Improving teacher assessment using exemplars and online moderation. This project aims to assess the dependability of teacher judgement using psychometric scaling and online moderation. The project will use an innovative approach to connect achievement standards and judgement-practice for middle-year students in Australian education system. Expected outcomes of the project include the development of scaled work samples exemplifying A-E standards of achievement, refined methods for the consistency ....Improving teacher assessment using exemplars and online moderation. This project aims to assess the dependability of teacher judgement using psychometric scaling and online moderation. The project will use an innovative approach to connect achievement standards and judgement-practice for middle-year students in Australian education system. Expected outcomes of the project include the development of scaled work samples exemplifying A-E standards of achievement, refined methods for the consistency and comparability of assessment decisions, and a new approach to moderating teacher judgements. This project should provide significant benefits in building teachers’ assessment capabilities, shaping policy and teacher preparation.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190101096
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$410,500.00
Summary
A rhythm and movement intervention for self-regulation in preschool. This project aims to examine the effectiveness of a rhythm and movement intervention, delivered by early childhood teachers, to improve self-regulation for preschool-aged children living in disadvantaged communities. Coordinated rhythmic movement activities are proposed as an effective means to support the neurological bases of self-regulation and enhance motor, auditory, and self-regulatory functioning. Project outcomes will i ....A rhythm and movement intervention for self-regulation in preschool. This project aims to examine the effectiveness of a rhythm and movement intervention, delivered by early childhood teachers, to improve self-regulation for preschool-aged children living in disadvantaged communities. Coordinated rhythmic movement activities are proposed as an effective means to support the neurological bases of self-regulation and enhance motor, auditory, and self-regulatory functioning. Project outcomes will include resources designed for teachers on how to use rhythmic movement activities to improve young children’s skills to regulate attention and behaviour. This project will have significant benefits for positive school transition, and may help to address disparities in early learning and childhood wellbeing.Read moreRead less
Investing in our disadvantaged youth: new school-wide approaches to understanding and improving school engagement and social connectedness. This project will be the first to test a model of social connectedness to explain the contribution of social exclusion to long-term disadvantage of youths. The outcomes will be a sustainable professional learning program for school staff nationally and internationally and a school-based approach to promote the healthy development of Australian youths.
School-wide approaches for developing social and emotional wellbeing: New understandings of positive identities, emotions and learning in adolescents. School disengagement, suspensions, and emotional problems among adolescents have increased steadily. The Australian Government’s strategic research priority of maximising social and economic participation, therefore, is an urgent need. In partnership with the Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment, this project aims to test ho ....School-wide approaches for developing social and emotional wellbeing: New understandings of positive identities, emotions and learning in adolescents. School disengagement, suspensions, and emotional problems among adolescents have increased steadily. The Australian Government’s strategic research priority of maximising social and economic participation, therefore, is an urgent need. In partnership with the Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment, this project aims to test how embedding social and emotional wellbeing into school-wide policies, classroom practices, and self and social strategies of students enhances learning, behavioural, and social outcomes. Implementing whole of school approaches to enhance social participation and wellbeing will build resilient youth and ultimately the social and academic capacity of Australia’s young people.Read moreRead less
Advancing future primary teachers' engagement in science inquiry learning. Australia's challenges in regard to scientific literacy and growth of student enrolments in science need to be addressed at multiple levels, starting with the preparation of future primary teachers. Promoting children's early interest in inquiry-based science is essential, yet a challenge for many teachers. This project examines the complex and dynamic interplay of cognitive, metacognitive and emotional processes in futur ....Advancing future primary teachers' engagement in science inquiry learning. Australia's challenges in regard to scientific literacy and growth of student enrolments in science need to be addressed at multiple levels, starting with the preparation of future primary teachers. Promoting children's early interest in inquiry-based science is essential, yet a challenge for many teachers. This project examines the complex and dynamic interplay of cognitive, metacognitive and emotional processes in future primary teachers' engagement in collaborative inquiry-based science activities. A comprehensive intervention based on these insights aims to determine how scaffolding productive engagement can improve the quality of primary teachers' preparation for inquiry-based science.Read moreRead less
