Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemManagers perceptions of workplace learning( 1999)This thesis sets outs the post-industrial organisation as the learning context in which the manager manages. By highlighting the set of skills that is required of the post-industrial manager it then examines how the manager learns these in the course of daily work. This was achieved by conducting interviews with a limited range of managers who are employed by the same retailing company but work across two store locations. What is apparent is that the successful manager needs to be able to respond to the emotionality of the workplace by having well honed 'people' skills of which communicability is uppermost. It was found that the 'people' skills were not only the hardest to learn but also contributed to the definition of the successful manager. The thesis also establishes that managers learn to manage in and through the workplace experiences of managing thereby supporting the contention that learning is fundamentally a socialisation process which occurs within a specific context and, within that, the most meaningful individual learning is, indeed, experiential. Learning to manage is very much about dealing with 'people' issues and, in this respect, the experiences of trial and error, then reflection, are the manager's teacher.
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ItemManagement development strategies and their contribution to organizational learning( 1998)This study investigates the role of frontline managers in bringing about change in the workplace and the ways in which the learning needs of these managers can be supported in a production environment. Within the context of economic reform and technological change, as discussed in the literature, a group of frontline managers from a rural food production company was interviewed. Their responses are discussed, in light of the current understanding of the importance of the development of the workplace as a learning environment and the valuable contribution that all forms of learning, including formal and informal learning experiences, can provide. The fieldwork indicates that the "culture" of the workplace dictates and influences the types of learning that are recognized as legitimate and, therefore, considered valuable. Whilst training opportunities for managers have been made available within the organization, these have not been specifically planned for individuals, but rather have been in response to the organization's perception of developing generic management skills. The thesis concludes that frontline managers, whilst playing a central role in bringing about positive change within the workplace, need support to develop appropriate skills and it is also clear that recognition must be given to the role of all employees, not just managers, in contributing to the development of a long-term enterprise vision.
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ItemA Review of the changes necessary to ensure the successful implementation and maintenance of a competency based training and assessment program into the Australian Customs Service( 1995)This review examines the changes necessary to to ensure the successful implementation of competency based training and assessment into the Australian Customs Service as recommended by the "Review of the Australian Customs Service and Australian Customs Service - Report of the Consultancy for a Human Resource Development Plan" completed in November 1993.
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ItemA study of an innovative approach to teacher education in Pakistan( 1997)This is a study of a private teacher education institute, Notre Dame Institute of Education (NDIE), which is affiliated with Karachi University, Pakistan. It describes the distinctive elements of one of its programmes, the Bachelor of Education (B. Ed), compares them with B. Ed courses offered at other affiliated colleges and identifies the perceived impact of NDIE on teacher education in Pakistan. A qualitative approach, in the form of a case study, was adopted for the research. Data was collected by means of interviews, observation and the analysis of historical documents. A pilot study assisted with the identification of key themes and potential avenues of information. The comprehensive narrative indicates the use of appropriate means of qualitative data reduction, analysis and display. The NDIE B. Ed course differs from traditional B. Ed courses. Within the present context of teacher education in Pakistan, the study showed that the course was innovative in terms of its curriculum content; teaching and assessment methods; provision and use of educational resources; approach to school experience and teaching practice and the collegial nature of staff/student relationships. The respondents perceived the institute to be making a positive impact with respect to the implementation of change or innovation in teacher education, teacher socialization and educational leadership and formation within the Catholic Church in Pakistan. The importance of both the personal and professional development components of teacher education courses in raising the self esteem and confidence of teachers was indicated by the study's findings. The data provided by the respondents indicated that innovation is possible within the constraints of a traditional teacher training course and identifies the importance of establishing networks to support and maintain change initiatives and develop educational leadership.
