Young Australians and their identification with Australia: Implications for schooling and school success. Aims
*Identify adolescents' conceptions of and commitment to Australian national identity (ANI) and compare gender, regional and ethnic variations.
*Examine images of Australia promoted in schools (subject curricula, celebrations, special events, extra-curricula activities).
*Explore relationships between adolescents' ANI, academic achievement, personal aspirations, personal and social de ....Young Australians and their identification with Australia: Implications for schooling and school success. Aims
*Identify adolescents' conceptions of and commitment to Australian national identity (ANI) and compare gender, regional and ethnic variations.
*Examine images of Australia promoted in schools (subject curricula, celebrations, special events, extra-curricula activities).
*Explore relationships between adolescents' ANI, academic achievement, personal aspirations, personal and social development.
Significance
*Locates ANI within contect of adolescent training and development.
*Timely research given the current 'clever country' push.
Expected Outcomes
*Development of a reliable and valid measure of ANI.
*Assisting educators, and relevant political and social agencies in development of curricula and national policy, heedful of adolescents' conceptions of ANI.Read moreRead less
The Australian middle class and school choice: A generational study of changing anxieties and aspirations. There have been major changes in the ways that the Australian middle class think and behave as a response to economic reforms from the 1970s. The significance of this study is to add a new element to the argument by examining changing attitudes toward public and private education and school choice - from the point of view of the urban middle class. The hypothesis is that family decisions ab ....The Australian middle class and school choice: A generational study of changing anxieties and aspirations. There have been major changes in the ways that the Australian middle class think and behave as a response to economic reforms from the 1970s. The significance of this study is to add a new element to the argument by examining changing attitudes toward public and private education and school choice - from the point of view of the urban middle class. The hypothesis is that family decisions about schooling are a major site for exploring the history of the middle class. The benefit of the study is a new analysis of the middle class from the 1950s through the changing patterns of its participation in public and private schooling. It also offers an opportunity for school choice and social equity policy makers to respond to its conclusions.Read moreRead less
Creating Safer Communities: Addressing Risky Behaviour in Young People Through Self-Regulation. Young people make choices about whether to engage in risky behaviours. If they do engage in risky behaviours, this can result in delinquency, self-harm, or death. This project examines: (i) young people's decision-making and the consequences of risky behaviour, and (ii) the effectiveness of a self-regulatory intervention that promotes positive lifestyle choices. The project provides an integrated and ....Creating Safer Communities: Addressing Risky Behaviour in Young People Through Self-Regulation. Young people make choices about whether to engage in risky behaviours. If they do engage in risky behaviours, this can result in delinquency, self-harm, or death. This project examines: (i) young people's decision-making and the consequences of risky behaviour, and (ii) the effectiveness of a self-regulatory intervention that promotes positive lifestyle choices. The project provides an integrated and co-ordinated approach to crime prevention across government departments by offering long-term preventative solutions for at-risk adolescents and alternative treatments for offenders. The project is consistent with Government commitments to safer, more supportive communities to reduce youth crime.Read moreRead less
Knowledge to enhance Science Teaching and Learning: Pursuing scholarship through explicitly enacting expert science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. This research will enhance understandings of science teaching and learning allowing science teachers to share their knowledge in meaningful ways. In teacher preparation this will be particularly valuable by 'fast-tracking' learning about teaching science and minimize the process of the next generation of teachers feeling as though they are r ....Knowledge to enhance Science Teaching and Learning: Pursuing scholarship through explicitly enacting expert science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. This research will enhance understandings of science teaching and learning allowing science teachers to share their knowledge in meaningful ways. In teacher preparation this will be particularly valuable by 'fast-tracking' learning about teaching science and minimize the process of the next generation of teachers feeling as though they are rediscovering that which is already known by experienced teachers of science. In articulating science teachers' knowledge, enhanced valuing their knowledge and skills of practice will occur. Such outcomes will place understanding of science teaching and learning at the forefront of teacher professionalism and positively impact work on professional standards in teaching.Read moreRead less
On feeling good and succeeding: Identifying the antecedents of emotional well-being and school success amongst adolescents. We propose a multi-wave longitudinal study of all high school students in the Wollongong Catholic Diocese, identifying the psychological predictors of academic and emotional problems. We will track students and monitor the influence over time of a comprehensive set of predictors, examining their unique effects on the trajectories of educational and emotional outcomes. The s ....On feeling good and succeeding: Identifying the antecedents of emotional well-being and school success amongst adolescents. We propose a multi-wave longitudinal study of all high school students in the Wollongong Catholic Diocese, identifying the psychological predictors of academic and emotional problems. We will track students and monitor the influence over time of a comprehensive set of predictors, examining their unique effects on the trajectories of educational and emotional outcomes. The study will inform us about the developmental processes through which youth pass, leading to a new model of the psychological processes involved in academic and emotional outcomes. This model will enhance future intervention programmes with youth at risk of academic and emotional problems.Read moreRead less
