PhD Thesis - Deakin University by Dr Damien Lyons
This thesis explores the lived experiences of fifteen Year 6 teachers in government schools withi... more This thesis explores the lived experiences of fifteen Year 6 teachers in government schools within Victoria, Australia. It looks at some of the factors that influence teacher decision-making and the enactment of literacy, including sociological influences, constructions of childhood, and the lived experiences of teachers. Specifically, this research project explores teachers’ beliefs about what constitutes a 21st century literacy learning environment, what they perceive to be the literacy practices Year 6 students need to be exposed to now, compared to what they may require in the future, how this learning is enacted, and some of the factors that influence their pedagogical practices and decision-making.
The thesis employs two methodologies; narrative inquiry and hermeneutic phenomenology to collect, interpret and present the stories from the research participants. From an ‘insider’s view’, the findings offer insights into teacher practices and decision-making, particularly concerning literacy in and for the 21st century.
Teachers from metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria participated in a one-hour semi-structured interview during which they considered and shared their experiences, beliefs and practices associated with the teaching of literacy in and for the 21st century. The results are presented as a narrative of the lived experiences of the participants. Phenomenological analysis was applied to the individual narratives in order to present common themes.
In the first of two results chapters, the stories from each participant are shared, to provide an insider’s view of their work, their pedagogical beliefs associated with the teaching of literacy, and the factors that influence their teaching.
The second results chapter uses a phenomenological analysis to highlight the common themes. The themes explore conceptions of 21st century literacy, attitudes towards change, pedagogical orientations, and the influence of school-based leadership. Each theme starts with the voice of the participant, followed by an analysis to theorise the narrative using education and sociological literature, and concludes with my own reflections and recommendations. The ontological orientation of this research focuses on lived experiences, offering many ‘truths’ (Giorgi 1997) in order to better understand how teachers think about 21st century literacy and some of the factors that influence their pedagogical practices.
This thesis advocates for a stronger consideration of the meaning of 21st century literacy, and the enabling pedagogical practices. It considers teachers’ understanding of, and attitudes towards, the sociological and educational influences that impact literacy in and for the 21st century. It explores how teachers construct learning for Year 6 students and presents evidence of the decision-making processes in which teachers engage when crafting and enacting literacy for Year 6 students in Victorian government schools.
MA Dissertation - The University of London by Dr Damien Lyons
Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Leadership - University o... more Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Leadership - University of London.
There are many factors which influence literacy teaching and learning. This research project seeks to explore what educational leaders, in various leadership roles within Australian primary schools, believe constitutes a quality 21st century literacy learning environment, what they perceive are the literacy skills Year 6 students need to be exposed to nowadays, what literacy skills they may require in the future, and the role the educational leader plays in enabling this learning for Year 6 students.
In order to understand better how educational leaders in Australian primary schools conceptualise and enable literacy learning, with a particular focus on Year 6 students in a 21st century context, three research questions are investigated:
• What literacy skills do educational leaders in Australian primary schools perceive as necessary for Year 6 students to be able to participate successfully in their 21st century world?
• How do educational leaders in Australian primary schools define 21st century literacy, and how do they enable the learning of literacy for Year 6 students?
• Who influences educational leaders’ practices and decisions associated with the development and enactment of 21st century literacy for Year 6 students?
This research project is built upon a qualitative foundation and uses a narrative inquiry methodology to collect the narratives of five educational leaders within Australian primary schools. Then, using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, themes from the narratives are identified, interpreted and discussed with the intent of interpreting and understanding the lived experiences of educational leaders’ as they facilitate and enable literacy learning for students in Australian primary schools.
Children’s rights in the digital age can be complex. Within the digital world children can often ... more Children’s rights in the digital age can be complex. Within the digital world children can often be more skilled, risk oriented, and willing to challenge power relationships. Particularly in Australia, a Western developed country; children are more commonly being equipped with very powerful technological tools for communication and learning. Laptops, tablets and smart phones are only tools, but the power they possess, and the influence they can create within social groups and communities, is vast. This paper attempts to explore one Case Study, which is located within a conservative Christian school in Victoria, Australia. It outlines the school’s approach to technology, considers various stakeholders’ involvement in decision making processes, and offers some analysis from a sociological and children’s rights perspective.
