Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemLearning organisations and their educational impact in a corporate environment( 1995)This thesis is a study of learning organisations and their educational impact in a corporate environment. It provides an overview of the theory of organisational learning, and of learning organisations and describes several models of learning organisations. The important principles of holism and explicitness are established. Examples of learning organisation practices in overseas enterprises are compared with two case studies of Australian organisations which are aspiring learning organisations. These practices are then critically reviewed leading to the development of a new model for learning organisations, based upon 'empowered leadership', which explains holism and explicitness in detail. It concludes by addressing the issue of what learning organisations provide educationally, using the emerging prominence of 'life-long learning' as a focus.
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ItemManagement development strategies and their contribution to organizational learning( 1998)This study investigates the role of frontline managers in bringing about change in the workplace and the ways in which the learning needs of these managers can be supported in a production environment. Within the context of economic reform and technological change, as discussed in the literature, a group of frontline managers from a rural food production company was interviewed. Their responses are discussed, in light of the current understanding of the importance of the development of the workplace as a learning environment and the valuable contribution that all forms of learning, including formal and informal learning experiences, can provide. The fieldwork indicates that the "culture" of the workplace dictates and influences the types of learning that are recognized as legitimate and, therefore, considered valuable. Whilst training opportunities for managers have been made available within the organization, these have not been specifically planned for individuals, but rather have been in response to the organization's perception of developing generic management skills. The thesis concludes that frontline managers, whilst playing a central role in bringing about positive change within the workplace, need support to develop appropriate skills and it is also clear that recognition must be given to the role of all employees, not just managers, in contributing to the development of a long-term enterprise vision.
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ItemA Review of the changes necessary to ensure the successful implementation and maintenance of a competency based training and assessment program into the Australian Customs Service( 1995)This review examines the changes necessary to to ensure the successful implementation of competency based training and assessment into the Australian Customs Service as recommended by the "Review of the Australian Customs Service and Australian Customs Service - Report of the Consultancy for a Human Resource Development Plan" completed in November 1993.
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ItemThe history of the development of specialist teaching training programmes for teachers of migrant children, 1947-1973( 1983)Information concerning the development of specialist teacher training programmes for teachers of migrant children is fragmentary, being scattered through some 130 published and unpublished documents. The aim of this thesis has been to present, with some degree of order and continuity, that information in a single volume. The resulting compilation is largely descriptive, though some analysis and interpretation could not be avoided. To supplement and to substantiate some of the data collated from the numerous documents, the experiences of a number of teachers who have taught significant proportions of migrant children between 1947 and 1973 have been related. Some of these experiences were gathered by means of a questionnaire which was completed by teachers who had responded to advertisements placed by the writer in The Sun (August 4, 1983) and The Age (August 15, 1983). The advertisements are included as Appendix A.1, and the questionnaire as Appendix A.2. Other experiences were gathered by means of personal interviews with a number of teachers. A full list of all persons from whom information was gathered appears as Appendix A.3. The paper concentrates on the development of specialist teacher training programmes within the Federal and State education systems, with only brief mention of developments within the Catholic education system. Such concentration is not intended to reflect a view that efforts made by the Catholic Church towards the problems of migrant children are insignificant. Indeed, the Catholic schools bore a very substantial share of the influx of migrant children and faced immense educational difficulties as a result, yet they succeeded in making as good a job as possible under the circumstances. Because the history of developments within the Catholic education system is a considerable area on its own, and because much material in that area has already been documented by Carmel O'Dwyer (Responses of Government and Catholic Educational Authorities to the influx of migrants, 1950-1960, with special reference to the experience of a selected group of schools conducted by the Victorian Sisters of Mercy),1 Michael Elliot (Migrant Education in Fitzroy, 1965-1975),2 and Denis Moore (The initial response to the migrant presence in four inner suburban Christian Brothers' schools as revealed in the inspectors' reports and other available sources),3 those developments are not included in this history. The population elements to which the discussion refers to as 'migrants' are those people from 'non-English speaking' origin, excluding Aboriginals. 1. Unpublished Master of Education Thesis, University of Melbourne, 1977. 2. Unpublished Master of Education Thesis, University of Melbourne, 1977. 