Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemAn administrative review of the Commonwealth English as a Second Language (ESL) Program within the Office of Schools Administration, Ministry of Education, Victoria( 1990)This thesis presents an administrative review of the Commonwealth English as a Second Language (ESL) Program within the Office of Schools Administration, Ministry of Education, Victoria. The approach and framework adopted are similar to those used by Campbell et al. in their review of the Commonwealth ESL Program for the Commonwealth Schools Commission in 1984. There are no prejudgements concerning major issues, but an interest in monitoring events from program establishment at a Commonwealth level to program organisation issues in schools. A number of "Levels of Administrative Reality" are identified through which the following educational agencies are examined - the Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET), the Office of Schools Adminstration, and schools. The "Levels of Administrative Reality" used are Intentions, Structure, Resource Allocations Mechanisms, and Program Organisation. These are considered broad enough to enable major issues to be raised. Data have been collected over a two year period from a variety of sources including policy documents, questionnaires, memoranda and minutes of meetings. Major issues raised include : (a) the development of a nationwide curriculum framework/syllabus for the teaching of ESL; (b) the location of ESL within the Office of Schools Administration; (c) the location of consultancy support to schools; (d) the level of resourcing; (e) the qualifications of ESL teachers.
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ItemAn analysis of education provision to older non-English speaking background youth with minimal or interrupted schooling in the Richmond/Collingwood area( 1987)This study is an analysis of educational provision in the Richmond/Coilingwood area for young people aged 16 to 24 years of age, of migrant or refugee background, who have a history of minimal or interrupted schooling. These students are mostly of Indo-Chinese or Timorese background , and face severe problems relating to their lack of literacy and poor English proficiency. Many of these students are unaccompanied refugees and face economic hardship in Australia. Educational programs running in five postprimary schools, two TAFE colleges and two language centres are examined in light of their relevance to the needs of these students. It emerges from this study that a small number of institutions provide responsive quality programs for this group. There are, however, general problems relating to the low status and marginalization of ESL programs in most of the institutions. These problems are compounded by a lack of funding, unsympathetic administration, ignorance of the issues and difficulties relating to accreditation. In some institutions, no provision at all is made for these students. Needs emerging from these issues may be summarized as follows. A greater awareness of the educational requirements. of this group must be developed. An informed collaborative approach must be adopted to respond to these needs in the form of appropriate ESL programs. Policy and administrative support must be forthcoming to assist in achieving these goals.
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ItemA cartoon chemistry text : the construction and testing of a novel chemistry text incorporating human values( 1990)This study examines current science texts and the concerns and objectives of Science-Technology-Society based courses. It indicates that they present the public image of the practising scientist (with inherent Mertonian values of Universalism, Communism, Disinterestedness, and organized skepticism) which is used to organize scientific concepts into a meaningful whole. Utilizing the notion that a value is anything important to a student, a hypothesis was proposed that meaning and interest generated from a text is dependent on the extent of overlap between text and student values. The implications of the interaction of different value systems with a Mertonian based text were considered. An attempt was made to develop a chemistry text that was meaningful to all students, by organizing concepts into a story form with non-Mertonian organization. This approach evolved into a cartoon format with specific features. Two cartoon text items were tested at two schools. The trial involved a survey item on 103 students and audio taped interviews with 20 students. The trial attempted to evaluate the cartoon as a student text, attitudes to issues content, and styles of resolving issues based conflicts. The results were interpreted by classifying the respondents into four categories of science likingness ( A, B, C, D) on the basis of Year 11 subject choice, and favorite subject. It was assumed that the accommodation of Mertonian values by a group reflected the science likingness of the group. The cartoon text was well received with most students wishing to see more cartoons, and being able to answer questions from the text. The B, C, and D groups expressed a preference for the cartoon text over their current science text. The proposed differential accommodation of values appeared to account for the greater enthusiasm of the B and C groups for the cartoons than the A and D groups. Perceptions of the amount of current social problems/ issues content in science teaching increased markedly with group science likingness. The amount of issues content desired decreased with increasing group science likingness. A belief that scientific solutions could resolve social problems/ issues, showed a marked decrease with decreasing science likingness. A value model of cognitive style was developed from the basic hypothesis and assumptions regarding the extent of accommodation of Mertonian and Humanist norms as personal values. This model seemed to account for variations in meaning generated for the various groups in response to both the standard and cartoon science text format.
