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This collection contains Honours, Masters and Ph.D by coursework theses from University of Adelaide postgraduate students within the School of Education. The material has been approved as making a significant contribution to knowledge.
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Item Open Access The origin and development of the Singapore Teachers' Union (in the post-war colonial period)(1971) Sun, Kwa Boo; Dept. of EducationItem Open Access W.T. McCoy and his directorship of Education in South Australia 1919-1929(1973) Richards, William George; Dept. of EducationItem Open Access The Central Board of Education South Australia, 1852-1875(1981) Vick, Malcolm John; School of EducationThe development of education in South Australia between 1852 and 1875 was closely interwoven with the structure and dynamics of colonial society. Class, gender, religion and the demographic features of the colony shaped the patterns of social organization, culture and behaviour. They generated a wide range of 'social problems' which were defined differently by colonists according to their positions in the social structure. They also allowed differential access to the various institutional means by which those 'problems' could be dealt with, especially the state. The educational aspirations, options and choices of parents were constrained by their social backgrounds and the conditions under which they lived. Consequently, there was a wide diversity of educational practices in the colony. The leaders' of colonial society and of local communities believed that education could help secure the social order they desired by imparting morality and discipline to working class and small farmers' children. However, they believed that only schools characterized by trained teachers, the organization of pupils into classes, and a planned curriculum could fulfil that function efficiently. In 1851, colonial leaders used their dominance of the newly elected Legislative Council to pass an Education Act to support such schools. The strategy embodied in the Act reflected both their concern to restrict state expenditure in economically unproductive areas and their ideological commitment to the autonomy and responsibility of the family in education. It provided limited financial assistance to 'good' schools but left the initiative to establish and utilize schools in private hands. Control over the implementation of the Act was firmly entrenched in the hands of the leaders of the colony. The administrative structure was located within the state. The government retained the power to establish and control the limits within which it operated, principally through its power to regulate funding and to appoint the members of the administrative Board. Within the limits set by governments, the Board enjoyed considerable autonomy and devised a range of policies consistent with the aims embodied in the Act. The implementation of these policies was the responsibility of the permanent officers of the civil service department of education. Once basic procedures were established these officers enjoyed substantial autonomy in managing the growing education system. This three tiered structure meant that the implementation of the Act according to the strategies formulated in 1851 was strongly resistant to pressures from either 'public opinion' or temporary-changes in government policies, such as those of the 1860 -1861 Reynolds government. The Board and its officers faced a large number of problems in implementing the Act. Financial limitations undermined key strategies for encouraging 'good' schools and transforming 'inferior' ones. Trained teachers, crucial to the'good' schools, sought clients from the secure, respectable sectors of the society. The working class and small farmers patronized untrained teachers, whose methods were more closely attuned to the rhythms and constraints of their lives. If the Board supported only trained teachers, therefore, it failed to provide for its intended clients, while if it supported schools amongst the poor, it found it difficult to enforce 'standards'. It devised a range of administrative solutions to these problems within the limits of the Act, but by the late 1860s it consistently argued that it needed more money and more powers. Social changes, evident from the late 1860s, generated new social problems, a shift in the balance of political power and a transformation of the dominant ideology. This new ideology focussed on the new problems, redefined old ones and indicated new strategies for dealing with both. In education, the promoters of the new ideology concentrated on the problem of unschooled urban 'street children' and the standards of many of the working class and-rural schools. They demanded-far greater control over the process of teaching, and compulsory attendance. In 1874 they radically reshaped the administrative structure and by the following year enjoyed sufficient political power to pass a new Education Act.Item Open Access The Central Board of Education South Australia, 1852 - 1875(1981) Vick, Malcom J.; School of EducationThe development of education in South Australia between 1852 and 1875 was closely interwoven with the structure and dynamics of colonial society. Class, gender, religion and the demographic features of the colony shaped the patterns of social organization, culture and behaviour. They R 0 generated a wide range of 'social problems' which were defined differently by colonists according to their positions in the social structure. They also allowed differential access to the various institutional means by which those 'problems' could be dealt with, especially the state. The educational aspirations, options and choices of parents were constrained by their social backgrounds and the conditions under which they lived. Consequently, there was a wide diversity of educational practices in the colony. The leaders' of colonial society and of local communities believed that education could help secure the social order they desired by imparting morality and discipline to working class and small farmers' children. However, they believed that only schools characterized by trained teachers, the organization of pupils into classes, and a planned curriculum could fulfil that function efficiently. In 1851, colonial leaders used their dominance of the newly elected Legislative Council to pass an Education Act to support such schools. The strategy embodied in the Act reflected both their concern to restrict state expenditure in economically unproductive areas and their ideological commitment to the autonomy and responsibility of the family in education. It provided limited