Gender diversity within the male teaching population within rural Australia has been an issue for... more Gender diversity within the male teaching population within rural Australia has been an issue for many years. Often, the simple cries for ‘more men in teaching’ are the sound bite that gains traction within media and the wider community. However, when gender diversity is coupled with the male teacher debate and located in rural Australia, the waters become murky. The cry for more men in teaching is still strong, but the type of male teacher that a community expects can often be narrow.
This paper explores the challenge of promoting diversity. Specifically, it explores the Case of a male teacher, who moved to a small town in rural Victoria with his male partner, to teach a Year 2 class. Within the context of this Case, I explore how the community and principal of the school where he worked responded to him and embraced diversity. I explore how gender diversity was located and constructed within this school and this rural community, and question the enactment of Leadership of Place and ethical leadership in promoting an understanding and acceptance of gender diversity within rural school communities in Australia.
Australian educational leaders often have the task of leading and managing change at their core. ... more Australian educational leaders often have the task of leading and managing change at their core. The challenge is often educational leaders have had little training or experience in leaning and managing change, and consequently a significant variation of skills, behaviours and moral dispositions exist within our educational leaders. It is widely reported that two thirds of change initiatives fail (Burnes 2011). While the scope of this paper is not to critique why such a high percentage of change initiatives fail, it is a reminder that change management is a complex process.
Within this paper I will attempt to do three things. Firstly, present a Narrative Case Study account of a change management process located within an Australian primary school, with negative outcomes. Secondly, give some analysis to the Case, drawing on literature to support the analysis. Thirdly, I will offer a discussion of what I learnt as a result of the Case and my subsequent professional experience.
MEd Thesis - Deakin University by Dr Damien Lyons
It would appear that male teachers are decreasing at an alarming rate based on the figures publis... more It would appear that male teachers are decreasing at an alarming rate based on the figures published by The Australian Bureau of Statistics. A snapshot of these figures indicates that “the proportion of male primary school teachers has declined in the decade to 2002... Between 1992 and 2002, the proportion of male primary school teachers declined from 25.8% to 20.9% (ABS 2). Brendan Nelson, former Federal Education Minister, stated that of “the 22,915 students enrolled in primary teacher training just 4,313 are male– 18% of the total” (Nelson, 2005).
Furthermore, the Department of Education and Training in Victoria has reported that of the 39,507 teachers currently employed within Victoria, just 12,090 are male. And of the 13,223 teachers that are employed in rural or regional areas, just 4,664 are male. The decreasing number of male teachers suggests that there may be a need to better understand the lived experiences of male teachers, specifically the issues and challenges that males face, in order to gain some insight into possible reasons why male primary school teacher numbers may be decreasing.
This minor research project seeks to explore the lived experiences of six in- service male primary school teachers in rural and regional Victoria, particularly within the Barwon South West Region. Through Narrative Inquiry it explores the opinions and perceptions these male teachers have about their profession. It seeks to offer a snapshot into the current working lives of male teachers in rural and regional Victoria to better understand the challenges, issues and thoughts male teachers have about their job.
Literacy pedagogy in and for the 21st century by Dr Damien Lyons
This research paper reports on one aspect of a PhD study completed in 2016 (Lyons, 2015). The doc... more This research paper reports on one aspect of a PhD study completed in 2016 (Lyons, 2015). The doctoral research explored perceptions and enactments of primary school teachers in Australia, and focused on how teachers conceptualised literacy in and for the 21st century, how they enacted 21st century literacy pedagogy, and the factors that influenced their pedagogical practice.
