Journal articles on the topic 'Professional learning communities Australia'
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Hoare, Erin, Andrew Thorp, Nadine Bartholomeusz-Raymond, Alicia McCoy, Helen Butler, and Michael Berk. "Be You: A national education initiative to support the mental health of Australian children and young people." Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 54, no. 11 (August 14, 2020): 1061–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0004867420946840.
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Early learning services and schools provide unique settings for mental health promotion and early intervention due to the potential for population-level dosage and reach in terms of reducing multiple risk factors and enabling protective factors among young people. Educators play a key role in supporting children and young people’s experiences of, and access to mental health promotion opportunities, and hold unparalleled opportunity in terms of creating mental health–promoting learning environments. In 2018, the Australian National Mental Health in Education Initiative, Be You, was launched. Be You is a multi-million-dollar Australian government–supported initiative, freely available to all 24,000 early learning services, primary and secondary schools throughout Australia. The potential for subsequent population reach is proposed to potentially exceed that of any mental health promotion initiative for children and young people previously observed in Australia. Be You aims to foster mentally healthy learning communities across Australia through building capacity among educators to embed mental health promotion strategies. The Initiative was developed based on a review and integration of previous national mental health promotion frameworks, with an overall alignment to existing state and territory education, social and emotional well-being frameworks, and the Australian Curriculum. In delivering facilitated support from specialised consultants to early learning services and schools participating in the initiative, Be You draws on professional learning principles designed to build capacity in educators and educational systems relating to mental health promotion. It uses an updated, multi-module online platform providing interactive, evidence-based resources. This paper presents the Be You framework, describes the evidence sources used to inform the underlying principles and objectives, discusses the specific components that form the initiative, details the professional learning modules and content, and discusses potential implications for population mental health and prevention efforts.
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Townsend, Philip Bruce. "Enhancing Professional Learning Through Mobile Devices for Pre-Service Teachers in Remote Communities." International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning 10, no. 4 (October 2018): 13–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/ijmbl.2018100102.
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This article details the construction of a Grounded Theory to explain the concept of enhancing professional learning through mobile devices. The research data was delimited to the behaviours and beliefs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pre-service teachers enrolled in two community-based initial teacher education programs in very remote communities in Australia. Four educational uses of mobile devices were identified: accessing content, handling administration, collaborating for academic support and sharing personal encouragement. The use of mobile devices enabled adults to choose times of study, choose places of study, complete assessment relevant to their course and achieve a career goal. Three elements that impact the educational use of mobile devices were identified (i.e. context, precursors and catalyst). Seven categories underlie the concept of enhancing professional learning through mobile devices: fostering access, facilitating customisation, promoting collaboration, supporting relevance, completing the course, empowering agency and enabling networking.
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Gander, Michelle, and Margot McInnes. "Can a professional learning community deliver career development learning?" Journal of Workplace Learning 33, no. 7 (May 18, 2021): 523–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jwl-01-2021-0009.
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Purpose The professional development needs of university professional staff are an under-researched area. More data were needed to understand their needs to ensure that employers invest their resources appropriately. A conceptual framework is developed for the workplace learning of career development activities using concepts of professional learning communities, adult learning and non-formal learning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the success of a professional development network in meeting the needs of university professional staff after a re-structure. Design/methodology/approach A case study of the development of a staff career network at an Australian university after a restructure is presented. An online survey was sent to 75 staff who had attended at least one professional development event. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Findings This study has shown that a university professional staff career network has been a positive influence for its participants after an organisational restructure. The value of this network was to increase confidence and provide opportunities for self-improvement, career planning and networking. Originality/value A conceptual model integrating the concepts of professional learning communities, adult learning and non-formal learning has resulted in a model of social non-formalised workplace learning that may be of use in other contexts to improve staff motivation, outside of more formal learning opportunities.
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Sheldon, Mark. "Psychiatric Assessment in Remote Aboriginal Communities." Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 35, no. 4 (August 2001): 435–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-1614.2001.00920.x.
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Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the psychiatric assessment of Aboriginal patients from remote Aboriginal communities in Central Australia. Method: The method consisted of a summary of the experiences gained during a dissertation year placement as senior registrar with the Northern Territory Remote Area Mental Health Team. Results: Remote area Aboriginal psychiatry entails learning a whole new set of skills in terms of history taking and the mental state examination, a knowledge of the importance of extended kinship ties and cultural issues, the use of Aboriginal mental health workers as partners in assessing and managing patients via their families and accepting referrals from a wide range of sources. Conclusions: Working on a service providing psychiatric care to remote area Aboriginal communities can be a deeply rewarding personal and professional experience.
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Maashi, Khalid Mohammed, Sarika Kewalramani, and Saleh Abdullah Alabdulkareem. "Sustainable professional development for STEM teachers in Saudi Arabia." Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 18, no. 12 (November 2, 2022): em2189. http://dx.doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/12597.
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This paper responds to the call for the need to develop professional development practices for leaders, supervisors, teachers, and student guidance within the framework of international standards, particularly in line with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) vision 2030 (KSA, 2019). The current study aims to identify the obstacles and challenges for implementing sustainable professional development methods for teachers in KSA, who had participated in a ten-month Australian cross-national STEM professional development program. In addition, the teachers also participated in an immersion in Australian schools that lasted for 11 months. This paper reports on a sample of 22 male and female teachers coming from primary and secondary KSA schooling contexts. The participating teachers in the study were those who had participated in the Australian STEM immersion professional learning program in 2019-2020. Drawing from previous studies (Ermeling & Yarbo, 2016; Greene, 2015; Kayi-Aydar & Goering, 2019; Piqueras & Achiam, 2019), we have proposed a framework involving four methods for sustainable professional development for STEM teachers: professional learning communities, communities of practice, action research, and the outside expert. A mixed-methods research design was applied including three methods: individual interviews, open-ended questions to identify the proposed plan of STEM teachers’ implementation of the sustainable professional development methods. Also, a questionnaire to identify obstacles to the implementation of sustainable professional development methods from the viewpoint of STEM teachers was also employed. The results showed that the most prominent obstacles to the implementation of the sustainable professional development methods by STEM teachers in the Saudi educational system where there is no coordination in the school meetings schedule for the members of the professional learning STEM education community, there is no clear plan for communities of practice of STEM education, teachers’ overload teaching duties, lack of coordination between schools to benefit from STEM experts. Implications of our study reside in developing teachers’ ongoing STEM professional development opportunities through execution of a sustainable model of collaborative teacher communities in KSA. Suggestions for curriculum stakeholders and administrator’s coordination and supporting teachers’ ongoing participation and implementation of professional development programs are discussed.
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Wallace, Ruth. "Editorial." Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts 27 (August 2022): 2. http://dx.doi.org/10.18793/lcj2022.27.01.
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Welcome to the twenty-seventh edition of Learning Communities for 2022. This issue covers a range of topics from Group Up Inquiry, theory and education policy, job opportunities of African professionals in Australia, and the changing dynamics of fertility behavior and child mortality across the wealth distribution in Pakistan. Plus a book review of Leading from the north: Rethinking northern Australia development.
