Journal articles on the topic 'School principals – Australia'
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Wildy, Helen, and John Wallace. "School Leadership Development in Western Australia: An Impact Study." Journal of School Leadership 5, no. 3 (May 1995): 248–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/105268469500500304.
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This paper reports an impact study of the Western Australian School Leadership Program, an innovative leadership development program for principals, deputy principals and heads of department of elementary and secondary government schools in the state of Western Australia. Approximately half of the people in promotional positions in state government schools had participated in the program at the time of the study. Perceptions of the nature and extent of change in leader practice as a result of involvement in the program were sought from all program participants using a questionnaire and a series of case studies. A design feature of the study was that participants were asked to select a colleague with whom they worked closely to give their perceptions of the nature and extent of change. It was found that the program was perceived to have an impact on leader behavior in schools. This effect was enhanced when a number of leaders from the same school participated in the program.
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Drysdale, Lawrie, Jeffrey Bennett, Elizabeth T. Murakami, Olof Johansson, and David Gurr. "Heroic leadership in Australia, Sweden, and the United States." International Journal of Educational Management 28, no. 7 (September 2, 2014): 785–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijem-08-2013-0128.
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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to draw from data collected as part of the International Successful School Principalship Project (ISSPP) and present cases of democratic and heroic leadership from three countries, discussing to what extent successful school principals in each of their research sites (Melbourne, Australia; Umeå, Sweden; Arizona and Texas in the USA) carry old and new perspectives of heroism in their leadership. In particular the paper explores two questions: first, how do school principals describe aspects of heroic and post-heroic leadership in their practices? and second, how do these heroic and post-heroic leadership practices meet contemporary demands such as accountability standards and build inclusive and collaborative school communities in challenging contexts? Design/methodology/approach – Multiple-perspective case studies involving semi-structured individual and group interviews with principals, teachers, students, parents and school board members were used to understand the contribution of principals and other leadership to school success. Findings – The definitions of heroic and post-heroic leadership are inadequate in defining successful principal leadership. The Australian, Swedish and American principals showed characteristics of both heroic and post-heroic leadership. They showed heroic qualities such as: inspiring and motivating others; challenging the status quo; showing integrity in conflicting situations; putting duty before self; taking risks to champion a better way; showing courage to stand up to those in authority; advocating for students in struggling neighbourhoods under the scrutiny of both district and public expectations; and, showing uncommon commitment. Yet our principals showed post-heroic leadership such as involving others in decision making and recognising that school success depended on collective effort, and being sensitive to community needs through a deep respect for the local culture. Originality/value – The research shows that we may need to redefine and recast our images of who school principals are today, and what they do to generate academic success for students. Both heroic and post-heroic images of leadership are needed to explain successful school leadership.
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Wood, Paul, David Evans, and Ilektra Spandagou. "Attitudes of Principals Towards Students With Disruptive Behaviour: An Australian Perspective." Australasian Journal of Special Education 38, no. 1 (April 25, 2014): 14–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jse.2014.5.
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This paper reports on the attitudes of 340 government primary principals from New South Wales, Australia, towards the inclusion of students with disruptive behaviours in schools. Principals’ attitudes were examined using the Principals and Behaviour Survey (PABS), a new composite measure built upon a foundation of existing validated surveys on attitudes towards the inclusion of students with disabilities. Principal component analysis identified 3 components that were used as variables for correlations with a range of demographic characteristics, such as age, qualifications, experience, school size and location. School size and the number of students with a diagnosed mental health condition in the school had a small relationship with principals’ attitudes. From the analysis of data from the emotional response scale, it was found that principals’ emotions about inclusion were less positive towards students with disruptive behaviour than towards students with sensory, physical or intellectual disabilities. Overall, principals appeared to hold dichotomous positions in regard to the benefits of inclusion, viewing it as beneficial for students with disruptive behaviour but not for their peers. However, principals who held more positive views were consistently more positive across all measures.
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Dimmock, Clive, and John Hattie. "Principals' and Teachers' Reactions to School Restructuring." Australian Journal of Education 38, no. 1 (April 1994): 36–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/000494419403800103.
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There have been relatively few studies that have gauged the thoughts, reactions and expectations held by those working in schools towards decentralisation and restructuring of school systems. This study investigates the views held by a sample of principals and teachers in Western Australia of the likely effects of restructuring on changing roles and responsibilities, actual and desired outcomes, changing power and influence relations, personal values, and difficulties in meeting new expectations. Both principals and teachers predicted that decentralisation and devolution would increase their workloads and broaden their roles. Principals would require more human and technical management competencies; teachers would assume more non-teaching duties. Notwithstanding difficulties and drawbacks, principals and teachers believed that restructuring would lead to better, more effective, and more efficient schools.
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Duncan, Jill, and Renee Punch. "Building Inclusive Education Workforce Capability: School Principals’ Perceptions of Roles and Responsibilities." Australasian Journal of Special and Inclusive Education 45, no. 1 (February 26, 2021): 62–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jsi.2021.2.
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AbstractInclusive education workforce capability is the ability of the education workforce to meet individual student learning needs, regardless of educational context. In this study, we investigated the perceptions of 12 principals in Australian education settings on their views about roles and responsibilities related to the workforce’s preparedness for inclusive education. We used thematic analysis to identify 9 major themes and 3 subthemes across the 3 roles about which participants were asked: the principal’s role, the system’s role, and the teacher registration boards’ role. The findings indicated a number of areas of concern for these principals about ensuring the capability of the education workforce in the context of extensive student diversity. In summary, results indicated that principals, systems, and teacher registration boards each have a role in building inclusive education workforce capability, with a coordinated effort more likely to bring Australia closer to its pledge of inclusive education for all students.
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Cranston, Neil. "The Impact of School-Based Management on Primary School Principals: An Australian Perspective." Journal of School Leadership 10, no. 3 (May 2000): 214–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/105268460001000301.
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This article reports research on the impact of the implementation of school-based management on primary schools and their principals in Queensland, Australia. A qualitative case study approach was employed, with individual and focus group interviews being the major data collection method. The findings illustrate that, as in systems elsewhere where school-based management has been introduced, the impact on schools and principals has been significant. Increasing demands are being made on principals to lead their communities through the change process and facilitate cultural change while at the same time responding to greater accountability demands from the system. Educational leadership has largely given way to managerial activities. Implications for policy, practice, leadership theory, and further research are discussed.