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ItemNurses knowledge of postnatal depression( 1991)Postnatal Depression is a disorder which may occur in some women following childbirth. This research study includes, as a major component, an extensive review of. the literature regarding this disorder. A questionnaire was administered to eighty registered nurses, to survey their level of knowledge about Postnatal Depression. The design used was non-experimental with a descriptive approach to the data. The findings indicated that, (1) a limited amount of information was given to the respondents about the disorder, Postnatal Depression, during their preregistration course; (2) confusion exists between the disorders, Postnatal Depression, postnatal "blues", and puerperal psychosis; (3) many of the respondents failed to recognize the four listed symptoms related to Postnatal Depression, in the questionnaire; (4) further education is needed to enable registered nurses to recognize the disorder, Postnatal Depression, and to differentiate it from postnatal "blues" and puerperal psychosis.
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ItemDeveloping a policy for teaching Chinese language and culture in Victoria( 1989)A rational policy for the teaching of foreign languages is based on a thorough understanding and analysis of the position and the importance of target languages in national political, economic, and social development. This paper discusses the importance to the development of Sino-Australian relations of the teaching of the Chinese language and of the making and implementation of policies for the teaching of the Chinese language in Victoria. Since 1972 it has been in the Australian and Chinese national interests that tight links between these two countries should grow rapidly and steadily. Consequently, there has been an increasing demand for learning the Chinese language. In order to meet this demand the Australian government, in recent years, has paid great attention to teaching the Chinese language in schools. However, there remain questions as to the general usefulness of learning the Chinese language and culture. Some believe that the present scale of teaching the Chinese language is meeting the general requirements of community language needs and is also providing adequate numbers of skilled Chinese language personnel for the work force. Therefore, they consider there is no need to expand the teaching of the Chinese language. On the other hand, those in favour of an expansion of Chinese language teaching foresee a continuing development of Sino-Australian links and an increasing demand for Chinese language skills from both government and people. In regard to policy-making and implementation in teaching second languages, the Chinese practice in this area is relevant. Their experience shows that a successful implementation of government language policy requires active response from local educational authorities subject to a centralised education system. These government-backed and funded educational authorities are the guarantee of policy implementation. The Australian federal government and the Victorian government have so far formulated comprehensive language policies for schools. Both national policy and state policy clearly stress the importance of developing the teaching of Asian languages, particularly Japanese and Chinese. These policies have promoted the teaching of Chinese language in Victorian schools to some extent. But school commitments to teaching Chinese, especially in state schools, are still on a very small scale. In most state schools, traditional views on second language teaching still give priority to European languages, or are only concerned with community languages. In the Australian education system it is the individual schools that determine what second languages they prefer to teach. Therefore, the gulf still exists between policy and policy-implementation . In community-run language schools there has been a rapid development in the teaching of Chinese language in the last five years. This reflects a strong desire by Australian citizens to learn the Chinese language and to learn about Chinese culture from people both of Chinese and non-Chinese backgrounds. The Chinese ethnic school and culture in Victoria. They are a potential student resource for formal schools, tertiary colleges, and universities. In Victoria, the teaching of Chinese language and culture at tertiary level started twenty five years ago. There has been a remarkable development in the last three years. This is reflected in a constant increase in student enrolment, the establishment of new subjects, and the development. of teaching materials. There is no doubt that the development of Sino-Australian relations will demand a great expansion in the learning and teaching of Chinese language and culture. Reinforced by the Australian government's national strategy for Asian studies, the teaching of Chinese language and culture will enter a new stage in the late twentieth century and early twenty first century.
