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2. The Ramsay Centre and 'Western Civilisation': An attempt at Historical Perspective. A Reaction to Martin Davies' Paper
- Author
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Bonnell, Andrew G.
- Abstract
Martin Davies' paper seeks to vindicate the efforts of the Ramsay Centre to fund courses in 'Western Civilisation' at selected Australian universities. He begins by lamenting the rejection of vast amounts of philanthropic money for the humanities, and all too quickly dismisses the stated grounds for the Australian National University's decision to decline a deal with the Ramsay Centre: 'The issue of academic autonomy has been raised as a reason, but this is, at best, ostensible', Davies writes. He then goes on to defend the concept of courses in Western civilisation more generally. This article will briefly address a number of relevant points in reaction to Martin Davie's paper: (1) the concept 'Western Civilisation' has its own, comparatively recent, history, and needs to be viewed in its own historical context; (2) the term 'civilisation' has relatively little utility as a unit of scholarly analysis; (3) proponents of an academic program on (or for) 'Western Civilisation' are operating with a reified and artificially unified concept that breaks up under closer examination; and (4) that some of the advocacy for a 'Western Civilisation' program betrays an animus against the modern, secular, public university. [For "Three Cheers for the Ramsay Centre," by Martin Davies, see EJ1228236.]
- Published
- 2019
3. Simultaneous and Comparable Numerical Indicators of International, National and Local Collaboration Practices in English-Medium Astrophysics Research Papers
- Author
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Méndez, David I. and Alcaraz, M. Ángeles
- Abstract
Introduction: We report an investigation on collaboration practices in research papers published in the most prestigious English-medium astrophysics journals. Method: We propose an evaluation method based on three numerical indicators to study and compare, in absolute terms, three different types of collaboration (international, national and local) and authors' mobility on the basis of co-authorship. Analysis: We analysed 300 randomly selected research papers in three different time periods and used the student's t-test to determine whether the paired two-sample differences observed were statistically significant or not. Results: International collaboration is more common than national and local collaboration. International, national and local authors' mobility and intra-national collaboration do not seriously affect the indicators of the principal levels of collaboration. International collaboration and authors' mobility are more relevant for authors publishing in European journals, whereas national and intra-national collaboration and national mobility are more important for authors publishing in US journals. Conclusions: We explain the observed differences and patterns in terms of the specific scope of each journal and the socio-economic and political situation in both geographic contexts (Europe and the USA). Our study provides a global picture of collaboration practices in astrophysics and its possible application to many other sciences and fields would undoubtedly help bring into focus the really big issues for overall research management and policy.
- Published
- 2016
4. Using Paper Folding, Fraction Walls, and Number Lines to Develop Understanding of Fractions for Students from Years 5-8
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Pearn, Catherine Ann
- Abstract
Several researchers have noted how children's whole number schemes can interfere with their efforts to learn fractions. An Australian study found that children who were successful with the solution of rational number tasks exhibited greater whole number knowledge and more flexible solution strategies. Behr and Post (1988) indicated that children needed to be competent in the four operations of whole numbers, along with an understanding of measurement, for them to understand rational numbers. This paper describes a "hands on" approach developed by researchers that focuses on the use of paper folding, fraction walls and number lines to develop an understanding of fractions using a measurement model. (Contains 8 figures.)
- Published
- 2007
5. Teaching and Assessing Ethics and Social Responsibility in Undergraduate Science: A Position Paper
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Schultz, Madeleine
- Abstract
Institutional graduate capabilities and discipline threshold learning outcomes require science students to demonstrate ethical conduct and social responsibility. However, the teaching and assessment of these concepts are not straightforward. Australian chemistry academics participated in a workshop in 2013 to discuss and develop teaching and assessment in these areas, and this paper reports on the outcomes of the workshop. Controversial issues include: How broad is the mandate of the teacher, how should the boundaries between personal values and ethics be drawn, and who determines what constitutes social responsibility? In this position paper I argue for a deep engagement with ethics and social justice, achieved through case studies and assessed against criteria that require discussion and debate. Strategies to effectively assess science students' understanding of ethics and social responsibility are detailed.
- Published
- 2014
6. The Move to a System of Flexible Delivery Mode (Online v Paper) Unit of Study Student Evaluations at Flinders University. Management Issues and the Study of Initial Changes in Survey Volume, Response Rate and Response Level
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Bennett, Talitha and De Bellis, David
- Abstract
Like the vast majority of Australian universities, Flinders University (Flinders) collects feedback from students on the quality of teaching and learning through unit of study (topic) or classroom evaluations. Prior to 2009, survey instruments at Flinders were delivered via paper mode and in person to students in the classroom. In a drive for an improvement to administrative efficiency, the adoption of a new system in 2009 created the option of two modes of delivery. Instruments can now be delivered via either paper mode in class, identical in most aspects to the previous system, or online mode, where students fill out the survey instrument, typically outside of class, using the World Wide Web. The choice of delivery mode is at the discretion of the academic. Students have no choice; they receive the survey either via paper or online. This article examines a number of aspects of this change in process at Flinders. Some general aspects of managing the implementation of the new process are discussed. Take-up rates of paper mode versus online mode show that the overwhelming majority of surveys were conducted online in 2009. A dramatic increase in the volume of surveying was noted. Response rates fell by approximately 20% overall and some evidence of a change in the level of response was apparent (cause unknown). Findings at the institution and faculty level are presented where applicable. [This paper was first presented at the Annual Conference of the Australasian Association for Institutional Research, "Turning water into wine: Institutional Research as an essential ingredient in strategic decision making for tertiary education" held in Adelaide, 11-13 November 2009.]