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Johnsson, Genevieve, Rachel Kerslake, Sarah Crook, and Corinne Cribb. "Investigation of training and support needs in rural and remote disability and mainstream service providers: implications for an online training model." Australian Health Review 41, no. 6 (2017): 693. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah16132.
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Objectives It is known that there are difficulties in recruiting and retaining practitioners in rural and remote communities and that access to support and professional development can be key in breaking this cycle. Technology provides a possible solution not only for increasing access to these opportunities, but also in building community capacity to support children with autism. The aim of the present study was to investigate the current learning and support needs within rural and remote professionals prior to setting up a model of support. Methods An online survey was used to gather information from service providers in rural and remote communities on their demographics, current skills and confidence in working with clients on the autism spectrum, current supervision and professional development, identified learning and support needs, and the availability and uptake of technology for accessing professional development. Results Respondents reported below average levels of perceived confidence and skills when working with children with autism, most notably children with challenging behaviour. Half the respondents do not currently attend supervision sessions, with only 15% receiving regular supervision (fortnightly or more often), and 66% of respondents had travelled more than 3 h to access professional development workshops. The majority of participants had access to technology and over half had already used this for online training. Conclusion Overall, service providers in rural and remote areas are generally not currently meeting their needs in terms of frequency of supervision and professional development. The present needs analysis identifies key areas for learning, the ideal frequency of support and the acceptability of using technology to deliver this support. This information will guide future researchers in the development of an evidence-based model that will be accessible and meaningful to its participants. What is known about the topic? It is known that there are difficulties in recruiting and retaining practitioners in rural and remote communities and that access to support and professional development can be key in breaking this cycle, which may be triggered by geographical isolation. Technology-delivered intervention and support, also known as eHealth or Telehealth, has been used successfully in the disability sector for medical rehabilitation, direct intervention, employment support and support groups, but there is little evidence as to how technology is received by and implemented with disability and mainstream service providers supporting children with autism living in remote regions. What does this paper add? This paper provides an insight into the current skills and confidence of a broad range of service providers, including educators, allied health therapists and therapy and community support workers, in working with children with autism. This paper also investigates the experience, feasibility and potential uptake of a technology-driven program of support and professional development in rural and remote Australia. Finally, this paper provides an insight into the desired frequency of training and support, as well as identified learning support needs. What are the implications for practitioners? These findings have and will continue to guide practitioners in the development of an evidence-based, technology-driven model of supporting rural and remote staff working with children with autism. Technology has the potential to provide practitioners in geographically isolated areas with access to more responsive, collaborative and individualised professional support and training. Such practice may improve the skills of practitioners and the level of support they can provide their clients with autism, with the added potential of increasing staff retention in rural and remote areas of Australia.
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Bhatti, M. Ishaq. "Human Capital Need in Islamic Finance Education: A Case of Australia." International Journal of Learning and Development 2, no. 6 (November 24, 2012): 146. http://dx.doi.org/10.5296/ijld.v2i6.2753.
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The main objective of this paper is to demonstrate training requirement for human capital needed in the emerging field of Islamic Finance (IF) industry in Australisian region. It proposes the structure of the curriculum which can build bridges among multi-culture/faith communities based on sound understanding of finance and Shariah in the western democratic societies where Muslims are in minorities. It presents a case study of La Trobe University’s pioneering Master of Islamic Banking and Finance (MIBF) degree structure and an online six week’s e-learning short course on Islamic Finance Professional Development (IFPD) jointly with Ethica Institute in UAE. The course is then linked with various components of the professional bodies, like Masters’ in professional accounting (MPA), financial analysis (MFA), and MBA (restricted to electives only), CFA, GARP and then extension to PhD level education in IF. The paper addresses various aspects of IF education such as the significance of knowledge, curriculum design, procedures in acquiring support from within the University academic community, challenges in marketing the course and the needed research backing. It also reviews some illustrating statistics to support the need for the course in Australasian region and highlight statistical finding of our MIBF alumni. The paper closes with final remarks and recommendations to industry and policy makers.
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Spratling, Harrison James. "TOWARDS THE WHOLE-SCHOOL APPROACH: THE CHANGING NATURE OF “BEST PRACTICE” FOR REFUGEE EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA." International Journal of Educational Best Practices 6, no. 1 (April 29, 2022): 68. http://dx.doi.org/10.31258/ijebp.v6n1.p68-97.
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Since 2000, the dynamics and demographics of refugee education in Australia have changed constantly. Meanwhile, academic literature on refugee education continues to explore best practice approaches in various contexts. While these realities continue to shift, it is important to analyze any changes in what Australian literature considers best practice for refugee education. To analyze such changes, this study conducts a qualitative content analysis of academic literature published in Australia since 2000 and draws out various themes of best practice. It then analyses studies chronologically to detect change in the concept of best practice for holistic refugee education over time. The goal of holistic education is suitable for refugee students who often have extremely complex learning needs, and as such it forms the basis for what this study considers “best practice” education should strive to achieve. This study reveals that current best practice for supporting refugee students in Australia includes whole-school approaches to inclusivity, study and mental health supports, and community and family engagement. Additionally, professional training and appropriate pedagogical approaches, especially relating to literacy and supplemented by adequate resources, are vital to successful refugee education. It also reveals that since 2012, academic literature has places more emphasis on staff professional development, inclusivity, advocacy and the positive framing of refugees, and the whole-school approach to refugee education, whilst placing less emphasis on links between schools, families and refugee communities, as well as mental health and study supports for refugee students. Literature on the importance of pedagogy has remained constant since 2000.
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White, Simone, Graeme Lock, Wendy Hastings, Maxine Cooper, Jo-Anne Reid, and Bill Green. "Investing in Sustainable and Resilient Rural Social Space: Lessons for Teacher Education." Australian and International Journal of Rural Education 31, no. 2 (July 24, 2021): 46–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.47381/aijre.v31i2.310.
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Attracting and retaining effective education leaders and teaching staff for regional, rural and remote schools in Australia is a major sustainability and quality issue facing every State and Territory. It is also a major concern in pre-service teacher education, particularly for those universities which have a commitment to rural and regional areas. There is a strategic link between teacher education and the sustainability of rural communities with earlier suggestions (White & Reid, 2008, p. 1) highlighting that ―healthy rural communities may be supported via reform of the ways in which teacher education prepares graduates for teaching in rural schools. Likewise, the proposition is made in this paper that the relationship is importantly reciprocal and that, in turn, healthy rural communities and “successful rural schools†can inform and help reform teacher education and professional learning through the insights gathered into the ways in which rural education leaders and teaching staff work closely with their school communities. In this paper we draw specifically from the research findings of a three-year Australian Research Council funded project (2008-2010) of schools and communities where sustainable practices around staff recruitment and retention were identified to explore this reciprocal relationship. The paper will firstly discuss the context of the study, its method and conceptual framework, and then focus in particular on the emerging themes from the twenty case-studies across Australia. Themes discussed include the important linking between rural school leadership and community renewal; the possibilities of developing school-university partnerships to sustain the rural workforce; and the need for social and creative enterprise to be acknowledged as important work of rural teachers and leaders. The paper concludes with the implications of these themes in terms of better preparing a future rural teacher workforce.
