Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemGlobalisation and cultural management : leading from the margins( 2004)This thesis commenced with the purpose of examining a case study of cultural management within an institution of higher education and questioning whether the manner in which we negotiate our identity, reflect a sense of belonging and create a responsibility within a labyrinth of impersonal spaces with this local/global dilemma will be the premises upon which new answers to old questions, as well as a whole set of new questions about cultural management within higher educational institutions, will be asked. The development of the Intercultural Projects and Resources Unit (IPRU) was examined as a reflective case study analysis, whilst drawing on the researcher's biography as a key component of this thesis, operating at several different but interconnected levels, negotiating simultaneously the space between mainstream Western academic concerns, the researcher's intellectual and geographical/spatial dislocation and working with a diverse range of students, university staff, community groups and places in the world. This thesis contends that when there are 'spaces' that enable all voices to be heard and considered, then the outcome is always far better than anticipated. Such 'spaces' or 'structures' will always start with, and privilege, the perspectives (and participation) of those with the least power and those who are most disadvantaged (margins). Any decision needs to involve a deep consideration of effects in a range of domains, grounded in an appreciation of the layered cultural contexts in which choices are made and implemented. This thesis has proposed that it is in the linking of current debates about difference, identity and marginality with the management of 'culture', ,and in facilitating a space within which these issues can be negotiated, that meaningful work and outcomes as educational administrators within a global knowledge economy becomes possible..
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ItemValues and the teaching of history to junior secondary school students( 2006)Entitled 'Values and the teaching of history to junior secondary school students' this thesis aims to explore the value of history as a subject for study by junior secondary school students and the role of values in the teaching of history. A focus on the types of knowledge that teachers bring to their professional practice forms part of the groundwork for the study. Professional knowledge is considered as pedagogical knowledge and content knowledge (Darling-Hammond, 1999; Shulman, 1986, 1987). These branches of a teacher's knowledge are discussed in relation to the teaching of history. History is broadly identified as a field of knowledge (Carr, 1961; Hexter, 1971; Leinhardt, 1994; Marwick, 1983), a discipline for study (Ang, 2001; Collingwood, 1946; Leinhardt, 1994; Levstik, 2000; Marwick, 1983; Rogers, 1984; Skilbeck, 1979) and a subject within the school curriculum (Board of Studies, 2000; Foshay, 2000; Macintrye, 1997; Mays, 1974; Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), 2004, 2005). The value of teaching history to junior secondary school students is broadly considered in terms of the knowledge and understanding that can be developed through the study of history as a school subject. The embedded nature of values within teaching is acknowledged and distinctions drawn between social/community values, general educational values taught through history and more specific values associated with the study of history. The research is situated within the qualitative paradigm (Denzin & Lincoln, 2000, 2005; Flick, 2002; Strauss & Corbin, 1990) and involved a case study (Bassey, 1999; Denzin & Lincoln, 2000; Merriam, 1988; Stake, 1995, 2000, 2005; Stenhouse, 1985; Yin, 2003a, 2003b) conducted at the junior secondary level that included the participation of the researcher, three other history teachers and students from Year 7 and Year 8 history classes. The methods used to collect data included an initial session with the teacher-participants and, at the conclusion of the study, a debriefing focus group with the teacher-participants, lesson observation and post lesson small-scale student discussions. The data gathered from this investigation is presented as a number of narratives (Bage, 1999; Bruner, 1986; Clandinin & Connelly, 2000; Connelly & Clandinin, 1990; Freebody, 2003; Mishler, 1986; Stake, 2000). The researcher contributes to these narratives as a teacher of history. The study affirms the value of teaching history to junior secondary students, recognizing an association with broad educational values (Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST), 2005; Gilbert & Hoepper, 1996, 2004) and subject specific values, such as, sharing knowledge about the past (Fitzgerald, 1977). Values that are imparted through the study of history are categorized as general and specific and are closely linked to skills. The study is premised on the beliefs that thinking about practice (the past and the present) may enlighten future history teaching and learning (Schtin, 1996) and that 'mindfulness' (Leinhardt, 1994) is an essential characteristic of history teaching that engages both the teacher and student in the learning process.
