Faculty of Education - Theses
Permanent URI for this collection
Search Results
1 - 10 of 22
-
ItemJust reporting : does the school have a justifiable reporting process?( 2006)This thesis titled `Just Reporting' aimed to explore the question: Does the school have a justifiable reporting process that meets the needs of key stakeholders (parents, students and teachers)? Through a critical review of the research literature relevant to reporting, various ethical issues were noted that assisted in the construction of the questions guiding this study. These ethical issues provided the lens through which I explored the reporting practices at the research school. The title Just Reporting emphasises the justice issues surrounding reporting as a communicative action where the integrity of each individual is maintained and relationships strengthened. The research took the form of a case study involving the participation of thirty-three parents, eleven teachers and twenty-one students from the one school setting in a questionnaire that had both quantitative and qualitative questions that gathered their affective and cognitive responses to the school's written report. I also held one focus group interview with parents to clarify information from the questionnaire. An interactive inquiry with mixed methods approach was chosen as the best way to answer the research questions. The aim was to develop a theory about reporting rather than prove an existing theory. This study examines what reporting is, the audience and purpose of reporting, and the imperatives of justifiable reporting. It gathered the opinions and beliefs about reporting at the research school from key stakeholder groups and sought to discover whether the written report met their needs and fulfilled the requirements of justifiable reporting. Final analysis of the data provided understandings about the nature of reporting at the research school and revealed a number of issues that prevented the process from being fully justifiable.
-
ItemUnderstanding the perceptions of primary school and early childhood teachers about the inclusion of children with special needs in regular classrooms( 2003)Today, many regular schools in the State of Victoria provide inclusive education programs. Educating children with and without disabilities is linked with upholding the rights of all children regardless of their class, culture, gender or developmental abilities. This study was aimed at exploring perceptions of early childhood and primary school teachers about the inclusion of children with special needs from six independent schools located in metropolitan Victoria. Data were analysed and compared to identify if there were differences in teachers' attitudes in relation to beliefs and values, feasibility of implementing inclusive programs in regular classrooms and their confidence to carry out inclusive practices. Findings indicated that all participants in the study were very positive about the philosophy of including children with disabilities in regular classrooms. Several factors were identified as major contributors to the positive perceptions of teachers. Data also revealed that teachers had many concerns regarding the implementation of inclusion in their regular classrooms. The findings of this study had implications for best practice to improve the implementation of inclusive programs in regular classrooms.
-
ItemTeachers' roles : catering for the marginal child in Thailand's border schools( 2005)This thesis investigates the roles of primary school teachers who work in remote areas along the Thai-Burmese border in Ratchaburi Province, Thailand. It also develops a framework to re-conceptualize teacher education so that it will be more concerned with the needs of poor, marginal children who are linguistically and culturally diverse, and with the needs of illiterate villagers, and remote communities. A qualitative study was conducted in the three remote primary school settings with high percentages of bilingual students in the Province. The teachers, the headmasters, the school supervisors, the school board members and the provincial primary education administrator were involved in the study. Data was collected by means of personal diaries, individual interviews, focus group interviews, open-ended responses to a questionnaire, school documentation, a personal letter, and the Rajabhat Universities' teacher education curricula. Data was analyzed using the Princess Sirindhorn's Children Development Projects to indicate the current and expected roles of teachers, and then the data was triangulated and synthesized to determine the diverse roles of teachers including: providing effective education, leading students to a better life, empowering parents, developing schools, and developing communities. These diverse roles may positively affect individual, family, and community or environmental circumstances where children are "at-risk". And these can assist children to become valued citizens for their communities and country. Taking these diverse roles as a platform, diverse knowledge, skills, and values are established, and a diverse teacher education framework is identified to better prepare pre-service teachers to work successfully in the remote schools located close to the Thai-Burmese border. Moreover, certain recommendations for policies on teacher education curricula, primary education, staff development, and assessment in Thailand, for Rajabhat Universities, are proposed as well.
