Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemPeer tutoring in a tertiary institution( 1987)This thesis aims to explore and assess the potential of Peer Tutoring as a teaching strategy for student-teachers who need to improve their written language skills. Specifically it addresses students' attitudes to Peer Tutoring from an organisational perspective, and their attitude towards the effectiveness of the strategy to further develop written language skills. The study was conducted during 1986 with first-year English students enrolled in the Bachelor of Education (Primary) Course at Melbourne College of Advanced Education. In this study three research tools were used = formal interviews, two questionnaires, and an analysis of students' written work. Interviews were conducted with six students on completion of their Peer Tutoring program. Questions focussed on their attitude to Peer Tutoring as a teaching strategy, the success of the approach for them, problems they encountered with the approach and suggestions for more effective management of the program. Following the interviews, students completed a questionnaire designed to confirm and give data additional to that already collected. All first-year English students completed a four-item questionnaire, related to Peer Tutoring at the completion of the subject. These questions were designed to assess all students' attitudes to the effectiveness of Peer Tutoring as a teaching strategy, whether they were involved in the program or not, and to provide feedback for more effective program management. Assignments were collected at the completion of the program, and were analysed in terms of the student's attitude towards Peer Tutoring as a teaching strategy and the gains made in written language skills. The data clearly indicates the value of Peer Tutoring as a strategy for students in their first year of teacher-training, and major recommendations have emerged from student comment as to more effective program management in the future.
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ItemThe year co-ordinator in selected Victorian metropolitan independent schools : profile, practice and prospects( 1987)This study was designed to examine the position and role of the Year Co-ordinator in selected Victorian Metropolitan Independent schools. The principal objectives of the study were: (i) to discover what sorts of persons undertake this role and establish whether they have personal, academic and career characteristics in common; (ii) to look at the year co-ordinator's perception of the role; and (iii) to examine the career interests of year co-ordinators and, in particular, to gauge their opinions on how well their present role is preparing them for future responsibilities, such as Deputy Principal or Principal. A questionnaire was distributed to forty AHISA affiliated Independent schools in Victoria. Twenty eight valid responses were received. Six Principals returned their questionnaires stating that the position of year co-ordinator did not exist in their schools. The schools who did not reply were telephoned and it was established that year co-ordinators did exist in those schools.
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ItemAn analysis of education provision to older non-English speaking background youth with minimal or interrupted schooling in the Richmond/Collingwood area( 1987)This study is an analysis of educational provision in the Richmond/Coilingwood area for young people aged 16 to 24 years of age, of migrant or refugee background, who have a history of minimal or interrupted schooling. These students are mostly of Indo-Chinese or Timorese background , and face severe problems relating to their lack of literacy and poor English proficiency. Many of these students are unaccompanied refugees and face economic hardship in Australia. Educational programs running in five postprimary schools, two TAFE colleges and two language centres are examined in light of their relevance to the needs of these students. It emerges from this study that a small number of institutions provide responsive quality programs for this group. There are, however, general problems relating to the low status and marginalization of ESL programs in most of the institutions. These problems are compounded by a lack of funding, unsympathetic administration, ignorance of the issues and difficulties relating to accreditation. In some institutions, no provision at all is made for these students. Needs emerging from these issues may be summarized as follows. A greater awareness of the educational requirements. of this group must be developed. An informed collaborative approach must be adopted to respond to these needs in the form of appropriate ESL programs. Policy and administrative support must be forthcoming to assist in achieving these goals.
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ItemA contract with education : Alice Hoy, 1893-1976( 1988)This is a biographical approach to the personal and intellectual development of Alice Hoy, a development which in turn shaped her contribution to teacher education in Victoria. The period I have covered does not go beyond Hoy's retirement from the Education Department and is concerned with her professional life during that time. Her work as a committee woman on various educational boards and councils is not included. Hoy was a pupil at the private University High School in the first decade of this century; in her first degree, a BA at Melbourne University, her major study was History which she continued with her MA, and later study of Law confirmed a natural tendency towards logical argument and gave her an LLB. After taking her Dip.Ed., Hoy became a teacher with the Education Department at the old University Practising School, and from there was invited to do Method lecturing at the School of Education at the University of Melbourne. Her early contribution to teacher education was made through her lectures at the School of Education and at the Melbourne Teachers' College as well as through the practical work at UHS, while her textbook on civics was used widely in schools. Her appointment is the first Principal of the Secondary Teachers' Training Centre was the high 'point of her career. She began the Centre, which became the Secondary Teachers' College, in 1950, and remained Principal until her retirement at the beginning of 1958.
