teachers did not perceive themselves to be ‘classroom ready’ upon ITE completion, however they did not expect to be, nor did it make them wish to quit the profession. Further, the Graduate Teacher Modules were perceived as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to graduate teacher professional learning, as opposed to targeting specific needs relating to the graduate teachers and their varied professional contexts. While the In-Class Coaching Program provided a small element of support to participants, overall it increased their workload and stress. This finding indicates the need for a review into the delivery of the In-Class Coaching Program. Ultimately, unofficial mentoring from colleagues was identified as offering the greatest form of support for the participants, suggesting the need to re-think the way schools and DoEWA offer support to graduate teachers.
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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.
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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.
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Freeman, Clare Christine. "Transformational learning in a first year Western Australian Bachelor of Education primary course." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2015. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1629.
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In this study the experiences of commencing first year Bachelor of Education (Primary) students were investigated. A mixed methods approach was used consisting of an online survey and 12 questions that were asked in interviews with students who agreed to be interviewed. The online survey data was developed using QualtrixTM software and the results of the survey responses were analysed using the available features in QualtrixTM. The survey responses indicated that students were motivated to become teachers however they found the academic study work load difficult. To accommodate the study load required students to find several hours in an already busy life world consisting of parenting and financial responsibilities. The results of the online survey show strong agreement with the line-by-line coding process applied to the interview responses. Some questions in the online survey were adapted from the First Year Experience Questionnaire for reliability, in particular those relating to Comprehending and Coping. This group of questions together with the 12 interview questions were mapped to selected phases of Mezirow‘s (1991) phases of transformational learning allowing identification of the phases of transformational learning experienced by students.
All students experienced one or more phases of transformational learning. Both groups of students surveyed and interviewed were passionate about becoming a Primary School Teacher and valued the support of their families. However, all students reported being overwhelmed by the academic study load. The mature age students reported reduced financial income, child care, being dependent on a spouse and finding it difficult to devote enough time to study at home as significant problems that they believed could determine whether or not they would be able to keep going in the course. School leavers were overwhelmed by the study load and lacked the time management skills to effectively implement a solution to their problems.
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Hutton, Heidi C. "Evaluation of the outcomes for students undertaking an externally provided physical activity programme." University of Western Australia. School of Human Movement and Exercise Science, 2007. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2007.0166.
Full textAbstract:
[Truncated abstract] Many primary schools in Western Australia do not employ a specialist physical education (PE) teacher, leaving the teaching of this subject to the class teacher. There are concerns that some of these teachers lack the skills, confidence or knowledge to successfully implement a developmentally appropriate PE programme. A potential solution to this problem involves utilising an externally provided physical activity programme (EPPAP). Before considering this option, it is important to ensure these programmes adequately meet the needs of students, teachers and the educational curriculum. Outcomes for one such EPPAP were evaluated and compared against the outcomes attained in regular primary school PE classes. These outcomes were then compared to the Health and Physical Education (HPE) learning area outcomes (LAO) within Outcomes Based Education (OBE) of the Western Australian Curriculum Framework (CF). Approximately 460 primary school students in the Peel Region of WA participated in the EPPAP and subsequent research in 2004. In addition, approximately 135 students from the same area were invited to participate as controls. All students completed self-report questionnaires pre and post-participation in the EPPAP. ... Although not originally promoted as a programme to replace PE, the EPPAP is delivered within curriculum time with some schools intending to replace their traditional PE programme with the EPPAP. Therefore, reference to the CF is warranted. There were few opportunities to develop `skills for physical activity? (SPA) transferable to the sporting context and explicit teaching points were not consistently provided, or reinforced through teacher feedback. Activities in the lessons were generally delivered uniformly to all participants across Year 4-7 with no developmental theme, negating the opportunity for differentiation, progression or extension. In summary, the main objectives of the EPPAP was to provide students with a range of fun activities and games that were inclusive and encouraged participation. These objectives were fulfilled in this two-term evaluation. The disadvantages of the programme were it?s uniform delivery across all year groups, lack of developmental progression in both skills and games and a teacher centred approach that did not allow for student differentiation. The programme delivery and content was most suited to the students within Years K-3.
