Knowledge to enhance Science Teaching and Learning: Pursuing scholarship through explicitly enacting expert science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. This research will enhance understandings of science teaching and learning allowing science teachers to share their knowledge in meaningful ways. In teacher preparation this will be particularly valuable by 'fast-tracking' learning about teaching science and minimize the process of the next generation of teachers feeling as though they are r ....Knowledge to enhance Science Teaching and Learning: Pursuing scholarship through explicitly enacting expert science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. This research will enhance understandings of science teaching and learning allowing science teachers to share their knowledge in meaningful ways. In teacher preparation this will be particularly valuable by 'fast-tracking' learning about teaching science and minimize the process of the next generation of teachers feeling as though they are rediscovering that which is already known by experienced teachers of science. In articulating science teachers' knowledge, enhanced valuing their knowledge and skills of practice will occur. Such outcomes will place understanding of science teaching and learning at the forefront of teacher professionalism and positively impact work on professional standards in teaching.Read moreRead less
The role of subject-matter knowledge in teaching science and mathematics: Practices of teachers with advanced qualifications in the sciences. High quality science and mathematics education is central to economic prosperity. This study will achieve two outcomes. Firstly it explores the importance of subject matter knowledge in teaching. Much has been studied about the knowledge of teachers but limited research has been conducted with teachers who have substantial subject-matter knowledge. These f ....The role of subject-matter knowledge in teaching science and mathematics: Practices of teachers with advanced qualifications in the sciences. High quality science and mathematics education is central to economic prosperity. This study will achieve two outcomes. Firstly it explores the importance of subject matter knowledge in teaching. Much has been studied about the knowledge of teachers but limited research has been conducted with teachers who have substantial subject-matter knowledge. These findings will inform the current debate about the appropriate models of teacher education and the balance of emphasis on content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. Secondly, given a number of attempts to attract mid career professionals with high qualifications to teaching, the study will provide evidence on how these people transition to their new careers and what support is needed.Read moreRead less
Comparative effectiveness of three literacy teaching approaches for young children with reading difficulties. This project addresses concerns expressed by the Minister for Education, Science and Training, and the Australian Senate in regard to the relative poor performance of Australian children in national reading tests. Specifically, the project seeks to identify the most effective early literacy instructional method or methods to redress the growing concern that Australian children are droppi ....Comparative effectiveness of three literacy teaching approaches for young children with reading difficulties. This project addresses concerns expressed by the Minister for Education, Science and Training, and the Australian Senate in regard to the relative poor performance of Australian children in national reading tests. Specifically, the project seeks to identify the most effective early literacy instructional method or methods to redress the growing concern that Australian children are dropping behind in international competitiveness in reading and literacy achievement. The study concentrates on early reading development and to inform on teacher education and classroom teaching practices. Read moreRead less
Research capacity-building: the development of Australian PhD programs in national and emerging global contexts. PhD programs in universities are the principal means by which new researchers are prepared for work in the knowledge economy. This project develops a comprehensive coded database of every PhD awarded in Australia since the first programs in the 1940s. It the will study fourteen different PhD programs that have developed during this period in four universities. The project focuses on ....Research capacity-building: the development of Australian PhD programs in national and emerging global contexts. PhD programs in universities are the principal means by which new researchers are prepared for work in the knowledge economy. This project develops a comprehensive coded database of every PhD awarded in Australia since the first programs in the 1940s. It the will study fourteen different PhD programs that have developed during this period in four universities. The project focuses on how these programs develop research capacity within disciplines and how these are related to the changing social, cultural and economic needs of Australia. The project will assist in planning future PhD programs and research capacity development.Read moreRead less
