Melbourne Graduate School of Education - Theses
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ItemInstitutional influences on approaches to teaching within a flexible university : a cultural historical investigation( 2010)This study investigated the teaching approaches of two business academics located within an Australian university developing its flexible teaching and learning practices over the past twenty years. The interview subjects are highly regarded educators with formative backgrounds in on-campus or off-campus distance teaching. Each has had a long professional relationship with the researcher in her centrally situated position's as an educational developer within the institution. A review of the student learning literature pertaining to teaching and learning approaches in the higher education sector over the last thirty years, shows that "teaching approaches" can influence "student learning approaches"(Ramsden, Paul 2003) and outcomes, (Biggs, J. 2003; Lizzio, Alf, Wilson, Keithia & Simons, Roland 2002) however "institutional influences" upon teaching approaches seems to be substantially overlooked. (Kernber & Kwan 2000) The academics were invited to participate in this study agreeing to retrospectively review and discuss their teaching in three progressive phases of their working history. They were invited to consider their teaching approach using the Approach to Teaching Inventory (Trigwell, Prosser et. al. 2005) in order to reflect upon their personal positioning (Harre September 2004), institutional practice and societal rhetoric in relation to an academic life in various periods of their teaching history. Discursive analysis has been undertaken of the resulting conversations guided by Cultural Historical Analysis Theory, (Vygotsky 1978, Engestrom 1987). This investigation reveals profound institutional influences on the approaches of teachers to their work. Influences on academic life have usually been studied independent of the Higher education teaching and learning literature. This study points to an urgent need to integrate these research interests to inform understanding of material transformative activity for policy makers in higher education.
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ItemMalaysian higher education and the United States as a model: policy borrowing or policy learning?( 2013)Higher education plays an important role in many developing countries. Graduates are being equipped with professional knowledge and skills to fulfil the demands of the labour market in a knowledge economy. Developing countries tend to adopt models of higher education organization from developed nations, especially those that are world leaders. Progress in science and technology and national wealth itself point to the success of these systems and suggest that they represent a suitable and feasible path to take. Malaysia is amongst those developing nations that have looked to advanced economies to provide a model of mass higher education which would raise educational levels and national income. But has a process of policy-borrowing achieved both the growth and the equity that governments have promised? Has the expansion and diversification of higher education in Malaysia created more equitable access for all students in order to ensure that increased higher education is undertaken by a wide range of population who have the ability and motivation to succeed? This study aims to contribute to policy learning in higher education in the developing world (as distinct from uncritical policy borrowing). It focuses on Malaysia’s efforts to learn from the US experience. The findings of this study may assist the Malaysian policy makers in designing new improved policies to widen access in higher education and to further strengthen Malaysian higher education sector. In the first section of this thesis, a review is made of US efforts to expand higher education, while improving equity. Two barriers to participation in higher education – school dropout rates and low achievement among young people who do graduate – are examined in greater detail. This then leads to a key discussion on the types of higher educational institutions in the US, their enrolment patterns and the challenges faced by each institution. At the end of this section, the findings that developing countries can learn from the United States’ experience are highlighted. In the second section, the study focuses on Malaysia. It starts with historical overview pre independence, focusing on economic, social and educational developments. The growth and structural transformation of the Malaysian economy are also examined and compared with educational attainment. Trends in primary and secondary public education expansion and challenges facing this public system are then discussed, leading to a detailed discussion on the development of the Malaysian public and private tertiary education sector. The findings presented in this study show that the challenge for Malaysia is not to become like the USA, but to learn from the US experience and to develop its own strategic plans for higher education that fit with the social and economic needs of the country. The study suggests policy directions to making higher education in Malaysia more effective and equitable, which includes strengthening and improving Malaysia’s public schools, enhancing the quality of higher education and assisting students from disadvantaged families. Such initiatives may assist Malaysia to become the best provider of higher education in the South East Asian region and a high-income developed country by the year 2020.
