Melbourne Graduate School of Education - Theses

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    The admission process and initial performance of mature-age students who enter higher education via non-academic routes
    Nankervis, Susan Frances ( 2004)
    This study examined a subgroup of mature-age students who had entered university via non-academic routes. The study sought to identify the group; examine the admissions processes used and the efficacy of the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) within those processes; and explore how the students performed in their first year of study. For the purposes of the study, 'non-academic background' was defined as non-completion of secondary school and/or limited study since leaving school. Data was gathered from a subgroup of applicants through VTAC, and from three case study Schools, via student questionnaires, staff and student interviews and general results data. Only small numbers of mature-age students from non-academic backgrounds enter university, consistently about 3 - 5 per cent of the first year population across Australia. This is a smaller rate than in the past. While the focus of admissions requirements is based on evidence of academic ability, there are still routes available for applicants to provide other forms of evidence. STAT remains a well-regarded instrument for providing evidence of academic potential. On the basis of the study's findings, the admission of students from non-academic backgrounds appears to be a worthwhile exercise, both for the university, which gains committed, high performing students, and for the students themselves, who are able to achieve personal success while preparing for a career change that they hope will be satisfying.
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    Learning literacy : a case study of the development of English literacy skills in two adult ESL students
    Rao, Usha ( 1997)
    This minor thesis reports on the findings of a study done of two adult international students of English as a Second Language. The study attempts to outline the issue of difficulties experienced by these students while learning to write in English in preparation for tertiary studies in Australia. The main aim of the study was to attempt to illustrate that international students need to be instructed by their teachers in how to write in the genre required for tertiary study. An attempt was made to measure the language level of the two students to determine how thoroughly prepared they were in the genre they were mainly required to write in their tertiary study. For these two students, this genre was business report writing. It was realised that although the two students had received practice in responding to General English writing tasks, they had not been taught how to write business reports. This conclusion was drawn through the study in which qualitative techniques of research and text analysis were used. Firstly, the students were given a series of reading and writing tasks to perform to determine their levels of English at the start of the study. At the end of the study there was a similar set of tasks for the students to perform. Secondly, the students and two of their teachers were interviewed. The students tried to reveal their perception of what their English Language intensive courses had taught them. The teachers who had taught these students attempted, through their responses to the interview questions, to outline the objectives of the courses they had delivered Thirdly, the students' attempt at writing report genres in their tertiary study was commented upon. At the end a short business report was selected as the target text and this was analysed. Systemic functional grammar was drawn upon to analyse the target text. The analysis of this model text was used to compare the analyses of the responses of the students to business report writing tasks. A summary of the findings is presented in this thesis and comparisons made in order to come to a conclusion that there does exist a need for overseas students intending to go on to further tertiary study to be taught explicitly through deconstruction of model texts by the teacher. The genre of the model text has to be directly related to the tertiary course of study that the students are going to follow. The students need to be provided with close guidance by their teachers, and constant practice of the genre is required.
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    Formal adult education in Victoria, 1890 to 1950
    Wesson, Alfred ( 1971)
    This history deals mainly with four official groups: a sub-committee of the University of Melbourne, the Extension Board; a voluntary agency symbiotic with the university, the Workers' Educational Association; the Joint Committee of these two; and a later, separate statutory body, the Council of Adult Education. Because, however, it is concerned with education it also takes note of some social history, history of ideas, and biographies. Adult education in Victoria has always been an offering made by its providers, rather than the result of a demand from potential students; and the innovations made, as each provision proved inappropriate to the community, have been based on an ideal or an idea. Those ideas appear to have been formed largely from two sets of pre-suppositions: some overall view of the nature of man, and some view of educational rigour - what degree of systematic teaching or learning was appropriate. In particular, the period under review saw the end of the motivating force of philanthropy in adult education, and the rise of something closer to the concept of a welfare service for all taxpayers. Chapter One covers the background of ideas abroad before 1891, and the institutions that embodied them in Victoria. Chapter Two takes the beginning of University Extension as the first major provision of adult education, embodying a philanthropic ideal originating in England. Chapter Three introduces the W.E.A., who challenged philanthropy and achieved state subsidy for the learning of the workers, now called upon by universal suffrage to share in government. The workers failed to cooperate with the movement, and Chapter Four details the hopelessness of both the Extension and the W.E.A. ideals as guides to practice, and the consequent parasitism of the Victorian W.E.A. on the university. Chapter Five covers the rejection of the W.E.A. from its entanglement in the counsels and finances of the university, its eventual extinction, and the successful move of the Director of Extension to push the management of adult education off the campus. Chapter Six is a brief overview.
