Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemThe vertical curriculum meeting the needs of students of high intellectual potential( 2000)This pilot project investigated one Victorian Independent School's implementation of the vertical curriculum in Grades Five and Six in over a one-year period in 1998. The study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of the vertical curriculum model for students identified as intellectually Gifted, High (Gifted and Bright) and Mainstream (Average, Low Average and Low) students by reviewing the students' progress in mathematics. Using Progressive Achievement Tests in Mathematics at the beginning and end of the year the identified Gifted, Bright and Mainstream students' progress was monitored to track their mathematical development, consisting of - achievement or progress made. The cohort reviewed consisted of eighty eight students incorporating eleven identified intellectually Gifted students, thirty three Bright students and forty four Mainstream students, as identified by the Raven's Progressive Matrices. The findings indicated firstly that an advanced level of mathematical achievement was found for the identified Gifted students. Secondly, it was found that the vertical curriculum assisted the Mainstream students as they showed significant mathematical progress. The findings indicated that the vertical curriculum provided an equitable educational option for the identified intellectually Gifted, Bright and Mainstream students.
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ItemAn exploration of the preparation and training of Samoan secondary school principals for leadership( 2000)This study is an exploration of the preparation and training of Samoan Senior Secondary Principals for leadership in school. The study utilised a qualitative methodology as the perspective of the principals was sought. The particular research instrument used were semi-structured interviews. These interviews were audio taped and fully transcribed. This raw data was complemented by a form which was used to establish background material on each principal. The themes that were identified, with the aid of a grid which displayed the data, raised a number of issues facing Samoan leaders. The literature review set the context for current Samoan education, by giving an historical view of the development of education since the arrival of Europeans in Samoa in the 1830s. This historical perspective revealed that many of the issues that affect Samoan Education today have had a long standing impact in Samoa. The context in which principals exercise their leadership is both complex and problematic. The analysis of results used the verbatim quotes of participants to highlight the issues. A key issue is the appropriateness of the transfer of models of leadership training from a Western perspective in Samoa. The conclusion reached in this study is that the range of issues that face a leader in a Samoan Secondary school, require an approach to preparation and training for leadership that is not currently occurring. Samoan principals in this study have not received a level of training for leadership that specifically addresses the concerns faced as leaders in their schools.
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ItemWhere are they now ? : an investigation into the vocations and lifestyles of the University High School Acceleration Program 1988 cohort( 2000)This study investigated the current vocational and lifestyle situations of the 1988 intake cohort of the University High School Acceleration Program (UHS AP) in Melbourne, Australia. There were three main. reasons: to ascertain whether the participants' current situations were predicted by the literature in gifted education; to ascertain whether the current outcomes were predicted by the stated aims of the UHS AP and to invite respondents to reflect on their secondary schooling. A target cohort of 22 from the 1988 AP intake was selected after consultation with the co-ordinator of the UHS AP. The investigation sought factual information such as current occupation and personal circumstances and also ascertained current attitudes to particular aspects of their accelerated secondary schooling. This was done using a self-administered questionnaire incorporating a variety of question formats. Seventeen members of the cohort completed the questionnaire, providing information about: their current vocational status and influential factors for this; their current personal circumstances and feelings about these; their proudest achievements; their plans for the future and their current feelings about their experience in the UHS AP. This study is a follow up based on Dr Betty Murphy's 1994 thesis, which studied the first ten cohorts of the UHS AP. Her findings were employed in the analysis of the results. Vocational and lifestyle circumstances varied, as predicted by the literature. Reported satisfaction with their experience of acceleration was high, although suggestions for improvement in both curriculum and counselling were made. An attempt was made to link matters raised in the responses with the initial aims and objectives of the UHS AP. While there was a good correspondence between these objectives and reported outcomes, the objectives do not emphasise the same aspects of acceleration which the participants valued - namely the strong friendships they developed and the chance to be themselves.