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ItemIndigenous dual diagnosis capability: measuring policy effectiveness through a cultural proficiency lens( 2013)Background: Recognising the inherent complexities associated with co-occurring alcohol and other drug (AOD) and mental health conditions (‘dual diagnosis’ or ‘comorbidity’), the National Comorbidity Project was introduced by the Commonwealth in 2000, which saw the union of the National Drug Strategy and the National Mental Health Strategy for the first time. The subsequent National Drug Strategy: Australia’s Integrated Framework 2004-2009 was heavily grounded in the promotion of dual capacity i.e. the ability for both AOD and mental health services to respond to those presenting with a dual diagnosis. A ‘No Wrong Door’ philosophy, referring to the provision of appropriate treatment services to presenting clients regardless of where they enter the treatment system, became the ‘push’ from the government as they introduced the National Comorbidity Initiative in 2007. Despite the significant over-representation of Indigenous Australians within our mental health and drug harms data, there is an obvious absence of a dialogue that includes Australia’s Indigenous population in the NCI. The NCI pays no attention to the need for the AOD and mental health workforces to ensure ‘culturally appropriate’ service provision to Indigenous service users. This study investigates the Australian states and territories own policy responses to Dual Diagnosis Capability, specifically as they relate to Indigenous service users. The study seeks to determine the extent to which these policies are culturally proficient. Methods: A systematic review was undertaken of the Australian state and territories that have dual diagnosis policies. In the absence of a national guideline for measuring cultural competence, the state and territory policies were examined and assessed through the lens of the Cultural Competence Continuum and a grading tool was designed specifically for this study modelled on the Dual Diagnosis Capability in Addiction Treatment (DDCAT) tool and the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) Aboriginal Cultural Competence Matrix. The Bridgman and Davis’ Policy Cycle was used as the ‘lens of good policy’. Results: Five Australian states’ and territories’ dual diagnosis documents were evaluated, the results showing very low levels of cultural proficiency. It is apparent that when viewed at a national level, there is little strength in Australia’s dual diagnosis policies from the perspective of how appropriately they reflect the needs of Indigenous Australians with a dual diagnosis. Conclusions: ‘Culturally competent’ service delivery requires particular characteristics as outlined in the Cultural Competence Continuum in order for policy-makers and services to start a process of shifting on this continuum. The results of the study demonstrate that the Australian policies examined do not have these characteristics. In their current form, these policies are not culturally proficient; rather, they are demonstrating attributes of cultural destructiveness, aversion, blindness, and overall cultural incompetence. Until Australian policy sets a directive for standards, not just guidelines, then it will remain difficult to measure true cultural competence in any organisation or larger service system. And arguably, the continued poor health status of Australia’s Indigenous population will ensue.
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ItemThe aspiring spires: momentum and the status university( 2013)Higher education is in many respects governed by market relations and state direction; in some ways, however, it is not. In prestige, it falls back on an elusive force. The university is entrepreneurial, and it is public spirited, and it is also itself. According to perceptions of how much of a university a university is, it is able to relay credibility. Rankings and taxonomical mapping may come at this nebulous prestige from more solid data, including the tracing of market performance and state backing. Crucially, though, it is prestige that any ranking hoping to gauge the calibrations of trust and belief is after, whether prestige already detected or that anticipated according to momentum. Aware of this, inasmuch as an organization can think, the status university continues to grow as a magnet for competitive but remarkably peaceable human endeavour, and as a major junction for the forces of civil religion. The thesis seeks to update the appraisal of the highly evolved sense of status in universities and in progressively expanded higher education systems, and to deepen appreciation of the energy and history with which they swell.