The phenomenological analysis of the data in the study identified several themes, one of which was the notion that while teachers are aware of literacy theory and have
strong pedagogical ideas associated with how to best teach literacy
in and for the 21st century, they are influenced by factors that subvert
their literacy pedagogical practice. One teacher likened this to the childhood game of ‘Piggy in the Middle’, in which two people attempt to throw a ball to each other without letting a third person in the middle catch it. This teacher described herself as the person in the middle, always trying to catch the elusive ‘literacy ball’ as it is tossed between what she knows to be good literacy practice and the subversive bureaucratic factors which influence it.
This paper presents a study of teachers' perceptions of '21 st century literacy' practices and th... more This paper presents a study of teachers' perceptions of '21 st century literacy' practices and the dilemmas teacher face when these perceptions clash with the policies and the practices they feel are expected of them. Using narrative inquiry as its methodology, the paper presents 3 themes identified within the study, namely: 'Teachers' insights into 21 st century literacy, 'Teachers' perceptions of necessary 21 st century literacy skills for Year 6 students' and 'Influences on teachers' literacy pedagogical decision-making and practice'. The narratives present two teachers' perceptions (and misperceptions) of 21 st century literacy, their pedagogical approaches, and how various factors influence their work. The paper considers how various factors influence teachers' pedagogical practices, and highlights discrepancies between teachers' professional beliefs and their practices based on external classroom influences. Narrative offers an insider's view of how these discrepancies are lived out in two Victorian classrooms.
Living & learning in a neo-liberal uni landscape by Dr Damien Lyons
Atea 2006 Making Teaching Public Reforms in Teacher Education Proceedings of the 2006 Australian Teacher Education Association National Conference, 2006
Atea 2006 Making Teaching Public Reforms in Teacher Education Proceedings of the 2006 Atea Conference the Esplanade Hotel Fremantle, 2006
Quality teaching and learning in teacher education can be enriched across campuses for both the a... more Quality teaching and learning in teacher education can be enriched across campuses for both the academics and the student bodies when focus is given to the development of dynamic JCT rich learning experiences. This paper focuses on the learning journey of two academics and their pre-service teacher education students located on two regional campuses, 200km apart, and how planning, communicating, implementing, presenting, evaluating, and reflecting took place within a fi'amework of collegiality. The unit, entitled, 'The Literacy Teacher, the Profession and the Community' was a final year unit within the undergraduate Bachelor of Education program. Specifically this paper discusses how a multimodal teaching and learning environment using a range of new communication technologies enhanced the both the teaching and the learning experience for our pre-service teacher education students.
Teachers as Writers by Dr Damien Lyons
How does the act of writing impact on Discursively Mediated Professional Identities? A Case Study... more How does the act of writing impact on Discursively Mediated Professional Identities? A Case Study of Three Teachers explores the effects participation as writers has on the identities teachers take on when they are both writers who teach and teachers who write. This paper reflects upon one strand of a larger research project that examines the relationship between teachers' participation as writers and their perceptions of the manner in which this has an impact on their effectiveness as teachers of writing. It draws on interview data with volunteers from the larger study. This paper focuses on only three interview participants as it explores their encounters as writers as they engaged in the 'risky' business of being writers, within and beyond school. A narrative inquiry methodology was used to interrogate the data about the teachers' lived experience of being writers, as well as
This article reports on research findings about the nature of the writing in which teachers engag... more This article reports on research findings about the nature of the writing in which teachers engage. Drawing on survey and semi-structured interview data collected from and about the involvement of practicing teachers as writers, the article explores the types of writing in which our teacher participants engage and where and when they write. Teachers and the rest of society are at a unique time in history, because they are presented with a range of publishing opportunities – including online publishing and self-publishing – that utilise new communication technologies. These new textual forms provide opportunities for writers to reach audiences previously unimagined. Introduction Teachers who write have the capacity to 'weave worlds with words and wonder' (ALEA Conference theme, 2016) in ways that are powerful and interconnected. The context for this article is the 21st century; a time when traditional teaching practices are undergoing interrogation. As emerging and constantly changing technologies continually impact on the creation of texts and teaching and learning more generally, we wonder about their potential to change the way that the teaching of writing occurs, in ways that better reflect the new ways that people work, learn and communicate.