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Snepvangers, Kim, and Arianne Rourke. "Creative Practice as a Catalyst for Developing Connectedness Capabilities." Journal of International Students 10, S2 (November 10, 2020): 17–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.32674/jis.v10is2.2762.
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Focusing on a section of the Teaching International Students (TIS) project this article captures student and mentor perspectives within a Project-Based Professional Experience (PBPE) in the context of a large research-intensive university in Sydney, Australia. Animations co-produced with students were part of a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) compulsory upper-level course, leading to a ‘Community Building Framework’. The research goal shifted the educational purpose from didactic physical placements to collaborative dynamics where students, including international students, staff, and industry perspectives were ‘valued’. Prioritizing intercultural learning ‘challenged’ contested attitudes and ‘built’ communities of practice in a workforce focused ecology. Findings emerged from reflective interchanges whilst working iteratively and collaboratively with students, to inform the PBPE online framework.
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Bui, Vinh, Geoff Woolcott, Lewes Peddell, Tony Yegh, David Lynch, David Ellis, Christos Markopoulos, Royce Willis, and Darius Samojlowicz. "An Online Support System for Teachers of Mathematics in Regional, Rural and Remote Australia." Australian and International Journal of Rural Education 30, no. 3 (November 16, 2020): 69–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.47381/aijre.v30i3.287.
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This article outlines the rationale for, and development of an online support system (OSS) for teachers of mathematics in regional, rural and remote (RRR) Australia as part of an ongoing longitudinal project, Regional Teachers of Mathematics Networks (RTMN). The OSS is designed to assist development of interconnected collaborative networks for teachers of mathematics in order to help them develop their professional identity. The article builds on the logic of the broader RTMN project, arguing that the development of a teacher of mathematics identity (ToMI) framework through participation in networked communities of practice (CoPs) is integral to improved practice and teacher retention. Theoretical considerations, framed within the overarching conceptual umbrella of cultural accumulation theory, are provided and relate mathematics CoPs to professional development and its role in the development of a localised teacher of mathematics identity. This framing outlines the importance of an OSS that supports both face-to-face and online (virtual) CoP functions for teachers of mathematics. The article also states the case for a design-based implementation research approach that allows stakeholders to sustain ongoing evaluation and updating of the OSS platform for professional learning exchanges within the ToMI framework.
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Hudson, Suzanne (Sue), and Peter Brian Hudson. ""Please Help Me Find Teachers for My Rural and Remote School": A Model for Teaching Readiness." Australian and International Journal of Rural Education 29, no. 3 (November 6, 2019): 24–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.47381/aijre.v29i3.233.
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Attracting and retaining teachers in regional, rural and remote (RRR) communities has long been highlighted as problematic in Australia. With predicted growth in classrooms across the nation, it is expected that there will be increased teacher shortages in RRR communities. Specific, contextual preparation for teaching has been advocated for preservice teachers through a flexible tertiary education curriculum linked to RRR professional experiences. This current case study involves a school-university collaboration commencing after a school principal in Queensland was unable to attract teachers to his RRR school. The aim of this research was to explore the learning of five preservice teachers in a RRR school community. Data were gathered using in-depth semi-structured interviews, then analysed and discussed under three categories: community, school, and classroom. Findings indicated that the preservice teachers gained usable knowledge about the community, understanding the role of community and connecting with the community as a teacher in RRR contexts. They learned the significance of the connection between the school and the community, the importance of the teachers' relationships in supporting the students, and the role of parents and carers in the school. Finally, the preservice teachers reported they learnt pedagogical knowledge practices (e.g., planning, classroom management, and assessment), building relationships with students, differentiated instruction, supporting diversity, and teaching Indigenous students. This case study presents a cost-effective measure for ensuring RRR schools are adequately staffed and facilitating preservice teachers' achievements of the Australian Professional Standards for Teaching
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Armstrong, Karen, and Margaret Manson. "What is lost and what remains: an exploration of the pedagogical challenges of online discussions in two online teacher education learning communities." Language and Literacy 12, no. 2 (October 18, 2010): 18. http://dx.doi.org/10.20360/g2bc71.
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Online discussion has emerged as an increasingly common forum for conversation and professional reflection in teacher education. Across Canada, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, numerous universities have experimented with various forms of online discussion in teacher education programs. However, few scholars have explored the particular pedagogical challenges of creating meaningful discussions in online teacher education environments. In this paper, we examine some of these challenges and discuss how they might be met in the design of online courses in teacher education. Our intention is to provoke critical reflection on online teaching and contribute to the development of more robust online discussions in teacher education.
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Christopher, Vicki, Michelle Turner, and Nicole C. Green. "Educator Perceptions of Early Learning Environments as Places for Privileging Social Justice in Rural and Remote Communities." Education Sciences 12, no. 1 (January 10, 2022): 40. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/educsci12010040.
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Early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Australia has long been associated with the concept of social justice, however, a clear understanding of what it looks like across diverse services and communities is not available. This article reports the process of inquiry, as well as the outcomes, of a small-scale study designed to uncover the perceptions of ECEC educators working in rural and remote communities in the state of Queensland. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews with five educators from rural and remote settings identified as areas experiencing significant growth in population diversity. An initial thematic analysis of the data revealed three key themes. A secondary analysis using a place and space conceptual framework uncovered deeper, more sophisticated meanings of the educator experience of social justice. The research is important in bringing pedagogical conversations to the forefront regarding ECEC educator perceptions of their role in creating a socially just learning environment. In addition to identifying future research possibilities, implications from the findings indicate opportunities for re-examining and rethinking initial teacher education and ongoing professional learning.
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Gibbs, Chris, Barbara Murphy, Deepika Ratnaike, Kate Hoppe, and Harry Lovelock. "Implementing a collaborative mental health care model: the MHPN." Journal of Integrated Care 25, no. 4 (October 16, 2017): 237–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jica-06-2017-0014.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and experience of the Mental Health Professionals’ Network (MHPN) in building and supporting a national interdisciplinary professional development platform in community mental health to enhance practitioner response to the needs of consumers. Design/methodology/approach The key components of the MHPN model are described highlighting effective ways of engaging practitioners and supporting interdisciplinary practice. The MHPN has two key programs – Face-to-Face Interdisciplinary Practitioner Networks and an Online Professional Development Program. Findings The MHPN model has had significant uptake in communities across Australia and continues to grow. Practitioners report positive outcomes in engaging with other practitioners, improving their professional knowledge and having gained increased confidence in the provision of mental health care to patients. Practical implications The progress and learnings to date offer some useful insights that can be applied to other settings to support integrated care for patients with mental health problems through enhancing collaborative care among practitioners at the primary care level. Originality/value MHPN is a unique, national, successful platform delivering opportunities for interdisciplinary professional development in the primary mental health sector. The model is cost effective, practitioner driven, and transferable to other settings.
