Tertiary education and social capital in Victoria: the effects of the new economy courses in Business and IT. Over one third of tertiary students are enrolled in the fast-growing new economy disciplines in business studies and IT. In partnership with the Victorian government, this project studies the contribution of business and IT courses to social capital, the collaborative networks that underpin economic innovation and sustainable community. The research will survey and interview Victorian 15 ....Tertiary education and social capital in Victoria: the effects of the new economy courses in Business and IT. Over one third of tertiary students are enrolled in the fast-growing new economy disciplines in business studies and IT. In partnership with the Victorian government, this project studies the contribution of business and IT courses to social capital, the collaborative networks that underpin economic innovation and sustainable community. The research will survey and interview Victorian 1500 graduates from 12 higher education and VET institutions (6 rural); and survey and interview employers and community leaders. The research will inform Victoria's education policy and Growing Victoria Together strategy, and encourage tertiary institutions throughout Australia to strengthen their contribution to social capital.Read moreRead less
Numeracy, Youth and Employment: A study of numeracy demands in contemporary workplaces in regional Queensland. In contemporary workplaces, the numeracy demands are varied, yet little is known about their form or skill requirements. In order for schools and other agencies to better prepare Australian youth for the demands of contemporary work, a clearer understanding of the intersection of numeracy and work is needed. This project seeks to identify the numeracy demands across a range of industr ....Numeracy, Youth and Employment: A study of numeracy demands in contemporary workplaces in regional Queensland. In contemporary workplaces, the numeracy demands are varied, yet little is known about their form or skill requirements. In order for schools and other agencies to better prepare Australian youth for the demands of contemporary work, a clearer understanding of the intersection of numeracy and work is needed. This project seeks to identify the numeracy demands across a range of industries in the Gold Coast region of Queensland. As well as examining the types of numeracy demands, the project identifies some of the best ways in which numeracy skills can be improved to meet the demands across those industries.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
Understanding and managing 'risk' for 15-19 year olds in a learning network: a case study of the Geelong LLEN. Learning networks are new strategies of educational reform and community capacity building addressing risk and interdependence arising from globalisation. This Deakin/Smart Geelong Region Local Learning and Employment Network partnership investigates the effectiveness of learning networks dealing with 15-19 year olds at risk. It explores stakeholders' understandings of learning networks ....Understanding and managing 'risk' for 15-19 year olds in a learning network: a case study of the Geelong LLEN. Learning networks are new strategies of educational reform and community capacity building addressing risk and interdependence arising from globalisation. This Deakin/Smart Geelong Region Local Learning and Employment Network partnership investigates the effectiveness of learning networks dealing with 15-19 year olds at risk. It explores stakeholders' understandings of learning networks and risk, undertakes a case study of the SGRLLEN, and considers the responses of schools and young people to the SGRLLEN using innovative youth researcher methodologies. It will inform policies, practices and evaluation of Victorian LLENs, provide professional development within SGRLLEN, and theoretically and empirically advance an emerging under researched field.Read moreRead less
Staying on at school: strategies for increasing high school completion rates in low-retention regions of NSW. Leaving school early has been shown to have detrimental effects on the life chances, well being and health of young people and their communities. Despite this, a significant portion of today's youth chooses to leave school early. Unfortunately, little is understood about the processes and factors involved in the decision to leave school, and hence schools and systems are uncertain about ....Staying on at school: strategies for increasing high school completion rates in low-retention regions of NSW. Leaving school early has been shown to have detrimental effects on the life chances, well being and health of young people and their communities. Despite this, a significant portion of today's youth chooses to leave school early. Unfortunately, little is understood about the processes and factors involved in the decision to leave school, and hence schools and systems are uncertain about how to decrease dropping out. Understanding the processes and factors involved in the decision to leave school early, and identifying the basis for between-school differences, will assist in the development of programs and curricula that will be more successful in increasing retention rates, hence enhancing the skill base of Australia's youth.Read moreRead less