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Leechman, Gareth, Norman McCulla, and Laurie Field. "Local school governance and school leadership: practices, processes and pillars." International Journal of Educational Management 33, no. 7 (November 4, 2019): 1641–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijem-12-2018-0401.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the processes and relationships between school councils and school leadership teams in the local governance of 18 independent, faith-based schools in New South Wales, Australia. Design/methodology/approach A three-phase, mixed-method research design was used incorporating development of a conceptual framework for local school governance drawn from current literature, face-to face interviews with chairs of school councils and principals, and a subsequent survey of school council members and within-school leadership teams. Findings Noting a lack of research into the practices and processes of school council operations and their interface with school leadership, the study identified five key areas that were seen to be foundational to the effectiveness of local governance. Research limitations/implications The study contributes an Australian perspective to an international need to better understand local governance arrangements in school leadership and management. Practical implications At a practical level, the study provides valuable insights to principals, and to those aspiring to the role, on the nature of the relationship between the school council and school leadership teams. Social implications The study responds to a marked increase internationally in local governance arrangements for schools by way of school councils or boards. Originality/value A review of literature reveals that, somewhat surprisingly, there has been relatively little research undertaken in this key area of leading and managing schools.
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Singh, Michael Garbutcheon, Leo Bartlett, Leonie Rowan, Trevor Gale, and Philippa Roylance. "Moves to Restructure the Work of Principals, of Teaching, and Human Resource Management." Journal of School Leadership 7, no. 1 (January 1997): 69–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/105268469700700104.
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This paper argues that efforts to reform and to restructure education systems in Australia, and indeed many school systems throughout the Western world, are not only changing the nature of principals’ work, but in turn are changing the nature of teaching. In particular, the changes require principals to have a sound knowledge-base in the area of human resource management (HRM). Based on research into system expectations concerning principals’ work, the paper examines the implications this has for principals and the knowledge they now need to be successful human resource managers. The paper provides an account of current Department of Education policies intended to change public schools throughout Queensland (Australia). These policies are then linked to micro-reform and restructuring at local and regional levels through the idea of competence related to functions of HRM. Specific reference is made to restructuring strategies for changing the configuration of school staffing, job redesign for teacher aides, and the creation of cluster schools. Resistances to these initiatives are noted. The key political features of delegation, managerialism, reduced public sector expenditure, and school-industry links are discussed in the context of these initiatives. The practical implications for the work of principals are raised briefly in the conclusion. In addition, attention is given to the need for educators to investigate further the knowledge and skills that professional development programs might offer principals concerning human resource management so as to give them some power to respond effectively to these changing circumstances.
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Cranston, Neil, Bill Mulford, Jack Keating, and Alan Reid. "Primary school principals and the purposes of education in Australia." Journal of Educational Administration 48, no. 4 (July 6, 2010): 517–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09578231011054743.
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Peddell, Lewes, David Lynch, Richard Waters, Wendy Boyd, and Royce Willis. "How do Principals of High Performing Schools Achieve Sustained Improvement Results?" IAFOR Journal of Education 8, no. 4 (November 27, 2020): 133–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.22492/ije.8.4.08.
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Education systems across the globe have enacted national testing regimes to monitor and report student achievement progress as an outcome of teaching performance. This paper reports on an investigation of strategies that Principals of high achieving schools use to achieve school results, based on NAPLAN reports (the National Assessment Program in Australia) and interpreted via the Alignment, Capability and Engagement (ACE) model of organisational readiness. Our findings identified specific Principal behaviours, actions and attitudes as necessary for effective school-wide improvement programs, as well as the existence of commonly shared strategies and approaches that help to explain why these particular Principals have been successful in their pursuit of school improvement. These include a shared vision for improvement, use of data-driven decision making, and building positive, “transparent” relationships to encourage teacher buy-in. Importantly, these findings identified “organisational readiness”, a foundational principle of the ACE model, as a fundamental requisite to effective school improvement.
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Leaf, Ann, and George Odhiambo. "The deputy principal instructional leadership role and professional learning." Journal of Educational Administration 55, no. 1 (February 6, 2017): 33–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jea-02-2016-0029.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on a study examining the perceptions of secondary principals, deputies and teachers, of deputy principal (DP) instructional leadership (IL), as well as deputies’ professional learning (PL) needs. Framed within an interpretivist approach, the specific objectives of this study were: to explore the extent to which DPs are perceived as leaders of learning, to examine the actual responsibilities of these DPs and to explore the PL that support DP roles. Design/methodology/approach The researchers used multiple perspective case studies which included semi-structured interviews and key school document analysis. A thematic content analysis facilitated qualitative descriptions and insights from the perspectives of the principals, DPs and teachers of four high-performing secondary schools in Sydney, Australia. Findings The data revealed that deputies performed a huge range of tasks; all the principals were distributing leadership to their deputies to build leadership capacity and supported their PL in a variety of ways. Across three of the case study schools, most deputies were frequently performing as instructional leaders, improving their school’s performance through distributing leadership, team building and goal setting. Deputy PL was largely dependent on principal mentoring and self-initiated but was often ad hoc. Findings add more validity to the importance of principals building the educational leadership of their deputies. Research limitations/implications This study relied upon responses from four case study schools. Further insight into the key issues discussed may require a longitudinal data that describe perceptions from a substantial number of schools in Australia over time. However, studying only four schools allowed for an in-depth investigation. Practical implications The findings from this study have practical implications for system leaders with responsibilities of framing the deputies’ role as emergent educational leaders rather than as administrators and the need for coherent, integrated, consequential and systematic approaches to DP professional development. Further research is required on the effect of deputy IL on school performance. Originality/value There is a dearth of research-based evidence exploring the range of responsibilities of deputies and perceptions of staff about deputies’ IL role and their PL needs. This is the first published New South Wales, Australian DP study and adds to the growing evidence around perceptions of DPs as instructional leaders by providing an Australian perspective on the phenomenon. The paper raises important concerns about the complexity of the DP’s role on the one hand, and on the other hand, the PL that is perceived to be most appropriate for dealing with this complexity.
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Kim, Yeon. "A Comparative Study on the Education of Prospective Principals in Australia and Canada." Korean Association For Learner-Centered Curriculum And Instruction 22, no. 18 (September 30, 2022): 215–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.22251/jlcci.2022.22.18.215.
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Objectives This study attempted to find implications for qualification training for secondary school principals in Korea by examining specific examples of education systems and contents for fostering principals in Australia and Canada.
Methods The research method is a comparative study through literature analysis, and for this purpose, in the case of Korea, the principal qualification training curriculum of the Korea Teachers’ University’s General Training Institute was analyzed along with related laws. Australia and Canada investigated documents related to the training of principals by the Federal and State Departments of Education, and analyzed the leadership course at Monash University and the principal qualification program at University of Toronto as examples.
Results Australia presents principal professional standards and principal training curriculum design guides at the national level, and the state desings education to foster new principals based on this, and the operating institutions(university, etc) refer to them to operate the curriculum. Choice subjects vary depending on the learner’s previous experience and deal with macro-level leadership. Canada does not have a unified principal professional standard at the federal level, but individual states establish a theoretical system and develop a standardized curriculum to operate the same course in all educational institutes. The same five modules are divided into two parts, theory-centered and practice-centered, and repeatedly deepened.
Conclusions Through principal training in Australia and Canada, implications such as the development of a theoretical system that can be the basis for principal qualification training, selective education based on learner context, research on future-oriented education and principal training system and content were found.