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    An investigative model for implementing the Certificate of General Education for Adults
    Purdey, Margaret ( 1995)
    The study is concerned with the implementation of the competency-based credential, the Certificate of General Education for Adults at two different education providers in Victoria, Australia. It establishes one model of implementation derived from theoretical research into educational change management and from selected documentation of competency-based credentials in the UK and Australia in the period 1988 to 1994. The model is tested at the Study Sites, for acceptability to teaching and co-ordinating staff, using selected variables. It is also used to collect data on the implementation experiences of the respondents. Data collected confirms the acceptability of the model to respondents at the two Sites and the statistical insignificance of differences in the responses. Interpretation of the qualitative data on implementation provides information on the characteristics of the change itself and the roles and influences of associated parties, including teachers and management and external policy makers. It identifies some themes of successful change management, notably the importance of monitoring implementation processes, collaboration among parties involved and the value of initiative taking. Evidence of the organisational and pedagogic impact of the implementation, at the study sites, is assessed. The role, content and focus of an encompassing professional development program, which emphasises collegiality, partnership and flexibility, as an essential adjunct to successful implementation, is explored.
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    Teachers as cultural workers in TAFE
    Senior, Kim Ann ( 2004)
    In democratic, plural societies teachers and educational institutions play a key role in the socialisation and development of the collective, cultural consciousness of students. If the goal of such development is a civil and democratic society, pedagogical practice has implications not only for student outcomes but also for the broader community. Technical and Further Education (TAFE) delivers post-compulsory education to more than a million students at secondary schools, TAFE campuses and workplaces across Australia. Historically homogeneous, TAFE institutions and teachers are expected to prepare students for, and teach in, an increasingly heterogeneous environment. This qualitative study set out to investigate at one TAFE institute: # what TAFE teachers know or understand about cultural diversity and its impact on their classrooms; # the ways in which TAFE teachers believe they address the issues arising from cultural diversity; and # effective professional development to support teachers. The study found that teacher understanding about cultural diversity and its impact on classrooms was predominately limited to discussion about international students. Teachers described strategies that focused on student needs and attitudes that promote positive relationships with students as the means by which they address cultural diversity in the classroom. The study also found that while most teachers had engaged in reflective practice in dealing with tensions within the classroom environment, some felt ill prepared for changes to their teaching environment. Finally, the study has identified the need for professional development that will develop teachers' cultural awareness beyond an explanation of 'other' and provide opportunity for collaborative pedagogical discussion.
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    The educative role of a parish school and community
    O'Brien, Anne (1932-) ( 1991)
    Catholic parishes are undergoing radical changes today. Their mission of education is holistic and embraces a birth to death span. This study focused on the changes which had taken place in families from the time of the initiation of their eldest child into the community until nine years later when that child shared in the first meal ritual of the community. Multiple case studies and the outcomes of interviews were analysed using grounded theory. Interviews were conducted with a population of school families; conclusions were reached and an emergent theory proposed. As expected, the articulation of concepts proved difficult for parents. Growth is related to realms of meaning through which the educative process takes place; to cultural consciousness and to the respective life cycle of parents and their children. Overall, a degree of growth was reported by most respondents especially in terms of self-esteem, positive changes in attitudes towards the church, and access to support systems. The insights revealed by this study indicate that the parish primary school acts as a catalyst for the re-entry of parents into the community; that the climate of the community, the style of leadership, the participative decision-making processes and the pedagogical processes of the parish and the school are determining factors both in the effectiveness of the educational enterprise and in the ultimate survival of the community.
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    Live and learn: a plan for an educated citizenry
    Cumming, Ian ( 1946)
    The creators and improvers of Attic prose, the chief literary and most elegant language of ancient Greece, were the Sophists, who flourished in the latter half of the 5th century B.C. They were really a class of teachers or popular lecturers which met the demand for education among the people in those days. It is extremely doubtful if they had any common philosophical doctrine. Grote has disproved the traditional view of the Sophists that their intellectualism was characterised by scepticism and ethical egoism; this charge is still made against adult educators: Whatever criticism might be made of the Sophists - Socrates and Plato opposed them - they made a definite contribution to culture. Adult education had its genesis with them. They introduced the people to a wide range of general knowledge, they led their listeners into discussions, they investigated history, poetry, mathematics and science. The fact that they received fees for their courses and made a livelihood out of their teaching did not commend itself to the Greece of that time. It is strange how history repeats itself; even today there is a reluctance on the part of some individuals to pay teachers in order that they might make a livelihood: From the time of the Sophists, philosophers of all hues have agreed on the point that education is a lifelong process. It is no matter for congratulation that today we are far from applying that fact. When the franchise was extended greatly during the last century and politicians decided that, in their own interests, their masters should be educated, the education provided was confined to childhood. Some years ago H. G. Wells surprised a complacent world by declaring that we must choose between education and catastrophe. We know now which prevailed. But because we have suffered a world catastrophe, the primary and secondary schools are not to be castigated. The children could have done nothing to avert this conflict; the older generation, the adults, with parochial prejudices, should have served this world better. It should be the supreme aim of a democratic state to have an informed and intelligent citizenry; democracy is sustained by education. (From Introduction)
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    An evaluation of fleximode as a mode of provision for the VCE to adult students
    McMaster, Amanda ( 1991)
    Fleximode is the combination of study on-campus(i.e. attending classes) and off campus (i.e. private study using structured study materials). It is designed for people who cannot attend regular classes, but who prefer more support than is available through off-campus, or correspondence study alone. The study examines literature relating to similar modes of provision overseas and in Victoria. It reveals divergent views about the comparative merits of faceto- face and distance learning. The study reviews the provision of the VCE to adults by Fleximode across Victoria in 1987. Key players identified advantages: flexibility for students in pacing their studies, cost-effectiveness, and providing access to VCE studies for a group of adults who would otherwise not be able to return to study. On the other hand, many commented on the difficulties arising from the small size of groups and the lack of stable class composition in establishing a group identity and support system. Questionnaires from students showed that most chose Fleximode because it was seen as better than correspondence, and that employment prevented more frequent class attendance. Most found on-campus and off-campus components of Fleximode equally valuable. A case-study demonstrated that Fleximode students all achieved less than they would have in a regular VCE class. Small class sizes were valuable for addressing specific needs, but meant that less class discussion was possible, and the mode allowed less time for exam preparation and practice. The evidence suggests that Fleximode is a better option than correspondence in terms of student retention, learning outcomes, and successful course completion. Students have the best chance for success in face-to-face programs, but Fleximode should be developed to replace correspondence study for the new VCE for adults, and for carefully targetted groups who cannot participate in on campus programs.
