A profile of an effective teacher of Aboriginal Australian students was constructed based on rese... more A profile of an effective teacher of Aboriginal Australian students was constructed based on research on the teaching of Aboriginal students. Using the profile as a framework, this paper reports on an ethnographic study of an effective teacher in action with Aboriginal students. The study consisted of semi-participative observation of a teacher of grades 6-7 in a Perth (Australia) metropolitan school in which 45 percent of the students were Aboriginal. Data were gathered via observation, conversation, and recorded interviews with the teacher, principal, and students. Elements identified as critical to effective teaching of Aboriginal students were: an understanding of Aboriginal culture and family background; the teacher's capacity to develop relationships based on openness, flexibility, empathy, and a collegial rather than authoritarian stance; a student-centered, relationship-based pedagogy featuring peer tutoring, small-group work, cooperative learning, and self-responsibility for learning and assessment; and the negotiation of curriculum and other educational processes with students. Behavioral boundaries were set in consultation with students. It is important to Aboriginal students that the behavior, not the student, be rewarded or sanctioned in private. Self-esteem, confidence, and social skills were enhanced in the classroom, although it seemed at times that academic teaching and learning were less intense than expected from a traditional Anglo perspective. (Contains 16 references.) (TD)
This paper explains the process of selecting a standardised reading skills instrument to be used ... more This paper explains the process of selecting a standardised reading skills instrument to be used with Indigenous children in various settings in Western Australia. The selection process included the examination of a number of instruments, and consultation with educators and researchers. The instrument chosen contained items that appeared to form a basis to assess the literacy skills of Indigenous children. The test was trialed with a small sample of Indigenous children in two schools. The pilot study results were analysed and the results discussed. Implications for the evaluation of Indigenous children and educational programs are drawn.
The techniques of constructing tests is the central focus of this book. Conventional assessment i... more The techniques of constructing tests is the central focus of this book. Conventional assessment items such as multiple choice (Chapter 4), short answer and essay format questions (Chapter 5) are compared and contrasted. Extensive examples are included throughout the text to indicate how to implement the various test items. The advantages and disadvantages of each item type is examined. This book is designed to be a practical guide to test planning and construction and the interpretation of test results. It also provides educators with important fundamental information about assessment and measurement. While in one chapter (Chapter 2) it gives clear and precise advice on the technical aspects of measurement, including descriptive statistics, standard scores, reliability and validity, other chapters consider test planning (Chapter 3), grading techniques (Chapter 7), standardized testing (Chapter 8), and the ethics of student assessment (Chapter 9).
Research on how Deputy Principals affect the religious culture of Secondary Catholic Schools is e... more Research on how Deputy Principals affect the religious culture of Secondary Catholic Schools is extremely limited. Deputy Principals may play a crucial role in shaping the culture of schools in many ways, religious and otherwise. This study examined Year 12 students perception of the effect Deputy Principals have on the religious culture in their schools. Year 12 students have an insight into the role of Deputy Principals as they have more extensive school experience than the other high school grades; the nature of their interaction with Deputy Principals is more varied; and as they approach the conclusion of their secondary education, they are more likely to be informed and candid in their responses. A sample of 315 students from four Western Australian Catholic schools of varied settings completed a 30 item questionnaire on a four point Likert scale with items targeting students' perceptions of Deputy Principals' effect on the religious culture of their schools. Apart from not giving Religious Education greater priority in timetabling Deputy Principals were perceived as having a positive effect on the religious culture of their schools. Notably they were perceived as good models and were seen as giving the religious nature of their schools prominence.
In this paper, the expectations of policies in Indigenous education will be critically analysed f... more In this paper, the expectations of policies in Indigenous education will be critically analysed from the viewpoint of feasibility of implementation, both as research projects and as school programs. Recent federal government policies as expressed in such reports as the National Indigenous English Literacy and Numeracy Strategy initiative and A National Strategy for the Education of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (1996 – 2002) are driving developments in Indigenous education in Australia at present. The potential for effective implementation of the recommendations of these reports will be considered along with an examination of the implications for the conduct of research into the process and products of implementation.