- Published
- 2010
7. National Curriculum Development and Initial Reflections on the Mathematics Framing Paper
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Anderson, Judy
- Abstract
The "National Mathematics Curriculum Framing Paper" has been released for consultation until 28 February 2009 (see www.ncb.org.au). Professional associations, teachers, teacher educators and others are taking the opportunity to organise meetings and forums to consider the views presented in the paper and to provide critical feedback and commentary on the proposed broad directions. The University of Sydney held a National Curriculum Symposium in December to bring together teachers, school system personnel, academics and representatives from the National Curriculum Board to have a "robust and broad ranging discussion" about the four framing papers released by the NCB: English, Mathematics, History and the Sciences. The program for the symposium began with a presentation by Professor Kerry Kennedy about his reflections on national curriculum in Australia over the last 30 years. This was followed by brief presentations by each of the authors of the framing papers. Discussion groups for each of the disciplines considered key questions about the papers with feedback from each group. Finally Rob Randall, the acting Director of the NCB commented on the challenges identified by the discussion groups. In this paper, the author summarises the comments and discussion about curriculum development in general and the "National Mathematics Curriculum Framing Paper" in particular.
- Published
- 2009
8. Organisational Narratives vs the Lived Neoliberal Reality: Tales from a Regional University
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Rogers, Marg, Sims, Margaret, Bird, Jo, and Elliott, Sue
- Abstract
Organisational narratives are foundational to inform the actions and directions of an organisation. Modern organisations often place great weight and invest significant time crafting their narratives that are communicated through mission statements, strategic plans, policies, directives and self-promotion. Sometimes these narratives align with the lived reality of the workers and those who deal with the organisation, but at other times there is a significant gap, or even chasm, between the portrayed ideal and the reality. This paper situates such narratives, and the lived experiences within critical organisational theory and a neoliberal framework. Utilising autoethnographic accounts of four academics within a higher education context, it highlights this gap and the need to voice concerns about this misalignment. The paper raises awareness of both organisations and workers to the importance of being true to narratives and ensuring they are an accurate representation of what happens. It offers ideas for resisting the disjunction between narrative and reality and a way of challenging neoliberalism within higher education.
- Published
- 2020
9. Effectiveness of Tutorials for Promoting Educational Integrity: A Synthesis Paper
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Stoesz, Brenda M. and Yudintseva, Anastassiya
- Abstract
The prevalence of plagiarism, cheating, and other acts of academic dishonesty may be as high as 80% in populations of high school and post-secondary students. Various educational interventions have been developed and implemented in an effort to educate students about academic integrity and to prevent academic misconduct. We reviewed the peer-reviewed research literature describing face-to-face workshops, e-learning tutorials, or blended approaches for promoting academic integrity and the effectiveness of these approaches. In general, the educational interventions were described as effective in terms of satisfaction with the intervention, and changes in students' attitudes and knowledge of academic integrity. Few studies provided evidence that the educational interventions changed student behaviour or outcomes outside the context of the intervention. Future research should explore how participation in educational interventions to promote academic integrity are linked to long-term student outcomes, such as graduate school admission, alumni career success, service to society, and personal stability.
- Published
- 2018
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10. Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of the Learning Analytics and Knowledge Conference 2018
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Ochoa, Xavier and Merceron, Agathe
- Abstract
LAK-18, the 8th International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge, was hosted by the University of Sydney, Australia, from March 5 to 9, 2018. Traditionally, authors of papers that have received high scores through the review process of the conference are invited to extend their paper and submit it for a special issue of this journal. The chairs of LAK-18 have adopted a double-blind review process that has proven useful in maintaining the technical quality of the conference. Papers submitted to the special issue undergo a rigorous review process that is blind only, not double-blind, as a shorter version of the paper has been already published. The theme for LAK-18 was "Towards User-Centred Analytics". Though several of the papers receiving high scores in the review process explicitly dealt with this issue, it has been decided to devote a complete special issue of the journal to this theme and invite those papers in this special issue to come. Thus, the present special issue LAK-18 covers a broad range of themes, which reflect well the diversity and the vibrancy of the community, but excludes User-Centred Analytics. This editorial describes the story behind this special issue. This story begins with the contributions submitted to the conference and finishes with a short introduction to the papers in this issue. The two first episodes of the story, contribution type and country, include both tracks, research and practitioner. The reminder episodes refer only to the research track.
- Published
- 2018
11. Regression, Transformations, and Mixed-Effects with Marine Bryozoans
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Evans, Ciaran
- Abstract
This article demonstrates how data from a biology paper, which analyzes the relationship between mass and metabolic rate for two species of marine bryozoan, can be used to teach a variety of regression topics to both introductory and advanced students. A thorough analysis requires intelligent data wrangling, variable transformations, and accounting for correlation between observations. The bryozoan data can be used as a valuable class example throughout the semester, or as a dataset for extended homework assignments and class projects. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
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12. Johan Vilhelm Snellman's-Finnish Philosopher, Writer, Diplomat-Statement 'Science Centers for All'
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Aydin, Abdullah
- Abstract
"Go to temples of science and ideas of Europe. Imitate the Tugendbund, 'the Union of Virtue', of which thousands of German youth are the members. Always keep the rule of 'Fit soul is in fit body' in mind" (Petrov, 2013, p. 72). This study aimed to show the similarities, in terms of expression, emphasis, and implication, in the about/mission/vision/goals/objectives of various science centers from around the world and in the basic themes derived from Snellman's statement above, namely, Science for all, Science Centers for all, and Human welfare that he made as a challenge to not only his people but to everyone. Document and content analyses were applied in the study. Within the scope of these analyses, this study investigated the about/mission/vision/goals/objectives sections of websites of science centers from around the world (Asia, Europe, Global, Latin America/The Caribbean, North America, Africa). From this investigation, similar basic themes, derived from Snellman's statement challenging his people/everyone to adopt this devotion to science, were found in the areas of i) expression in ASTC, CIMUSET/CSTM, CASC and SAASTEC; ii) emphasis in ECSITE, ASDC, ASCN and NSCF; and iii) implication in ASPAC, ASTEN, NCSM, ABCMC and Red-POP. These basic themes, as found in the about/mission/vision/goals/objectives of science centers, can, in effect, be narrowed down to the one theme of "cultural institutions will be a big part of human life" (Madsen 2017, p. 68) science centers in the global village (Touraine, 2016, p. 121) of the future.