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Osborne, Sam. "Kulintja Nganampa Maa-kunpuntjaku (Strengthening Our Thinking): Place-Based Approaches to Mental Health and Wellbeing in Anangu Schools." Australian Journal of Indigenous Education 42, no. 2 (December 2013): 182–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jie.2013.25.
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MindMatters, implemented by Principals Australia Institute, is a resource and professional development initiative supporting Australian secondary schools in promoting and protecting the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing of members of school communities, preferring a proactive paradigm (Covey, 1989) to the position of ‘disaster response’. While the MindMatters national focus has continued, grown and become embedded in schools since its beginning in 2000, MindMatters staff have also specifically sought to establish localised mental health and wellbeing (MHWB) promotion in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that empowers local school and community groups to build on community values and intergenerational capacities for supporting the MHWB of young people. This article outlines the processes for successful practice that have been developed in a very remote Aboriginal school context, and highlights the strengths and benefits of this approach from the perspectives of Anangu (Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara people of Central Australia) educators. Using a community development approach, Anangu educators, skilled linguists, community members and MindMatters trained staff formed learning communities that recontextualised MHWB curriculum to be taught in Anangu schools. While critically reflecting on the process MindMatters has adopted, this article draws on the voices of Anangu to privilege the cultural philosophical positions in the discourse. In so doing, important principles for translating what is fundamentally a western knowledge system's construct into corresponding Anangu knowledge systems is highlighted. Through building on the knowledge base that exists in the community context, Anangu educators, school staff and community members develop confidence, shared language and capacity to become the expert educators, taking their knowledge and resources to other Anangu school communities to begin their MindMatters journey ‘Anangu way’. This process supports students as they engage in the school-based activities and build a language for reflecting on MHWB concerns, leading them to learn and practice ‘better ways of thinking and acting’ (Kulintja Palyantja Palya —the Pitjantjatjara language title for the MindMatters, ‘Anangu Way’ program).
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Ransom, Lisa. "CMALT and cMOOC - a community of educators and their learning technologies." Pacific Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning 2, no. 1 (November 4, 2019): 5. http://dx.doi.org/10.24135/pjtel.v2i1.24.
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CMALT is a peer-reviewed accreditation based upon the UKPSF (UK Professional Standards Framework) to enable staff (whether academic or administrative) who embed learning technologies in either their teaching or support roles, to showcase their experiences and gain recognition. This programme has been developed by ALT and is co-delivered online, by ASCILITE.
Building upon the experiences of supporting a geographically distributed project involving six institutions nationally across New Zealand during 2014-2015, we (AUT) have developed a support structure for building communities around CMALT accreditation using a cMOOC model. The cMOOC framework enables us to bridge and broker authentic participation within an international community of academics and learning technologists interested in exploring CMALT accreditation, and we have had participation from the UK, Japan, Canada, Australia, and NZ. The CMALT cMOOC was developed in 2017 by the Centre for Learning and Teaching, at Auckland University of Technology, and endorsed by ALT and ASCILITE in 2019.
This presentation will highlight the ecology of resources that are used to support the community and hear from current participants of the programme
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BURNARD, PAMELA, and GARY SPRUCE. "Editorial." British Journal of Music Education 28, no. 2 (June 6, 2011): 115–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0265051711000027.
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In this issue, we witness different ways in which to illuminate the complexities of music teachers and music teaching processes and the conditions through which students learn and teachers embody different and contested images of professional ideals, ideologies and practices. In studies drawn from as far afield as New Zealand, Australia, Republic of Ireland and the UK, authors locate current debates about practice and offer careful analysis, insights and compelling ideas for change that range from teacher professionalism and accountability to community engagement and government policy. There are a range of theoretical frameworks incorporated (including cognitive psychology, constructivism, interpretative phenomenology, and sociocultural theories of situated learning, zone of proximal learning, and concept formation) and the authors' work relates to a range of contested areas. The articles move between teacher thinking and classroom practice to key factors in students’ learning and achievement and music learning in the ‘third age’. All are concerned with the ways in which beliefs, values and identities, structural and curriculum reforms, informal and formal learning sites, and pre-service and continuing professional development, shape and affirm the importance in building understandings of students and teachers' musical lives and how particular practices get embodied in particular contexts. The sites of practice include secondary school music, conservatoire research, university programmes, music communities and local government sectors. The articles draw on diverse data generated via in-depth interview methods, questionnaires, document analysis, observation and accounts of musical experiences.
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Lonsdale, Chris, Aidan Lester, Katherine B. Owen, Rhiannon L. White, Louisa Peralta, Morwenna Kirwan, Thierno M. O. Diallo, et al. "An internet-supported school physical activity intervention in low socioeconomic status communities: results from the Activity and Motivation in Physical Education (AMPED) cluster randomised controlled trial." British Journal of Sports Medicine 53, no. 6 (October 9, 2017): 341–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097904.
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ObjectiveQuality physical education (PE) is the cornerstone of comprehensive school physical activity (PA) promotion programmes. We tested the efficacy of a teacher professional learning intervention, delivered partially via the internet, designed to maximise opportunities for students to be active during PE lessons and enhance adolescents’ motivation towards PE and PA.MethodsA two-arm cluster randomised controlled trial with teachers and Grade 8 students from secondary schools in low socioeconomic areas of Western Sydney, Australia. The Activity and Motivation in Physical Education (AMPED) intervention for secondary school PE teachers included workshops, online learning, implementation tasks and mentoring sessions. The primary outcome was the proportion of PE lesson time that students spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), measured by accelerometers at baseline, postintervention (7–8 months after baseline) and maintenance (14–15 months). Secondary outcomes included observed PE teachers’ behaviour during lessons, students’ leisure-time PA and students’ motivation.ResultsStudents (n=1421) from 14 schools completed baseline assessments and were included in linear mixed model analyses. The intervention had positive effects on students’ MVPA during lessons. At postintervention, the adjusted mean difference in the proportion of lesson time spent in MVPA was 5.58% (p<0.001, approximately 4 min/lesson). During the maintenance phase, this effect was 2.64% (p<0.001, approximately 2 min/lesson). The intervention had positive effects on teachers’ behaviour, but did not impact students’ motivation.ConclusionsAMPED produced modest improvements in MVPA and compares favourably with previous interventions delivered exclusively face-to-face. Online teacher training could help facilitate widespread dissemination of professional learning interventions.Trial registration numberACTRN12614000184673.
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Deppeler, Joanne, Tim Loreman, and Umesh Sharma. "Improving Inclusive Practices in Secondary Schools: Moving from Specialist Support to Supporting Learning Communities." Australasian Journal of Special Education 29, no. 2 (2005): 117–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1030011200025306.