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ItemHelping academics to help themselves : investigating appropriate professional support strategies for academics with no formal teaching qualifications( 2001)Currently, tertiary education is undergoing a major review of teaching and learning, to support the needs of a now culturally, socially and economically diverse student clientele. Consequently, the notion of professional development for academics has become a priority. Quite commonly, academics have been educated in their particular field of expertise with little emphasis on learning and teaching styles. Furthermore, little or inappropriate professional development focussing on teaching and learning practices, has been the style of support offered to date. It appears that these ad hoc off campus short courses have not adequately met the professional development needs of many academics with no formal teaching qualifications. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a work-embedded approach to professional development using a case study methodology.
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ItemLaying the foundations for surgical excellence: strategic alignment of questions in program evaluation( 2006)The question of how to prioritise program evaluation questions in the best way is an important issue for evaluation practice. This is because the prioritisation of evaluation questions can determine how resources are allocated to the program evaluation effort. Obviously, if critical questions are not addressed, then the information obtained may not be the most useful in terms of program improvement. In the area of Program Theory Evaluation (PTE), prioritisation of questions, emerging from a program theory, has been highlighted as a need. This thesis used case study methodology to investigate a novel method of prioritising evaluation questions in a program theory evaluation, with the intention of creating a strategically-aligned evaluation plan. The case study concerned the Basic Surgical Training (BST) program of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeon (RACS). The thesis set out first to develop the program theory for the BST program, and to construct a balanced score card (BSC) with respect to education within the RACS. Subsequently, the aim was to develop a strategically aligned evaluation plan for BST using the BSC as a quality framework of reference. Multiple data collection methods were used including document analysis, focus group interviews, and individual interviews. The findings from the data analysis were used as a basis for both the BST program theory and the BSC, termed the "RACS Education Quality Framework". The application of the BSC to the program theory then resulted in an evaluation plan for an aspect of the BST program, which was considered to be a priority by the RACS. The outcomes of this thesis illustrate the utility of this approach in prioritising evaluation questions in program theory evaluation. There are, however, a number of caveats that relate primarily to the commitment needed to develop the BSC and the complex program theory. Despite this, a number of recommendations relating to evaluation within the RACS, evaluation practice in medical education settings, and evaluation practice more widely have been made. Finally, the processes and outcomes described in the thesis provide the basis for further exploration of prioritisation of questions in program theory evaluation, and the concepts explored should have wider applicability to evaluation practice. Further work in other case settings would assist in defining the utility of this approach.
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ItemNew cars, new work, new learning: productive workplace learning at a lean manufacturing site( 2007)This study investigates the construction of knowledge through action, teamwork and problem-solving. Within the context of a competitive global industry, the vehicle manufacturing industry, production workers and font-line supervisors from a component manufacturing company, Toyota-Boshoku, were interviewed about their work. Workers in a production environment are active and participative and the fieldwork indicates that they learn most effectively from the practical performance of tasks. Clearly, the embodied actions of workers are epistemologically significant because it is the doing of the task that their learning, knowledge and understanding are expressed. Therefore, learning practices that emerge from the performative nature of the work are most likely to present workers with opportunities to display their skills, knowledge and understanding. The whole person is involved in such learning - the cognitive, social, psychomotor and affective domains - and helps to shape knowledge for workers as expressive bodies. Knowledge is constructed in the social and atmosphere of the workplace as workers learn from one another in their everyday work practices. The thesis concludes that there is significant epistemological value in the embodied actions of the workers and in this respect the thinking and the doing are intertwined and interdependent, rather than separate entities.
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ItemThe clinical learning of pre-registration student nurses: challenges for clinicians' practice( 2005)This research investigated to what extent does workplace supervision of undergraduate nursing students by registered nurse clinicians confront clinical practice in the acute care hospital setting. Significant aspects of this are clinical education of nursing students mainly in Australia, the persisting difficulties of access to clinical placements, educational preparation of clinical supervisors and the clinical learning environment. This contextual study was an iterative case study, which was undertaken in five stages, each stage prerequisite to, and informing the next. The findings revealed the extent of collaboration between four participating universities and a major metropolitan teaching hospital. Perceptions of the educational role of the registered nurse clinician were explored as seen by nurse unit managers, the undergraduate student nurses, clinical teachers and the clinicians themselves. Also factors were identified in the clinical environment which the participants thought could influence undergraduate students' learning. The study concludes with recommendations to increase accessibility to clinical places, and the preparation, support, and recognition of the clinicians for their clinical education role.