When the goals of education are usurped by other agendas, education takes a back seat. In the pre... more When the goals of education are usurped by other agendas, education takes a back seat. In the present study, the school principal's desire to present her school as efficient and herself as a competent principal led to oppression of teachers and parents in an effort to put a lid on dissension. As a consequence, the Aboriginal students were alienated from
This study of the classroom practice of an elementary school teacher of Aboriginal students in We... more This study of the classroom practice of an elementary school teacher of Aboriginal students in Western Australia demonstrates the way in which teacher intentions are hindered by the sociopolitical context of the school. The teacher had been identified by the school as a successful teacher of Indigenous students and was accepted by Aboriginal parents as such. The situation in which he worked, however, was not conducive to the establishment of effective strategies for communication or better relationships with parents and the community. Findings from observations of classroom events and interviews with the teacher, students, and other key participants indicated that the teacher was unable to translate good intentions into satisfactory outcomes for Aboriginal students because the teacher's own value system differed markedly from those of his students; the principal constructed an 2
This paper reports a component of research that involved interviewing teachers identified as effe... more This paper reports a component of research that involved interviewing teachers identified as effective with Aboriginal students in selected primary and secondary schools in urban and regional Western Australia. The research shows that characteristics of effective teachers include understanding Aboriginal culture, history, and students' home backgrounds; an ability to develop good relationships with Aboriginal students and their families, a sense of humour, and preparedness to invest time to interact with Aboriginal students out of the classroom in order to strengthen relationships. The research also indicates that effective teachers understand that Aboriginal students are often more independent than others, do not chastise or embarrass them in front of others, set challenging and achievable objectives, and include cultural relevance and recognition in the curriculum and classroom environment. This research provides directions for teacher pre-service training, teacher induction, and teacher in-service professional development. It is suggested that schools consider middle schooling pedagogy and curriculum principles as a means of better providing for adolescent Aboriginal students.
In this paper the attitudes of Aboriginal students to schooling are examined. Aboriginal children... more In this paper the attitudes of Aboriginal students to schooling are examined. Aboriginal children from upper primary and lower secondary years responded to a questionnaire related to various aspects of their schooling experience, their intentions about remaining at school and their future education. The questionnaire contained 73 items constructed primarily with a fourpoint Likert scale. An analysis indicated that the questionnaire was highly reliable as a whole and in its components. The paper reports that these Aboriginal students responded highly positively on a number of significant issues in regard to their attitudes to schooling. They generally had positive attitudes to school, intended to remain at school to the end of year 12 and wished to succeed in further education.