financial assistance to 'good' schools but left the initiative to establish and utilize schools in private hands. Control over the implementation of the Act was firmly entrenched in the hands of the leaders of the colony. The a administrative structure was located within the state. The government retained the power to establish and control the limits within which it operated, principally through its power to regulate funding and to appoint the members of the administrative Board. Within the limits set by governments, the Board enjoyed considerable autonomy and devised a range of policies consistent with the aims embodied in the Act. The implementation of these policies was the responsibility of the permanent officers of the civil service department of education. Once basic procedures were established these officers enjoyed substantial autonomy in managing the growing education system. This three tiered structure meant that the implementation of the Act according to the strategies formulated in 1851 was strongly resistant to pressures from either 'public opinion' or temporary-changes in government policies, such as those of the 1860 -1861 Reynolds government. The Board and its officers faced a large number of problems in implementing the Act. Financial limitations undermined key strategies for encouraging 'good' schools and transforming 'inferior' ones. Trained teachers, crucial to the'good' schools, sought clients from the secure, respectable sectors of the society. The working class and small farmers patronized untrained teachers, whose methods were more closely attuned to the rhythms and constraints of their lives. If the Board supported only trained teachers, therefore, it failed to provide for its intended clients, while if it supported schools amongst the poor, it found it difficult to enforce 'standards'. It devised a range of administrative solutions to these problems within the limits of the Act, but by the late 1860s it consistently argued that it needed more money and more powers. Social changes, evident from the late 1860s, generated new social problems, a shift in the balance of political power and a transformation of the dominant ideology. This new ideology focussed on the new problems, redefined old ones and indicated new strategies for dealing with both. In education, the promoters of the new ideology concentrated on the problem of unschooled urban 'street children' and the standards of many of the working class and-rural schools. They demanded-far greater control over the process of teaching, and compulsory attendance. In 1874 they radically reshaped the administrative structure and by the following year enjoyed sufficient political power to pass a new Education Act.Item Open Access The Boys' Reformatory Brooklyn Park : a history, 1898-1941 / Anthony Michael Keenan(1988) Keenan, Anthony Michael; Dept. of EducationItem Open Access Through drama to cross cultural understanding : ... the use of drama methodology in the development of positive attitudes towards Japanese culture by a select group of Australian Year Seven students studying aspects of Kabuki theatre / by Janett Kajic Jackson.(1993) Jackson, Janett Kajic; Dept. of EducationThis thesis looks at the viability of using a Japanese performance text written in 1746 as a basis for developing a series of lessons that can be implemented with a class of students. The study highlights the component parts that were used in the lessons, the way in which the lessons were devised and the impact the lessons had on the students. The author argues that students’ attitudes can be influenced in a positive direction towards the Japanese culture through the use of drama methodology. Further to this, the influence of the chosen text and the theatrical style on the students’ own writing for performance is examined. Throughout the process the clarity and impact on depth of insight into the students’ own culture were evaluated. In the investigation a range of pre and post data based on ideas from Triandis; Girod; and White and Gunstone focused attention on knowledge gained and understandings that occurred. The research shows drama’s ability to engage students through empathetic creative reenactments, storytelling and active participation with their whole body, emotions and thoughts. The process used was highly influential in promoting personal transformation, the understanding of critical social issues and power structures.Item Open Access Resilience in secondary schools: a review of available interventions aimed at improving student mental health(2018) Sierp, Ingrid; School of EducationStatistics suggest that mental illness now affects 5-10% of young people from as early as age six. The exact reasons for the increased prevalence of mental illness are unknown, however, it is thought to be linked to a decrease in the resilience levels of young people, where they do not possess the knowledge or skills needed to overcome the everyday stressors that are associated with adolescence. In light of this, there has been an increased focus on designing and implementing programs to develop resilience and positive mental health in young people. Schools are an ideal setting for the implementation of such programs as young people spend extended periods of their time there. Teachers are able to build positive relationships with their students and act as role models of resilient behaviour. Given that the state of student mental health is unique to every school environment, it is difficult for teachers and school leaders to determine which program would be most suited to their needs. All resilience-building programs share common aims, however, they differ in several areas including targeted demographic, timeframe, delivery method and specific outcomes. Schools cannot know which program will be the best fit for their students without directly implementing each one. The aims of this study were to determine which resilience-building/wellbeing programs are available to secondary schools in Australia, and in what setting would each of these programs provide the greatest improvement to the mental health of secondary school students? It examined the resilience-building/wellbeing programs MindMatters, the Gatehouse Project, the beyondblue Secondary Schools Program, SenseAbility and the Penn Resiliency Program. The programs were evaluated using a framework of questions designed to provide schools with the most relevant information. The information gathered related to target demographic, program length, program content, program delivery, and program outcomes. It was found that some programs, like MindMatters and the Gatehouse Project, are simply a guiding framework and require a large amount of staff