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Thielking, Monica, and Shane R. Jimerson. "Perspectives Regarding the Role of School Psychologists: Perceptions of Teachers, Principals, and School Psychologists in Victoria, Australia." Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling 16, no. 2 (December 1, 2006): 211–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1375/ajgc.16.2.211.
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AbstractSchool psychologists have a unique and multifaceted role within schools and must work with a variety of stakeholders. Therefore, it is important to explore and understand the perspectives of other educational professionals regarding the roles of school psychologists. This study examined the perspectives of principals (N = 21), teachers (N = 86), and school psychologists (N = 81) regarding what they believe should be the role of school psychologists. Participants were working in Catholic, Independent, and Government primary and secondary schools across Victoria, Australia. Results revealed both similarities and differences between the three groups regarding perspectives about school psychologists' role. For instance, the three groups shared similar perspectives that school psychologists should: (a) conduct research on issues relevant to the school, (b) be up-to-date on relevant research, (c) conduct psychological assessments, (d) provide counselling to students, (e) organise group programs for students, (f) organise workshops and provide information to teachers on issues of students' welfare and (g) inform primary students' parents of their child's participation in counselling. However, the three groups also differed in their perspectives about some aspects of the school psychologists' role. It was notable that each of the differences in perceptions between the groups had implications for potential ethical dilemmas, for instance: (a) boundaries, (b) dual relationship, (c) confidentiality/who is the client? and (d) informed consent. Implications for practice and scholarship in the field of school psychology are discussed.
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Whan, L. D., and A. Ross Thomas. "The Principalship and Stress in the Workplace: An Observational and Physiological Study." Journal of School Leadership 6, no. 4 (July 1996): 444–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/105268469600600405.
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This study sought to identify stress when experienced by principals in their schools, to record the duration of periods of stress experienced, and to ascertain if and what particular administrative behaviors were associated with stress. Structured observation was used to record and time all activities of ten elementary school principals in Sydney, Australia. Observed stressful behavior was confirmed by the use of a tissue perfusion monitor—a physiological measure of stress. All principals were shown to experience stress—some at heavy levels for extended periods. Eight categories of stressors were identified.
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Beames, Joanne R., Lara Johnston, Bridianne O'Dea, Michelle Torok, Helen Christensen, Katherine M. Boydell, and Aliza Werner-Seidler. "Factors That Help and Hinder the Implementation of Digital Depression Prevention Programs: School-Based Cross-sectional Study." Journal of Medical Internet Research 23, no. 8 (August 27, 2021): e26223. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/26223.
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Background Digital prevention programs that are delivered in a school environment can inoculate young people against depression. However, little is known about the school-based factors that help and hinder the implementation of these programs. Staff members are integral for supporting mental health programs in schools and are likely to have a wealth of expertise and knowledge about the factors that affect implementation. Objective The primary objective of this study was to explore the barriers and facilitators to implementing a digital depression prevention program in Australian secondary schools with teachers, counselors, and principals. The secondary objective was to explore variations in these factors across different school contexts, including the school type (government or nongovernment), location (capital city, regional/or rural areas), and socioeconomic status (SES) (low, medium, high). Methods This quantitative cross-sectional survey study assessed the barriers and facilitators to implementing a hypothetical digital prevention program in Australian schools. The survey was taken by 97 teachers (average age 38.3 years), 93 counselors (average age 39.5 years), and 11 principals (average age 50.9 years) across Australia between November 2017 and July 2018. Results A range of barriers and facilitators relating to logistics and resources, staff support, and program factors were endorsed by the surveyed staff. Consistent with prior research, common barriers included a lack of time and resources (ie, staff and rooms). These barriers were particularly evident in government, rural/regional, and low socioeconomic schools. Other barriers were specific to digital delivery, including privacy issues and a lack of clarity around staff roles and responsibilities. Facilitators included upskilling staff through training, embedding the program into the curriculum, and other program factors including universal delivery, screening of students’ mental health, and clear referral pathways. Knowledge about the program efficacy was also perceived as important by a large proportion of the respondents. Conclusions The digital depression prevention program was perceived as suitable for use within different schools in Australia, although certain factors need to be considered to enable effective implementation. Logistics and resources, support, and program factors were identified as particularly important for school-based implementation. To maximize the effectiveness in delivering digital programs, implementation may need to be tailored to the staff roles and school types.
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Bills, Andrew, Nigel Howard, and Michael Bell. "Changing and challenging dimensions of principal autonomy in South Australia: A lived experience phenomenological analysis of the courage to care." Journal of Educational Leadership, Policy and Practice 36, no. 1 (March 1, 2022): 78–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/jelpp-2021-0005.
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Abstract This paper employs critical policy historiography of South Australian public education as a contextual backdrop that speaks to a hermeneutic phenomenological study of the lived experiences of two former public-school principals, who describe how their ongoing social justice schooling agendas in public education met with considerable departmental resistance. Both resigned at the peak of their public education careers to pursue their schooling vision in the federally funded independent school system which traditionally catered for the wealthy, elite schools and forms the third tier of the complex funding arrangements of education in Australia that has festered for years under the label “the funding wars” (Ashenden, 2016). Changes to funding arrangements opened up the system and gave the opportunity for our two principals to pursue a public vision in the independent schooling sector, free from what they described as the “shackles” of bureaucratic command and control. The phenomenological essence of their journeyed leadership narratives reveals the courage to care, driving their narrative reflections. They perceived that increasing demands of departmental compliance took them away from being able to pursue a socially just vision with autonomy and freedom. Stepping into the uncertainty of their new independent schooling aspirations, the principals felt professional relief and found real autonomy. We conclude with an exploration of the phenomenological notion of “the courage to care.”
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Gibson, Mark T., and Susan Simon. "Losing your head: Are principals attached to their school?" Educational Management Administration & Leadership 48, no. 1 (July 19, 2018): 25–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1741143218788579.
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This article explores the effects on former principals who have undergone involuntary job dissolution. It draws upon a study of 10 former principals who have experienced involuntary job dissolution in England and Australia; however, none of the participants were dismissed. Hour-long, one-to-one interviews were conducted with each participant and key emergent themes analysed. There was a high level of congruence between data from the two countries and key findings were effects on former principals’ physical and emotional health, self-belief, professional identity and finances, plus a sense of loss of power. The effects of these job losses were significant and long-lasting. The analysis positions these results within the established literature on job loss, particularly with regard to Bowlby’s attachment theory. The manner of departure appears to carry substantial meaning and there are implications here for the management of school principals. Attachment theory suggests people undergo physical and emotional loss when separated from loved ones. The participants displayed a sense of grief akin to loss of a significant other. The authors put forward the concept that principalship involves attachment to the school institution as in a love relationship.
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Gilligan, Conor, Therese Shaw, Shelley Beatty, Laura Thomas, Karen Louise Lombardi, and Robyn Susanne Johnston. "Do schools and alcohol mix? Australian parents' perspectives." Health Education 120, no. 3 (April 6, 2020): 229–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/he-02-2020-0010.