The purpose of this paper is to examine the discussions, practices and procedures of the New Sout... more The purpose of this paper is to examine the discussions, practices and procedures of the New South Wales post-primary examination board, the Board of Secondary School Studies\u27 (BSSS), administration of the Intermediate Certificate regulations concerning cheating, applications for remarks and special examination arrangements due to sickness between 1930 and 1957. The attitude of the Board to cheating, feigning sickness and appealing against an examiner\u27s assessment is used to gain an insight into the \u27mind\u27 of the Board and the changing status of examinations within the community
Australia, summative assessment has not been a teaching tool in the teaching of religious educati... more Australia, summative assessment has not been a teaching tool in the teaching of religious education courses in the Catholic schools. This study investigated whether the use of formal assessment procedures in the teaching of religion had an effect on student learning outcomes. Subjects were 128 students (4 classes) in year 8 of an urban Catholic high school. The individual class variation in scores was nested in the variation of scores between the experimental and control groups. A multiple choice test was given before and after instruction to measure student knowledge. Students in the experimental group were quizzed on work covered in each teaching module, given feedback from the testing, and motivated to prepare thoroughly for the final test. Posttest results indicate that scores of the experimental group were higher than those of the control (untested) classes. Treatment given the experimental classes does seem to have resulted in significant differences in learning outcomes. Results support the view of G. Rossiter (1981) that a relationship exists between clarity of purpose and learning outcomes. Appendixes present summaries of the posttest results. (Contains two tables, two figures, and seven references.) (SLD)
Meaning of Mathematics' and, in contrast, P. Halmos on 'Mathematics as a Creative Art'), presenta... more Meaning of Mathematics' and, in contrast, P. Halmos on 'Mathematics as a Creative Art'), presentations of mathematical content (e.g., K. Appel and W. Haken on 'The Four-Color Problem'), glimpses of twentieth-century philosophies of mathematics (e.g., I. Lakatos on 'Proofs and Refutations'), insights into the impact of the computer on late twentieth-century mathematics (e.g., D. E. Knuth on 'Computer Science and Mathematics'), essays contrasting the scientific (e.g., M. Rees on 'Early Years of the Mathematics Program at ONR') and artistic (e.g., F. LeLionnais on 'Beauty in Mathematics') sides of mathematics, and tracts on mathematical pedagogy (e.g., E. Fenneman on 'Sex-Related Differences in Mathematics Achievement: Where and Why'). D. M. Campbell and J. C. Higgins have succeeded admirably in giving both the general reader and the professional mathematician and scientist a valuable supplement to The World of Mathematics. They have gathered in one set as good a collection of essays on the mathematical milieu as has been compiled since its publication. Additionally, their commentaries generally tie the collection together well, although there is some unevenness in the biographical information supplied about the authors of the articles. This reviewer has found the collection to be a wonderful supplement to basic history of mathematics texts (such as those of H. Eves or D. Burton) in teaching four different offerings of a history of mathematics course. The collection provides insights into twentieth-century mathematics necessarily not found in such history texts and also offers an extremely varied and interesting kaleidoscope of overviews of mathematics to previously unsuspecting upper undergraduate and beginning graduate mathematics students. It is also relatively inexpensive, and the length and nature of the articles lend themselves to "writing across the curriculum" assignments and to classroom presentations by both students and teacher. One aid-an index-would definitely facilitate the pedagogical as well as the general use of this anthology. It is hoped that the authors will see fit to append such an addition to their otherwise splendid anthology in any new printing or edition of it. In sum, this reviewer highly recommends this collection to anyone interested in learning about the current mathematical scene, and especially to teachers for use in history of mathematics courses. The Examiner. James Booth and the Origins of Common Examinations. By Frank Foden. Leeds Studies in Adult and Continuing Education. Leeds (University of Leeds School of Continuing Education). 1989. vii + 221 pp. No price stated. Reviewed by I. Grattan-Guinness Middlesex Polytechnic at Enjield, Middlesex EN3 4SF, England A course of instruction often leads to an examination; or is the line of influence reversed, in that the structure of the examination guides the course preceding it? This important question, often on the minds of educators, is often curiously brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk
Abstract: Reports the results of a qualitative, cross-sectional study involving a survey of 549 t... more Abstract: Reports the results of a qualitative, cross-sectional study involving a survey of 549 teachers' perceptions of the Unit Curriculum system in 22 metropolitan state senior high schools in Perth, Western Australia, in the context of system-wide change, within a ...
Page 1. 73 Measuring Students' Perceptions About Cheating in Six Countries Russell F. Waugh ... more Page 1. 73 Measuring Students' Perceptions About Cheating in Six Countries Russell F. Waugh and John R. Godfrey Edith Cowan University Ellis D. Evans University of Washington Delores Craig Wichita State University Cross ...
This review examines studies relating to the implementation of systemwide educa-tional change and... more This review examines studies relating to the implementation of systemwide educa-tional change and, in particular, focuses on teacher receptivity to those changes. It provides a brief historical summary of this literature from the past 40 years and presents as well the general ...
