Digital mediation of children’s interactions with the more than human world. This project aims to investigate how children deploy digital devices to interact with the "natural" world and how this influences their literate practices, emotional engagement and identities. The project intends to examine these issues longitudinally across Australia and Finland, and in relation to key contextual issues of social class, material conditions, and pedagogical approach. Expected outcomes include identifyin ....Digital mediation of children’s interactions with the more than human world. This project aims to investigate how children deploy digital devices to interact with the "natural" world and how this influences their literate practices, emotional engagement and identities. The project intends to examine these issues longitudinally across Australia and Finland, and in relation to key contextual issues of social class, material conditions, and pedagogical approach. Expected outcomes include identifying ways of educating students through mobile digital technologies that connect them in emotional, creative and engaging ways with the "natural" world. This should provide significant benefits as children contribute as co-researchers in establishing a set of protocols for using digital technologies to both maximise learning in "nature" and mitigate harm to the environment.Read moreRead less
Exploring quality primary education in different cultures: a cross-national study of teaching and learning in primary science classrooms. This project uses video studies of primary science classrooms in Australia, Taiwan, and Germany to explore teaching and learning practices, situated in diverse cultures, which provide opportunities for quality reasoning and learning in science. The findings will inform primary science teacher education to improve student achievement.
Transforming children's mathematical and scientific development: a longitudinal study. An innovative program promoting young children's mathematical and scientific reasoning will be evaluated from grades one to three This study will determine whether an intervention capitalising on children's natural capacity for learning impacts their general cognitive development and problem solving skills at an optimum age.
Love Maths, Why Not? Developing Students’ Positive Learning Identities and Engagement in Mathematics. Mathematics is the foremost enabling science that underpins research, development and innovation in every aspect of society. Recent trends in mathematics education show that attitude, confidence and a sense of personal relevance play an influential role in student engagement and achievement. Yet Australian students’ achievement in mathematics has plateaued, and participation in mathematics is st ....Love Maths, Why Not? Developing Students’ Positive Learning Identities and Engagement in Mathematics. Mathematics is the foremost enabling science that underpins research, development and innovation in every aspect of society. Recent trends in mathematics education show that attitude, confidence and a sense of personal relevance play an influential role in student engagement and achievement. Yet Australian students’ achievement in mathematics has plateaued, and participation in mathematics is steadily declining. This study combines innovative pedagogical research in mathematics with research of positive learning identity and engagement to develop knowledge about educational practices that sustain the attention and positive engagement of our nations’ future mathematicians, scientists and mathematically fluent citizenry. Read moreRead less
Quality teaching work and reducing educational inequalities. This project aims to investigate school-based teaching policies and practices using innovative design-based research, to collaboratively develop quality teaching that meets complex, contextual student needs in high poverty communities. Teachers' work in primary schools in high poverty areas is increasingly driven by standards and testing demands. High levels of teacher anxiety and fatigue are apparent in such schools. This project will ....Quality teaching work and reducing educational inequalities. This project aims to investigate school-based teaching policies and practices using innovative design-based research, to collaboratively develop quality teaching that meets complex, contextual student needs in high poverty communities. Teachers' work in primary schools in high poverty areas is increasingly driven by standards and testing demands. High levels of teacher anxiety and fatigue are apparent in such schools. This project will study teaching work in six educationally disadvantaged contexts and identify the different pedagogic approaches that produce sustained increases in student learning. The project intends to develop a collaborative knowledge model that will enhance teacher professionalism and student learning attainment, with highly valuable benefits for the Australian community and economy.Read moreRead less