Improving engagement in learning and transition to mainstream schooling for newly-arrived Sudanese youth in the middle years of schooling. The 'new wave' of Sudanese refugees (48.3% of 2003 intake) with disrupted educational and social/emotional backgrounds is currently challenging Australian schools' expertise and resources. Using frameworks that draw on cultural theory, identity and language, the study will explore the social capital needs (skills and capacities, and resource needs) of Sudanes ....Improving engagement in learning and transition to mainstream schooling for newly-arrived Sudanese youth in the middle years of schooling. The 'new wave' of Sudanese refugees (48.3% of 2003 intake) with disrupted educational and social/emotional backgrounds is currently challenging Australian schools' expertise and resources. Using frameworks that draw on cultural theory, identity and language, the study will explore the social capital needs (skills and capacities, and resource needs) of Sudanese middle-schooling students enabling successful, productive and engaged transition from their on-arrival program into mainstream secondary schooling. The resulting model and web-based materials will provide a framework for educating other groups likely to follow from Africa/elsewhere, and meet the National Priority Goal: strengthening Australia's social fabric.Read moreRead less
Teaching effective 3D authoring in the middle school years: Multimedia grammatical design and multimedia authoring pedagogy. This project addresses the National Research Priorities goal 'promoting an innovative culture and economy'. It provides radical re-thinking of literacy pedagogy essential in globalised knowledge-based economies mediated by digital multimedia literacies. 3D multimedia authoring pedagogy, emphasizing playful innovation and explicit knowledge of multimedia design, will increa ....Teaching effective 3D authoring in the middle school years: Multimedia grammatical design and multimedia authoring pedagogy. This project addresses the National Research Priorities goal 'promoting an innovative culture and economy'. It provides radical re-thinking of literacy pedagogy essential in globalised knowledge-based economies mediated by digital multimedia literacies. 3D multimedia authoring pedagogy, emphasizing playful innovation and explicit knowledge of multimedia design, will increase digital-age student engagement in learning. The Australian Children's Television Foundations' Kahootz is uniquely effective, highly motivating authoring software for schools. What is needed is a thoroughly researched multimedia authoring pedagogy to fully realise Australian leadership potential in renovating literacy pedagogy for the digital multimedia age. Read moreRead less
Literacy in the digital world of the twenty-first century: learning from computer games. The creation of a literate and tech-savvy workforce and community is essential to Australia's future prosperity. By helping teachers better understand and teach ICT-enabled forms of text and literacy, drawing on insights from young people's actual engagement with digital culture in their leisure hours, the project will help strengthen young Australians' capacity to critically evaluate and use ICTs for effect ....Literacy in the digital world of the twenty-first century: learning from computer games. The creation of a literate and tech-savvy workforce and community is essential to Australia's future prosperity. By helping teachers better understand and teach ICT-enabled forms of text and literacy, drawing on insights from young people's actual engagement with digital culture in their leisure hours, the project will help strengthen young Australians' capacity to critically evaluate and use ICTs for effective learning and communication. This project will help produce the skills, knowledge and orientations necessary to create smart information use, through developing and strengthening young people's uses and understandings of ICT-based forms of text and literacy.Read moreRead less
New literacy demands in the middle years: learning from design experiments. National benefit and impact accrues most particularly in terms of (i) capacity building across the teaching profession, including increased preparedness of teachers to effectively teach curriculum literacies and adopt pedagogically sound practices with digital technologies; and (ii) the sound use of evidence to inform decision-making and curriculum design in Australian schools, including to inform professional developmen ....New literacy demands in the middle years: learning from design experiments. National benefit and impact accrues most particularly in terms of (i) capacity building across the teaching profession, including increased preparedness of teachers to effectively teach curriculum literacies and adopt pedagogically sound practices with digital technologies; and (ii) the sound use of evidence to inform decision-making and curriculum design in Australian schools, including to inform professional development programs for classroom teachers, drive understanding of the complex nature of contemporary teachers' work; to sustain and retain innovative, change-ready teachers; and engage directly with the key predictions of the OECD's Futures of School scenarios in local, national and international arenas.Read moreRead less