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Much of current inclusive education provision in Australian secondary schools relies on ‘specialist’ support from outside the classroom. Students with diverse abilities are placed within the regular classroom and additional specialist services such as therapy, counselling, psychological assessment and special education teaching are required to support their placement. This form of support often relies upon a diagnostic – prescriptive approach where the specialist assumes responsibility for and has a central role in shaping practices. In this paper, we raise issues regarding this model of specialist support in enacting effective inclusive practices in secondary schools. We suggest that one alternative is to shift the focus from the students who are different, to the community of learners in the school. This alternative approach uses collaborative and evidence-based practices to support inclusive ideals and grounds improvement efforts in changes in teachers’ knowledge as well as the cultural and organisational conditions of the school. The purpose of this paper is to prompt further discussion amongst professional community regarding the unique challenges and issues of inclusive practices in secondary schools.
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Burgess, Cathie, and Paddy (Pat) Cavanagh. "Cultural Immersion: Developing a Community of Practice of Teachers and Aboriginal Community Members." Australian Journal of Indigenous Education 45, no. 1 (November 27, 2015): 48–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jie.2015.33.
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A lack of teacher awareness of the cultural and historical background of Aboriginal students has long been recognised as a major causative factor in the failure of Australian schools to fully engage Aboriginal students and deliver equitable educational outcomes for them. Using Wenger's communities of practice framework, this paper analyses the effectiveness of the Connecting to Country (CTC) program in addressing this issue in New South Wales (NSW) schools whereby Aboriginal community members design and deliver professional learning for teachers. Qualitative and quantitative data from 14 case studies suggest that the CTC program has had a dramatic impact on the attitudes of teachers to Aboriginal students, on their ability to establish relationships with the local Aboriginal community and on their willingness to adapt curriculum and pedagogy to better meet the needs of their students. As Aboriginal community members and teachers developed communities of practice, new approaches to Aboriginal student pedagogies were imagined through a sense of joint enterprise, mutuality and shared repertoire, empowering all participants in the CTC journey. Implications from this research highlight the importance of teacher professional learning delivered by Aboriginal people, Aboriginal community engagement in local schools and addressing deficit discourses about Aboriginal students and their families.
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Ayoub, John. "The Effectiveness of the Tourism Master Plan (TMP 2013-2020) – Perceptions of Myanmar’s Tourism Stakeholder." ASEAN Journal on Hospitality and Tourism 18, no. 2 (December 30, 2020): 111–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.5614/ajht.2020.18.2.06.
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This paper is a work-in-progress that aims to assess the evaluation of the 2013-2020 Myanmar Hotel and Tourism Ministry (MHT) Tourism Master Plan (TMP 2013-2020) from the perceptions of the country's tourism stakeholders. The TMP aims to improve tourism outcomes through sustainable practices such as more practical education and training of industry staff as opposed to traditional rote learning methods which was a major concern discussed during the Australia-Myanmar Institute (AMI) conferences in Yangon and Mandalay in January 2020. Currently, much of Myanmar’s tourism infrastructure, namely accommodation, is limited to the Mandalay-Naypyidaw-Yangon corridor. A further challenge to the TMP will be the Covid-19 epidemic which has inhibited tourism activity. The research assessed the perceptions of Myanmar tourism stakeholders, including peripheral communities and international tour operators, using the extracted data to suggest calls-to-action in order to improve professional practice and lead to more sustainable tourism outcomes for Myanmar including its various remote and indigenous ethnicities.
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McMillan, Julie M., Karyn L. Carson, Peter M. Walker, Anna G. Noble, Jane M. Jarvis, and Kerry A. Bissaker. "Implementing the Australian Curriculum for Students With Disabilities in Specialist Settings: Teachers’ Professional Learning Experiences and Preferences." Australasian Journal of Special and Inclusive Education 42, no. 02 (August 28, 2018): 127–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jsi.2018.14.
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Commentary on the introduction of the Australian Curriculum (AC) has reflected a tension for educators of students with disabilities (SWD) between in-principle support for a curriculum that is inclusive of all students and the challenge of translating a general framework into relevant, individualised learning experiences appropriate for all SWD. In this paper, we report on findings from the second part of a national online survey in which we explored the perceptions and practices of 151 educators of SWD in specialist settings (special schools, disability units co-located at mainstream schools, special classes within mainstream schools) in relation to the AC. Specifically, these findings relate to the professional learning (PL) experiences and perceived needs of educators of SWD related to the AC and their advice to policymakers about the AC for SWD. Consistent with previous research, participants expressed a preference for PL experiences delivered on site, facilitated by content experts over extended periods, with opportunities for demonstration and targeted feedback, and in the context of collegial learning communities. In addition, participants raised concerns about the extent to which the AC is fully inclusive of all SWD. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are discussed.
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Davison, Aidan, Paul Brown, Emma Pharo, Kristin Warr, Helen McGregor, Sarah Terkes, Davina Boyd, and Pamela Abuodha. "Distributed leadership." International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 15, no. 1 (December 20, 2013): 98–110. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijshe-10-2012-0091.
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Purpose – Interdisciplinary approaches to climate change teaching are well justified and arise from the complexity of climate change challenges and the integrated problem-solving responses they demand. These approaches require academic teachers to collaborate across disciplines. Yet, the fragmentation typical of universities impedes collaborative teaching practice. This paper aims to report on the outcomes of a distributed leadership project in four Australian universities aimed at enhancing interdisciplinary climate change teaching. Design/methodology/approach – Communities of teaching practice were established at four Australian universities with participants drawn from a wide range of disciplines. The establishment and operation of these communities relied on a distributed leadership methodology which facilitates acts of initiative, innovation, vision and courage through group interaction rather than through designated hierarchical roles. Findings – Each community of practice found the distributed leadership approach overcame barriers to interdisciplinary climate change teaching. Cultivating distributed leadership enabled community members to engage in peer-led professional learning, collaborative curriculum and pedagogical development, and to facilitate wider institutional change. The detailed outcomes achieved by each community were tailored to their specific institutional context. They included the transformation of climate change curriculum, professional development in interdisciplinary pedagogy, innovation in student-led learning activities, and participation in institutional decision-making related to curriculum reform. Originality/value – Collaborative, non-traditional leadership practices have attracted little attention in research about sustainability education in university curricula. This paper demonstrates that the distributed leadership model for sustainability education reported here is effective in building capacity for interdisciplinary climate change teaching within disciplines. The model is flexible enough for a variety of institutional settings.
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Thackrah, Rosalie D., and Sandra C. Thompson. "Applying a Midwifery Lens to Indigenous Health Care Delivery: The Contribution of Campus Learning and Rural Placements to Effecting Systemic Change." Canadian Journal of Nursing Research 50, no. 4 (May 4, 2018): 179–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0844562118771829.
