Faculty of Education - Theses
Permanent URI for this collection
Search Results
1 - 5 of 5
-
ItemEffects of teaching and learning atomic structure concepts through the use of constructivist influenced multimedia( 1997)The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes of female students toward multimedia learning and the way in which they accessed information from an interactive CD-ROM. The CD was an award winning educational software aimed at improving students' understanding of the periodic table and atomic structure. Twenty year-10 (14-15 year old) female students from a girls school in Melbourne, Victoria, participated in the project. An ethnographic approach was adopted which included a pre and post questionnaire and some videotaped laboratory observations. Results indicated that female students were generally aware of the value of multimedia learning programs and showed strong interest toward multimedia learning though they did not register a special preference toward multimedia learning in comparison with traditional ways of teaching (teacher talking and using textbooks). After working with the CD-ROM, no significant change was noticed in students' interest toward multimedia learning, their confidence in ability to learn and use multimedia software packages, and personal preference of instruction mode. Direct observation of students' interaction with the CD-ROM revealed that there was a strong tendency by the students not to access unfamiliar topics/areas. They tended to choose aspects of the CD-ROM that offered little learning difficulty or presented quick responses to short term goals. They spent most (60%) of their available time on the quiz section and ignored the tutoring aspects of the CD-ROM. According to the result of an opinion poll, students stated that the quiz game aspect of the CD was the most interesting area. Overall, students were unable or unwilling to explore the contents of the CD-ROM in a judicious way when teacher instruction or guidance was absent.
-
ItemBeyond the transition : the microelectronic school( 1984)Society is currently experiencing a microelectronic based revolution in communications and information technology; the most visible sign of this revolution is the increasing role played by: the computer in everyday life. The evidence suggests that the impact will be even greater in future decades. Because the school will not be insulated from these changes, this thes is examines a potential outcome of the revolution; namely, the phenomenon of the 'microelectronic school'. The possible format of such a school is described and some of the educational issues that would need to be considered with the advent of such a format are analysed. In establishing criteria of desirable practice particular reference is made to the views of a number of educational theorists, especially Thomas Huxley, John Dewey and Martin Buber.
-
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)
-
ItemDelineating usable interface characteristics of an online teaching and learning platform( 2004)Teachers are under enormous pressure to integrate learning technologies into the curriculum. Consequently, schools are turning to commercial providers as `off-the-shelf products require very little or no customisation and can be swiftly implemented. One such product, myclasses, offers an online delivery platform that can potentially meet schools' move towards incorporating technology across the entire curriculum. This study focuses on an Australian school that purchased the myclasses course management software and looks at the way the potential users (teachers) of the program interact with the software's interface. Specifically, the key question of this study is: Which elements or characteristics of an education-based software's interface are usable by educators? Several teachers participated in this study as `test users' to elicit rich data on human interaction with the program, which was subsequently analysed to determine which characteristics were usable by teachers. This was triangulated with a usability inspection method known as heuristic evaluation, which is widely used by human computer interaction (HCI) and usability experts. The findings indicate that most of the interface's characteristics were not usable by teachers; however, the relatively few usable characteristics that were delineated are important for practitioners and developers of education-based software, and specifically course management programs such as myclasses Further implications that emerged as a result of this study concern the ongoing challenge faced by educational institutions that have implemented course management systems under the misguided assumption that supplying staff and students with online content management software will automatically boost the innovation of educational programs
-
ItemComputers in education: computer literacy( 1983)In general, overseas countries are at a more advanced stage in the implementation of policies on the uses of computers-in-education than are the educational authorities within Australia. Within Australia, the respective Education Departments of Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia have developed policies and strategies, and implemented computer education within schools. Schools in other States and Territories have introduced some computer education courses in an ad hoc approach, since up to the time of writing no definite policy statements had been issued by their respective Education Departments. It has been endeavoured in this thesis to survey a number of overseas countries in order to observe their policies and strategies in the implementation of computers-in-education, paying particular attention to the concept of computer literacy, and its perceived importance. Having carried out this overseas survey, and knowing the present position within the Australian States and Territories, the specific focus of this study is to answer the following basic questions : 1. What is the best strategy (in the light of experiences both overseas and interstate) for Victoria to adopt in introducing computers-into-education in order to increase the level of computer literacy of its participants? 2. What specific problems are likely to be encountered and how may they be overcome? Two major areas of concern that have become evident and need to be addressed are the :- (i) computer literacy of teachers and (ii) production and dissemination of educationally-sound software. The final chapter of the thesis attempts to offer some solutions to the above and makes recommendations.