Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemThe attitudes and concerns of Catholic parish primary school principals and teachers toward the integration of students with disabilities into regular schools( 1997)This study was undertaken to identify' and compare the attitudes of Catholic Parish Primary School principals and teachers toward the integration of students with disabilities. The study also investigated variations in attitude toward integration for sub-groups of the principals and teachers. In addition, this study ascertained the concerns these educators have about the implementation of integration in their schools. A three part questionnaire was used to collect the data. It consisted of items relating to the background characteristics of the respondents and their schools, a modified version of the Attitude Toward Mainstreaming Scale (Berryman & Neal, 1980) and an open ended question eliciting educators' concerns about integration. Fifty five principals and 145 full time classroom teachers in the Northern Area of the Archdiocese of Melbourne responded to the questionnaire. T-tests were employed to compare the attitudes of the principals and teachers toward integration., Thematic analysis was used to examine the concerns of educators. Several major findings emerged from the study. Principals were found to hold more positive attitudes toward integration than classroom teachers. Principals were also significantly more positive than teachers toward the integration of students with severe disabilities. Younger principals held significantly more positive attitudes toward integration than older principals. No significant differences were identified for sub groups of the teacher sample. Similarity existed between the two groups of educators in terms of their expressed major concerns about integration. Lack of school based support personnel, funding and training, in that order, were recorded most frequently by both groups of educators.
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ItemThe impact of writing for different kinds of audience on a group of year 11 students' writing proficiency at an inner city secondary college in Victoria( 1993)This study was carried out with the purpose of finding out the influence of audience on the students writing proficiency It was carried out with the help of forty students who were studying at Year 1 1 at an inner city secondary college. The students belonged to three different classes or three intact groups. Each student produced three pieces of writing one of which was for no audience the second one of which was for an imaginary audience and the third one of which was for a real audience. Since the sequence of tasks could be a compounding variable in this study it was decided to give the three groups of students the tasks in three different orders. The students writings were assessed by three raters using a multitrait method of scoring. The components of writing and scales used were derived from those proposed by Hamp Lyons (1986). For any large discrepancy a fourth rater was invited to rate the specific samples of writing again. The data was analysed by ANOVA and F comparison. The results of the study reveal that audience has a significant impact on the students writing proficiency. However when the students wrote for an imaginary audience their writing was rated as less proficient than when they wrote for no audience. The most interesting result was the one relating to students writing for a real audience In this case students proficiency was judged by the raters to be greater than for the other two types of audience. This research has provided some interesting insights for teachers and composition and direct writing assessment researchers.
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ItemStudent stress : a preliminary investigation into the school-related stress experience of year 8 students, using a hassles and uplifts approach( 1991)This study sought to develop a hassles and uplifts scale as a measure of the school-related stress experienced by year 8 students in post-primary schools. A draft set of 167 items was developed after reviewing other scales that purport to measure stress, reviewing the broader popular literature on stress in young people and the authors informal discussions with year eight students over a number of years. The 167 items were then subjected to a simple consensual validation procedure using a small group of year 8 male and female students. A draft scale of 87 items emerged from this process. The draft scale was administered to 875 year 8 students in ten varying types of schools, including coeducational, single sex girls, single sex boys, urban, nonurban, government and nongovernment. The instrument was administered by suitably briefed classroom teachers. The responses of students were subjected to factor analysis. Preliminary whole-scale analysis indicated a high level of reliability. As a further indicator of the reliability of factors 14 factors were found to replicate across analyses (orthogonal rotation c.f. oblique rotation) of the whole group. The group was randomly split into two subgroups and the the analysis conducted on each subgroup. Eight factors appeared to replicate or substantially replicate across groups when an varimax solution was computed for each subgroup. Similarly, eight factors were found to replicate across subgroups. Key factors emerged from the analysis. It was concluded that, while further work was necessary in followup to this minor trial, a reliable and valid hassles and uplifts scale can be satisfactorily developed for the specific age group of students. Suggestions for the followup work and further research are outlined in the conclusion of this study.