professional development before the content is able to be delivered to the students. Other interventions, like the beyondblue Secondary Schools Program and SenseAbiltiy, provide schools with a complete set of resources and require no formal staff training, thus can be implemented immediately. Some programs, like the Gatehouse Project and the beyondblue Secondary Schools Program, are targeted at a selected age-range, whereas others are suitable for all ages. Some programs, like SenseAbility, have a poor research base. In some instances there have been no randomised, controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy of the programs, despite widespread implementation. The ability of each program to develop student wellbeing is discussed within this report, alongside the management implications for schools. When determining the best practice for the development of student mental health and wellbeing, schools need to understand the motivation and behaviour of their students. Evidence-based models are available to assist schools in this understanding, and are discussed here. Numerous resilience/wellbeing programs exist, however, they are not all appropriate for an Australian school setting, nor for implementation in a secondary school. This study enables teachers and school leaders to make informed decisions regarding the suitability of different resilience/wellbeing programs to develop the mental health of their students.Item Open Access Improving Student Engagement in School Music Ensemble Programs(2018) Oulton, Matthew John; School of EducationDuring recent decades, low enrolment numbers in high school music programs have been an ongoing issue in Australian schools, particularly in the senior years. Co-curricular ensemble programs provide music students with a practical and social outlet which complements their formal music education. This dissertation explores student engagement in high school cocurricular ensembles through the use of a qualitative methodology associated with Merriam (1988) and examines pedagogical methods of improving engagement and motivation within this setting. It also seeks to find a connection between student participation in co-curricular ensembles and enrolment numbers for classroom music subjects, particularly in the senior years of high school. A thorough literature review was conducted applying Framework Analysis from a constructivist perspective. This review investigates the relationship that adolescents have with music, both inside and outside of school. It outlines pedagogical approaches that relate to the conductors use of authority, task design, and evaluation in controlling the social dynamic of the ensemble to encourage an autonomous learning environment, dissuade social comparison, and enhance self-efficacy within students. Engagement is defined within the setting of Australian education using Fredricks, Blumenfeld & Paris’ (2004) framework of student engagement. Other key themes of the literature review include conductor teaching behaviours, staffing, repertoire selection, and the relationship between co-curricular ensembles and classroom music. Data was collected from Scotch College Adelaide and examined in an attempt to find a relationship between participation in co-curricular music ensembles and enrolment numbers in classroom music. Conclusions emphasise the role of the conductor in facilitating cognitive, emotional, and behavioural engagement within the ensemble. Desirable conductor behaviours include structuring rehearsals to include a variety of diverse tasks which follow complete teaching cycles, giving students opportunities to develop responsibility and independence within the ensemble, allowing for greater amounts time spent on student response, and providing students with process-oriented feedback to assist them in setting achievable short-term goals. The key output from this research is the development of a model of student engagement and motivation in an ensemble setting. This model combines various frameworks and models of student engagement, motivation, and social antecedents with instructional strategies specific to the context of ensemble music. The final product is an easy to follow diagram intended for ensemble conductors and supporting staff which depicts desirable approaches to ensemble education with the goal of higher self-efficacy and self-perception amongst students, leading to musical excellence.Item Open Access Relative Age Effects of South Australian Senior Secondary School Students(2018) Della Pietra, Jordan; School of EducationAchievement and attainment in Secondary school is often referred to as individual academic success rather than sporting or non-academic achievement. Factors that have influence on student success are often discussed between education stakeholders. Academic achievement and attainment of Senior Secondary students are known to contribute to the increased probability of future success of these students. Relative Age Effects, the influence of student age on their academic achievements, is a contemporary factor currently being researched on an international scale. Within South Australia the recognised merit of achievement for Year 12 students is the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE). This generally involves a two-stage process, where students can begin to attain ‘credits’ in a Year 10 Stage 1 subject, which contributes to the 200-credit requirement for attaining the SACE. Through analysing Relative Age Effects of student in the most common subjects (Research Project, Mathematics Applications, English Communications and Biology) for 2014 (N = 13,869), 2015 (N = 15,050) and 2016 (N = 15,101) it is possible to see if age influences South Australian students’ achievement. Other influential factors to academic achievement included gender (Male or Female) and school location (Metropolitan or Country). In 2014 the Research Project (p <0.01), Mathematics (p <0.01) and English (p <0.01) subjects resulted in statistically significant age effects, where students classified as ‘Young’ outperformed their ‘Old’ counterparts. In 2015 only two of the four subjects, the Research Project (p <0.01) and Biology (p <0.01) showed significant statistical difference between age grouped students, where, similar to 2014, the Young students outperformed the Old. Both the Research Project (p <0.01) and Mathematics (p <0.01) subjects for 2016 exhibited significant statistical difference, following the same trend as the previous years with Old students performing worse than Young students. Differences of mean achieved scores by students within these cohorts are therefore likely to be influenced by other factors such as socioeconomic