STEM education: Student attitudes, teacher relationships & emotional climate. This project aims to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) outcomes in schools, especially among females. This study will develop and validate a questionnaire to assess classroom emotional climate and investigate its mediating influence on teacher-student interactions and students’ effective outcomes. Focus groups will provide input into the interpretation and triangulation of questionnaire f ....STEM education: Student attitudes, teacher relationships & emotional climate. This project aims to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) outcomes in schools, especially among females. This study will develop and validate a questionnaire to assess classroom emotional climate and investigate its mediating influence on teacher-student interactions and students’ effective outcomes. Focus groups will provide input into the interpretation and triangulation of questionnaire findings and permit causal inferences. Expected outcomes include practical, research-based guidance to teachers for enhancing classroom emotional climate and motivating further study in STEM disciplines.Read moreRead less
Improving assessment in science through the use of students' perceptions. The aim of the project is to focus on students as the clients and generate information resulting in an improvement in the assessment of science at middle school level. It brings together three components of educational research not previously conceptualised in the one study: students' perceptions of assessment tasks, students' perceptions of teacher-student interactions, and students' attitudes towards science. The current ....Improving assessment in science through the use of students' perceptions. The aim of the project is to focus on students as the clients and generate information resulting in an improvement in the assessment of science at middle school level. It brings together three components of educational research not previously conceptualised in the one study: students' perceptions of assessment tasks, students' perceptions of teacher-student interactions, and students' attitudes towards science. The current international emphasis on outcomes-based education has focused attention on assessment as a crucial component in student learning and makes this research timely. Understanding the relationships among the three research components will lead to improvements in teaching and learning science.Read moreRead less
DEVELOPING CREATIVE THINKERS THROUGH THE ARTS - A longitudinal and comparative mapping of student learning in an innovative Arts programme. Recent curriculum reforms which integrate learning areas, increase community participation and emphasise learning rather than teaching were driven by industry's demand for school-leavers who demonstrate creative initiative. Monitoring student progress however relies on domain-specific outcome statements. This project monitors students? progress towards crea ....DEVELOPING CREATIVE THINKERS THROUGH THE ARTS - A longitudinal and comparative mapping of student learning in an innovative Arts programme. Recent curriculum reforms which integrate learning areas, increase community participation and emphasise learning rather than teaching were driven by industry's demand for school-leavers who demonstrate creative initiative. Monitoring student progress however relies on domain-specific outcome statements. This project monitors students? progress towards creative competencies as they are fostered by an integrated Arts programme. We will map how K-10 students in 120 AWESOME Festival project classes develop critically and creatively over three years. Complex innovative data-collecting requires the development of interactive evaluative software. Theoretical findings on arts learning and appropriate thinking skills will be presented in an academic book, Re-Thinking Thinking.
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Igniting interest and promoting understanding in engineering and technology among primary school students through engaging learning environments. The project involves designing and evaluating an educational programme that promotes understanding and interest in engineering and technology (E&T) among primary school students. Benefits include the dissemination of effective pedagogical strategies for capturing the interest of primary school children and
improving their understanding in E&T.
The roles of scientific diagrams in contributing to science achievement and conceptual change. The project is designed to develop a body of research that facilitates excellence in teaching and in learning scientific diagrams in secondary school science. Benefits will include the dissemination of effective pedagogical strategies and improved science achievement measured by conceptual change from both cognitive and affective perspectives.
Einsteinian Physics: A new paradigm for school science. This project aims to determine whether the early teaching of the modern Einsteinian paradigm of physics improves students' understanding of physics and attitudes to science. The project aims to investigate whether it is feasible to teach all students the physics that underpins modern technology. It is expected that by introducing students to the paradigm of Einsteinian physics before they learn the useful Newtonian approximations, their eng ....Einsteinian Physics: A new paradigm for school science. This project aims to determine whether the early teaching of the modern Einsteinian paradigm of physics improves students' understanding of physics and attitudes to science. The project aims to investigate whether it is feasible to teach all students the physics that underpins modern technology. It is expected that by introducing students to the paradigm of Einsteinian physics before they learn the useful Newtonian approximations, their engagement and understanding of physics is intended to improve. This is critical to Australia as enrolments in the hard sciences plummet.Read moreRead less