Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemReporting on school performance in Victoria, an international perspective and implications for school leadership( 1996)Social, economic, cultural and political trends can change in nature and importance over time and influence government schools systems. The degree of precision and the style with which the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a government school system monitors school performance varies over time and can be inconsistent with that which has been used by his predecessor. The government school systems of England and Victoria are examples of school systems that appear to have experienced similar stages of development and have shared similar social, economic, cultural and political trends. These changes have produced inconsistencies for schools in those systems over time. Employees within government school systems are required to respond quickly to changes in their roles and responsibilities. Field officers who work with schools on behalf of the CEO can become a liability to the school system as ambivalence towards their role develops in schools and as technology for reporting on financial matters as well as student achievement and other aspects of school performance improves. The feelings of those employed within a school system can be a major barrier to their coping with inconsistencies brought about by change. One view is that adaptation to this inconsistency can be assisted by having access to incentives to adjust to change or by having an understanding of one's own inconsistencies. Government school system organisation as well as leaders can influence the behaviour of teachers and students and therefore, arguably, influence school performance and how it is reported. Possible changes in the cognitive activity of principals and teachers that might be influenced by feelings and associated with ambivalence, can also be connected with the concepts of transactional and transformational leadership and school system organisation. It appears that, ultimately, the continued existence of government school systems might well depend upon the extent that schools within those systems accept the authority of the CEO.
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ItemAn investigation into early childhood science within an emergent curriculum framework( 1997)A considerable interest in the concept of emergent curriculum has been generated by the early childhood centres of Reggio Emilia in Italy. This study traces the progress of a science project on spiders in an Australian early childhood centre which purports to have an emergent curriculum. In particular, this study sought to answer the question: What form does a science learning project take in an early childhood class that purports to have an emergent curriculum philosophy? What are the processes involved? What are the roles of the main players? Was this curriculum truly an emergent one? How did it fit with the different perspectives being taken to emergent curriculum in the literature? Did science learning take place? How did this learning fit with current views on science learning in the literature? Using a participant observation approach, this study looks at factors that characterise the processes and the players in this project and considers these in the context of current views on emergent curriculum and early childhood science. Results indicate that while the curriculum in this centre was clearly ‘emergent’, it differed in some minor aspects from both the Reggio Emilia model and the American model of emergent curriculum. The approach used was consistent with the social constructivist approach to science teaching and was clearly conductive to the children's science learning. The study shows that emergent curriculum is a very appropriate approach for science learning.
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ItemSpiritual health: its nature and place in the school curriculum( 1998-04)As spirituality first appeared in Australian curriculum documents in 1994, it was important to establish how educators thought it related to student well- being. In this research a description and four accounts of spirituality - spiritual rationalism, monism, dualism, and multidimensional unity - were developed from available literature. The literature also revealed four sets of relationships important to spiritual well-being. These were the relationships of a person with themself, others, environment, and Transcendent Other. The model of spiritual health proposed here claims that these four sets of relationships can be developed in corresponding Personal, Communal, Environmental and Global domains of human existence, each of which has two aspects - knowledge and inspiration. Progressive synergism describes the inter-relationship between the four domains. The quality of relationships in the four domains constitutes , spiritual well-being in each domain. Spiritual health is indicated by the combined effect of spiritual well-being in each of the domains embraced by a person. The principles of grounded theory qualitative research methodology were used to investigate the views of 98 teachers from a variety of schools near Melbourne. Feedback from 23 Australian experts, on the researcher’s definitions, is discussed. To encompass all the teachers’ views of spiritual health, to the initial categories of Personalist, Communalist, Environmentalist and Globalist, a fifth category was added for the small group Rationalists, who embraced the knowledge, but not the inspiration/transcendent aspects, of the first three domains of spiritual well-being. All the teachers believed spiritual health should be included in the school curriculum, most rating it of high importance, two-thirds believing it should be integral to the curriculum. The teachers’ major curriculum concerns focussed on Self, Others, the Transcendent, or Wholeness. Investigation of those teacher characteristics seen as important for promoting spiritual health, with associated hindrances and ideals, showed variation by gender, personal view of spiritual health, major curriculum concern, teacher and school type. Greatest variation was noticed when comparing school type. State school teachers emphasised care for the individual student from a humanistic perspective. Catholic school teachers were concerned for the individual, with religious activities being implemented by dedicated teachers. Other Christian school teachers focussed on corporate, not individualistic, activities, and emphasised relationship with God. Other non-government school teachers emphasised tradition, with attendant moral values. Implications of these variations on school choice are discussed. Principals’ behaviour, speech and attitude were considered by the teachers to be vital in providing opportunities for spiritual development in schools. A 30-item Spiritual Health Measure (of Humanistic and Religious Aspects of Spiritual Health) was developed using the researcher’s model of spiritual health and data from 300 UK teachers. The SHM should be useful as a diagnostic for individuals or groups to provide base data from which to plan enhancement of their spiritual health. This thesis contains an analysis of how well the Victorian Curriculum & Standards Framework provides guidelines for promoting spiritual health. A position of responsibility, called Spiritual Facilitator, is proposed to help ensure that the rhetoric about spiritual well-being is put into practice in schools.