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Shand, Coral Jean. "Primary school teachers integrate electronic storybook software into their teaching/learning practices through addressing issues of pedagogy, organisation and management." Thesis, View thesis, 2002. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/577.
Full textAbstract:
The combination of literature and technology provides a powerful scenario for learning and it is made a reality through the use of electronic storybook software. This study concentrates on the everyday decisions made by teachers concerning why, how and in what way learning occurs in their classroom. Three case studies show how primary teachers engaged in action research to introduce electronic storybooks into their classrooms, monitoring changes in pedagogy, organisation and management. It is confirmed that teachers can integrate electronic storybooks into their classroom practices to create enjoyable and productive learning experiences. A range of pedagogical approaches was used and the introduction of electronic storybooks had a positive effect on student motivation, enthusiasm and achievement of learning goals, and resulted in changes in the physical composition of the classroom and the way learning was structured. The teachers received confirmation of their own ability to integrate technology into teaching and learning. The results of this study have direct implications for teaching practices and reinforce the need for teachers to develop confidence and competence as technology users
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Wilde, Lee Ellen, and n/a. "The concept of excellence in education in ACT primary schools." University of Canberra. Education, 1992. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20050527.143328.
Full textAbstract:
From a philosophical and historical analysis of education in Australia since World
War II and consideration of the research into school effectiveness and community
expectations of education, a concept of "excellence" was derived: "Excellence in
education" in its various institutionalised forms describes a state where there is a
community perception that worthwhile goals have been formulated, attempts are
made to achieve those goals using appropriately defined processes and that those
goals are being achieved to the satisfaction of community members.
It was also asserted that because of the diversity introduced into Australian society by
sociocultural, economic and political developments since World War II, "excellence
in education" may take many forms. This demands diversity in schooling so that
these different forms of excellence may be achieved. This "excellence" was seen to
be a relative concept rather than an absolute one.
Information was collected from six primary schools from both the government and
non-govenunent sectors of the ACT, using swey instruments, interviews and
document analysis. This information related to the perceptions of the family, staff
and student sectors of these schools about the importance and achievement of various
factors in the areas of goals and philosophy, curriculum, teaching and learning
practices, general organisation and school atmosphere.
The study found that, while these schools, all being concerned with the education of
primary school children in the same local and national context, exhibited certain
common elements, they also demonstrated a variety of other features in a variety of
combinations, giving each school a distinctive profile. Moreover, these school
communities each judged their particular school being "Excellent" and "meeting expectations", and yet were accepting of some discrepancy between what they considered ideal and what was actually achieved.
Thus it was shown that excellence in education is a relative concept in the ACT, if not
in contemporary Australian society as a whole.
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Campbell, Alistair B. "Using hypermedia to improve the dissemination and accessibility of syllabus documents with particular reference to primary mathematics." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1993. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1157.
Full textAbstract:
The fundamental question that this study set out to investigate was: Can the advantages of hypermedia be extended to curriculum materials that are for the sole use of teachers? To consider this question, three areas needed to be investigated: hypermedia (the medium); teachers (the target) and curriculum documents (the content). Hypermedia has a long history dating back to Bush (1986) who in 1945 imagined his Memex system as building information trails between ideas. However, it was not until the mid 1980s that technology caught up with the theory and hypermedia came of age. The evaluation of hypermedia documents is still in its infancy and design standards are still being formlulated. Social acceptability and usability will be of major concern in the evaluation process of hypermedia. Therefore this study needed to investigate whether this medium of presentation is socially acceptable to teachers? Advances in Information Technology (IT), both in hardware and software in the last few years have brought the potential of hypermedia to the personal computer (PC). Information, be it text, sound, graphics or video, or a mixture of these, can now be presented on the same screen and the movement between screens can be seamless. The movement between screens is no longer limited to sequential movement as it is when the information is presented in a hard copy form, but can be randomly accessed. This access allows the user to move about the information as they would move about within their own minds, that is, by association. Already commercial hypermedia products are being produced for the education and "leisure" markets. Teachers' work loads are increasing, as they take on more curriculum responsibilities, while at the same time, information is expanding