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ItemAn evaluative study of inservice programs at child care centres( 1994)The purpose of this study was to investigate inservice for child care workers, together with the evaluation of inservice programs. In particular this study concentrated on the two different modes of inservice programs; large seminars / workshops and the personalised inservice programs at individual centres. The writer participated in providing seminars for child care personnel and conducted the personalised inservice projects at a Long Day Care Centre and an Occasional Care Centre. The main research question centred around the thematic concern of 'how to improve on the implementation and evaluation of needs-based inservice at centre-based child care'. The literature indicated that one-off inservice programs did not provide the required change in attitude and workpractices, but that a more in-depth inservice training was needed. Also the evaluation of inservice programs appeared problematic, often done on a ad-hoc basis or left out completely. This study attempted to shed some light on these issues by implementing and evaluating the two different models through action research, to learn from the process of being involved. Analysis of questionnaires and interviews indicated that most participants preferred large seminars / workshops, but where specific problem areas needed to be addressed personalised inservice was seen as more desirable. The major advantages of personalised inservice programs were that inservice could be tailored to the specific needs of individual centres and a more in-depth inservice could be provided, indicating a more positive effect on their work practices and change of attitude. Implications and suggestions for future inservice programs were provided, stressing that both modes of inservice are needed and have their place.
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ItemTransforming professional development goals( 1996)The overall purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of goals as understood by the participants involved in the various stages of implementation of a professional development program, and the ways in which the goals were transformed as the program was implemented. In this thesis, "stage" is used in the sense of sequence, rather than development. The participants in the study were members of each of four stages of implementation of a professional development program, designed to support curricular reform, for teachers of mathematics. The development and implementation of the program were categorised into four stages. These can be identified with the actions of the participants: program initiators; program developers; workshop presenters and the teachers who would ultimately implement classroom content described in the program. The investigation involved description and analysis of the language used by the participants and how it communicated the character of their understanding of the goals. It is assumed that a participant's awareness of the goals influences the way the program is implemented. Data were collected from a range of documents used in the program, during interviews, via questionnaires and through observations of training sessions. For each stage of implementation, the main goals were summarised. Of particular interest was the way in which the goals were changed; as evidenced by the changes in meaning of key words and phrases. These changes were evident with respect to several key groupings into which the goals were classified by the researcher. The choice of words and phrases by participants at each stage revealed the nature of their goals. It was found that the goals of the initiators were usually to do with the altering of teacher practice. The developers' goals, while also concerned with altering teacher practice, were less directed. The goals as understood by the presenters were to do with promotion of a change in attitude in teachers (rather than practice), while the teachers' understanding of the goals were to do with relating the proposed change to their practice. In general participants at each stage had an understanding of the goals of the program that made sense to them, were achievable, and conformed to their perceived role in the program. For a given grouping of goals, there was a great diversity of both key words and phrases, and in meaning of goals as they were articulated at each stage. At times there was little change in the words used, and yet a large corresponding change in meaning. For other key groupings there was a great change in the words and phrases, with little alteration in the essence of the goal. Overall the character of the changes in goals, as understood by the participants at each stage of the professional development program, related to their perspective according to their role. This emergent character appears to be able to be generalised to all professional development programs This point of view ranges from that of a policy perspective, where policy solicits a change in teacher practice, to a practice perspective where the adaption of policy is sought in order to tie it with existing practice. The implications of this study are discussed concerning the effect that the transforming of goals in curriculum initiatives and professional development programs might have on the success of implementing changed teacher practice.
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ItemThe experience of Gordon's effectiveness training model and the discovery of "mirroring": a personal narrative( 1994)Gordon's effectiveness training (ET) model of communication, as experienced by the author, is presented as a personal narrative in the form of a condensed and edited journal. Teacher effectiveness, in terms of having effective communication dynamics with learners, is examined through a review of past research, the author's ET experience, and reflection. The effects of the teacher/learner relationship upon the learner's motivation to learn are discussed. The ET journal includes descriptive experiences, class notes, reflection, extracts, of tape transcripts, and verbal exchanges, in order to reflect understandings, changes in thinking, changes in attitude, changes in communication dynamics, and the results of these changes. As a result of the ET experience, and in collaboration with the course instructor, the author devised a series of worksheets for training use (offered as appendices) with modifications to the original ET model. Modifications include: the addition of the skill of mirroring, as an alternative to praise and blame; and, the concepts of rage stage, and memory trigger, as necessary adjuncts to Method III, that is "win-win", problem solving. These modifications are regarded as essential to the successful implementation and maintenance of ET skills. Effectiveness training is promoted as a valid and useful tool in developing effective communication skills for teachers in order to enhance their ability to motivate learning.
