Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemRater consistency and judgment in the direct assessment of second language writing ability within the certificates in spoken and written English( 1998)The introduction of competency-based models of language and literacy education in Australia has, to a large degree, coincided with an increased emphasis on direct assessment as the most common means of evaluating second language writing ability within the Adult Migrant English Program. The key problem in directly assessing writing ability is having two or more raters arrive at a similar judgment or rating for the same piece of writing. While there is a long tradition of research on rater consistency and judgment in the holistic assessment of writing ability, similar research on the direct assessment of second language writing ability within the context of competency-based language and literacy education is almost non-existent. This study aims to determine the degree to which the performance criteria designed to assess second language writing ability within the Certificates in Spoken and Written English can ensure acceptable levels of rater consistency, and to describe the decision-making behaviours and strategies used by raters when reading for the purposes of assessment. The think-aloud verbal reports of six experienced ESL raters assessing three texts written by intermediate level adult ESL learners were transcribed and subjected to a rigorous interpretive analysis. In terms of rater consistency, analysis of raters verbal reports indicated that while there was generally a high degree of rater consistency at the overall performance or text level there was considerably tess agreement at the level of individual performance criteria. Analysis of the data revealed that raters adopted distinctive styles or approaches to reading for the purposes of assessment and that raters interpreted and applied the performance criteria statements in a range of different ways. These findings have significant implications not only for the development of competency-based assessment procedures but also for the training of raters. v11
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ItemThe holistic nature of literary knowledge : a perspective of authorial meaning and legitimate significance as a unique aesthetic experience( 1986)Literary knowledge represents the state of affairs in the holistic nature of literature. Within the scheme of co-ordinates that constitute the holistic nature of literature, legitimate aesthetic experience cannot occur unless a valid interpretation of meaning is considered as the probable intention of the author. Understanding meaning initiates legitimate aesthetic experience as opposed to an aesthetic awareness that inadvertently distorts authorial intention to satisfy wishfulfilment gratification of the audience. Validity in interpretation implies satisfying the conditions of knowledge, in that agreement in .judgements about literature is possible. Yet, though meaning may satisfy the conditions of objectivity, each legitimate aesthetic experience is peculiar to the individual's empathic relationship to the valid interpretation. . The significance of the text may be an ineffable aesthetic experience which is a self-evident form of knowledge. The synthesis of Hirsch's theory of 'meaning and 'significance' with Hirst's belief that literature is ? 'unique form of knowledge' gives a dual nature to, and foundation for, the epistemological status of literature. Consequently, there is justification for teaching literary knowledge in texts and procedural knowledge for construal of valid interpretation. Interpretation and criticism have different functions. One attempts to give coherence and objectivity to textual meaning, while criticism imbues a valid interpretation with a 'unique' knowledge that is relative to the dynamic of history and the dialectic of criticism. If students are to perceive in some degree the holistic nature of literary knowledge, then trainee teachers ought to be familiar with the synthesis of Hirsch and Hirst which is a primary principle both in the construal of textual meaning and in the attempt to express legitimate aesthetic experience.
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ItemThe political ramifications of changes in the delivery of nursing education in Victoria( 1993)The purpose of this research was to determine; whether, between 1974 and 1987, undergraduate Nursing education in the Colleges of Advanced Education tended to politicize the new recruits to the profession via curricula. whether those asked to participate in the research believed that there was a level of information being provided during their Nursing course which they considered to be political in nature. whether those asked to participate in the research believed that this level of information that they considered to be political in nature influenced their subsequent participation in activities which could be considered in turn to be political in nature. what constraints in the workplace were identified by those asked to participate in the research, which may have adversely effected any political activity they may have been involved in, or influenced by. whether there were any other real or conceptual factors not identified or not specifically addressed in the research which could have impacted on the research participants, and possibly influenced their responses, and thus, research outcomes. Subsequent to the research, the information obtained would be scrutinized for possible outcomes, ramifications and commented on. This process is more formerly addressed in the methodology.
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ItemVedic education (Gurukula) in a contemporary context : considerations for a Krishna conscious thinking curriculum( 1997)This thesis presents the Vedic system of education (Gurukula) in a contemporary context. By means of a detailed description and analysis of the essential characteristics underlying the rationale of Vedic education, the Gurukula system is defined from within the tradition it has evolved. I examine the social dimension of Vedic education and consider the importance of a supportive culture. The organisation of society according to varna-asramadharma is described within this thesis and the original intent of its conception defined. Education is described in terms of its purposive nature, the goal being to develop consciousness. Krishna consciousness is described as a state of reality which enables the soul to identify as spiritual, and in that capacity discriminate between spirit and matter. Individuality in this analysis is defined as the constitutional position of the soul. The sanctity of the individual is maintained throughout human life by recourse to the proper use of intelligence. The Gurukula endeavours to provide a framework within which its members can develop the capacity to cultivate a level of consciousness suitable for participation in the culture represented by the Vedic world-view. I have argued a case for developing appropriate curriculum, which enhances both the culture and the process. The educational implications of teaching children to discriminate within a religious framework, while at the same time maintain their independence and power of critical thinking is a challenge. An appropriate program for providing children with the power of discrimination is considered an essential element of education in this thesis. The Philosophy for Children program established by Lipman and colleagues provides educators with a process for encouraging better thinking in the classroom. An essential element in this program is the development of "the community of inquiry". Religious education delivered according to the philosophical inquiry model is recommended in this thesis. This research specifically aims to assist the development of primary curriculum.
