Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemSecondary art teachers' perceptions of a regional art gallery( 2004)This study examines the view of five teachers in relation to their use of a regional gallery within their art program. Using qualitative inquiry, the study focuses on interviews with the gallery educator and five secondary teachers within the region. The key purpose of the study is to identify the value and reasons why teachers incorporate gallery visits into their teaching program.
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ItemTeachers' perceptions of the teacher evaluation system in China : a case study( 2004)Reforms in China have been attempting to shift its education from examination centred to quality oriented Teacher evaluation system is supposed to reflect the changes. This study explored teachers perceptions of the current teacher evaluation system in a public primary school in China. The participants were 43 of the school's 75 teachers. The researcher analysed teachers written responses to both pre coded and open ended questions to determine their perceptions. Findings of this study suggest that teachers general impressions of the teacher evaluation system were slightly positive and the teacher evaluation criteria as a whole were acceptable to some extent to the teachers. Teachers however held quite divided opinions toward different aspects of the teacher evaluation and the criteria of different teacher evaluation procedures. The teachers believed that teacher evaluation had a big impact on their growth and was used as evidence for rewards and punishment. The impact on teachers morale and student outcomes were comparatively smaller. Many teachers also believed that teacher evaluation had no impact on them Teachers were not happy with the climate for evaluation especially the perceived unfairness in evaluation and not being respected. Teachers opinions were divided to a great extent regarding preferred evaluation procedures and some criteria for teacher evaluation. The researcher suggests that teachers negative attitudes toward the teacher evaluation system should be seriously considered and that the system be improved. The researcher also suggests that the relationship between current teacher evaluation and student outcomes should be further explored and strengthened.
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ItemOnline mentoring in English for young learners (EYL) teacher education( 2004)This research project involved the development, pilot and review of an on-line mentoring program in a developing Teacher Education degree at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) in The United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study aimed to incorporate online learning technologies, already available and in use in other programs at the HCT, into the school experience component of the colleges' teacher education program. Participants in the study included student teachers across 3 years of the degree and college faculty across 6 colleges. Participants were involved in the design of this program, in using the program during a trial period, in evaluating its appropriateness, strengths and weaknesses and, finally, in identifying ways it may support inter-college continuity and collaboration in mentoring practices. The study was framed within a qualitative, action research approach and information was gathered through questionnaires and through qualitative focus group interviews. The study was guided by the following questions: How can an on line program facilitate and support the mentoring process? How might an on line program promote inter college communication? How might an on line program promote continuity of mentoring practices? This study contributes to the research agenda in the field of the application of online learning technologies to enhance and support teacher education in the UAE. The study makes six key recommendations and outlines three key areas for future development and research.
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ItemTeacher professional learning in an online community: the experience of the NQSF pilot project( 2004)During 2002, the National Quality Schooling Framework Pilot Project (NQSF) established an online environment designed to support the implementation of school improvement initiatives in selected schools across Australia. Part of the NQSF Pilot Project included the provision of computer mediated communications tools which aimed to foster participation by teachers and school leaders in an online learning community to support teacher professional learning through collegial, reflective sharing of practices. This study explores the extent to which an effective online community developed during the Pilot Project by examining in detail the experiences of a sample of NQSF participants. The particular focus of the study is an examination of the extent and nature of participation of a number of teachers and school leaders in the NQSF online community. It describes the positive and negative influences on the use of the NQSF online environment, and reports on the impact on the professional learning and other school-based practices of 13 teachers and school leaders whose experiences cover a range of behaviours within the NQSF online environment. The findings suggest that schools participating in the NQSF Pilot Project did not have a strong culture of collegial, reflective sharing of practice and that most teachers had limited experience in using computer mediated communications tools, both of which acted as a barrier to teachers participating in the NQSF online community. Further, without a well-defined sense of commonality and a perceived need or purpose and without a critical mass of meaningful responses to discussions that were initiated, teachers and school leaders were less likely to allocate time to be an active contributor to the online community. The findings indicate that the NQSF online community required further time and facilitation to progress beyond a pre-birth phase of development within the six-month time frame of the project. The findings of this research could inform the design and development of future versions of online teacher professional development environments created to facilitate professional dialogue and reflection through online communities. Further, the findings of this study could provide insight into the types of organisational, structural and cultural support mechanisms that may need to be considered within schools so that online teacher communities designed to support teacher professional learning through collegial sharing and reflection may achieve their objectives.
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ItemSupporting teacher learning through professional learning teams( 2004)The Professional Learning Team (PLT) is a relatively new concept that has appeared on the educational horizon in the past decade. Indeed they have drifted to the foreground as the impact of PLTs within schools has gained momentum with the emergence of major systemic projects. This research examines this impact in the light of one such project, the Early Numeracy Research Project (ENRP), and the way that teachers learn in a collegial environment. In analysing the data, I have attended statewide and cluster meetings, interviewed individual teachers and focus groups of PLTs in three schools that were part of the ENRP. I have identified seven aspects that emerged as integral to the work and sustainability of PLTs. These emergent themes are interdependent and each one provides an insight and link to the central theme of teacher learning. Teachers are challenged to change when they are engaged in new ways of teacher practice. Projects that are clearly defined and are linked to system and school goals provide a framework for this change and learning to be generated. Professional learning requires scaffolding that is braced together by communal reflection, sound professional and personal relationships and internal and external support. Leadership that is distributed throughout the membership and is supportive ensures that facets of PLTs can cohere together and maintain a sustainable future. The findings in my research demonstrate that teachers are receptive to the inception and maintenance of PLTs in their schools. However, I raise other possibilities in my conclusions that take PLTs beyond their initial purpose and scope within systemic projects. The evidence is irrefutable that�PLTs provide opportunities for teachers to learn in a safe and collegial atmosphere and that the outcomes of this teacher learning impacts favourably on students.