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PurposeAlcohol use by adults at school events and alcohol promotion through school fundraising activities is common, but little is known about secondary school parents' attitudes towards these practices. Parental attitudes may influence principals' decision-making on this topic, particularly in jurisdictions where education department guidance is limited. This study explored parents' attitudes towards the consumption or promotion of alcohol in schools or at school events.Design/methodology/approachParents (n = 298) from five non-government secondary schools in Western Australia completed an online survey and provided responses relating to the promotion and availability of alcohol through their child's school.FindingsThis sample of parents were evenly divided in support of alcohol consumption or support of schools as alcohol-free zones. Parents reporting higher alcohol consumption were more supportive of alcohol promotion and use through schools, and those with higher education supported use of alcohol for school fundraising. Almost 20% of parents were neutral on several measures indicating they could be swayed by social pressure. Engaging parents is an ongoing challenge for school principals and alcohol may play a part in engagement activities. The results from this small, exploratory study suggest even engaged parents may have very differing views on alcohol use in schools.Practical implicationsEducation departments are encouraged to explore these issues carefully and introduce changes incrementally to assist decision-making and minimise potential parent disengagement.Originality/valueThis paper addresses a knowledge gap about parents' attitudes towards alcohol in secondary schools. These findings can support those involved in the development of school alcohol policies.
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Barblett, Lennie, and Gillian Kirk. "National Quality Standard in Schools: Leadership Enabling Power and Agency." Australasian Journal of Early Childhood 43, no. 3 (September 2018): 43–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.23965/ajec.43.3.05.
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THE POLITICAL IMPERATIVE that underscores the quest for continuous improvement and quality provision of early childhood education and care in Australia has seen the unparalleled development of a federal policy framework for children's services. The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to a National Quality Framework (NQF) and, as part of this, the National Quality Standard (NQS) was developed to drive continuous improvement and set a national benchmark for the provision of children's services outside the schooling sector. The Western Australian Minister for Education required not only prior-to-school children's services to meet the NQS, but also the early years of school that cater for children aged four years to eight years (Kindergarten to Year 2). This research project followed the journey of four schools that implemented the NQS in 2016, in the first year of mandatory use. A case study approach using qualitative methods of individual and focus group interviews of principals, teachers, teaching assistants and Department of Education consultants was undertaken. The data was analysed by the coding of common themes and by completing a cross-case synthesis. Leadership was the most common theme for successful implementation of the NQS. This paper reports on the aspects of leadership across multiple layers that represented the involvement of Department of Education consultants, principals and staff at four public schools. Essentially, the NQS increased staff power and agency, and united their vision for continuous quality improvement that contributes to the national quality agenda for children.
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McGrath, Kevin F. "When female leaders outnumber men: the decline of male school principals in Australia." Journal of Gender Studies 29, no. 5 (July 16, 2019): 604–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2019.1642739.
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Coelli, Michael, Gigi Foster, and Andrew Leigh. "Do School Principals Respond to Increased Public Scrutiny? New Survey Evidence from Australia." Economic Record 94 (April 22, 2018): 73–101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1475-4932.12400.
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Petrass, Lauren A., Kate Simpson, Jenny Blitvich, Rhiannon Birch, and Bernadette Matthews. "Exploring the impact of a student-centred survival swimming programme for primary school students in Australia: the perceptions of parents, children and teachers." European Physical Education Review 27, no. 3 (February 3, 2021): 684–702. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1356336x20985880.
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Teaching basic swimming, water safety and rescue skills is recommended by the World Health Organization for all school-aged children. However, there is a lack of evidence on effective pedagogies to develop swimming competency and the success of swimming lessons as a drowning prevention intervention. This study used a self-report questionnaire and practical testing procedures to examine the effectiveness of a 10-week student-centred aquatic programme designed for children aged 10–12 years. The study also determined whether the non-traditional swimming programme was accepted by swim teachers, school teachers and principals, and parents from a range of schools from different geographical regions in Victoria, Australia. A total of 204 students were enrolled in the programme. The pre-programme results indicated a good level of swimming, water safety and aquatic knowledge, but low swimming ability. Swimming ability significantly improved from pre-programme to post-programme, with no significant post-programme ability differences between male and female children or for participants from different programmes. Qualitative feedback collected through questionnaires, interviews and/or focus groups from students ( n = 73) and parents ( n = 69), school teachers and principals ( n = 14), swim teachers and swim school managers ( n = 21) indicated strong support from principals and swim teachers for the student-centred pedagogy, and all stakeholders valued the focus on survival swimming competencies. This research highlights the importance of including stakeholders when designing and implementing aquatics programmes. The study has resulted in a well-founded, effective programme with tailored resources and instructional materials that are available for swim centres and schools that would enable schools globally to adopt and implement this programme.
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McCluskey, Alison, Garth Kendall, and Sharyn Burns. "Students’, parents’ and teachers’ views about the resources required by school nurses in Perth, Western Australia." Journal of Research in Nursing 24, no. 7 (November 8, 2018): 515–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1744987118807250.
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Background Nurses play a significant role in promoting health in schools; however, they are often poorly resourced to do so. Aims The aim of the study was to identify the perceptions of students, parents and teachers regarding the resources school nurses require in order to practise effectively in the secondary school environment in Perth, Western Australia. Methods One-on-one interviews were conducted with parents, teachers, nurses, school principals and school counsellors. Focus groups were conducted at three schools with students in years 10, 11 and 12, parents and teachers. Interviews and focus group data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results It was acknowledged that nurses in all schools were under-resourced, with large student numbers contributing to high workloads. The importance of privacy during a visit to the school nurse was highlighted by students. All stakeholders discussed the advantages of nurses completing extra qualifications, in addition to an undergraduate degree. Appropriate support and supervision were also highlighted. Conclusions School nurses need to thoroughly document and describe the work that they do and collaborate within the school community to advocate for increased resources. There is a great need for further research regarding the school nurse role involving the whole school community, and most importantly the students.
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Slaughter, Yvette, Joseph Lo Bianco, Renata Aliani, Russell Cross, and John Hajek. "Language programming in rural and regional Victoria." Australian Review of Applied Linguistics 42, no. 3 (September 10, 2019): 274–300. http://dx.doi.org/10.1075/aral.18030.sla.
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Abstract Despite decades of often ambitious policies in Australia, languages education is still characterized by intermittent commitment to the teaching of languages, with inequitable access particularly entrenched in rural and regional contexts. While research has focused on the practical and material constraints impacting on policy implementation, little research has investigated the role of the discursive terrain in shaping expectations and limitations around what seems achievable in schools, particularly, from the school principal perspective. Beginning with an overview of policy interventions and an analysis of contemporary challenges, we use Q methodology to identify and analyze viewpoints at work in similarly-positioned rural and regional schools. In doing so, we seek to determine what seems possible or impossible across settings; the role of principals in enabling and constraining pathways for the provision of school language programs, and the need for macro-level language policy to be informed by constraints specific to rural and regional contexts.
