Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemStudent expectations of the future( 1992)Specific aims of the study To investigate how present-day students view the future and their place in the workforce of the future. To establish whether or not students regard their present educational experiences as an adequate preparation for their future work. To investigate acceptance of unconventional futures scenarios as possible futures.
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ItemLearning organisations and their educational impact in a corporate environment( 1995)This thesis is a study of learning organisations and their educational impact in a corporate environment. It provides an overview of the theory of organisational learning, and of learning organisations and describes several models of learning organisations. The important principles of holism and explicitness are established. Examples of learning organisation practices in overseas enterprises are compared with two case studies of Australian organisations which are aspiring learning organisations. These practices are then critically reviewed leading to the development of a new model for learning organisations, based upon 'empowered leadership', which explains holism and explicitness in detail. It concludes by addressing the issue of what learning organisations provide educationally, using the emerging prominence of 'life-long learning' as a focus.
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ItemThe characteristics of exchange structure patterns of an adult low-level ESL classroom using a genre-based approach to the teaching of writing : a study of classroom discourse( 1994)This study is concerned with the characteristics of exchange structure patterns of an adult low-level English as a second language (ESL) classroom using a genre-based approach to the teaching of writing in an Australian context. To provide an appropriate system of analysis, Ventola's (1987; 1988h) system for analysing conversational structure in service encounter texts has been expanded to suit the characteristics of the data in the current study. Applying the expanded version of Ventola's system, the whole data have been segmented into exchanges. Two major categories of exchange structure patterns have been identified: non-anomalous, which comprises simple and complex exchanges, and anomalous, which comprises elliptical, defective, and broken exchanges. Using this exchange categorisation as a basis, the characteristics of the interactional patterns, the shifts of roles of information supplier, and the variability of language use in a genre-based approach classroom have been identified and explicated. Exchange structure patterns dominant in certain sub-stages vary in accordance with the variation of other factors. In conjunction with the shifts of roles of the information supplier, for example, in Sub-stage 1, in which the students were cast to serve the function of information supplier, B-event exchanges were dominant, Only a small number of A-event exchanges occur in this sub-stage. In contrast, in Sub-stage 2 and Rehearsal where the teacher served the function of information supplier, A-event exchanges were dominant.
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ItemHuman capital : a case study of the AMEP( 1995)This study is an investigation of the Human Capital Approach to education in Australia. It examines whether or not the Commonwealth Government is steering education towards the incorporation of policies that invest greater emphasis and resources into human beings as contributors to economic productivity than it invests in their cultural and aesthetic value. The study incorporates the philosophies of the Human Capitalists and how successive Commonwealth and State Governments apply these philosophies in education policy formulation - particularly the provision of English language to adult migrants through the Adult Migrant Education Program in Victoria. The methodology used is a questionnaire of closed and open-ended questions distributed to AMEP teachers. The researcher duly followed up the questionnaire with interviews of four AMEP teachers in an endeavour to shed more light on the reasons behind the responses given by teachers in the questionnaire. The researcher undertook an analysis of the responses in order to investigate whether or not the Commonwealth Government gives primacy to economic objectives of the migration program over its social, cultural and linguistic objectives. The findings are that the AMEP teachers surveyed believe that the Commonwealth Government does emphasize economic objectives over all other objectives of the migration program. A Human Capital approach to education, reflected in the application of Economic Rationalism, is apparent in Australia's education system according to AMEP teachers surveyed and that such has been the case since the late 1970s. The literary works of Schultz, Smith, Dawkins, Piore, Crittenden, Benovat, Green, Pusey, Kennedy, Marginson and Grubb are included in this study. These works form the literature review of the Human Capital approach. As well, the Reports chaired by Karmel, Williams, Kirby, Fitzgerald and Campbell, and a variety of Commonwealth Reports and Working Party Papers into various aspects of education in Australia are represented in an investigation of the application of the Human Capital approach to education in Australia's main education policies. The findings of this research are that the Human Capital approach to education is influencing the AMEP and that this has wider implications for the national education system in Australia. Almost all AMEP teachers surveyed believe the AMEP no longer follows its own National Plan, in which it spells out its aims and objectives, but pursues the Commonwealth Government's primary objective of pursuing the economic aims and benefits of the migration program.
