Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemAn analysis of how an innovation is disseminated by using the origins of the vertical curriculum concept in Victorian State Secondary Schools( 1985)The purpose of this investigation was twofold. One aim was to discover the origins of the vertical curriculum structure that has made a considerable impact on state secondary schools in the last decade. The other aim was to establish how the idea spread throughout the system and why schools made this major change away from the horizontal curriculum. Three research methods were used in this study. Firstly, Education Department Secondary School Handbooks were studied to identify the vertically structured schools in 1975 and 1982. Secondly, a telephone survey was undertaken in order to find more information about each of the forty-four vertical models discovered in the 1983 Handbook. This survey also enabled the original innovative schools to be identified, key individuals to be established and communication links between schools to be drawn up. Finally, the key carriers of the concept were interviewed to gain in depth information on the innovation. The outcome from the data collected should assist in the understanding of how a major curriculum change can disseminate throughout the schools in an education system. These implications should apply to educational systems outside of both Victoria and Australia.
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ItemMandated curriculum change, the Victorian experience : the impact of the VCE on the practice, tools, and beliefs of teachers in three schools( 1998)This study aimed to explore the extent to which the externally mandated curriculum change - the VCE - had resulted in change in teacher practice, use of tools and beliefs. The study intended to discover if, as in other experiences of mandated curriculum reform, beliefs in the imposed system would follow a change in practice. This was done by the use of both quantitative and qualitative means. Teachers of the VCE in three schools were surveyed in this study. it was not the intention of the study to comment on the VCE itself, but on the way teachers believe it is best serving the cohort of students with whom they work. As the literature would suggest is true for mandated curriculum reforms, teachers in this study demonstrated change in many aspects of practice and the adoption of new tools. However, there are a number of aspects of the VCE which teachers believe are not serving the best interests of all students. Teachers in this study viewed positively those aspects of the VCE that allowed them the flexibility to cater adequately for all students. Those aspects of the VCE which posed difficulties were those that restricted the ability of teachers to cater adequately for all students.
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ItemCurriculum coordination in practice( 1996)The implementation of whole-school curriculum change is a challenge faced by principals and senior staff with curriculum leadership responsibilities. Success depends on the cooperation and commitment of all teachers in a school, so that curriculum leaders require skills for manoeuvring groups of teachers towards a common goal. In Victorian government secondary schools the Curriculum Coordinator, an experienced teacher, is charged with overseeing curriculum change, and this customarily entails chairing a Curriculum Committee, the composition of which is invariably dominated by teachers. Schwab (1983) writes about the creation of a similar role in American schools, and proffers suggestions for the role and training of a curriculum coordinator and the composition of a curriculum committee, in order to encourage a refocussing on the liberal democratic traditions of education. This study uses Schwab's views as a reference point for examining the work of three experienced Curriculum Coordinators in Victorian government schools, who shared their stories with the author, himself a practising Curriculum Coordinator. Each participant in the study was asked to reflect on a Critical Incident of whole-school curriculum change, for which they had responsibility, and which influenced the ways in which they carried out the role of Curriculum Coordinator. The sharing of these reflections benefits both researcher and participant alike (Tripp, (1994)) and can offer insights into the skills and knowledge employed by effective curriculum leaders. Interpretation of the Critical Incidents provided a framework by which curriculum change can be analysed. The effect of the educational culture of a school, the status of the Curriculum Coordinator in the school and the extent to which the proposed curriculum change affects existing participant areas cumulatively influence the successful implementation. A number of writers identify teachers as inhibitors of change (eg: Cowie (1995), Weiss (1995) and Little (1990)), and the management and communication skills of effective Curriculum Coordinators are tested by this resistance. The stories presented confirm the notion of curriculum leadership as a practical, multi-faceted activity, and each participant has developed professionally through the practical execution of their roles. While each story is unique, the participants shared a common view of whole-school curriculum leadership as a collaborative exercise, focussed on improving educational outcomes for their students.
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ItemMaking connections from the classroom to professional context : using problem-based learning to enhance engineering education( 2000)Problem-based learning (PBL) is presented as an educational reform that is particularly relevant for professional education programs. This study investigated the use of PBL to enhance the quality of students' learning in Professional Skills, a first year engineering subject at Swinburne University of Technology. The major aims for Professional Skills are to develop students' communication skills and to provide them with an introduction to the engineering profession. PBL was selected because of the use of a professional context to demonstrate the relevance of learning and the approach to developing students' abilities for self-directed and life-long learning. PBL requires different understandings and approaches to teaching and learning than are typical of existing practices in engineering education. An action research method was used to guide the development of curriculum and teaching practices because of the role of action research in providing support for teachers to improve their educational understandings and practices. The study examines two action research cycles of curriculum development, teaching and learning during 1995. Qualitative research methods were used to investigate teachers' and students' experiences of teaching and learning to inform the progressive curriculum improvement and evaluation. The findings from the study provide insight into both the characteristics of PBL that enhance the quality of students' learning and strategies that contribute to an on-going process of supporting change and improvement in curriculum and teaching practices. Students identified four thematic issues that were central to their motivation and engagement in learning. These issues were: being able to see the relevance of their learning to their future careers, collaborative learning in class and their project teams, their opportunities for active involvement and input into learning decisions, and a supportive learning environment in which they received guidance and feedback on their progress. Teaching and learning in the PBL curriculum was a new and challenging experience for both engineering teachers and students. The collaborative action research process assisted teachers to develop the skills and confidence to utilise new approaches to teaching and learning. The relevance of these findings to achieving the cultural change advocated by the 1996 Review of Engineering Education (lEAust 1996) is examined.