- Published
- 2019
13. The Green Paper Issue.
- Author
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Bourke, Paul
- Abstract
Sixteen articles discuss the implications of Australia's Green Paper, a public policy statement recommending substantial changes in the higher education system to improve access. The issues discussed include labor force development, educational equity, women's education, and the financing of higher education. (MSE)
- Published
- 1988
14. The Impact of Emerging Technology in Physics over the Past Three Decades
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Binar Kurnia Prahani, Hanandita Veda Saphira, Budi Jatmiko, Suryanti, and Tan Amelia
- Abstract
As humanity reaches the 5.0 industrial revolution, education plays a critical role in boosting the quality of human resources. This paper reports bibliometric research on emerging TiP during 1993-2022 in the educational field to analyse its development on any level of education during the last three decades. This study employed a Scopus database. The findings are that the trend of TiP publication in educational fields has tended to increase every year during the past three decades and conference paper became the most published document type, the USA is the country which produces the most publications; "Students" being the most occurrences keyword and total link strength. The publication of the TiP is ranked to the Quartile 1, which implies that a publication with the cited performance is a publication with credibility because the publisher has a good reputation. Researchers can find the topics most relevant to other metadata sources such as Web of Science, Publish, and Perish.
- Published
- 2024
15. Enhancing Online Teaching of Business Statistics: A Pedagogy before Technology Approach
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Bopelo Boitshwarelo and Maneka Jayasinghe
- Abstract
Learning statistics can be challenging for many students, due to their inability to engage in statistical reasoning and application of techniques. This challenge becomes compounded in online learning contexts where students are spatially and temporally separated from the teacher. This paper describes and explains a case of theory-driven interventions designed to enhance the learning experiences of students enrolled in two similar business statistics units, one for undergraduate and the other for postgraduate programs. The paper based its claims primarily on the analysis of data from a student evaluation of teaching survey. This study affirmed the importance of a pedagogy-first approach. It argued that the interventions, which were effective in enhancing the student learning experience, were underpinned by a robust pedagogical analysis of the teaching and learning issues using both constructive alignment and transactional distance theory lenses.
- Published
- 2024
16. Building Academic Integrity and Capacity in Digital Assessment in Higher Education
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Lorraine Bennett and Ali Abusalem
- Abstract
The rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the first half of 2020 disrupted and changed higher education across the world, and into the future. Campuses were shut down, almost overnight. International and State borders were closed and business models that relied heavily on high-paying international students collapsed. University leaders and academics were forced to find new ways of attracting, engaging with, and retaining students. This paper describes a project that was undertaken in Australia in 2021 which investigated the implications of, and scope for online assessment in this "new virtual world" of learning and teaching in higher education. After extensive research and consultation, the project developed a Digital Assessment Framework dubbed DASH C21, which stands for Digital Assessment Stretching Horizons for the 21st Century. The Framework is based on a set of underpinning principles and values; the Inputs. The Inputs feed into four Dimensions. These Dimensions are Practices and Pedagogies, Strategies, Emerging Technologies and Stretching Horizons. The Outputs are a series of authentic, innovative, experiential and forward looking, digital assessments, reinforced by academic integrity values. This paper will be of particular interest to higher education senior managers, academics, learning and teaching specialists, staff professional developers and curriculum designers.
- Published
- 2024
17. Engaging and Retaining Students in Online Learning
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Ali Abusalem, Lorraine Bennett, and Dimitra Antonelou-Abusalem
- Abstract
Before the COVID-19 outbreak, universities were already exploring the potential of online education. Colleges and universities throughout the world became more reliant on online learning management systems (LMSs) and videoconferencing tools like "Zoom" and "Microsoft Teams" during the 2020-2021 campus' lockdowns. The transition from traditional face-to-face teaching to online learning presented significant difficulties for universities, particularly those that depended heavily on international students. The project reported in this paper was undertaken in Australia in 2021 at the request of a private higher education institution. A new student-centric version of the Moodle learning management system (LMS) was created to maximise the platform's pedagogical, communicative, and informational capabilities. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how online learning platforms that are flexible, utilise embedded interactive features and resources, and are freely available can enhance and support the delivery of quality online education. The paper discusses how well-designed learning management systems have the capacity to motivate, engage and retain students in online learning. Academics, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as those working in curriculum development and information technology at institutions of higher learning, may find this article to be of interest and value.
- Published
- 2024
18. The Conundrum of Care in the Construction of Professional Identity: A Foucauldian Lens
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Bin Wu and Nesta Devine
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The notion of "professional" is built on a concept of traditionally male professions and patriarchal social orders. ECEC (early childhood education and care), however, is a female-dominated field characterised by its unique caring practice. This study investigated how a group of Australian early childhood preservice teachers presented themselves professionally on social media, in relation to respective infant (0-2) and kindergarten (3-5) practica. Data were drawn from focus group discussions about how the participants shared their practicum experiences on Instagram. The paper is guided by Foucault's concepts of self writing. Findings are organised around four themes of self-writing processes: collecting, selecting, annotating, and managing time and tasks. Two narratives are revealed. In the context of the kindergarten placement, the posts constituted a journey of continuous improvement against all odds. In contrast, the infant placement experiences evoked a sense of struggle and renunciation. The paper concludes with implications for further study beyond the Australian context.