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ItemBeyond school science: students and teachers perceptions of the science talent search( 1986)Every year the Science Teachers Association of Victoria (STAV) conducts a Science Talent Search (STS) which they maintain is one of the largest and longest running science fairs in the world. This study aimed to provide some insights into why this activity is so popular with students and teachers and to what extent it complements or provides outcomes different from school science. Information was collected by searching the archives of STAV and by interviews with teachers and students. The findings indicate that over the years STS has adapted to changes in the social and economic contexts of schooling, which have also influenced thinking about but not forced major changes in the secondary school science curriculum. This has contributed to its increased popularity with keen students and teachers as evidenced by increased participation. The students who were interviewed enjoyed and valued their experiences in STS. In particular they commented on the freedom to choose projects according to their abilities, interests and preferred modes of working. Many of their projects arose from every day life problems or recreational pursuits of themselves and their families. STS catered for a wide range of abilities and interests and provided an attractive forum for the involvement of girls in science activities. Girls said that they had gained great satisfaction from confirmation of their ability to meet challenges and solve problems relying mostly on their own resources. Based on students responses some distinctions can be made between school science and the science activities of the STS which indicate ways in which school science may need to change in order to attract and cater for a wider range of students.
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ItemGeography in Victorian government schools, 1900-1950( 1983)Geography has a long tradition as a component of the teaching programs of both the elementary and secondary schools of Britain and her former colonies. Research has shown this to be the case in nineteenth century Victoria, where Geography was seen as an important subject. The subject was taught in the Victorian secondary schools which developed in the twentieth century. This has been substantiated by French who claims that by the end of the nineteenth century 'no group of secondary schools gave an education markedly different from that given in the generality of schools, and this included Geography very traditionally.' The thesis traces the history of the teaching of Geography in government elementary and secondary schools in the period 1900-1950. 1950 was chosen as the end of the study period because an established tradition, which existed during the previous fifty years, was drawing to its end. Major changes in teaching programs occurred in elementary schools in 1954 and in secondary schools in 1956. These changes altered what had existed until the 1950s, and for this reason the period under discussion constitutes a reasonably unified whole. Initial research indicated that a wealth of material on Geography in Australian schools was available and this resulted in the decision to discuss only the government schools of Victoria. Within these government schools, the years from Preparatory through to grade ten have been considered. Certain areas have been excluded from the research in order to keep the thesis within the stated limits. One of the notable exclusions is discussion of the assessment of students. Teacher education is another area which has been largely excluded. Much material exists on both of these areas. (From Introduction)
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ItemGirls, maths and schooling: what counts( 1989)This thesis is a critical review of public discourses about the significance of mathematics and of what feminists have had to say, directly or indirectly, about this. There are four main aspects which correspond to the chapters. These are based around the following questions: 1. How is the significance of maths proclaimed? 2. How have feminists analyzed the problem of girls and schooling? 3. What are the issues raised by feminists on the problem of girls and maths? 4. What are the most significant assumptions about gender, education and society implied in the culture of maths? The material used in each chapter is largely literature which includes theoretical literature and empirical investigations. This reflects the dual approach which has been used to tackle the issues. Where it is appropriate, I have included my own experience and observations to substantiate and highlight a case. There are various standpoints within the literature on the problem addressed by this thesis, and I attempt to show that each, historically at least, is significant. I also demonstrate however that there needs to be a more critical appraisal of the girls and maths initiatives currently being explored in our schools.
