Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemInfluences in curriculum change, a case study : the introduction of P.S.S.C. physics in Victoria(University of Melbourne, 1988)
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ItemComputer-assisted instruction for the mildly mentally retarded child : a case study(University of Melbourne, 1986)This study examines how a computer-based delivery system of instruction can be reconciled with the special needs attending the training and education of mildly mentally retarded children. The single-case approach is adopted and involves Sarah, who is a mildly mentally retarded seventeen year old girl. Computer programs dealing with "survival" skills such as money handling, telling time and basic reading were tested on Sarah using a microcomputer in her home under parental supervision. To assess the effectiveness of these programs, pre- and post-treatment baselines were established by means of a diagnostic test (KeyMath) and a devised test specifically intended to mirror the concepts treated by the programs. It was found that most of the programs' objectives were not realised, although the null hypothesis of an equality between the pre- and post-treatment test means was rejected. It is concluded that the methodology adopted should have made greater allowance for the single-case nature of the study and the child's individuality. The recommendation is for replication studies or a study embracing fewer parameters.
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ItemImplications of the relocation of basic nursing education from hospitals to colleges of advanced education : a pilot study(University of Melbourne, 1986)Nursing in Australia is a system in change. The role, function and place of practice for the nurse has expanded, and basic nursing education is being relocated from hospitals to Colleges of Advanced Education. A comparative analysis was made of the views that members of the general public and nursing profession hold regarding the image, role and function of contemporary nursing, together with the implications of the relocation of nursing education. Data was collected via a questionnaire. The main findings indicate that (1) the general public hold a traditional view of nursing; (2) nursing is viewed as a profession; (3) the meaning of nursing is influenced by the professionals' work or study environment; (4) an increased number of males are entering nursing via the college-based system; (5) 'practical competency' was the overriding reason for preference of nurse to give personal care; (6) although all groups except hospital students believe that nurses should be prepared in tertiary institutions, there was lack of evidence to justify this move due to lack of support for the arguments that nurses will be better educated, that the standard of delivery of nursing care will be higher, and that tertiary education will enhance the professional development of nursing.
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ItemThe impact of technology on the secretary and its implication for educators(University of Melbourne, 1988)The aim of this thesis is to examine the effects of the current technological revolution on women holding secretarial positions in the workforce, and the consequent implications for educators in the Secretarial Studies area. Major considerations during the discussion are the sexual segregation in the working environment and the tenuous positions that women have come to hold as a result of short sightedness, capitalist exploitation, and technological change. Other areas discussed are the health and safety hazards linked to the use of computer equipment, opportunities for up-grading for the more highly educated secretary, evidence of de-skilling for those possessing keyboarding skills only, and the necessity for management to overcome outdated attitudes towards the secretarial role. It is concluded that the secretary has generally been adversely affected by the new technology but only as a direct result of societal attitudes and values which relegate women to low status, gender specific employment. Education is viewed as the only realistic avenue open to alleviate the problem inherent in a society clinging to outmoded views during a time of rapid technological change.