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ItemExploring teacher perceptions of factors that impact on their relationships with students through the lens of mentalisation( 2013)The contribution of positive teacher-student relationships to student wellbeing and academic outcomes is widely accepted. These relationships are recognised as essential for developing students’ connectedness to school and engagement in learning. This study investigated the factors that teachers perceive as impacting on their relationships with students, and examined these factors through the lens of mentalisation. A qualitative investigation was undertaken in which eight participants were invited to reflect on their relationships with students. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, a focus group and researcher observation. Two key factors were identified: reflection on relationship experiences and the presence of a safe and supportive environment. Interwoven within each of these factors are the notions of reciprocity and resilience. The findings suggest that the capacity of teachers to develop healthy teacher-student relationships may be enhanced if they are provided with opportunities to make sense of their prior relationship experiences, and work within school cultures and structures that prioritise the value of relationships. This study suggests that teachers can assist students in developing their capacity to more fully participate in this model of relationship by providing students with a safe and supportive environment. The findings also highlight the reciprocal nature of the healthy teacher-student relationship as these relationships may in turn positively influence the teacher’s sense of wellbeing and increase their capacity to meet the challenges of the educational environment with resilience. Mentalisation theory, which incorporates and extends the notions of empathy and mindfulness, provided a valuable framework to examine and interpret the factors that impact on teacher-student relationships. This study has implications for pre-service training and teacher professional learning. Approaches that encourage reflection on the dynamics of relationships and the contribution of one’s own relationship experiences to one’s relationship with students may strengthen a teacher’s capacity to develop healthy relationships with students and may contribute to the teacher’s own sense of wellbeing.
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ItemCase studies in learning area leadership in Catholic secondary schools in Melbourne, Australia( 2010)Learning Area Leaders (LALs) are leaders who have responsibility for the operation of learning areas (subject departments) in their schools. The leadership role of LALs was investigated in three Victorian Catholic Secondary Schools using case study methodology. Interviews were conducted in each school between the Principal, the curriculum coordinator, LALs and teachers. The leadership role of the LALs, particularly as their involvement in improving educational outcomes in their learning area, was explored through interviews and examination of range of documents to produce a rich description of each case. It was clear that the leadership of the LALs was, in each of the three schools, considered essential to the achievement of good student learning outcomes. In one of the three schools where the leadership role of the LALs was enhanced there was significant improvement in VCE results. The findings from each of the cases were then analysed according to a framework describing the leadership roles of LALs which was developed by White (Merriam, 19982002). The findings were consistent with White's framework. Consistent with other literature were issues to do with inadequate preparation for the role (Adey, 2000;. Deece, 2003; Dinham, Brennan, Collier, Deece, & Mulford, 2000; Earley & Fletcher- Campbell, 1989), lack of time to effectively carry out the role (Brown & Rutherford, 1999; Deece, 2003; Dinham, 2007; Earley & Fletcher-Campbell, 1989)and difficulties with staff management and role ambiguity (Adey, 2000; Dinham, 2007; Glover & Miller, 1999b; White, 2002). In considering the work of LALs in relation to context what emerged was the necessity for the Senior Management Team to facilitate LAL leadership by enlisting them as partners in developing strategic approaches to teaching and learning, creating structures which enable the LALs to interact with the staff in the learning areas and removing barriers in the school which might inhibit the LALs from the effective exercise of their leadership.
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ItemDeveloping Thai students' writing skills through genre-based teaching( 2010)This study reports on an investigation using the genre-based approach to teaching writing, and how it affected students' control over key features of the Discussion Genre. The research explored students' attitudes towards learning to write with this approach and conveyed the application of new pedagogy to teaching writing. The study was conducted in a classroom of thirty nine students during eight two-hour weekly sessions. The participants were third-year English major students in a four-year Bachelor of Arts program in a university in Thailand. The research method was an in-depth case study of the effectiveness of the genre-based approach in improving English as a Foreign Language [EFL] students' writing proficiency. Two cycles designed for teaching and learning the Discussion Genre were fashioned closely after the Disadvantaged Schools Project (DSP) model (e.g. Callaghan & Rothery, 1989), as implemented in various Australian schools. Three key research participants' written texts were analyzed by the researcher/ teacher using specific elements of the systemic functional grammar (SFG) framework (e.g. Butt et al., 2003). Self-assessment questionnaires sought students' views about their own learning experiences and writing proficiency. Semi-structured interviews and students' diaries were used to explore the students' experience of learning to write in English, and to explore students' attitudes to writing in English. A teacher's journal provided information about the ways in which students were involved in and responsive to the new teaching approach. The text analysis revealed that, as a result of the intervention, students gained control over key features of the Discussion Genre, and showed positive attitudes towards this approach, although the students' grammatical knowledge had not significantly improved, probably in part because the research was undertaken over a short period of time. Finally, the application of the genre-based approach is a significantly promising approach for teaching English in EFL contexts.