status, immigration status of students and families, or teacher influence. Limitations of this study include the lack of detailed information about students, such as their socio-economic status or their work commitments are discussed within the paper. The findings offer insights into the currently limited knowledge about Relative Age Effects of students within South Australian Secondary schools.Item Open Access A tale of two cohorts: The identification and impact of student engagement in a South Australian high school(2018) Fairey, Elizabeth Ellen; School of EducationSchool completion is a major factor that contributes to student success at school. It has been reported that young people who do not complete secondary schooling are at higher risk of underemployment, incarceration, and decreased wellbeing for the remainder of their lives. The main factors that contribute to student drop-out and non-completion are academic failure, low attendance, socio-economic status, cultural heritage and identity, and behavioural difficulties including delinquency. Student engagement is a high priority for most schools and is often cited in the Vision and Mission objectives to ensure that students general wellbeing is paramount and can therefore have short and long term gains both at school and beyond. Feeling well, happy and engaged in school life can improve a student’s academic achievement, social and emotional engagement through attendance and participation, and overall values and attitudes to life and learning. This study investigated two cohorts, the 2016 and 2017 graduates, throughout their schooling at one College in South Australia. Student grades, attendance data, ‘attitude’ grade as determined by their teachers, and multiple wellbeing surveys were analysed to determine perceived levels of engagement. The data reported quite different final completion results for each cohort. It was found that neither the academic achievement or the attitude grades indicated any significant difference in engagement; but the attendance data suggested that the cohort who had the lower school completion were more consistently behaviourally engaged. The results suggest that schools should focus on how to specifically identify engagement levels in their students before assuming that it is a primary factor in a specific cohort’s success. However, due to the limitations of this study, further research is needed to develop tools and methodologies that can better measure the identification of student engagement to happen.Item Open Access “Baggy Monsters” in the time of Trolls. How can the teaching of 19th Century literature in senior secondary school English be made more engaging?(2019) Lally, Hannah; School of EducationAs of 2019, English remains the only school subject Australian jurisdictions require students to study in order to graduate or achieve the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (Yiannakis 2014). Beyond providing literacy competencies, English from its outset has been “central to the curriculum as a principal means by which students explored their expressive, creative, imaginative and ethical selves, either through their own writing or through an encounter with literary texts” (Macintyre 2001). A lack of engagement in education is often posited as a primary reason for student drop-out, with failure to graduate being described as the most “severe and overt symptom of disengagement from school and learning” (Lehr et al. 2004, pg. 15). If students were to not engage with the compulsory senior secondary English, they are at risk of losing motivation and the subsequent learning and academic success (Gibbs and Poskitt 2010). There are two central reasons that underpin the importance of this research question. The first component identifies that 10.49 per cent of the literary texts on Australian senior secondary English prescribed and recommended text lists are nineteenth-century texts. The second component to this research question asserts the difficulties associated with studying nineteenth-century literature. With texts that are between 100 to 200 years old, archaic language, unfamiliar settings, and mature, complex themes beyond the life experiences of teenagers pose problems for young adult readers (Miller 2017). The lack of historical and contextual knowledge of the nineteenth century and its social concerns may prove challenging for students who are navigating texts with vocabulary and structure disparate to contemporary works. Therefore, if such a significant proportion of nineteenth-century texts remain on compulsory text lists and these present unique challenges to twenty-first century secondary students, then it is essential for teachers to be aware the most engaging ways to teach them. In this study’s systematic literature review, an overview of engaging pedagogies for teaching literature did emerge, with prevalent examples including digital formats and online content, recovering the context and background of the period, drawing direct links to students’ real worlds, using critical inquiry or studies of genre, or visual and dramatic tasks. The most significant finding was the emergence of pedagogical philosophies which were at the core of this array of engaging strategies. Whilst not always explicit, prevalent underlying factors included: the importance of student choice and student-centred learning, differentiation in response to multicultural classrooms, as well as the teacher’s passion for literature and creative adaptability for interpretations of texts. Hence, this literature review manifested into the hypothesis: that the pedagogies which are built on and infuse every task with student choice, student-centred learning, diversity, a teacher’s own passion for literature and adaptability to creative interpretations are the most engaging practices for students, and are not bound to a specific period or type of content studied. Rather, it is the principles of engaging teaching that will always increase student engagement with all class content.Item Open Access Exploring learning and employability skills and their relationship with the Australian Curriculum, SACE and the General Capabilities(2019) Hanley, Jacob Jon; School of EducationWork performance and success in the twenty-first century is broadly dictated by an individual’s learner and employability skills. These are skills that are not discipline specific, but relate to a wide range of contexts to allow an individual to be successful in contemporary society. These skills are now also becoming part of the accepted standards of performance for students. However, if students are to meet these standards of performance they must first be developed and promoted in the classroom. There