Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemThe morning after : a novella based on a study of a drama performance exploring young people's views of teenage pregnancy( 2004)This thesis is in two parts. Firstly I describe my research, which centred on a Drama performance devised for the 2002 Monash Schools Drama Festival. The performance project was coordinated by myself, as the school Drama teacher, and involved twelve students from Years 9 and 10. The performance focused on the theme of teenage pregnancy and explored some of the difficulties a young girl encounters when faced with an unplanned pregnancy. The story created for the performance project then became the basis for the second part of this thesis, a novella - 'The Morning After'. As a practitioner teacher-researcher, I collected data through interviews with my students and observations of their work in drama as they created the storyline and constructed the performance for the Monash Drama Festival. Through the process of discussion and improvisation, students revealed their perceptions, life experiences, questions and concerns around the issue of teenage pregnancy. These insights were reflected in the play and then this data was analyzed, organized into themes, interpreted and transformed into the novella - The Morning After'. This study reveals a need for more effective forums for discussing sex education and teenage relationships and pregnancy with young people in schools. The Morning After' aims to preserve the story at the heart of the students' play by offering it in fictional form to other young people.
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ItemA Further investigation of decimal misconceptions held by primary and secondary students( 2005)This study investigates Australian students' thinking about decimals. A Decimal Comparison Test was used to diagnose thousands of Victorian primary and secondary students' misconceptions of decimal notation. Data from 1998 to 1999 were extracted (from a study funded by the Australian Research Council) and analysed. These data were analysed with the use of cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches. The cross-sectional approach adopted in this study focuses on the tests while the longitudinal approach focuses on the students. Analysis of students' decimal misconceptions was conducted at both the coarse level (4 behaviours) and fine level (12 ways of thinking). Firstly, the variability of the prevalence of expertise by class was investigated, as well as the various misconceptions. It was determined that there were large variations especially in the prevalence of expertise by class, in particular Grade 6 (anywhere between 5% and 95%). The second analysis involved tests that do not match any predicted pattern of correct and incorrect responses (referred to as unclass feeds). From the results, there were Grade 6 students who answered the test inconsistently and have a tendency towards choosing the decimal with the most digits as the largest number. Also, there were Grade 10 students who answered the test inconsistently and have a tendency towards choosing the decimal with the fewest digits as the largest number. The third analysis involved 122 students who completed their first test as experts but made more errors in their second test approximately 6 months later. The analysis of responses to individual test items indicated some of these students were consistent in using various incomplete algorithms to choose correctly on many of the decimal comparisons. However, when the incomplete algorithm failed to give a definite answer, they might guess or revert to a latent misconception.
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ItemUse of computers in mathematics teaching and learning : transition from grade 6 to year 7( 2001)Over the past ten years computer resources within Victorian schools have improved. Adequate level of facilities and resources has enabled teachers and students to use computers in the teaching and learning of mathematics. However it appears that computer skills acquired during primary years are not always the basis for further and continuous development of skills in the early years of secondary schooling. Research shows that during transition from grade 6 to year 7 there is need for stability and a sense of continuity in the adolescents' education and this applies to the area of mathematics as well. To gain further insight, this research investigated the use of computers in mathematics in a group of feeder primary schools and their linked secondary school. The study initially investigates whether the computer skills introduced in primary schools were known or built upon in secondary schools. The research then makes recommendations to the network of schools involved concerning continuity in teaching and using computer skills in the teaching and learning of mathematics during the transition years. This study was qualitative and involved parents, students and teachers. Questionnaires, interviews and classroom observations were used to obtain data. Recommendations include the need for continuous communication between grade 6 and year 7 mathematics teachers to form and maintain links regarding the development of computer skills, the need to develop a common goal for all grade 6 teachers in terms of teaching computer skills to prepare students for secondary school and finally, the need to increase computer literacy of primary and secondary mathematics teachers and make hardware and software available and accessible to all.
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ItemNew tools for an old craft : introducing information and communication technologies to Victorian schools( 2001)Many teachers in Victorian schools are using information and communication technologies (ICT's) in their teaching. This study investigates the relationship between the use of ICT's and teachers' work practices. The first part of the thesis (sections one and two) outlines the prevailing stories associated with ICT's and the various perspectives on technology. Different perspectives of technology are explored to show how they influence what we believe can be achieved with the use of ICT's in the classroom. The second part of the thesis (sections three and four) uses actor network theory (ANT) to build a local network of teachers and machines. The aim is to show that the relationship between teachers and ICT's may be better conceived as a 'sociotechnical' network of people and technical objects. The work concludes by examining the political implications of a sociotechnical network on the practices of teaching and explores the available opportunities for teachers to re-fashion their craft.
