Conference Abstracts - 2001

Please Note:

The symbol ® indicates that the full paper was refereed.

The abstracts listed here are those that were provided for electronic publications.

A

ADA01191    Paper
Research lead curriculum: Early lessons from the field

Barbara Adamson and Mary Mahony, University of Sydney

Research conducted in the Faculty of Health Sciences, the University of Sydney (Adamson, Lincoln and Cant, 2000) identified eight managerial skill areas that Australian health care managers perceived to be necessary in order to function effectively and efficiently in the current and future health care environment. Further analysis demonstrated that generic areas of competency expected of all managers irrespective of industry and cultural context underpinned these skill areas. The pedagogical dilemma was how to foster these generic competencies in a curriculum initially designed for Australian students, which also immediately included international students in Australia, offshore international students and distance students both in Australia and offshore. This paper presents an analysis of the educational design and its outcomes for a specific postgraduate unit of study delivered in this complex teaching and learning environment. The use of case studies formed the basis for learning activities and assessment. The intention of this approach was to provide choice for students and in the recognition that different solutions to the same case study problem would occur, depending on the student’s national and cultural context. This paper discusses the development of these instructional strategies, and presents lessons from the field in catering to this diverse student population. The discussion is situated in appropriate literature drawn from the fields of distance education and management studies.

AIN01656    Paper
Understanding the development of inclusive schools: Some lessons from international experience

Mel Ainscow, University of Manchester

Currently many countries are seeking to encourage the development of more inclusive schools. This trend reflects the U.N. agenda of ’Education for All’. This paper will be based on research being carried out in Portugal, Romania and England that attempts to throw light on ways of addressing barriers to participation and learning. It will explain how evidence of various types can be used to analyse school practices, policies and cultures in order to formulate development strategies. Particular emphasis will be placed on the importance of analysing classroom interactions and listening to the voices of students. Examples will be used to illustrate how engaging with different perspectives can stimulate critical reflection in ways that help focus attention on new possibilities for moving schools forward. Attention will also be given to the social processes involved in such development activities. Implications will be drawn for the work of researchers involved in supporting the development of inclusive practices.

This paper will be presented as part of Symposium 6 CAR01227 Does the Index for Inclusion provide a framework for school improvement and professional development for inclusive education?

ALB01291   Paper
Skills recognition in the post-compulsory sector - An international comparison

Jillian Albrecht, Hunter Institute of TAFE

This paper will compare the practice of Skills Recognition in the post compulsory sectors of New South Wales, Australia; Western Ontario, Canada; and Costa Rica. The presenter is an experienced practitioner in Skills Recognition in the TAFE sector of NSW, having coordinated the assessment of applications based on work and life experience for students of TAFE NSW courses for over 6 years. Annually, TAFE NSW processes up to 122,000 subject exemptions, totalling over 3.3 million student contact hours. This is in addition to the 10 million-student contact hours processed as credit from previous TAFE study. TAFE NSW has also actively pursued credit transfer arrangements with universities, and this aspect of its operation will be compared with the experience of credit transfer in Western Ontario. The paper will also compare methods by which student administration data in each geographical area is collected, stored and maintained, and the interface of the student administration data with the processes of Skills Recognition. The Skills Recognition processes of these two New World countries will be compared with the Developing World experience of Costa Rica, and suggestions for the enhancement of all three systems will be proposed.

ALD01027    Paper
Integrating ICT into the learning environment at Sevenoaks senior college: How teachers and students use educational technology in teaching and learning

Sue Trinidad, Jean McNish, Jill Aldridge & Barry Fraser, Curtin University of Technology and David Wood, Sevenoaks Senior College

This paper reports a study that focuses on the innovative new Sevenoaks Senior College, which is committed to creating a truly outcomes-focused curriculum by integrating unique ICT infrastructure into the delivery of educational programs, on-line curricula, and management systems for both teachers and students. Major research aims include an evaluation of the effectiveness of educational programs at Sevenoaks in promoting outcomes-focused and ICT-rich classroom learning environments and the student outcomes of (a) attitudes to learning and usage of ICT and (b) gender and social equity.

The study combined quantitative and qualitative research methods to examine (a) the ways in which teachers’ and students’ use ICT and (b) the types of learning environment that teachers create to support students’ effective use of ICT. The study examined the types of support, training and environment that are likely to make possible the effective integration of ICT in teaching and learning.

ALL01522    Paper Critically interrogating classroom constructions of ’community’ and ’difference’: a case study.

Andrea Allard, Deakin University and Maxine Cooper, University of Melbourne

Within educational literature, the concept of ’community’ has been problematised over the last decade, particularly as regards how constructs of ’community’ that aim to provide ’a sense of belonging’ of collective concern for each individual’ (Nodding 1996: 258) can also operate to exclude, devalue or homogenise diverse groups of students. The tensions that exist between desirable features of a learning community that provides a sense of belonging and at the same time recognises and celebrates difference and diversity are suggested by Fines, et al (1997: 252) who argue that ’the process of sustaining a community must include a critical interrogation of difference as the rich substance of community life’. How do such tensions surface in the classroom? This paper reports on an aspect of an empirical research project that examined relations of power between teachers and students as these operate through explicit processes used to create classroom communities. Through a case study of one composite grade primary classroom with children of diverse cultural heritage, we critically analyse constructs of ‘community’ in light of current literature on difference and diversity. Specifically we address the question: what pedagogical processes create a learning community where acceptance of difference is reworked to better address unequal relations of power?

ALL01558    Paper
Research as dialogue and cross cultural consultations: Confronting relations of power

Von Sanderson, and Andrea Allard, University of South Australia

The ‘rescuing’ of Indigenous children (from their communities) through education, and the notions of assimilation associated with that, is an aspect of colonialism that has persisted into the so-called 'post-colonial' era. Recent national policy statements (eg. MCEETYA, 2000; NBEET, 1995) argue the importance of education/research that keeps the locus of control within the Aboriginal community as a means to further the goal of self-determination and improve educational outcomes. In this paper, we report on the initial stage of a small empirical research project, Engaging Aboriginal Students In Education Through Community Empowerment. ‘Research as dialogue' was a guiding principal and a primary aim was to listen actively to all key stake holders in the remote community setting, particularly to Indigenous parents, teachers and service providers, in order to identify current strengths and concerns regarding the provision of culturally inclusive schooling; and then, to develop, on the basis of these consultations and in collaboration, community-based education projects that engage non-attending Aboriginal students. In this paper, we critically analyse the difficulties as well as potential strengths of trying to form collaborative partnerships as researchers, across cultural differences and with diverse community groups. For example, what does ‘acknowledging' very different cultural perspectives actually mean to/in this kind of research process? The ways in which relations of power amongst all parties are played out in/through such an approach is also opened up for scrutiny and further discussion.

AND01114    Paper Better than beige: Designing assessment tasks to enhance learning and measure growth in the early years of school.

Prue Anderson and Marion Meiers, Australian Council for Educational Research

‘I think of our school as beige. We tend to be the average of ‘like' schools. Can we do better than that?' In order to promote growth in student learning and demonstrate achievement schools require rich assessment tasks that enhance the teaching and learning cycle and provide a valid and reliable measure of growth. This paper examines the five linked sets of assessment tasks that have been developed to progressively measure growth in literacy and numeracy in the first three years of school. The tasks were designed for the ACER Longitudinal Literacy and Numeracy Survey (LLANS). The tasks are based around familiar classroom activities, administered on a one-to-one basis by teachers and include many hands-on components. They address a wide range of aspects of literacy and numeracy development in the early years of school. Measuring growth in skill development is possible because the data from the five sets of tasks have been linked to create a common scale for literacy and a common scale for numeracy. LLANS data used to construct the scales has been collected from 1000 primary students across Australia since 1999. The scales describe the typical nature of student development in the skills addressed by the assessment tasks so providing a frame of reference for monitoring individual development and measuring achievement over time. This presentation will outline the nature and scope of the LLANS assessment tasks and the use of scales to describe growth as a model for assessment tasks that are both diagnostic and a reliable measure of growth in literacy and numeracy skills in the first three years of school.

ANG01554    Paper
Pathway planning and "becoming somebody": Exploring the tensions between wellbeing and credentialism with students at (educational) risk

Jennifer Angwin, Lyn Harrison, Geoff Shacklock and Jill Blackmore, Deakin University

This paper maps the policy shifts around the education and training of youth that frame how schools respond to issues of youth' at risk'. These shifts have occurred with the move from the self managing schools marked by market discourses of competition, autonomy and image management that supplanted earlier discourses of welfare and community, through to recent policies in Victoria arising from the Kirby Review of Post compulsory Education and Public Education, the Next Generation undertaken by the Labor government. These reports, and the policies emerging out of them, are producing new discourses about youth and schooling focusing on wellbeing, learning networks and more systemic support for schools at the same time as there is increased accountability and expectations of schools. Drawing on the school exclusion literature from the U.K, and using Bourdieu's notion of habitus, we examine the findings from a recent study undertaken on the Geelong Pathways Planning project, funded through a Victorian government strategy, to discuss how schools respond to such initiatives. The project explored the ways in which students in the Geelong region understood and worked with the job planning pathways program, and how service providers (schools, community education facilities, job networks etc) coordinated to meet the needs of individual youth. There was a disjuncture in the participating schools between the discourses of care and welfare for students at risk, and the actual practices and policies that ignored or excluded such students. This paper concludes with a discussion of what might be required systemically, in schools and in their relations to other education providers, to build the capacity to respond more effectively to all students.

APP01127    ®    Paper
Outcomes-based science units that enhance primary and secondary science teachers' PCK

Ken Appleton and Allan Harrison, Central Queensland University

Science pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is a key focus in science teacher professional development; especially for primary school teachers and middle school teachers who teach outside of their area of expertise. Secondary science specialists, whose strength is content knowledge, find outcomes-based middle school syllabuses challenging because of the emphasis on working scientifically and open-ended activities. Earlier work claims that primary science teachers use 'activities that work' to supplement, or substitute for science PCK, while secondary teachers rely on their content knowledge. In parallel primary and secondary studies over two years in six schools, we explored the extent to which 'units that work' played an important role in helping elementary and junior high school teachers plan their teaching and assessing, and in enhancing their PCK. In the case studies, we found that 'units that work' benefited most teachers. The elementary school teachers searched a range of resources but relied on activities from one main source, whereas the high school teachers tended to rely on activities from their textbook and expert colleagues and generated innovative activities and assessments. The research has yielded a preliminary professional development model that will be described and discussed.

