Federalism in Australian schooling: Its impact upon quality and equity. The project is designed to support the objectives for schooling in Australia that have been identified by the Council of Australian Governments. These objectives are in the face of growing inequities in the distribution of educational resources, growing concentrations of students with high levels of educational needs, and imbalances in the distribution of resources across key stages, especially in early childhood education. ....Federalism in Australian schooling: Its impact upon quality and equity. The project is designed to support the objectives for schooling in Australia that have been identified by the Council of Australian Governments. These objectives are in the face of growing inequities in the distribution of educational resources, growing concentrations of students with high levels of educational needs, and imbalances in the distribution of resources across key stages, especially in early childhood education. By examining the ways in which federalism contributes to the structural barriers to these objectives and by developing and validating a set of structural reforms the project will contribute to these national objectives. Read moreRead less
Scaffolding numeracy in the middle years: an investigation of a new assessment-guided approach to teaching mathematics using authentic assessment tasks. The project will investigate the efficacy of a new assessment-guided approach to improving student numeracy outcomes in Years 4 to 8. The project adds to existing knowledge through the development of a learning and assessment framework for multiplicative thinking and rational number in a form and language accessible to teachers. The project is i ....Scaffolding numeracy in the middle years: an investigation of a new assessment-guided approach to teaching mathematics using authentic assessment tasks. The project will investigate the efficacy of a new assessment-guided approach to improving student numeracy outcomes in Years 4 to 8. The project adds to existing knowledge through the development of a learning and assessment framework for multiplicative thinking and rational number in a form and language accessible to teachers. The project is innovative in that it will develop and use authentic assessment tasks, as opposed to written tests or individual interviews, to identify learner's needs in terms of the framework and inform subsequent teaching. This represents a significant contribution to the Commonwealth's goal of improving numeracy outcomes for all.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
The International Classroom Research Collaboration. The International Centre for Classroom Research at the University of Melbourne is the hub of an international network of classroom researchers. Australian coordination of this major international research network ensures that the priorities and initiatives, characteristic of contemporary Australian education (eg problem-based learning, authentic assessment, and working mathematically) can be anticipated and accommodated in the research agenda o ....The International Classroom Research Collaboration. The International Centre for Classroom Research at the University of Melbourne is the hub of an international network of classroom researchers. Australian coordination of this major international research network ensures that the priorities and initiatives, characteristic of contemporary Australian education (eg problem-based learning, authentic assessment, and working mathematically) can be anticipated and accommodated in the research agenda of the International Classroom Research Collaboration. Connections with state departments of education, state and national professional associations, and Australian schools and school systems, ensure that the findings of this international collaboration will be communicated efficiently to schools and classroom practitioners in Australia.Read moreRead less
Re-engaging disadvantaged young people with learning. Having significant numbers of young people, especially those from contexts of socio-economic disadvantage, not experiencing a satisfying and worthwhile education, is a personal, social and economic loss the nation can ill-afford. This research will provide insights into the impediments confronting these young people, the circumstances in which they re-engage with formal learning, and the benefits of having done so. This will enable new policy ....Re-engaging disadvantaged young people with learning. Having significant numbers of young people, especially those from contexts of socio-economic disadvantage, not experiencing a satisfying and worthwhile education, is a personal, social and economic loss the nation can ill-afford. This research will provide insights into the impediments confronting these young people, the circumstances in which they re-engage with formal learning, and the benefits of having done so. This will enable new policy and practice responses in the direction of reducing economic costs while seeking to ameliorate personal, health and social consequences. Reducing educational inequalities is one of the most salient ways of strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric.Read moreRead less
Girls, Empowerment, and Markets in Education: A History of The Mac.Robertsons Girls' High School. With its centenary approaching, the school wants to evaluate its past. In cooperation with RMIT, the writing of a school history can produce three important outcomes. As historian in residence, the doctoral scholar can provide focus for self reflection by the school community. As social history, the work can fill a significant gap in the understanding of publicly funded education in Australia. As co ....Girls, Empowerment, and Markets in Education: A History of The Mac.Robertsons Girls' High School. With its centenary approaching, the school wants to evaluate its past. In cooperation with RMIT, the writing of a school history can produce three important outcomes. As historian in residence, the doctoral scholar can provide focus for self reflection by the school community. As social history, the work can fill a significant gap in the understanding of publicly funded education in Australia. As contribution to policy, it can address two continuing debates: about the place of selective state schools in a national system of education, and about the dynamics of single sex schools, and the education of girls more generally.Read moreRead less