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Item"BRIGHT Kids" (Ballarat region's intellectually gifted and highly talented kids) : the background and establishment of a parent support group and teacher network for gifted and talented children in the Ballarat area( 1996)The study is an historical account of the formation of a parent and teacher network for gifted and talented children in the Ballarat area, named BRIGHT Kids [Ballarat Region’s Intellectually Gifted and Highly Talented Kids]. A case study approach was used with the researcher being the founder and therefore a participant observer in the development of the group. To obtain an evaluation of the setting up and development of the group, a questionnaire was sent to all who had attended BRIGHT Kids meetings. Conclusions were drawn from a consideration of the author’s perspective and the responses from the questionnaire.
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ItemThe effects of education leadership and management on special school students quality learning( 1995)This study examines the context in which special school principals carry out their leadership and management roles. Recently, significant changes in educational policies, organisation leadership and management styles. Implementation meant changes for school Principals. A review of the relevant literature revealed that the challenges bought about has forced schools Principals and teachers to examine the organisations and structures, and to confront their own fundamental values and attitudes. The emphasis on the devolution of authority, and the pursuit of excellence and quality provisions. Principals are forced to perform a dual role. No longer being viewed as administrators, but as leaders in their own right. Special Student's opportunities are enhanced, and extended school years and the level of success is now largely determined by the quality of leadership. Educational Leadership plays a major role in how successful educational programs are when aiming for the full development of student potential. Industry links within education can assist in achieving educational goals which provide students with an understanding of the real world while also assisting principals to become effective and efficient of their organisations. Special School Principals in particular, have two roles to fulfil. They must possess the necessary managerial skills whilst demonstrating the leadership qualities to ensure the growth and development of staff and students. The opportunities to develop success orientation should be encouraged as it will reflect on the standing of school and encourage community support. This study has drawn its information from a small number of Special Schools in Melbourne. Teachers and principals completed a questionnaire by indicating the statement that best described their view of the principal. The outcome indicated that although principals viewed themselves as humanistic leaders, the teachers reveal mixed responses in their indications. The study found that some principals work collaboratively with their staff, some prefer to dominate while others presented confusion and uncertainty in the management, and leadership and vision for the school. The study indicates a need for more relevant initial training. in service and professional development principals so that they understand the roles requested of them.