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ItemEvaluating the foundations for teaching arithmetic CD-ROM: linking theory and practice( 2005)Lack of mathematical content knowledge (MCK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and the ability to translate this knowledge into practice are recognised as major issues for pre-service teacher education today. Multimedia has been suggested as a way of facilitating the transfer of MCK and PCK to the classroom. In this context the Foundations for Teaching Arithmetic (FTA) CD-ROM was developed in 2001. The aim of this study is to evaluate how pre-service teachers in the Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne have used FTA, if at all, to improve their MCK and PCK and to support the translation of these into practice. Also under investigation is what conditions facilitate or obstruct student use of FTA as a self-help resource in improving pre-service teachers' conceptual understanding of, and confidence in, their ability to do and to teach mathematics. Questionnaires designed to find out why students did or did not use FTA and their rating of particular features of the resource were completed by 389 students in various education courses. Forty-four student users and non-users of FTA were interviewed individually or in focus groups about their experience of FTA and the factors that contributed to their decisions to use or not use it. The impact of these factors was determined through the development of a framework which mapped the action profile of each student. A four phase needs-based progression model was proposed to explain the factors which contributed to students being able to make the successful translation of PCK on FTA into practice. The design and content of FTA facilitated students' use of FTA for the purposes under investigation. Factors hindering student use of FTA did evolve from the content of FTA, but were attributed to circumstantial factors.
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ItemThe use of laptop computers in the year 10 mathematics classroom( 2002)Laptop computers have been used in mathematics classrooms for approximately 10 years and there has not been a comprehensive study into how laptop computers are used, teachers' attitudes towards laptop computer use, and perceived student benefits. This study focuses on: i) How laptop computers are used in the mathematics classroom, concentrating on the types of software used and the type and the activities conducted. ii) Teachers' attitudes towards the use of laptop computers in the mathematics classroom, in particular how their attitudes and experiences may effect the use of laptop computers. iii) Teachers' perceptions of student benefits in terms of understanding and performing mathematical tasks using laptop computers. This study shows that there is a wide variety of software used and a large number of activities completed in mathematics classrooms with laptop computers. Teachers favoured using spreadsheets above any other type of software and tended to use the laptop computers for computational, open-ended activities rather than conceptual tasks. Teachers had varying attitudes about how and when laptop computers should be used in the mathematics classroom. There appeared to be connections between a teacher's own use of the computer and the way the teacher used the laptop computer in the classroom. Some teachers used the laptop computer very frequently whilst others used them sparingly. The most valuable type of in-service about using computers came from the teacher's own faculty, through formal and informal discussions. Finally, not all teachers believed there were benefits for their students from using laptop computers. There was no conclusive evidence about whether teachers believed their students had an increased ability to understand mathematics due to using laptop computers, but, there was evidence of increased student motivation.
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ItemThe impact of the group dynamic in the drama classroom( 2004)This study investigated the impact of the group dynamic in the collaborative context of the drama classroom. Involved in the study were seventeen year nine and ten students (ages 14 to 15) enrolled in an elective subject "Community Drama" at a coeducational Secondary College in Melbourne, Australia. I spent a semester as a 'student' in the class integrally involved in all classroom activities. Literature in the field of Drama in Education mentions participants working in group formation but it appears that drama educators do not overtly incorporate group development theory in their teaching practice. The study explores the benefits of incorporating group development theory in the context of Drama in Education, and invites drama educators to consider explicitly using group development theory in their work with students and participants in their classrooms and workshops. The study focuses on the patterns of group development for this class. Using ethnographic methods, I set out to describe and interpret the patterns of meaning that informed the student's actions and made up the culture of the group. Participant observation techniques, interviews, audience and completion surveys were used as part of the data collection process to expose the theme of belonging that governed the behaviour of the class.
