Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemA working knowledge program within a project-funded professional development environment( 1998)This study was designed to achieve two research aims: The first was to engage the researcher in a journey of discovery that provided her with the knowledge and ability to question the merits and limitations of project-funded professional development. The second was to extend the researcher's understanding of project-funded learning and professional development by developing and implementing a working knowledge program within an actual project-funded environment. The research question was consistent with these aims as it asked "What facilitated or inhibited learning in the participants of a project-funded professional development program developed from the concept of working knowledge?". Project-funded professional development programs have become a popular method of targeting specific disciplines and subjects within the primary and community health care sectors. This source of professional development brings with it unique learning environments that have strengths and limitations. This study addresses what is arguably a challenge for facilitators employed in this industry, having knowledge of models of professional development that enhance practitioner learning and address the limitations associated with project-funded programs. It is hoped that this study contributes to our knowledge of the concept of working knowledge, and clarifies its potential role in project-funded programs. A qualitative research approach was used to analyse the research data and this produced a rich description of the type of knowledge valued and accessed by the study's participants. The knowledge that was sought and acquired by the GPs participants during the working knowledge program was more consistent with the perception they had of their role as independent practitioners, even though the program was designed using a cross-discipline approach and based within a holistic framework. A somewhat surprising factor was the depth and breadth of influence that the practitioner's own 'culture' had on every stage of this study.
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ItemContinuing education for farmers in Victorian agricultural colleges( 1977)The rural industries are undergoing major structural changes which are causing increasing pressures on farmers. One of the ways that farmers can cope with these changes is to become more professional in their management. Fewer young people are entering farming today and the average age of farmers is rising so tba.t the emphasis in agricultural education is shifting towards providing more continuing education for practising fanners. Post-secondary education is under increasing criticism from educators, Governments and society largely. because of its failure to provide equality of opportunity and for its emphasis on youth centred education at the expense. of adults. Lifelong education is now seen by many educators as the guiding principle which will enable everyone to have learning opportunities throughout their lifetime. Recurrent 'education is proposed as' an alternative educational strategy to permanent education and its theme is an alternation between education and other activities, such as work and. leisure, throughout life. A key feature of a system of recurrent education is that it is the Learner who controls the direction of the learning. This paper reports the results of a survey which set out to determine the needs for, and attitudes towards continuing. education amongst 200 practising farmers. It was found that educational attainment, youth, and other, farmer characteristics .were. positively related to participation and interest in continuing education. Agricultural colleges were seen as playing a vital role in providing opportunities for continuing education but that certain improvements in the planning, financing and timing of their activities would increase their use by farmers. There is an increasing need for TAFE, which is the ideal post-secondary, system for implementing the principles of recurrent education, to play a more active part than it has in supporting continuing education for farming. The big challenge Mt-Agricultural educators is. how to motivate- the- majority of farmers to participate in training. activities. This could be met initially by Government supported overbridging education.