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ItemThe integration of a Down's Syndrome child into an independent school( 1989)Integrating students with impairments, disabilities or problems in schooling does not only mean that these students participate in the educational programmes and the social life of regular schools. It also necessitates the development of procedures and programmes to ensure that their participation is maintained and continued. Integration of these students represents a change in Ministry of Education policy in Victoria, but due to the complexity of social implications involved when adapting to the alterations of any value system, the change becomes multi-dimensional. This thesis examines the impact the enrolment of a five year-old girl with Down's Syndrome had on one Independent Girls' School in Melbourne, Victoria. The thesis is presented as a case study over a three year period, and focuses on the changes made by the staff members involved with the child; changes within the infant area of the school, and school policy changes made as a result of the child's enrolment. In analysing these changes, the issues that were examined and the findings that were made have been discussed, and the responses made by the staff and the school have been recorded.
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ItemInstruments of cultural preservation in the Greek community of Melbourne( 1989)To the world Australia represents a uniform social environment, whilst the Australian stereotype is one of the blonde, athletic, down-to-earth individual. A closer examination however, of the Australian cultural framework reveals that the Australian citizen is quite different from that stereotype. Australia is far from culturally homogeneous, there are countless cultural groups that work, live and survive in their unique social groupings. The aim of this minor thesis is to examine the Greek Community of Melbourne. After giving a historical background of its early years I will examine the many and varied areas of cultural Preservation i.e., the Church, Brotherhoods, the Greek School, the Press, Cafenion etc. Throughout this minor thesis I will assess how culturally intact this community has remained. The specified areas have to be examined so as to establish their cultural maintenance techniques and to assess the extent of their traditional links with Greece. The ground work for this minor thesis began with my contact with the Greek community and my personal desire to explore those facilities which had become a part of my personal and social experiences as a functional Greek mother. My teaching experience at Richmond High School during 1981-1987 proved to be an invaluable resource, as it gave me a realistic insight into the wider issues of cultural maintenance. Consequently I gathered a wealth of material from Parent-Teacher nights, Report-Nights etc. which gave diverse insights into the hopes, ideals and expectations of the Greek Australian. The face to face contact with young Greek Australian students on the other hand, gave me the chance to assess how successful those cultural facilities had become in the second generation Australian-Greek. My findings are very heartening for the existing system of cultural maintenance. At the moment it is at its peak performance, catering for the needs of a primarily youthful community. Future success will largely depend on the second generation's desire to replace Australian Anglo-Saxon social experiences with the predetermined Greek ideals of social existence and family commitments.
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ItemFairness in selection of students to a B. Business (Accounting) course( 1989)This study examines the consequences of selecting students on the basis of Level 12 scores without reference to sub-groups among applicants or the use of additional criteria. The central purpose of the study is to determine whether the use of a single criterion for selection results in unfair outcomes for particular sub-groups among applicants. The study also seeks to determine whether adverse consequences might be avoided by the use of differing "cut-off" requirements for particular groups of applicants or the use of additional-criteria in the process, of selection. The study traces the academic progress and achievement of 287 students who commenced a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) course between 1980 and 1982. Academic progress has been traced for a minimum of five years for all entrants in order to compare achievement, persistence and graduation levels for identifiable sub groups. The main conclusions related to sub-groups are that women from an H.S.C. background achieve significantly higher graduation rates than men from an H.S.C. background and-that students from T.O.P. background achieve significantly lower graduation rates than those from an H.S.C. background. Further analysis of notional intakes using different cut-off requirements shows that by favouring particular sub-groups, graduation rates could be increased. A secondary conclusion is that the use of additional criteria in selection related to specific Level 12 subjects would be unlikely to result in higher graduation rates. This study shows that in order to ensure that 'selection practices are not unfair to particular groups of applicants, different "cut-off" requirements should be used for particular groups of applicants. Finally, the study addresses, by use of a survey, questions related to student background and motivation in an endeavour to suggest why the different groups to which the study relates achieve different graduation rates.