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Study background Increasing cultural safety in health settings is essential to address stark health disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Respect for cultural knowledge, better communication, and recognition of racism as a determinant of health are required for improved service delivery. How this knowledge is acquired in health professional training and translated to clinical settings is poorly understood. Purpose Impacts of an innovative Indigenous health unit and remote clinical placements on knowledge acquisition and attitude change were explored among midwifery students to inform cultural competency initiatives in health professional training. Methods A multiphased, mixed methods research design used surveys, observations, and interviews. Qualitative analysis was strengthened through triangulation with quantitative data. Results A unit conceived with substantial Indigenous Australian input and which privileged these voices enhanced knowledge and shifted attitudes in a positive direction; however, immediate gains diminished over time. Remote placements had a profound effect on student learning. Exposure to Indigenous Australians in classrooms and communities, and the self-reflection generated, helped dispel stereotypes and challenge assumptions based on limited cultural knowledge and contact. Conclusion Optimization of receptivity to Indigenous Australian content and opportunities for remote placements contributed to students’ developing cultural capabilities with implications for all health professional training. Whether this heightened awareness is enough to address institutional racism identified in health service delivery remains unanswered. The focus must include those established health practitioners and administrators who influence organizational culture if real systemic change is to occur. Given appropriate on-going support, graduates can play a vital role in expediting this process.
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de Bruin, Leon R., Paul Williamson, and Emily Wilson. "Apprenticing the jazz performer through ensemble collaboration: A qualitative enquiry." International Journal of Music Education 38, no. 2 (December 11, 2019): 208–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0255761419887209.
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The one-to-one teacher–student relationship is a common learning configuration within jazz education. However, opportunities to learn through engagement in ensemble performances and industry-level recording opportunities with esteemed jazz performers are rare classroom environments the tertiary jazz music institutions offer. This qualitative study examines ‘real-world’ jazz performance contexts within an Australian tertiary music course, exploring students’ learning experience spanning three diverse collaborative projects. Bandura’s Social Cognition Theory is utilized to elucidate an ecological system of musical development, where learning occurs in a social context within dynamic, reciprocal interactions between learners, environment and students’ adaptive behaviours that are bounded by context, culture and learner history. Findings from pre- and post-participation interviews reveal student and educator perspectives of engaging in authentic experiential learning situations. A stratum of positive influences impacting students included metacognitive, behavioural, emotional affordances, as well as the cultivation of a wider social, environmental and cultural/creative confidence and an expanding collaborative community influencing individuals’ learning decisions. Students and educator participants expressed professional-level expectations, real-world outcomes, and a deeper musical connection and understanding by students of the guest artist/composers’ intention, musical aesthetic and expert band direction. The authors maintain that inclusion of experience-based education and embedding of authentic professional industry experience and creative music-making contexts within educational settings enhance the learning of students and potentially enculturate richer musicianship in students and their developing creative communities.
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Reid, Mary Anne, and Kirsty Forrest. "Responding to COVID-19: What we learned in 2020." Asia Pacific Scholar 7, no. 2 (April 5, 2022): 1–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.29060/taps.2022-7-2/gp2663.
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Introduction: This article summarises a report published in July 2021 by Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand (Medical Deans), the peak body representing the 23 medical programs in Australia and New Zealand. It explores how medical schools responded to the early impacts of COVID-19 in 2020, and how they might build on some of the changes to achieve fundamental improvements in medical education in Australia and New Zealand. Methods: The Medical Deans report was based on: Responses to a survey midway through 2020 of its member schools about their experiences during the initial lockdowns; the contributions of presenters at the Medical Deans 2020 Annual Conference; subsequent discussions among communities of practice. Results: Innovations introduced in response to the pandemic, included greater equity of learning opportunities across geographical locations; health services taking more responsibility for clinical placements; greater emphasis on competencies and less on clinical rotations in specific disciplines; strong collaboration between medical schools, and with providers in the medical training and research pipeline. Challenges include balancing the benefits of online learning with the need for human connection and a chronic lack of clinical training opportunities in community-based care. Conclusion: While the impact of the pandemic on medical education and training was costly for all involved – both financially and personally – the scale of disruption provided a unique opportunity for step change. To fully realise this potential moving forward, medical schools will need to work in partnership with all those involved: students, health services, prevocational training, specialist colleges, regulators and governments.
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Briggs, David Stewart, Richard Nankervis, John Baillie, Catherine Turner, Kevin Rigby, and Lorin Livingstone. "Innovation to improve patient care in Australian Primary Health Network: an insider’s perspective." Public Administration and Policy 22, no. 2 (December 2, 2019): 111–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/pap-09-2019-0017.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the establishment of Primary Health Network (PHN) in Australia and its utility in commissioning Primary Health Care (PHC) services. Design/methodology/approach This study is an analysis of management practice about the establishment and development of a PHN as a case study over the three-year period. The PHN is the Hunter New England and Central Coast PHN (HNECCPHN). The study is based on “insiders perspectives” drawing from documentation, reports and evaluations undertaken. Findings HNECCPHN demonstrates a unique inclusive organisation across a substantial diverse geographic area. It has taken an innovative and evidence-based approach to its creation, governance and operation. HNECCPHN addresses the health challenges of a substantial Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander population. It contains significant and diverse urban, coastal and distinct rural, regional and remote populations. It can be described as a “virtual” organisation, using a distributed network of practice approach to engage clinicians, communities and providers. The authors describe progress and learning in the context of theories of complex organisations, innovation, networks of practice, knowledge translation and social innovation. Research limitations/implications The study provides initial publication into the establishment phase of a PHN in Australia. Practical implications The study describes the implementation and progress in terms of relevant international practice and theoretical concepts. This paper demonstrates significant innovative practice in the short term. Social implications The study describes significant engagement and the importance of that with and between communities, service providers and health professionals. Originality/value This is the first study of the results of the implementation of an important change in the funding and delivery of PHC in Australia.
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Elliott, Elizabeth Jane. "Australia plays ‘catch-up’ with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders." International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research 3, no. 1 (April 8, 2014): 121–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v3i1.177.
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Elliott, E. (2014). Australia plays ‘catch-up’ with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 3(1), 121-125. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v3i1.177Australians are amongst the highest consumers of alcohol worldwide, and "risky" drinking is increasing in young women. Contrary to the advice in national guidelines, drinking in pregnancy is common. Many women don’t understand the potential for harm to the unborn child and 20% have a "tolerant" attitude to drinking during pregnancy. As attitude, rather than knowledge, predicts risk of drinking in a future pregnancy, this presents a challenge for public health campaigns. Alcohol is teratogenic, crosses the placenta, and contributes to a range of physical, developmental, learning and behavioural problems, including fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). As nearly half of all pregnancies in Australia are unplanned, inadvertent exposure to alcohol is common. Good-quality prevalence data on FASD are lacking in Australia, although alcohol use at "risky" levels is well documented in some disadvantaged communities. In the last decade, clinicians, researchers, governments and non-governmental organizations have shown renewed interest in addressing alcohol use in pregnancy and FASD. This has included a parliamentary inquiry into FASD, provision of targeted funding for FASD, and development of educational materials for health professionals and the general public. Key challenges for the future are to prevent FASD and to offer timely diagnosis and help to children and families living with FASD. The implementation of evidence-based interventions known to decrease access to, and excessive use of, alcohol in our society will aid in the prevention of FASD. The development of national diagnostic tools for screening and diagnosis, and the training of health professionals in the management of FASD, are urgently needed.