at a rapid rate. The challenge today is to encourage teachers to use new information technology to overcome these problems. However, since their inception into schools fifteen years ago, computers have not delivered the results that had been expected of them. Can the access to hypermedia curriculum documents help teachers to lessen their work load and encourage them to use IT? Firstly, it is important to consider whether curriculum materials for teacher use are suitable for hypermedia presentation. The literature indicated that textual materials that are not meant to be read sequentially like a novel, arc suitable to be presented in hypermedia form. At present, curriculum materials for teachers contain the content in hard copy form but the presentation is lacking in quality. This hard copy material is expensive, hard to correct and slow to update. Hypermedia offers the potential to overcome these limitations and to provide easy access to much more information. This new medium could allow teachers for the first ti.me to truly integrate their teaching programme by enabling them to access multiple curriculum documents. The methodology used in this study was based on two types of descriptive research, survey and correlation methods. The target population for this study was all K-7 teachers using the Western Australia Mathematics syllabus within Western Australia. The instrument was a mailed survey questionnaire that consisted of five parts. The first part consisted of collecting personal data such as age and gender. The second part was the Computer Attitude Scale (CAS), designed by Loyd and Gressard (1984), and was used to measure attitudes towards learning and using computers. The third part consisted of questions that asked teachers for their views and impressions on the social acceptability and utility of the present hard copy. The fourth part consisted of questions on computer experience and use, both in and outside the classroom. The final part consisted questions on the likely acceptance and usefulness of a hypermedia copy of the syllabus. This study found that the likely medium-based anxiety for this type of application is low for the teachers sampled, with 70 percent indicating that they were likely to accept this type of application. The findings indicated that the acceptance rate increased as the teachers' positive attitude towards computers increased. Teachers that rated themselves competent at using a computer were also more likely to accept this type of application. Time spent using a computer at school showed that teachers who frequently use them at least several times a week were more likely to accept this type of application. The study also found that the majority of teachers sampled considered the ability to link the syllabus to other teaching material was very useful. Many of the problems identified by the teachers sampled concerning the usability of the present hard copy could be overcome using a hypermedia version.
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Hurle, Gillian Dawn. "Numeracy support for year two students." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2013. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/609.
Full textAbstract:
Research of teaching theories and intervention programs internationally and in Australia suggests that the implementation of numeracy support programs can improve student achievement levels (Fuchs, 2005; Ketterlin-Geller, Chard & Fien, 2008; Van Kraayenoord & Elkins, 2004). An intervention program was conducted for a small group of Year Two students with the aim of improving their numeracy skills over a 20 week period. Results of two mathematics assessments, together with information provided by teachers based on classroom observations and informal assessments were combined to select a group of twelve students who were considered to be at risk of developing mathematical difficulties. The program comprised of two 85 minute lessons and one 40 minute lesson per week in a room adjacent to the Year Two classroom. A social constructivist method of teaching was put into practice within the structure of a small group setting. A case study approach recorded the learning journey of each student with an individual profile of each participant maintained for the duration of the program. At the conclusion of the program data obtained from formative assessments, teacher observations, and feedback from the student participants were used to evaluate the program’s effectiveness. Students who were members of the intervention program improved their level of basic numeracy skills in the areas of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and number sequencing, and also demonstrated a positive disposition towards mathematics.
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Stamopoulos, Elizabeth. "The Professional Background And Perceptions Of Principals On Their Leadership Role In Preprimary." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1995. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1459.
Full textAbstract:
The incorporation of pre-primary centres into Western Australian government primary schools has shifted the responsibility for administrative, managerial and educational leadership from the kindergarten director to the primary school principal. Several pre-primary teachers and specialists in Early Childhood Education have expressed concern that principals lack theoretical and practical background in early childhood, have not been provided with professional development assistance, are providing inadequate educational leadership to pre-primary teachers, and yet a responsible for appraisal of pre-primary teachers. Similar concerns have been expressed in the United States, and resulted in the swing towards early academics and acknowledgment of the significant differences between early childhood education and primary education. However, no study of these leadership issues has so far been conducted in Western Australia.