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ItemAn analytical survey of percussion education at the immediate pre-tertiary level( 1989)The standard of music education for players of percussion instruments appears to be deficient when compared to that of players of other musical instruments. Research has been conducted amongst students of percussion with the purpose of identifying characteristics which may suggest the need to adopt particular teaching strategies to address problems related to educational background. A profile of percussion students at the Box Hill College of TAFE Music Department refers to such matters as age, educational background, musical training and experience, learning skills and achievement. This profile is presented along with an analysis of some learning difficulties and problems encountered by students and the strategies adopted to address those problems. The role of published materials used in percussion teaching at Box Hill College of TAFE and the rationale for the writing of further tuition material is discussed. The content and context of the instrumental lesson and curriculum models which pertain to instrumental tuition form a large part of the study. The role of the teacher in the instrumental lesson is seen to include functions which go beyond the immediate processes of skill and knowledge development into the realm of personal growth and development. An essential aspect of skill development for musicians is the daily practice programme. The aims of practice, the motivation to practice and the materials and organisation of practice are all examined together with related problems experienced by students and the strategies used to address such problems. Percussion tuition, traditionally having been conducted outside the mainstream of music teaching institutions, is now seen to be most effective when conducted within the context of a comprehensive music education programme. Students of percussion clearly benefit from a course of study which includes not only percussion tuition but also aural and theoretical training, the study of music history, composition and practical experience in performance ensembles.
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ItemSome had vision: P.L.C. and its teaching of science 1875 to 1912( 1989)In the 1980's, educators have devised programs which have encouraged girls to broaden their career aspirations. An important goal has been to persuade more girls to study maths and the physical sciences {physics and chemistry) at years 11 and 12. This thesis sets ou1 to investigate whether the 1980's has been the only period when females have been encouraged to study science, and if encouragement was given, was it limited to domestic science subjects which even today some believe are particularly suited to females. The thesis focuses in particular on science teaching at the Presbyterian Ladies' College (P .LC.) from 1875 to 1912. The cost of apparatus, the lack of qualified staff and a matriculation system which gave very little incentive to studying science subjects, meant that science was not a significant part of the curriculum in either girls' or boys' schools in the nineteenth century. Science was perceived as light relief from more rigorous study in English, mathematics and the Classics. While institutions such as the Vieusseux Ladies' College and P.LC. offered a broad and academic curriculum which included lectures in science, it was understood that this knowledge was not to be used ou1side the private sphere of home and family. Science lectures of a general nature, as a break from rigorous study, fitted comfortably with notion of a female accomplishments education and therefore were seen as a legitimate area of study for girls. During the Edwardian period science became more closely linked to economic and political power, and to the fortunes of the nation-state. In VICtoria, the Fink Royal Commission encapsulated the belief that 'hard' science needed to be developed for Australia's Mure strength and security. This paradigm of science, which exalted the physical sciences, physics and chemistry with their industrial, mechanical and technical potential, was increasingly linked to masculinity and therefore seen as inappropriate for females. Acceptable areas of science study for females were perceived to be botany and physiology - and as the Edwardian period progressed, domestic science. The domestic science movement argued that the role of wife and mother was the most appropriate for all women, and mounted a powerful and successful campaign which saw the introduction of some domestic science courses at nearly all levels of the education system. Unlike In the 19th century when P.LC. 's science teaching was typical of other girls' (and boys') schools, in the. Edwardian period P.LC. did not follow the trend, and domestic science courses remained a minimal part of the overall curriculum. Instead, James Bee and S.G. Mclaren worked collaboratively to give P.LC. students the opportunity to study the physical sciences, building the first substantial laboratory in a girls' school in Australia. This emphasis on the physical sciences gave an elite at P.LC. the opportunity to pursue careers in medicine; it also gave many a valuable lesson - that girls could succeed in areas which society had deemed to be masculine areas of study. What makes the work of Bee and Mclaren significant is that they had the commitment and vision to pursue their beliefs which were against the dominant societal views of their time. As we move into the 1990's educators must continue to confront the idea that science is gendered.