- Published
- 2024
19. A Bibliometric Analysis of Publications on Special Education between 2011 and 2020
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Rumiye Arslan, Keziban Orbay, and Metin Orbay
- Abstract
The present study aims to identify the most productive countries, journals, authors, institutions and the most used keywords in the field of special education during 2011-2020, based on the WoS database. The widespread effects of the papers and how they are related were analyzed with the bibliometric analysis method. The findings of the study showed that the USA is inarguably the most productive country, followed by England and Australia. On the other hand, there was a very strong positive correlation (r = 0.929) between the number of papers published by countries and their h-index, a similar finding was also found to be present between the countries' h-index and GDP per capita (r = 0.790). Moreover, it was found that the journals with the highest quartile (Q1 and Q2) in the field of special education published significantly more papers than the journals with the lowest quartile (Q3 and Q4). Matson, JL (USA), Sigafoos, J (New Zealand) and Lancioni, GE (Italy) were determined as the most prolific authors, respectively. Autism, intellectual disability, and Down syndrome were the phrases most frequently used as keywords. Our findings provide key information regarding the developments that the research direction of special education field has recently taken. This study also serves a potential roadmap for future studies.
- Published
- 2024
20. Initial Findings on Student Progress and Satisfaction in a New Model of Hyperflexible Online Delivery for University Students
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Colin Beer, Kate Ames, Noal Atkinson, Damien Clark, and Peter Hosie
- Abstract
University degrees are usually delivered in defined sessions--by term, semester, or in week-based blocks--whereby students are required to complete their studies by the due date. Term or session-based schedules that require students to complete the study within set timeframes are, however, potentially restrictive. Temporal challenges associated with work and life can impede progress and add to the specific problem of student attrition in online learning. As universities seek to deliver innovative options for their students, increased attention is being paid to alternate models of delivery. This paper reports on the development of a hyperflexible online Master of Business Administration (MBA) course by a regional university in Australia, which has grown to more than 1,000 students since its launch in 2017. Delivered entirely online, the degree was specifically designed to address an inequity; MBA programs are traditionally expensive, and in Australia, the requirement for students to travel to attend residential schools and examinations adds significant cost to already expensive tuition fees. This paper analyzed enrollment data, course analytics over a two-year period, and student surveys conducted at the end of the second year of delivery (n = 98) to evaluate the development and implementation of the course as a hyperflexible course whereby students have almost complete control over their study at the postgraduate tertiary level. Results highlight the potential for the model to enable student success through flexibility.
- Published
- 2024
21. Examination of the International Scope of Papers Presented at the International Society for Music Education Research Commission Seminars, 1988-2006
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Price, Harry E., Madsen, Clifford K., Cornacchio, Rachel, and Webb, Marie
- Abstract
The authors classified citations included in papers presented at 10 International Society for Music Education (ISME) biennial International Research Commission Seminars across an 18-year period (1988-2006) based on the six world regions as specified by the ISME Research Commission. Citations (N = 4,535) were examined from 238 papers presented at the 12th through 21st seminars. There were 2,250 citations from 407 journals, the most prevalent sources. Twenty-eight papers from this sample were multinational in nature, with 79% (n = 22) of these by U.S. researchers as either sole or senior authors. The main result of this study is that the researchers from around the world who were presenters at these seminars primarily cited sources within their own geographical regions. Additionally, the "Journal of Research in Music Education" was by far the most referenced journal throughout the entire sample. (Contains 2 tables.)
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Comparative Study on the Senior Secondary School Mathematics Curricula Development in Ethiopia and Australia
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Meleta, Fufa E. and Zhang, Weizhong
- Abstract
The main objective of this study is to compare the process of the senior secondary school mathematics curricula development in Ethiopia and Australia. The study was investigated qualitatively with document analysis and semi-structured interview research methods. The documents were collected from Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry of Education website and Australian curriculum website. The documents were analyzed and supported by interviews. The study was conducted based on four themes needs assessment, developing/writing the curriculum, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. The study revealed both similarities and differences. The considerable differences in the senior secondary school mathematics curriculum development process are (1) emphasis given to international research results and contemporary issues on mathematics education as inputs for curriculum development (2) the underlying principle of content standard organizations (3) trialing the curriculum before implementation initiated, and (4) monitoring and evaluation strategies. Even though substantial differences exist, the similarities are (1) conducting needs assessment and (2) the adoption of the constructivism approach. Depending on the findings of the study, the suggested recommendations were presented under conclusion section.
- Published
- 2017
23. From Surveillance to Formation? A Generative Approach to Teacher 'Performance and Development' in Australian Schools
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Mockler, Nicole
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This paper explores the possibilities and limitations of the AITSL Performance and Development Framework (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2012b) as a vehicle for authentic teacher professional learning. It suggests that the Framework offers a range of implementation possibilities, from surveillance of teaching practice at one end of the spectrum to ongoing and generative formation of teachers at the other, and argues that at its best, the Framework will be interpreted and implemented as a catalyst for school-developed, inquiry-based professional learning that builds collegial professional practice and supports teachers to develop and take an inquiring stance toward their practice.
- Published
- 2015
24. Paper Moon: Simulating a Total Solar Eclipse
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Madden, Sean P., Downing, James P., and Comstock, Jocelyne M.
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This article describes a classroom activity in which a solar eclipse is simulated and a mathematical model is developed to explain the data. Students use manipulative devices and graphing calculators to carry out the experiment and then compare their results to those collected in Koolymilka, Australia, during the 2002 eclipse.