Australian doctoral graduates' publication, professional and community outcomes. The project produces benefits to government, universities, Deans and Directors of Graduate Studies and those with a scholarly interest in doctoral education. It identifies, quantifies and explains the relationship between PhD graduates' thesis outcomes (especially, publications) and their professional and community outcomes up to ten years from graduation. The findings will be disseminated as universities, governmen ....Australian doctoral graduates' publication, professional and community outcomes. The project produces benefits to government, universities, Deans and Directors of Graduate Studies and those with a scholarly interest in doctoral education. It identifies, quantifies and explains the relationship between PhD graduates' thesis outcomes (especially, publications) and their professional and community outcomes up to ten years from graduation. The findings will be disseminated as universities, government and academies debate the RQF outcomes and whether the quality and impact of doctorates be included in the next RQF. The findings enable universities to enhance policy and practice to ensure worthwhile outcomes from doctoral programs and graduates. The project advances scholarship about doctorates and research education.Read moreRead less
Researching Collective Argumentation in Mathematics and Science Classrooms. The project will provide evidence-based pedagogical strategies for the reform of classroom teaching and learning in the crucial areas of mathematics and science. We will develop a form of pedagogy (Collective Argumentation) that enables students to be confident in deploying mathematical and scientific knowledge and skills in relation to the economic and social choices that they make in everyday contexts. Collective Argum ....Researching Collective Argumentation in Mathematics and Science Classrooms. The project will provide evidence-based pedagogical strategies for the reform of classroom teaching and learning in the crucial areas of mathematics and science. We will develop a form of pedagogy (Collective Argumentation) that enables students to be confident in deploying mathematical and scientific knowledge and skills in relation to the economic and social choices that they make in everyday contexts. Collective Argumentation can induct students into 'habits of mind and social practices' necessary for building an innovative learning community. This project will enable us to extend this innovative approach and to further develop its effectiveness.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
Telling Tales from the Bush: Gender, rurality and post-school transitions. The completion of formal schooling is a critical point of decision-making for all young Australians, but it is particularly critical for young men and women from the bush, who are often already disadvantaged in the quality of schooling they receive, and their access to facilities and opportunities. This longitudinal study will address a significant research gap in this area, by analysing the potentially limiting effect g ....Telling Tales from the Bush: Gender, rurality and post-school transitions. The completion of formal schooling is a critical point of decision-making for all young Australians, but it is particularly critical for young men and women from the bush, who are often already disadvantaged in the quality of schooling they receive, and their access to facilities and opportunities. This longitudinal study will address a significant research gap in this area, by analysing the potentially limiting effect gender constructs can play in the decision-making and life trajectories of these young adults. By so doing, the study contributes directly to the national interest by improving the social and economic futures of rural Australians.Read moreRead less
Relations between academics' understanding of their subject matter and their experiences of research and teaching. This project addresses an issue of international concern for higher education. Previous studies of associations between research and teaching have focused either on direct relations between outcomes, or on faculty and administrator opinions. We mean to explain the connection using a framework from our research into academics' understanding of their subject matter and approaches to t ....Relations between academics' understanding of their subject matter and their experiences of research and teaching. This project addresses an issue of international concern for higher education. Previous studies of associations between research and teaching have focused either on direct relations between outcomes, or on faculty and administrator opinions. We mean to explain the connection using a framework from our research into academics' understanding of their subject matter and approaches to teaching. We expect the outcomes to demonstrate that the key to the research-teaching connection lies in how active researchers and teachers experience the two activities, and that the association is mediated by the way in which they understand their subject matter.Read moreRead less
Writing in the academy: the practice-based thesis as an evolving genre. National benefits of this project include:
An improvement in the quality of research higher degree scholarship in the areas of the Creative and Performing Arts in Australian universities
A greater understanding of what counts as successful writing in practice-based doctoral theses in Australian universities
A research-informed basis for the development of training initiatives which target the specific needs of stude ....Writing in the academy: the practice-based thesis as an evolving genre. National benefits of this project include:
An improvement in the quality of research higher degree scholarship in the areas of the Creative and Performing Arts in Australian universities
A greater understanding of what counts as successful writing in practice-based doctoral theses in Australian universities
A research-informed basis for the development of training initiatives which target the specific needs of students writing practice-based doctoral theses in Australian universities
A research-informed basis for improving the quality of research higher degree supervision in the areas of the Creative and Performing Arts in Australian universities
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