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ItemPeer mediation training in the middle years of schooling( 2003)This project investigates the role played by peer mediation training in assisting students in Year 8 to manage their own conflicts and relationships a year later. The study focused on two students who underwent the training as mediators rather than the disputants. The study is based on the recognition that students in Years 7 to 9 should understand that conflict is a natural part of life and they need to be able to manage their conflicts constructively to improve their interpersonal relationships as well as their self-esteem. My experiences of students dealing with conflict had been that students often avoided the conflict, referred the problem on to someone else (usually the teacher) or engaged in destructive behaviours such as fighting or self-blame. Too often an adult resolves the conflicts, and the consequences are often punitive. Peer Mediation is a working model that is designed to assist students to resolve conflicts through discussion and integrative negotiation procedures. The School Counsellor and I implemented the program to address our concerns about how students dealt with conflict and the amount of time that teachers were spending in dealing with minor disputes. A case study methodology was chosen as the main research technique focussing on the students' descriptions of their experiences of the peer mediation training they underwent a year ago, and how they manage their own conflicts and relationships now. It was found that the types of conflicts experienced in the Middle School Years involved mainly verbal harassment, gossip and rumor spreading and relationships. Belonging to group and finding one's place was of high importance in Year 7 and usually established by Year 9. The study found that peer mediation training is a valuable tool for enabling a school to meet its duty to assist students with conflict resolution skills in situations beyond the classroom such as school camps and attending alternative campuses. The students at this School attended an overseas campus for five weeks and they felt they were experiencing similar conflicts they had in Year 7. The study showed that students remembered little about the training steps but realized the importance of problem-solving skills and effective communication to brainstorm solutions to create win- win situations. There was some transference of these skills to situations involving their siblings and friends outside of school. In order to ensure students manage conflicts in constructive ways this study recommends that school environments should provide a cooperative rather than a competitive/individualistic context. Within cooperative situations, communication tends to be open and honest, trust is built and maintained, and disputants are orientated toward joint outcomes. Furthermore, conflict resolution programmes such as peer mediation need to be integrated within the school's Middle School Years structure such as a Personal Development programme and extended into its academic subjects. The school's Student Support Services could coordinate it.
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ItemExperiences of home economics teachers when using an online curriculum resource, Great food! great health!( 2004)The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of Home Economics teachers when using the online curriculum resource, Great Food! Great Health! A survey was conducted amongst those Home Economics teachers who attended the demonstration of the online curriculum resource Great Food! Great Health! as part of the Victorian Home Economics and Textiles Teachers' Association (VHETTA) professional development day entitled `Making IT Work in the Classroom'. Some of these teachers were interviewed about their experiences with using Great Food! Great Health! in their classrooms. Significant factors that influenced the use of information and communication technology in the classroom included provision of professional development, access to computers, timetabling and length of sessions and effective preparation and practice with using the online curriculum resource. In particular, professional development was considered to be influential when it allowed for pedagogical thinking and curriculum planning. Teachers used Great Food! Great Health! over a period of one to five sessions, and all indicated that their use of this online curriculum resource was very successful with the majority of participants indicating that they would use it again in their classrooms.
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ItemThe influence of cognitive style on student performance and preferences in mathematical assessment( 2003)This study examined the influence of cognitive style on student performance and preferences in mathematics assessment. Two dimensions of cognitive style are: the wholistic-analytic style dimension and the verbal-imagery style dimension. This study investigated the comparative influence of these dimensions, students' _display of mathematics knowledge, specifically, a fractions test, in different assessment and their preferences toward mathematical assessment. A sample of 74 year seven students aged eleven to fourteen (n = 49 males and n = 25 females) with a mean age of twelve years and one month completed an assessment of their knowledge of fractions. Test items were presented verbally, symbolically and in pictorial formats. As well, students' preferences to aspects of mathematics learning and assessment were examined using a questionnaire. A Cognitive Styles Analysis (CSA) instrument was used to assess students' cognitive styles. These protocols were formed as the basis for the research. Cognitive style was found, to some extent, to influence student preferences in mathematical assessment more than student performance in mathematics. There was a significant partial correlation between a cognitive style and student preferences in mathematics assessment; analytic learners preferred the common test and wholistic learners preferred the project. Specifically, (i) analytic learners preferred the common test to the project, as a way of seeing themselves making progress and as a way of thinking about learning mathematics; and (ii) wholistic learners preferred the project to the common test, as a way of identifying the degree they feel pressured and as a way of thinking about learning mathematics. There was indefinite correlation between cognitive style and student performance in mathematics; analytic learners did not perform better than wholistic learners in the fractions test. Further, analytic learners did not perform better on pictorial tasks than on symbolic tasks. Similarly, wholistic learners did not perform better on symbolic tasks than on pictorial tasks. The implication of these findings for teaching is that cognitive style does not influence students' performance in mathematics. This study allowed the author to glimpse at the influence of cognitive style on students' preferred ways of being assessed, through the windows of ways of learning, mathematics knowledge and mathematics assessment.