ASM01362    Paper
'Figuring things out from my friends': Encouraging collaboration among first year students at undergraduate and postgraduate level

Christine Asmar, and Tai Peseta, The University of Sydney

The first year on campus at a large university is a daunting one for many students. Recognising this, many universities in Australia are now focusing on strategies suggested by the research into the first year experience. Such strategies include the encouraging of student interactions inside and out of class, to promote a sense of belonging and to engage students in the active learning known to enhance academic outcomes. This approach is grounded in the student-focused framework of teaching and learning which is overtaking traditionally didactic methods, methods which in the past have located the teacher at the centre and the students on the margins of their own learning situations. Much of the research, together with much institutional re-thinking, has focused on school leavers. However, postgraduate students may also be entering a particular institution for the first time and may equally well feel a sense of isolation. This paper suggests that lessons drawn from the first year undergraduate experience, particularly those relating to the need for peer interactions, may be equally applicable to the first year of postgraduate study. It also argues that these interactions help postgraduate students connect to a culture of research. The paper draws upon data from a large research university as well as a number of other sources and cases.

ASP01012   Paper
Developing community in constructing professional knowledge as a means of informing policy about social justice and equity, in the curriculum (with reference to new Aboriginal Studies curriculum)

Tania Aspland, Queensland University of Technology

It is timely in the Australian context to introduce the teaching of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies into the secondary school sector. In Queensland, a curriculum authority has just completed the development and evaluation of such a syllabus. This paper critiques the evaluation of the syllabus in times when indigenous issues are open for scrutiny and debate in Australia. Thus, it is argued that the traditional model adopted for the processes of syllabus development, implementation and evaluation must be challenged. This paper explores an alternative approach to curriculum evaluation that pushes the boundaries, and that is responsive to social justice and equity issues. It asks new questions for new times about professional practice research in this significant area of educational activity in Australia.

]'his paper is presented as part of Symposium Crossing borders and exploring frontiers in professional practice research.

ATP01017    Paper
Creating a constructivist-learning environment using ICT to teach concepts and skills in classroom management: An exploration at NIE, Singapore

Lourdusamy Atputhasamy, Philip Wong Siew Koon and Myint Swe Khine, National Institute of Education

Development of ICT has provided new opportunities for delivering instruction in institutes of Higher Education. At NIE we have attempted to develop a learning environment that delivers course materials to students in a variety of formats. An indigenous CD-ROM was developed as a comprehensive resource to facilitate learning the concepts and skills associated with classroom management. The CD-ROM was set up in a web-based format so that it could interface with video-clips and websites that are relevant to classroom management issues. Communication with the students was maintained through Blackboard communication tools. The students also had opportunities to interact on a face-to-face basis with their peers and the tutors during tutorials.

This paper reports on this endeavor in using the new technologies in delivering a teacher education module on classroom management and the psychological perception of students who participated in the experiment.

ATP01299    Paper
Perceived benefits of eduPAD in enhancing learning

Atputhasamy Lourdusamy, Chun Hu and Philip Wong, Nanyang Technological University

The paper presents the findings on an evaluation of a proto-type hand-held electronic device that allows learners to access the Internet, communicate with each other and read textbooks stored on storage cards. The pilot project was carried out in a secondary school in Singapore. At the end of the trial period through survey and focus group interviews the benefits of this innovative device as perceived by the teachers and students were determined. Both the teachers and students expressed a positive attitude towards the use of an electronic device to enhance teaching and learning. However, they also pointed out that the barrier to the use of eduPAD device in the classrooms resulted mainly from technical problems, such as slow speed of loading and accessing time to the Internet. The students also said that the instructional approaches used in eduPAD classrooms were largely the same as those found in traditional classroom. The findings suggest that introduction of electronic devices per se into the classroom would not bring improvement in teaching and learning automatically. Teachers and students need to modify their teaching/learning strategies and make full use of the opportunities provided by such a device to do things otherwise not possible.

ATP01460    Paper
Teacher Education in Singapore: Why do students choose this career?

Kim Chuan Goh and Lourdusamy Atputhasamy, Nanyang Technological University

The Singapore government is acutely aware that the future of Singapore very much depends on her human resource. However much Singapore has achieved in the area of education thus far, particularly through its school system, the need for teachers in sufficient quantity and quality remains a perennial problem. A small population base, wide employment opportunities in the private sector in a booming economy, the lack of man-power in many areas all contribute to making teaching as one of the job options for school leavers not necessarily a preferred one. Of late, the Ministry of Education has been aggressively taking steps to elevate the status of teaching through many measures. It is worth finding out what now attracts entrants into the teaching profession. This paper discusses the motives of new entrants to the National Institute of Education's initial teacher training programmes. A survey was carried out to find out the motives of students as to why they choose to become teachers. The results of this study will be compared with those from similar studies carried out locally and in other countries. The implications of the findings to attract young people to the teaching profession will be discussed.

ATP01465    Paper Self-evaluation of interpersonal behaviour and classroom interaction by teacher trainees

Lourdusamy Atputhasamy, Myint Swe Khine, Nanyang Technological University

Self-evaluation is one of the desirable characteristics particularly relevant to the teaching profession. Though often times teachers engage in a systematic reflection on a lesson delivered, self-evaluation of interpersonal behaviour and/or their interaction with students as part of the classroom management strategy is rarely done. As part of the classroom management module, trainee teachers at the National Institute of Education, Singapore used the Questionnaire on Teacher-Student Interaction (QTI) to evaluate themselves while they were on practice teaching. The questionnaire is designed to assess the interpersonal behaviour of the teachers and the interaction with the students in the classroom. This paper will report the findings from the study that is the perceived strengths and shortcomings of the trainee teachers and discusses how the information may be utilised to assist in self-improvement of trainee teachers in classroom management as well as their implications for teacher education.

AVE01300  ®    Paper
Smarter than we're given credit for: Youth perspectives on politics, social issues and personal freedoms

Nado Aveling, Murdoch University

This paper draws on interviews with a diverse group of young people. Interview questions explored how they perceived themselves as active citizens, what they perceived the issues which confront Australian society to be, what they felt could be done to improve society and what they wanted for themselves in the future. The data suggests that, far from being 'too young' to hold politicised views or to express informed opinions, these young people were very aware of social reality and in the majority of cases, deeply committed to creating a fairer society. While they may very well be cynical about party politics and many may be ignorant about the names of our past Prime Ministers, these young people nevertheless had strong opinions about what might constitute an equitable society. The emerging interest in citizenship education, however, takes as given that young people are generally uninformed and politically naive. Given young people's general disinterest in politics and disdain for politicians, but their commitment to a more egalitarian society, approaches to citizenship education must address these concerns in a practical way and distinguish between interest in the political system and interest in political issues if it is to live up to its promise.

B

BAK01685   Paper
Managing the impact of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder on reading achievement

Kathy Baker, Central Queensland University.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may affect up to 1 in 30 children with individuals affected, to differing degrees, for their entire life span. In cases where ADHD is diagnosed, family life, social conformity, mental health and success in school and the workforce may be compromised due to the impact of the disorder. Also, significant numbers of ADHD students have associated learning difficulties, the most common of which are reading difficulties. While acknowledging that the current understanding of ADHD is still incomplete and many aspects remain controversial, the latest understanding of the disorder has been used to design a reading intervention to remediate reading difficulties in ADHD students. The intervention will be useful for teachers who are faced with the problems associated with trying to teach ADHD students with associated reading difficulties how to read, since as yet there is a paucity of literature on the topic. The present study proposes to use a case study methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of this specially designed reading intervention when used with primary school students diagnosed with ADHD.

BAR01063    Paper
Leadership behaviours of school principals: What do principals and teachers say?

Kerry Barnett, John McCormick and Robert Conners, University New South Wales

The purpose of the study was to further explore and confirm the findings of a previous study (Barnett, McCormick and Conners, 2000) which suggested that transformational leadership behaviours of school principals in New South Wales state secondary schools were associated with school learning culture. Four principals and eleven classroom teachers from four schools, the principals of which had been identified, through the previous study as displaying transformational leadership participated in the study. A qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews was used to collect data. Analysis identified patterns and themes that described leadership behaviours of principals.

BAR01275   ® Paper
Managing teacher performance in the non-compulsory years of school

Lennie Barblett, Edith Cowan University

In Western Australia, the state education system has systematically placed the non-compulsory years of school (K&P) on to primary school sites. In this context it is the principals' task to undertake the performance management of their early childhood teachers. Early childhood teachers are unsure of this performance appraisal framework as they perceive themselves working from a different pedagogical base than many of their primary colleagues. This paper draws on data collected as part of a larger study on teacher accountability. The research found that early childhood teachers questioned the principals' suitability to assess their work, The paper suggests therefore that principals and their pre-primary teachers need to work together to cross the pedagogical boundary that often divides the non-compulsory years of school and the primary school.

BAR01578   Paper
Introducing ESOP: An overview of the project

Geoff Barnes and Paul Brock, New South Wales Department of Education and Training and John Pegg, University of New England

Using the wealth of quantitative and qualitative data available in one of the world's largest school systems, this project aims to identify and analyse those junior secondary 'schooling' processes that generate outstanding educational outcomes in metropolitan, rural, and isolated NSW public schools. The focus is on those processes operating within schools, in general, but particularly within subject-departments and/or other within-school groupings or teams of teachers, that appear influential in achieving 'outstanding educational outcomes' in approximately 50 identified Years 7-10 NSW public school sites.

The research is divided in three phases, representing each year of the project. The first year will be spent on accumulating and analysing the quantitative and qualitative data on the 458 public secondary and central schools in NSW. The second year involves intensive case-study research within the 50 sites selected, focusing as appropriate on subject-departments, programs and initiatives within the schools in question. The third year will focus on the development and trialling of professional development programs designed to assist all schools to improve the quality of Years 7-10 schooling provision by enriching the teaching and learning environment for both students and teachers. This paper introduces the project and presents an account of its overall design.

This paper will be presented as part of Symposium 24 GRE01577 What makes some schools hum? Investigating the achievement of outstanding outcomes in Junior Secondary schooling in New South Wales: A preliminary project report.