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ItemBeing good: values discourse in educational policy and management( 1996)This study is concerned with the way prevailing realities of government policy are reflected in educational policy and styles of management, by being reproduced and sustained through values discourse. The largest education system in the world is to be found in the People's Republic of China. China's current values discourse is constructed from traditional values and, more recently, from socialist theory. Concepts of Utopia, and the influences of Marx, Lenin and Mao are explored. The views of Foucault and Fairclough reveal the way language powerfully constructs reality and defines social order. A literature review considers the contributions of previous research to issues explored in this thesis. This study analyses how official values education material in China reflects prevailing government policy. The data was collected in Nanjing and Shanghai from October 1993 to January 1994. It consists of Leaders Handbooks for the Young Pioneers, Large and Small Young Pioneers Posters, classroom values education texts, and interview material. The methodology of Textually Oriented Discourse Analysis as proposed by Fairclough (1992(b)) provides a helpful framework for the analysis of sample discourses which represent current values. Further chapters will explore contemporary directions in values discourse and consider the trend towards conscientisation and empowerment. The limitations of the values discourse are discussed. Within a worldwide framework, current scholars, such as Freire, use concepts such as conscientisation, liberation and empowerment to define the future for values discourse. What is the role of educational institutions regarding values discourse? Are there opportunities for dissenting voices to be heard? Previous theories of management have focussed on the values of efficiency, corporate culture and models of excellence. Do these values simply ensure further control over individuals and organisations by constructing a prevailing reality too narrowly defined? Participating in the 'struggle' for the prevailing discourse through being involved in micropolitics and realising the importance of critical language awareness can enable us all to construct a reality which empowers rather than limits those involved in education.
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ItemAn evaluation of the reading comprehension of students in Victoria who are profoundly, prelingually deaf and of an intervention programme to improve their inferential reading comprehension skills( 1995)This thesis is concerned with the reading comprehension of students in Victoria who are profoundly prelingually deaf. The study firstly addresses reading abilities of these students and the factors that affect these abilities. Secondly, this study implements a programme for a sub-group of underachieving readers. The research was conducted in two stages. Stage one evaluated the reading comprehension outcomes for 195 prelingually, profoundly deaf students in government and non-government schools. The subjects were tested on the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Comprehension Test. It was found that there was a wide range of reading comprehension ability amongst the subjects. However, 58.0% of these students were reading in the below the average range compared with 23.0% of their hearing peers. The average rate of advancement for the Australian subjects was found to be 0.5 of a grade per year. The deaf students over 15 years of age achieved an average reading level of grade 6.0 which was commensurate with recent findings from America and higher than that found in Britain. Some significant differences between sub-groups were found. Female deaf readers were reading better than males. There was also a significant difference between the reading competency of the subjects according- to their aetiology. The Rubella subjects tended to be the poorest readers and the Meningitic subjects the most competent readers. Overall the subjects' literal reading scores were significantly higher than their inferential scores. An analysis of the scores for the textual, functional and recreational reading genres showed a significant difference between the scores from the three educational settings with mainstreamed students reading better than integrated who read better than segregated students in all areas. The subjects were also tested for their ability to infer meaning from pictures. Further, a multiple regression showed that being female, having above average academic potential and being in an mainstreamed oral setting and having the ability to use inferential strategies with pictures were all significant predictive factors for reading comprehension competence. Stage two of the research involved 60 subjects who were identified as underachieving from stage one. An intervention programme which aimed at using pictorial material to encourage the use of inferential strategies in reading was developed. The research design involved four groups of 15 subjects (two experimental, two control). The experimental groups received 30 lessons of an intervention programme to teach inferential reading strategies using pictorial and written text. One of the control groups underwent a reference skill programme and the other did not receive any specific intervention. Using the Stanford Diagnostic Test of Reading Comprehension, post-intervention reading comprehension competence was measured. A significant improvement in the reading comprehension competence of the experimental subjects was found. The amount of improvement was more than two reading grade levels over a twelve month span. It was further shown that the subjects over 15 years of age also improved. The programme was particularly effective with the weakest and the youngest deaf readers. The findings of this research have implications for educational programmes designed to improve the literacy of profoundly, prelingually deaf readers. By placing an emphasis on the processes involved in inferential comprehension, the deaf readers learned to interact with the text.
