Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemTeachers' perceptions of their status : revisiting an old problem( 2002)Teachers in recent years have expressed a great deal of dissatisfaction with their status in society, consistently citing it as one of the most negative aspects of their work and role. Numerous studies have demonstrated that teachers believe their status in society to be poor and their work undervalued. However, surveys of the Australian public have shown that the majority views both schools and teachers positively, believing that teachers are dedicated to their students, and that schools in general achieve their educational goals reasonably well. The study set out to explore the reasons behind the discrepancy between teachers' beliefs about their status, and the good opinion of teachers expressed by the public in such surveys. In addition, the literature reveals that concern about professional status, while more intense in recent times, has been evident amongst teachers for many decades. This suggests that, while some of the changes to society and teaching may be intensifying teachers' concerns, there may also be structural aspects to the work of teaching that contribute to teachers' unhappiness about their status. The study identified both structural and environmental contributors to the problem, and a model of factors contributing to teachers' perceptions about their status was developed. Finally, the study explored differences between teachers' perceptions of their status amongst the broader community, and their status in the local school community. Teachers expressed more positive views of their status in their own school community, a finding which is important in understanding the impact of teachers' perceptions of their status on work motivation.
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ItemSchool-industry partnership : a clarification evaluation case study( 2002)School-industry programs are a rapidly growing aspect of vocational education in Australia. This study examined one of these programs. It sought to identify factors that led to the establishment of the program; the essential operational components within the program; and how the program advanced vocational education and training in the community in which it was located. Clarification evaluation was used as the investigation approach. Data were collected from documentary evidence and interviews with key program stakeholders (employers, teachers, training providers, and program staff). The investigation identified a number of key elements that were fundamental to its successful establishment. These were: shared common purpose to address local youth unemployment and industry skill shortages; and people that had the will and capacity to bring about structural change: External enabling factors were also important in establishing the program. These were: timely government funding; and visionary education authority personnel who facilitated the convergence of stakeholder groups. The study also showed that there were clearly identifiable factors that underpinned the program's operation. These were: good strategic and business planning processes; negotiating workplacements with employers and courses with training providers on behalf of local schools; running induction and skills programs to increase students' work readiness; supporting teachers to integrate workplace learning into the curriculum; supporting workplace supervisors to mentor students; and linking the school-industry program to complementary employment placement programs. Finally, the study demonstrated that if certain conditions are met in industry and schools, school-industry programs could advance vocational education and training in their local communities. These conditions are concerned with the state of the local economy, community identity, willingness to contribute education and training of young people (industry); and schools' demonstrated commitment to vocational education and training through resource allocation and flexible timetable structures. The findings of this study have the potential to influence the design and development of future school-industry programs in Australia. A framework is presented, along with a series of cogent recommendations. These should assist government, employers, schools and program managers to better design and implement school-industry programs that produce high levels of practical skills and knowledge in young people that enhance their employability and life chances.
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ItemProfessional development of teachers and its contribution towards creating a learning community: a case study( 2002)This thesis examined the professional development programs available for teachers in service at a Victorian independent school and the contribution of these programs towards creating a learning community. A learning community was described for the purpose of this thesis as a successful shape of an organisation that is continually expanding its capacities. In order for schools to achieve that, transformation in teachers' perceptions of their own learning and professional growth must occur, and professional development of teachers should be embedded in their practice and anchored in their day-to-day life. Through a qualitative case study approach, the investigation explored teachers' attitudes and perceptions towards their learning, the professional development programs available to them and the contributions of these to the development of the school as a learning community. The research was concerned with identifying what is an effective professional development program from the perceptions of participants, and the characteristics of the school as a learning community. The study aimed at informing both the implementation of appropriate professional development programs and future policy formulation at the school under study, as well as challenging teachers' perceptions of their learning and role. Participants from the case study were interviewed using open-ended interview questions. The analysis of responses showed that participants perceived themselves as lifelong learners, understood their role as educators in a rapidly changing environment and preferred professional development programs that were embedded in their daily life to meet their needs and those of their students. Findings also showed that the school's leadership role had a significant impact on the learning that occurred at personal, interpersonal and organisational levels.
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ItemThe Influence of critical episodes on teachers beliefs and practices( 2002)Drawing on interviews with fourteen teachers from three different secondary schools, this thesis examines the importance of critical episodes in the formation of teachers' beliefs and practices. Teachers nominated a variety of experiences as being critical, from episodes that had occurred during their own schooldays, to their most recent classroom occurrences. These episodes were found to be crucial in determining their self image of the type of teacher they were. Some episodes involved formal professional development activities or post graduate study, and thus incorporated a theoretical basis for the beliefs and practices, but most were firmly rooted in the everyday lives of the teachers, and their experiences within and beyond the classroom.