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ItemChildren's comprehension of mathematical language(University of Melbourne, 1980)Various characteristics of 216 grade 5, 6 children and then teachers were compiled from schools in the Bendigo area. The children were then examined on 56 short mathematical problems which were found �in textbooks commonly used in primary schools in Victoria. Each of the problems used 10 or less words or numerals. The steps used in solving a problem were assumed in this study to include the ability to: (i) select the operation necessary to solve the problem; (ii) write an equation that satisfies the condition expressed in the problem; and (iii) correctly solve the problem. Canonical correlation techniques were used to determine the influences of the predictor set of. variables on the criterion set of steps used in solving the problem. The first significant canonical-variate was related to reading ability, word knowledge and mathematical vocabulary in the predictor set and with all the variables in the criterion set. Both variable sets could be interpreted as measuring intelligence. The second canonical variate was directly related to all aspects of division in the criterion set of variables and could be measuring a factor of Skill in Division. This skill is directly related to knowledge of mathematical vocabulary, sex of teacher and attitude to myself but inversely related to attitude to reading. The third canonical variate exhibited characteristics of a chance factor that may well have occurred from a small subgroup of the sample. Two division criterion variables were associated with the third canonical variate. Five predictor variables, Sex of student, Grade level, Sex of Teacher, Attitude to Reading and Attitude to My Teacher, were all directly associated with the third canonical variate. Rasch analysis techniques were applied to the problems for those subjects who did not attend disadvantaged schools as well as for those who did. A significant difference was shown to exist between these two subgroups on their performance on the mathematics test. The items in the mathematics test were then examined for bias against students attending disadvantaged schools. No item bias against disadvantaged children was found. This result supports the deficit theory in language development. By using the item difficulties as scores, a one-factor analysis of variance, with unequal frequencies was conducted to compare the four operations. Items with more than one keyword were excluded from this in order that comparisons between the operations could be made. No significant difference was found. All the problems were then categorized by operation and whether only one keyword or more than one keyword was used in the problem. A 4 x 2 analysis of variance, with unequal cell frequencies was used to test the significance of the type of operation, the number of keywords and their interaction. Significant differences were found between operations at the 5% level and at the 0.1% level for the number of keywords. There was no significant interaction indicating that the difficulty may well lie in the structure of the problem. If more than one keyword was used the problem was more difficult than if only one keyword was used. Such a result has implications in the classroom as well as for authors of textbooks.
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ItemUtopia, community and education : Robert Owen and the co-operative movement, Britain 1800-1845(University of Melbourne, 1986)Mankind seems to entertain a perennial dissatisfaction with the present. The ideal of a better, even perfected, future is also perennial and equally likely to occur in the individual consciousness as the collective one. In times of turmoil and hardship, the more visionary individuals have articulated schemes for a better future, and these have become known as 'utopias'. This thesis represents an exploration of one episode of utopian thought. Robert Owen's vision for a better world was formed against the background of the industrialization of Britain early in the nineteenth century. In the following analysis of Owen's thinking, three contentions are posited: 1. Owen and the followers of his doctrines saw an inextricable link between education and the community. 2. Owenism can profitably be interpreted within the context of the tradition of utopian thought. 3. The concept of community provides a wholeness and unity in Owen's thinking. The first chapter examines the nature of utopian thought, something which appears necessary to understand Owen's concept of the community. Subsequent chapters deal with Owen's design for the ideal community, the mode of education he felt should attend this, and the links between the two. The conclusion summarizes and draws together the above contentions, considers the possibilities for further research, and argues for the relevance of Owen as a possible theoretical precursor to current educational thinking which emphasizes the role of the community.
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ItemA taxonomy of community intervention practice( 1982)This thesis identifies an overall heuristic taxonomy of Community Intervention Practice, which is intended for use by students, lecturers and field staff. The taxonomy is divided into five approaches, namely the Organisational Approach; the Extension Approach; the Developmental Approach; the Action Approach and the Control Approach. The taxonomy is iconic in natures and is a simplification of the complex reality observed in community intervention practice. The thesis is divided into three sections. Part I seeks to explore the nature and complexity of the concept of "cornmunity", and the nature of community intervention practice. Part II, which forms the bulk of this study, defines and describes the five approaches which make up the heuristic taxonomy. Part III applies the taxonomy to two differing agencies, one being a government Community Development Office project for squatter resettlement in West New Britain; the other applying the taxonomy to various projects run by an Australian Community Health Centre. Throughout, use is made of tables and figures to illustrate the concepts described. In particular, concise summary tables are provided for the taxonomy. itself. These tables are printed on coloured paper, to assist. in easy location and reference, and are intended - to be a summary to facilitate conceptualisation in the hands of a student or field worker.