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ItemProfessional development as work-based, collective learning : a study of curriculum implementation and change( 1997)Change is now synonymous with education. Curriculum and school organisational reform currently infiltrate every aspect of school life, with teachers in many instances expected to take on myriad initiatives and school improvement proposals. This study, of curriculum change and implementation, was designed to gain insight into effective change processes and the learning opportunities provided to support teachers as significant curriculum reforms were introduced. The Early Literacy Research Project (ELRP) was used as vehicle for this study. Schools participating in the ELRP were to implement a comprehensive approach to literacy teaching and learning for students in the early years of schooling with the design of the project providing significant support for teaching teams as changes were introduced. A selective and focussed review of literature relating to the process of change in schools has been completed. This is discussed in relation to Matthew Mile's Triple I Model which outlines stages and factors in the change process. Particular emphasis has been given to literature which links teacher learning to the process of change, focussing on teacher collaboration and collective, work-embedded learning. The aim of the study was to monitor the process of change in ELRP schools and to identify the factors which supported teachers as they endeavoured to make significant and sustainable changes to their teaching programs. The study was seen as an opportunity to consider the relevance of the Triple I Model as a means of interpreting change in schools. A case study approach to the research task, using observations, interviews, document analysis and questionnaires, facilitated the monitoring of the process of curriculum implementation in ELRP schools. Throughout the study the intention was to record the 'teacher voice' during the change process to ensure the validity and authenticity of insights gained throughout this dissertation. The results indicated that change is far from a linear process. Stages and factors within the change process were seen to overlap and occur simultaneously as changes were implemented. The study highlighted the importance of specific change factors and in particular those which related to teacher learning and collaboration. It emphasised the key role personnel responsible for change can play when this role is well resourced and linked to the provision of work-based professional development. The study also promoted discussion in relation to placement of a number of factors within the change model. This led to the development of an adaptation of the Triple I Model. It is suggested that this revised model provides a conceptual frame which may be used to assist schools in planning, monitoring and explaining authentic school reform projects. iv
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ItemCurriculum policy in the crucible of change: implementing curriculum policy (the Curriculum & Standards Framework) in state schools in Victoria in a time of rapid change, 1995 to 1999( 2001)"When I became Minister for Education, there was no common curriculum for Victorian schools for students in years Prep through 10. In effect, schools taught what they liked." This was Minister Don Hayward's view of what he found when he became Minister for Education in Victoria in 1992. His response was a sweeping reform of Victorian education which included the Curriculum and Standards Framework. This thesis examines the question, "What factors affect the ways in which the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF) has been implemented in Victorian state schools since 1995?" It presents findings which indicate that teachers in schools did not wholeheartedly embrace the CSF as a curriculum policy. The perceptions, attitudes and actions of teachers have significant effects upon the Victorian Government's desire to reform education in line with national and international trends towards outcomes-based curricula and as part of a move to centralised control of curriculum which paralleled a movement to the devolution of control of resources within the Schools of the Future initiative. The attitudes, perceptions and actions of the teachers in the schools in the study are seen to have lessened the effectiveness of the implementation of the CSF in those schools. Drawing upon the work of a number of authorities on the implementation of public policy, the study reveals the success of the implementation of the CSF to be mixed. The study further reveals lessons which, if learned from the implementation of the CSF in its first form, will be useful in the implementation of CSFII from 2001 and in the implementation of other curriculum policies in the future.
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ItemTeachers, change and integrated curriculum( 1992)This study describes and analyses a process of change sought through a professional development program about integrated curriculum. A yearlong, school-based program was planned and carried out by the staff of one school in conjunction with the researcher who acted as an outside agent of change. The study had a number of purposes: (1) to explore the roles developed by an outside agent of change in assisting teachers' planning and teaching of integrated curriculum; (2) to examine the way in which teachers developed and changed in relation to integrated curriculum; and (3) to examine factors which appeared to facilitate the process of change towards the planning and implementation of integrated curriculum. The research design drew from ethnographic and action research methodologies and was based on a naturalistic paradigm. Several data sources were used. Extensive data were gathered from four teachers through interviews, written document analysis and participant observation. Three key informants including teachers and observers of the program provided additional data through interview. The remaining staff presented a third source of data through observation, written responses and self- evaluations. A detailed journal, kept by the researcher throughout the study, served a range of important functions including the diversification and triangulation of data. Final analysis of the data provided insight into the nature. of the role of the outside agent of change. In providing input, facilitating the process of change, responding to and challenging teachers, aspects of this role emerged as multidimensional and interdependent. Success in this role depended on a close understanding of individual teachers; the culture of the school; and the nature of integrated curriculum. Teacher change in relation to the implementation of integrated curriculum varied amongst individuals. Collectively, however, teachers developed a clearer conceptual framework in which to plan. They fine-tuned or re-examined their use of resources, selection of content and attention to children's prior and developing understandings. In facilitating the change process, integrated curriculum emerged as a powerful vehicle through which acknowledged characteristics of effective professional development could be fostered in a purposeful way.