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Norris, Lindy, and Penelope Coutas. "Cinderella’s coach or just another pumpkin? Information communication technologies and the continuing marginalisation of languages in Australian schools." Australian Review of Applied Linguistics 37, no. 1 (January 1, 2014): 43–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1075/aral.37.1.03nor.
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The rhetoric around global connectedness and advances in information communication technologies (ICTs) suggests that: Professional life for the marginalised and isolated language teacher should beeasier; the experience of language learners in Australian schools should be more meaningful andbring them closer to the languages and communities that they are studying; and collectively thisshould be empowering for students and teachers and, in turn, empower the languages learning areawith respect to its status and place within the curriculum. This paper examines these assumptionsthrough a qualitative multiple case study investigation of the use of information communicationtechnologies (ICTs) in secondary school language classes. The study explores the perceptions andexperiences of early adolescent language learners and those of their teachers. It also identifies andexamines a range of contextual factors that both complicate and nuance the technology andlanguages learning nexus. The findings of the study question the assumption of “automaticity”associated with ICTs and an enhanced/improved language learning experience for all those involved.This study finds that experience with technologies can impact negatively on both learners andteachers. This, in turn, can have an adverse influence on perceptions about languages and theirstatus in schools. At a time when schools are investing heavily in information communicationtechnologies, and when they are having to manage the introduction of the Australian Curriculum:Languages, the findings of this study serve to highlight the place of the “critical” in terms of languagesin Australian schools.
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List, Sarah S., Jane Warland, and Colleen Smith. "The challenges of creating an online undergraduate community of practice." Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education 7, no. 1 (April 13, 2015): 99–112. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jarhe-03-2014-0043.
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Purpose – With less time spent on campus, students are increasingly forming peer friendship and study groups either face to face or online. Communities of practice (CoP) with academic support in the wings could benefit students, but little is known in the about their use in the undergraduate space, or how best they may be structured and facilitated (Andrew et al., 2008). The purpose of this paper is to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – An online CoP was created in partnership with undergraduate bachelor of midwifery students at the University of South Australia using an action research model. This provided an ongoing ability to continuously plan, act, observe and evaluate all aspects of the community created, so that adjustments could be made during the two cycles of the study. Findings – The time paucity of the cohort impacted on their ability to participate fully as partners in the project, and in the community itself. The Facebook community received more visitation than the Weebly community. The student panel reported that despite the online CoP fitting better with their schedules, they would prefer more opportunities to interact face to face with their peers. Research limitations/implications – Students who spend limited time on campus may prefer more real life social contact and support, despite the convenience of an online community. A larger cohort, drawing from a non-professional degree would have allowed greater membership and community participation for a prospective study such as this. Practical implications – Remote study is a growing phenomenon, and students need to feel socially connected and supported to remain enroled and engaged. Social implications – There has been much discussion around the amount of time individuals spend online, and whether support groups formed by students on social media support student learning, or encourage unprofessional behaviours without academic support present. Originality/value – This study reports that online communities are not always a logical solution to time poor students, and they may prefer face to face interactions to build their social and professional relationship.
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Rytkönen, Eelis, Christopher Heywood, and Suvi Nenonen. "Campus management process dynamics – Finnish and Australian practices." Journal of Corporate Real Estate 19, no. 2 (May 8, 2017): 80–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jcre-02-2016-0007.
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Purpose This paper aims to outline campus management process dynamics that are affected by glocalization, changing funding structures and digitalization, and answer: How do glocalization, changing funding structures and digitalization challenge university campus management? and What implications do the challenges have on campus management processes? Design/methodology/approach Literature overview discusses how glocalization, changing funding structures and digitalization affect campus management. Empirical part explores how these forces affect management processes through 36 interviews on multiple embedded cases in the main campuses of Aalto University in Finland and the University of Melbourne in Australia. Findings Major challenges include future foresight, institutional sharing, economical paucity and functional flexibility. Heterogeneous user behaviors challenge absolute spatial measures as bases for designing learning and working environments. Finding a balance between long-haul portfolio maintenance for the university and future users and short-haul flexible pilots for the current user communities is crucial. Research limitations/implications The results derive from interviews of 36 campus management professionals from two campus management organizations limiting the validity and the reliability of the study. Further studies should be conducted by replicating the study in another context, by interviewing end users and clients and by investigating case investments and impacts over time. Practical implications Campus managers can answer the challenges through practical applications such as big data collection and sharing in physical environments, integrated service provision to thematic communities, cross-pollination of user communities and open access to information and infrastructure services. Originality/value This paper provides insights and tools to strategic alignment by comparing campus management of two fundamentally different systems in the context of higher education and on-going digitalization.
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Bulford, Eleanor, Alison Fogarty, Rebecca Giallo, Stephanie Brown, Josef Szwarc, and Elisha Riggs. "Risk and Protective Factors Experienced by Fathers of Refugee Background during the Early Years of Parenting: A Qualitative Study." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 11 (June 6, 2022): 6940. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116940.
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Fathers of refugee background with young children can experience significant mental health difficulties, with the potential for intergenerational impacts. This study aimed to explore how fathers of refugee background experience risk and protective factors for their own health and wellbeing during the early years of parenting. Semi-structured interviews and one semi-structured focus group were conducted with fathers of refugee background, with young children (0–5 years), who had settled in Australia. Transcribed interviews were analysed using thematic analysis, informed by the socioecological model of health. A total of 21 fathers participated in the study. Risk factors experienced included: prior experiences of trauma, reduced access to family support in Australia, adjustments in parenting roles, and the challenges of learning a new language and securing employment. Fathers drew on a number of sources of strength, including a sense of joy from fatherhood and support from partners, families, and communities. While most fathers regularly accompanied their partners and children to healthcare appointments, they were rarely asked by healthcare professionals about their own needs. Our findings support the idea that there is a need for greater assistance for fathers, particularly for navigating issues arising from the settlement process. Healthcare services working with families of refugee background must adopt a father-inclusive, trauma-informed approach that is responsive to fathers’ needs.
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Mason, John, and Jane Southcott. "A Bit of Ripping and Tearing: An Interpretative Study of Indigenous Engagement Officers’ Perceptions Regarding Their Community and Workplace Roles." Australian Journal of Indigenous Education 48, no. 2 (April 17, 2018): 141–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jie.2018.4.
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The Australian Government (AG) employs Indigenous Engagement Officers (IEO) in many of the remote Aboriginal communities of the Northern Territory (NT). IEOs are respected community members who apply their deep understanding of local tradition, language and politics in providing expert cultural advice to government. Competing priorities of workplace and cultural obligation make the IEO role stressful and dichotomous in nature. The workplace experiences and perceptions of IEOs remain largely unexplored and there is scant understanding of the significant crosscultural issues associated with the role. IEOs typically confront ongoing workplace stress and are unable to perform at full capacity. This qualitative study explores participant meaning regarding workplace and community roles to inform the AG in development of culturally appropriate training and support for IEOs. The study captures detailed information from six IEOs through an interpretive process sensitive to phenomenological experience. Personal meanings associated with the workplace are assembled through individual interviews and focus group sessions. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis methodology is applied to the resulting idiographic dataset in exposing a range of superordinate themes including desire for recognition and feelings of abandonment. Findings reveal the need to incorporate correct cultural protocols in the workplace and give preference for Aboriginal learning styles in professional development activities. There is urgent need for a range of workplace supports for IEOs in future capacity-building strategies.
