Metacognitive influences on teachers’ use of information and communication technology (ICT) and the implications for teacher professional development. Professional development (PD) of teachers in information and communication technology (ICT) is an urgent educational imperative, presenting significant financial and strategic challenges internationally. Many teachers experience computer anxiety and reluctance in ICT use. This research will progress understanding of metacognitive influences on tea ....Metacognitive influences on teachers’ use of information and communication technology (ICT) and the implications for teacher professional development. Professional development (PD) of teachers in information and communication technology (ICT) is an urgent educational imperative, presenting significant financial and strategic challenges internationally. Many teachers experience computer anxiety and reluctance in ICT use. This research will progress understanding of metacognitive influences on teachers? use of ICT and determine whether metacognitive theories can inform development of a peer-mentored model of teacher PD which will promote ICT capability and life-long learning for teachers. The research will test the effectiveness of the metacognitive approach in promoting whole-school change in the integration of ICT in learning and teaching.Read moreRead less
Leading and learning: Developing ecologies of educational practice. This study contributes to the continuing development of the theory of teacher professional development and leadership. This has the potential to contribute directly to social, political, environmental and economic growth and development of Australia through educational outcomes.
Addressing the teacher exodus: Enhancing early career teacher resilience and retention in changing times. This research will produce new knowledge, strategies, models and recommendations that will help to keep early career teachers in the profession in regional, rural and remote areas. In doing so it will address the problem of teacher shortage that is currently threatening the nation's educational, economic and social outcomes. The research outcomes will have particular credibility at the natio ....Addressing the teacher exodus: Enhancing early career teacher resilience and retention in changing times. This research will produce new knowledge, strategies, models and recommendations that will help to keep early career teachers in the profession in regional, rural and remote areas. In doing so it will address the problem of teacher shortage that is currently threatening the nation's educational, economic and social outcomes. The research outcomes will have particular credibility at the national level because they will be the result of dialogue and collaboration across three universities and six industry partners who are the key stakeholders in teacher employment in two states. In addition, the collaborative approach will facilitate implementation of recommendations at the local, state and national levels.Read moreRead less
Effective Implementation of Pedagogical Reform. A central challenge faced by nations around the globe is how to maximise the quality of teaching, since the quality of teaching itself is the main contributor to student achievement. Building on an internationally recognised model for Quality Teaching, this collaborative project promises to advance national initiatives in improving teaching quality and improve Australia's international status in the provision of quality education for all school stu ....Effective Implementation of Pedagogical Reform. A central challenge faced by nations around the globe is how to maximise the quality of teaching, since the quality of teaching itself is the main contributor to student achievement. Building on an internationally recognised model for Quality Teaching, this collaborative project promises to advance national initiatives in improving teaching quality and improve Australia's international status in the provision of quality education for all school students.Read moreRead less
The influence of evidence-based decisions by collaborative teacher teams on student achievement. National testing and concerns about literacy and numeracy skills as enabling competencies for learning have had a central focus for decades. Recent studies by Griffin and Care have established large gains in student reading comprehension in an uncontrolled study of years 3 to 6 in primary schools. This study seeks to determine if the process can be manipulated, scaled up and applied in a sustainable ....The influence of evidence-based decisions by collaborative teacher teams on student achievement. National testing and concerns about literacy and numeracy skills as enabling competencies for learning have had a central focus for decades. Recent studies by Griffin and Care have established large gains in student reading comprehension in an uncontrolled study of years 3 to 6 in primary schools. This study seeks to determine if the process can be manipulated, scaled up and applied in a sustainable manner across a larger number of year levels, systems of education, and subject areas.Read moreRead less
Systemic Implications of Pedagogy and Achievement in NSW Public Schools. The NSW Department of Education and Training, in consultation with the Chief Investigators, recently developed an innovative model of pedagogy, as part of a major effort to raise the standard of teaching practice in NSW government schools. This project is designed to provide vital information for the Department, by examining the relationships between professional development, pedagogy, and student outcomes, and to make sig ....Systemic Implications of Pedagogy and Achievement in NSW Public Schools. The NSW Department of Education and Training, in consultation with the Chief Investigators, recently developed an innovative model of pedagogy, as part of a major effort to raise the standard of teaching practice in NSW government schools. This project is designed to provide vital information for the Department, by examining the relationships between professional development, pedagogy, and student outcomes, and to make significant contributions to educational research on these central educational phenomena. Combining research with the resources of the NSW DET in a large longitudinal study, the project can make a major impact on schooling, school reform and educational research.Read moreRead less