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ItemThe investments, expectations and identity construction of bilingual teachers of English in pursuing further professional education in Australia( 2013)There is an increase of bilingual teachers of English from non-English-speaking settings who are obtaining their Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) in English-speaking contexts. Most TESOL programmes concentrate on providing content knowledge to these teachers, without giving much attention to their “investment”, a notion proposed by Peirce (1995) to indicate how individuals are connected historically and socially to a target language. Additionally, not much consideration is given to these teachers’ expectations, lived experiences and identity construction while they are studying and living in English-speaking countries. However, these aspects are significant in their development as teachers and users of English. With a central research question that examines the processes that contribute to the identity construction of bilingual teachers of English while pursuing a Master of TESOL degree in an English-speaking country, this thesis explores the aforementioned neglected aspects through a case study. Data were collected through individual interviews and email correspondence with eight bilingual teachers of English who pursued a Master of TESOL degree as international postgraduate students at Sandstone University, Australia. Data were analysed qualitatively and interpreted based on a conceptual framework that was synthesised and adapted from the literature, from the participants’ responses, and from my perspectives as an insider-outsider. Findings suggest that when the participants were in Australia, many of them constructed their identities as they faced challenges both inside and outside the classroom. However, all of the participants changed and adapted to studying and living in Australia. Their investments and expectations affected their lived experiences and identity construction in powerful ways. In order to fulfil their expectations, many of the participants displayed agency in interacting with others. The participants also positioned and repositioned themselves in various ways in response to their different experiences both inside and outside class. Moreover, they applied the content knowledge that they gained from class to their personal experiences. Some of the changes that the participants made when they were in Australia were temporary adjustments to their immediate context and their expectations of obtaining their degree. These changes were not sustained when they returned to their home countries. This fact implies that there was continuity in the midst of their identity change, as they remained connected to some aspects of their home sociocultural values even while changing in Australia. This study confirms the advantages of using multiple theories to elucidate the complexity and evolution of language teacher identity. Various implications are suggested for future international students, teacher educators and teacher education programmes. The limitations of the study and areas for future research are also recommended.
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ItemStudent views of talk interactions in learning: a case study of year 8 girls( 2013)The aim of this study is to identify student attitudes to classroom talk interactions, specifically class discussion, to ascertain whether students view these contexts as opportunities for learning. The study also sought to isolate the ways students recognise talk as helping them to learn. Further, it is aimed to inform the pedagogical practice of teachers to assist them to co-construct, with students, class discussions that are more productive. Data was collected for the study from two cohorts of Year 8 girls over consecutive years, interview data from students and also interviews with four Year 8 learning area teachers. In the embedded sequential mixed-method design employed in this research, each data set gave rise to the next which sought to explicate and expand the themes emerging from the previous data set. Relationships of significance were found between enjoyment, learning, participation, teacher style (questioning and timing) and classroom culture and a conceptual model was developed which attempted to diagrammatically represent those relationships. The results also indicate the essential role of responsibility as key to class discussion. Responsibility for the success of a class discussion, one in which learning takes place, was found to be shared jointly by students and teachers. The findings for the study recommend a whole school approach to articulating and consistently and consciously applying mechanisms identified to generate more effective class discussions.
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ItemThe impact of literature circles on student engagement in middle years English( 2013)This project investigated the connection between literature circles and student engagement in middle school English classes. This study shows that literature circles can cause increases in students' behavioural, emotional and cognitive engagement in reading, and English. It adds to existing local and international research into effective middle school pedagogies, student voice, and reading strategies.