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ItemAdolescent gambling: a justification for gambling education programs targeting Victorian minors( 1996)Gambling is a well established, integral aspect of Victorian communities and this is unlikely to change in the near future. The gambling industry has grown in recent times to become a billion dollar industry. Studies conducted by the Victorian Casino and Gaming Authority (DBM Consultants 1995) found that 90% of Victorian adults have placed a bet at some time in their lives with 77% having done so in the period 1994-1995. In total, Victorians spent $88.6 million per week on gambling. There is insufficient data available to fully comprehend the social impact of the gambling industry on Victorian communities. Clearly, today's adolescents are living in an environment that supports and promotes gambling. However, no research has been conducted that investigates the gambling behaviours and attitudes of Victorian minors prior to this study. Recent studies in the USA, the UK and Canada reveal that a high proportion of adolescents are regular gamblers with many experiencing problems related to their gambling behaviours. This thesis provides data on the gambling behaviours and attitudes of Victorian adolescents. The majority of the 200 adolescents involved in the study are gambling, with many doing so at a level that constitutes 'at risk' behaviour. This study provides justification for the introduction of gambling education in Victorian schools. It postulates that the appropriate curriculum framework for the inclusion of gambling education is primarily in the Health and Physical Education Key Learning Area alongside other risk taking behaviours. Given that informed and responsible gambling in moderation does little harm to the gambler or the community, the author recommends that the harm minimisation approach is the most suitable Health Education model for implementing gambling education programs in Victorian schools.
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ItemDesigning an art program for adults with an intellectual disability: an innovative approach( 1998)The thesis develops guiding principles to underpin an art program for adults with an intellectual disability, which would itself be suitable for either a community based or more formal educational setting. A number of theoretical and practical aspects are explored, with criteria for the establishment of such an art program being developed in each chapter. These relate, respectively, to theoretical bases of art and artistic development, models for teaching and learning, curriculum design, educational context, and, finally, program evaluation and outcomes. The thesis commences with a review of literature related to aesthetics and theories of artistic development, along with that of behaviourist and cognitive/developmental theories of learning. This leads to a consideration of their applicability as models for the teaching and learning of art for adults with an intellectual disability. The recent behaviourist focus in what has often been called 'special' education, and the pre-occupation in mainstream education with competency-based outcomes have had an impact on curricula over the past few years. The thesis describes, next, some of the principles underlying curriculum design, and a number of mainstream and special education art curricula are reviewed in order to identify the degree to which they can be adapted to the provision of art education for adults with an intellectual disability. Over the last decade there has been a significant shift in the policy context of further education for adults with an intellectual disability. Concepts of inclusion, least restrictive environment and age-appropriateness have all had a marked impact on program content and delivery within diverse educational contexts. In this environment, some established overseas art programs for adults with an intellectual disability are described and compared with a local program, the Arts Project Australia studio-workshop, with particular reference to the principles of their design and implementation. The investigation of each of the above areas leads, primarily through literature review and discussion, to the establishment of a set of operational criteria for a model. These criteria are then applied in an analysis of the findings of the fieldbased research, which uses Arts Project Australia as the site of the investigation. The final discussion further develops both the implications of the literature review and the analysis of the field-based research to further elucidate broad principles which could guide the future development of art programs for adults with an intellectual disability.
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ItemSharing the spirit: transmission of charism by religious congregations( 1998)Catholic schools have experienced significant changes in recent years. Other than the pressures that all schools face, the issue of the identity of Catholic schools has loomed large. With the dramatic decrease in the active membership of religious congregations, the continuation of their charism, their philosophical and spiritual tradition, has been a crucial concern. In this study, the processes for charism transmission were examined in order to identify these processes and their underlying assumptions. Through the use of interviews, participant observations and document analyses, the processes for charism transmission currently in use were documented. Charism transmission was found to occur through a range of formal and informal processes. Informal processes included school structures, networks, personal contact and the everyday reality of school life. Formal processes included a range of programs planned to share overtly the charism with lay colleagues. These included inservices, extended reflection programs and explorations of personal spirituality. These processes were consistent with the definition of charism proposed by Lee (1989) and with the model of shared praxis proposed by Groome (1991). In addition, vision, in this study, was influenced significantly by the historical context and tradition of the group. Thus, the description of vision, as proposed by Staessens and Vandenberghe (1995), was augmented with this additional perspective. The assumptions, which strongly influenced the chosen processes, were primarily related to the expected roles of religious and their lay colleagues. Although a shared or mutual responsibility was advocated by the majority of congregations, the processes employed were not always consistent with that assumption. As a result, a framework, based on the work of Butler (1996), for the development of more coherent and comprehensive approaches has been proposed.