Multimodal textual environments by Dr Damien Lyons
In the 21st century young people have the opportunity to create texts that were unimaginable for ... more In the 21st century young people have the opportunity to create texts that were unimaginable for previous generations. Today's children live and learn while immersed in a technological world that is fast paced and in a constant state of change. As technology becomes more and more accessible outside of the classroom, educators are challenged to reconsider the literacy skills required to be successfully literate in the 21 st century. It follows that there is a need to ensure that pre-service teachers develop a repertoire of literacy pedagogies to prepare them to effectively engage 21 st century learners. While there is much evidence to suggest that not all schools and not all teachers are meeting these challenges, there are some inspiring examples in which schools, communities and teachers are taking up the challenge. This chapter presents one case study, which presents insights for pre-service teachers within the policy context of the Australian Curriculum and its associated documents. Attention is paid to how the case study teacher created meaningful learning experiences and opportunities for children to create and interact in social, multimodal textual environments, both within and beyond the school.
Handbook of Research on Global Issues in Next-Generation Teacher Education, 2000
Middle Years literacy by Dr Damien Lyons
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PhD Thesis - Deakin University by Dr Damien Lyons
The thesis employs two methodologies; narrative inquiry and hermeneutic phenomenology to collect, interpret and present the stories from the research participants. From an ‘insider’s view’, the findings offer insights into teacher practices and decision-making, particularly concerning literacy in and for the 21st century.
Teachers from metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria participated in a one-hour semi-structured interview during which they considered and shared their experiences, beliefs and practices associated with the teaching of literacy in and for the 21st century. The results are presented as a narrative of the lived experiences of the participants. Phenomenological analysis was applied to the individual narratives in order to present common themes.
In the first of two results chapters, the stories from each participant are shared, to provide an insider’s view of their work, their pedagogical beliefs associated with the teaching of literacy, and the factors that influence their teaching.
The second results chapter uses a phenomenological analysis to highlight the common themes. The themes explore conceptions of 21st century literacy, attitudes towards change, pedagogical orientations, and the influence of school-based leadership. Each theme starts with the voice of the participant, followed by an analysis to theorise the narrative using education and sociological literature, and concludes with my own reflections and recommendations. The ontological orientation of this research focuses on lived experiences, offering many ‘truths’ (Giorgi 1997) in order to better understand how teachers think about 21st century literacy and some of the factors that influence their pedagogical practices.
This thesis advocates for a stronger consideration of the meaning of 21st century literacy, and the enabling pedagogical practices. It considers teachers’ understanding of, and attitudes towards, the sociological and educational influences that impact literacy in and for the 21st century. It explores how teachers construct learning for Year 6 students and presents evidence of the decision-making processes in which teachers engage when crafting and enacting literacy for Year 6 students in Victorian government schools.
MA Dissertation - The University of London by Dr Damien Lyons
There are many factors which influence literacy teaching and learning. This research project seeks to explore what educational leaders, in various leadership roles within Australian primary schools, believe constitutes a quality 21st century literacy learning environment, what they perceive are the literacy skills Year 6 students need to be exposed to nowadays, what literacy skills they may require in the future, and the role the educational leader plays in enabling this learning for Year 6 students.
In order to understand better how educational leaders in Australian primary schools conceptualise and enable literacy learning, with a particular focus on Year 6 students in a 21st century context, three research questions are investigated:
• What literacy skills do educational leaders in Australian primary schools perceive as necessary for Year 6 students to be able to participate successfully in their 21st century world?
• How do educational leaders in Australian primary schools define 21st century literacy, and how do they enable the learning of literacy for Year 6 students?
