Beyond letters, numbers and screens: new basics, technologies, numeracy and early childhood education. This project will create detailed models of the 'New Basics' approach to teaching and learning numeracy using information technologies (IT). The models will provide springboards for action for Queensland and Australian teachers. The project will document how numeracy can be learned through IT to produce students who are more technologically aware and whose numeracy skills are enhanced. Resul ....Beyond letters, numbers and screens: new basics, technologies, numeracy and early childhood education. This project will create detailed models of the 'New Basics' approach to teaching and learning numeracy using information technologies (IT). The models will provide springboards for action for Queensland and Australian teachers. The project will document how numeracy can be learned through IT to produce students who are more technologically aware and whose numeracy skills are enhanced. Resulting data will inform the research and educational community about the cognitive and social aspects of young children learning numeracy through IT. The findings will be of strategic importance for planning educational opportunities to produce citizens of the 21st century.Read moreRead less
Becoming numerate with information technologies in early childhood education. This project will create a detailed model of teaching and learning in numeracy using information technologies (IT) that will act as springboards for action for Australian teachers. It will investigate and document the ways in which numeracy can be learned through IT to produce students who are more technologically aware. Resulting data will inform the research and educational community about the cognitive and social as ....Becoming numerate with information technologies in early childhood education. This project will create a detailed model of teaching and learning in numeracy using information technologies (IT) that will act as springboards for action for Australian teachers. It will investigate and document the ways in which numeracy can be learned through IT to produce students who are more technologically aware. Resulting data will inform the research and educational community about the cognitive and social aspects of young children learning numeracy using IT. In this way the findings will be of strategic importance for planning education opportunities to produce citizens of the 21st century.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
Evaluating the effectiveness of scientific visualisations in physics and chemistry education. Scientific visualisations are believed to have significant potential to improve students' learning of science concepts, potentially improving students' access to and outcomes in university science programs. This project will evaluate that potential to see whether it is realised in students' understanding of scientific concepts. The software, hardware, development and teaching skills required to use scie ....Evaluating the effectiveness of scientific visualisations in physics and chemistry education. Scientific visualisations are believed to have significant potential to improve students' learning of science concepts, potentially improving students' access to and outcomes in university science programs. This project will evaluate that potential to see whether it is realised in students' understanding of scientific concepts. The software, hardware, development and teaching skills required to use scientific visualisations in science teaching represent a significant investment of money and time on the part of the community. The results from this project will help in analysing the educational benefits of visualisations, providing important information for cost-benefit analyses.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
Designing technology-enriched pedagogy in secondary mathematics education. The Australian Government's "Agenda for Action" emphasises the need to foster innovation in mathematics teaching and teacher education, and encourages teachers to embrace technologies that enhance student learning. Yet international research shows that successful innovation in teaching with technology has been elusive. This project will develop new theoretical understanding of why technology-related innovation in secondar ....Designing technology-enriched pedagogy in secondary mathematics education. The Australian Government's "Agenda for Action" emphasises the need to foster innovation in mathematics teaching and teacher education, and encourages teachers to embrace technologies that enhance student learning. Yet international research shows that successful innovation in teaching with technology has been elusive. This project will develop new theoretical understanding of why technology-related innovation in secondary school mathematics teaching takes hold in some educational settings but not others. The findings will lead to practical recommendations for design of teacher professional development programs, and shed light on reasons why teachers may embrace or reject educational change.Read moreRead less
Globalisation: New Media, New Literacies and Identities. This APF proposes three related projects that investigate (i) the social effects of new information technologies on literacy and identity, (ii) the impact of globalisation on education, and (iii) new forms of social identity among multiracial families and children. Each project will produce a book and refereed journal articles. This work is significant because it will generate new knowledge about the effects of globalization on: (i) shifts ....Globalisation: New Media, New Literacies and Identities. This APF proposes three related projects that investigate (i) the social effects of new information technologies on literacy and identity, (ii) the impact of globalisation on education, and (iii) new forms of social identity among multiracial families and children. Each project will produce a book and refereed journal articles. This work is significant because it will generate new knowledge about the effects of globalization on: (i) shifts from print to digital literacies and identities among Australian youth, (ii) the role, responsibility, and futures orientation of education systems, and (iii) changing family structures and identities in new socio-demographic contexts.Read moreRead less
Enhancing the content and experience of Interactive Childrens Television. Interactive television (iTV) as a participatory, on-demand communication provides a unique opportunity to significantly engage, entertain and educate preschool children. Through considerable industry partner collaboration and participation, this project will evaluate three distinct interactive options produced from selected children's television programs with proven success in Australia. Usability studies employing a vari ....Enhancing the content and experience of Interactive Childrens Television. Interactive television (iTV) as a participatory, on-demand communication provides a unique opportunity to significantly engage, entertain and educate preschool children. Through considerable industry partner collaboration and participation, this project will evaluate three distinct interactive options produced from selected children's television programs with proven success in Australia. Usability studies employing a variety of surveillance techniques will evaluate content design and user response. Children's viewing habits will be evaluated within a social context (the home) and a mobile lab setting using qualitative and quantitative assessment. The results will identify effective ways to produce meaningful interactivity and will encourage future industry based research.Read moreRead less
Equity and access: analysing the level and pattern of funding of teaching and learning resources in Australian schools. The project will develop indicators and evidence of best practice that will enable educators and schools to make improved and more informed decisions on how to support learners in the provision of teaching and learning resources.
The role of technology-enriched, technology-mediated learning communities in reforming mathematics teacher education. This project examines the impact of a technology-enriched teacher education program on beginning teachers' integration of educational technologies into secondary school mathematics classrooms. It seeks to increase theoretical understanding of how beginning teachers are initiated into a collaborative professional community featuring both web-based and face to face interaction, and ....The role of technology-enriched, technology-mediated learning communities in reforming mathematics teacher education. This project examines the impact of a technology-enriched teacher education program on beginning teachers' integration of educational technologies into secondary school mathematics classrooms. It seeks to increase theoretical understanding of how beginning teachers are initiated into a collaborative professional community featuring both web-based and face to face interaction, and how participation in such a community shapes their pedagogical beliefs and actions. Of central interest is the role of technologically knowledgeable pre-service and beginning teachers as agents ofinnovation and reform in secondary school mathematics. Outcomes will inform the design and implementation of models of pre-service teacher education and professional development.Read moreRead less