is a demonstrated consensus in the literature that classroom activities and student focus will always be centered on what is assessed; if there is a disconnection between the standards for assessment and the objectives of the curriculum, then the curriculum objectives will not be represented in the tasks that students are presented. Despite this, there is limited research that explores how these twenty-first century skills are incorporated into Australian curricula and assessed in the classroom. The Employability Skills specified in the Core Skills for Work (CSfW) Developmental Framework are echoed in the Australian Curriculum and the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) Curriculum with the inclusion of the General Capabilities. Each of these General Capabilities resonate the skills that are acknowledged globally as being key to developing proficient learners and successful contributors to society. This thesis explores the alignment between Employability Skills specified by the CSfW Developmental Framework, Curriculum Objectives and student assessments for SACE Stage 1 Mathematics through a qualitative analysis of the curriculum and the provided school-based assessment documents. The initial analysis evaluated the alignment between the General Capabilities and the SACE Performance Standards for Stage 1 Mathematics. The results of the thematic analysis of the two document sets showed that the SACE Performance Standards omitted the majority of the General Capability Key Idea Elements, specifically for the ICT Capability, Personal and Social Capability, Ethical Understanding, and Intercultural Understanding. This result confirmed that the current SACE Performance Standards are only able to measure student performance against the Numeracy, Literacy, and Critical and Creative Thinking Capabilities, highlighting a disconnection between the curriculum objectives and student assessment. In addition to the review of the SACE Performance Standards, the study also analysed examples of Stage 1 Mathematics school-based assessments to explore any intrinsic links to the General Capabilities. These assessment documents were provided by a co-educational secondary school located in Adelaide, South Australia. The results of this analysis showed a similar alignment to the General Capabilities as what was identified in the analysis of the SACE Performance Standards. Only the Numeracy, Literacy, and Critical and Creative Thinking Capabilities were challenged and measured by the school-based assessments; the remaining four capabilities were all omitted from the assessment tasks. This result highlighted that the Performance Standards stipulated by the SACE Subject Outline for Stage 1 Mathematics had an ongoing effect on the way that school-based assessments were developed and the skills that were measured. The outcomes of this study demonstrate the need for standards of performance, curriculum objectives and student assessment to be aligned. The alignment of these three elements of education will help ensure that employability and learner skills for the twenty-first century are developed and measured in South Australian classrooms. In addition to this, the review of the SACE Subject Outline suggested that the current SACE Curriculum framework prevented schools the freedom to integrate courses and better represent the General Capabilities in classroom activities and assessments. A reform of this framework could open the potential for the implementation of a highly contextualised curriculum, allowing students to apply their knowledge to applications that they are expected to face outside of the classroom.Item Open Access Constructing a Gender Equity Framework of ‘Best Fit’ for a Private Coeducational School in Adelaide(2019) Johnson, Patrick Darby; School of EducationThe construction of gender identity, as well as culturally acceptable expressions of that identity, can often conflict with the principles of education. Adolescents, in this particularly impressionable period, are forced to choose between what is expected of them as students, and what is expected of them as gendered individuals. Masculinity, for instance, demands that boys prioritise activity over passivity, and participate in the subordination of other, divergent forms of masculinity to ensure their own status as male. As such, boys have garnered a harmful reputation for being more disruptive than their gender counterparts, a perception that problematises boys. Female students are similarly affected by traditional gender norms. Acceptable femininity is often synonymised with subservience, meekness, and passivity. This perception creates a culture that oppresses girls, as they are forced, through social pressures, to adhere to this unfair expectation. However, how society views adolescents with regard to gender is generally the antithesis of expectations around schooling. For instance, through social and familial pressure, students are encouraged to academically excel. Yet, this contradicts many accepted notions of gender. Masculinity, in some forms, idolises apathy, or getting by with the least expended effort. Femininity is similar, in that girls must emphasise sociality over academic achievement. After all, intellect is traditionally associated with masculinity, and any girl that communicates behaviours that lay in the realm of manhood risks ridicule, bullying and harassment from her peers. Boys express tantamount degrees of disdain for males who transgress the threshold between masculinity and femininity, as maintaining heteronormativity can be essential to survival for students of all genders. In this, gender is often in conflict with educative processes. Schools, therefore, require systems that can identify and mitigate potentially harmful gender constructive processes among students. Gender equity frameworks, whole-school approaches that provide mechanisms for achieving equitable outcomes for students of all genders, remain an underutilised resource within educational institutions. Although, while examples of these frameworks exist, however sparse, they are often unsuited for an individual institution. This is because many of them do not consider the specific context and ethos of the school. This study created a gender equity framework for a particular school in Adelaide. Using the ‘best fit’ method, a framework was constructed through thematic synthesis of previously constructed equity frameworks, as well as through examination of relevant literature. The framework was developed with objectives in mind that emphasise gender issues within Australian education. These included subject gender disparity, as there is a historical trend of girls enrolling in the