• Who influences educational leaders’ practices and decisions associated with the development and enactment of 21st century literacy for Year 6 students?
This research project is built upon a qualitative foundation and uses a narrative inquiry methodology to collect the narratives of five educational leaders within Australian primary schools. Then, using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, themes from the narratives are identified, interpreted and discussed with the intent of interpreting and understanding the lived experiences of educational leaders’ as they facilitate and enable literacy learning for students in Australian primary schools.
This paper explores the challenge of promoting diversity. Specifically, it explores the Case of a male teacher, who moved to a small town in rural Victoria with his male partner, to teach a Year 2 class. Within the context of this Case, I explore how the community and principal of the school where he worked responded to him and embraced diversity. I explore how gender diversity was located and constructed within this school and this rural community, and question the enactment of Leadership of Place and ethical leadership in promoting an understanding and acceptance of gender diversity within rural school communities in Australia.
Within this paper I will attempt to do three things. Firstly, present a Narrative Case Study account of a change management process located within an Australian primary school, with negative outcomes. Secondly, give some analysis to the Case, drawing on literature to support the analysis. Thirdly, I will offer a discussion of what I learnt as a result of the Case and my subsequent professional experience.
MEd Thesis - Deakin University by Dr Damien Lyons
Furthermore, the Department of Education and Training in Victoria has reported that of the 39,507 teachers currently employed within Victoria, just 12,090 are male. And of the 13,223 teachers that are employed in rural or regional areas, just 4,664 are male. The decreasing number of male teachers suggests that there may be a need to better understand the lived experiences of male teachers, specifically the issues and challenges that males face, in order to gain some insight into possible reasons why male primary school teacher numbers may be decreasing.
This minor research project seeks to explore the lived experiences of six in- service male primary school teachers in rural and regional Victoria, particularly within the Barwon South West Region. Through Narrative Inquiry it explores the opinions and perceptions these male teachers have about their profession. It seeks to offer a snapshot into the current working lives of male teachers in rural and regional Victoria to better understand the challenges, issues and thoughts male teachers have about their job.
Literacy pedagogy in and for the 21st century by Dr Damien Lyons
The phenomenological analysis of the data in the study identified several themes, one of which was the notion that while teachers are aware of literacy theory and have
strong pedagogical ideas associated with how to best teach literacy
in and for the 21st century, they are influenced by factors that subvert
their literacy pedagogical practice. One teacher likened this to the childhood game of ‘Piggy in the Middle’, in which two people attempt to throw a ball to each other without letting a third person in the middle catch it. This teacher described herself as the person in the middle, always trying to catch the elusive ‘literacy ball’ as it is tossed between what she knows to be good literacy practice and the subversive bureaucratic factors which influence it.
Living & learning in a neo-liberal uni landscape by Dr Damien Lyons
Teachers as Writers by Dr Damien Lyons
Multimodal textual environments by Dr Damien Lyons
Middle Years literacy by Dr Damien Lyons
The thesis employs two methodologies; narrative inquiry and hermeneutic phenomenology to collect, interpret and present the stories from the research participants. From an ‘insider’s view’, the findings offer insights into teacher practices and decision-making, particularly concerning literacy in and for the 21st century.
Teachers from metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria participated in a one-hour semi-structured interview during which they considered and shared their experiences, beliefs and practices associated with the teaching of literacy in and for the 21st century. The results are presented as a narrative of the lived experiences of the participants. Phenomenological analysis was applied to the individual narratives in order to present common themes.
In the first of two results chapters, the stories from each participant are shared, to provide an insider’s view of their work, their pedagogical beliefs associated with the teaching of literacy, and the factors that influence their teaching.
The second results chapter uses a phenomenological analysis to highlight the common themes. The themes explore conceptions of 21st century literacy, attitudes towards change, pedagogical orientations, and the influence of school-based leadership. Each theme starts with the voice of the participant, followed by an analysis to theorise the narrative using education and sociological literature, and concludes with my own reflections and recommendations. The ontological orientation of this research focuses on lived experiences, offering many ‘truths’ (Giorgi 1997) in order to better understand how teachers think about 21st century literacy and some of the factors that influence their pedagogical practices.