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ItemAn evaluation of the family-centred early intervention programme at Melbourne City Mission : parents' perspectives( 1994)This study sets out to examine parents' perceptions of the family-centred approach to early intervention at Handihelp, Melbourne City Mission. After reviewing the relevant literature, it became clear that best practice in early intervention occurs when parental involvement is maximised. This has evolved historically from a child-centred approach to early intervention to a family-centred approach in the 1990's. A questionnaire was distributed to parents involved in the early intervention programme to establish whether they truly feel supported and empowered by the family-centred approach, and whether this philosophy leads parents towards being able to make changes in relationships within their own families. The findings of this study indicate that families feel supported and empowered by the Agency and that in tandem with professionals, parents feel able to take charge of the direction that intervention takes their family units, and children with special needs. There is clear evidence that families perceive their lives as being strengthened and focussed through exposure to early intervention. However this study indicates a need for more stringent programme planning and co-ordination of services to families. Professional development programmes for early intervention workers, particularly in the area of family systems theory, is necessary to provide a base for better programme delivery and service provision.
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ItemLiterature and English teaching : a study of literature in the teaching of English at Scotch College, Melbourne( 1991)The first chapter of this thesis provides a personal memoir of my teaching career, and places it in the wider historical context of developments within English teaching in England and Australia. It establishes my own position at the key points of these developments in 1966, 1975, 1980 and 1985 and introduces the main area of interest - the place of literature in the teaching of English. The second chapter concerns the vast amount of writing on the nature and teaching of literature in English. It provides an historical review of the main body of this writing and derives some of its focus from the seminal work of John Dixon in 1966, as well as the Bullock Report of 1975. The vigorous yet sometimes slightly artificial debate on the issue of literature teaching is also examined in the review of the important journal, The Use of English. Chapter Three develops the ideas propounded in some of the writings examined in the previous chapter and provides an analysis of my own experience at Melbourne Grammar School. Chapter Four shows the similarities and differences existing between Scotch College and Melbourne Grammar School and details a more critical view of the state of English teaching from 1980 - 1990 at Scotch College. It reviews some of the specific examples of literature teaching and shows the slow progress which has been experienced over a decade within the College. The final chapter brings together the case of Scotch College and reviews possible future progress in the light of perceived difficulties inherent in the structure of the College. The general outlook for English at the College is seen in positive terms and suggestions are provided for further research into both the reading habits of students and the processes involved in the teaching of literature within the current restraints.
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ItemWomen leaders in Catholic schools : the experience of principals( 1993)The aim of this study was to examine the experiences of women who were "successful" within the Catholic school system - twelve lay women prinicipals. It aimed to correlate their experience with that of women at management level in large organisations in general and schools in particular, as explored in current literature. Qualitative investigation techniques were used to investigate the experience of these twelve women principals of Catholic secondary schools in Melbourne in 1991. This type of research is necessarily limited in that the story of their experience is told only through their own eyes. However, their professional and personal' experiences which have been integral to their career development were discussed freely by them in interviews, and these interviews collated and the resulting themes and patterns then included in this study. The findings indicate that this group of women have enjoyed a unique set of personal and professional circumstances which have enabled them to overcome the difficulties normally faced by women in trying to advance their careers. This research also suggests further investigation would be advantageous in ascertaining the best ways to redress the gender imbalance amongst principals of secondary schools.
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ItemUp close and personal : listening to children's and adults' voices in the children's museum( 2005)New images of children as competent beings, capable of forming and expressing ideas and opinions have emerged. Young children's voices are now actively being sought to express their views on issues that affect them and there are recent examples of Local and State Govenrment policy makers actively seeking children's persepctives for future planning. Museums as cultural institutions are historically responsive to the societies in which they operate, but with the exception of recent studies of children visiting in pre-school groups , childrens voices are notaby absent in the evaluation and planning of exhibitions that are being developed with them in mind. Are museums relevant to them and what are children saying about their visits and experiences they have there? What are they interested in and how can exhibitions and programs really meet the needs of these younger audiences and enthuse them to play, discover and learn? This study, located in the Children's Museum at Melbourne Museum, actively sought to listen to children's voices, as well as the voices of their parents, to gain insight into their visit and to better understand what they experienced, what they saw and what they were interested in. Twelve families with children from three to ten years old took part in this study. Using digital cameras, all participants took photographs of objects or experiences that interested them, including opportunities for family interaction. At the end of the visit families received their photos and were encouraged to document any follow up discussions or thoughts by writing or drawing in their journals. Families returned for an interview to discuss their photos, their journals, their memories and their thoughts. The results are illuminating, children's voices came out strong and clear and their photographs, which were one of the surprises of this study, were an "up close and personal" record of their interests, their culture of childhood and their visit.