- Published
- 2006
25. The White Paper and Restructuring the Academic Labour Market.
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Barlow, Kerry
- Abstract
Mechanisms that allow the strengthening of market and patriarchal forces in higher education, especially as they relate to the academic labor market, are illustrated. The Dawkins paper, "Higher Education, a Policy Statement" (the White Paper), represents an attempt to implement major restructuring in Australia. (MLW)
- Published
- 1989
26. Post-School Dilemmas in Diminished Society: Working-Class Mothers' Perspectives of Choices and Realities in Their Communities
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Rodd, Piper and Sanders, Kellie
- Abstract
This paper provides insight into working-class parents' views of the structural and systemic injustices shaping post-school options and opportunities in contemporary Australia, drawing on interview data with a group of mothers living in growth corridor suburbs in the outer west of Melbourne. Illustrating aspects of Berlant's (2011) notion of "cruel optimism", the paper examines the concepts of diminished society and collective community afforded by success through education, an aspiration and achievement unequal among young Australians. As Reay (2017) argues, an ideological narrative that positions individuals as being responsible for their own achievement through education sets many up to fail. This paper gives voice to the lived experiences of this individual responsibilitisation. We draw on elements of Marxist analysis, a subset of critical theory, whereby economic circumstances are the basis upon which political and ideological realities are built, critiquing the ways in which neoliberal social and economic policy and ideology are normalised (Tyson, 2015).
- Published
- 2023
27. The 1988 White Paper on Higher Education.
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Williams, Bruce
- Abstract
The major changes mandated by Australia for its higher education system and the apparent reasons for the changes are outlined, and the strategies adopted for change are critiqued. Changes relate primarily to administrative organization, governance, resource allocation, and accountability. (MSE)
- Published
- 1988
28. The Knowledge Economy and University Workers
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Connell, Raewyn
- Abstract
This article is a condensed analysis of the developing sustainability crisis of Australian universities. It is based on an address to National Council of the National Tertiary Education Union, Melbourne, 3 October 2014. Thanks to all my fellow-members, who have kept my hopes for the modern university alive.
- Published
- 2015
29. Centenary Chronicle Chapter 1
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Archer, Robyn
- Abstract
This article offers the transcript of Robyn Archer's address at the Australian Society for Music Education (ASME) Conference in Canberra in September 2013. Archer is a singer, writer, director, artistic director, and public advocate of the arts, mainly in Australia though her reach is global. This lecture is the second of six addresses Archer gave in the second half of the Canberra Centenary year. She used each lecture to focus on different parts of the Centenary Program. Together these lectures act as a chronicle of the year. The present lecture focuses on the music that has been heard, and is still to be heard in Canberra in 2013, the year in which Australians celebrate the naming on March 12, 1913, of a new capital for a newly federated nation. Throughout her lecture, she illustrates how the national capital is an illuminating example of the passion of Australians for all kinds of music.
- Published
- 2013
30. Learning to Listen: 15th Annual Peggy Glanville-Hicks Address 2013
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Lacey, Genevieve
- Abstract
The New Music Network established the Peggy Glanville-Hicks Address in 1999 in honour of one of Australia's great international composers. It is an annual forum for ideas relating to the creation and performance of Australian music. In the spirit of the great Australian composer Peggy Glanville-Hicks, an outstanding advocate of Australian music delivers the address each year, challenging the status quo and raising issues of importance in new music. In 2013, Genevieve Lacey was guest speaker presenting her Address entitled "Learning to Listen" at the Sydney Conservatorium and Deakin Edge Federation Square in Melbourne. The transcripts are reproduced with permission by Genevieve Lacey and the New Music Network.
- Published
- 2013
31. A Critique of the SACE Review Panel's Report on Community Views
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Gregory, Kelvin
- Abstract
The South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), introduced in 1992-93, is a credential and formal qualification within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). SACE was recently subjected to a review that led to a series of significant recommendations. These recommendations came out of a process that began with the Review Panel scrutinizing existing SACE structures for continuing validity and effectiveness. This paper critically examines claims made by the Review Panel of a resounding confirmation of the need for reform. Since the panel's claims are built upon qualitative data (community submissions), they are critiqued using widely-accepted standards for qualitative research. In particular, this paper examines the panel's evidence regarding "academic creep", the dominance of the academic pathway, and issues regarding the Tertiary Entrance Rank. The findings suggest that the panel's case for reform may apply more to government schools than to the SACE itself. This paper concludes that the case for reform is poorly developed and largely supported by research lacking transparency and unsuited to making generalizations. (Contains 5 tables.)
- Published
- 2006
32. Whack-a-Mole?: Ecologies of Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities as They Transition from School to Open Employment
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Rooney, Donna and Young, Kirsty
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This paper addresses the question of why young Australians with intellectual disability (ID) remain underrepresented in open employment despite significant investment by various stakeholders. It uses the analogy of Whack-a-Mole (an arcade game) to draw attention to the complexity young people face during transition, and to illustrate how addressing one barrier in isolation is unlikely to result in successful transitions. In response to repeated calls for more holistic understandings of the transition process for young adults with ID, the paper draws upon the work of Urie Bronfenbrenner to present an adaptation of his model to map the ecologies of young people with ID's as they seek to transition from school to open employment. The model illustrates the complexity of transition, a proliferation of stakeholders, and traces how transition is contingent on much more than young adults with ID's capabilities. It invites further consideration of, and utility for, an ecological model as a basis for imagining possibilities to increase the number of people with ID in open employment and concludes by raising some questions that stakeholders might ask.
- Published
- 2023
33. Student Perceptions of Online Engagement
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Redmond, Petrea, Alexsen, Megan, Maloney, Suzanne, Turner, Joanna, Brown, Alice, Basson, Marita, Galligan, Linda, Lawrence, Jill, and Henderson, Robyn
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This paper reports on research that extends knowledge about higher education students' perceptions of online engagement. In particular, the study aimed to identify what students thought engagement was and how they experienced it. Understanding students' views about online engagement will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the topic and should assist instructional designers to support academic staff to develop online courses that are more likely to engage their students. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study found that students felt most engaged with learning when doing practical, hands-on activities. Additional findings from the qualitative and quantitative data are highlighted, with some differences between the students' perceptions in the different types of data, particularly concerning social engagement. This suggests that further research is warranted. The paper offers several practical implications for student learning.