3. Unpublished Master of Education Thesis, University of Melbourne, 1981. The introductory chapter briefly outlines the Federal Government's immediate steps to provide some training for teachers of adult migrants, and serves to highlight the official indifference outlined by Chapters II, III and IV, to the needs of training for teachers of migrant children until the late sixties when short in-service training courses were introduced. Chapter V traces the history of these short courses. Chapter VI presents the development of in-service teacher training under the Child Migrant Education Programme, the development of some tertiary courses leading to awards, and the development of pre-service courses, all of which take place in the emerging notion of 'multiculturalism'. The initial assumption levelled at teachers of migrant children was that no special training in migrant education was necessary because no special effort was necessary to teach migrant children. If teachers were kindly and understanding, and approached the problem with good sense, migrant children in their care would be rapidly assimilated. Requests for specialist help were made as early as 1954, but a general lack of appreciation of the problem by administrators ensured that these requests were unheeded. The contents of the Haines Report and the Dovey Report in the late fifties vindicated the belief that teachers of migrants did not require special training. The Dovey Report in particular lulled disquiet about the problems of migrant school children, for the four years immediately following its release witnessed only a few ad hoc and unco-ordinated attempts to draw attention to the need for teacher training. By the mid-sixties, however, a number of changes in educational thought were responsible for some new developments in migrant education. It became a public issue, and a number of surveys highlighted its needs. The result was the introduction in Victoria in 1968 of some short in-service teacher training courses. The inadequacies of these courses were soon felt. A survey conducted in New South Wales in 1969 prompted the Commonwealth Government to assume responsibility for the development, management and financial control of child migrant education. Financial assistance was provided to cover the cost of special training courses for teachers, in the method of teaching English as a foreign language. These four-week courses were introduced in 1970. At the same time, and in the setting of a developing notion of multicultural education, the first specialized teacher training course in migrant education to be offered by an Australian tertiary institution was developed. This course led to the award of the Diploma of Migrant Teaching, and commenced at Armidale Teachers' College in 1973. By the end of 1973, some other tertiary institutions were developing graduate and pre-service courses. The history of the development of specialist teacher training programmes obviously does not end in 1973. That year was chosen as the cut-off date for this history for two reasons. Firstly it was, as stated previously, the year in which the first specialized course was offered by an Australian tertiary institution. Secondly, by 1973 the stage was set, in terms of an awareness of the urgent need for pre-service and in-service teacher training,, for the developments that were to take place from 1973 to the present time.4 4. Cf. L. Sislov, Conceptions of Bilingual Education; the contexts in which conceptions emerge and certain practical pedagogical initiations emerging therefrom in Australia and other countries. Unpublished Master of Education Thesis, University of Melbourne, 1982, Chapters 9 and 10.
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ItemThe nature and organization of secondary "method" programmes in teacher education : a comparison between selected institutions in Australia and England( 1977)Although Method of Teaching courses are conducted in all institutions preparing secondary teachers in Victoria, South Australia and England (the regions examined in this thesis), little research has been conducted in this field. Programmes tend to be derived from a combination of factors: personal teaching experience, intuitive judgements about student needs, the practice of colleagues and their comments on the lecturer's own course, and folklore. Whilst the survey on which this thesis is based revealed that instruction in teaching techniques and curriculum design and the provision of information about resources are given high priority in Method courses, this seems to be the result of a pragmatic rather than a coherently developed theoretical approach to the problem of what should be included in such courses. There is a lack of agreement among the lecturers responsible for this aspect of teacher education on the most effective way of building Method of Teaching into the administrative structures. The existing patterns - either including Method in academic subject departments or incorporating Method in a School or Department of Education - have their advantages and disadvantages. It would seem that historical and political rather than strictly educational reasons account for the particular format chosen in each institution. The survey showed that the staff who plan and teach courses in Method are either part-time practising teachers or have taught in schools in recent years, and the majority have less experience in tertiary education than other colleagues in the institution. This may explain why their status is relatively low and why they have rarely managed to develop structures which could enhance their group identity. In this thesis, some possible ways of developing both such a sense of identity and a more informed awareness of the major aims of courses in Method have been examined, and some new approaches to course review and development have been suggested.
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ItemChanging conceptions in vocational education and training: TAFE teachers' approaches to teaching( 1995)This study undertakes a preliminary examination of TAFE teachers' approaches to teaching, with the aim of improving the quality of learning in vocational education and training. Research suggests that there are two ways of conceiving the purpose, or outcomes, of learning: quantitative and qualitative. A qualitative conception sees learning as a qualitative change in how the subject is conceived, rather than a quantitative increase in knowledge. In this conception students move from lower level conceptions of a phenomenon towards a higher level, or expert's, conception, linked to high quality learning outcomes. For conceptual change to occur students need to take a deep approach to their learning. Several factors influence learners to take deep approaches to learning. One factor is teachers' approaches to teaching, which are in turn influenced by their conceptions, or theories, of learning and teaching, which are in turn influenced by cultural and ideological forces. The study considers some of these issues within the training sector. A distinction is made between intention and strategy in teachers' approaches to teaching. The congruence between intention and strategy is examined. The study hypothesised that contextual factors in the training would influence TAFE teachers' intentions to see learning as a quantitative acquisition of skills and knowledge. While the study is only preliminary, the findings support a relationship between teachers' intentions and strategies, consistent with findings in other studies. The study identifies two other factors that influence TAFE teachers' approaches to teaching: the conception of the occupation or profession towards which their teaching is directed; and conceptions of training and competency. The study suggests that to improve the quality of learning in TAFE requires TAFE teachers to change their conception of learning and teaching to one that encourages conceptual change in learners. The study concludes with suggestions for research and teacher professional development in vocational education and training.
