Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemUneasy lies the head : the repositioning of heads of English in independent schools in Victoria in the age of new learning technologies( 2004)This study explores the discursive practice of six Heads of English in Independent Schools in Victoria during a period of major cultural change. This change has been associated with huge public investment in New Learning Technologies and shifting perceptions and expectations of cultural agency in communities of practice such as English Departments in Schools. In this social milieu tensions exist between the societal rhetoric of school management and marketing of the efficacy of NLTs as educational realities and discursive practices at a departmental level, embodying and embedding academic values and attainments. In their conversations with the author, the Heads of English reveal much about themselves and the nature and distribution of their duties and responsibilities within the local moral order of their schools and with their individual communities of practice. A model is developed of the dual praxis of the Heads of the Heads of English, mediated by autobiography and historically available cultural resources in a community of practice. As agents concerned to both maintain and transform their local culture of English teaching, and consequently the whole school culture, the Heads of English account for themselves as responding to their own `sense of place' in their own community of practice, but also the `structure of feeling' of the period by which their achievements and standing are known. This study of the persons of the English co-ordinators draws upon both Positioning Theory and critical realism to reveal the dynamic nature of both their identity and the social organization of English teaching in schools.
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ItemThe impact of information technology on the development of literacy skills in a secondary school( 2001)This study reports on a relationship between the increased use of Information Technology (IT), in both domestic and school environments and the development of literacy in reading comprehension and vocabulary skills in a sample of 52 students in a junior high school. The study was prompted by a perception based on my own personal observation as a classroom teacher in the computer studies area, that the increased availability of personal computers was coinciding with a decline of literacy skills demonstrated in submitted written work by my students. Other teachers also expressed their concern that students were displaying more interest in using IT and a coinciding reduction in reading and writing in class. The study reveals that a majority of students has access to personal computers at home and that they spend more time playing computer games than they do reading the kind of variety of printed text that would benefit the development of their basic comprehension, vocabulary and writing skills. Some correlations were found between high computer use and low scores on Progressive Achievement Tests in Reading (Vocabulary and Comprehension) as well as with low scores on other written exercises. These findings indicated that a high use of personal computers impacts on the development of literacy in reading (comprehension and vocabulary) and writing skills. The parents of the children studied were also surveyed and their comments indicated that the majority felt that their children spent more time on computers than they did on reading any type of printed text or practising their handwriting skills. Despite this, parents were convinced of need for the computer technology in their domestic environment for the educational development their children require. A majority of teachers who were interviewed also expressed their concern at how students were not developing literacy skills at this age. They felt that the acquisition and the development of basic literacy skills should occur at this stage of schooling. It was felt that it was crucial that students, growing up in the "Information Age", developed language literacy skills as well as computer literacy skills. Further study on a wider scale is necessary to specifically identify whether the decline in language literacy is directly tied to the advancements in Information Technologies and their increased use by students. In reality there may be a transformation of literacy that is occurring faster than society and schools can adapt to it. Literacy is a relative concept that must be set in the context of economic and social demands.
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ItemMentoring as a model for developing teacher confidence in the use of interactive whiteboards( 2008)This project aimed to capture, analyse and explore the complexity involved when teachers begin to integrate the use of Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs) into their pedagogy and daily classroom practice. Utilising a case study approach, this paper follows the experiences of four teachers involved in an Information Communication Technology (ICT) mentoring program designed to develop confidence in the use of IWBs. The qualitative research design describes the individualised learning and pedagogical development that can be encouraged in a mentoring relationship. The case studies of the four teachers and the school principal illustrate the general challenges that teachers and schools are presented with when IWBs are installed in classrooms and promoted as successful in improving teaching and learning. The project found that from the first day of using an IWB, a teacher will over time adapt and alter their pedagogy to make the best use of the technology. It is this required shift in pedagogy which demands a carefully planned and individually tailored professional development approach such as mentoring. Forward planning and special consideration of the teacher support needed is essential in order to encourage teachers to adopt IWBs into their daily routine. This paper shares a successful approach to developing teaching confidence in the use of IWBs in the hope that other schools will benefit from these stories.
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ItemLearning technologies and enhanced learning : an evaluation of the learning technologies policy and implementation strategies of the Victorian government 1994-2001( 2002)The Victorian government has embarked on a major initiative to introduce computers (New Learning Technologies) into state education system over the past eight years. This initiative has involved the commitment of expenditure from the education budget to the purchase of computers for use in schools and has been undertaken on the premise that the use of new learning technologies in schools will enhance student learning. It is the contention of this thesis that the manner in which the new learning technologies policy has been implemented is at cross purposes with the stated goal of enhancing learning. The thesis will develop this contention through an exploration of the stated goals of four Victorian government reports released in the past seven years. This exploration reveals that key elements in the Victorian government's policy on the use of new learning technologies was centred on a notion that these technologies would support enhanced learning through a constructivist teaching and learning approach. The initiatives that were implemented in response to these policies are reviewed and are found to focus predominantly on the installation of various network and computer technologies but are lacking in the attention they pay to the key teaching and learning issues associated with the stated policy of supporting the initiatives by encouraging a shift to constructivist teaching and learning practices. Constructivism, as a key condition to the realisation of the Victorian government's new learning technology policy, is a far broader concept than is indicated in the descriptions provided in the Victorian government documents referred to in this thesis. The breadth of Constructivism and the philosophical links it has with post-modernist thought are contrasted to the behaviourist practices that still predominate in teaching practice. These philosophical links make change from behaviourist to constructivist strategies more than just a methodological change, being cultural in nature. As such they are harder to make than is indicated in the Victorian government documents, which fail to acknowledge the cultural dimension of the change that they are suggesting. The implementation strategies that have been adopted from these policies also fail to address the requirement for a cultural shift to a more constructivist approach. The failure to address the need for a change in the culture of teaching has meant that school based cultural issues continue to stand in the way of the successful adoption of new learning technologies. The thesis concludes with a number of recommendations, key amongst them, the adoption of situated, authentic professional development of teachers in the use of new learning technologies in a constructivist manner.