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ItemHow does teacher questioning influence the verbal responses of Asian background ESL learners?( 1999)This thesis is a case-study of two English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers working with one class of tertiary level students from Asian backgrounds in a large English language centre. The thesis seeks to explore the types and frequencies of teachers' questions and the extent to which the length of student responses is affected by those questions from both a quantitative and a qualitative perspective. Teachers' and students' attitudes towards questions are examined as well. In relation to the form of questions, the study found that the two teachers asked significantly more X-questions than nexus and alternative questions, which was congruent with their preference for question types. However, in terms of the function of questions, one teacher asked more referential questions while the other teacher asked more display questions (Long and Sato, 1983). The study found that statistically, topics, in general, did not influence teachers' selection of questions and students' responses. On average student answers to either kind of questions were short, though individual differences did exist. However, through a close examination of the transcripts of these individual lessons, the conclusion was the opposite. Topics did affect the formation and function of the teachers' questions and students responses as well. When talking about topics with which students were familiar and which required less vocabulary, teachers' tended to use X- questions and they were usually referential. Those questions triggered longer student utterances. Display questions, on the other hand, were often used to check knowledge, and students' responses to these were short. This suggests that referential-like X-questions are powerful in the certain circumstances where students are familiar with the topics they are talking about. Teachers' appropriate application of such questions might trigger longer students' utterances and gradually facilitate the development of learners' oral competency.
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ItemThe Problems of verbal interaction for victims of warfare trauma in the ESL classroom( 1995)This thesis identifies and investigates the difficulties surrounding the participation in verbal interaction by victims of warfare trauma in the ESL classroom. The literature reviewed falls into three main categories; The Problems of Refugee Resettlement, Motivation and Anxiety in Language Learning and The Importance of Verbal Interaction in Second Language Learning. Case Study research methodology was chosen as the most appropriate framework on which to base this thesis and three ESL students were chosen as subjects. The findings of the research suggest that the problems associated with resettlement and prior experiences may have been contributing factors in the lack of motivation and high levels of anxiety experienced by each of the case study subjects. This in turn, may have affected their participation in verbal interaction in the classroom and ultimately, their acquisition of English.
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ItemAnother world like here : futures studies and early childhood education( 1995)This thesis examines the discipline of futures studies and its potential for application in early childhood education. The need for an increased futures-orientation in education is established by a survey of the overwhelmingly negative commentaries of youths on the topic of the future. These comments, it is argued, point to a vacuum of understanding about the future which educators should seek to counterbalance. This task should be particularly emphasised by early childhood educators since they share a commitment to the central objective of laying foundations for life-long learning. Futures studies offers a useful methodology for this task. The thesis examines the major tenets of futures studies and its translation into primary and secondary educational settings. The applicability of futures studies to early childhood education is established by demonstrating the many principles which futures studies and early childhood education share in common. A futures-focused curriculum need not involve the educator in any radically new philosophical and educational frameworks. It, rather, provides a means of extending and re-articulating existing developmental objectives from the vantage point of new perspectives. The thesis resolves the issue of whether or not futures concerns are beyond the reach of four and five year olds by examining how pre-school children conceive time and the future. Young children are seen to possess many of the qualities which futures studies seek to re-instill in adults and older children. The educator should seek to capitalize on this by combining the positive aspects of children's innate perceptions of future time with the more abstract 'adult' understanding of time. A research project on pre-school children's attitudes towards the future sheds further light on their understandings of the future while also enabling their own opinions on the topic to be heard. The thesis then defines the principal objectives of a futures-focused curriculum and translates them into practical learning experiences. It concludes by exploring the implications of the findings contained in the thesis for early childhood education and by discussing some of the ways in which the educators themselves might come to terms with the issues articulated in this study.