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ItemThe getting of professional nursing wisdom : the relevance of knowledge for undergraduate students : a phenomenological comparative study( 1993)The intention of this thesis is to identify any factors which may affect the implementation and practice of therapeutic humanistic care by undergraduate nurse students. Professional nursing practice must be acknowledged as function beyond licensure of safety. Wisdom, with reference to professional practice can only be acquired through relevant education and supported opportunities to practice. The classroom promotion and clinical transfer of empirical, holistic care is an educational mandate and as such must be addressed. The research study of this thesis as a qualitative investigation with a phenomenological approach, was designed as a small comparative study. The literature review of this thesis released certain significant questions for investigation. From these questions eventual research prompts were developed. The participants for this study were nurse student volunteers approaching course completion. The participants as distinct cohorts from a Hospital School of Nursing and a Faculty of Nursing were interviewed using the research prompts. Following data analysis, the study identified apparent differences between the valuing and practice of humanistic caring by the undergraduate nurse students from the two sites.
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ItemProvision for longer term residents in the Adult Migrant Education Program : an historical overview from 1947 to 1990( 1991)The aim of this study was to consider the reality of access of longer term resident adult migrants into English language learning opportunities in Australia across the period 1947 - 1990. Chapter 1 describes the background and justification of the research brief and refers to the processes and procedures taken in developing an analytical approach to the consideration of policy development and implementation. Chapter 2 outlines the range of available resource material while Chapter 3 provides a summary of the documentation. This summary is used to analyse the demands and the decisions and actions which impacted on access to the program. A set of basic assumptions is then developed and comments sought from a group of experts. A selection of indicative responses are examined in detail and the reliability of the assumptions is considered. In Chapter 4 the results of the findings are developed into a final statement. In doing so the researcher demonstrates the realities of policy development over a considerable period of time and shows that environmental factors play an important role in shaping the future from past and present experience. The study shows that the Adult Migrant Education Program was originally planned as an initial settlement program and at stages in the last forty years this focus has been restated. The concept of "longer term " residents did not exist in the early years of the program and the issue has emerged as an important factor in the discussions on equity of access to education.
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ItemA study of the relationship between university and government in Australia( 1992)The aim of the study is to examine the relationship between university and government in order to provide insights that may help to resolve the conflicts in the current relationship. The theory of social conflict will be used to examine the causes of conflicts and possible ways of resolution. Educational theory will look at the effect of conflicts on educational outcomes. It is hypothesized that the government's view is that universities have not been efficient and effective in training sufficient numbers of qualified graduates with the available funds, and that they have not responded to the demands of social expectations, and of economic developments. Thus, the nature of the university should be shifted from the emphasis on traditional teaching and research to the achievement of national economic objectives, including Australia's international economic competitiveness. As the nature of the university is shifted, greater government political control over universities becomes necessary. On the other hand, the view of the universities is that they have worked hard to carry out their role and function within the limits of available funding and that the quantity and quality of higher education suffer as a result of lack of funding. Also, they argue that the nature of the university is not changing and should not be changed. Too much government intervention results in the loss of essential institutional autonomy and academic freedom, and government intervention should be reduced. These hypotheses have been examined, using government policy statements, reports, and research papers and statistics from other sources. The data have been used to analyse the causes and consequences of the conflicts. The key causes of conflict include differing concepts of the values and beliefs of universities: the government's concept and the universities' concept. The government assumes that university education is directly productive, and accountable for the achievement of government-defined national economic objectives. The universities believe that universities are a special kind of organization. University education is productive only through the utilization of knowledge or skills. Universities are accountable not only to the government but to the range of the community. The consequences of this conflict include the loss of institutional autonomy and academic freedom in the following fields: (i) the nature of the higher education system. University education is being changed from diversity to centralisation, as a result of the shift from a binary system to a unitary system. (ii) funding control. University performance is being subjected to the dollar-push control by the government. (iii) teaching-research direction. Due to the loss of autonomy in the allocation of funds to institutions, there is neglect of the importance of teaching in universities, and a narrow emphasis on government-perceived research priorities. Proposals arising from the study include the need to develop: (i) mechanisms for the improvement of mutual understanding such as the constant exchange of views and ideas and of staff as visiting research fellows. (ii) awareness of the responsibility of each party in higher education. The government should guarantee the provision of funds for universities and interfere less in the internal performance of institutions. Universities should use the funds as efficiently as possible and adapt themselves to the rapid changing world. (iii) a clearer pattern of the distribution of authority between the government and the universities at least in the areas of development of higher education, governance, funding allocation and academic and intellectual affairs.
