Faculty of Education - Theses

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End date: 2016 × Start date: 2000 × Type: Masters Research thesis × Subject: Curricula × Subject: Education, Secondary ×

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    Exploring the relationships between student experiences in robotics and their cognitive style
    Fryer, Susan ( 2007)
    With the increasing availability of technology in schools, more students are gaining experience in the use of robotics in the classroom. This study examines student experiences in an educational robotics program and also assesses their cognitive style using the Cognitive Styles Analysis developed by Richard Riding (1998). The data is then analysed to determine what types of relationships may exist between a student's cognitive style and their experiences in the robotics unit. The participants in the study were a class of Year 9 students at an Independent Girls' school in Melbourne, with the class being taught by the researcher. It was found that there may be some relationship between some student experiences in robotics and cognitive style, although further research with larger numbers of research participants would be necessary to explore these relationships further. The determination of the type of relationships that exists would be of interest to educators who are involved in the delivery of educational robotics units.
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    Teachers in the middle: reflections from teachers on middle secondary school curriculum
    Astley, Lesley Ruth ( 2005)
    The study centres on perceptions held by teachers about the curriculum needs of students in middle secondary schooling, years nine and ten, in a Victorian state secondary college. The middle years of schooling are the current focus of school reform (Department of Education & Training, 2003) in the State of Victoria, Australia. The factors that shape the curriculum decision-making and the learning culture of a school can be well known within that school. These factors in general can be largely without documentation with the exception of records kept within the school. In the past, practices in Australian educational reform have been bureaucratic in nature (Green, 2003) and rarely seemed to recognise the perceptions held by teachers in general. Although some provision is made for teacher responses, via electronic means (Education Queensland, 2002) it has been barely enough considering the dramatic changes expected in achieving school reform. Teachers' perceptions of the curriculum needs of adolescent students were gathered using taped interviews and a teachers' problem solving group activity. This study reveals that teachers are acutely aware of adolescent needs, but are unable to implement strategies to effect the required changes. This study highlights the need for consultation and effective, extensive and ongoing support for teachers in curriculum development relevant for today's adolescents. This research adds to the existing body of knowledge by identifying the location of teachers' knowledge and pedagogy, with respect to adolescent education.