Humanities, and boys enrolling with Mathematics and Science subjects. Facilitating academic achievement was another objective, as gender can negatively impact the success of students. Student safety was also emphasised, with particular regard for how gender dynamics among students can cultivate bullying or exclusion, especially for gay or transgender students. The final objective recommended the implementation of framework assessment mechanisms, as evaluating the effectiveness of the framework is essential for the goals of gender equity.Item Open Access Minimising Extraneous Cognitive Load in Immersive Virtual Environments: Evaluating an Immersive Virtual Reality Educational Platform Against the Principles of Cognitive Load Theory(2019) Rogers, Jock Alexander McDonald; School of EducationMany consider STEM skills to be increasingly important for the future workplace. However, Australian enrolments in senior secondary STEM subjects declined through the 90s and early 2000s, especially in science subjects. The number of enrolments plateaued and has changed little since. One reasons behind this is that students tend to avoid and dropout of STEM subjects. This is partly because STEM education across Australia is not fostering enough interest in students, and a lack of engagement and enjoyment in the classroom. STEM Classrooms need to be made more interesting, engaging and enjoyable, but in a way that does not harm learning. Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) is uniquely positioned for this as it can create novel, authentic, immersive, interactive and emotional experiences. These experiences immerse users within the virtual environment (VE), establishing a sense of presence or ‘being there’. Presence and authenticity create unmediated and engaging experiences, of the type recommended by most modern learning theories. However, IVR comes with many limitations, of which cost is the most notable. Furthermore, there are significant gaps in the literature describing and demonstrating the relation between the countless factors that define IVR, and learning outcomes. So far studies have demonstrated that IVR is often not superior, and sometimes inferior, to traditional methods with respect to cognitive learning outcomes. A problem which is exacerbated by the fact that few of the many IVR devices and software developed are grounded in solid pedagogy. Early research has indicated why this might be the case, the answer might come from Cognitive Load Theory (CLT). CLT is a learning theory especially suited for describing the cognitive loads associated with learning tasks and the methods to manage and reduce it. IVR is often informationally dense, requiring that students navigate a full 360˚, 3D virtual environment whilst being dazzled by many sources of visual and sometimes audial information. CLT suggests that cognitive load comes in two forms. One of these, extraneous load, encompasses content that is irrelevant to learning that either distracts students, or forces them to process it alongside task-relevant information. IVR, it is suggested, tends to create large extraneous loads, which is possibly the source of its mediocre performance in producing cognitive learning outcomes. The goal of this study was to use the principles of CLT to evaluate an educational IVR platform with regards to minimising extraneous load. This platform could support large numbers of users simultaneously within shared or separate VEs whilst an instructor, using a separate non-IVR device, selected, controlled and manipulate the content. After a review of the literature, two questions would define the evaluation: Q1) How does the educational IVR platform compare to the recommendations of CLT regarding the reduction of extraneous load in the presentation of content? Q2) Where & how could the educational IVR platform be changed to better meet the recommendations? The evaluation was conducted by directly using the platform, during which the platform’s content was qualitatively observed and its characteristics explored. These observations were conducted using a coding framework consisting of criteria that was synthesised from the principles of CLT and the characteristics, capabilities and limitations of the platform initially identified. The observations were analysed and discussed, in these discussions content design methods based off the criteria were suggested. More importantly, the interaction between the defining characteristics of the platform and the criteria was determined, from which the primary evaluation and recommendations were made. The evaluation concluded that the platform was well suited for minimising extraneous load for several reasons (Q1). Some simple recommendations were made, primarily the addition of more tools for the instructor to use to manipulate running content (Q2). By attempting to evaluate an ICT technology, the research aimed to guide or assist future evaluations. However, due to limitations in the literature and research method, assumptions had to be made. The limitations that necessitated these assumptions provided a basis for suggested research directions.Item Open Access Outdoor Learning Spaces; The use of outdoor learning spaces in shaping student learning experiences in Australian secondary schools(2019) Gilbert, Emily; School of EducationInsight into the current use of outdoor learning spaces to engage secondary school students and shape their learning experiences in Australian educational contexts is provided through a narrative literature methodology. The benefits of the use of outdoor learning spaces for teaching adolescent students are shared along with limitations and challenges. Connections between The Australian Curriculum, other curriculum documents and effective pedagogies and the use of outdoor learning spaces are outlined to highlight the importance of the use of these spaces and to frame suggestions for their improved use across learning areas. The lack of literature that describes the current use of outdoor learning spaces in Australian secondary schools provides the rationale for this dissertation and underpins the exploration of ways to improve the use of outdoor learning spaces. Findings from this research provide insight into the many benefits that outdoor learning spaces offer students. This includes building positive human-nature relationships, freedom from the constraints of traditional teaching pedagogies and increased health and wellbeing benefits for students, stimulation and engagement in learning and skills and knowledge acquisition. Challenges and constraints in utilising outdoor learning spaces are also revealed through the systematic review of literature and include a fear of nature