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BROWN, Diana, and dianab@student ecu edu au. "Teachers implicit theories of expression in visual arts education: A study of Western Australian teachers." Edith Cowan University. Education And Arts: School Of Education, 2006. http://adt.ecu.edu.au/adt-public/adt-ECU2006.0014.html.
Full textAbstract:
This study examines the differences in the beliefs of primary (elementary) class teachers about the role of expression in visual arts education. The focus is on the relationship between primary teachers implicit theories, and expression in their visual arts lessons. Expression here, refers to the manifestation of an individual students interests or views through visual images. Students' expression of their personal responses through visual images, is a central intended outcome of the visual arts curriculum in Western Australia (Curriculum Council, 1998).
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White, Dan, and res cand@acu edu au. "Pedagogy – The Missing Link in Religious Education: Implications of brain-based learning theory for the development of a pedagogical framework for religious education." Australian Catholic University. School of Religious Education, 2004. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp60.29082005.
Full textAbstract:
Over the past three decades, the development of religious education in Australia has been largely shaped by catechetical and curriculum approaches to teaching and learning. To date, little emphasis has been placed on the pedagogical dimension of religious education. The purpose of this research project is to explore the manner in which ‘brain-based’ learning theory contributes to pedagogical development in primary religious education. The project utilises an action research methodology combining concept mapping, the application of ‘brain-based’ teaching strategies and focus group dialogue with diocesan Religious Education Coordinators (RECs). The insights derived contribute to the formulation and validation of an appropriate pedagogical model for primary religious education, entitled the ‘DEEP Framework’. The model reflects an integration of insights from brain-based theory with nuances from the contemporary Australian religious education literature. The project identifies four key, interactive principles that are crucial to pedagogical development in religious education, namely: Discernment, Enrichment, Engagement and Participation. It also recognises a fifth principle, ‘an orientation towards wholeness’, as significant in combining the various pedagogical principles into a coherent whole. The DEEP framework enables teachers to more successfully select and evaluate appropriate, interconnecting teaching strategies within the religious education classroom. The framework underpins the pedagogical rationale of the recently developed Archdiocese of Hobart religious education program and forms the basis for the implementation of a coherent professional development program across the Archdiocese.
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McGowan, Wayne S. "An evaluation of a professional development model for primary school administrators." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1993. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1141.
Full textAbstract:
Better Schools advocated a decentralisation in the administrative structure and a devolution of responsibilities within Western Australian education system. One outcome was the establishment of twenty nine school districts in 1987. Since then, these districts have faced the problem of providing for the professional development needs of their primary school principals. In response to this situation different districts have developed different models for the training and development of principals. This research evaluates, as a case study, a particular model developed in one of the districts. To help preserve the anonymity of the district chosen, it is referred to throughout the study under the fictitious name of the Fairmont district. The evaluation centres around the question: From the view point of meeting corporate managerial needs, is there justification for the continued use of the Fairmont model? To answer this question, the study focuses only on primary school principals in the district.
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Wenden, Elizabeth Joan. "Rising to the challenge: Exploring the transition from primary to secondary education in a Western Australian school." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2015. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1714.
Full textAbstract:
The ‘Rising to the Challenge: Exploring the transition from Primary to Secondary education in a Western Australian School’ study explored the positive predictors of primary to secondary school transition of a cohort of Year 7 students (n=182) at a school in Western Australia. The transition from primary to secondary school is an important process in the lives of adolescents aged around 11-13 years old. It is a challenging and exciting time that coincides with social, emotional, physical and cognitive changes of the adolescent stage of development. Enabling a positive transition to secondary school can give adolescents the support they need to maintain their educational performance, mental health and social wellbeing during adolescence, and may also have an impact on their future adult success. The purpose of this study was therefore to follow a cohort of students through their transition into secondary school, and determine the positive predictors of transition for this cohort of students.
Nancy Schlossberg’s theory entitled ‘A model for analysing human adaptation to transition’ was used to guide this research, providing a multifactorial ecological framework that describes the process of transition from the perception of the individual. The study investigated a broad range of variables around the individual, the transition situation, supports for students, and academic progress associated with primary to secondary school transition experience immediately after changing schools and again six months later. One kindergarten to Year 12 school was utilised as a case study school. Data was collected by online survey at two time points, being in the first few weeks of secondary school, and again six months later. Data pertaining to students’ academic achievement was collected from student record files.