BAR01579   Paper
Methodological challenges: Selecting schools and other issues in the AESOP study

Geoff Barnes, New South Wales Department of Education and Training and Wayne Sawyer, University of Western Sydney

A project such as this clearly requires a sophisticated and innovative mix of methodologies. Phase I has been focused on identifying which school-sites are likely candidates for further investigation, given the overall aims of the study. The site-selection process has involved the consideration of a wide range of quantitative and qualitative data available within the NSW Department of Education and Training.

A key feature was the use of both value-added performance data, as a primary source of evidence in choosing the English, Mathematics and Science faculty sites, and also students' BST performances in Year 5, linked to their School Certificate outcomes. These were used to identify those schools consistently achieving 'outstanding' outcomes, taking into account socioeconomic and geographic contextual factors. Additional sites in other KLAs were identified by extrapolating back from SC/1-ISC value-added data. As well, quantitative data relating to student attendance, truancy, counsellor referrals, and like, was drawn on, along with DET's growing body of student affective outcomes data. Qualitative data was obtained from DET's School Improvement Officers and Curriculum Consultants, as well as a variety of other stakeholders and interested parties. These sets of quantitative and qualitative data sources were then 'triangulated' against each other, in order to identify approximately 50 'sites of excellence' across traditional 'subj ect-departments' and whole-school programs.

This paper presents some of the technical issues and challenges in this phase of the project.

This paper will be presented as part of Symposium 24 GRE01577 What makes some schools hum? Investigating the achievement of outstanding outcomes in Junior Secondary schooling in New South Wales: A preliminary project report.

BAR01601   Paper
Phenomenology and survey analysis

Robyn Barnacle, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

One of the questions confronting research into the research student experience is how the quality of that experience can be effectively assessed. A conventional approach has been to conduct a survey, and occasionally as RMIT has done recently this has involved combining questions relating to research student satisfaction with others related to the nature of the research experience more generally. When it comes to analysing the results of such a survey, however, certain methodological problems arise. In a survey with both a quantitative, multiple-choice, section and a qualitative, open-ended, section it is not always obvious how the two parts of the survey can be reconciled. In particular, how can different types of findings: one statistical the other evaluative, be credibly integrated with, or related to, the other? What is required in this situation is an interpretative framework for crossing the boundaries of alternative survey methodologies. In this paper I will reflect on how phenomenology can be used in this context. This will be based on my experience analysing the findings of a research student survey at RMIT. There, a phenomenological approach was used, not to overcome the tensions involved in reconciling the qualitative and quantitative dimensions of the survey, but rather to engage with those tensions and thereby enrich the findings.

BAT01517   Paper
The course in applied vocational study skills: Professional development issues in the integration of literacy within VET delivery

Susan Bates & Cheryl Wiltshire Western Australian Department of Training and Employment

The need for literacy and numeracy support for VET students is well recognised, but attempts to provide that support are often not accepted by students. VET students resist strategies that are not directly related to their industry training activities, that are reminiscent of schoolwork, or that require extra attendance or extra assessments. The Course in Applied Vocational Study Skills (CAVSS) was developed in Western Australia as a delivery framework that prescribes a student-centred approach, and provides a funding and accountability mechanism, for the delivery of integrated literacy support to mainstream VET students. Under CAVSS, literacy specialist teachers team-teach with VET lecturers for up to 4 hours a week in a VET classroom, workshop, or on-site. The course was piloted in 2000 at 12 TAFEs across the state, and research findings suggest that the course is well accepted by students and lecturers, and that the CAVSS model is effective in improving student' outcomes. The research has also highlighted a number of implementation issues, including those associated with widespread misconceptions about the development and application of literacy skills in industry training environments. This paper outlines the research findings and examines some of the implications that the research has for professional development in the adult literacy and basic education field.

BEC01406   Paper
Teachers and IT - integrating the two into the curriculum

Margie Beck, Australian Catholic University

Snyder (2000) writes, "There needs to be more research into how [faculty] departments and individual teachers integrate computers into curricula and how computers interact with the whole school curriculum. How does pedagogy change? Do teachers' expectations alter? What are the implications for teachers' professional development?' (AER Journal Vol27, 2 August.) The professional development offered for using IT in the classroom will be examined through the eyes of four teachers in a secondary school. Each of the teachers came from different teaching areas and had varying skills in IT as well as different experiences in using IT in the classroom. The change in the way the teachers taught and expected their students to work were examined as part of the case study approach taken in attempting to answer some the questions posed by Snyder. Long term changes appeared to be possible only when the teachers' new IT skills overcame their fear of changing established methods of delivery. The organisational process involved in gaining access to the IT Centre also played a part in whether the teachers were willing to organise lessons using IT.

BEL01360   Paper
Researching motivation in context: Rethinking methodologies.

Susan Beltman, Murdoch University

Recent theory and research on motivation has shifted in its focus from a study of more general characteristics of individuals such as personal motivational goals, to an examination of the motivation of individuals within specific domains or contexts. This change in focus has led to a broadening of the methodologies used to examine motivation. Many studies now use mixed methods. Rather than relying almost exclusively on quantitative measures such as questionnaires, researchers are incorporating qualitative measures to capture the dynamic and rich nature of learning and motivation in context. This presentation will illustrate the above trend. The presenter's work in progress will be used to discuss how insights into motivation in context might be obtained using qualitative research methodologies. Participants from the domains of sport and music have been interviewed using a range of specially designed stimulus materials and tasks to gain an understanding of their experiences within these contexts. This approach elicited participants' stories of their development and the people involved, as well as their perceptions of the different settings in which they play sport or music. Participants were asked to consider both positive and negative influences on motivation.

BEN01026   
Developing effective coping and learning strategies for interactions with people with disabilities

Robyn Bentley-Williams, Charles Sturt University

This investigation builds on earlier findings of the student teachers' reflections on learning to relate to people with disabilities through voluntary involvement in community projects. Findings from this study showed that participants learnt both personal and professional strategies that they could apply in their teaching role with children with disabilities. In contrast, this study involved a new research perspective on how experienced educators and carers developed effective coping and learning strategies for their role with people with disabilities.

The research questions addressed:

The significance of this study is to facilitate biographical eflective investigation into effective coping and learning strategies, grounded in substantial examinations of past and present experiences involving people with disabilities within homes, classrooms, schools and communities. The outcomes may have benefits for practising educators/carers and assist in moulding the process for a range of interdisciplinary professionals.

BET01229   Paper
Assessing bullying behaviour of school students through the use of art.

Elisabeth Betlem, University of New South Wales

Bullying behaviour is a pervasive and insidious activity affecting 5% to 18% (Besag, 1989; Rigby and Slee, 1993) of school students reaching their full educational potential. Traditionally studies investigating bullying behaviour have focused on the use of pen and paper tests to identify the 'when', 'where', 'how' and 'how often' bullying behaviour occurs (Bjorkjvist, 1995; Branwaite, 1994, Rigby and Slee 1993). The author proposes an alternative strategy; an art based activity to identify bullying and victim behaviours amongst adolescents in the school years. A Social Constructionist model is deployed to interrogate the conventional use of language in typical pen and paper questionnaires. It will be argued that an analysis of the discourse underlying the questionnaires reveals the limitations of students' self-reporting of direct and indirect bullying. This paper goes onto to argue that art as a non-language dependent means of communication opens up an alternative to the traditional assessment instruments which aim to identify overt bullying behaviour after the event. This project does not aim to develop a new psychology test, but rather to test the usefulness of an art based mechanism to identify students at risk of bullying and victim behaviours.

BEV01117   Paper
How are Maori learners with special needs faring?

Jill Bevan-Brown, Massey University

Similar to many other ethnic minority groups throughout the world, Maori learners with special needs are overrepresented in Special Education. One of the briefs of the SE2000 Research was to investigate whether these Maori learners with special needs were being adequately catered for by the new policy initiatives. This question was posed to Maori parents, teachers in mainstream early childhood centres and schools and to teachers and whanau (extended family) members in kohanga reo and kura kaupapa Maori (total immersion early childhood centres and schools). Based on the data from this research the presenter will discuss the specific needs of Maori learners with special needs both in mainstream and total immersion contexts and the degree to which these needs are being met. The research showed that policy initiatives vary in their effectiveness for Maori, the least effective being the Severe Behaviour Initiative which is the area of greatest Maori representation. A variety of challenges teachers face in providing for Maori learners with special needs will be presented and some suggestions for meeting these challenges will be posed.

This paper is presented as part of Symposium 2, BOU01115 The impact of special education policy change on practice.

BHA01333  ®   Paper
Electronic portfolios, student reflective practices, and the evaluation of effective learning

Madhumita Bhattacharya, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Electronic portfolios provide a useful means of promoting as well as assessing the development of student learning over time. The most effective electronic portfolios link student reflective practice with products and performances, which indicate a hands-on and applied acquisition of practical skills and knowledge involving learning technologies. The process of action-reflection is important in that it helps people develop more appropriate and effective ways of working. Moreover, it develops more independent learning, and fosters a problem-solving, solution-orientated approach to the learning process. To what extent, then, might student reflections serve as a reliable indicator of effective learning in general and of the applied use of learning technologies in particular? This paper thus considers the connection between student reflective practice and effective, applied learning within the authentic contexts of learning represented by electronic portfolios. It will further discuss the question of how best to evaluate and assess student reflections as part of a developmental process linked to specific portfolio products or performances.

BIL01035  ®   Paper
Teacher research: A new way of hearing adolescent student talk in class

Dianne Bills, University of South Australia

This paper describes a study which examined the social and institutional relations assembled in and around the talk of young adolescent students in the classroom. It describes how a teacher-researcher attempted to negotiate the insider/outsider divide often used to characterise teacher research, in order to hear students' talk with peers in everyday classroom conversations. The talk was recorded over a period of four months, transcribed, and analysed from an ethnomethodological point of view, using techniques of Conversation Analysis.

Teachers face particular pedagogical, ethical and methodological issues when they conduct research in their own classroom and this study shows what can be accomplished when a teacher adopts an outsider perspective in order to hear students in 'nonintuitive' ways. The study also reveals the insights gained when a teacher adds to that way of hearing by drawing on her 'inside' knowledge of individual speakers. It is possible to appreciate the continuous and creative work students conduct to assemble different ways of being students alongside their many other social and sub-cultural ways of being.