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ItemStarting age at primary school and subsequent retention rates, behavioural and learning difficulties, and academic achievement in the middle and upper primary school( 1989)A study of 1380 grade 3, 4, 5, and 6 primary school children at four metropolitan schools was undertaken to examine the relationship between school starting age and retention rates, referral rates (for behavioural, learning, behavioural and learning difficulties, individually or aggregated), and performance on a range of achievement tests. Six different entry age group categories were identified according to entrance age in the child's preparatory grade year. These were underage starters (younger than 4 years 6 months), younger-entering starters (4 years 6 months to 4 years 9 months), normal-entering starters (4 years 10 months to 5 years 1 month), older-entering starters (5 years 2 months to 5 years 5 months), and overage starters (older than 5 years 5 months) . The last category was split into two separate groups comprising those who had repeated kindergarten, and those who had been held back at home and had not attended kindergarten. These groups were used in computation, though some of these groups were amalgamated subsequently in some chi square analyses because of low expected cell numbers. The youngest entrants (underage and younger-entering children) were found to be significantly more likely to have been retained for a year at primary school than their normally older classmates. Risks of retention dropped with increasing age on commencement, except in the case of overage entrants who had not attended a kindergarten. Preparatory grade, grade 2 and grade 3 were the most common grades chosen for retention. The academic achievement of children retained in Preparatory grade to grade 6 was significantly lower than that of the nonretained children at grades 4, 5, and 6. There was no significant difference at grade 3 level. Retained younger-entering, underage children and girls were found to be significantly more likely to be referred for learning difficulties, and retained younger-entering and underage children had significantly higher rates of referral for aggregated (multiple) causes than other entry age groups. Significant differences between older-entering and younger-entering children were not found with respect to academic achievement as measured on a range of achievement tests. However, significant differences favouring overage starters who had repeated kindergarten and other entry age group children were observed at all grade levels and in a variety of achievement tests, though not in a uniform manner. Younger-entering children were significantly more likely (across the whole sample) to be referred for learning difficulties and aggregated referral rates than other entry age groups. This applied to both girls and boys. Significant differences were also observed for aggregated referral rates with the underage and younger-entering students, and overage starters were also more likely than other entry age groups to have been referred for behavioural or learning difficulties, or both. Boys were significantly more likely to be referred for behavioural difficulties, behavioural and learning difficulties, and aggregated referral rates than girls. When children who had been retained were removed from the calculations, it was found that children who had repeated kindergarten had significantly better achievement in the range of tests utilized in the study, than all other entry age groups. This held across the four grades though not in every test with every entry age group. There were no significant differences between nonreferred children and those referred but who had not repeated a year, in any of the referral categories. Suggestions are made for future research.
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ItemInfluences at work on the shaping of a Catholic girls' secondary school( 1989)1988 is the twenty-fifth year of the existence of Ave Maria College, a girls' Catholic secondary school at West Essendon, established in 1963 by the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. This thesis endeavours to trace the forces which shaped it - the sociological, religious, political and economic forces which influenced its growth. It examines the background and development of the College under the guidance of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, the handing over of the College to the the Catholic Education Office on the departure of the sisters in 1975, the subsequent administration by an Interim Board of Management and its eventual development as an autonomous College within the Catholic Education system, and the laitization of the College which is a feature of many Catholic secondary schools of the 1980's.
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ItemThe confused Frenchman : some considerations of 'freedom' in Rousseau's writings and its educational implications( 1987)The focus in this thesis is the concept of 'freedom' and, more specifically, how this concept is used by Rousseau. An attempt will first be made to clarify the meaning of 'freedom' and then Rousseau's discussions about it will be examined. Particular emphasis will be placed on an analysis of educational freedom and what Rousseau writes about it, especially in Emile. It will also be argued that the ideal political freedom that Rousseau proposes in The Social Contract is an extension of the freedom he talks about in Emile. Some critics have levelled the charge that Rousseau is not consistent in his definitions of what constitutes freedom and Max Rafferty has even referred to him as 'the confused Frenchman'. In this thesis it will be argued that this confusion is only apparent and not real. In this respect, the critical literature about Rousseau's theories on freedom will be analysed in an attempt to show that there is indeed an internal consistency of definition in Rousseau's works and that his view is of positive, rather than negative, freedom.