-
ItemThe poetical understanding of children's imagery of nature : how is poetical understanding evident in children's art?( 2005)This study explores the way in which preschool children engage in the creative process and how their sensory engagement with nature leads to invention of poetical attributes and symbols in their art. The study also examines the teacher's role in creating an environment that nurtures sensory learning, provides new energy and fosters discovery. This study also inquires into the educational theories of 'Reggio Emilia', 'emergent curriculum' and 'phenomenological pedagogy' and their influence in exploring significant moments of children's art creating within the process of 'aesthetic engagement' and 'aesthetic cognition'. The data related to these moments consists of children's visual and verbal images of nature that allowed me to unfold their perceptions of nature associated with beauty and make them evident to the viewer. In that sense data analysis reveals both mine and children's discoveries, with an emphasis on utilizing children's voices within the arts curriculum and making them protagonists of their own learning.
-
ItemPeer appraisal : as envisaged, enacted, perceived, and experienced : a case study of a catholic secondary college( 2000)This study explores the dimensions of a peer appraisal process in a secondary Catholic College. The purpose of the peer appraisal process is to enhance the teaching and learning environment within the school. It aims to help to create a dynamic learning environment by affirming areas of teacher strength and achievement, by identifying aspects of professional development that will contribute to continual growth and forward planning. The study examined, through a retrospective case study, the purpose, the process and the experiences of the participant teachers. Through the examination of the theoretical model as designed by Iwanicki (1981) this study used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodology to compare the essential characteristics of this theoretical model with that of the College's model as envisaged and enacted. The findings of the study provide a rich illumination of the shared and unique experiences and perceived outcomes as told by the appraisees. In some aspects the College's model is congruent with the theoretical model, however significant areas of mismatch arose and are discussed as issues. These issues include: 1. Collaboration between appraisee and mentor. 2. Written documentation of the process. 3. Professional commitment to the process. 4. Impact on teaching and learning. 5. Professional responsibility and reform. They are discussed in the light of the findings.
-
ItemSecondary art teachers' perceptions of a regional art gallery( 2004)This study examines the view of five teachers in relation to their use of a regional gallery within their art program. Using qualitative inquiry, the study focuses on interviews with the gallery educator and five secondary teachers within the region. The key purpose of the study is to identify the value and reasons why teachers incorporate gallery visits into their teaching program.
-
ItemRethinking teachers' professional learning teams : a case study( 2003)This study afforded an opportunity to rethink teacher professional learning and change processes in schools. To examine these issues, this investigation focused on two school reform initiatives which expected teachers to work in structured teams in order to initiate, plan, and implement school change projects. The first initiative, or Project 2000 as it was known, was developed by teachers in the case study school as a means of introducing curriculum reform in Years 9 and 10 and as a vehicle for promoting teacher learning. The second initiative, the ICT Project, focussed on using information and communication technologies in English classrooms, and was built on the process findings of the first project. This research aimed, firstly, to investigate how a teacher team structure, referred to as a project-based professional learning team, may be used as a vehicle for work-embedded and ongoing teacher professional learning. Secondly, it aimed to explore teachers' perceptions of the factors that facilitate or impede a school change process that utilises project-based professional learning teams as a school improvement strategy. The findings from this study indicate that teachers perceived that, at the micro-level; the very existence of project-based professional learning teams can provide a structural support for teachers that promotes and sustains a new concept of professional learning that is ongoing, inquiry-based, work-embedded and meaningful to teachers. At the macro-level, the study points to the potential use of project-based professional learning teams as vehicles to initiate the process of reculturing schools as learning communities. This study has shown that, despite the constraint of time, teachers perceived that project-based professional learning teams can challenge cultures of teacher isolation and conservatism by promoting collaborative problem-solving and action learning, and by integrating teachers' work with their professional learning. The study also demonstrated that teachers perceived project-based professional learning teams can improve teacher knowledge, attitude and practices by challenging them in collective learning units to inquire and rethink current practice, to try new ways of doing things and by instilling new skills. Finally, this study has demonstrated that teachers perceived that project-based professional learning teams can act as a vehicle for school change to produce worthwhile outcomes for teacher learning, student learning and the school as a learning community. In re-thinking how teachers change, project-based professional learning teams offer a way forward.
