Melbourne Graduate School of Education - Research Publications

Permanent URI for this collection

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 106
  • Item
    Thumbnail Image
    Abstracting by Constructing and Revising a 'Partially Correct Construct': A Case Study
    Williams, GW (Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia, 2010)
    This study draws on data from a broader video-stimulated interview study of the role of optimism in collaborative problem solving. It examines the activity of a Grade 5 student, Tom, whose initial constructing activity resulted in a ‘Partially Correct Construct’. Insistent questioning from another group member pressuring for clarification led to Tom developing a ‘more correct construct’ with further potential for revision. This paper raises questions about influences that can stimulate or inhibit construct refinement.
  • Item
    Thumbnail Image
    Symbiosis between creative mathematical thinking accompanied by high positive affect, and optimism
    Williams, G ; Pinto, MMF ; Kawasaki, TF (The International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME), 2010-01-01)
    Video-stimulated post-lesson interviews captured changes in a Grade 5 elementary school student, Tom's, orientation to problem solving. Whilst participating in small group problem solving including reports to the class ('Engaged to Learn' pedagogy), Tom changed from self-focused (Task 1), to group focused (Task 2), and taskfocused (Task 3). He experienced surprise as complexities became apparent in what had appeared to be simple (Task 2), and displayed positive affect during his creative thinking leading to insight (Task 3). Consistent with Seligman's (1995) findings, 'flow' (Csikszentmihalyi, 1992), a state of high positive affect accompanying creative activity was associated with optimism building. Instead of needing to be valued by others to feel successfol, Tom began to internalise his successes as attributes of self.
  • Item
    No Preview Available
  • Item
  • Item
    Thumbnail Image
    Evaluating automated processes for revealing students’ mathematical thinking
    Stacey, K ; Steinle, V ; Wu, M ; PIERCE, R ; Giri, J (AARE, 2010)
    Understanding student thinking is key to planning effective teaching. Research over three decades has established good knowledge of stages of development and common misunderstandings in many school topics. However, in order for teachers to make formative assessment a normal part of their practice, mapping of student understanding needs to be available for a greater proportion of the school curriculum. Online testing of students is beginning to create substantial databases which could provide relevant information. The aim of this symposium is to present and discuss methods which move towards automation of data analysis.
  • Item
    Thumbnail Image
    SMART Assessment for Learning
    STACEY, K ; PRICE, E ; STEINLE, V ; CHICK, H ; GVOZDENKO, E (International Society for Design and Development in Education, 2009)
    “Specific Mathematics Assessments that Reveal Thinking,” which we abbreviate to “smart tests,” provide teachers with a quick and easy way to conduct assessment for learning. Using the internet, students in Years 7, 8, and 9 undertake a short test that is focused strongly on a topic selected by their teacher. Students’ stages of development are diagnosed, and sent to the teacher immediately. Where available, on-line teaching resources are linked to each diagnosis, to guide teachers in moving students to the next stage. Many smart tests are now being trialled in schools and their impact on students’ and teachers’ learning is being evaluated. Design issues are discussed.
  • Item
    Thumbnail Image
    Getting SMART about assessment for learning
    PRICE, E ; STACEY, K ; STEINLE, V ; CHICK, H ; GVOZDENKO, E (The Mathematical Association of Victoria, 2009)
    “Specific Mathematics Assessments that Reveal Thinking”—or smart tests—provide teachers with a quick and easy way to conduct assessment for learning. Using the internet, students in years 7, 8, and 9 undertake a short test that is focussed strongly on a topic selected by their teacher. Students’ stages of development are diagnosed, and sent to the teacher within minutes. Many tests have been produced and are now being trialled in 7 Victorian schools. Where available, on-line teaching resources are linked to each diagnosis, to guide teachers in moving students to the next stage. This project is sponsored by the Australian Research Council and Victoria’s Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
  • Item
    No Preview Available
    Organizing for Multilingualism: Ecological and Sociological Perspectives
    LO BIANCO, J (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2008)
  • Item
    Thumbnail Image
    Transnational education: our expectations and our challenges. Is anyone listening? From teachers’ and students’ perspectives
    MOHAMAD, ROHANI ; Rashdan, Muhammad ; Rashid, Abdul ( 2006)
    In the 70’s and early 80’s, many Malaysian students went to the West to further their tertiary education. They completed their undergraduate program from year one in the respective foreign countries. In the late 80’s, there was a shift in trend. More students conducted their initial years in Malaysia before finishing off their final years in the West. Multiple twinning programs that utilize foreign curriculum but implemented in Malaysian environment are offered at various private educational institutions. In the light of this phenomenon, trans-national education or cross-border education is not novel within the Malaysian educational landscape. This paper is a reflection of the author who had experienced trans-national education as a student and currently experiencing it as a teacher. We ponder upon the nature of experiences that students involved in trans-education encounter that potentially modify their learning behaviors. As for the students, we conclude that they generally experience three types of shocks that are cultural shock, learning shock, and assessment shock. Observations made on the challenges faced by the students to adapt to the demands of the curriculum, novel strategies of teaching and learning as well as requirements of assessments are reported. Finally, we proposed some steps that could be taken to reduce the impact of multiple shocks and enhance learning in trans-national program.
  • Item
    Thumbnail Image
    Misconceptions about density of decimals: insights from pre-service teachers’ work
    Widjaja, Wanty ; STACEY, KAYE ; STEINLE, VICKI ( 2008)
    Extensive studies have documented various difficulties with, and misconceptions about, decimal numeration across different levels of education. This paper reports on pre-service teachers’ misconceptions about the density of decimals. Written test data from 140 pre-service teachers, observation of group and classroom discussions provided evidence of pre-service teachers’ difficulties in grasping the density notion of decimals. Incorrect analogies resulting from over generalization of knowledge about whole numbers and fractions were identified. Teaching ideas to resolve these difficulties are discussed. Evidence from this research indicates that it is possible to remove misconceptions about density of decimals.