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ItemReconstruction of leadership in a situation of significant organizational change( 2006)Leadership and Change are two diverse and yet intertwined complex fields. Leaders in many organizations continually undergo, lead and introduce change to their workplace. These individuals and others reconstruct their leadership differently according to the situation and the group of which they are a part. Some organizations are changing their leadership practices to include managing teams in remote locations using a virtual organization model rather than a face to face approach. This change invites organizational leadership to develop new perspectives to meet new challenges. This thesis is concerned with this question, "How do middle and senior managers implementing this kind of change reconstruct their leadership as they manage their roles, departments and the transition?" The research investigated the above question in relation to eight middle/senior managers at an Australian national public health provider going through a major restructure process. Some survived the restructure and stayed in the organization. Others did not survive and had to leave the organization because they no longer identified with the new organization or the people in the organizational leadership. The study was an interpretivist inquiry that documented the perceptions, meanings and interpretations of the changing organizational situation by the participants through two semi-structured interviews conducted with each manager about ten months apart. Significant changes were experienced by the participants in this study. These changes were at organizational, relational and personal levels. The middle managers reported feeling a great deal of pressure. Their organizational relationships were changed, disrupted and to some of them were damaged. The participants rethought their skills, roles, functions and their emotional investment in the organization due to the change process. The length of the transitional period became burdensome. A matrix of interaction between six research factors identified from the literature and seven emergent themes was constructed and tested against the empirical data. The matrix successfully accommodated the data categories of the study, establishing its validity as an informative and useful Change Management Framework. The Framework was used to compare and contrast the perceptions, feelings, and ideas of the different individuals to understand how they reconstructed their leadership in a change situation. Furthermore, a model for the reconstruction of leadership in a significant organizational change was developed based on the grounded research. The researcher believes that the work presented in this thesis adds to the richness of the tapestry of perspectives in the arena of leadership and change research. It is also hoped that the framework and model developed in this study will contribute to the practice of change leaders in many circumstances.
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ItemComputerised accounting systems, curriculum and business needs( 2007)Globalisation, information technology, and in particular the development of sophisticated Computerised Accounting Systems (CAS) software, have become driving forces that continue to enhance and transform business needs and practices. A review of the literature suggests that the design of current accounting curricula does not sufficiently expose students to the concepts of globalisation and technology. This study aimed to discover the extent to which existing Australian CAS curriculum models did reflect business needs. Guidance was sought from the literature and from academics' accounts of how they develop the CAS curriculum, and the perceptions of business needs of business professionals, (key knowledgeables and young gun managers), and current students with business experience were explored. The study also considered the match between the CAS curriculum offered at the university where the researcher is employed as a lecturer and business needs, through an exploration of what the cohort of current students with business experience perceived the subject to offer. A mixed-method research strategy of enquiry, using two separate methods of data collection, was used, to better understand the relationship between curricula and business needs. This approach provided numeric trends from the quantitative research and detail from the qualitative research. The study was conducted in three phases: a survey gathered data relevant to the current students with business experience and the young guns, an Internet search for appropriate subject descriptions was made and an analysis was undertaken, and interviews provided rich data as the perceptions of academics, key knowledgeables, young guns and current students with business experience were explored.. Rogers' (2003) adoption-diffusion study influenced the analysis of data gathered from the Internet search for Australian relevant subject descriptions. Academics were classified into adopter categories on the basis of innovativeness of curriculum content, and thus provided a basis for understanding the aims of their CAS curriculum, their perceived importance of business needs to the curriculum, and why a particular software became a feature of the curriculum. The data was analysed thematically and the key findings were drawn from the participants' experiences in business and at university. All participants were aware of the increasingly dominant role of CAS in business but a variety of different opinions and beliefs were presented as to the value of CAS as a part of university curricula. However, the overall view was that the academic's response must prepare students to participate in the business world, by ensuring curriculum content included learning processes, teaching practices and software offerings that would provide appropriate business solutions. The findings showed a number of impediments to future curriculum design that need to be addressed. These include academic inadequacies, pedagogical beliefs and practices related to the place of software applications in curriculum design, the need for different software solutions for different business problems, and cost factors related to the decision to introduce new technologies. Recommendations were made as to appropriate topics to include in future curriculum design. All cohorts agreed that enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions will be the future business software solution of choice to both large and small to medium enterprise (SME) businesses, and a solution was proposed for innovative curriculum design in order to master the complexity of such applications.
