Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemPlanning for 2005 : TAFE teachers' perceptions of professional development needs( 2001)The purpose of this study is to understand the professional development needs that Technical and Further Education (TAFE) teachers perceive they will need in order to , be effective deliverers of training in the year 2005. If teachers are to be successful providers of training in the new millenium, they will need to accept that change is imminent in the TAFE sector and to 'do something' to ensure that their skills and knowledge are current, thus ensuring their employability in this new millenium. A Case Study approach was used to research the professional development needs of teachers from a department in a metropolitan Melbourne TAFE institute. The hypothesis is that that the majority of teachers from this department do not undertake voluntary professional development activities. This; together with the hypothesis that they wait for management to direct them into the programs necessary for the next changes to the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system, was found to be true. However, professional development alone is not a panacea for getting teachers to adapt their practice to respond to these new developments. A true shift requires management of TAFE institutes to take a strategic approach to implementing broader organizational change that encourages teachers to embrace the challenges of the Open Training Market (OTM). In order to create conditions conducive to teachers actively seeking professional development they will need to: 1. ensure that the reasons for change are communicated through all levels of the organization and then provide organizational support for the change process through provision of sufficient funding for programs, sufficient time for teachers to participate in the activities, technical assistance if required; 2. encourage self-directed professional development through the provision of support at the interpersonal level together with an environment which includes the availability of mentors and facilitators and the facility to trial the new techniques; and 3. reward staff who participate in professional development activities and demonstrate a commitment to change.
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ItemProfessional development as work-based, collective learning : a study of curriculum implementation and change( 1997)Change is now synonymous with education. Curriculum and school organisational reform currently infiltrate every aspect of school life, with teachers in many instances expected to take on myriad initiatives and school improvement proposals. This study, of curriculum change and implementation, was designed to gain insight into effective change processes and the learning opportunities provided to support teachers as significant curriculum reforms were introduced. The Early Literacy Research Project (ELRP) was used as vehicle for this study. Schools participating in the ELRP were to implement a comprehensive approach to literacy teaching and learning for students in the early years of schooling with the design of the project providing significant support for teaching teams as changes were introduced. A selective and focussed review of literature relating to the process of change in schools has been completed. This is discussed in relation to Matthew Mile's Triple I Model which outlines stages and factors in the change process. Particular emphasis has been given to literature which links teacher learning to the process of change, focussing on teacher collaboration and collective, work-embedded learning. The aim of the study was to monitor the process of change in ELRP schools and to identify the factors which supported teachers as they endeavoured to make significant and sustainable changes to their teaching programs. The study was seen as an opportunity to consider the relevance of the Triple I Model as a means of interpreting change in schools. A case study approach to the research task, using observations, interviews, document analysis and questionnaires, facilitated the monitoring of the process of curriculum implementation in ELRP schools. Throughout the study the intention was to record the 'teacher voice' during the change process to ensure the validity and authenticity of insights gained throughout this dissertation. The results indicated that change is far from a linear process. Stages and factors within the change process were seen to overlap and occur simultaneously as changes were implemented. The study highlighted the importance of specific change factors and in particular those which related to teacher learning and collaboration. It emphasised the key role personnel responsible for change can play when this role is well resourced and linked to the provision of work-based professional development. The study also promoted discussion in relation to placement of a number of factors within the change model. This led to the development of an adaptation of the Triple I Model. It is suggested that this revised model provides a conceptual frame which may be used to assist schools in planning, monitoring and explaining authentic school reform projects. iv
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ItemSelf-assessment and informal learning within the professional framework of the operational Mobile Intensive Care paramedic( 2004)A paramedic's work environment is characterised by chaos, unpredictability and significant responsibility. However this challenging environment inhibits traditional methods of workplace appraisal common to more institutional work settings. Current formal strategies in place to ensure competency standards and provide ongoing vocational training occur infrequently. This has encouraged paramedics to seek alternative means of professional development. Using their own judgement, augmented by feedback from informal resources such as peers, the destination hospital and patient outcomes, paramedics have developed mechanisms to determine their strengths and weaknesses. Motivated by a sense of responsibility, accountability and peer respect, paramedics bridge the gaps left by their employer and complex work environment through self-assessment. Furthermore, paramedics actively pursue improvement by learning from their experiences and correcting perceived performance issues. This collection of proactive qualities is largely self initiated and independent of formal encouragement. The research aims were designed to explore the relationships formed between the paramedics, their work environment and formal/informal assessment within the context of day-to-day operations. The research explored the consequences of self-assessment, and what strategies the paramedics employ to develop their professional competencies. To achieve this, the research surveyed and interviewed operational Mobile Intensive Care paramedics. A similar survey was sent to the Metropolitan Ambulance Service to gauge their perceptions of workplace appraisal. The findings of this study indicate a need to develop appraisal and learning strategies to acknowledge and complement those informal strategies that have emerged from the paramedics' unique workplace. The study should assist the Clinical Department within the Metropolitan Ambulance Service to improve service delivery through incorporating informal appraisal and learning strategies into a professional development framework.
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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.