Engaging Students during the Early Years of Secondary School. This project aims to design, test and share sustainable strategies to support teachers and enable students from low socioeconomic communities to achieve success. The greatest decreases in students’ interest and effort occur when they transition into secondary school, with students from low socioeconomic communities at greatest risk of disengagement. What can teachers do to engage their students during this key life transition? This pr ....Engaging Students during the Early Years of Secondary School. This project aims to design, test and share sustainable strategies to support teachers and enable students from low socioeconomic communities to achieve success. The greatest decreases in students’ interest and effort occur when they transition into secondary school, with students from low socioeconomic communities at greatest risk of disengagement. What can teachers do to engage their students during this key life transition? This project plans to identify teacher behaviours that motivate students in their first year at secondary school. Using an experimental design with a representative sample of 150 teachers and 1500 students in low socioeconomic areas across three states, the project plans to test whether an online professional learning program for teachers can improve student engagement and achievement. This cost-effective and scalable intervention is designed for widespread dissemination to Australian teachers.Read moreRead less
Teaching how to learn: promoting self-regulated learning in STEM classes. This project aims to investigate key factors that influence change in teacher practices and student achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It will involve the development and evaluation of interventions designed to help teachers create learning environments that promote student engagement and the development of the cognitive and metacognitive skills needed for success in STEM. The project w ....Teaching how to learn: promoting self-regulated learning in STEM classes. This project aims to investigate key factors that influence change in teacher practices and student achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It will involve the development and evaluation of interventions designed to help teachers create learning environments that promote student engagement and the development of the cognitive and metacognitive skills needed for success in STEM. The project will advance our understanding of how to increase the quality of teaching and learning in STEM subjects. Improving teacher capacity and student performance in STEM is a national priority with significant social and economic benefits to Australia.Read moreRead less
Does a teacher-led mindfulness intervention improve student outcomes? This project aims to determine if improving teacher knowledge and practice of mindfulness in the classroom, can lead to better child attention and school functioning outcomes during the early primary school years. Mindfulness is an approach that aims to improve attention, self-regulation, mental health, and cognitive functioning. Expected outcomes include new knowledge as to whether mindfulness can be integrated into classroom ....Does a teacher-led mindfulness intervention improve student outcomes? This project aims to determine if improving teacher knowledge and practice of mindfulness in the classroom, can lead to better child attention and school functioning outcomes during the early primary school years. Mindfulness is an approach that aims to improve attention, self-regulation, mental health, and cognitive functioning. Expected outcomes include new knowledge as to whether mindfulness can be integrated into classroom practice, how to best implement it, student benefits and cost-effectiveness. Findings will inform schools as to whether this approach can support students in making a positive transition to primary school that can place them on positive academic and well-being pathways and lead to benefits in their adulthood.Read moreRead less
Connecting mathematics learning through spatial reasoning. This project aims to create a framework based on spatial reasoning that identifies pathways for mathematics learning, pedagogy and curriculum. Realising Australia’s Innovation and Science Agenda fundamentally rests on transforming the nation's mathematical capacity. Spatial reasoning, an emerging transdisciplinary area, is integral to all human learning, particularly for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Thi ....Connecting mathematics learning through spatial reasoning. This project aims to create a framework based on spatial reasoning that identifies pathways for mathematics learning, pedagogy and curriculum. Realising Australia’s Innovation and Science Agenda fundamentally rests on transforming the nation's mathematical capacity. Spatial reasoning, an emerging transdisciplinary area, is integral to all human learning, particularly for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. This project will map the unknown complex systems linking spatial and mathematical concepts, and design, implement and evaluate a longitudinal intervention study of primary students, including tracking of highly able students. This will lead to more highly skilled and adaptive citizens.Read moreRead less
Community-based STEM professional learning for teachers of middle years. This project aims to develop a novel community-based program that focuses on a museum-based, teacher professional development program which is based awareness and performance of middle year students in School Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. Improving STEM workforce readiness is critical to producing a more creative society and a leading, dynamic economy. Building STEM education capacity th ....Community-based STEM professional learning for teachers of middle years. This project aims to develop a novel community-based program that focuses on a museum-based, teacher professional development program which is based awareness and performance of middle year students in School Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. Improving STEM workforce readiness is critical to producing a more creative society and a leading, dynamic economy. Building STEM education capacity through access to professional learning and museum and STEM professional community resources is critically important for improving students’ proficiencies, attitudes, and interest in STEM. The project outcome will be to develop a STEM professional learning model that can be used to create a more skilled and educated STEM workforce. Read moreRead less