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ItemStanding strong or standing weak? Equal opportunity, violence against women and the school curriculum : a case study( 1994)Despite violence against women becoming a very public issue in recent years, remarkably little material on this subject has so far found its way into the school curriculum. This thesis examines a set of curriculum materials called Standing Strong, which specifically aims to help students make sense of violent and sexually abusive relationships. The thesis outlines and evaluates the materials in light of their ability to achieve one of the major objectives of recent equal opportunity policy, namely, to help achieve "equality between the sexes, and...improv(e) the conditions of life for girls and women...taking account of their cultural, language, and socio-economic diversity...". (Commonwealth Schools Commission, 1987: Recommendation 2, p. 25). The evaluation takes two main forms, one theoretical, the other empirical. The theoretical evaluation draws upon recent post structuralist and constructionist feminist writings. The empirical evaluation is undertaken by drawing upon the research findings derived from in-depth interviews with 24 young women who had used the Standing Strong materials during their secondary school education. The thesis argues that Standing Strong is flawed theoretically, and that this is likely to hamper its usefulness in practice. The research data confirm this pessimistic conclusion. The thesis concludes by reflecting on whether a focus on education might be more of a hindrance than a help to the development of a meaningful and effective solutions to violence against women.
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ItemGrow up into Christ: the history and ethos of Christian community schools( 1993)"Grow Up Into Christ : The History and Ethos of Christian Community Schools" is an historical study of one of the largest groups amongst the Christian schooling movements operating in Australia today. This study has concentrated on the period from 1974 to 1990, surveying the history of the founding of this organisation in 1975, leading to its rapid growth in affiliated schools during the 1980's and its tapering off in 1990. Included is an investigation into the reasons for the rapid rate of growth, and its decline at the end of the 1980's. The distinctive ethos of Christian Community Schools is investigated after this, in particular their theology of education, the ideology of G.I.F.T.S., and the centrality of the concept of a learning community based on love and maturity in Jesus Christ. By investigating the foundations and growth of this particular group, it is possible to identify the reasons for its growth and acceptance amongst the evangelical population of Australia. Included is an overview of the role and development of the Institute of Christian Tertiary Education, which will play a significant role in the future of Christian Community Schools Ltd.
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ItemReading and reconstructing the world: investigating children's frames of Asia-Australia relations through transformative discourse( 1994)The challenge for members of contemporary societies is to become increasingly global in their outlook at the same time as the world becomes increasingly difficult to 'read'. Texts construct views of 'reality' and the complexity of contemporary life is reflected in the range and number of texts which influence 'ways of seeing how things are'. For people to make sense of their lives on both a personal and global scale, the ability to critically read a wide range of texts is essential. This critical literacy enables them to construct and reconstruct meaning .It assists in developing a more inclusive world view and living with the multiple realities which mirror the interdependent nature of modern day life. As a means of discovering more about self and others, the development of a critical literacy must begin with the acknowledgement of texts that are carried around inside the person or internalised as 'truths'; thoughts, feelings, beliefs, opinions and so on which are manifested in the ways in which a person participates in both a personal and global domain. In other words, these internalised texts have a powerful influence on the ways in which world views are constructed and played out. An examination of these internalised texts is fundamental to the development of a critical literacy and ultimately the development of a Discourse (Gee 1990, 1992, 1993) which allows for the transformation of new ways of talking about new ways of thinking, feeling into new ways of acting. It is thus central to the development of an active global citizen. A transformative Discourse (borrowing from Freire 1972, 1973, 1985, 1987(a), 1987(b) and Gee 1990, 1992, 1993) validates the voice of the individual and it is essential that a teacher scaffolds learners as they construct and reconstruct meaning. Essentially, the teacher needs to model a Discourse of critique and an attitude towards critique so that over time critical Discourse becomes a fundamental part of learning and indeed life. One means of looking inward to interrogate internalised 'truths' and develop new ways of talking, thinking, feeling and acting is for the teacher to engage learners with significant content and a methodology which values multiple realities. A focus on the study of Asia, and in this case a study of Asia-Australia relations, counter balances a prevailing Eurocentric view of 'how things are' and enables learners to reconstruct images of self and other. Bringing the world into the classroom through systematic inquiry allows it to be tilted on its axis and examined from a range of vantage points.