Using co-teaching and co-generative dialogue to improve teacher-student interactions and students' awareness of their place in the environment. The study addresses the political, social agenda of Australia. The findings of the co-teaching/co-generative dialogue research in science environmental education will encourage teachers to implement desirable changes in their teaching, benefiting community through application of research results to education systems, and increasing understanding of effec ....Using co-teaching and co-generative dialogue to improve teacher-student interactions and students' awareness of their place in the environment. The study addresses the political, social agenda of Australia. The findings of the co-teaching/co-generative dialogue research in science environmental education will encourage teachers to implement desirable changes in their teaching, benefiting community through application of research results to education systems, and increasing understanding of effective teaching. Priority research funding is being afforded to several areas of natural science research; there is an imperative that environmental science education in schools progresses commensurately. The long-term ability of universities to conduct their natural science research will be dependent on foundational improvements in environmental science education in schools.Read moreRead less
Sustainable environmental management in Australian small firms. Small firms are the ‘backbone’ of the Australian economy but they can also have a significant negative impact on the environment. Helping them to increase their energy efficiency through an innovative intervention program will make a positive contribution to Australia’s environmental performance.
Enhancing sustainable energy saving behaviour through communication: a longitudinal study. This study will identify factors likely to have the most impact on household energy saving behaviour and will also identify the relative strength of different media when undertaking public education campaigns. The research will help alleviate overall energy use and make better use of public marketing communications budgets.
Intergenerational cultural transfer of Indigenous knowledges. Aboriginal cultural systems hold knowledge of national and international significance for Aboriginal wellbeing and addressing climate change, food insecurity, water scarcity and species loss. However, the continuity and integrity of these knowledges is of considerable concern to Aboriginal people, due to disruptions to Aboriginal lifeways. This Aboriginal environmental humanities research will investigate, describe and compare the tra ....Intergenerational cultural transfer of Indigenous knowledges. Aboriginal cultural systems hold knowledge of national and international significance for Aboriginal wellbeing and addressing climate change, food insecurity, water scarcity and species loss. However, the continuity and integrity of these knowledges is of considerable concern to Aboriginal people, due to disruptions to Aboriginal lifeways. This Aboriginal environmental humanities research will investigate, describe and compare the transfer of knowledge in a Kimberley and a southwest region of Western Australia to understand how cultural values, knowledge and practices can persist despite on-going colonial interruptions. Outcomes will contribute to Aboriginal wellbeing, enhance biodiversity and advance water communication. Read moreRead less
Measuring the effectiveness of specialist science enrichment programs. Australia faces critical problems in science education with student attitudes to science in decline and a shortage of science teachers. We also face significant problems in indigenous education. This project will determine the ability of science enrichment centres to change student attitudes and to motivate them towards science using exciting and innovative new education facilities. Results will provide valuable data to allo ....Measuring the effectiveness of specialist science enrichment programs. Australia faces critical problems in science education with student attitudes to science in decline and a shortage of science teachers. We also face significant problems in indigenous education. This project will determine the ability of science enrichment centres to change student attitudes and to motivate them towards science using exciting and innovative new education facilities. Results will provide valuable data to allow future funding priorities to be optimised.Read moreRead less
Emotionally Provoking Events in Classrooms and During Transitions: Developing Self-Regulatory Programs for Children Diagnosed With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Deficiencies in inhibitory control seen in those with ADHD cause problems in self-regulation of emotion. Consequently, children with ADHD are more impulsively emotional and less able to regulate their emotional responses to emotionally provoking events. Few studies, however, have systematically examined the emotional response ....Emotionally Provoking Events in Classrooms and During Transitions: Developing Self-Regulatory Programs for Children Diagnosed With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Deficiencies in inhibitory control seen in those with ADHD cause problems in self-regulation of emotion. Consequently, children with ADHD are more impulsively emotional and less able to regulate their emotional responses to emotionally provoking events. Few studies, however, have systematically examined the emotional responses of this population in the classroom and during transitions. Through a series of studies the proposed research will identify events which are emotionally provoking for primary and secondary school-aged ADHD children, and then develop and evaluate emotion self-regulation programs (in combination with/without medication) which assist ADHD children to manage emotionally provoking events.Read moreRead less
How do qualifications delivered by enterprises contribute to improved skill levels and other benefits for companies, workers and the nation? This project investigates the role of employer-based qualifications training in developing the skills and prospects of the Australian workforce and the competitive capabilities of companies. It focuses on enterprises that are accredited to deliver qualifications to their own workers, providing data to improve and expand this form of training.
Empowering Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Girls, Changing Communities. This project applies Indigenous knowledges to develop new understandings and insights in the area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls’ education. Expected outcomes of the project include: the development of a national framework that supports the education of girls and acknowledges the importance of self-determination, culture, gender and place in creating life changing educational opportunities; addressing Clo ....Empowering Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Girls, Changing Communities. This project applies Indigenous knowledges to develop new understandings and insights in the area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls’ education. Expected outcomes of the project include: the development of a national framework that supports the education of girls and acknowledges the importance of self-determination, culture, gender and place in creating life changing educational opportunities; addressing Close the Gap targets; and creating broader long lasting positive changes regarding access, participation and success for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The outcomes of this project can provide significant benefits to the broad Australian schooling system.Read moreRead less
How is school socio-economic composition associated with student outcomes? A comparative study of seven countries. School socio-economic composition is strongly associated with educational outcomes for all Australian students. This association is problematic because it reduces educational equity and opportunity for students at low socio-economic schools, which in turn reduces Australia's ability to fully invest in its most valuable resource, its young people. The current Labor government is comm ....How is school socio-economic composition associated with student outcomes? A comparative study of seven countries. School socio-economic composition is strongly associated with educational outcomes for all Australian students. This association is problematic because it reduces educational equity and opportunity for students at low socio-economic schools, which in turn reduces Australia's ability to fully invest in its most valuable resource, its young people. The current Labor government is committed to investing in low socio-economic schools. This study will highlight ways to support low socio-economic schools by showing how they differ from more advantaged ones. Comparative analysis of educationally equitable and efficient countries will provide further evidence for ways to support low socio-economic schools in Australia.Read moreRead less
The Impact of the Kids' Science State Initiative on Scientific Literacy in the Western Australian Community. This research will investigate how participation in the Kids' Science State initiative in Western Australia (a partnership between Scitech Discovery Centre in Perth and the Rio Tinto WA Future Fund) impacts on children, teachers, parents and other community members in terms of promoting scientific literacy. Working in the Pilbara and Albany regions and the metropolitan area, the research ....The Impact of the Kids' Science State Initiative on Scientific Literacy in the Western Australian Community. This research will investigate how participation in the Kids' Science State initiative in Western Australia (a partnership between Scitech Discovery Centre in Perth and the Rio Tinto WA Future Fund) impacts on children, teachers, parents and other community members in terms of promoting scientific literacy. Working in the Pilbara and Albany regions and the metropolitan area, the research will determine the most effective ways to deliver educational resources that promote primary teachers? confidence and willingness to teach science and engage the community in science-related activities. The outcomes will represent a substantial investment in human capital.Read moreRead less