BOA01136   Paper
The Principal's Role in Kindergarten to Grade 2 Education

Margot Boardman, University of Tasmania

The role and impact that a principal has on the educational provision within the school cannot be underestimated (Hallinger & Heck 1996), as he/she needs to be a positive role model in leading others (Anderson 1998) in the day- to-day operation of the school. However, limited research has been completed in respect to the specific role a school principal undertakes in the Kindergarten to Grade 2 (K-2) sector of a primary school. This important role, undertaken by principals in the K-2 area of education within Tasmanian schools, was considered in a research study by Boardman (1999). The perceptions of K-2 teachers (n=245) and their principals (n=30) were sought concerning the role, and primary leadership tasks, of the school principal in K-2 education. Results indicated a lack of congruence between teachers' and principals' responses regarding the role of the principal in K-2. Furthermore, teachers displayed a lack of understanding of the nature, as well as the diversity and complexity, of the tasks completed by the principal. Enhanced communication and interest between K-2 teachers and principals is strongly purported as an integral starting point in developing a more collaborative understanding of the leader's role.

BOL01137  ®   Paper
Evaluation of school restructuring intended to create a middle schooling culture

Terry Boland, Yule Brook College, and Robert Cavanagh, and Graham Dellar, Curtin University of Technology

As a consequence of rationalisation of educational provision in Western Australia, Maddington Senior High School was closed in 1999. A new principal was appointed with the brief to create a middle school. Following extensive refurbishment of physical facilities, appointment of new staff and major curriculum revision, the school was re-opened in 2000 as Yule Brook College. Re-structuring of the school was based upon application of research into effective teaching, learning and school improvement intended to create a learning community. Particular attention was given to identifying the characteristics of school and classroom learning environments conducive to improved student educational outcomes. This influenced school leadership practices, staff selection, curriculum provision, class groupings and classroom design. Prior to re-structuring, The School Cultural Elements Questionnaire, the Classroom Cultural Elements Questionnaire and the Parental Involvement in School Questionnaire were administered respectively to staff, students and parents to profile the prevailing culture of the school. All three surveys were re-administered after one year of school improvement implementation Survey data were subject to one-way analysis of variance to identify stability and change in multiple dimensions of the learning community culture.

Results indicate significant changes occurred within the school over the one-year period of re-structuring.

BOL01201   Paper
The interactional effects of personality type, student learning styles and initial degree choice on first year university students' anxiety and career decision certainty: A model of influence.

Rosalind Bolitho, University of New South Wales

This paper reports the findings of a project exploring the interactional effects of: personality type (measured by the MBTI), student learning styles (measured by the Biggs SPQ) and initial degree choice on student anxiety (STAXI) and career commitment amongst first year students at the College of Fine Arts, UNSW. Students will ostensibly choose a particular degree according to their perceived interests. However, there could be demands made on them by the nature of the particular academic discipline that may well be both unexpected and at odds with the academic predispositions of 'personality type' and the individual's preferred learning style. The study proposed that such a 'mismatch' of learning style and career choice would lead to increased student anxiety, reduced career commitment and an increased preparedness to 'drop out' from a particular course. Correlations between these factors and analysis of variance measures have been undertaken to develop a possible model of influence that predicts students who will be more 'at risk' of university failure particularly in those degrees demanding more than one learning approach. By highlighting the point of mismatch the model aims to explore the potential for possible interventions designed to reduce student anxiety and thus increase retention rates.

BOO01079   Paper
Challenges of incorporating cooperative learning in primary science classrooms

Hong-Kwen Boo, Nanyang Technological University

The challenge of teaching science is to teach in a way that enables pupils to learn science concepts while acquiring process skills and positive scientific attitudes. One of the effective ways of accomplishing these objectives is believed to be through involving pupils in hands-on activities in the context of cooperative learning. The use of cooperative learning presents immense practical challenges to teachers. This paper is based on data collected in the second phase of a three-part study of classroom practices in Singapore.

The first phase is a questionnaire survey of how primary school teachers' in Singapore organise their classrooms in various subject areas. For the second phase, the research team observed 50 lessons in four content curriculum areas - English, Math, Social Studies and Science. This paper reports on the science lessons which were observed and examines the challenges involved in incorporating cooperative learning in the context of teaching primary science in Singapore. Our classroom observations reveal that while groupwork is being carried out in Science lessons, few of the teachers have structured group learning according to the principles of cooperative learning. A further challenge facing teachers is the design of group tasks that require higher-order thinking and promote real collaboration among group members.

BOS01276   Paper
Influencing the future: Goals of student nurses and their perceptions of nursing

Anna Maria Bosco and Catherine Ward, Curtin University of Technology, and Irene Styles, Murdoch University

The motivation to select a tertiary study program is influenced by the long and short term career goals toward which the program is perceived to provide a pathway. Using Ford's (1986) taxonomy of human goals as a theoretical framework, the study presented in this paper explored students’ perceptions of the influences that encouraged them to undertake a nursing career. One major aim was to identify what motivated the students to embark on a nursing career, a second was to determine the students' images of being a nurse. A questionnaire addressing reasons for enrolling in a nursing program, and the role of nurses was devised and administered to 124 nursing students in the first semester of their degree and 84 students completing their final semester.

Findings indicate two types of goals - altruism, and the opportunities nursing can provide to fulfil a range of students' aspirations. In regard to perspective of themselves as nurses, students tended to focus the therapeutic relationship on themselves rather than on the patient. Furthermore, it is evident that the image of nurses and nursing continues to be influence by the media. Results have implications for nurse education as the motivation identified by participants to undertake nursing appear to be complex, but their perceptions of their role as nurses is relatively limited. This is expecially significant given the current shortage of nurses.

BOU01116    Paper
The framework for the Special Education 2000 evaluation and the impact of providing a special education grant to all schools

Roseanna Bourke, Massey University

The Special Education 2000 policy has affected ALL schools in New Zealand. Alongside the changes to the resourcing for students with high needs, the policy introduced two initiatives to assist learners with moderate needs. These included the Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour and the Special Education Grant (SEG). The SEG was allocated to all schools irrespective of whether there were students with special educational needs enrolled in the school.

The policy has now been evaluated over a three-year period by a Massey University based research team using a multi-method approach including, where possible, participatory research methods. The evaluation has included extensive national surveys to primary and secondary schools, early childhood centres, service providers, residential special schools and Maori immersion schools - kura kaupapa. This paper outlines the framework for the multimethod participatory research evaluation involving a team of 16 researchers and 70 teacher fieldworkers, presents the findings over the three years, and examines the educational and political implications of the results. Specifically, this paper will discuss the results from the SEG component of the policy.

This paper is presented as part of Symposium 2, BOU01 115, The impact of special education policy change on practice.

BOU01588   Paper
PhD examination and examiner characteristics

Sid Bourke, Jill Scevak and Robert Cantwell, University of Newcastle

The choice of examiners for PhD theses across disciplines tend to be based on a stable group of features, i.e. reputation in the field, publication record, subject and/or methodological expertise, and experience of research supervision and examination. In Australia each thesis is normally examined by three examiners, and there is the expectation that most or all examiners will be drawn from outside the examining institution, with possibly some from overseas. What are the results of this process? It is a question that is rarely posed, and yet may have a significant impact on the process of assessment. For any one thesis how 'balanced' are examiner characteristics and is there a difference by discipline? Do individual or collective examiner characteristics predict the ratings given to a thesis, or particular qualities of examiner reports? This paper draws on data from a study of the examination of one hundred PhD theses from one institution (i.e more than 300 examiners reports including some cases of resubmission). The findings have implications for the process of thesis examination, the interpretation of thesis reports, and advice given to supervisors and candidates.

This paper will be presented as part of Symposium 25 HOL01586 Frontiers in research training: Evaluating PhD examination and supervision.

BRA01557  ®   Paper
From "Too little too late" to "This is the best part": Students’ perceptions of changes to the practicum placement in teaching

Robyn Brandenberg, and Janette Ryan, University of Ballarat

Many educators have commented upon the lack of research into the successful operation of work-based learning programs within courses of tertiary study. There has been a long tradition of including school-based practical placements ('the practicum') into preservice teacher education courses. The length of these practicum placements is generally prescribed by teacher education accreditation bodies, but the organisation and timing of these experiences is determined by individual universities. This paper reports on a pilot study into the practicum that arose from a review of a preservice teacher education course at a regional university that, among other issues, investigated students’ views on the organisation of the practicum. Students reported strong views about this aspect of the program and these views were responded to in the re-design of the course, through the introduction of a practicum placement early in the course. The new intake of students was invited to evaluate the course, to measure whether and how well the university had met the needs that the previous students had identified. The students’ responses outlined a range of benefits that relate to relationships between the various stakeholders involved in the practicum, as well as issues such as commitment to the course and potential impacts on retention patterns. The students’ views have encouraged us to shift our thinking away from a focus on issues such as the structure, organisation and timing of the practicum, to a more fundamental questioning of the tenets underpinning current practicum programmes. They have also prompted us to re-frame our own views of what constitutes effective learning for student teachers during the practicum experience.

BRO01013    Paper
School subject borders and the maintenance of a hegemonic curriculum discourse in multidisciplinary curriculum making

Ross Brooker

The symbolic enshrinement of subjects in the secondary school curricula has been a very successful principle in the history of curriculum making (Goodson, 1992). Goodson argues that the subject "is a perfect device for conservation and stability and stands to effectively frustrate any more holistic initiatives... New initiatives in curriculum-making have to be scrutinised at this level of symbolic action." Drawing on the analysis of interview and observational data collected from a twelve-month case study of the implementation of a "more holistic" multidisciplinary curriculum at a school site, this paper analyses the ways in which subject borders influenced the curriculum making discourse. Insights about the borders and implications for crossing them become the focus for reporting professional practice research in this paper.

BRO01031   Paper
Leading or being led by the young to later arts participation

Neil Brown, The University of New South Wales

Reporting on research conducted by the author for the Australia Council for the Arts, this paper portrays later involvement in the arts from the perspective of a mutually influential relationship between artworks and their youthful participants. It documents how the social profile of young participants in the arts influences the status of the arts they go on to support, how sub-cultural attitudes of the young shape the economic viability of the arts, and how young people use the arts to satisfy different needs in their lives.