exhibited by students and teachers, teachers’ lack of confidence and capability is using outdoor spaces for learning across learning areas, and a shortage of resources, leadership, administration support and professional learning for teachers that would support the effective use of outdoor learning spaces. The Discussion and conclusion draw together themes in the findings and highlight the positive relationship between the use of outdoor learning spaces and the effective shaping of adolescent student learning experiences.Item Open Access ‘What are you doing and how are you going to achieve it?’: Shifting Focus to Skill Development in Year 11 Chemistry(2019) Daughtry, Jonathan; School of EducationIn the 21st Century, higher order skills and capabilities are the most desirable qualities to industry, supplanting content knowledge as the most critical quality. Furthermore, teachers are always looking at ways to increase student engagement. The Models of Engaged Learning and Teaching (MELT) framework was developed by Willison & O’Regan in order to address these issues (2007; 2018). MELT has been shown to increase student engagement and explicitly develop the skills students required for higher education and employment in industry (McGowan, 2018; Willison, 2018; Willison & O’Regan, 2007). In this study, MELT was implemented in a secondary school in suburban, Adelaide, South Australia. Employing the participant observer methodology, a pre-service teacher undertaking the Master of Teaching program at the University of Adelaide, attended seven, year 11 chemistry lessons and produced a series of vignettes that described student interactions. These were then thematically analysed in order to determine the nature and extent of student demonstrated engagement with and about the MELT framework, and the nature of student classroom interaction with relation to MELT facets and autonomy when MELT is not used explicitly. Furthermore, the study analysed the data in relation to the concept of metacognition, flow and visible thinking routines (Csikszentmihalyi, 1991; Flavell, 1979; Ritchhart & Perkins, 2008). The study illustrated that each of the MELT facets was needed by year 11 secondary school students in the course of each chemistry lesson, and concluded that MELT may support skill development in this context. Furthermore, the study asserts that student engagement and learning may be improved if students and teachers focus on skill development rather than results. Finally, the study recommends that further research be undertaken in relation to MELT’s potential in secondary schools, and suggests that MELT include more emphasis on the affective domain.Item Open Access Student Voice: Power, Democracy and Neoliberalism(2019) Tymukas, Benjamin Kostas; School of EducationThe past decade or so has seen an increase in literature that addresses the concept of student voice. Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States (US) have been particularly noticeable proponents of the concept. Within many ‘western’ democracies (including Australia), the existence of student voice is a mandatory element of education (the US being a notable exception). A core issue with the idea of student voice, is the breadth of activities that this can refer to. Because of this there is a lack of clarity around what student voice is and how it should be considered and implemented. Often the term is used in reference to student leadership or governance programs, such as Student Representative Councils (SRC). It can also refer to classroom ‘voice’ and democratic pedagogical practice. Despite the common presence of some form of student voice in schools, this paper found evidence that these programs are often poorly implemented. The potential benefits are poorly understood and are often not reflected in the data used for quantifying school, or student, performance. This research aimed to answer the question: How can we better conceptualise student voice? The aims were to create an understanding of literature addressing student voice, and the positive and negative effects of ‘voice’ that this research supported. Through this, the aim was then to understand the barriers that exist that prevent student voice from reaching its potential, and how these can be addressed. The final aim was to apply the understanding garnered to a school case study. The case study was a flagship student voice program, the Youth Action Team (YAT), which was being operated by the Northern Adelaide Suburbs State Secondary School Alliance NASSSA. The YAT was a student voice program, operating across the 11 member schools of NASSSA, promoting interschool relationships and community engagement. This paper uses a literature review as data to inform analysis. It explores the way educators and governing bodies conceptualise voice, and questions how current practice can be adapted to provide more democratic, inclusive and responsive education. It finds that there are structural and governance issues that lead to a tendency for student voice programs to lack the support and understanding for success. Bacchi’s ‘What is the Problem Represented to Be’ method is used for a discourse analysis of literature addressing the issue of student voice. The research finds evidence indicating power and economic factors that are suspected barriers to the realisation of democratic potential in the classroom and in school governance. The value of student voice is obscured by dominant economic narratives, and the power structures that are produced by them.Item Open Access Roots and Shoots: Assisting young people to envision and act upon sustainable futures(2019) Kinsey-West, Victoria Louise; School of EducationShort-term thinking is a dominant Western worldview and is reflected in many educational practices, many of which concentrate on the assessment of certain kinds of knowledges. Despite the assumption that education prepares students for their future, it often lacks a long-term vision of what that future may be. Furthermore, conventional education has overlooked fundamental questions of sustainability facing future generations. The future cannot be predicted with certainty; however, it can be said that the current and looming ecological crises will predicate a troubling uncertain future for all human and non-human beings. In recognising that the conventional education system has not made a great deal of contribution to sustainability, this study examines an alternative youth education program that is used within, and alongside, conventional curricular programs. Roots and Shoots (R&S) is an environmental and humanitarian youth education program of the Jane Goodall Institute, which is present in almost 100 countries