Digital Learning and Print Literacy: A design experiment for the reform of low socio-economic, culturally diverse schools. The Federal Government has declared the Education Revolution as a key national priority for reform. It has called for a policy focus on the introduction of digital technologies into the school lives of students and a renewed focus on equity in traditional print literacy. This project will provide a new evidence base and training site for teacher and student development in pr ....Digital Learning and Print Literacy: A design experiment for the reform of low socio-economic, culturally diverse schools. The Federal Government has declared the Education Revolution as a key national priority for reform. It has called for a policy focus on the introduction of digital technologies into the school lives of students and a renewed focus on equity in traditional print literacy. This project will provide a new evidence base and training site for teacher and student development in print literacy and technology with a focus on low socio-economic school development.Read moreRead less
Improving student outcomes: coaching teachers in the power of feedback. This project aims to investigate how student outcomes can be augmented through coaching teachers in effective feedback practice. The project addresses a critical problem of stagnating levels of student achievement in Australian schools with the innovative research design combining evidence-based, pedagogies of feedback, formative assessment and instructional coaching to improve teacher practice and ultimately raise student a ....Improving student outcomes: coaching teachers in the power of feedback. This project aims to investigate how student outcomes can be augmented through coaching teachers in effective feedback practice. The project addresses a critical problem of stagnating levels of student achievement in Australian schools with the innovative research design combining evidence-based, pedagogies of feedback, formative assessment and instructional coaching to improve teacher practice and ultimately raise student achievement levels. The project aims to guide policy implementation in pedagogy to raise the quality of teaching standards and to improve learning outcomes for Australian students. Ultimately, outcomes from the research will help close the gap for low achieving students, and challenge and extend those who may already be meeting required benchmarks. Read moreRead less
Supporting schools and teachers to improve students' reading achievement in rural communities. This project focuses on improving student reading achievement in rural and mining communities and developing school-community links around reading. The project will deliver lasting benefits that include: raising the literacy standards of Australia's students and its future citizens and employees; maintaining a knowledgeable and effective teaching workforce in rural and mining communities; developing a ....Supporting schools and teachers to improve students' reading achievement in rural communities. This project focuses on improving student reading achievement in rural and mining communities and developing school-community links around reading. The project will deliver lasting benefits that include: raising the literacy standards of Australia's students and its future citizens and employees; maintaining a knowledgeable and effective teaching workforce in rural and mining communities; developing a sustainable professional learning program that can be used in education systems nationally and internationally; providing empirical data on the efficacy of strategies for reading instruction and intervention; and creating reading-related connections among schools, communities and mining companies that are positive and empowering.Read moreRead less
Educational leadership and turnaround literacy pedagogy. This project will provide new ways of thinking about school reform for improving literacy achievement in high poverty contexts. The project will examine the ways in which new forms of educational leadership are developing in South Australian public schools and its effects on school culture, pedagogy and student literacy learning.
Developing the multimodal language of emotions of low SES primary students. This project plans to broaden the range of resources for students to communicate emotions through speech, writing and images. Such communication is important for social and economic success, particularly for disadvantaged students, and it is now part of the Australian curriculum. However, research shows that teachers are not equipped to teach these new curriculum requirements. The project unites a consortium of schools, ....Developing the multimodal language of emotions of low SES primary students. This project plans to broaden the range of resources for students to communicate emotions through speech, writing and images. Such communication is important for social and economic success, particularly for disadvantaged students, and it is now part of the Australian curriculum. However, research shows that teachers are not equipped to teach these new curriculum requirements. The project unites a consortium of schools, visual media experts and policy makers to address this problem. The outcomes are expected to include innovative approaches to strengthen students' language skills for emotional expression and wellbeing, and e-learning resources for both teachers and students.Read moreRead less
Bridging the gap for at-risk readers: reading theory into classroom practice. This project will merge theoretical and practical aspects of teaching reading through assimilating research with teachers' pedagogical knowledge and experiences to ensure sustainable, differentiated classroom reading interventions for all P-3 (preparatory year to year three) readers, particularly at-risk students.