It also shows how artworks and performances, in return, appeal to a range of technical, cognitive, and cultural sympathies of the young in ways that are often overlooked by educators.

For example, how the arts can regiment, proselytise, satirise, propagandise, excite sexual interest, and challenge the status quo of their youthful participants.

This paper documents how the social profile of young participants influences the status of the arts they support and how the arts, in return, capture the loyalty of young participants.

BRO01011    Paper
Extending the borders of an evaluation project beyond the purposes of formative feedback and accountability: considerations of teacher confidence and competence in a curriculum change effort

Ross Brooker and Ian Macpherson

Trialing new curricula in the Queensland secondary school context is a very formal process in which the curriculum making activity of teachers in the trial is monitored through a sponsored evaluation. The purpose of the evaluation is to provide feedback to the curriculum developers on the implementation of the new curriculum in the school context. The principal focus for the evaluation is the efficacy of the curriculum document in terms of its substance and the ability of teachers to translate it into teaching and learning programs for students. The effects of the trial process on teachers’ personal resources for curriculum making are rarely studied. In a recent two-year study of the implementation of a trial senior secondary (years 11 & 12) school curriculum in Home Economics (Brooker & Macpherson, 2001), the borders of the formal evaluation process was extended to investigate the perceptions of teachers about their competence and confidence in curriculum-making. Drawing on the analysis of data collected from 35 teachers in 24 schools over a two year period, this paper reports on how teachers perceived their levels of competence and confidence during the trial and on the factors which influenced those levels. Implications are drawn for the curriculum-making process in schools. The study reported in this paper is, therefore, an example of professional practice research which sought to go beyond the primary purpose of syllabus evaluation.

BRO01365   Paper
eVenturing with information enabled innovators and entrepreneurs: Designing customised learning space for the new skill set requirements of eBusiness

John Brown-Parker, M. Gaca, G. Chow and U.Teuscher, Swinburne University of Technology

Existing graduate programs at the Centre for eBusiness and Communication, Swinburne, are successfully meeting the challenge of developing information enabled managers with the knowledge, skills and abilities to operate in complex eBusiness environments and networked global marketspaces. Having made the transition to the virtual world of eBusiness, the next challenge was to design a flexible learning space that encouraged information enabled learners to eVenture in cyberspace. A fresh design approach was required to develop the new concepts, principles and techniques needed to help learners look beyond the horizon, identify emerging and unfamiliar indicators of change and then use sound business acumen to generate strategic opportunities and sustainable eBusiness models. This paper describes the development of a customised learning and assessment space, built upon a tested digital delivery system, that allows learners to move comfortably through time, space and place; transcend the limitations of national boundaries and the constraints of bricks and mortar; and apply the new "virtual" skill set of entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity.

BRO01653  ®   Paper
Quality issues and effective design principles in distributed learning materials

Christopher Brook and Paul Bowen, Edith Cowan University

Distributed learning has become a focal point as a result of an increased interest in decentralising education, the increased availability of technology and the promotion of life long learning. At the same time funding structures within the university are encouraging the maintenance of student numbers and a decrease in attrition rates. Though laudable the combination of these pressures for change and increased service may have an effect on the academic quality of units as departments attempt to maintain student numbers in an increasingly competitive and expensive education environment. The potential for a conflict in interests raises many questions of the distributed learning environment including the use of current knowledge of learning and design principles and the effectiveness in meeting student and university needs and attaining high levels of student outcomes. This paper seeks to identify processes that act to reduce unit content quality. The intention is to identify a process by which current knowledge of learning and instruction can be applied in the distributed learning environment to meet student and university needs and optimise learning outcomes while maintaining cost effectiveness. A design process will be described. The paper is based on practical experience of the writers working in a team environment to develop a distributed learning unit for an educationally diverse group of students.

C

CAM01221   Paper
Identifying the developmental phases encountered by beginning teachers during an internship.

Robert Cameron, University of Western Sydney

Throughout the 1990's there have been reports world-wide that have requested teacher education programs to closely consider their courses for beginning teachers in better preparing them for the world of teaching and in providing the teaching profession with competent practitioners. Internships were seen as a possible means of achieving this and providing teaching with the practitioners to fulfil the pre-requisites of a beginning teacher. The question remained though, how do we know that the graduates of a teacher education program are " ready to teach" and to play their part as a team member in the education of children? This paper investigates the developmental phases encountered by beginning teachers through their involvement in an internship program. This internship is a component of an initial teacher education course at the University of Western Sydney, Australia. The paper describes the nature of the research and reports the results of a five-year study of the internship program. This research identifies four developmental phases through which interns progress over their 10 -week internship experience. Each phase is identified and explained utilising the range of data available. These data were collected utilising qualitative methodologies including focus groups, intern reflective journals, and semi-structured interviews with participants and field notes of intern classroom practices and behaviours collected during the internship. A process of triangulation was utilised to confirm, describe and interrogate the patterns and relationships identified in the data and to understand the phases of intern development. This paper will contribute to the literature about beginning teaching and the role that an internship approach can play in providing the teaching profession with competent beginning teachers.

CAN01525   Paper
Adjusting to university study: The experiences of students from a manufacturing background undertaking university level study

Jill Scevak and Robert Cantwell, University of Newcastle

A recent trend in university study has been the recognition of non-traditional criteria for entry into undergraduate study, particularly for mature aged students. One increasingly common mode of entry has been through recognition of prior learning (RPL) whereby comparable industrial/commercial experience has been seen as equivalent to more formal modes of matriculation. In this study, the academic experiences of 26 male students from an industrial background were investigated as they completed a two-year education degree. The purpose of the study was to investigate the quality of student adjustment to an academic environment following extensive industrial experience. It was hypothesised that some difficulty in both academic and social adjustment to university study may be experienced by this group, potentially manifesting in less successful outcomes. Students completed a series of questionnaires relating to learning (approaches to learning, self-regulation and epistemological beliefs) as well as a series of open-ended questions relating to academic and social adjustment. Data were collected in the final semester of study. Data indicated that students had developed a positive learning profile, indicated by a bias towards deep learning, adaptive self-regulation and a relatively sophisticated epistemology (marred only by a retained belief in simple knowledge). Open-ended responses indicated a trend towards increasing adaptation to the demands of university study, albeit with a continuing tension between the social and financial effects of study and ongoing academic demands. Ultimately, the students polarised into those maintaining a sense of personal growth and change, and those who increasingly saw their time at university in instrumental terms.

CAR01071   Paper
Artists who teach: an ethnographic study into the relation between artistic practice and teaching practice of artists who teach in tertiary settings.

Judith Carroll, Australian Catholic University

This paper reports on current empirical research that investigates the relation between artistic practice and teaching practice. Based on a previous study by the author into the unconfirmed prediction embedded in Disciplined Based Art Education (DBAE), that the sophisticated practice of artists conforms to an integrated and disciplined pattern, this study hypothesises that artists who teach find few pedagogical resources within their own practice. Despite the capital invested in the orthodox belief that it is artistic practice that informs their pedagogy, and despite the apparent tendency for artists to unselfconsciously rehearse their own artistic style with their students, this longitudinal investigation seeks to disconfirm the view that artist teachers are driven by art educational conventions rather than by representations of their own artistic practices.

CAR01309   Paper
An Evidence-based Practice Approach to Practicum Supervision Using New Information Management Technology

David Carter, The University of Exeter

The roles of supervisors; their responsibilities and the nature and forms of communication between university supervisor, school co-operating teacher and student teacher, appear to be central to feelings of isolation and disconnectedness encountered by student teachers engaged on field experience in schools. In this study, new information management and communication technologies were used to support collaborative approaches to practicum supervision in a 'borderless' manner. In the learning environments created by extensive information and communications technology use, the generation and utilisation of information by student teachers and their supervisors was monitored and evaluated. It was found that by exploiting the technological convergence of a new Instructional Management Information System (IMIS), configured to support practicum experiences in an integrative fashion, the experiences of participants in the supervisory triad was enriched and the channels for professional discourse enlarged. For the technology tools to be optimally effective, however, each member of the triad required more specialised training than was anticipated at the outset, in the use of new information management tools, applied specifically to serve the ends of practicum supervision. Difficulties in developing an appropriate electronic infrastructure for full implementation of the ICT employed in the schools settings will also be reported.

CAR01399  ®   Paper
Crossing the borders between university and workplace learning: Problematising the integration of theory and practice in teacher education.

Patricia Cartwright, Ann Gervasoni and Mary Nuttall, Australian Catholic University

This paper reports on a Project that aimed to assist student teachers in their professional development and learning through their study of the integration of the theory and practice of the disciplines of Literacy Education, Maths Education, and Teaching and Classroom Management. The target group consisted of Education students in their second year of their BA/BT course when the focus of their studies is on curriculum theories and classroom practice. The Project aimed to address the complexities of the professions into which students will enter by crossing the borders between universities and schools, developing and implementing curriculum programs, and collaborating with classroom teachers, in order to enhance the learning of student teachers. What became clear, however, was that there was not a seamless integration of theory and practice. This disjuncture between theory and practice provided an opportunity for student teachers to cross over into borders of meaning, ways of knowing, social and power relations, and values, that challenged them to problematise the relationship between theory and practice. A particular focus of this paper is on students’ critical reflection as they crossed the borders between the subject positions offered them in university classrooms and their placement in school classrooms - a situation that enabled them to engage critically with the complexities of learning, teaching and schooling.

CAR01657       ®    Paper
A journey of learning: Inclusive school development

Suzanne Carrington and Robyn Robinson, Queensland University of Technology

A global recognition of students’ rights requires school organisations to recognise, value, and provide for diversity. The move towards more inclusive schooling in Queensland, Australia requires schools to address professional development on two levels: reculturing of the school to reflect inclusive beliefs and values; and enhancement of teacher skills and knowledge to better address the learning needs of all students. The recently developed Index for Inclusion (Booth, Ainscow, Black-Hawkins, Vaughan, & Shaw, 2000) is one resource that can facilitate the proces of professional development and facilitate change in school culture, policy and teaching practice. The Index proce: described in this paper incorporates the use of a critical friend and peer mentoring within an action research model which together provide benefits for all involved in the professional development process. This paper reports on the initial stages of a collaborative partnership between a university and a primary school in a disadvantaged socioeconomic area of Queensland, Australia. The stages of the journey of learning incorporating the Index for Inclusion are reported.