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ItemExamination of the professional education and competencies of Victorian foresters( 1994)Forestry appears to be in professional crisis, both from within and from outside the profession, over both the role and skills of foresters employed in public resource management. There are corresponding concerns about the curriculum offered by universities in the training of foresters. To address these concerns this research surveyed 201 members of the Institute of Foresters of Australia (FA) about their education, their beliefs about the essential skills of a forester and the nature of their employment, in terms of the frequency-of-use of proposed professional competencies. The survey revealed a similarity between the skills and knowledge considered important in training and the professional role. This picture, supportive of the technical expert role, differed from the image reported of the public role of the contemporary forester. There was, however, overall consistent agreement that communication and management skills were central to professional roles and incorporated the practical technical knowledge of the traditional science discipline in everyday professional practice. This study confirms a shift in the professional paradigm, reported in the literature and in responses of foresters in this study and elsewhere, from a restrictive mode of technical expertise to an extended mode of public policy development and appraisal in natural resource management. University-based professional education is expected by the respondents to somehow align professional education and professional practices. This implies a reappraisal of the dominance of the scientific-technical disciplines in order to develop competence in community resource management. As an interdisciplinary body of professional knowledge-in-use the new paradigm of forestry poses a substantial challenge to curriculum developers in Universities. Case orientated studies, which allow a merging of discipline-based and generic skill, are proposed as one promising approach.
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ItemReflective practice in the early childhood practicum( 1999)There is much evidence in the current literature to indicate a movement towards a restructuring of teacher education, which emphasises reflection (Campbell-Evans & Maloney, 1996). University courses in teacher education are moving away from the technical model of teacher evaluation towards a reflective approach to teaching and learning which focuses on assisting pre-service teachers to develop reflective practices (Fairbanks & Meritt, 1998). The early childhood practicum is increasingly seen as an opportunity for students to engage in critical reflection with journal writing, frequently used as a tool for reflection. This project studied the practicum journals of nine final year Melbourne University Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies students. Analysis and interpretation of the reflective journals focused on two aspects. The first aspect related to the issues, which the students reflected about. The second aspect related to the cognitive processes the students engaged in when reflecting. The investigation found that students reflected in complex ways on complex issues throughout the practicum. The process of reflection, however, did not empower students to reflect in their own way about their own concerns. The study found that for this group of early childhood students, it was the location of power in student - supervisor relations that functioned to empower students to reflect in their own way about their own concerns or to disempower students by silencing them.
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ItemA detailed case study of one reading recovery tutor training program( 1995)The purpose of this study was to closely monitor the implementation of the Reading Recovery Tutor Training Program at the University of Melbourne during 1994. This case study was designed to investigate the Reading Recovery Tutor and Teacher Training Program in the light of the apprenticeship model. The notions of change and reflective practice were clearly identified as being major components of the Reading Recovery training model and were therefore investigated as part of this study. This small case study produced a large quantity of research data, which included individual reflective journals and writing, transcripts of initial and final interviews, work samples and program data, the researcher's journals and observational notes. The key findings of the study revealed that this Reading Recovery Tutor Training Program has much to offer future training programs with its deliberate attention to the understandings of mentoring and reflective practice. The study highlighted a dichotomy between the apprenticeship model of training as reported in the literature reviewed, and this Reading Recovery Tutor Training Program. This Reading Recovery Training Program placed great importance on the understanding that competent professionals need to have a sound 'confidence of judgement'. The valuing of the notion of 'confidence of judgement' along with, conscious and deliberate reflection have wide implications for future Reading' Recovery Tutor and Teacher Training Programs.