worldwide. The program encourages young people to take action to make the world a better place for animals, people and the environment, underpinned by the value of holistic compassion. However, due to its philosophical and global approach, it can be dismissed as lacking structure and value. This is unfortunate since its flexible structure enables it to be adapted across the globe in different social and cultural contexts, and it offers a means to enable youth to envision and act upon a sustainable future. However, traditional approaches to education often require numerically measurable outcomes, which can perpetuate short-term visions. The R&S aim to develop compassionate youth is problematic in this sense. With this in mind, this study sought to identify a foundational theoretical approach that may assist the program’s development and future direction. The link between young people’s abilities to envision alternative, sustainable futures and their agency to act upon creating them can be connected using futures studies. However, futures studies lacks a precise analytical tool. This study has adapted futures theories and methods to develop a tool, consisting of four core concepts. These I argue have the capacity to orient a futures perspective for youth. Due to the limited scope of this study the R&S Formula Toolkit was chosen to orient the development of a futures perspective for the program. The R&S program enables members to envision a positive long-term future with a narrative where youth act as compassionate leaders, and make decisions based on holistic compassion. When demonstrated equally towards animals, people and the environment, holistic compassion exemplifies an interrelational and integral approach, which is required for sustainable futures for all. R&S encourages agency and action through engaging youth in local projects that provide relevance to their lives and have an impact. Youth feel more optimistic about global futures when their local projects are viewed under the global umbrella of R&S, and the narrative of young people bringing about change across the globe. I argue that it is this narrative, rather than the actions undertaken as part of R&S, that enables youth to envision and act upon sustainable futures.Item Open Access How does sport develop character at an all-boys’ school?(2020) McCallum, Heath; White, Mathew; School of EducationSchools, and particularly independent all-boys’ schools, spend significant time and financial resources providing sporting opportunities to their students on the assumption that competitive sport provides important character development opportunities. Competitive sport may also have tangible negative impacts on character development, including promoting violence and bullying, reinforcing gender stereotypes, and promoting heteronormative ideals. Given the rich historical role sport plays in many allboys’ schools, this can be a difficult to reconcile. This research investigates how sport develops character at an all-boys’ school in Adelaide, South Australia, adopting the neo-Aristotelian framework developed by the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues. Using document analysis to review the historical relationship between character education and sport, the research finds that there is significant rhetoric when it comes to the claims about sport, but little evidence about its benefits. The study argues there is potential for character development from competitive sport, but only with well-designed frameworks with well-trained staff in coaching positions. Without a comprehensive character education framework at the school level (or better yet the national level), there are diminishing returns to time and financial resource investment by schools. Schools must also be mindful of the potential negative implications from promoting a culture where sport dominates, particularly the impact it has on the boy’s achievement gap, and those students who do not possess natural athletic ability. This tension applies to every school in Australia, though more research is needed on the character development potential of competitive sport, the potential harm a sports culture can do to students, and how to get the most benefit out of time spent on sport.Item Open Access Evaluation of a Sexuality and Relationships Education Program Taught in a Year 8 South Australian Classroom(2020) Hogan, Samantha J.; Bleeze, Rachel; School of EducationSexuality and relationships education have changed dramatically over the past few decades. A renewed emphasis on curriculum developers to embed sexuality and relationships education with a holistic human rights-based approach is of increasing importance. This involves developing skills to empower students to make informed decisions and navigate safe and fulfilling relationships. While there are governing documents to guide curriculum developers to develop such a curriculum, often these guidance’s are ambiguous in nature and lack robust instruction. Additionally, the problem so often in education is that there are no obligations for curriculum developers to evaluate or monitor the quality of their programs. Therefore, exactly how does SRE encompass a holistic human-rights based to sexuality and relationships education and empower young people to live healthier lives? The purpose of this research is to develop a response to such an inquiry. An evaluation will be conducted on a Sexuality and Relationships Education Program which was provided by the program facilitator. This research employs the theoretical methodology of an intrinsic case study approach to conduct this evaluation. As essential process of this research was the development of a conceptual framework. This framework incorporates evaluating the input, context, process, and product factors of the program and the chosen guiding documents. The development of this evaluation provided strengths and limitations of the Sexuality and Relationships Education Program that cultivate the concepts addressed in the program. Recommendations for the Sexuality and Relationships Education Program are provided to assist the program facilitator, and other curriculum developers, to implement effective programs that empower young people. Additionally, this research aids to instil the importance of conducting program evaluations as a critical aspect to any curriculum implementation. Conducting this research has led to program recommendations and suggestions and revealed alternative directions for research on strategies to address key concepts of sexuality and relationships in schools concerning key concepts, including pornography and consent, which many teachers are often too hesitant to address in the classroom.