Evaluating professional experience and mentoring in the preparation and induction of teachers for the teaching profession. ? Quality teachers make a difference? (DEST Report, 2003, p1). Possible strategies for the recruitment and retention of high quality teachers to the profession include providing a high quality professional experience component together with effective mentoring for beginning teachers in induction programs. The outcomes of this project will include the articulation of ?high qu ....Evaluating professional experience and mentoring in the preparation and induction of teachers for the teaching profession. ? Quality teachers make a difference? (DEST Report, 2003, p1). Possible strategies for the recruitment and retention of high quality teachers to the profession include providing a high quality professional experience component together with effective mentoring for beginning teachers in induction programs. The outcomes of this project will include the articulation of ?high quality? professional experiences, the development of an instrument for evaluating the effectiveness of mentoring in programs such as induction programs and provide evidence on the effectiveness of such programs.Read moreRead less
Changing schools in changing times: Stabilising and sustaining whole school change in schools serving low-income communties. This project addresses an enduring issue in educational research: how to achieve whole school change (WSC) to support improved student learning in communities experiencing significant social dislocation, educational disadvantage and student disengagement from learning. It tackles the industry partner's policy commitment to delivering substantive equity outcomes by research ....Changing schools in changing times: Stabilising and sustaining whole school change in schools serving low-income communties. This project addresses an enduring issue in educational research: how to achieve whole school change (WSC) to support improved student learning in communities experiencing significant social dislocation, educational disadvantage and student disengagement from learning. It tackles the industry partner's policy commitment to delivering substantive equity outcomes by researching a sustainable approach to WSC. We will work collaboratively with four schools to utilise a new technology of WSC that conceptualises the work of classroom teachers and school administrators as primarily pedagogical in nature. The findings will provide theoretical and practical insights on effective schooling in low income communities throughout Australia.Read moreRead less
Productive Partnerships for Teaching Quality: Quality Improvement, School-Community Practice and Teacher Education in and for Rural and Remote Settings. This project aims to develop a partnership between two teacher-education institutions and eleven school districts in NSW, in researching quality improvements in teaching for rural and remote areas. These areas and their communities, including schools, are clearly under pressure, given global economic developments. Using various forms of data ana ....Productive Partnerships for Teaching Quality: Quality Improvement, School-Community Practice and Teacher Education in and for Rural and Remote Settings. This project aims to develop a partnership between two teacher-education institutions and eleven school districts in NSW, in researching quality improvements in teaching for rural and remote areas. These areas and their communities, including schools, are clearly under pressure, given global economic developments. Using various forms of data analysis, case-studies, interviews, Web-networks and school-based action research, the project will identify successful strategies for building rural teacher and community capacity, improving educational outcomes for all children, and appropriately preparing and retaining teachers for rural schools. The project will make recommendations for general educational policy and practice and for teacher education.Read moreRead less
Globalisation and Teacher Movements into and out of multicultural Australia. Education underpins a cohesive and successful society, but today education is increasingly globalised. This project explores the 'brain circulation' of Australian teaching professionals. It will produce a comprehensive national picture of the dynamics (personal and institutional) underlying the movement of teachers into and out of Australia, with a focus on regional and rural areas as well as the cities. It will result ....Globalisation and Teacher Movements into and out of multicultural Australia. Education underpins a cohesive and successful society, but today education is increasingly globalised. This project explores the 'brain circulation' of Australian teaching professionals. It will produce a comprehensive national picture of the dynamics (personal and institutional) underlying the movement of teachers into and out of Australia, with a focus on regional and rural areas as well as the cities. It will result in a refining of Australia's policies and procedures in order to better attract and retain immigrant teachers and to regain emigrant teachers. Read moreRead less