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    Accommodation and resistance: the adult and community education sector response to competency-based training 1985-1995
    Gillespie, Ross M. ( 1996)
    The thesis examines the Adult and Community Education (ACE) sector response to Federal Government vocational education and training reforms, and particularly Competency-Based Training, during the period 1985-1995. The government, motivated by its inability to meet a burgeoning demand for vocational training, has courted ACE authorities and adult educators to gear more of their educational effort to meeting workforce needs as a partner in a generously funded national reform process. The characteristics which define ACE as a separate sector and the rationale for, and claimed benefits of, the vocational education and training reforms are documented. It is shown that much of the reform process and CBT, in particular, is at odds with the ideologies, purposes and education traditions of ACE. These differences and the manner in which the reforms have been imposed, have kindled a massive debate and polarization of opinion about educational philosophy and practice in Australia. Obstacles to the successful implementation of reform are examined from an ACE perspective. These include: a perceived lingering ignorance and prejudice about ACE within government and other education and training sectors, the deliberate avoidance of criticism and debate about CBT by government agencies, a shifting new training discourse which has displaced valued language in education, and a perceived inadequate economic rationale for the CBT approach to education. In addition, a number of claims about the value of the CBT doctrine are challenged and discussed, including its unsuitability for all curriculum, the inadequacies in the notion of 'competence' and finally, the view argued by CBT proponents, that there is no difference between education and training. Evidence is also offered to demonstrate the substantial successes and benefits of the VET reform process, including those for ACE students. However, although the ACE sector has accommodated many of the changes, it has continued to oppose CBT, in particular, seeking a more holistic approach to curriculum. One response to this, which is described in the thesis, was the development of a Competency-Based Learning model between 1992 and 1994, which, for hundreds of adult educators, accommodated their concerns about CBT, in that it provided options, flexibility, a defined holistic description of learning and most of all, it respected the key tenets of adult education ideology.
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    Private and public providers in the open training market
    Anderson, Damon ( 1994)
    This thesis examines the nature, role and significance of private training provision from an intersectoral perspective, and in the context of the emerging training market in Australia. In so doing, it explores and charts the terrain of a hitherto neglected sector of post-secondary vocational education and training (VET). The report begins by examining the historical and policy context in which private providers have assumed unprecedented importance. It traces the emergence of the 'open training market' (OTM) as the central organising principle of the National Training Reform Agenda, and defines the underlying principles and forces shaping its development. This analysis establishes the link between the OTM and the rise to prominence of private training providers and argues that the OTM is transforming the structure and balance of the post-secondary VET sector. The lack of prior research on private training providers and the private/public interface in the VET sector is highlighted in a review of relevant international and Australian literature. Various taken-for-granted assumptions about the nature and contribution of private providers are identified. Major gaps are identified in our knowledge about private training providers and the development of training markets. The nature and extent of private training provision is then examined on the basis of information collected via national surveys of training authorities. A detailed comparative analysis of the structure, culture and educational profile of private and public providers is undertaken on the basis of six major case studies of commercial and TAFE colleges. This analysis provides the basis for identifying the distinguishing characteristics of private and public provision. It examines their relative positions in the training market, factors affecting their growth and development, and major trends in the training market. The views and perspectives of providers and clients on the private/public alternatives and barriers to the effective implementation of the training market are explored. A series of key policy issues are identified and the implications of adopting a market-based approach to the provision of VET are examined. The thesis concludes that a parallel private training sector is undergoing formation in Australia. It argues that while certain key differences persist, the roles and relationships of private and public providers are being altered in some fundamental ways by the transition to an OTM, and that the nature of VET itself is being redefined in the process. In view of these trends and the potential implications of the shift to a fully fledged market paradigm, serious questions are raised about the current directions of government VET policy.