Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemThe initial implementation of a mandated assessment project( 1995)During 1994 the Directorate of School Education decided to implement a statewide assessment project aimed at primary aged students. Under the guidance of the Board of Studies, this project was announced and it was anticipated that all Victorian State Primary schools would participate in the project in 1995. This study is a record of how the staff at one State Primary School reacted to the implementation of this mandated assessment project. It draws upon literature on teacher change and from the British National Curriculum to identify issues relating to the Victorian context. Using teacher concerns as a focus this study explores the affective reaction of the teachers in the study and the extent to which they accommodated or rejected the change. It explores to what extent teacher interpretations of change are affected by various sources of information. And whether these sources impacted upon the acceptance or rejection of the Learning Assessment Project. A number of issues that need to be taken into consideration when implementing educational change were identified. It also focuses on Hall and Loucks (1978) theory of the Stages of Concern, identifying that in the case of mandated change, teachers concerns do not follow the same pattern as those identified by Hall and Loucks.
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ItemChildren's adjustment to the first year of school( 1994)The aim of this study was to determine whether children's adjustment to the first year of school was influenced by the number of transition activities conducted by schools. The study was undertaken in a number of state-run primary schools in the Melbourne Metropolitan Region and comprised two stages of inquiry. Stage 1 of the study involved 100 randomly selected schools in a telephone survey to identify the type and number of transition activities conducted by schools. This stage provided essential background information for the selection of schools for the second stage of the study since no documented accounts of the type and number of transition programs conducted by Melbourne or Victorian schools could be located. Results of this preliminary study revealed considerable variety in the type and number of transition activities reported by schools prior to, and following, the commencement of school, involving children, parents, families, and collaboration between staff at the school and preschool levels. Stage 2 of the study involved 203 children from four metropolitan schools. The schools were selected on the basis of the number of transition activities they conducted. Children's adjustment to school was measured after eight weeks of schooling using the Social Skills Rating System. Forms were completed by teachers and parents, and children's adjustment was rated in the domains of social skills, behaviour, and academic competence. Additional background information was sought from parents regarding the child's family, previous preschool experience and whether or not the child commenced school with a familiar playmate. The results indicate statistically significant associations between children's adjustment to the first year of school and numbers of transition activities conducted by schools. In addition, there were significant associations between adjustment and children's preschool experiences, as well as the presence of a familiar playmate in the same class.
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ItemKey factors for change in Catholic primary schools( 1995)Change is inevitable, and it cannot be avoided unless we live in a vacuum. Forces from within and from outside are continually beckoning adjustments. The complexity of change is evident as the combinations and permutations of a range of phenomena and events react to create a new dynamic, sometimes completely different from anything else. Key Factors for Change in Catholic Primary Schools attempts to recognise these forces and recommends factors that need consideration for this change to be authentic and moral. The research that I undertook reinforced the views of education writers (eg. Fullan), that change which is imposed has little chance of fruition, as collaboration is overlooked for false expediency. Conversely, change that evolves from a group that has a common purpose and driven by collegial leadership, is more likely to succeed. Yet there are still no certainties, as some factors lie beyond the control of good management. In particular, the parochial nature of Catholic primary schools, and the role of the parish priest has to be acknowledged. Seven key factors for positive change management are identified and in the light of certain contextual realities.