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Winkworth, Gail, and Morag McArthur. "Back to schools: Human services workers increasing opportunities for early intervention and social inclusion from the school base." Children Australia 33, no. 4 (2008): 5–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1035077200000389.
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This paper argues that Australia is lagging behind in recognising the important role social workers and other human services workers can play in schools to improve social and educational outcomes for students. It reports on a small, school-based, human services program, the Schools as Communities program, located in the Australian Capital Territory, and outlines key themes that emerged in interviews with principals and other school staff about the program's effectiveness. The program's outreach workers, who were mostly social workers, had a dual role working with individual families and facilitating community development initiatives of benefit to the school community. Case studies demonstrate how their presence contributed to earlier involvement and support of vulnerable families. They also illustrate that the school setting enabled social workers to work more effectively to build social inclusion in local communities. The paper argues the case for using a wider range of human services professionals from the school base and calls upon education and human services systems to create more effective governance arrangements to make this possible. An expansion of the traditional disciplinary base of education to incorporate social workers and other human services professionals who are skilled at working across multiple domains is essential if schools are to maximise the impact of early intervention and prevention in working towards a more socially inclusive society.
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Barty, Karin, Pat Thomson, Jill Blackmore, and Judyth Sachs. "Unpacking the issues: Researching the shortage of school principals in two states in Australia." Australian Educational Researcher 32, no. 3 (December 2005): 1–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf03216824.
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Holloway, Jessica, and Amanda Keddie. "Competing locals in an autonomous schooling system: The fracturing of the ‘social’ in social justice." Educational Management Administration & Leadership 48, no. 5 (March 20, 2019): 786–801. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1741143219836681.
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This paper troubles notions of ‘social justice’ as being compromised and fractured by the autonomous school agenda. Drawing on interviews with 13 autonomous school principals in Australia, it demonstrates how the devolution of schooling simultaneously rips the seams of the ‘social’ fabric that makes collective justice possible. The stories of these principals signal a fracturing of the social cohesion that is necessary for creating a just and equal society. We aim to distinguish between individual efforts to create socially just conditions at the local level versus collective projects to create socially just conditions at the system level. We argue that, on the one hand, school autonomy affords individual principals opportunities to exercise what might be considered socially just discretion; on the other hand, this sometimes occurs at the expense of fracturing the cohesion of the greater public education system. In doing so, we challenge the extent to which social justice can be realised within a decentralised schooling system.
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Fraser, Sharon, Kim Beswick, and Suzanne Crowley. "Responding to the Demands of the STEM Education Agenda: The Experiences of Primary and Secondary Teachers from Rural, Regional and Remote Australia." Journal of Research in STEM Education 5, no. 1 (July 1, 2019): 40–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.51355/jstem.2019.62.
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In recent years STEM education has been the focus of Australian government funding initiatives, policy and curriculum development at the national and state levels and a key driver of school innovation. Principals, teachers and students have been called upon to develop their capability and interest in the individual STEM discipline subjects or to engage in interdisciplinary STEM activities. Much of the focus on STEM has been driven by a national agenda informed by the needs of industry, and research that indicates that the students graduating from schools and universities today with STEM qualifications will not be sufficient for society’s needs. While the agenda encompasses more than individual teachers or schools, it is teachers who are at the forefront of its implementation in classrooms. In this paper we report on the perceptions of teachers about issues impacting on the effective teaching of STEM in rural, regional and remote Australia, and strategies they use to overcome issues/barriers and building the confidence and capacity of STEM teachers. Based on these, the paper reports some potential solutions to the issues faced by schools in rural, regional and remote Australia addressing the demands of the STEM Education focus.
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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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Sullivan, Kevin, Andrew McConney, and Laura B. Perry. "A Comparison of Rural Educational Disadvantage in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand Using OECD’s PISA." SAGE Open 8, no. 4 (October 2018): 215824401880579. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2158244018805791.
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This study compares rural educational disadvantage across Australia, Canada, and New Zealand using data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Across the three countries, student reading literacy and school learning environments are less positive in rural communities than in urban. Furthermore, rural disadvantage in educational outcomes (reading) and opportunities is greater in Australia than Canada or New Zealand. This could be seen as surprising as student socioeconomic status (SES), typically a strong predictor of educational outcomes, is similar for rural communities in Australia and Canada, but lower in New Zealand. Rural school principals in Australia are most likely among the three countries to report that shortages of teaching personnel hinder learning. This could suggest that policies and structures can play a role in ameliorating or exacerbating rural educational disadvantage. We conclude with questions and recommendations for future research.
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Burns, Sharyn K., Jacqueline Hendriks, Lorel Mayberry, Scarlett Duncan, Roanna Lobo, and Lina Pelliccione. "Evaluation of the implementation of a relationship and sexuality education project in Western Australian schools: protocol of a multiple, embedded case study." BMJ Open 9, no. 2 (February 2019): e026657. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026657.
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IntroductionThere is recognition of the importance of comprehensive relationships and sexuality education (RSE) throughout the school years worldwide. Interventions have found some positive outcomes; however, the need for a greater focus on positive sexuality and relevant contemporary issues has been identified by teachers and students. The Curtin RSE Project provides training for teachers and preservice teachers and supports schools through training and advice to implement comprehensive school health promotion (CSHP) focusing on RSE allowing schools to develop programmes relevant to their school community. To examine contemporary phenomenon within a real word context, a case study design will be used to measure implementation. This paper will describe the protocol for a multiple, embedded case study to measure the implementation of CSHP focusing on RSE in a purposive sample of Western Australian schools.Methods and analysisThis mixed methods study will include a multiple, embedded case study. Schools (n=3–4) will be purposively selected from within Western Australia based on their capacity to commit to implementing RSE as a case study school. Data will be collected from students (Grade 6 for primary school; Grades 7–12 for secondary school); teachers and other key staff and parents. Methods include school climate and school curriculum audits, documentation (collected with key staff at baseline and annually), interviews (parents and teachers at Year 2), focus groups (students at Year 2) and an online student survey (collected with students baseline and annually).Ethics and disseminationSchool principals will provide consent for school participation and staff and parents will provide individual consent. Student assent and parental consent will be obtained for student participants. Results will be disseminated through open-access reports, peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.
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Lincoln, Michelle, Monique Hines, Craig Fairweather, Robyn Ramsden, and Julia Martinovich. "Multiple Stakeholder Perspectives on Teletherapy Delivery of Speech Pathology Services in Rural Schools: A Preliminary, Qualitative Investigation." International Journal of Telerehabilitation 6, no. 2 (January 29, 2015): 65–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.5195/ijt.2014.6155.