This paper will be presented as part of Symposium 6 CAR01227 Does the Index for Inclusion provide a framework for school improvement and professional development for inclusive education?

CAR01661       ®    Paper
Innovative teaching and student centred learning: A case study of three faculties at QUT

Belinda Carpenter, Daphne Meadmore and Gordon Tait, Queensland University of Technology

This case study of Queensland University of Technology (QUT) found that good teaching has two central features is necessarily student centred, and it is 'innovative', a characteristic that, at QUT at least, is increasingly equated with the use of technology. This paper based upon interviews with twenty-four QUT academics across three faculties (Education, Science, and Law), will suggest four things. First, that the concept of student centred learni based on ideals of progressive education, is neither an historical inevitability nor theoretically unproblematic. Second, that irrespective of discipline, all lecturers espouse an underpinning 'progressive' teaching philosophy, e though, in practice, teaching style appears to be determined primarily by subject-matter. Third, given that, in practice, the progressive model seems to suit some faculties and subject areas better than others (ie. Education, as opposed to Science and Law) this has significant professional implications for the lecturers concerned. Finally, t rather than promoting a 'progressive' pedagogy, the use of technology in teaching actually appears to reinforce traditional teaching techniques. Consequently, it is suggested that monolithic understandings of good teaching, when applied across the academy irrespective of context, are often inappropriate, ineffective and inequities, and that universities need to think through their teaching policies and programmes more thoroughly.

CAR01707   Paper
The voice of the adolescent with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in individual case conferences: How adolescents with AD/HD manage the symptoms of their disorder and the treatment strategies.

Georgia Carragher, Glenda Campbell-Evans and Chris Forlin. Edith Cowan University.

Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) are at risk of under achievement and under productivity in school, home and in the social environment. Literature demonstrates that adolescents with AD/HD exhibit higher levels of risk-taking behaviour than are developmentally appropriate; while adolescents with AD/HD also exhibit low levels of self-esteem and poor peer relationships. This qualitative longitudinal study, divided into four phases of identification, intermediation and evaluation intends to address the paucity of previous research with adolescents with AD/HD related to their perceptions of their disorder while, at the same time, evaluating how adolescents with AD/HD (both male and female) are able to self-manage their disorder. Grounded Theory methodology will form the basis for data analysis, collation and collection. The aim of this study is to use grounded theory methodology to construct theory about the management of the symptoms of the disorder AD/HD and its treatment strategies for adolescents with AD/HD by adolescents with AD/HD where no such theory currently exists. The unequivocal aim of the youth driven individual case conference is to allow adolescents with AD/HD to regain their self-esteem, with the eventual objective being that of ameliorating current negative social and educational outcomes.

CAV01138  ®   Paper
Secondary school culture and improvement: Teacher, student and parent perspectives

Robert Cavanagh and Graham Dellar, Curtin University of Technology

A school improvement program was designed for a large Perth senior high school. This included an empirical study of learning community culture with surveying of staff, students and parents. The School Cultural Elements Questionnaire was administered to staff (N =77). An emphasis on learning and collegiality were identified as attributes of the staff. However, they were uncertain about the presence of professional values, collaboration, shared planning and transformation leadership. The Classroom Cultural Elements Questionnaire was administered to students (N = 988) in a stratified sample of 54 classes.

Factor analysis showed the instrument was profiling 11 constructs. ANOVA were used to examine differences due to class membership, year group, subject area and gender. All eleven elements varied significantly between the 54 classes with differences in specific elements identified between years, subjects and boys and girls. The Parental Involvement in Schooling Questionnaire was administered to parents (N = 293). Previous factor analysis revealed the instrument was profiling 10 constructs. Family and home attributes were identified as being conducive to parental involvement whereas parents perceived teacher commitment to be lacking. Empirical findings were presented to community through workshop conducted to identify strategies to improve aspects of the learning community culture.

CAV01140   Paper
Student perceptions of classroom learning environments in single gender lower secondary English classes

Robert Cavanagh, Kelly Mollon and Graham Dellar, Curtin University of Technology

The learning environments within seven lower secondary single gender English classes in a Perth school were investigated. The researchers hypothesised there would be differences between the female and male class groups. Research methods included administration of the Classroom Cultural Elements Questionnaire (CCEQ) to each class. In previous studies, the CCEQ had solicited significantly different responses from females and males in mixed gender classes. A complementary qualitative case study examination of Year Eight classes with observation, videotaping and interviewing students and the respective teachers was also conducted. The CCEQ profiled student perceptions of eleven classroom attributes. Data were subject to one-way analysis of variance and effect size by gender, class membership and year level. Of the eleven attributes, only two were significantly different due to gender, however, six were different due to class membership and three due to year level. The qualitative case studies of the Year Eight classes revealed differences in the teaching resources used in the male and female classes, but not in the observable behaviour of the teachers or the students. The study found that differences in classroom learning environments between single gender classes were only slightly related to the gender of children in the respective classes.

CHA01062   Paper
Validation of a Measure of Personal Theories about Teaching and Learning

Kwok-wai CHAN, Hong Kong Institute of Education

Researchers in teacher education have suggested that many of teachers classroom decision-making and actions are based on some sort of theoretical framework which are beliefs driven (Armour-Thomas, 1989; Clark & Peterson, 1986; Marland, 1995, 1998). Such beliefs driven theoretical framework constitute teacher’s conceptions about teaching and learning and build up their principles of classroom practice. These beliefs or theoretical frameworks are given various labels in literature including implicit theories or personal theories about teaching and learning. Studies of teacher’s personal theories are often conducted by means of qualitative methods such as interview, narratives and analysis of reflective journal about teaching. Quantitative measure by means of questionnaire or inventory to study personal theories are few but they are useful to provide a global picture or profiles of teachers beliefs/conceptions about teaching and learning. This paper attempts to develop and validate an instrument to measure teacher’s personal theories. By means of which teacher educators and teacher education students can have an understanding of student teachers beliefs and conceptions about teaching and learning, which is considered a functional way of helping them learn how to teach in their course of professional development. Thus the validated measure assists teacher educators to evaluate the effectiveness of the teacher education program with reference to the identified profile of personal theories of their students. Also, the relations of demographic variables of teacher education students and their personal theories were analysed to investigate if there is any influence of age, gender and electives studied on the students beliefs or personal theories about teaching/learning, based on which implications and suggestions are drawn for teaching education development and research.

CHA01098       ®   Paper
The validation and application of a new learning environment instrument to evaluate online learning in higher education

Vanessa Chang and Darrell Fisher, Curtin University of Technology

More and more academics are accepting the challenge of using the web-based or on-line learning in higher education to deliver coursework. Many web sites indicate that opportunities for students to receive coursework via the web is routine at most universities. The Internet/Web has become an important change agent in higher education and universities are reviewing their strategic plans to incorporate on-line learning. As a result of the increase in on-line courses, it is timely for learning environment research to focus on the Web. However, to date, no comprehensive instruments have been developed to assess on-line learning environments for higher education. A new web-based learning environment instrument is described in this paper. The Web-based Learning Environment Instrument (WEBLEI) contains four main scales. Three scales (emancipatory, co-participatory, and qualia) are built upon the work of Tobin (1998). The other scale focuses on information structure and the design of on-line material. The rationale behind and development of the WEBLEI are described in the paper. Statistical analyses, Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient, factor analysis, and discriminant validity indicated that the WEBLEI is a reliable and valid instrument. The paper also reports on findings involving the perceptions of undergraduate and graduate students utilising this new instrument.

CHA01320   Paper
Maternal teaching strategies as predictors of young children’s critical thinking

Julia Chandra, Murdoch University

The relation between maternal teaching strategies and her 4- or 5-year old child’s ability to think critically was examined in this study. A group of mothers was trained to interact reciprocally with their child. The training lasted for five months, during which the mother-child interactions as well as the child’s measures on critical thinking were monitored. The results were then compared with those of mothers who did not receive such training. Maternal teaching strategies and the child’s critical thinking ability were assessed in natural setting but were taken independently, since one aspect of critical thinking is the ability to think spontaneously and independently from authoritative figure. Altogether 14 categories of maternal teaching strategies were used in the mother-child interaction analyses, while critical thinking in children were assessed on cognitive and affective components. Preliminary results showed that children who were able to think critically have mothers who emphasised inquiry rather than command or control. The effectiveness of the training and the role of maternal teaching strategies in promoting young children’s critical thinking are discussed.

CHA01335   Paper
Creativity computer-assisted instruction systems CCAI in Taiwan: System development & an experimental study

Chun-Yang Chang, Ying-Yao Cheng and Yi-Hui Ho, National Sun Yat-Sen University
Department of Information Management

To respond effectively in today’s quickly changing, highly complex business environment, management must depend on organizational members’ mental capacities to generate new and meaningful ideas. Consequently, creativity has evolved into a fundamental organizational resource useful in establishing and maintaining competitive advantage. One relatively new set of tools intended to augment the creative process is Creativity Computer-Assisted Instruction Systems (CCAI). These computer-based tools are generally aimed at enhancing boundary-breaking, insightful thought during problem solving. However, if a CCAI were to directly enhance creative performance, the benefits could be multifaceted. For example, students could use the CCAI for reinforcing techniques learned in formal creativity training. Or, by matching CCAI tools to specific lesson needs, the CCAI might enable teachers to better enhance student’s creative performance. Due to (1) the effects of culture gap on system performance and user satisfaction, (2) the lack of clear empirical evidence concerning the value of a CCAI, there is also little theoretical justification. Each CCAI appears to provide a different methodology for enhancing creativity with little more than anecdotal reasoning to justify the approach; a laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of CCAI developed in Taiwan. The results suggest that responses generated with software support are significantly more novel and valuable than responses without software support. It is hoped the findings from this investigation can be used to improve individual creative performance, further research concerning factors relevant to creativity, and guide future CCAI development efforts.