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Firn, Jennifer. "Capping off’ the development of graduate capabilities in the final semester unit for biological science students: review and recommendations." Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice 12, no. 3 (July 1, 2015): 20–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.53761/1.12.3.3.
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Biology is the most rapidly evolving scientific field of the 21st century. Biology graduates must be able to integrate concepts and collaborate outside their discipline to solve the most pressing questions of our time, e.g. world hunger, malnutrition, climate change, infectious disease and biosecurity. University educators are attempting to respond to this need to better prepare undergraduates to face these challenges by undergoing a dramatic shift in teaching practice from teaching-centered to studentcentered and from discipline knowledge to graduate capabilities. With this shift came the development of capstone units—a student’s culminating academic experience where authentic learning environments assist students to develop employer-prized capabilities, e.g. metacognition, networking, time management, collaborative skills. The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) launched a new student centered set of science majors in 2012 and in second semester 2015 will offer a capstone in biology for the first time. My main aims with this report are to understand the theoretical basis and logic behind the development of capstone units and to compare and contrast what other Australian institutions are providing. Based on my findings, I recommend six generic elements for capstone units in biological science: 1. Challenging inquiry-based learning tasks that are intentionally ill defined and complicated, and address cutting edge relevant problems. 2. Small group work activities and assessment that encourages positive constructivist learning. 3. Student centered learning where teachers take the role of coaching and mentoring with students also being provided opportunities to network with members of the professional community. 4. Students perform authentic tasks that involve articulating their findings to peers and experts including the experience of having to defend arguments and decisions. 5. Learning opportunities that include career development skills and training. 6. Explicit modeling of self-aware and meaningful learning to encourage deep learning strategies that foster an appreciation for the nature of science. Overall, I found that the characteristics of capstone units should not be focused on transmitting content, nor simply another controlled application of the scientific method; instead the activities and assessment students perform should be complex, relevant, and realistic to encourage students to move beyond being motivated by grades or fear of failure to wanting to understand concepts deeply and solve problems to make a difference within their future professions and communities.
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Antinluoma, Markku, Liisa Ilomaki, Pekka Lahti-Nuuttila, and Auli Toom. "Schools as Professional Learning Communities." Journal of Education and Learning 7, no. 5 (July 20, 2018): 76. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/jel.v7n5p76.
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The main objectives in building professional learning communities are to improve teachers’ professionalism and well-being, and create positive impacts on student learning. It is a question of changing the school culture. The main objective of this quantitative study was to investigate the maturity level of thirteen Finnish schools as professional learning communities from the perspectives of school culture, leadership, teaching, and professional development. The participants’ perceptions indicated a culture of collegiality, trust and commitment as common strengths at all schools. The school cultures supported professional collaboration, and the teachers had the knowledge, skills and dispositions to engage in professional collaboration. The challenges were related to structural conditions, especially the lack of collaboration time. Three school profiles were identified in the cluster analysis from the viewpoint of maturity as professional learning communities. Statistically significant differences between the three clusters were found in organizational and operational characteristics.
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Bush, Tony. "Collegiality and professional learning communities." Educational Management Administration & Leadership 44, no. 6 (October 31, 2016): 871–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1741143216663993.
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Thornton, Kate, and Sue Cherrington. "Leadership in Professional Learning Communities." Australasian Journal of Early Childhood 39, no. 3 (September 2014): 94–102. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/183693911403900312.
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Huffman, Jane, and Arminta Jacobson. "Perceptions of professional learning communities." International Journal of Leadership in Education 6, no. 3 (September 2003): 239–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1360312022000017480.
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Thompson, Sue C., Larry Gregg, and John M. Niska. "Professional Learning Communities, Leadership, and Student Learning." RMLE Online 28, no. 1 (January 2004): 1–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19404476.2004.11658173.
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Bates, Tony. "Professional learning in professional communities: the ultimate goal." Professional Development in Education 38, no. 4 (September 2012): 511–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2012.705569.
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Bouchamma, Yamina, and Clémence Michaud. "Professional development of supervisors through professional learning communities." International Journal of Leadership in Education 17, no. 1 (April 8, 2013): 62–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2013.778332.
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Brodie, Karin, and Tinoda Chimhande. "Teacher Talk in Professional Learning Communities." International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology 8, no. 2 (April 4, 2020): 118. http://dx.doi.org/10.46328/ijemst.v8i2.782.
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Professional learning communities can be important sites for teacher learning depending on the quality of the conversations in these communities. This paper shows how different activities in teacher communities support different kinds of conversation at different levels of depth, through examining the conversations of four professional learning communities of mathematics teachers over two years. Our analysis suggests three key findings. First, there were strong relationships between different activities and the content of the conversations in the communities. Second, the depth of the conversation in the communities was constant across activities and over time. Third, conversations about learner thinking, a key goal of the project, did not increase over time, but there were increases in talk about mathematics and practice. We explore the implications of these findings for teacher learning.
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Naìr Carrera and Tommaso Dalla Vecchia,. "Professional Learning Communities for school innovation." IUL Research 3, no. 5 (June 20, 2022): 338–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.57568/iulres.v3i5.285.
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The growth of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) seems to have accelerated in recent times, partially because of the opportunities offered by the online dimension, but also as a response to the emergency to which schools have adapted during the pandemic with Distance Learning. This work builds on testimonies from practitioners partaking in local and international PLCs, notably aiming at experimenting with innovative teaching and learning practices and promoting new curricula for digital education. Such communities are particularly interesting as they encourage the circulation of innovative practices through peer learning, mentoring, and school level capacity building. Ultimately, this article explores how PLCs can support practitioners enhancing their teaching practice, as well as designing and implementing innovation at classroom and school level.
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Bush, Tony. "Professional learning communities and school leadership." Educational Management Administration & Leadership 46, no. 5 (August 5, 2018): 711–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1741143218782316.
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Woodland, Rebecca H. "Evaluating PK–12 Professional Learning Communities." American Journal of Evaluation 37, no. 4 (July 9, 2016): 505–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1098214016634203.
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SeoKyoungHye. "Teacher Learning Communities and Professional Development." Journal of Korean Teacher Education 26, no. 2 (June 2009): 243–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.24211/tjkte.2009.26.2.243.
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Harris, Alma, and Michelle Jones. "Professional learning communities and system improvement." Improving Schools 13, no. 2 (July 2010): 172–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1365480210376487.
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Wiesenberg, Faye P., and Jo-Anne H. Willment. "Creating Continuing Professional Online Learning Communities." Adult Learning 12, no. 1 (January 2001): 5–6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/104515950101200103.
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