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ItemThe communicative interactions of hearing impaired students with hearing peers and regular teachers( 2001)This project examined the levels of control used in interaction by regular teachers and normally hearing peers with mainstreamed hearing impaired students. The communicative interaction of thirteen students; ten normally hearing and three hearing impaired, and their teacher was observed. Observations were recorded and then analysed based on the characteristics of communication developed by Wood.D, Wood.H, Griffiths.A & Howarthl (1986). The interactions experienced by hearing impaired students are important to the development of their communicative competence. It is through interaction with more mature users of language that communicative development takes place (Wood, Wood, Griffiths & Howarth,1986). The literature suggests that the hearing-impaired student experience high levels of control in interactions with others, in particular from their parents and teachers. Webster (1986) used the expression that mothers of deaf students 'command' the child. High control does not allow the hearing-impaired child freedom in response, or the development of extended communication acts in which both partners, can participate, learn and share responsibility. Both partners, parents and children, need to search for meaning in their communication with each other (Webster, 1986). It is through accessing meaning that language makes sense. Paul (1994) suggests that hearing impaired students are exposed to a lower quality of oral communication because they are labelled as deaf. Activities, such as speech or listening training, often take the place of meaningful conversation. The data suggests little difference in the level of control used by teachers when interacting with hearing and hearing impaired students. Similarly, there was little difference found with the level of control used by hearing students in their interactions with either normally hearing of hearing impaired peers. Interactions were short involving few exchanges. The characteristics of the language used consisted of mainly wh type questions, personal contributions, instructions and gesture. The information gathered would suggest that the input to interaction in this regular mainstream setting are not consistent with research of parent -child interaction and pre-school settings and provide opportunity for interaction and promotion or development of communicative skills.
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ItemA nationwide educational knowledge and information system for China : is it likely to be adopted?( 2000)The researcher contrived a new strategy for the dissemination of educational knowledge -- a conceptual model of an Educational Knowledge and Information System (EKIS), based on a literature review. The focus of the research is to find out that whether, and under what conditions, the EKIS is likely to be adopted in China. The researcher interviewed some Chinese educational policy-makers to elicit their opinions on the EKIS model and on the possibility of the EMS development. The respondents perceived the EMS as a useful system, because it would have the potential to solve some of the current information problems. Their attitudes towards the EKIS development are positive, but with caution. The findings show consistency with the literature on innovation adoption. The importance of human factors in an innovation process is explicitly reflected in the findings. The respondents also indicated some elements that could hinder the adoption, development and utilisation of the EKIS in the setting of China, such as the influence of information policies, the impacts of educators' existing information dissemination and access conventions, and the lack of coordination among different government departments.
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ItemParents' and teachers' expectations of and attitudes to the auditory verbal approach( 2001)The present study investigated parents' and teachers' expectations of, and attitudes to, the auditory verbal approach. Questionnaires were distributed to three early intervention centers: the Cora Barclay Center in South Australia, the Speech and Hearing Center in Western Australia and St. Gabriel's School in New South Wales. Twenty matching questionnaires were completed and returned. Early intervention programs for hearing impaired children and family-centered practice were reviewed. In addition, the collaboration between parents and teachers to achieve goals were also addressed. The results of this study showed that age of diagnosis of hearing loss, age of device fitting, early attendance at the early intervention program, hearing loss level, and extended family involvement do not directly influence the child's language progress. However, these factors still affect parents' and teachers' expectations of the auditory verbal approach which in turn affect the child's receptive and expressive language progress. Finally, the implications of the study are discussed together with suggestions for future research.
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ItemMaking connections from the classroom to professional context : using problem-based learning to enhance engineering education( 2000)Problem-based learning (PBL) is presented as an educational reform that is particularly relevant for professional education programs. This study investigated the use of PBL to enhance the quality of students' learning in Professional Skills, a first year engineering subject at Swinburne University of Technology. The major aims for Professional Skills are to develop students' communication skills and to provide them with an introduction to the engineering profession. PBL was selected because of the use of a professional context to demonstrate the relevance of learning and the approach to developing students' abilities for self-directed and life-long learning. PBL requires different understandings and approaches to teaching and learning than are typical of existing practices in engineering education. An action research method was used to guide the development of curriculum and teaching practices because of the role of action research in providing support for teachers to improve their educational understandings and practices. The study examines two action research cycles of curriculum development, teaching and learning during 1995. Qualitative research methods were used to investigate teachers' and students' experiences of teaching and learning to inform the progressive curriculum improvement and evaluation. The findings from the study provide insight into both the characteristics of PBL that enhance the quality of students' learning and strategies that contribute to an on-going process of supporting change and improvement in curriculum and teaching practices. Students identified four thematic issues that were central to their motivation and engagement in learning. These issues were: being able to see the relevance of their learning to their future careers, collaborative learning in class and their project teams, their opportunities for active involvement and input into learning decisions, and a supportive learning environment in which they received guidance and feedback on their progress. Teaching and learning in the PBL curriculum was a new and challenging experience for both engineering teachers and students. The collaborative action research process assisted teachers to develop the skills and confidence to utilise new approaches to teaching and learning. The relevance of these findings to achieving the cultural change advocated by the 1996 Review of Engineering Education (lEAust 1996) is examined.