From high school to higher education: Gendered pathways in information, communication and computer technology education. Serious gender-based disparities exist in participation in the Information, Communication, and Computing Technologies (ICCT) field, in both higher education and industry, with a 2004 review of Australian university participation rates identifying women as an equity target group in this field. A multi-method, multi-stage project has been design to identify the processes that le ....From high school to higher education: Gendered pathways in information, communication and computer technology education. Serious gender-based disparities exist in participation in the Information, Communication, and Computing Technologies (ICCT) field, in both higher education and industry, with a 2004 review of Australian university participation rates identifying women as an equity target group in this field. A multi-method, multi-stage project has been design to identify the processes that lead to this gender gap. Specifically, the project will focus on students' experiences and decisions at secondary school in three states to ascertain why so few girls choose to enter university-level ICCT courses, and what strategies could be implemented in schools to remedy this problem. Read moreRead less
Developing portfolio assessment in Mathematics and English: Insider and outsider perspectives on the implementation of professional teaching standards. In previous parallel SPIRT projects the national subject associations in Mathematics and English/Literacy developed professional standards for excellence in teaching. This research project, with the Victorian Institute of Teaching, will study both the preparation of portfolio items by groups of 'outsider' teachers who played no part in the develo ....Developing portfolio assessment in Mathematics and English: Insider and outsider perspectives on the implementation of professional teaching standards. In previous parallel SPIRT projects the national subject associations in Mathematics and English/Literacy developed professional standards for excellence in teaching. This research project, with the Victorian Institute of Teaching, will study both the preparation of portfolio items by groups of 'outsider' teachers who played no part in the development of the Standards, together with the evaluation of their portfolios by groups of 'insider' assessors from the respective subject associations who helped develop the Standards. Data from this project will contribute to validating the Standards, to clarifying the issues of subject-specific/generic professional standards, and to improving quality in teachers' professional development.Read moreRead less
Vocational Education and Training in Schools: Cultural Resistance and the Academic Tradition. This study seeks to relate how well different models of VET in Schools delivery (in different settings) work towards achieving the objectives of improved participation, more effective transitions and engagement of reluctant learners. It also seeks to assess how effectively the different ways of delivering VET are meeting governments' objectives to build Australia's skills base and provide young people w ....Vocational Education and Training in Schools: Cultural Resistance and the Academic Tradition. This study seeks to relate how well different models of VET in Schools delivery (in different settings) work towards achieving the objectives of improved participation, more effective transitions and engagement of reluctant learners. It also seeks to assess how effectively the different ways of delivering VET are meeting governments' objectives to build Australia's skills base and provide young people with effective pathways. This study will provide education and training systems with valuable data on the effectiveness of this major policy innovation for different student groups. It will do so by analysing three major school leaver data-bases, followed up by qualitative studies in 12 schools in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.Read moreRead less
Space to Grow: The Faulkes Telescope and improving science engagement in schools. Exceptional opportunities exist to engage, develop and enrich science students and their teachers through access to the cutting-edge Faulkes Telescopes (FTs). The FT South (sited in Australia) is the world's largest dedicated to educational use with Australia enjoying a 15% share as the host country of this exceptional educational initiative. Operated remotely via the internet, the FT provides natural links to ICT, ....Space to Grow: The Faulkes Telescope and improving science engagement in schools. Exceptional opportunities exist to engage, develop and enrich science students and their teachers through access to the cutting-edge Faulkes Telescopes (FTs). The FT South (sited in Australia) is the world's largest dedicated to educational use with Australia enjoying a 15% share as the host country of this exceptional educational initiative. Operated remotely via the internet, the FT provides natural links to ICT, on-line learning, physics, astronomy and mathematics. Given appropriate support, it can play a valuable role in re-engaging students in science and enhancing science education and literacy outcomes in Australian schools over the next 20 years.Read moreRead less