Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemExamination of the introduction of professional feedback models: a case study of two rural schools( 1999)This thesis was designed to explore and analyse the comparative introduction and implementation of formal professional feedback to teaching staff at two different types of country school. It tracks and compares two different types of feedback systems. Texts, articles and in service materials have been examined to clarify definitions of terms, purposes, values and assumptions surrounding the concept of formal feedback. The development of formal feedback has been put into historic context. The principals of both schools and fifteen of the participating teachers have been interviewed before, during and after the process to gain an understanding of their thoughts, concerns, attitudes and understandings of the processes that they were involved in. The responses to both individual and group interviews underpins the analysis of the processes and their outcomes. In particular the paper looks at changes in any perceptions and the reasons for these changes. The participants were interviewed individually and in focus groups. Key questions of a similar nature were asked to all groups, with follow up and supporting questions phrased to follow individual concerns. Individuals also provided additional information during the process. In conclusion the paper explores the processes and the effects on individual teachers and the school as a whole, and examines issues raised in their introduction. Recommendations are made for others who are implementing or reviewing similar formal feedback processes and areas of further research are suggested.
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ItemBeginning languages other than English (LOTE) primary teachers: their professional development needs( 1990)The study concentrates on the investigation of the professional development needs of beginning Languages Other Than English (LOTE) teachers in Victorian government primary schools. It seeks to formulate system responses which would meet those needs. The literature on the professional education of teachers makes distinctions between induction, training and professional development. During the induction phase a process of professional socialisation is entered into and is an important aspect of this phase. A questionnaire was developed to explore the professional development needs of these teachers from two perspectives: firstly, to define their needs and secondly to identify system responses which would meet those needs. The questionnaire, administered to all LOTE primary teachers currently employed in government schools achieved a response rate of 62%. The background data identify three types of beginning LOTE primary teachers who considered other LOTE teachers in the school, principals and LOTE consultants to be the major source of assistance for them in their first year. Highly supported and appreciated induction activities are: programs designed for the LOTE primary beginning teacher and the informal assistance given by other LOTE teachers at the school. In terms of the identification of professional development needs of LOTE teachers in their first year, responses indicate that the need for information took precedence over the need for opportunities for skill development. This reflects the difference between meeting short term and long term needs. Responses from the questionnaire enabled the development of a list of needs ranked in order of importance. This was then matched with the sources of assistance which were identified by respondents and a checklist was devised. The checklist attempts to guide those interested in the professional development of beginning LOTE primary teachers towards identifying their needs. It also highlights the importance, of a co-ordinated approach by both school-based and non-school-based personnel towards the professional education of beginning LOTE primary teachers.
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ItemAppraising a narrative-based in-house staff training and professional development model for a Tongan school( 1996)This thesis describes a narrative-based staff development and evaluation program after Wood (1992) that the author expects to implement at St Joseph's Business College, Nuku'alofa, Kingdom of Tonga. An investigation of the model was performed by the author at a TAFE Institute in Melbourne, in which four experienced teachers from the Business and Marketing Departments volunteered to recount and discuss stories of their professional development. A pre-structured case study approach after Miles (1990) was seen an appropriate means of dealing with data reduction and presentation arising from the collaborative composed personal narratives and evaluative comments by the four teachers. The problems and prospects of implementing a culturally recognised professional development model at St Joseph's Business College are discussed in the light of the author's experience in the study.