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The objective of this study was to investigate stakeholders’ views on the feasibility and acceptability of a pilot speech pathology teletherapy program for children attending schools in rural New South Wales, Australia. Nine children received speech pathology sessions delivered via Adobe Connect® web-conferencing software. During semi-structured interviews, school principals (n = 3), therapy facilitators (n = 7), and parents (n = 6) described factors that promoted or threatened the program’s feasibility and acceptability. Themes were categorised according to whether they related to (a) the use of technology; (b) the school-based nature of the program; or (c) the combination of using technology with a school-based program. Despite frequent reports of difficulties with technology, teletherapy delivery of speech pathology services in schools was highly acceptable to stakeholders. However, the use of technology within a school environment increased the complexities of service delivery. Service providers should pay careful attention to planning processes and lines of communication in order to promote efficiency and acceptability of teletherapy programs.
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Aravena, Felipe. "Preparing school principals in the Chilean scenario: lessons from Australia, England and the United States." Journal of Educational Administration and History 48, no. 4 (July 25, 2016): 342–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00220620.2016.1210586.
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Whitehouse, Hilary, and Neus Evans. "“I am Not a Greenie, But”: Negotiating a Cultural Discourse." Australian Journal of Environmental Education 26 (2010): 19–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s081406260000080x.
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AbstractA cultural discourse is not usually considered to be a barrier to the implementation of sustainability in schools. A study conducted in four different state primary schools in regional Queensland, found leading environmental educators did not wish to be identified as “greenies”. “Greenie” is a highly recognisable and well-used community discourse in regional Australia. The social appellation is shorthand for environmentalist and its use is divided almost irreconcilably between pejorative and nonpejorative attributions. To be at variance with dominant social and cultural practices and disorder an established status quo in order to transform schooling, teachers and principals must also indicate they know how to get the ordering right. This is why study participants maintain they are not “greenies” while they implement state recognised sustainability initiatives at school. This paper considers the pejorative aspect of a cultural discourse as a possible barrier to the wider uptake of sustainability in schools in regional Australia.
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Simoncini, Kym, and Michelle Lasen. "Support for quality delivery of outside school hours care: A case study." Australasian Journal of Early Childhood 37, no. 2 (June 2012): 82–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/183693911203700212.
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THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE research investigating Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) despite the growing demand for it in Australia. OSHC services can be managed by schools, Parents and Citizens' Associations, local councils, non-profit organisations or for-profit companies, and have varying levels of support available to them. This study investigates the different models of OSHC adopted by seven schools in a regional city in Queensland, with the aim of identifying elements that enhance quality of care. The schools—including two state, three Catholic and two independent—were all located in middle-to-high socioeconomic status (SES) suburbs in a small geographical area. In all seven, the OSHC services were on school premises. Data collection methods included interviews with principals, OSHC coordinators and area coordinators, as well as researcher observations. Quality Profiles awarded by the National Childcare Accreditation Council (NCAC) and themes emerging from an interview with the director of the Queensland Network of Children's Activities (QCAN) were used for triangulation and validation of results. Findings suggest that models of OSHC that provide coordinators with additional levels of support are more likely to deliver quality care to children. While support from the principal is important, that from outside the school in the form of area coordinators is vital in providing assistance with accreditation, professional development and networking. One key recommendation for services managed by Parents and Citizens' Associations is the additional support of an area coordinator.
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Barnes, Melissa, Seham Shwayli, and Pamalee Matthews. "Supporting EAL students in regional education contexts: “It creates a huge workload and often times disappointment”." TESOL in Context 28, no. 1 (December 19, 2019): 45–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.21153/tesol2019vol28no1art906.
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There has been increasing attention on mainstream teacher beliefs on English as an Additional Language (EAL) students in their classrooms, particularly in regards to how these beliefs impact on teacher expectations and actions. With many teachers holding deficit beliefs towards EAL students, many have argued that professional development is one way to counter these beliefs. However, with a push for the regional settlement of migrants in Australia, there is limited understanding of mainstream teachers’ beliefs about EAL students in regional contexts. Drawing on Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and field, this study investigates the beliefs of teachers and principals in two regional secondary schools in Victoria, Australia. The findings suggest that while many teachers hold common misconceptions regarding EAL students, their views regarding the inclusion of these students are generally positive and both the teachers and principals are open to additional training and support. However, the prevailing issue regarding supporting EAL students is time and/or timing—a commodity that both teachers and students do not have. This paper argues that EAL support in a regional context needs to be further interrogated, identifying a variety of approaches, such as professional development for mainstream teachers, additional EAL specialist support, and after-school programs, to better meet the needs of EAL students in regional areas.
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Sergienko, Aleksandra. "Organization of school leaders' training abroad: approaches to training and guidance." Man and Education, no. 3 (68) (2021): 167. http://dx.doi.org/10.54884/s181570410019381-4.
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The article provides an overview of the organization of the school leaders professional development in a number of foreign countries. The official requirements for persons wishing to become school leaders abroad are described: teaching experience, administrative experience, experience as a supervisor, special training and education. It is shown that the level of professionalism of the school head varies from country to country and different types of development programmes are offered. Countries' approaches to training and supporting school principals are divided into: a) pre-service or preparatory training, b) induction training, c) in-service training. All three types of training are discussed in detail with examples from selected countries (Great Britain, Netherlands, Australia, Sweden, Austria, etc.).
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Bouterakos, M., A. Booth, D. Khokhar, M. West, C. Margerison, K. J. Campbell, C. A. Nowson, and C. A. Grimes. "A qualitative investigation of school age children, their parents and school staff on their participation in the Digital Education to LImit Salt in the Home (DELISH) program." Health Education Research 35, no. 4 (July 6, 2020): 283–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/her/cyaa015.
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Abstract This study explored the views of participants who completed a 5-week, online, interactive, family-based, salt reduction education program (Digital Education to LImit Salt in the Home). A secondary aim was to explore the views of school staff on the delivery of food and nutrition education in schools. Children aged 7–10 years, their parents and principals/teachers from participating schools located in Victoria, Australia, completed a semi-structured evaluation interview. Audio-recordings of interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using NVivo. Twenty-eight interviews (13 children; 11 parents; 4 school staff) were included. Thematic analysis revealed that the program was well received by all groups. Children reported that the interactivity of the education sessions helped them to learn. Parents thought the program was interesting and important, and reported learning skills to reduce salt in the family diet. School staff supported the delivery of nutrition education in schools but indicated difficulties in sourcing well-packed nutrition resources aligned with the curriculum. It appears that there is support from parents and teachers in the delivery of innovative, engaging, nutrition education in schools, however such programs need to be of high quality, aligned with the school curriculum and readily available for incorporation within the school’s teaching program.
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Ohi, Sarah, Joanne O’Mara, Ruth Arber, Catherine Hartung, Gary Shaw, and Christine Halse. "Interrogating the promise of a whole-school approach to intercultural education: An Australian investigation." European Educational Research Journal 18, no. 2 (October 11, 2018): 234–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1474904118796908.