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ItemImprovement and accountability, perceptions and emotion: some tensions within an appraisal of department heads at an inner south-eastern school( 1999)This thesis presents a naturalistic descriptive case-study approach to an appraisal of Heads of Departments in a medium sized boys school in the inner South- Eastern suburbs of Melbourne. The language of 'tension' and 'paradox' is used to explore some of the built in contradictions which seemed to characterise this appraisal cycle. Its intention is to make explicit several 'tensions' which arose during the process: tensions between the intentions of the administrative leadership in the school and the participants in the appraisal, between the intended and actual outcomes, and between the nature of the appraisal itself and how this was perceived to relate to the daily work of those appraised. The process of the appraisal is described, as is its context and history in the school. Particular attention is given to ambiguities in the perceptions of key actors in the appraisal, which it is claimed were often unperceived or unstated. The experience of certain individuals is followed in order to explore this dimension further. In this thesis I find that there were significant benefits from the process that was conducted, but that it was also flawed in focussing almost exclusively on the administrative dimension of Department leadership, and also caused pain and discomfort to several of the people involved. The emotional dimension of appraisal is thus also considered. While many of the tensions discussed are seen as inherent in the process, changes in the process are suggested to make it more relevant to this particular group when an appraisal is run at the school again.
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ItemThe life and veterinary contribution of Dr. Harold E. Albiston( 1992)This thesis examines the life and veterinary contribution of Dr Harold E. Albiston. Through his professional life can be traced the history of veterinary science in Victoria, from the horse doctor days of pre World War I to the re-establishment of the University of Melbourne Veterinary School in September 1962. Special attention is paid to the late 1920s which saw veterinary teaching cease at the end of 1927 and the University of Melbourne Veterinary School officially close in June 1928. Albiston, who was on the staff of the Veterinary School, witnessed this critical time in Victorian veterinary history. During the world-wide veterinary recession from 1920 to 1935, due to the declining influence of the horse, Albiston was one of the first veterinarians to appreciate that a new direction was necessary for the profession. While he was assistant-director, he upgraded the facilities of the Veterinary School, and encouraged research and diagnostic work on farm animals. As the day of the horse passed Albiston had built up the Veterinary School or the Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) as it became known in 1931, into an organisation of status serving the emerging livestock industries. The VRI was a unique establishment since it functioned as a normal university department, under the aegis of the University of Melbourne, yet performed diagnostic and research work for the Department of Agriculture. The VRI became an enlightened veterinary centre - a meeting place where veterinarians would visit, browse in the library and discuss problems with Harold Albiston or the VRI senior staff. It also became the centre of post graduate veterinary education in Victoria since all conferences, meetings and seminars were held there and for twenty-three years it was the home of the Australian Veterinary Journal (AVJ). The thesis also examines Albiston's research and diagnostic achievements before he was engulfed by administrative responsibilities. In 1927 he helped to solve black disease, or infectious necrotic hepatitis, which was costing the sheep industry millions of pounds. He also played a major role in diagnosing and eradicating the first Newcastle disease outbreak in Australia in 1930. In 1933 he was credited with giving the first post-graduate veterinary course in Australia when he gave a series of poultry lectures at the VRI. So successful was this venture that he gave a similar course on cattle diseases the following year. Harold Albiston has been the longest serving member of the faculty of veterinary science, the longest serving editor of the AVJ and the longest serving member of both the Veterinary and Zoological Boards of Victoria. His contribution came from his humanity and a dogged determination, at board, faculty or committee level to make the most effective use of his talents - his warmth, his lack of pomposity, his consultative ability and his capacity for hard work. In 1959 Harold Albiston was awarded the Gilruth Prize for meritorious service to veterinary science. In 1963 he was awarded the honour of Commander of the British Empire.