Engaging science students' hearts and minds: Researching science teachers' professional learning in the development of contemporary understandings of scientific literacy. This project will develop, support and value the work of science teachers in developing students' scientific literacy and share the subsequent knowledge gains in the educational community to positively advance quality teaching and learning in school science. Improving science teaching and learning hinges on offering new ways of ....Engaging science students' hearts and minds: Researching science teachers' professional learning in the development of contemporary understandings of scientific literacy. This project will develop, support and value the work of science teachers in developing students' scientific literacy and share the subsequent knowledge gains in the educational community to positively advance quality teaching and learning in school science. Improving science teaching and learning hinges on offering new ways of responding to the problems inherent in teaching science in the 21st century. By supporting and encouraging the creative and innovative ideas, concepts and approaches to quality science teaching and learning embedded in teachers' professional learning the development of the critical knowledge for challenging the status-quo will be advanced.Read moreRead less
The role of subject-matter knowledge in teaching science and mathematics: Practices of teachers with advanced qualifications in the sciences. High quality science and mathematics education is central to economic prosperity. This study will achieve two outcomes. Firstly it explores the importance of subject matter knowledge in teaching. Much has been studied about the knowledge of teachers but limited research has been conducted with teachers who have substantial subject-matter knowledge. These f ....The role of subject-matter knowledge in teaching science and mathematics: Practices of teachers with advanced qualifications in the sciences. High quality science and mathematics education is central to economic prosperity. This study will achieve two outcomes. Firstly it explores the importance of subject matter knowledge in teaching. Much has been studied about the knowledge of teachers but limited research has been conducted with teachers who have substantial subject-matter knowledge. These findings will inform the current debate about the appropriate models of teacher education and the balance of emphasis on content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. Secondly, given a number of attempts to attract mid career professionals with high qualifications to teaching, the study will provide evidence on how these people transition to their new careers and what support is needed.Read moreRead less
Researching Collective Argumentation in Mathematics and Science Classrooms. The project will provide evidence-based pedagogical strategies for the reform of classroom teaching and learning in the crucial areas of mathematics and science. We will develop a form of pedagogy (Collective Argumentation) that enables students to be confident in deploying mathematical and scientific knowledge and skills in relation to the economic and social choices that they make in everyday contexts. Collective Argum ....Researching Collective Argumentation in Mathematics and Science Classrooms. The project will provide evidence-based pedagogical strategies for the reform of classroom teaching and learning in the crucial areas of mathematics and science. We will develop a form of pedagogy (Collective Argumentation) that enables students to be confident in deploying mathematical and scientific knowledge and skills in relation to the economic and social choices that they make in everyday contexts. Collective Argumentation can induct students into 'habits of mind and social practices' necessary for building an innovative learning community. This project will enable us to extend this innovative approach and to further develop its effectiveness.Read moreRead less
Individual, Institutional and Community 'Capacity Building' in a Cluster of Disadvantaged Schools and their Community. It is no longer ethically, socially or economically acceptable to have significant and growing proportions of the school population that are alienated, marginalised and excluded from a satisfying and rewarding educational experience. The national and community benefits for Australia expected from this research will be a better understanding of, and possibly alleviation of, the s ....Individual, Institutional and Community 'Capacity Building' in a Cluster of Disadvantaged Schools and their Community. It is no longer ethically, socially or economically acceptable to have significant and growing proportions of the school population that are alienated, marginalised and excluded from a satisfying and rewarding educational experience. The national and community benefits for Australia expected from this research will be a better understanding of, and possibly alleviation of, the structural educational impediments that operate on disadvantaged individuals, institutions and communities. It is in the national interest to have a society in which all its members, not just the privileged, gain lifelong benefit from a rewarding schooling experience.Read moreRead less
Salience, Organisation and Management of Anxiety towards Time in Children with ADHD: A new model and intervention. ADHD is a major educational and public health problem in Australia. In the past decade, prescriptions of medication for individuals with ADHD rose 26% nationwide, representing enormous human and economic liabilities. Over 25% of individuals with ADHD also suffer comorbid anxiety disorders. In such cases, the efficacy of stimulant treatment is significantly reduced. Addressing the ro ....Salience, Organisation and Management of Anxiety towards Time in Children with ADHD: A new model and intervention. ADHD is a major educational and public health problem in Australia. In the past decade, prescriptions of medication for individuals with ADHD rose 26% nationwide, representing enormous human and economic liabilities. Over 25% of individuals with ADHD also suffer comorbid anxiety disorders. In such cases, the efficacy of stimulant treatment is significantly reduced. Addressing the role of time management and anxiety in the chaotic, impulsive, disorganised lives of young people with ADHD, this project offers significant benefits to the everyday functioning of children and adolescents in school and home, as well as substantial reductions in community expenditure on pharmacological interventions.Read moreRead less