Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemLearning for independence : the learning experience of some East Timorese scholarship students in Australia 2001 - 2005( 2007)The people of East Timor voted for independence in a UN sponsored referendum in 1999. The departing Indonesian Army left widespread devastation in its wake. In 2000 the first students left independent East Timor to take up scholarships around the world to help build its human resource. This thesis reports on research into the learning experiences of some members of the early groups of East Timorese scholarship students at different universities in Melbourne. Their experience during the scholarship period is analysed through the framework of adult learning including formal, non-formal, informal and unintentional learning. The students have learned English, taken their studies seriously, created their own community, and, through the support movement for East Timor, have had a range of opportunities to participate in the host community. Despite their formal educational experiences, they are enthusiastic learners committed to contributing to the development of East Timor. This thesis indicates that educators and those in the community support movement can learn from, and contribute to, the learning experience of future students from East Timor. It discusses some attitudes in the student community, shows the students' learning from observation of, and. participation in aspects of the Australian community, and their imagination and citizenship commitment in adapting their learning to the East Timorese.. context.
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ItemPreparing for university : a case study of students in a tertiary preparation course( 2003)Courses that prepare students for tertiary study have been developed in Australian TAFE institutes and universities in response to high dropout rates and government policy aimed at increasing opportunities for tertiary study. One such course, the Adult Tertiary Preparation (ATP) course, at Certificate IV level of the Australian Qualifications Framework, and in particular, its core subject, Language and Learning, was the focus of this study. The aim of the study was to identify and explain changes in characteristics of readiness for self-directed learning, and subsequent changes in identity, in the students enrolled in this course. A group of ten students, broadly representative of the total intake, was interviewed and observed at the beginning, middle and end of the year-long course. When asked to reflect on how they had learned, most placed emphasis on the course content, structure and processes, and on the various forms of participation afforded them within the class group. For some people, relationships with other students, teachers and the wider TAFE community made an important contribution to their learning, with personal preferences for learning in particular ways influencing the direction of skill and identity development. All those who completed the course developed higher aspirations about their future educational and vocational directions. Implications for the future development of the ATP course and its core subject, Language and Learning, and other similar courses and subjects, are discussed.
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ItemVision and reality: what are the experiences and perceptions of overseas students enrolled in a year 13 Foundation Studies course in business offered in a city university?( 2001)Internationalization has become one of the 'buzzwords' in Australian education. For most Australian educational institutions, internationalization meant an unprecedented influx of overseas students enrolling in their courses. This thesis will consider the mismatch of expectations between students from the Asia-Pacific region in a tertiary education institution in Australia. What is the mismatch of expectations? What is its extent? How does it come to exist? How does it manifest itself? These questions have been explored in focus group discussions with students from the Asia-Pacific region currently attending a Year 13 Foundation Studies course in a city university. The research found a mismatch between student and staff expectations due to miscommunication and cultural values.