- Published
- 2023
34. Agenda for a National Association ... 50 Years on
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Brennan, Barrie
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This article presents the author's response to to W.G.K. Duncan's 1961 paper, "Agenda for a national association", in the first number of the "Australian Journal of Adult Education," the journal of the newly established Australian Association of Adult Education (AAAE). The brief has been interpreted in this way. Duncan viewed AAAE as an "outsider" and proposed challenges for the new association without giving guidance as to how the challenges may have been met. As an "insider", the author proposes to review Duncan's challenges, how they were dealt with, or ignored. Then he plans to look at newer challenges that the growing association has had to meet and some current concerns.
- Published
- 2010
35. Defining Educational Research: A Perspective of/on Presidential Addresses and the Australian Association for Research in Education
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Lingard, Bob and Gale, Trevor
- Abstract
This paper is concerned with the definition of the field of educational research and the changing and developing role of the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) in representing and constituting this field. The evidence for the argument is derived from AARE Presidential Addresses across its 40-year history. The paper documents the enhanced complexity and diversity of the field over these 40 years, including the emergence of a global educational policy field, theoretical and methodological developments in the social sciences and new research accountabilities such as the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) measure. Specifically, the paper suggests that the evidence-based movement in public management and education policy, and the introduction of the ERA, potentially limit and redefine the field of educational research, reducing the usefulness and relevance of educational research to policy makers and practitioners. This arises from a failure to recognise that "Education" is both a field of research and a field of policy and practice. Located against both developments, the paper argues for a principled eclecticism framed by a reassessment of quality, which can be applied to the huge variety of methodologies, theories, epistemologies and topics legitimately utilised and addressed within the field of educational research. At the same time, the paper argues the need to globalise the educational research imagination and deparochialise educational research. This call is located within a broader argument suggesting the need for a new social imaginary (in a post-neoliberal context of the global financial crisis) to frame educational policy and practice and the contribution that educational theory and research might make to its constitution. In relation to this, the paper considers the difficulties that political representations of such a new imaginary might entail for the President and the Association, given the variety of its membership and huge diversity of its research interests. (Contains 1 table and 9 endnotes.)
- Published
- 2010
36. Two Worlds? Higher Education and Post-School VET in Australia and the Movement of Learners between Them
- Author
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Harris, Roger
- Abstract
Relationships between higher education and VET are significant and complex, and of increasing interest in many countries. Most analyses focus on systems, policies and structures. This paper takes a different perspective: what are the learners doing and thinking? It is based on data from research on students commencing study in one sector with experience of study in the other sector. It analyses their characteristics, motivations for study, how they experience study in both sectors and how they perceive their moves. The paper finds that, for these students, their learning trajectories are more circuitous than linear, which raises issues concerning seamlessness, equity and efficiency. Yet pathways are possible, are being used and allow for flexibility. The two educational sectors may be seen as parallel worlds. however, a more apt metaphor may be as tectonic plates creating convergent boundaries. The paper concludes that their relationships require serious rethinking. (Contains 1 figure, 3 tables, and a bibliography.)
- Published
- 2009
37. A View from outside the Confines of South Australia
- Author
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Keeves, John P.
- Abstract
The SACE Review report, Success for All, completely ignores two important issues, namely, (a) the portability of the certificate, and (b) the nature of secondary schooling in a future that is set in a global world. The Review saw the South Australian education system operating in a context that was limited to the geographical and cultural boundaries of the state. This paper discusses both of these issues that appear to require the resolution of conflicting and incompatible problems. In conclusion the paper considers the changing nature of schooling and the role of alternative education in both schools and programs and rejects the continuance of comprehensive schooling at the upper secondary school level within a bureaucratic education system. The paper argues that different types of schools should be gradually established through the self-management and self-governance of schools by the communities served and the choices made by the students who attend the schools and their parents, and who support them while they are engaged in upper secondary education.
- Published
- 2006
38. The Heart of the New SACE
- Author
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Gibbons, J. A.
- Abstract
The SACE Review proposes that a set of knowledge, skills and dispositions called capabilities should form the core of the new SACE. As the Review emphasises, there must be widespread, systematic research and discussion on the range and nature of the capabilities. The SACE Review suggests five capabilities as a basis for discussion. This paper is offered as a contribution to that discussion through an analysis of the knowledge, skills and dispositions to which the Review refers. The paper identifies and analyses a presupposition of all the capabilities, the capacity to reflect, and argues the importance of the development of that capacity for the developing human being. (Contains 1 footnote.)
- Published
- 2006
39. Policy Development and Practice: The New South Wales Experience
- Author
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Chessman, Angela
- Abstract
Three key documents are being used for the revision of the NSW Policy for the Education of Gifted and Talented Students and its associated implementation strategies (originally published in 1991). These documents post-date the 1988 report by the Senate Select Committee on the Education of Gifted and Talented Children. The three documents which are the focus of this paper are the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented national position paper (1996); the NSW Ministerial paper on the Quality of Teaching (1999); and the 2001 Australian Senate Enquiry report.
- Published
- 2005
40. Socio-Cognitive Research in Action: What Can We Learn from a Single Case?
- Author
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Quick, Joanne
- Abstract
Theory is an important element of literacy research. Research designs are informed by theories that explain what literacy is, how it develops, and how it should be taught and evaluated. Sociocultural theories emphasize the socially situated nature of literacies engagement and practices, whereas cognitive theories emphasize the underlying skills and processes used when reading and writing print. Research designs oriented in one of these theories are common in literacy research. Whilst some researchers have identified ways to unify across literacy theories, there is little ongoing dialogue about the ways in which a socio-cognitive orientation can contribute to literacy research. This paper discusses a student case study from a research project that gathered and analyzed data on literacy difficulties in Victoria, Australia, using both sociocultural and cognitive understandings of literacy. It uses findings from this case to explore the utility of a socio-cognitive theoretical perspective when engaging in print literacy research, proposing that it helps to identify students' loci of print literacy difficulties, recognize factors enabling and constraining literacy development, and pinpoint pedagogical elements that may require adaptation. This paper outlines broader possibilities and challenges with taking a bi-focal stance in literacy studies and invites others working across literacy paradigms to connect and share their work.