A profile of an effective teacher of Aboriginal Australian students was constructed based on rese... more A profile of an effective teacher of Aboriginal Australian students was constructed based on research on the teaching of Aboriginal students. Using the profile as a framework, this paper reports on an ethnographic study of an effective teacher in action with Aboriginal students. The study consisted of semi-participative observation of a teacher of grades 6-7 in a Perth (Australia) metropolitan school in which 45 percent of the students were Aboriginal. Data were gathered via observation, conversation, and recorded interviews with the teacher, principal, and students. Elements identified as critical to effective teaching of Aboriginal students were: an understanding of Aboriginal culture and family background; the teacher's capacity to develop relationships based on openness, flexibility, empathy, and a collegial rather than authoritarian stance; a student-centered, relationship-based pedagogy featuring peer tutoring, small-group work, cooperative learning, and self-responsibility for learning and assessment; and the negotiation of curriculum and other educational processes with students. Behavioral boundaries were set in consultation with students. It is important to Aboriginal students that the behavior, not the student, be rewarded or sanctioned in private. Self-esteem, confidence, and social skills were enhanced in the classroom, although it seemed at times that academic teaching and learning were less intense than expected from a traditional Anglo perspective. (Contains 16 references.) (TD)
This paper explains the process of selecting a standardised reading skills instrument to be used ... more This paper explains the process of selecting a standardised reading skills instrument to be used with Indigenous children in various settings in Western Australia. The selection process included the examination of a number of instruments, and consultation with educators and researchers. The instrument chosen contained items that appeared to form a basis to assess the literacy skills of Indigenous children. The test was trialed with a small sample of Indigenous children in two schools. The pilot study results were analysed and the results discussed. Implications for the evaluation of Indigenous children and educational programs are drawn.
The techniques of constructing tests is the central focus of this book. Conventional assessment i... more The techniques of constructing tests is the central focus of this book. Conventional assessment items such as multiple choice (Chapter 4), short answer and essay format questions (Chapter 5) are compared and contrasted. Extensive examples are included throughout the text to indicate how to implement the various test items. The advantages and disadvantages of each item type is examined. This book is designed to be a practical guide to test planning and construction and the interpretation of test results. It also provides educators with important fundamental information about assessment and measurement. While in one chapter (Chapter 2) it gives clear and precise advice on the technical aspects of measurement, including descriptive statistics, standard scores, reliability and validity, other chapters consider test planning (Chapter 3), grading techniques (Chapter 7), standardized testing (Chapter 8), and the ethics of student assessment (Chapter 9).
Research on how Deputy Principals affect the religious culture of Secondary Catholic Schools is e... more Research on how Deputy Principals affect the religious culture of Secondary Catholic Schools is extremely limited. Deputy Principals may play a crucial role in shaping the culture of schools in many ways, religious and otherwise. This study examined Year 12 students perception of the effect Deputy Principals have on the religious culture in their schools. Year 12 students have an insight into the role of Deputy Principals as they have more extensive school experience than the other high school grades; the nature of their interaction with Deputy Principals is more varied; and as they approach the conclusion of their secondary education, they are more likely to be informed and candid in their responses. A sample of 315 students from four Western Australian Catholic schools of varied settings completed a 30 item questionnaire on a four point Likert scale with items targeting students' perceptions of Deputy Principals' effect on the religious culture of their schools. Apart from not giving Religious Education greater priority in timetabling Deputy Principals were perceived as having a positive effect on the religious culture of their schools. Notably they were perceived as good models and were seen as giving the religious nature of their schools prominence.
In this paper, the expectations of policies in Indigenous education will be critically analysed f... more In this paper, the expectations of policies in Indigenous education will be critically analysed from the viewpoint of feasibility of implementation, both as research projects and as school programs. Recent federal government policies as expressed in such reports as the National Indigenous English Literacy and Numeracy Strategy initiative and A National Strategy for the Education of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (1996 – 2002) are driving developments in Indigenous education in Australia at present. The potential for effective implementation of the recommendations of these reports will be considered along with an examination of the implications for the conduct of research into the process and products of implementation.