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ItemSenior school chemistry in Victoria: syllabus prescription and pressure for change( 1984)A few key ideas have dominated the senior school chemistry syllabuses in Victoria. Despite pressures for change, and disclaimers to the contrary at various times, the Victorian course developers have shown a constant commitment to chemistry as an academic discipline, to the exclusion of most if not all of the societal, cultural, historical and economic aspects of the subject. In this thesis, an understanding of present courses in terms of past practice has been sought through a study of the ideas which have influenced syllabus design at various times. Some purchase on the exercise of change in school syllabuses, on the possibilities and limits to change, was obtained, although no prediction of future directions could be attempted. At the outset a decision was taken to concentrate the investigation on materials published principally for the direction of teachers whose task it was to prepare their classes for an externally set and assessed examination in chemistry. Thus, in this thesis, attention has focussed on the expressed intentions of the course developers in Victoria, as outlined in syllabuses, Course of Study and Scope of Course statements, and commentary in Circulars to Schools. Data extracted from these documents was supplemented with material from the recommended textbooks and Reports of Examiners. The former provided an extended coverage of material prescribed in the syllabuses, offering more insight into teaching sequence and depth than could, at this remove, be fairly inferred from syllabus documents alone. Commentary in the Reports of Examiners revealed more of the expectations of examiners and course developers than was apparent from the syllabuses alone. The correctives suggested by the examiners for a range of perceived shortcomings gave an indication of what was seen at various times as appropriate in schools courses. The examination papers themselves were not analyzed except for a few specific items. Although examinations have without doubt served to direct and limit teaching practice, this has not been their primary function. Selection of content, and methods of teaching specific items of content, and trends in course changes, were compared with contemporary practice in England and the United States. Chemistry method textbooks proved useful here as those available were spread approximately evenly across the whole of the period of the survey. Journal articles, except for those few which reported historical material, tended to be concentrated in the latter quarter of the century, 1955 to 1980, thus affording a much better coverage of ideas extant during that period than was the case for the earlier years. The syllabus in action, in terms of classroom practice, facilities and management, was not considered as part of this study. These factors assumed significance only in so far as they imposed limitations on the course developers. Those decisions taken revealed, in the syllabus but more so in commentary documents, the rationalization of an idealized conception of the discipline of chemistry into a form fit for school use. The view taken in this thesis was neither strictly historical nor chronological. No attempt was made to fully document the development of chemistry as a school level subject in this state. Past practice, and current overseas practice, were used rather to construct a context in which the most recent course changes in Victoria could be explained. In commenting on syllabus change, it has proved easier to identify past shortcomings than to point to a direction for the future. Trends, even though well established, can be and have been reversed. An aim shared by course developers in different countries is susceptible to quite disparate interpretations, resulting in courses with little in common. Further, as this research has been limited to publicly expressed intentions in official documents, it allowed only indirect reflection on purposes and reasons for decisions. A study complementary to this thesis in which particular periods were dealt with in greater detail, could examine the hopes and frustrations of those individuals who assumed the responsibility for the development of school level chemistry courses in Victoria. From both sorts of consideration of the studies a society chooses to impose on its children, some insight into the nature of that society and its culture could be gained.
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ItemAgency and communion in science teaching( 1991)The construction of the concept map assumes that the more closely two concepts are related in a person's cognitive structure, the more closely they will be placed on the concept map. In this research the Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling technique using ALSCAL (Alternating Least Squares Scaling) is used in the analysis of the concept map data, derived by surveying teachers from three different groups. Group 1 consisted of practicing teachers from a non-science background who taught Health and Human Relations. Group 2 consisted of Diploma of Education student teachers whose methods were Science and had completed their course though were not yet practicing teachers. Group 3 consisted of practicing teachers from a science background who taught Health and Human Relations. The results provide a basis for discussing the wisdom of practice, the maxim which provides reflective rationalization for the practices of able teachers. In this study, the wisdom of practice has been described with a focus on the responsibility of care. The findings of this study have confirmed those of earlier studies, in that it is apparent that experienced able teachers use their knowledge of what works in the class to organize their instruction. However, just what works is seen to depend on the subject the topic is taught in, as well as any perception of the subject held by teachers, students and the community. Teachers from each of the three Groups were able to organize their concept maps and provide satisfactory support material from transcribed interviews to indicate that the conceptual relations seen in the tension which exists between the concept of care and the concept of the academic is able to be described quantitatively.