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Intercultural education (ICE) is a priority for schools and schooling systems worldwide. While extensive policy and academic literature exists that describes how ICE should be done in schools, relatively little has been published about the pragmatics of implementing and enacting ICE, despite evidence that principals, teachers and schools feel ill equipped to teach and engage in ICE. This article investigates how schools implementing ICE are confronted with distinctive challenges. Engaging methodological tools of social constructivism (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005) and an analytical lens supported by social cultural theories of identity and representation (Hall, 1997; Gee, 2004), we argue that the everyday experiences and practices of teachers need be explored, but also interrogated and understood otherwise (Lather, 1991). We draw on qualitative data from a large-scale study conducted in schools in Victoria, Australia. We present three vignettes that elucidate how ICE was enacted at the principal, curriculum and teacher levels. Each vignette is based upon a key challenge confronted by schools and illustrates the processes different schools used to tackle these issues and to embed ICE into the daily schooling practice.
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Graham, Linda J., and Ilektra Spandagou. "From vision to reality: views of primary school principals on inclusive education in New South Wales, Australia." Disability & Society 26, no. 2 (March 2011): 223–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2011.544062.
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Woodrow, Christine, and Marie Brennan. "Marketised Positioning of Early Childhood: New Contexts for Curriculum and Professional Development in Queensland, Australia." Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood 1, no. 1 (March 2000): 78–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.2304/ciec.2000.1.1.9.
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The field of early childhood education is experiencing similar conditions to the rest of the Australian public sector, characterised by a climate of accountability for quality outcomes, emphasis on management at the local level and strong centralisation of control over curriculum and teacher appraisal within a context of significant reduction in public sector government spending. The ideology of the market underpins many of these reform directions, with particular consequences and effects in the early childhood area. This article uses as a focal case study the newly mandated Preschool Curriculum Guidelines for the state of Queensland, Australia, and their accompanying professional development of early childhood teachers and school principals. The outcomes for the professional development have been highly controlled and pre-specified through government departmental scrutiny by a competitive tendering process among potential private providers — all of whom include publicly funded universities as they themselves compete for additional money to justify their new role as entrepreneurs in an increasingly marketised system of higher education. The study focuses on the processes of control for the professional development associated with the new curriculum, with an emphasis on exploring the rhetoric and practices of ‘partnership’ underlying the approved models. The findings of the early phases of the study indicate a limited range of positioning available for early childhood teachers, school principals, and those involved in the delivery of the professional development. The guidelines and professional development activities appear to have expanded the relationships within the care and education sector while constraining the range of positions and relative autonomy of early childhood teachers. This is a significant finding in that this is the first time there have been statewide mandated Curriculum Guidelines and statewide professional development required of early childhood teachers.
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Dempster, Neil, Lucy Carter*, Mark Freakley, and Lindsay Parry. "Contextual influences on school leaders in Australia: some data from a recent study of principals' ethical decision‐making1." School Leadership & Management 24, no. 2 (May 2004): 163–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1363243041000695804.
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Pettigrew, Simone, Melanie Pescud, and Robert J. Donovan. "Traffic light food labelling in schools and beyond." Health Education Journal 71, no. 6 (October 31, 2011): 746–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0017896911424659.
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Objective: The present study investigated stakeholders’ reactions to the introduction of a traffic light food classification system in primary and secondary school canteens. Design: Interviews and focus groups were conducted with stakeholders approximately 18 months after the introduction of the traffic light system, followed by telephone and web-based surveys. Setting: The context of the study was Western Australia, where a comprehensive healthy food policy was recently introduced in government schools. Method: Stakeholder groups included parents, principals, teachers, canteen managers, and representatives of parents and citizens committees. Results: Participants reported high levels of acceptance of the traffic light system and supported its extension to nutrition education programmes targeting children and parents. Conclusion: The results suggest that there is likely to be considerable support for an extension of the traffic light policy to the health curriculum in schools and into other food provision contexts.
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Alston, Laura, Nicholas Crooks, Claudia Strugnell, Liliana Orellana, Steven Allender, Claire Rennie, and Melanie Nichols. "Associations between School Food Environments, Body Mass Index and Dietary Intakes among Regional School Students in Victoria, Australia: A Cross-Sectional Study." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 16 (August 14, 2019): 2916. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16162916.
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(1) Background: Childhood overweight and obesity is a significant and preventable problem worldwide. School environments have been suggested to be plausible targets for interventions seeking to improve the quality of children’s dietary intake. The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which the current characteristics of the school food environment were associated with primary school students’ dietary intake and Body Mass Index (BMI) z scores in a representative sample in regional Victoria. (2) Methods: This study included 53 schools, comprising a sample of 3,496 students in year levels two (aged 7–8 years), four (9–10 years) and six (11–12 years). Year four and six students completed dietary questionnaires. Principals from each school completed a survey on school food environment characteristics. Mixed-effects logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between students’ dietary intake and school food environment scores, controlling for confounders such as socio-economic status, school size and sex. Food environment scores were also analysed against the odds of being healthy weight (defined as normal BMI z score). (3) Results: Mixed associations were found for the relationship between students’ dietary intake and food environment scores. Meeting the guidelines for vegetable intake was not associated with food environment scores, but students were more likely (OR: 1.68 95% CI 1.26, 2.24) to meet the guidelines if they attended a large school (>300 enrolments) and were female (OR: 1.28 95% CI: 1.02, 1.59). Healthy weight was not associated with school food environment scores, but being a healthy weight was significantly associated with less disadvantage (OR: 1.24 95% CI 1.05, 1.45). Conclusion: In this study, the measured characteristics of school food environments did not have strong associations with dietary intakes or BMI among students.
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Drent, Ailsa. "Taking charge of the future. From states of anxiety and dependence to becoming actualised professionals." Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools 7 (November 1997): 1–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1037291100001205.
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Between the mid 1940's and the mid 1980's psychology, guidance and counselling services were established and rapidly expanded within Australian state departments of education. This occurred in a socio-political context where the values of social justice and concern for the disadvantaged were regarded as important by communities looking to governments to reflect these values through appropriate policies and programs. Since then a distinct change has occurred. Economic Rationalism and the move to greater school autonomy has led to the abandonment of central structures and centralised training that supported professional psychological services in schools. Schools increasingly will be expected to “buy in” contracted services as perceived needs arise. The resulting deprof essionalisation, whilst shared at this time by psychologists in other agencies, is particularly threatening in the case of school psychology. By destroying continuity of service and the possibilities of building of long-term relationships, it will reduce opportunities to initiate those school-wide initiatives that can maximise the impact of case work. The authors are of the view that, given the prevailing ideology, governments will persist in ridding themselves of responsibility and the expense of providing psychological and counselling services to school communities. At the same time information from principals suggests that schools' will find it difficult to afford these services from their limited global budgets, despite urgent and growing need for more, not less school-based support for teachers, students and parents. As a profession we must look to old and new models of service delivery and devise practical ways of providing cost-effective, equitable and high quality services to schools. This paper attempts to bring forward the issue as one for urgent debate and planning by our professional associations. Rather than let the profession wither away or end up providing services for the wealthy only, we must take action ourselves to see that it not only survives, but thrives. ( In this paper, the terms guidance officer, school counsellor and school psychologist are used as if they are interchangeable. The reason is that education departments around Australia use different names for those of their student support workers who have qualifications in education, psychology and counselling.)