When the goals of education are usurped by other agendas, education takes a back seat. In the pre... more When the goals of education are usurped by other agendas, education takes a back seat. In the present study, the school principal's desire to present her school as efficient and herself as a competent principal led to oppression of teachers and parents in an effort to put a lid on dissension. As a consequence, the Aboriginal students were alienated from
This study of the classroom practice of an elementary school teacher of Aboriginal students in We... more This study of the classroom practice of an elementary school teacher of Aboriginal students in Western Australia demonstrates the way in which teacher intentions are hindered by the sociopolitical context of the school. The teacher had been identified by the school as a successful teacher of Indigenous students and was accepted by Aboriginal parents as such. The situation in which he worked, however, was not conducive to the establishment of effective strategies for communication or better relationships with parents and the community. Findings from observations of classroom events and interviews with the teacher, students, and other key participants indicated that the teacher was unable to translate good intentions into satisfactory outcomes for Aboriginal students because the teacher's own value system differed markedly from those of his students; the principal constructed an 2
This paper reports a component of research that involved interviewing teachers identified as effe... more This paper reports a component of research that involved interviewing teachers identified as effective with Aboriginal students in selected primary and secondary schools in urban and regional Western Australia. The research shows that characteristics of effective teachers include understanding Aboriginal culture, history, and students' home backgrounds; an ability to develop good relationships with Aboriginal students and their families, a sense of humour, and preparedness to invest time to interact with Aboriginal students out of the classroom in order to strengthen relationships. The research also indicates that effective teachers understand that Aboriginal students are often more independent than others, do not chastise or embarrass them in front of others, set challenging and achievable objectives, and include cultural relevance and recognition in the curriculum and classroom environment. This research provides directions for teacher pre-service training, teacher induction, and teacher in-service professional development. It is suggested that schools consider middle schooling pedagogy and curriculum principles as a means of better providing for adolescent Aboriginal students.
In this paper the attitudes of Aboriginal students to schooling are examined. Aboriginal children... more In this paper the attitudes of Aboriginal students to schooling are examined. Aboriginal children from upper primary and lower secondary years responded to a questionnaire related to various aspects of their schooling experience, their intentions about remaining at school and their future education. The questionnaire contained 73 items constructed primarily with a fourpoint Likert scale. An analysis indicated that the questionnaire was highly reliable as a whole and in its components. The paper reports that these Aboriginal students responded highly positively on a number of significant issues in regard to their attitudes to schooling. They generally had positive attitudes to school, intended to remain at school to the end of year 12 and wished to succeed in further education.