The results of this work identified many significant variables in the transition process for this cohort, while analysis of four research questions tested the applicability of each domain of Schlossberg’s model to the primary to secondary school transition process using multinomial logistic regression. Results indicated that students’ negative expectation about transition, the things they like about their secondary school, emotional peer support, loneliness, school safety, being a reliable person, levels of agitation and turmoil, and perceived academic achievement significantly influenced students’ perception of a positive transition experience. Gender and primary school of origin were also significant predictors of transition experience for this cohort, with females experiencing a poorer transition than males, and ‘continuous’ students (those who remained at the school from primary through to secondary graduation) having the easiest transition experiences.
Finally, the implications of this research were discussed. Discussion of these results in conjunction with the literature shows that school transition is a complex process, with links between domains that require further investigation and an emphasis on an ecological approach to capture the nuances of the transition phenomenon. Results could not be generalised to the population of transitioning students due to sampling, but are useful for informing further research in the area. Investigation of the mechanisms of the predictor variables on transition experience is warranted given the results of the study, and the use of mixed methods research would provide depth to the analysis results. Given there is little research on transition in comprehensive K-12 schools, further research into primary school origin and the influence of gender are research foci for the future. Finally, the case study school and the school system at large should review school policies around transition and gender equality in teaching.
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Swan, Paul. "A comparison of mental strategies used by skilled and unskilled mental calculators." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1991. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1122.
Full textAbstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the various strategies used by year seven students when carrying out division computations mentally. A comparison was made between the strategies used by high and low performing mental calculators. A number of high and low performing mental calculators were chosen as a result of their performances on twelve interview items. Both groups of students were given a set of division problems to complete mentally. After solving each problem the students were asked on a one-to-one basis to reflect on the strategy or method they used to solve the problem. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and coded. Non verbal behaviour was recorded on a separate sheet during the interview. The data were analysed to determine what differences existed between high and low performing mental calculators in relation to the strategies they used to solve division computations mentally. The diversity and range of strategies used by each group were compared. Commonly used strategies were noted together with those which hindered the mental solution of problems. It is hoped that the results of this investigation can be used to aid teachers to improve the teaching of mental calculation in ordinary classrooms. The results may also be helpful to those working in remedial mathematics. Further it is hoped that a follow up study may be carried out to determine the best way of improving the performance of both skilled and unskilled mental calculators.
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Moore, Wendy M. "Preventing early literacy failure: A case study of embedded-explicit instruction in vocabulary, print knowledge and phonemic awareness for pre-primary students with oral language impairments." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2008. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/239.
Full textAbstract:
Students with oral language impairments are at significant risk of experiencing early literacy difficulties, and both poor language skills and early literacy impairment may jeopardise a student's future academic success. Early intervention may be the most effective way of preventing literacy and subsequent academic failure. This study describes some of the challenges and benefits of a program to help rural Western Australian schools provide effective early intervention for students with oral language impairments.
Oral language factors including phonological awareness, vocabulary, and discourse level comprehension are believed to contribute to literacy development. In this study, the relationship between these skills and literacy acquisition is examined. The role of oral language competence in literacy development is considered within the framework of the simple view of reading. From within this framework, a model of early intervention has been developed by the researcher, which involves both explicit and embedded instruction in three areas considered crucial for emergent literacy; namely, phonemic awareness, print knowledge (concepts of print and letter-sound knowledge), and vocabulary.
A trial of this intervention program, Words and Letters, was undertaken in four rural Western Australian schools. Education assistants in pre-primary classes were trained to teach emergent literacy and oral language skills to small groups of students with early indicators of oral language impairment. The program involved four 30 minute sessions per week over 15 weeks. Results indicated significant improvements for the intervention group in all three areas with a corresponding reduction in risk for subsequent literacy failure. The effectiveness of the intervention is discussed in terms of outcomes for the students and for the schools. Case studies are used to explore the characteristics of students who made good progress as well as those who proved resistant to remediation and therefore remained at risk.