- Published
- 2023
41. The Block: A Catalyst for Ongoing Innovation
- Author
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Konjarski, Loretta, Weldon, John, Ashley, Susan, Freeman, Traci, Shanata, Jai, Yamanishi, Meghan, Lotz, Erin, Gilde, Christian, and Ganzel, Alice
- Abstract
This paper will contribute to our understanding of the Block, its pedagogical rationale and value, and explain why, apart from pandemic conditions, these might constitute a compelling alternative to traditional academic calendars. Current research highlights the need for further research on the nature of the Block, driven by an increased global focus on student outcomes and retention in Higher Education. This paper offers five case studies from institutions that have adopted a version of the Block at some time over the last 50 years. The authors seek to define the features that comprise block courses whereas the nature and functionality distinguish blocks from other intensive formats. A survey of the limited literature on this topic was based on theoretical underpinnings offered by one-course-at-a-time delivery, scholarship of teaching and learning on compressed education, and experiential learning. Using the research question, "Other than scheduling alternatives, what does the block offer HE institutions?", this project uses research that is qualitative in nature drawing on a controlled comparison of case studies which enables a cross-institutional evaluation. The case studies explain why each institution adopted the Block, how these schedules work, and discusses the challenges and affordances of teaching in this intensive format. First findings of this cross-institutional exploration suggest that blocks are unique in their delivery, often experiential in nature, and effective in their outcomes. The various versions of the Block described within, provide ongoing transformative models of teaching philosophy, curriculum, student success, and more.
- Published
- 2023
42. STEPS, LEAPS and Bounds: Is There a Recipe for Success?
- Author
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Seary, Karen, Smith, Alice, Toth, Gabriela, and Flanders, Margaret
- Abstract
The development of a student identity as it relates to the transition of commencing students to higher education has long been identified in the literature as essential to success. As importantly, the existence of a sense of belonging has been considered key to transition and success and the formation of a student identity. Less prominent in the literature, the newly articulated notion of mattering has evolved from and is currently challenging the concept of student belonging. Mattering offers a broader understanding of what it means to have students in transition believe they are important, that they matter to the institution of study. The notion of mattering resonates strongly with the authors as transition educators. This paper draws on the work of Lizzio (2006) and MacFarlane (2018) to consider the essential ingredients any preparatory course should include to successfully transition underrepresented groups of students to study at the award level. A comparison of the STEPS course in the Australian context to LEAPS in the Scottish context provided avenue to propose a five-tenet framework as a possible recipe for success to best support the transition of an increasingly diverse group of students aspiring to university study. The paper explores the ways in which the courses effectively assist preparatory students develop a foundational student identity which is crucial to successful study in higher education, particularly in the initial stages of engagement. In doing so, it positions the philosophical underpinnings and the pedagogical practices currently adopted by both the STEPS and LEAPS courses as successfully embracing the tenets proposed within the framework.
- Published
- 2023
43. Learning to Learn: Empowering Students to Articulate the Value of Their HASS Degree
- Author
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Rahman, Nira and Lakey, Elizabeth
- Abstract
In an uncertain labour market, the questions around the employability of graduate students take on a new urgency. Fears about the graduate market in the coming years are acute and are compounded by a sense that there is a large disconnect between a university education and what is expected in the workplace. Australian labour market trends clearly demonstrate that the skills most in demand by Australian graduate employers are precisely the transferrable skills which are honed by doing a HASS degree at the university. However, HASS academics do not usually talk about the skills and attributes students are gaining during their university studies and how this is useful in the workplace. Creating this awareness in both staff and students is immensely important for future graduates to survive and excel beyond university. Based on focus groups, interviews, and student-led projects over the last three years, this paper explores how to balance the need to engage with deep disciplinary knowledge with the understanding that this knowledge is only useful in the real world if accompanied by explicit skills. By using a case study, this paper showcases how to articulate skills and knowledge to HASS students to prepare for workforce. Furthermore, it focusses on how graduate attributes and learning outcomes can be connected from assessment tasks to classroom teaching.
- Published
- 2023
44. The Intercultural Values and Social Connectedness of International Female Doctoral Students in Australia
- Author
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Syed, Sabrina
- Abstract
This paper explored the multiple layers of social and intercultural adjustment challenges experienced by international female doctoral students in Australia. The paper investigates multiple dimensions of sociocultural differences between the students' native and host countries, including sociocultural context, community engagement, personal and social lives, and the intersection of more commonly researched sociocultural identities. This investigation is undertaken within the epistemological positioning of feminist standpoint theory and intersectionality. In addition, a narrative inquiry approach and a thematic analysis are used to understand the students' social lives and issues of adjustment to a new culture. Themes like intercultural understanding, social connectedness and adjustment issues are used to encapsulate the students' views about their social positionality and understanding of their lives during PhD in Australia.
- Published
- 2023
45. Understanding Diversity in Undergraduate Learning of Cost-Benefit Analysis
- Author
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Sarah Yu
- Abstract
This paper presents a case study that reflects on teaching an economic unit, Cost-benefit analysis (CBA), to a diverse undergraduate student body at the researcher's institution. CBA is an applied economic technique that attempts to assess the economic efficiency of proposed public policies through the systematic prediction of social costs and social benefits. Students in this CBA unit are required to complete an online test, CBA report and a final examination. In the CBA Report, the students perform analytical work to explain the relationships among events, identify options, evaluate choices, and predict the effects of actions. This paper investigates the performance of four different student cohorts from 2019 to 2022. This paper aims to understand the differences in undergraduate students' learning of CBA based on the diversity among students, and in particular whether any specific student demographic (defined by gender, age, course progress level, study load and domestic vs international students) experienced a disproportional impact. The findings are then used to contribute improvement in the teaching and learning of the unit in higher education.