The purpose of this paper is to examine the discussions, practices and procedures of the New Sout... more The purpose of this paper is to examine the discussions, practices and procedures of the New South Wales post-primary examination board, the Board of Secondary School Studies\u27 (BSSS), administration of the Intermediate Certificate regulations concerning cheating, applications for remarks and special examination arrangements due to sickness between 1930 and 1957. The attitude of the Board to cheating, feigning sickness and appealing against an examiner\u27s assessment is used to gain an insight into the \u27mind\u27 of the Board and the changing status of examinations within the community
Australia, summative assessment has not been a teaching tool in the teaching of religious educati... more Australia, summative assessment has not been a teaching tool in the teaching of religious education courses in the Catholic schools. This study investigated whether the use of formal assessment procedures in the teaching of religion had an effect on student learning outcomes. Subjects were 128 students (4 classes) in year 8 of an urban Catholic high school. The individual class variation in scores was nested in the variation of scores between the experimental and control groups. A multiple choice test was given before and after instruction to measure student knowledge. Students in the experimental group were quizzed on work covered in each teaching module, given feedback from the testing, and motivated to prepare thoroughly for the final test. Posttest results indicate that scores of the experimental group were higher than those of the control (untested) classes. Treatment given the experimental classes does seem to have resulted in significant differences in learning outcomes. Results support the view of G. Rossiter (1981) that a relationship exists between clarity of purpose and learning outcomes. Appendixes present summaries of the posttest results. (Contains two tables, two figures, and seven references.) (SLD)
Meaning of Mathematics' and, in contrast, P. Halmos on 'Mathematics as a Creative Art'), presenta... more Meaning of Mathematics' and, in contrast, P. Halmos on 'Mathematics as a Creative Art'), presentations of mathematical content (e.g., K. Appel and W. Haken on 'The Four-Color Problem'), glimpses of twentieth-century philosophies of mathematics (e.g., I. Lakatos on 'Proofs and Refutations'), insights into the impact of the computer on late twentieth-century mathematics (e.g., D. E. Knuth on 'Computer Science and Mathematics'), essays contrasting the scientific (e.g., M. Rees on 'Early Years of the Mathematics Program at ONR') and artistic (e.g., F. LeLionnais on 'Beauty in Mathematics') sides of mathematics, and tracts on mathematical pedagogy (e.g., E. Fenneman on 'Sex-Related Differences in Mathematics Achievement: Where and Why'). D. M. Campbell and J. C. Higgins have succeeded admirably in giving both the general reader and the professional mathematician and scientist a valuable supplement to The World of Mathematics. They have gathered in one set as good a collection of essays on the mathematical milieu as has been compiled since its publication. Additionally, their commentaries generally tie the collection together well, although there is some unevenness in the biographical information supplied about the authors of the articles. This reviewer has found the collection to be a wonderful supplement to basic history of mathematics texts (such as those of H. Eves or D. Burton) in teaching four different offerings of a history of mathematics course. The collection provides insights into twentieth-century mathematics necessarily not found in such history texts and also offers an extremely varied and interesting kaleidoscope of overviews of mathematics to previously unsuspecting upper undergraduate and beginning graduate mathematics students. It is also relatively inexpensive, and the length and nature of the articles lend themselves to "writing across the curriculum" assignments and to classroom presentations by both students and teacher. One aid-an index-would definitely facilitate the pedagogical as well as the general use of this anthology. It is hoped that the authors will see fit to append such an addition to their otherwise splendid anthology in any new printing or edition of it. In sum, this reviewer highly recommends this collection to anyone interested in learning about the current mathematical scene, and especially to teachers for use in history of mathematics courses. The Examiner. James Booth and the Origins of Common Examinations. By Frank Foden. Leeds Studies in Adult and Continuing Education. Leeds (University of Leeds School of Continuing Education). 1989. vii + 221 pp. No price stated. Reviewed by I. Grattan-Guinness Middlesex Polytechnic at Enjield, Middlesex EN3 4SF, England A course of instruction often leads to an examination; or is the line of influence reversed, in that the structure of the examination guides the course preceding it? This important question, often on the minds of educators, is often curiously brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk
Abstract: Reports the results of a qualitative, cross-sectional study involving a survey of 549 t... more Abstract: Reports the results of a qualitative, cross-sectional study involving a survey of 549 teachers' perceptions of the Unit Curriculum system in 22 metropolitan state senior high schools in Perth, Western Australia, in the context of system-wide change, within a ...
Page 1. 73 Measuring Students' Perceptions About Cheating in Six Countries Russell F. Waugh ... more Page 1. 73 Measuring Students' Perceptions About Cheating in Six Countries Russell F. Waugh and John R. Godfrey Edith Cowan University Ellis D. Evans University of Washington Delores Craig Wichita State University Cross ...
This review examines studies relating to the implementation of systemwide educa-tional change and... more This review examines studies relating to the implementation of systemwide educa-tional change and, in particular, focuses on teacher receptivity to those changes. It provides a brief historical summary of this literature from the past 40 years and presents as well the general ...
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