A Tale of six cities: Explaining social inequality in secondary school systems: an international comparative study. Australia is frequently compared with other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries as 'only average' in equity. But why? League tables don't explain this and commentators are vague. What good are comparisons if they don't improve student outcomes through better understanding and better policies? This study shows why inequality persists in six cou ....A Tale of six cities: Explaining social inequality in secondary school systems: an international comparative study. Australia is frequently compared with other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries as 'only average' in equity. But why? League tables don't explain this and commentators are vague. What good are comparisons if they don't improve student outcomes through better understanding and better policies? This study shows why inequality persists in six countries. It highlights the role of curriculum as a vehicle for distinguishing between students in more or less sharp ways and of selective schooling as a vehicle for gaining access to the most discriminating paths in the curriculum. It points to ways in which schooling can operate more equitably without sacrificing quality.Read moreRead less
School knowledge, working knowledge and the knowing subject: a review of state curriculum policies 1975-2005. Schooling is a central institution for forming the knowledge, workers and citizens of Australia's future, and this is a period of widespread curriculum change. This project's systematic review of state differences is an important resource for moves in a 'nationally consistent' direction. The project charts what is and is not being taken up in relation to new vocational agendas and new co ....School knowledge, working knowledge and the knowing subject: a review of state curriculum policies 1975-2005. Schooling is a central institution for forming the knowledge, workers and citizens of Australia's future, and this is a period of widespread curriculum change. This project's systematic review of state differences is an important resource for moves in a 'nationally consistent' direction. The project charts what is and is not being taken up in relation to new vocational agendas and new conceptions of knowledge. It provides a fresh perspective on Australian curriculum emphases, competing agendas, issues to be addressed and makes possible a more realistic appraisal of the conditions in which innovation and reform need to be developed.Read moreRead less
Young people negotiating risk and opportunity: A reassessment of transition pathways. The research will make a direct contribution to the development of more integrated policies that impact on young people across the domains of education, youth affairs, health and community. The depth and breadth of the analysis addresses the need for evidence-based policy to change chronic patterns of inequality in young people's transitions during their post-school years, broadening the focus from study and em ....Young people negotiating risk and opportunity: A reassessment of transition pathways. The research will make a direct contribution to the development of more integrated policies that impact on young people across the domains of education, youth affairs, health and community. The depth and breadth of the analysis addresses the need for evidence-based policy to change chronic patterns of inequality in young people's transitions during their post-school years, broadening the focus from study and employment to include health and wellbeing. It relates directly to strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric .Read moreRead less
Changing work, changing workers, changing selves: a study of pedagogies in the new vocationalism. Changes in the form of work have led to an emphasis on the development of new kinds of working identities. This project aims to map, analyze and theorize the way in which pedagogical strategies in vocational education produce new worker identities. It examines contextual differences across different sectors and industries as well as forms of inclusion and exclusion. For policy-makers it provides ....Changing work, changing workers, changing selves: a study of pedagogies in the new vocationalism. Changes in the form of work have led to an emphasis on the development of new kinds of working identities. This project aims to map, analyze and theorize the way in which pedagogical strategies in vocational education produce new worker identities. It examines contextual differences across different sectors and industries as well as forms of inclusion and exclusion. For policy-makers it provides a new mapping and evaluation of different types of institutional programs; for practitioners it brings new insights about effective practices; for theorists it offers a new, empirically-grounded theorisation of workplace knowledge.Read moreRead less
The VCE: Social Access and Transition Effectiveness. Education authorities in Australia face difficulties in reforming school programs to make them both equitable and effective in terms of learning experiences and outcomes. This project examines the extent to which young people from different family backgrounds access different "locations" within the curriculum, the quality of their instructional experience, and the post-school destinations connected with the places they held in the curriculum. ....The VCE: Social Access and Transition Effectiveness. Education authorities in Australia face difficulties in reforming school programs to make them both equitable and effective in terms of learning experiences and outcomes. This project examines the extent to which young people from different family backgrounds access different "locations" within the curriculum, the quality of their instructional experience, and the post-school destinations connected with the places they held in the curriculum. The broad objective is to make the curriculum much more transparent with respect to its underlying social patterns and processes, and thus to make it more accessible to the remedial action of both teachers and curriculum and assessment authorities.Read moreRead less