CHA01461   Paper
A holistic approach to teacher education programme evaluation

Shook-Cheong Agnes Chang and Kay Cheng Soh, Nanyang Technological University

The usual approach to an internal evaluation of an initial teacher education programme is to get feedback from the trainees in terms of the programme achieving its stated objectives. But the stakeholders of a programme involve more than just the trainees and the developer of that particular programme. The key stakeholders are the schools, the trainees and all the lecturers involved in teaching the programme. Hence the National Institute of Education in Singapore uses a 3-pronged approach to evaluate its initial teacher programmes. Questionnaires are developed for the trainees, school principals and NIE lecturers involved in the respective programmes. As the Institute has adopted the Attitude-Skills-Knowledge Model as its training model, the items in the questionnaires reflect trainees’ readiness for classroom teaching in terms of their attitudes, skills and knowledge. The items also reflect the " Thinking School. Learning Nation", "Project-Work", "National Education", and "Information Technology" initiatives introduced into education in recent years to prepare trainees for the challenges in the new millennium.

CHA01480   Paper
External inspection and school improvement in challenging circumstances - An English perspective.

Christopher Chapman, University of Nottingham.

It is widely argued that Office for Standards in Education (OfSTED) inspection is a school improvement process that has a positive effect at both school and classroom level. Yet, despite a body of contemporary research into the various aspects of the inspection process, there is a notable absence of independent empirical research investigating the relationship between OfSTED inspection, change processes and school improvement, especially in low attaining and failing schools. This paper reports the preliminary findings of an on-going study into the role of OfSTED as a mechanism for improving secondary schools working in challenging circumstances. A sample of recently inspected secondary schools attaining 25% or less 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE level was selected. The research design utilised a case study approach to address two separate research questions. Firstly, does OfSTED inspection identify similar priorities for change to those identified internally by schools in challenging circumstances? To answer this question key issues raised by the OfSTED report were compared with the internal longer term school improvement plan, and priorities identified during interviews with teaching staff at all levels. Secondly, does OfSTED result in changes in teaching and non-teaching practice in schools in challenging circumstances? This was explored through the use of questionnaires and interviews. Early findings suggest a complex relationship between OfSTED inspection and the change process in schools in challenging circumstances. Further research to be conducted will investigate the sustainability of any changes generated by OfSTED inspection.

CHE01170   Paper
Curriculum reforms in a changing education system: A case of a physics curriulum package in Singapore

Charles Chew Ming Kheng and HO Boon Tiong, Nanyang Technological University

This paper focuses on the design of a Physics curriculum package that is currently in use in a significant number of Singapore secondary schools. It traces the evolution of the Singapore Education System from the survival-driven phase (1965-1978) to the efficiency-driven phase (1979-1990) to the current ability-driven education phase. The impact of these changes in the evolution of the Singapore Education System on curriculum planning and development from the predominantly social reconstructionism conception of curriculum to the academic rationalist, humanistic and cognitive conceptions will be discussed. The Physics curriculum package being examined is designed to incorporate the three major educational initiatives, namely, Information Technology, National Education and Thinking. Of special mention in the package is the incorporation of the 'edutainment' framework into the 'disciplinary knowledge' approach used in the design of the textbooks. This 'edutainment' framework seeks to present Physics as a body of content knowledge of high educational value in an entertaining way. Besides giving a description, an analysis and an evaluation of the various components of the Physics curriculum package will be made from the learner's perspective. The paper concludes with the need to incorporate some other initiatives from the teacher's perspective to improve the Physics curriculum package.

CHE01210  Paper
Teachers' and students' thinking styles and their - nteraction of Taiwan primary school

Ying-Yao Cheng, Wen-Chung Wang, Ching-Chung Guey and Ya-Wen Chen, National Sun Yat-Sen University

Grigorenko and Sternberg (1997) administered 199 gifted senior high school students with TSQ (Thinking Style Questionnaire) and Triarchical Aptitude Test, and found Legislative and Judicial styles were found effective in predicting the performance of analytic tasks and that the correspondence between teachers' and students' thinking styles facilitates learning. The study intends to explore teachers' and students' thinking styles and their interaction. The main purposes of the study are to Explore teachers 'background factors, teachers' thinking styles, and their relationships with instructional activities. Explore instructional activities, students' thinking styles, learning satisfaction and their relationships with academic achievement. Explore the similarity between teachers and students thinking styles, and its relationships with learning satisfaction and academic achievement. Subjects of the study include 256 teachers of 33 primary schools in Taiwan. 425 grade fifth- and six-grade senior primary school students. Instruments on teachers include Thinking Style Questionnaire for Teachers, TSQT and Instructional Behaviours Self Inventory. Instruments on students include Thinking Style Questionnaire, and Learning Perception Satisfaction CheckList. Statistical methods used in this study include Pearson's Product Moment Correlation, one-way ANOVA, one-way MANOVA, and Canonical Correlation. In summary, the results of the study basically supported Sternberg's Mental Self-Government theory (1988,1990,1997), and further research deserves exploring in a future study.

CHE01271  ®   Paper
Thinking for social justice in the curriculum

Brenda Cherednichenko, Victoria University

This paper reports the role of teachers in curriculum decision making. It reports work from research which examined teachers' attitudes to and perceptions of curriculum, specifically thinking skills programs. Further, it explores the connections between the development of teacher thinking and social action in the pursuit of democratic and socially just schooling. Despite these goals frequenting the rhetoric, progress in the delivery of such education seems somewhat stifled. The argument proposed is that improving resources and opportunities for conscious teacher thinking and action in the organisation of learning and delivery of curriculum can improve learning outcomes for all students and support socially just and democratic practice.

CHE01294    Paper
A study of thinking styles and their relevant variables of junior high school principals in Taiwan

Ying-Yao Cheng, Jui-Feng Chang, and Ya-Wen Chen, National Sun Yat-Sen University

Sternberg's theory of mental self-government (1988,1990,1997) suggests that people's thinking style can be flexible to adapt them selves to the demanded situation. Therefore, it is interesting to explore whether principals', deans', and teachers' thinking styles match or not, and to understand their correlation and their effects. The main purposes of the study are to: Explore the situation of junior high school principals' thinking styles. Analyse the differences of thinking styles of principals' background factors. Study the similarities of thinking styles between principals and deans. Study the consistency and inconsistency in terms of satisfaction between principals and teachers. Study the correlation between thinking styles and leadership styles of principals. Subjects of the study include 199 principals of junior high schools in Taiwan. 45 principals, 142 deans and 261 teachers of Kaohsiung's and Pington's junior high schools in Taiwan. Instruments on principals include Thinking Style Questionnaire, and Leadership Style Questionnaire, deans Thinking Style Questionnaire, teachers Thinking Style Questionnaire and Leadership Perception Satisfaction CheckList. Statistical methods used in this study include Frequency, t-test, chi-square test, Pearson's Product Moment Correlation, and two-way ANOVA, In summary, the results of the study basically supported Sternberg's Mental Self-Government theory (1988,1990,1997), and further research is required in future study.

CHE01376   Paper
Multiple research approaches for research in environmental education and application of findings.

Irene Cheong, Curtin University of Technology and David F. Treagust, Curtin University of Technology.

The paper illustrates how an inquiry was conducted using multiple research approaches involving both qualitative and quantitative methods (case study, semi-qualitative grounded theory and quantitative statistical analyses) with data sources obtained from four groups - teachers, teacher trainees, secondary students and key persons for the environment and environmental education as well as document reviews. This inquiry examined four aspects of environmental education; influences on attitudes towards the environment, perceptions of existing provisions, understanding of the aquatic environment - an environmental issue, and the status of people's environmental attributes, including their knowledge, awareness, attitudes, beliefs, action and sources of information. Results of the multiple components of the study provided baseline data to develop guidelines for policy making and curriculum development as well as improving the teaching of environmental education. Follow-up activities to attempt to apply the research findings and negotiate acceptance of the findings are described. The paper examines how multiple research approaches contribute towards teaching, learning and research in environmental education.

CHE01553   Paper
Issues and practices of school-based testing, and future challenges in innovative technological assessment, in Singapore.

Lee Chin Chew, Nanyang Technological University

School-based testing is an integral part of the teaching and learning process, and it provides teachers with vital information about students' learning progress. What are the current practices in school testing in Singapore, and what are some of the issues arising therefrom? Do conventional testing practices measure up to the needs of recent changes in Singapore education, in the areas of IT, Thinking, Project Work, and the "School Excellence Model"? What are some innovations in educational assessment that may be more compatible with these changes? How can computer technology support and enhance these innovative assessments? This paper will first examine the assessment system in Singapore education, and discuss some issues related to current testing practices. In the light of recent changes in education, the need for a rethink on these practices is proposed. The paper will then explore some innovations in educational assessment that may bring about a more meaningful assessment of student capabilities and potential's in learning. A place for technology in educational assessment will also be discussed.

CHI01532   Paper
Brainstorming to concept maps: Developing ontological categories for energy

Gail Chittleborough, Chris Hawkins and David Treagust, Curtin University of Technology

Energy is an abstract concept that is poorly understood at the middle school level. Traditionally the use of imposed definitions and terminology, which have little relevance for students, has given the topic of energy a reputation for being boring and dry. Students' preconceived understanding of the energy concept, derived from their own experiences was the starting point of this study. Students were required to analyse their own ideas on energy, brainstorm a variety of fields relating to the topic of energy and construct concept maps and Venn diagrams to represent their understanding. The schools' policy of integrating lap top computers in middle school provided additional tools to achieve the objectives of the science unit on energy. Guided development of students' schema from very specific examples to general categories helped to develop new ontological schema in the students' mental organisation of their knowledge and ideas relating to energy. This constructivist approach formed the groundwork to the students learning processes which were dependent on the social interaction of students, students listening to each other, working as a team, the visual record, the linking of concepts and ideas, and the integration of new ideas with their existing ideas.

CHN01046   Paper
Learning Plans for Student Scaffolding

Vivien Lee Looi Chng, Temasek Polytechnic and Steven Coombs, Sonoma State University

We all know that lesson plans are introduced to initial teachers as an initial management tool for scaffolding organizational learning, but little work has been done to connect the ideal scaffolds for individualized student learning. Our research project has investigated and developed the practical classroom implementation of Learning Plans as a personal task-management scaffold for student learning.

The teacher's role in enabling self-organized learning for large groups of students can be achieved through the deployment of Learning Plans, which converts teacher-centered curriculum management into student-centered learning tasks. This paper briefly considers the pedagogical practice behind this innovative curriculum reform initiative in the context of a recently completed research project in Singapore.