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ItemVision and the work life of nursing educational leaders( 1992)The purpose of this study was to examine the visions and work life of twelve nursing educational leaders. The notion of vision and leadership are closely associated. The concept that leaders are guided by a vision of a preferred future is widely accepted. The questions that this study addressed were: What does vision mean in the work life of nursing educators? Do all nursing leaders have a vision? If they do, how do their visions emerge? What impact, if any, does vision have on the careers of the nursing educational leaders? The qualitative method of research was used and data were gathered by interviewing twelve nursing educational leaders from the city of Melbourne and the towns of Geelong and Frankston. The group represented a variety of roles, types of school and gender. The data were analysed according to the above questions and connections were drawn between these twelve nursing educational leaders and their work lives. It was found that all nursing educational leaders had visions that were universal and organisational in nature. Although three of the leaders stated that they did not have a vision, it was obvious from their goals that they were committed to an image of a preferred future for nursing education. A vision that all these leaders aspired to was tertiary education for all nurses. With regards to the impact of vision on their careers, five of the twelve leaders believed that the position increased their ability to achieve their visions. Five believed it was other things, and two claimed that the position did not help them to achieve their visions. All of the nursing educational leaders had diverse career paths and were all committed to further education. The assumption of a formal role in education was important for seven of the twelve nursing educational leaders, whereas four of the participants were undecided and one disagreed. An interesting aspect of this study was that most saw the formal role as teaching within a classroom. Their visions did affect the working life of these twelve nursing educational leaders and although providing them with a sense of purpose, they also presented them with a struggle!
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ItemResearch priorities in accounting education( 1993)This study addresses the issue of research into the education process within the accounting discipline. In the first stage of the study a comprehensive review of all literature relating to accounting education is carried out with the intention of codifying and classifying work done by Australian accounting academics in this field. In the second stage, accounting academics in Victoria were surveyed to ascertain their views as to the importance and relevance of research into accounting education issues from the viewpoint of the accounting profession and themselves as individual academics. A priority rank list is developed to identify the items that are considered of most importance and which have the greatest potential from a research perspective. Accounting common core of knowledge, quality of teaching, utilisation of computers in accounting courses, communication skills and student success emerge as the most important issues worthy of future research attention. The final stage compares these priority areas as identified by the respondents to the survey, with the work done to date as evidenced by the literature reviewed.
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ItemTraining needs of small business( 1990)Research in the area of Small Business has regularly pointed to the high failure rate, especially for those businesses in their early years of operation. These studies frequently recommend the need for more training of the small business owner/manager. If training is to be successful it must address a need which has been observed. To enable the training of the small business owner/manager to be more effective their needs must be ascertained. This study examines a sample of small business owner/managers and their attitudes to and requirements for training. Small business owner/managers were questioned about their present and desired levels of knowledge, skills and attitudes relating to small business management. By making a comparison of the desired levels with present levels the most commonly occurring gaps in owner/managers' knowledge, skills and attitudes were identified. These have been defined as training needs of this group. These needs are further categorised according to the profiles of the owners. From the survey results training needs have been identified and target groups highlighted for improved marketing of courses by the various providers of small business training.
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ItemThe institutional provision for the education of intending teachers: a comparative study of changes in Canada and Australia( 1972)The thesis which has been explored has been that one major determinant of change in the institutional provision for the education of intending teachers has been the school system itself. This has acted partly through the numerical demands for teachers and also through qualitative changes in schools. Such things as the type of primary and secondary education, the curriculum, and the numbers of children at school in each age level all seem related to changes in the way that teacher education is provided. A theoretical basis for such a hypothesis has been developed and the hypothesis then tested through a consideration of the pattern of changes in Australia and Canada. In both countries teacher education systems can be considered to have evolved from a fundamentally dichotomous model. The education of secondary teachers had taken place in the universities while that of intending primary teachers took place in specialist institutions controlled by the employing authority. As the distinction between elementary and secondary education became less marked so there occurred changes in the pattern of teacher education. In Australia the changes in the provision of teacher education in the late sixties and early seventies have followed a period when there was an expansion of secondary school enrolments and a series of curriculum changes at both the primary and secondary level. In Canada a more detailed comparison of changes in each province was made and a similar relation emerged. Those provinces which first made changes in the provision of teacher education were those which experienced first an expansion of secondary school enrolments and an intensive period of curriculum revision. As a result of these comparisons it is suggested that these changes in schools are best described as initiating factors in this change. A comparison of the different form of the changes which occurred in Australia and Canada suggests that to some extent the nature of the general provision of tertiary education in a given country can be regarded as a formative factor in the changes discussed. The solutions to the problem of a need to change the control of teacher education which have been adopted in each of these countries have been coloured by the form of tertiary education which prevailed. It is suggested that while these factors are contributing rather than controlling factors, and that while they do not provide a closed set of determinants, at least this is a useful framework for discussing these changes. They may also provide a useful starting point for a further analysis of the provision of teacher education in other countries.