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ItemLanguage and thinking in action: how one primary teacher supports her students to enact and articulate their thinking( 2007)This study investigated how one teacher facilitates dialogue with and between primary-aged students, to assist their thinking, at a time when the introduction of a new curriculum in Victoria is placing explicit demands on teachers to meet rigorous standards in students' thinking. Its aim was to identify exploratory (Mercer 2002) or dialogic interactions (Wells 1999) in the context of problem-based or inquiry learning, so that educators will better understand how language-based techniques and prompts promote students' thinking and learning. A review of the current and relevant literature revealed that classroom-based research focusing on the relationship between language, thinking and learning as theorised by Lev Vygotsky and Michael Halliday, emphasises the important role of the teacher in challenging and extending students' thinking. A qualitative case study of the language generated by the teacher working mainly with a small group of her students was undertaken and discourse analytic techniques were applied to the data. The main findings of the study relate to (i) the teacher's use of some dialogic techniques that supported students' thinking and learning and (ii) alternatively the teacher's under-exploitation of teachable moments to fully promote students' thinking and learning using exploratory language.
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ItemImplementing a curriculum change: extending the school day( 1994)The use of time as a flexible resource in education is an important element in the future direction of Australian schools. This particular research examines the feasibility of implementing an extended hours program at an independent school in Southern Tasmania; St.Michael's Collegiate School, Hobart. The study then continues to apply the findings in a broader context. The report shows that at St. Michael's Collegiate School, student and staff support for the current after hours program is high. Indeed, students identified a large number of advantages for the formalization and extension of the current program. These advantages included an improved learning environment, the potential for a broader subject range and the perceived advantage of covering the curriculum more effectively. Staff also noted the potential for a reduction in stress levels, and the possibility for co-curricular activities to be scheduled. The research did find, however, that many staff were sceptical about the formalization of the extended hours program. Concerns included the method of compensation for staff, the availability of preparation and correction time, and the potential for students and teachers to become tired. The research shows that an extended school day would be a valid method of increasing time on task at St. Michael's Collegiate School, although several issues would need to be addressed. These issues would pertain to any school considering the extension of the school day. Firstly, it would be necessary to promote and develop general staff acceptance of the proposal, consulting with each staff member, and determining individual roles with the implementation of the program. The research also found that an increase in the length of the school day would not be successful without the introduction of a comprehensive staff development program investigating methods of using time in the classroom more effectively. The extended day program should consist of a combination of co-curricular activities, a broader subject range and increased time for current subject offerings. A further consideration would be the introduction of new techniques to offset the costs incurred with the extension of time. Finally, as a result of the research, a model specific to the needs of staff and students at Collegiate was devised, with implications for all schools preparing to extend contemporary time limits in the classroom.
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ItemProblem based learning in a traditional curriculum: the case of dental materials science( 2002)Curricula in Medical Schools worldwide have seen a large change in the way student learning is approached. There has been a change in philosophy away from the traditional lecture-practical format to small groups that encourage students to work more independently. This has been commonly referred to as Problem-based Learning (PBL). In most cases whole curricula have been changed to this style of learning. In the case of Dental education, the concept of PBL is still new, with only a few Schools embracing the ideals and philosophies of PBL. This may in part be due to the different nature of Dental education or even a reflection of the conservative nature of dental educators. To bring about change in dental education, we need more information demonstrating how best to use PBL as well as determining if this style of learning can be applied universally to all the subject areas of dental education. There is almost no information in current education literature to determine whether a single PBL subject can work in an essentially traditional lecture-practical curriculum. This thesis investigates the implementation of the Dental Materials Science course into the first year of the dental curriculum at the School of Dental Science at the University of Melbourne using PBL as the method of learning. The curriculum at the School of Dental Science uses a traditional learning method for all other components in the first year curriculum. The project investigated student satisfaction of PBL using a series of questionnaires given to students in their first year of the BDSc curriculum in 1997 and 1998. Part of the investigation also looked at demography and how this may effect the success and acceptance of PBL. The convener of the subject also prepared a journal in the first year of implementation reflecting on the day to day experiences of implementing and modifying a PBL subject. The findings did not support the use of PBL for a single subject in a traditional curriculum. There were no differences observed in the ability to learn in a PBL environment with respect to ethnic heritage. Although a small group of students enjoyed learning in small groups, in general the outcomes showed most students did not like PBL and did not show appreciable benefits in their exam performance or self-reported learning strategies. It was concluded that other styles of learning such as Co-operative Learning in association with lectures is a better choice for students learning a subject where they have little or no prior experience.