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ItemMaintaining the human touch : defining the boundaries of new learning spaces( 2001)Organisations are implementing online and multimedia training to remain competitive in a rapidly changing global environment. Yet technology based training has failed to improve learning in the past. The importance of educators to the success of technology- based training has largely been ignored. This study proposes that people, not technology drive learning improvement. Therefore, organisations need to provide appropriate professional development for training practitioners as they move from classroom-based teaching to an online environment. The fieldwork uses an ethnographic approach to investigate how training practitioners perceive online and multimedia training before they become involved in an innovative online training program. The training practitioners were interviewed to understand how the program challenged their roles and identities as educators. Issues raised by the training practitioners included their need to maintain a physical presence, coping with the changing social context for teaching, erosion of authority and the need for cultural acceptance of the program.
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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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ItemPreparing teachers and students for a digital age: fostering the development of a technological and information literate school community( 2004)Information and communications technology has become commonplace in secondary schools. However, how this technology is used to enhance teaching and learning varies amongst schools, teachers and classrooms. In 2001, a single site case study was conducted at MacKillop College, a Catholic secondary school, to identify the factors that influence the development of a technological and information literate school community. That is, a community in which teachers and students utilise print and electronic forms of information effectively, and use computer and communications technology to perform day-to-day tasks. This study involved Year Seven students and their teachers. Data was gathered using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to identify: school administration support required to facilitate the development of a school community that is technologically and information literate; the relationship between teacher professional development in ICT and the use of ICT in curriculum planning and implementation; and the relationship between teacher ICT skills and that of their students. The full support of administrative bodies governing educational institutions is essential to ensure the seamless integration of information literacy skills and ICT into school curricula. The literature surrounding ICT and information literacy in schools identifies support from school Principals and school administration bodies as contributing factors in the development of an ICT learning community. The findings from this research support this view, suggesting that school administration plays a very influential role in the successful implementation of ICT within a secondary school, corroborating research conducted by McKenzie (1999) and Meredyth (et al. 1999), highlighting the lack of adequate support for teachers in the use of ICT as one of the major obstacles to the integration of ICT in a school environment. Lemke (1999), McKenzie (1999) and Rogers (1994) suggest the way in which the professional development for teachers is presented, and the expectations placed on teaching staff with regard to their own learning and skill development plays an important role in the ongoing participation in ICT professional development. Over a period of four years the ICT resources at MacKillop College were upgraded, and professional development activities in ICT were organised for teaching staff. Professional development in ICT succeeded in increasing teacher skill, however this was not reflected in an increase in the use of ICT by teachers in the classroom, or an increase the use of ICT in curriculum planning and delivery. The findings of this research concur with those of Meredyth (1999) and McKenzie (2001) who suggest that the money spent on technology infrastructure within schools has had minimal impact on the daily practice of teachers and the use of ICT in the classroom. Becker, Ravitz and Wong (1999) have also concluded that only one-third of teachers encourage students to use ICT on a regular basis in the classroom. At MacKillop College student access to ICT was increased, however teacher access was not. Without adequate teacher access to technology and technical support, ICT at the school was under utilised. These findings are similar to those found by McKenzie (1999) who suggests that the downfall of many ICT plans is their emphasis on hardware and software, with little consideration given to the support required by teachers to utilise ICT effectively. The findings of this research reinforce studies conducted by Ronnkvist, Dexter and Anderson (2000), strongly reinforcing the need for teachers to have adequate access to technology, identifying support staff, professional development and facilities as key determinants to the successful development of a technological and information literate school community. The results of this study support the findings of Todd, Lamb and McNicholas (1993). Students entering Year Seven were proficient in basic computer applications, but lacked information literacy skills. They were able to locate information successfully, however, they relied heavily on electronic information. Without adequate skills in defining, synthesising and evaluating information, students tended to produce work that was poorly written, and many tasks were an assembly of information taken directly from the Internet or other electronic medium such as a CD-ROM. The findings of this research indicate that many teachers did not have a clear understanding of the information literacy process, nor were they comfortable with the use of electronic resources such as the Internet, electronic libraries and CD-ROMs. As a result they were unable, or reluctant, to instruct their students in the use of these resources. The findings of this research suggest a link between student ICT skills and the skills of their teachers. Teachers who were confident and competent in ICT, utilised ICT on a regular basis in their classrooms, and modelled these skills to their students. These teachers were also more likely to design ICT inclusive programs, and encourage the development of these skills in their students. Similar findings have been reported by Downes (1990) and Campbell (1996), confirming a relationship between teacher familiarity with hardware/software, use of computers in the classroom and the link between information literacy and ICT. Lanksher (2000) and Duckett (1994) also suggest teachers confident in their own ICT skills are more likely to engage their students in activities that involve the use of ICT. The Real Time Report (Meredyth et al. 1999) suggests many schools have experienced issues similar to those documented in this research, such as computer access; hardware/software issues, maintenance and support, with secondary school Principals in Victoria identifying ICT as one of the highest budget priorities within their schools. This research supports the current literature surrounding the use of ICT in schools, highlighting the importance of an integrated approach to ICT, and identifies many of the obstacles that inhibit the development of a technological and information literate school community. The recommendations from this research promote the need for continual evaluation of ICT within schools, focusing on infrastructure, professional development for teachers, access to technology, and technological and administration support.