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ItemThe cognitive styles, learning strategies and vocational interests of South-East Asian and Australian students( 2003)Many factors are involved in the way an individual gains an understanding of Mathematics. Their cognitive style, i.e. way they code information for further processing in the brain, is one of these. The learning strategies that they use when a mismatch exists between their preferred style and the material presented to them is another. Riding and Rayner (1998) have developed a model for the whole learning process which contains two dimensions of cognitive style, the Wholist/Analytic and the Verbaliser/Imager dimensions. In the same way as individuals have different preferred cognitive styles, they also express different vocational interests. Holland (1985) developed a model for describing and assessing these vocational interests, the RIASEC model. Cultural factors may influence both an individual's preferred cognitive style and their vocational interests. This study investigates the effect of cultural factors in both these areas, looking particularly at the cultures of South-East Asia and Australia and the cognitive styles and vocational interests of students undertaking a first year university Mathematics course. Cultural differences were found in both areas. Students from South-East Asia (27 males and 17 females) tended to have a more visual cognitive style than Australian students (27 makes and 16 females), particularly when they learnt to read first in a character-based language. In accordance with the values of their Confucian-heritage background, the students from South-East Asia scored more highly on Holland's Conventional scale than did Australian students. In this study, support was also found for several aspects of Riding's Cognitive Control Model. One of these was the use of a Complementary cognitive style as a learning strategy when a mismatch occurred between an individual's preferred learning style and the material presented to them.
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ItemReconceptualising careers in later life( 2004)A sample of two hundred and ten older adults, (over 50 years), were involved in an exploratory research project aimed at discovering whether or not interests remain stable throughout the whole of life, what range of interest activities is available in later life and. how the various personality types adapt to retirement conditions.. It was hypothesized that later in life, particularly at the onset of retirement, adults progressed through a critical stage of circumscription and compromise in order to achieve reorientation of their priorities, needs and the available personal and environmental resources in the changing circumstances of retirement. Examination of relevant research literature gave no indication of any epistemological research into the reorientation of interests of older adults; the literature assumes that older adults' interests are fixed and stable following development early in life. Analysis of literature pertaining to older adults and interests led to the application of two theories relating to interests to this research study: Holland's theory of vocational choices and Gottfredson's theory of circumscription and compromise. Analysis: A multi-method approach to research permitted the researcher to discover both causal relationships and processes relating to the interests of older adults. The stability of the results across all parameters is an indication of the validity of the results. There were three stages of data analysis in all. Firstly, statistics derived from several descriptive variables led to a Cluster analysis of the cases. Secondly, two cases, randomly selected from each of the clusters, were subjected to in-depth interviews. The information revealed in these interviews was useful in comparing with, reporting and describing the information revealed in the next stage of the data analysis. Thirdly, Mosaic plots reported and displayed the significance of relationships between the variables; Sex, Occupation, Measured Interests and Leisure Interest activities. Another cluster analysis using Clustan Graphics grouped the cases according to their current leisure activities. Results of analysis: In conclusion, from the analysis, indications are that older adults generally modify their interest activities in retirement to the more gender-neutral types, specifically Social and Artistic. Holland claims that as adults become older, their interests become more differentiated, but this research suggests that the change in interests is more complex: for example, the numbers of older adults involved in Investigative, Enterprising and Conventional interest categories reduce severely after the age of 50, while Social and Artistic categories expand in numbers. A small core of people involved in Realistic activities remains faithful to their interest type throughout this stage of life. The implication of this research is that in the currently existing conditions with limited perceptions of retirement and capabilities of retirees, it is difficult for people to operationalise their interests. It is essential that further research examine ways of correcting this situation so that older adults may continue to remain active in their chosen field of interest for as long as they wish.