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Cumming, Therese M., and Iva Strnadová. "Transitioning Back to Mainstream Education: The Flexible Integration Model." Australasian Journal of Special Education 41, no. 1 (December 23, 2016): 51–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jse.2016.15.
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The implementation of a transition model, the flexible integration model, was investigated in a school in Sydney, Australia, using an exploratory single case study design (Rowley, 2002). It is a person-centred model designed to assist students in transitioning from a special school for students with emotional and behavioural disabilities to mainstream settings. Students enrol in mainstream classes in areas that interest them academically and vocationally, while receiving support in developing the necessary social and behavioural skills to successfully fully transition to mainstream and post-school settings. The model, based on the person-centred planning framework, was implemented with 1 student during the last 2 terms of a school year. The outcomes and effectiveness of adopting the model were evaluated by analysing the student's behaviour and attendance, and interviews with principals, teachers, and paraprofessionals. Results indicated improvement in the student's behaviour, attendance, and interpersonal skills.
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Wilson, Annabelle M., Anthea M. Magarey, James Dollman, Michelle Jones, and Nadia Mastersson. "The challenges of quantitative evaluation of a multi-setting, multi-strategy community-based childhood obesity prevention programme: lessons learnt from the eat well be active Community Programs in South Australia." Public Health Nutrition 13, no. 8 (October 13, 2009): 1262–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1368980009991807.
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AbstractObjectiveTo describe the rationale, development and implementation of the quantitative component of evaluation of a multi-setting, multi-strategy, community-based childhood obesity prevention project (the eat well be active (ewba) Community Programs) and the challenges associated with this process and some potential solutions.Designewba has a quasi-experimental design with intervention and comparison communities. Baseline data were collected in 2006 and post-intervention measures will be taken from a non-matched cohort in 2009. Schoolchildren aged 10–12 years were chosen as one litmus group for evaluation purposes.SettingThirty-nine primary schools in two metropolitan and two rural communities in South Australia.SubjectsA total of 1732 10–12-year-old school students completed a nutrition and/or a physical activity questionnaire and 1637 had anthropometric measures taken; 983 parents, 286 teachers, thirty-six principals, twenty-six canteen and thirteen out-of-school-hours care (OSHC) workers completed Program-specific questionnaires developed for each of these target groups.ResultsThe overall child response rate for the study was 49 %. Sixty-five per cent, 43 %, 90 %, 90 % and 68 % of parent, teachers, principals, canteen and OSHC workers respectively, completed and returned questionnaires. A number of practical, logistical and methodological challenges were experienced when undertaking this data collection.ConclusionsLearnings from the process of quantitative baseline data collection for the ewba Community Programs can provide insights for other researchers planning similar studies with similar methods, particularly those evaluating multi-strategy programmes across multiple settings.
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Miškolci, Jozef, Derrick Armstrong, and Ilektra Spandagou. "Teachers’ Perceptions of the Relationship between Inclusive Education and Distributed Leadership in two Primary Schools in Slovakia and New South Wales (Australia)." Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability 18, no. 2 (December 1, 2016): 53–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/jtes-2016-0014.
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Abstract The academic literature on the practice of inclusive education presents diverse and at times contradictory perspectives in how it is connected to practices of distributed leadership. Depending on the approach, on the one hand, inclusive educational practice may enable distributed school leadership, while on the other hand, it may allow for hierarchical management styles if staff members do not implement inclusive practices. This paper explores how school staff members perceive and understand the relationship between practices of inclusive education and distributed leadership 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. Using qualitative research methods based on interviews, this paper identifies two main understandings of this relationship. First, although distributed leadership may encourage the goals of inclusive education, it may in some circumstances also hinder their achievement. Second, distributed leadership can be constructed as an indispensable component of inclusive education, and this has implications for how the target groups of inclusive education are conceptualised. This paper also discusses the wider social and political contexts of the two primary schools and how in each case context significantly constrained and shaped understandings and practices of inclusion and distributed leadership in the practice of teachers and principals.
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Hardwick-Franco, Kathryn Gay. "Flexible education in Australia." Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning 8, no. 3 (August 13, 2018): 259–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/heswbl-02-2018-0019.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to explore the extent to which the South Australian flexible learning option (FLO) secondary school enrolment strategy supports some of the most vulnerable and disengaged students to simultaneously engage in secondary- and higher-education, skills and work-based learning; second, to explore the degree to which this FLO enrolment strategy addresses the United Nations (UN) principles of responsible management education and 17 sustainable development goals. Design/methodology/approach The approach includes a practice perspective, field-notes and documents analysis. Findings This paper finds the flexibility inherent in the FLO enrolment strategy goes some way to addressing inequity in education outcomes amongst those who traditionally disengage from education and work-based learning. Findings also highlight ways in which the FLO enrolment strategy addresses some of the UN principals and 17 goals. Research limitations/implications This paper supports the work of HESWBL by calling for future research into the long-term benefits of flexible education strategies that support HESWBL, through exploring the benefits to young people, from their perspective, with a view to providing accountability. Social implications The paper offers an example of a way a practice perspective can explore an education strategy that addresses “wicked problems” (Rittel and Webber, 1973). Currently, “wicked problems” that pervade member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development include intergenerational poverty, under-education and unemployment. Originality/value This paper is valuable because it explores from a practice perspective, how a secondary education enrolment strategy supports vulnerable students engage in their secondary schooling, while simultaneously supporting students achieve higher education, skills and work-based learning.
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Bloxham, Ray, Lisa C. Ehrich, and Radha Iyer. "Leading or managing? Assistant Regional Directors, School Performance, in Queensland." Journal of Educational Administration 53, no. 3 (May 5, 2015): 354–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jea-12-2013-0129.
Full textAbstract:
Purpose – Education reform aimed at achieving improved student learning is a demanding challenge for leaders and managers at all levels of education across the globe. In 2010, the position of Assistant Regional Directors, School Performance (ARD-SP), was established to positively impact upon student learning across public schools in Queensland, Australia. The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of the role and leadership understandings of ARDs in Queensland in order to understand more fully the tensions and opportunities they face within this reasonably newly created position. Design/methodology/approach – This qualitative study is based on interviews with 18 ARDs and two of their supervisors to gauge a better understanding of the nature of the role as it relates to leadership and management in the Queensland context. Findings – Interview data revealed three key themes pertaining to the nature of the role and these were performance, supervision, and professional challenges. A key finding was that the notion of supervision was experienced as problematic for ARDs-SP. Research limitations/implications – This study has limitations and these include a sample that focused on ARDs within one State of Australia and one schooling system (i.e. public education); and interviews were the primary data collection source. Originality/value – Although there have been studies of supervisors of principals (referred to as superintendents, directors) in other countries and other systems, this study is a first to explore the tensions and opportunities faced by executive leaders in Queensland.