This thesis advocates for a stronger consideration of the meaning of 21st century literacy, and the enabling pedagogical practices. It considers teachers’ understanding of, and attitudes towards, the sociological and educational influences that impact literacy in and for the 21st century. It explores how teachers construct learning for Year 6 students and presents evidence of the decision-making processes in which teachers engage when crafting and enacting literacy for Year 6 students in Victorian government schools.
There are many factors which influence literacy teaching and learning. This research project seeks to explore what educational leaders, in various leadership roles within Australian primary schools, believe constitutes a quality 21st century literacy learning environment, what they perceive are the literacy skills Year 6 students need to be exposed to nowadays, what literacy skills they may require in the future, and the role the educational leader plays in enabling this learning for Year 6 students.
In order to understand better how educational leaders in Australian primary schools conceptualise and enable literacy learning, with a particular focus on Year 6 students in a 21st century context, three research questions are investigated:
• What literacy skills do educational leaders in Australian primary schools perceive as necessary for Year 6 students to be able to participate successfully in their 21st century world?
• How do educational leaders in Australian primary schools define 21st century literacy, and how do they enable the learning of literacy for Year 6 students?
• Who influences educational leaders’ practices and decisions associated with the development and enactment of 21st century literacy for Year 6 students?
This research project is built upon a qualitative foundation and uses a narrative inquiry methodology to collect the narratives of five educational leaders within Australian primary schools. Then, using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, themes from the narratives are identified, interpreted and discussed with the intent of interpreting and understanding the lived experiences of educational leaders’ as they facilitate and enable literacy learning for students in Australian primary schools.
This paper explores the challenge of promoting diversity. Specifically, it explores the Case of a male teacher, who moved to a small town in rural Victoria with his male partner, to teach a Year 2 class. Within the context of this Case, I explore how the community and principal of the school where he worked responded to him and embraced diversity. I explore how gender diversity was located and constructed within this school and this rural community, and question the enactment of Leadership of Place and ethical leadership in promoting an understanding and acceptance of gender diversity within rural school communities in Australia.
Within this paper I will attempt to do three things. Firstly, present a Narrative Case Study account of a change management process located within an Australian primary school, with negative outcomes. Secondly, give some analysis to the Case, drawing on literature to support the analysis. Thirdly, I will offer a discussion of what I learnt as a result of the Case and my subsequent professional experience.
Furthermore, the Department of Education and Training in Victoria has reported that of the 39,507 teachers currently employed within Victoria, just 12,090 are male. And of the 13,223 teachers that are employed in rural or regional areas, just 4,664 are male. The decreasing number of male teachers suggests that there may be a need to better understand the lived experiences of male teachers, specifically the issues and challenges that males face, in order to gain some insight into possible reasons why male primary school teacher numbers may be decreasing.
This minor research project seeks to explore the lived experiences of six in- service male primary school teachers in rural and regional Victoria, particularly within the Barwon South West Region. Through Narrative Inquiry it explores the opinions and perceptions these male teachers have about their profession. It seeks to offer a snapshot into the current working lives of male teachers in rural and regional Victoria to better understand the challenges, issues and thoughts male teachers have about their job.
The phenomenological analysis of the data in the study identified several themes, one of which was the notion that while teachers are aware of literacy theory and have
strong pedagogical ideas associated with how to best teach literacy
in and for the 21st century, they are influenced by factors that subvert
their literacy pedagogical practice. One teacher likened this to the childhood game of ‘Piggy in the Middle’, in which two people attempt to throw a ball to each other without letting a third person in the middle catch it. This teacher described herself as the person in the middle, always trying to catch the elusive ‘literacy ball’ as it is tossed between what she knows to be good literacy practice and the subversive bureaucratic factors which influence it.