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ItemTeachers' use of ICT in the secondary school: investigating the impact of change on teachers' use of ICT( 2007)This thesis investigates the impact of four initiatives (the provision of a desktop computer, the change of operating systems from Windows to Linux, the compulsory use of a Learning Management System (LMS) and the implementation of professional development) on the use of Information Communications Technologies (ICT) as perceived by secondary teachers at an independent school in Melbourne's East. A mix of qualitative and quantitative data were gathered for this case study by surveying the secondary teaching staff, interviewing six teachers and two key leaders of ICT, and analysing documentation such as computer bookings and school policy records. These data were analysed and compared to that of wider local, national and international research and the following five findings were evident: 1. Evidence was found of an overall increase in the use of ICT since the four initiatives were implemented; 2. Less than half (44%) of the teachers surveyed perceived that there was an improvement in the quality of their use of ICT as a result of the changes, the majority (52%) perceived that no change had occurred for them with 4% claiming that the quality of their use of ICT had actually decreased as a result of changes; 3. At least one of the teachers interviewed demonstrated some profound improvements in their use of ICT as a result of the four initiatives; 4. The provision of personal access to a desktop computer was perceived by the teachers to have had the most impact on improving the use of ICT, followed by the implementation of the LMS and the PD program; S. The change of operating systems from Windows to Linux was perceived by the majority of teachers as a having a negative influence on their use and development of ICT. This study should be of benefit to school administrators who are in the processes of implementing initiatives to help improve the use of ICT by their teachers. It could also be helpful for teachers who are wanting to develop their professional attributes in relation to the use of ICT and make ICT a more effective tool in the teaching and learning process.
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ItemTeachers and technology: experiences and perceptions of professional development( 2001)This study investigated professional development to support teachers' use of information and communication technologies in one primary school setting. It explored teachers' attitudes and feelings towards information and communication technologies and their perceptions about professional development to support them in this area. The ways in which this group of teachers are currently utilising information and communication technologies to assist teaching and learning processes were also investigated. Current practice and professional development experiences were explored to discover links, and to investigate participants' perceptions of effective types of professional development to support their use of information and communication technologies. Other support such as access, technical assistance and support from management were also explored to discover their impact on teachers' use of information and communication technologies. An exploratory case study approach was taken and both qualitative and quantitative methods utilised to cater for the richness of the context. Data were collected from three sources; documents relating to professional development for information and communication technologies, a survey of teachers' technology skills and use, and a semi-structured interview. Data management and analysis were computer assisted. The study aimed to discover the types of professional development and the modes of presentation of this professional development that would be most effective in assisting this group of teachers with their use of information and communication technologies. This 'human dimension' is the key to appropriate use of technology, as illustrated by a working party for the Directorate of School Education: �The Working Party considers that attention should be directed to the human dimension, which promises to provide the key to more successful implementation of information technology in schools. It believes the issue should be addressed through structured professional development programs based on information technology and an understanding of such matters as learning, change and the factors that affect school culture.� Directorate of School Education, Victoria (1994, p. 2)
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ItemEffective integration of learning technologies in the middle years of schooling: a case study at an independent K-12 coeducational college( 2002)This research explored the pedagogical and administrative practices that promote or hinder the implementation of learning technologies in years -5-9 of a Victorian Independent Coeducational College by using a single case study methodology involving interviews with nine key staff and review of relevant documents. It was found that the level of integration of learning technologies varied considerably at this college. Pedagogical issues emerged as the major area of concern. The college introduced strategies to help facilitate the pedagogical change required including introducing curriculum initiatives, increasing professional development and changing its organisational structure. The research found that the school administration supported the integration of learning , technologies but the organisational structures and processes in the Middle School itself hindered and diminished the implementation of some of these initiatives. It was also found that staff access to technology was a significant factor in limiting the integration of learning technologies across the curriculum. The middle management of the school tended to perceive less hindrance than did the college executive and the teachers.