Crisis in chemistry: How do we best teach particle concepts for understanding? Fundamental chemistry knowledge is essential in the information age because citizens and professionals need to make informed decisions about GM technology, pollution and how to teach science. Chemistry learning is compromised by recurring intuitive and taught misconceptions about atoms and molecules. The widely documented misconceptions emphasise what students cannot do. This unique project studies students, teachers ....Crisis in chemistry: How do we best teach particle concepts for understanding? Fundamental chemistry knowledge is essential in the information age because citizens and professionals need to make informed decisions about GM technology, pollution and how to teach science. Chemistry learning is compromised by recurring intuitive and taught misconceptions about atoms and molecules. The widely documented misconceptions emphasise what students cannot do. This unique project studies students, teachers and international chemistry educators to develop a theoretical and practical model of what students can understand and do in primary, secondary and university chemistry with respect to atoms and molecules. The research will significantly improve chemistry teaching at the macroscopic, microscopic and symbolic levels.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
Discovery Indigenous Researchers Development - Grant ID: DI0668361
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$20,000.00
Summary
Reading as a cultural and historical practice. A better understanding and use of reading as an academic tool for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students and educators will be a result of the research. It will provide a new understanding of how reading skills can be used by Indigenous students to comprehend academic information and how academics can approach reading without excluding Indigenous knowledges.
Emotional Transitions: Exploring Professional Transitions of Science Teachers. Research most needed to inform policy and practice for improving teacher education and the retention of new-science teachers is that which captures the experiences and development of the new teacher, particularly in the critical transition period from university to full-time work in schools. This period is fundamental to becoming a satisfied and effective teacher. Our study contributes significantly to national concer ....Emotional Transitions: Exploring Professional Transitions of Science Teachers. Research most needed to inform policy and practice for improving teacher education and the retention of new-science teachers is that which captures the experiences and development of the new teacher, particularly in the critical transition period from university to full-time work in schools. This period is fundamental to becoming a satisfied and effective teacher. Our study contributes significantly to national concerns for quality-teacher education by providing new insights into the emotions and identities of transitioning-science teachers in practice. The proposed study also models innovative procedures that can enrich subsequent longitudinal studies of teacher transitions and impact of teacher-education programs.Read moreRead less
Constructing a new conceptual framework for using digital technologies in achieving better arts assessment. The project aims to identify the qualities of artistic knowing across arts disciplines, identify gaps in the present approaches and discover ways that digital technologies might be used to overcome these inadequacies. This is significant because meaningful aspects of art are often lost using existing assessment. The expected outcomes will be a theoretical framework for an assessment manage ....Constructing a new conceptual framework for using digital technologies in achieving better arts assessment. The project aims to identify the qualities of artistic knowing across arts disciplines, identify gaps in the present approaches and discover ways that digital technologies might be used to overcome these inadequacies. This is significant because meaningful aspects of art are often lost using existing assessment. The expected outcomes will be a theoretical framework for an assessment management system, and a model for the use of digital media in arts assessment that can be applied to the later development of new arts assessment software and hardware tools with industry partners.Read moreRead less
E-Learning Advocacy : Understanding Students' Experience of New Learning Environments to Promote Quality Sustainable Developments. Increasing investment in new learning environments (NLEs) including e-learning is guided by limited empirical research. Learning in NLEs involves more than a set of skills - it requires a new mindset. This project will delineate the different opportunities and demands, the nature and development of undergraduate students' experiences of NLEs and compare those with eq ....E-Learning Advocacy : Understanding Students' Experience of New Learning Environments to Promote Quality Sustainable Developments. Increasing investment in new learning environments (NLEs) including e-learning is guided by limited empirical research. Learning in NLEs involves more than a set of skills - it requires a new mindset. This project will delineate the different opportunities and demands, the nature and development of undergraduate students' experiences of NLEs and compare those with equivalent programs taught in more traditional ways. Major outcomes involve understanding learners' experiences when engaging in ICT settings, and an understanding of the mutual constructions of the experience. Such understanding will inform development of e-learning programs and the nature of support necessary for optimising learning.Read moreRead less
Undergraduate degrees from vocational institutions. This project aims to identify and understand the equity of broadening participation to undergraduate degrees through the recent expansion of higher education in vocational institutions. The intended outcomes will provide relevant knowledge about the effects of this expansion on creating opportunities for more equity groups to obtain degrees and for the higher education system to better drive national innovation and economic restructuring in way ....Undergraduate degrees from vocational institutions. This project aims to identify and understand the equity of broadening participation to undergraduate degrees through the recent expansion of higher education in vocational institutions. The intended outcomes will provide relevant knowledge about the effects of this expansion on creating opportunities for more equity groups to obtain degrees and for the higher education system to better drive national innovation and economic restructuring in ways that give a fairer chance to all equity groups to participate.Read moreRead less
The role of technology-enriched, technology-mediated learning communities in reforming mathematics teacher education. This project examines the impact of a technology-enriched teacher education program on beginning teachers' integration of educational technologies into secondary school mathematics classrooms. It seeks to increase theoretical understanding of how beginning teachers are initiated into a collaborative professional community featuring both web-based and face to face interaction, and ....The role of technology-enriched, technology-mediated learning communities in reforming mathematics teacher education. This project examines the impact of a technology-enriched teacher education program on beginning teachers' integration of educational technologies into secondary school mathematics classrooms. It seeks to increase theoretical understanding of how beginning teachers are initiated into a collaborative professional community featuring both web-based and face to face interaction, and how participation in such a community shapes their pedagogical beliefs and actions. Of central interest is the role of technologically knowledgeable pre-service and beginning teachers as agents ofinnovation and reform in secondary school mathematics. Outcomes will inform the design and implementation of models of pre-service teacher education and professional development.Read moreRead less
Social inclusion through community embedded, socially supported university education. Through the collaboration of community agencies and tertiary institutions this research project identifies key impacts of community embedded socially supported higher education upon enhancing the social inclusion of disadvantaged Australians. It identifies the educational and social support factors which contribute to the effectiveness of this strategy and the cost and benefits of this innovative educational pa ....Social inclusion through community embedded, socially supported university education. Through the collaboration of community agencies and tertiary institutions this research project identifies key impacts of community embedded socially supported higher education upon enhancing the social inclusion of disadvantaged Australians. It identifies the educational and social support factors which contribute to the effectiveness of this strategy and the cost and benefits of this innovative educational pathway to social inclusion for governments and the community. Read moreRead less
Research and innovation leaders for industry. This research project will contribute significant national benefits because it will provide new data on the future likely requirements of 21st century researchers who will play a leading role in promoting Australia's innovation culture and economy. Government, industry, university and graduate stakeholders require an evidence-base upon which to reform Australian research training policy. By exploring the graduate employment outcomes and transitions o ....Research and innovation leaders for industry. This research project will contribute significant national benefits because it will provide new data on the future likely requirements of 21st century researchers who will play a leading role in promoting Australia's innovation culture and economy. Government, industry, university and graduate stakeholders require an evidence-base upon which to reform Australian research training policy. By exploring the graduate employment outcomes and transitions of recent graduates and employers' perceptions of their knowledge and skills, this study will inform the development of research training quality indicators and contribute to theoretical debates about the nature of knowledge production and innovation in post-modern times.Read moreRead less