- Published
- 2023
46. Development of a Teaching Performance Assessment in Australia: What Did We Learn?
- Author
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Spooner-Lane, Rebecca, Broadley, Tania, Curtis, Elizabeth, and Grainger, Peter
- Abstract
Following increasing criticism of the variability in graduate teachers' readiness to enter the profession, the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) introduced a program accreditation requirement that all initial teacher education (ITE) providers must implement a Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA) in the final year of their teacher education programs. AITSL were not prescriptive in how ITE providers must meet the program standard which has resulted in 12 TPAs being implemented across 42 ITE providers. This paper outlines the development and implementation of one endorsed TPA designed to measure the readiness of graduating teachers, whilst taking into consideration the learnings from well-known TPAs and our own experiences. With this being one of the earlier unfunded TPAs in Australia to have been approved through the accreditation endorsement process, the paper offers some insights into meeting the additional accreditation program requirements and raises some longer-term considerations associated with implementing TPAs.
- Published
- 2023
47. 'The Reimagining Adult Learning in Community-Based Contexts': A Framework for Social Justice Education in Australia
- Author
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Tracey Ollis and Annette Foley
- Abstract
In Australia, there is no one cohesive program design or curriculum which provides a framework for adult learning in Adult Community Education (ACE) organisations, with the two major states New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria leading the most developed systems. Many adult learners who learn in these education settings return to study to find pathways to employment, or to re-train for a new role after losing their job. In addition, later-life learners may attend because they want to remain healthy, participate in leisure activities, build friendships and remain active and engaged in their later years. Many of the learners are 'second chance learners' who have had prior negative experiences with the neoliberal system which assesses, ranks, and categorises learners according to their academic abilities. In this paper, we propose a comprehensive framework for the delivery of pre-accredited training in Australia, founded on social constructivist theory, learner-centred pedagogy, and course design enhanced by Nussbaum's Capability Framework. We commence the article by delivering a context for adult education policy and social justice education in the development of the ACE system. What we mean by a socially just education is one in which all people access a critical and democratic curriculum with equity and access to resources at its core. In this paper, we argue for the importance of adult learning, which is holistic, flexible, and nimble to cater for diverse learners and learning needs.
- Published
- 2023
48. Commercialisation in Australian Public Education and Its Implications for the Delivery of English as an Additional Language/Dialect: An EAL/D Teacher Perspective
- Author
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Sue Creagh, Skye Playst, Anna Hogan, Tae-Hee Choi, and Bob Lingard
- Abstract
Privatisation and commercialisation in education encompass a range of interrelated practices, including the outsourcing of educational services as well as increased reliance on commercially produced resources for the delivery of learning and assessment. An increase in these practices has accompanied the shift from centralised systemic management of schools and specific programs like English as an Additional Language/ Dialect (EAL/D), to school autonomy whereby principals control budget expenditure decisions, ostensibly in response to the needs of their school population. The intersection between school autonomy, commercialisation and delivery of the specialised service of EAL/D is the focus of this paper. This paper presents the findings of a survey with EAL/D teachers in Australia, in relation to the extent to which they are experiencing commercialisation and the impact this is having on the delivery of a longstanding service designed to ensure equity of outcomes for English language learners. The data suggests that the use of commercial products in schools may not be aligned with appropriate educational practices which target language learning needs. There is a strong need for further research in the uptake and use of commercial products for specialist language support. This will elucidate the extent to which EAL/D as a specialisation is being impacted by the use of commercial products both in the appropriacy of the products and in the deprofessionalisation of specialist EAL/D teachers.
- Published
- 2023
49. Agenda for a National Association
- Author
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Duncan, W. G. K.
- Abstract
It may be salutary to remember that the new Australian Association had a predecessor (in the Federal Council of the W.E.A.) to acknowledge its achievements and to probe for the causes of its eventual failure. Within the first five years of its existence, the W.E.A. Series had brought out no less than seven creditable works. Most of them were modest in scale, all of them unimpressive in appearance. But, remembering the limited, non-affluent market for which they catered, and the heavy lecturing and administrative burdens shouldered by their authors, one can appreciate the courage and the "sense of mission" that must have informed the adult education movement in those days. With bigger staffs nowadays, and a wider, more affluent market--surely here is an immediate challenge to the new-formed Association. Just what are the most urgent problems, demanding the immediate attention of the Association and its executive officers, it would be presumptuous for the author, as an outsider, to say. But there are plenty of important tasks with which it could, and the author hopes eventually will, concern itself. In this article, the author discusses the need and the agenda for a national association. Although the national association will press for increased financial assistance for its own work, the author argues that it will also contribute ideas and proposals concerning educational policy as a whole. The author believes that the problem of schools can never be solved in isolation.
- Published
- 2010
50. It Is Like a Friend to Me: Critical Usage of Automated Feedback Systems by Self-Regulating English Learners in Higher Education
- Author
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Long Li and Mira Kim
- Abstract
This paper explores international students' engagement with educational technology for self-regulated English learning at an Australian university. Despite the increased use of automated feedback systems (AFSs) for language assessment, students' critical engagement with them for independent learning remains under-researched. The study primarily employed a qualitative approach to understand the students' preferred AFS tools and critical engagement throughout their personalised learning journeys but it also included a small-scale quantitative component. Data were gathered from seven students' e-portfolios, focus group interviews as well as a survey among 32 participants. Results highlight positive perceptions and successful use of AFSs, with students leveraging these tools to identify improvement areas, track progress and gain confidence. The study emphasises the importance of course structure, teacher guidance and a combination of human and automated feedback, in fostering learner autonomy and emotional self-regulation. The paper underscores the potential for sustained use of AFSs beyond the cours, and the significance of guiding learners to critically use these tools for ongoing learning and growth rather than dependence. These findings have significant implications, as readily available artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT hold great pedagogical potential for self-regulated learning within and beyond the language learning field.
- Published
- 2024
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