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ItemClassroom management of cooperative learning : a research study of two teaching strategies( 1996)This study sought to contribute to an understanding of the social context of instruction in science classes particularly to group organisation and dialogical processes. This study investigated how two role management strategies (Strategy 1 and Strategy 2) affected communication particularly Conceptualisation in all female, all-male and mixed gender groups in three parallel Year 8 science classes from one school. It also investigated the attitudes of the female and male students towards group work, the two role management strategies and gender. There were two treatment classes and one control class. Each treatment class was observed over an eight week period under each role management treatment. For the eight week period, the control class was managed in a way considered more typical of a traditional science class (No Role Strategy). A randomly selected all-female, all-male and mixed gender group from each class was tested after each treatment phase. The test problem was a practical problem requiring each group to devise and carry out a solution for the test problem. During the testing sessions each group was audio and video taped. The level of Conceptualisation was measured by coded transcriptions of group utterances during the problem solving task. At a time after the final testing session, students in the two treatment classes were administered a Student Group Work Questionnaire to determine their attitudes towards group work, the role management strategies and gender, and, to determine their behaviour in relation to each role management strategy. A statistically significant difference was found between Strategies (No Role Strategy, Strategy 1 and Strategy 2) for the frequency of Conceptualisation utterances. Further analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between No Role Strategy and Strategy 1, and, a significant difference between No Role Strategy and Strategy 2. No statistically significant difference was found between Strategy 1 and Strategy 2. No statistically significant difference was found between Gender groups (All-female, all-male and mixed gender groups) and Phases (Phase 1 and Phase 2) for the frequency of Conceptualisation utterances. Students who received instruction with the role management strategies tended to work better as a team than students who received instruction with only No Role Strategy.
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ItemStudents' ideas in chemistry classes : echoes of the past?( 1999)This study is an attempt to improve the teaching of chemistry by comparing the views held by students on the nature of substance with those held by thinkers throughout the history of the subject. Realizing that the concepts currently accepted by the scientific community were arrived at after thousands of years of observation, experiment, thought and discussion, the study will also seek to discover whether the history and philosophy of science can illuminate the path of concept development by students. The phenomenographic method was used to explore the different ways in which students understand concepts such as elements, ultimate particles, gases and combustion. These ways of understanding were posited into past studies of student views and other theoretical attempts to understand them. A scheme for comparing students' ideas with those found in the history of chemistry was developed. It has been argued that historical categories may be useful in understanding the misconceptions, in classifying them, and in finding ways to deal with them effectively. The development of scientific knowledge is seen as a socio-cultural experience in which classrooms become communities of discourse. The historical approach to understanding student ideas was then applied to the structuring of teacher-student discourse in the classroom. Examples of this type of discourse were recorded and included in the conclusion.
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ItemArt and community schools in Victoria : a focus on the Artists and Architects in Schools Programs as models in evaluating negotiation and participatory decision making as a basis for developing arts curricula( 1990)This study has argued that the learning context should be linked not only with the student's growing knowledge and skill within the curriculum but it should also allow for an understanding of how that curriculum connects and relates with the democratic society of work and leisure. It is further argued, that as, a consequence of arriving at that understanding; students acquire a sense of empowerment and control over their lives. In Chapter 1, the study establishes the historical background to the Artists and Architects in Schools Programs, and the role of the art teacher and the artists and architects within those programs. As an introduction, Chapter 1 also briefly explains the following Chapters. Chapter 2 discusses the history and development of the state community school movement, its-establishment in Victoria, and the radical nature of its underpinnings. Reference is also made to the private alternative school movement. In Chapter 3, the process. of decision making in Croydon Community School and Sherbrooke Community School in respect to their Artists in Schools Programs is examined. In Chapter 4, the issues discussed are: three orientations to the curriculum, the American Discipline Based Art Education, and the recent curriculum guidelines of the Victorian. Ministry of Education. A comparison is made of the approaches to learning and negotiating the curriculum between Swinburne Community School and Croydon Community School. Finally a summary is presented of negotiation and the arts integration of the curriculum during the Artists and Architects in Schools Programs at Croydon Community School in 1982. In Chapter 5 some of the movements towards participatory democracy throughout the 20th century in industry and in social, political and business institutions by workers, residents and other concerned groups through control by that means of the workplace, the means of production, and the neighbourhood are examined. Reference is made to their philosophic basis and the parallel movement of the community schools in Victoria. In Chapter 6 the history of the development of the Artists and Architects in Schools Programs is examined. Comparison with and evaluation of the criticism of the British and American Programs is also included to illuminate the role of the art teacher and the artists and architects. In Chapter 7, the arts integration of the timetable for both the Artists and Architects in Schools Programs at Croydon Community School in 1982 and 1983 is evaluated: Note is also taken of the consistent philosophic approach. A brief comparison is made with other Artists and Architects in Schools Programs to elucidate the theme of whole school community involvement. In Chapter 8, Community Arts, have been defined and discussed in relation to the ideologies that motivate the management of community schools. Note has also been taken of community arts practice in Britain and America as a comparison with the Australian context. The potential for the relationship of the community artist with the community school is also evaluated. In Chapter 9, a Creative Arts Curriculum Model for Community Schools has been designed to provide a comprehensive arts curriculum with a contextual basis for the growth of the whole person. The design allows for decision making through participation to be practised to provide the framework for the development of an arts curriculum relevant to contemporary society in the 1990's. In concluding, Chapter 10 has examined, evaluated and clarified a number of key themes which are the central elements to the writer's thoughts. These are: the role of negotiation and participatory decision making in developing a democratic curriculum, and the role of art within that context. Observation is also made on the way the themes relate to the events of the 'real world'. A brief note is made of possible areas for further research. Finally, a comment is made on the relevance of the community school in the reorganised system of the Victorian Ministry of Education forward into the 1990's.