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ItemThe accuracy of functional gain and insertion gain measurement in pre school children( 2000)To ensure that children with impaired hearing have optimal access to spoken communication, the amplification of sound to the child's ear canal is provided through the use of a hearing aid. To maximise the benefits of the hearing aid, the methods used to assess the amount of amplification provided to the child's ear must be accurate. Two methods used to assess the amount of amplification are functional gain and insertion gain. The real ear gain was measured in seventeen preschool children using these techniques. The study aimed to determine whether these measures were equivalent and to assess the accuracy of each measure in this preschool population. The results indicated that overall the two measures of real ear gain provided equivalent results. However when the differences between functional gain and insertion again were compared in individuals, a high level of variability between the measures were observed. Examination of the components of the test procedures suggested that insertion gain was a less variable, and hence a more accurate measure of real ear gain in preschool children.
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ItemWhat are the perceptions of changes in teacher and student use of information and communication technologies during the implementation of the Learning Technology Strategy Plan at a Victorian Catholic secondary college?( 2001)This research used an interactive evaluation methodology, to evaluate the impact of the Learning Technology Strategy Plan at a Victorian Catholic Secondary College on the classroom use of learning technologies by teachers and the extent to which learning technologies are used within all key learning areas. It gathers the perceptions of changes in teacher and student use of information and communication technologies through a teacher survey and a series of group and individual interviews of teachers, students and school leaders. The research found that the Learning Technology Strategy Plan had a significant impact on the use of learning technologies within the College. Students were openly accepting of the use of learning technologies in all key learning areas and wanted to use technology when it was available. There was a range of perceptions presented by staff members about the implementation of learning technologies in the classroom, with the majority extremely willing and capable to some staff reluctant and unsure. The research found that access to reliable and appropriate learning technologies needs to be improved. That teachers and students believe that they use learning technologies well when it is provided appropriately and is in working order. Schools are in the cusp of significant change and need to embrace learning technologies as part of the future schools agenda.
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ItemRegular primary teachers' perceptions of their involvement in the program support group process( 2000)The placement of students with disabilities into regular schools has occurred with the support of both government and education department administrative initiatives. The Victorian Education Department cemented its commitment to educating students with disabilities in 1995 by producing Program Support Group Guidelines for Students with Disabilities and Impairments to be followed by all teachers, professionals and parents involved in educating students with disabilities. Regular education teachers have been expected to be willing and prepared to work with students with disabilities. The changing school population resulted in their roles and responsibilities being dramatically altered. As members of the Program Support Group (PSG) group, they are required to take part in group decision making, implement recommendations made at the meetings and work closely with other professionals and parents. The dynamic status of this evolving partnership with parents and professionals has created a constant need for teachers to develop skills in group decision making, time management, clarity of roles, goal oriented planning and program development. Education departments must become aware of these needs and respond to them accordingly. The purpose of this study was to examine regular primary teachers' in the Western Metropolitan Region perceptions of their involvement in the PSG process. A mail survey was used to measure teachers' participation in and satisfaction with their role in the PSG process. Training and experience variables were examined to determine the relationship with participation and satisfaction. The factors identified and examined were: clarity of roles, clarity of goals, allotted time and in-service training. The final section of the questionnaire invited comments and recommendations from participants which might assist them with participating further in the process and in becoming more satisfied with the process. The data obtained was analysed using multiple regression analysis. Several findings emerged from the study. The results of the analysis were in keeping with the related literature examined. Firstly, many of the survey respondents had zero hours in-service training pertaining to group/team decision making and planning and implementation of the PSG process. Many of the written comments stressed the need for more in-service training. Secondly, multiple regression analysis established that as more time is allotted for decision making, teachers become more involved and satisfied with the PSG process. The importance of time in implementing the PSG process was also very clearly expressed in the written comments. Thirdly, the analysis revealed that when PSG goals are clearly explained satisfaction with the PSG process increases. Lastly, both the statistical data and the qualitative data indicate that support services are a necessary component in the successful execution of the PSG process.