Faculty of Education - Theses
Permanent URI for this collection
Search Results
1 - 2 of 2
-
ItemTransforming policy into practice : the implementation of the Curriculum and Standards Framework in primary schools in Victoria( 1997)This thesis examines individual school use of a newly introduced curriculum policy, the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF). Its purpose was to explore how a central policy impacted on individual schools and the processes that occurred within the school to transform CSF policy into classroom practice. It examines the way knowledge relating to CSF policy and other knowledge was transferred and used within schools and the factors that affected this process. The context in which this innovation occurred was examined before considering the determinants and outcomes of policy use. Recent knowledge utilisation theory in the area of policy innovation was used to refine ideas further. It was argued that a major determinant of CSF use was the characteristics of the CSF itself. From this a tentative three level conceptual model for CSF policy use was constructed. Variation in. use, it was reasoned, depended on local capacity to utilise curriculum knowledge. These arguments formed the basis of the research questions. A multiple case study approach was used to determine both the general pattern for CSF use and variations in use. An exploratory approach, gaining data from many sources within each of the sites over time, was utilised. Analysis of the data showed that the conceptual model was appropriate and a single factor, defined as "culture of change", accounted for most of the variation between sites. This factor was a conglomerate of sub-factors concerning structures, knowledge, processes and capabilities within individual school sites. In line with other similar studies, the thesis demonstrated the importance of local factors in policy use. The thesis goes further than other studies of this type by identifying the particular structures, practices and expertise that resulted in informed curriculum policy implementation through effective knowledge utilisation. In particular, the study demonstrated the importance of intensive structured professional interaction to maximise knowledge utilisation.
-
ItemDevolution: the local selection of teachers in Victorian state schools( 1991)This thesis is concerned with the devolution of administrative powers from the Central Ministry to local school communities. In particular, the focus is upon removing the Ministry's staffing function and giving it to individual schools. This will mean that schools themselves will select their own teachers. A review of how Victoria has administered education is given commencing from Colonial times up until the present decade. This reveals that education began as the domain of the churches and that teachers were originally employed by local school communities. It was not until 1872 that a Department of Education was established in Victoria with teachers becoming centrally employed. This system of central employment has dominated State education ever since. However, several recent events have challenged the Ministry's traditional system of central staffing. These include the local selection of Principals and their Deputies beginning in 1984, and the local selection of a new category of teacher - Advanced Skills Teacher 1- in 1991. The present system of staffing is debated and a proposal for local staffing is advocated. It is suggested that individual schools are more acutely aware of their needs and that the present structure of the Ministry cannot cope with the individual needs of the States 2000 schools. Moreover, the rationale against local selection is no longer as valid or relevant as it may have been last century.