-
ItemTeachers' perceptions of their status : revisiting an old problem( 2002)Teachers in recent years have expressed a great deal of dissatisfaction with their status in society, consistently citing it as one of the most negative aspects of their work and role. Numerous studies have demonstrated that teachers believe their status in society to be poor and their work undervalued. However, surveys of the Australian public have shown that the majority views both schools and teachers positively, believing that teachers are dedicated to their students, and that schools in general achieve their educational goals reasonably well. The study set out to explore the reasons behind the discrepancy between teachers' beliefs about their status, and the good opinion of teachers expressed by the public in such surveys. In addition, the literature reveals that concern about professional status, while more intense in recent times, has been evident amongst teachers for many decades. This suggests that, while some of the changes to society and teaching may be intensifying teachers' concerns, there may also be structural aspects to the work of teaching that contribute to teachers' unhappiness about their status. The study identified both structural and environmental contributors to the problem, and a model of factors contributing to teachers' perceptions about their status was developed. Finally, the study explored differences between teachers' perceptions of their status amongst the broader community, and their status in the local school community. Teachers expressed more positive views of their status in their own school community, a finding which is important in understanding the impact of teachers' perceptions of their status on work motivation.
-
ItemSchool-industry partnership : a clarification evaluation case study( 2002)School-industry programs are a rapidly growing aspect of vocational education in Australia. This study examined one of these programs. It sought to identify factors that led to the establishment of the program; the essential operational components within the program; and how the program advanced vocational education and training in the community in which it was located. Clarification evaluation was used as the investigation approach. Data were collected from documentary evidence and interviews with key program stakeholders (employers, teachers, training providers, and program staff). The investigation identified a number of key elements that were fundamental to its successful establishment. These were: shared common purpose to address local youth unemployment and industry skill shortages; and people that had the will and capacity to bring about structural change: External enabling factors were also important in establishing the program. These were: timely government funding; and visionary education authority personnel who facilitated the convergence of stakeholder groups. The study also showed that there were clearly identifiable factors that underpinned the program's operation. These were: good strategic and business planning processes; negotiating workplacements with employers and courses with training providers on behalf of local schools; running induction and skills programs to increase students' work readiness; supporting teachers to integrate workplace learning into the curriculum; supporting workplace supervisors to mentor students; and linking the school-industry program to complementary employment placement programs. Finally, the study demonstrated that if certain conditions are met in industry and schools, school-industry programs could advance vocational education and training in their local communities. These conditions are concerned with the state of the local economy, community identity, willingness to contribute education and training of young people (industry); and schools' demonstrated commitment to vocational education and training through resource allocation and flexible timetable structures. The findings of this study have the potential to influence the design and development of future school-industry programs in Australia. A framework is presented, along with a series of cogent recommendations. These should assist government, employers, schools and program managers to better design and implement school-industry programs that produce high levels of practical skills and knowledge in young people that enhance their employability and life chances.
-
ItemTeachers' perceptions of the teacher evaluation system in China : a case study( 2004)Reforms in China have been attempting to shift its education from examination centred to quality oriented Teacher evaluation system is supposed to reflect the changes. This study explored teachers perceptions of the current teacher evaluation system in a public primary school in China. The participants were 43 of the school's 75 teachers. The researcher analysed teachers written responses to both pre coded and open ended questions to determine their perceptions. Findings of this study suggest that teachers general impressions of the teacher evaluation system were slightly positive and the teacher evaluation criteria as a whole were acceptable to some extent to the teachers. Teachers however held quite divided opinions toward different aspects of the teacher evaluation and the criteria of different teacher evaluation procedures. The teachers believed that teacher evaluation had a big impact on their growth and was used as evidence for rewards and punishment. The impact on teachers morale and student outcomes were comparatively smaller. Many teachers also believed that teacher evaluation had no impact on them Teachers were not happy with the climate for evaluation especially the perceived unfairness in evaluation and not being respected. Teachers opinions were divided to a great extent regarding preferred evaluation procedures and some criteria for teacher evaluation. The researcher suggests that teachers negative attitudes toward the teacher evaluation system should be seriously considered and that the system be improved. The researcher also suggests that the relationship between current teacher evaluation and student outcomes should be further explored and strengthened.