CHN01325   Paper
Evaluating critical thinking pedagogy to support primary school project work using an action research approach

Vivien Lee Looi Chng, Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore

The research study describes the findings of an action research project conducted at a local primary school to overcome students' "cut and paste" mentality when using information sourced from the World Wide Web for writing project reports. This paper reviews the introduction of self-organised learning (S-O-L) developed by Thomas and Harri-Augstein (1985) as an enabling framework for knowledge management. Based on the dual notions of social constructivism and reflective conversational learning, S-O-L offers the action researcher tools such as the Personal Learning Contract and the Purpose-Strategy-Outcome-Review grid for project management. For the student, Learning Plans built upon learning events designed as small tasks related to real life contexts allow for critical thinking to be modelled. As a flexible, content-free technology, students scaffold their own learning and manage the information, which they encounter. As Knowledge Elicitation Systems (KES), these are learner-centred and systematic models of learning based on social constructivism that lead to the ease of knowledge management (Coombs, 1995). The use of S-O-L has been found to increase students' interest in learning and critical thinking dispositions, such as a willingness to self-correct and persist. It is recommended that the sound integration of LPs into the curriculum require teachers to play their roles as facilitators more competently. As such a review of current professional development practices is called for if teachers are to be competent in guiding critical thinking amongst students.

CHU01435    Paper
Validation of the Chinese Language Classroom Environment Inventory (CLCEI) for use in Singapore secondary schools

Siew Lian Chua and Angela F. L. Wong, Nanyang Technological University and Der-Thanq Chen, University of Canterbury

The Chinese Language Classroom Environment Inventory (CLCEI) is a classroom environment instrument for assessing students' and teachers' perceptions of their Chinese Language classroom environment in Singapore secondary schools. It is a bilingual instrument with 48 items presented in both English and Chinese. The English version of the CLCEI was customised from the original English version of the 'What is Happening in This Class?" (WIHIC) questionnaire (Fraser, Fisher & McRobbie, 1996) and its Chinese version were modified from the Taiwanese Chinese version of the WIHIC questionnaire (Huang & Fraser, 1997) for use in Singapore Chinese Language classrooms. The CLCEI was validated using 1460 secondary three (express) Chinese Language students in Singapore. Various statistical procedures were undertaken to examine validity, reliability and the factor structure of the six 8-itern scales of the CLCEI. The purpose of this paper is to describe how the CLCEI was validated and to report on the validation results. The validation results obtained were compared with that for the original WIHIC questionnaire. The outcomes of the comparisons were analysed and discussed.

This paper is presented as part of Symposium 17 WON01431 Learning environments of different types of Singapore classrooms.

CHY01478   Paper
Improving the preparation of teachers: Educating preservice teachers for the information millennium

Stefanie Chye, S.L.Kong, and S.H.Seng, Nanyang Technological University

The educational scene is evolving rapidly in response to societal developments over the last decade. Attempts to confront challenges of the 21st century have meant that ambitious goals are being set forth in current educational reform efforts. Singapore's Prime Minister, Mr. Goh Chok Tong, summed up the nation's vision for educational reform in these words - "Thinking Schools and Learning Nation". This vision of schooling however, poses great challenges for teachers and the schools in which they work. In order to meet these challenges, renewed forms of teacher training are an imperative. The purpose of the present paper is thus to discuss future directions for teacher education programs in light of current societal demands. Approaches to developing teachers who are equipped to teach in the schools of tomorrow will also be suggested. Particular emphasis is placed on the ways to train pre-service teachers to teach thinking and lifelong learning skills effectively.

CLA01231   Paper
The development of a process for the evaluation of teacher education

Philip Clarkson and Ron Toomey, Australian Catholic University, Kay Owens, University of Western Sydney, Wilfred Kaleva, University of Goroka and Theresa Hamadi, Balob Teachers College

This paper reports on the methodology used to develop a baseline survey of Papua New Guinea primary and secondary teacher education. Group discussions, surveys, tests, interviews of final-year students, observations and interviews of first-year-out teachers, and lecture observations were used. Data on each area of programs, lecturing, and students were collated. The analysis drew together comments from several sources for each College separately with some general conclusions about the indicators that should show significant change during the life of an AusAID funded project.

CLA01235   Paper
Teachers not using computers to teach mathematics

Philip Clarkson and Ron Toomey, Australian Catholic University

Unexpectedly a number of teachers teaching Mathematics in three secondary schools did not explore extensively the use of computers in their teaching over a five-year period, even though it appeared that conditions would have encouraged this. Their colleagues teaching other subjects did take up the opportunities that came with the state government providing ample money for their schools for computer hardware and software. The unexpectedness was not only because of these resources being available, but also because of the history of Mathematics teachers being at the forefront of computer use. It appears that the emphases in the external curriculum, lack of professional inservice, and the teachers already demonstrated success in teaching mathematics obviated the exploration of advanced computer applications.

CLA01442   ®    Paper
Education and Indigenous health in a globalised world

Kathleen Clapham and Diane Gosden, The University of Sydney

Aboriginal Health Workers are a very recent occupational group within the Australian health care system. This as well as the nature of their health work in primary health care and community development, contributes to the poor knowledge which other health professionals have of the role. This paper analyses the challenges and dilemmas which Aboriginal Health Workers face in their professional practice, and the educational models needed for them to take up the opportunities offered by globalisation. It documents current debates on the development of appropriate models of education for Aboriginal Health Workers. We argue that what is needed in Australia is a radical shift in approaches to Aboriginal health and education, one which will incorporate the benefits of globalisation to improve Aboriginal health. Aboriginal Health Workers increasingly require the skills of critical thinking, the ability to develop new solutions to health problems, and the ability to engage professionally with a changing world. The analysis is informed by research, undertaken by Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers involved in Aboriginal Health Worker education in New South Wales.

COC01033   Paper
Self-perceptions of academic competence: How they develop and how they relate to the intrinsic motivation for learning in English and Maths in Year 6 students

Rachel Cocks and Helen Watt, University of Sydney

The major aim of my research is to explore how self-perceptions of academic competence develop and relate to the level of intrinsic motivation for learning in English and Mathematics in Year 6 students.

It is thought that if we can improve the self-perceptions of academic competence of students, their intrinsic motivation for learning may also be enhanced. Thus, the application of both quantitative and qualitative methods for this research was called upon, incorporating questionnaire and case study research, combined with narrative inquiry, to draw out and synthesise the major themes and issues involved. I selected two classes of Year six students in two different coeducational government schools in the Metropolitan East region of Sydney.

Students completed a survey based on the revised Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scales (PALS) which specifically asked the students to respond to statements describing feelings of their ability in Maths and English, how they think these feelings came about and their motivation to learn both in English and in Mathematics. Following the questionnaire data collection, interviewees were selected based on those respondents scoring highest on perceived academic competence and intrinsic motivation both in Maths and in English. Narratives were then constructed from the thematic analysis of the interviews, and these revealed how the constructs under consideration related to one another. Ultimately, this study offers a way forward so that students' perceptions of competence and intrinsic motivation for learning can be enhanced prior to high school and tertiary education.

COL01058   Paper
Indigenous nursing education trials and tribulations

Mardhie Coleman, Edith Cowan University

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing students' experience with learning and teaching in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon. Aboriginal nursing students, academic nursing lecturers, Heads of Schools and Aboriginal Study Centre academics were asked to reflect on and describe their experiences with learning and teaching. A qualitative inquiry using phenomenology guided the research design and analysis. Van Kaam's (1966) method modified by Sandelowski and Pollock (1986) was used for data collection, analysis and assertion of the basic structure of the phenomena. Experiences, which contribute to the learning and teaching of indigenous nursing students, were identified; this is included policies implementation and collaboration involving the Aboriginal study centres. Findings from this study provide the first descriptive insight into the commonalities and differences these students experience whilst undertaking a nursing degree. Furthermore the findings add to nursing knowledge in regards to nurse educators' understanding of the Aboriginal nursing students' learning experience.

COL01092  ®   Paper
ICT education and the dissemination of new ideas: Channels, resources and risks

Francesca Collins and Julianne Lynch, Monash University

This paper examines university educators' perceptions of factors associated with disseminating information about teaching and learning initiatives among universities. The views of educators were elicited as part of the ICT-Ed Project. The project is a DETYA-funded investigation into the delivery of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education. Participants were educators from within ICT disciplines in Australian universities. ICT education is a diverse field encompassing a range of disciplines; both those traditionally classified as IT (e.g., information systems, computer system engineering and computer science) and newer disciplines which cross over a number of educational domains (e.g., business systems, web development and design, e-commerce). The perceptions of participants were explored in a mini-conference format - a day-long workshop comprising brainstorms, discussion sessions and brief, informal presentations given by participants. Factors perceived as relating to the dissemination of ideas among university educators included: intellectual property competitiveness risks associated with sharing ideas the value placed on teaching vs. research within many universities the availability of channels for the dissemination of ideas resources required to share and access ideas It was found that the importance of these factors was related to the geographical location of participants' institutions. Furthermore, the reporting of these factors appeared to be influenced by the presence of participants from other universities. The implications of the findings for university educators generally are discussed.

COM01438    Paper
Literacy development and normative fantasies: What can be learnt from watching students over time?

Barbara Camber, University of South Australia.

Longitudinal case study research is labour intensive, demanding on relationships and perilous in its extended journey. It's also potentially rich in terms of generating new insights and questions. In this session of the symposium I'll consider how the longitudinal studies elicit fundamental doubts about discourses of normative literacy development, but also and at the same time raise complex dilemmas about questions of unequal outcomes. These studies begin to demonstrate the very great differences in the literacies to which Australian children have access at home and at school and the contrastive ways in which different children take up what is on offer.

This paper is presented as part of Symposium 18, COM01437 Literacy learning long term.. Investigating children's acquisitions of school Alternates.

CON01104   Paper
Challenging white identities inside educational narrative inquiry

Jennifer Connelly, Southern Cross University and Jenny Joske, Bowraville Central School

As a female researching the vexing and complexing issues of education in indigenous contexts, I slowly became aware of my own white identity and the implications it cast on my pedagogy. Thus began the narrative inquiry of my voice joined with other female's teachers inside a feminist postmodern research adaptation. Rich disruptive narratives were constructed that question identity, pedagogy, racism, social justice and the discourses of;

1. contemporary education with/for Australian Indigenous students (Aboriginal Education), and the ensuing rhetoric of government education policy and practice, and<