Respectful encounters: Enhancing understanding and engagement between Western and Confucian-heritage educators. One in four students in Australian universities is an international student and Chinese students are the largest group. International education is our third largest export and contacts between Australian and Chinese universities are rapidly increasing. This, however, is often based on outmoded or stereotyped assumptions about scholarship and learning. This project on both sides will bu ....Respectful encounters: Enhancing understanding and engagement between Western and Confucian-heritage educators. One in four students in Australian universities is an international student and Chinese students are the largest group. International education is our third largest export and contacts between Australian and Chinese universities are rapidly increasing. This, however, is often based on outmoded or stereotyped assumptions about scholarship and learning. This project on both sides will build Australian educators' knowledge of complexities and contemporary developments within China's cultural and intellectual paradigms. It will thus increase the appeal and relevance of Australian education to Chinese students and academics, enhance our engagement with China, and improve the international reputation and competitiveness of our universities.Read moreRead less
The Shallow Teaching Syndrome in School Mathematics - towards practical ways that will engage students more deeply. Australian governments have made considerable investment in international comparative studies of student achievement in mathematics. One of the findings is that an average Australian lesson exhibits the 'shallow teaching syndrome', having relatively lower complexity, higher repetition and less mathematical reasoning than high-achieving countries. This project will interview cur ....The Shallow Teaching Syndrome in School Mathematics - towards practical ways that will engage students more deeply. Australian governments have made considerable investment in international comparative studies of student achievement in mathematics. One of the findings is that an average Australian lesson exhibits the 'shallow teaching syndrome', having relatively lower complexity, higher repetition and less mathematical reasoning than high-achieving countries. This project will interview curriculum leaders and textbook writers, and analyse both traditional textbook and innovative curriculum materials. This will help to understand the reasons for the syndrome and recommend practical ways in which lessons that engage students more deeply, can be encouraged.Read moreRead less
International student mobility and educational innovation: Chinese students and the internationalisation of Australian and American universities. Given China's entry into the WTO and building upon research into the uses of international education this project will investigate educational changes arising from Chinese students studying abroad. Its theoretical and empirical focus is the changes that the mobility of international students is effecting in the universities in which they are studying. ....International student mobility and educational innovation: Chinese students and the internationalisation of Australian and American universities. Given China's entry into the WTO and building upon research into the uses of international education this project will investigate educational changes arising from Chinese students studying abroad. Its theoretical and empirical focus is the changes that the mobility of international students is effecting in the universities in which they are studying. It will explore how Chinese students' identity formation, career trajectories and transnational relationships inform changes in Australian and American universities. The outcomes will be knowledge of the ways their presence impacts on the different historical trajectories of these university systems to produce varying possibilities for educational innovation.Read moreRead less
A comparative study of history education in Australia and Canada, examining the relationship between school history and broader historical debates. Debates on history and history teaching in both nations have oscillated back and forth in a way that has generated more heat than light, frequently placing undue and unprofessional curriculum pressure on teachers of history at all levels. This project will produce an exhaustive and research-based assessment of what kinds of histories are being taugh ....A comparative study of history education in Australia and Canada, examining the relationship between school history and broader historical debates. Debates on history and history teaching in both nations have oscillated back and forth in a way that has generated more heat than light, frequently placing undue and unprofessional curriculum pressure on teachers of history at all levels. This project will produce an exhaustive and research-based assessment of what kinds of histories are being taught in schools and how they are being taught at a time when good history teaching is regarded as a vital political and cultural asset. The results will be outlined in a way that will lead to informed discussion of the nature of this crucial discipline.Read moreRead less
The Chinese Knowledge Diaspora and the International Knowledge Network - Australian and Canadian Universities Compared. For Australia, one of the key contemporary challenges is to understand China, in ways that maximise mutual benefits. This includes the key arena of education, where the growing number of Chinese intellectuals working in Australian (and Canadian) universities, can assist in replenishing an ageing domestic academic work force,as well as forging international research networks. T ....The Chinese Knowledge Diaspora and the International Knowledge Network - Australian and Canadian Universities Compared. For Australia, one of the key contemporary challenges is to understand China, in ways that maximise mutual benefits. This includes the key arena of education, where the growing number of Chinese intellectuals working in Australian (and Canadian) universities, can assist in replenishing an ageing domestic academic work force,as well as forging international research networks. The bi-cultural, bi-lingual expertise of this Chinese knowledge diaspora constitutes a key resource with which to build trans-national research and knowledge networks,with the diverse and growing Chinese scholarly community, worldwide. The advantages, prospects and difficulties of such trans-national networks are explained. Read moreRead less
How is school socio-economic composition associated with student outcomes? A comparative study of seven countries. School socio-economic composition is strongly associated with educational outcomes for all Australian students. This association is problematic because it reduces educational equity and opportunity for students at low socio-economic schools, which in turn reduces Australia's ability to fully invest in its most valuable resource, its young people. The current Labor government is comm ....How is school socio-economic composition associated with student outcomes? A comparative study of seven countries. School socio-economic composition is strongly associated with educational outcomes for all Australian students. This association is problematic because it reduces educational equity and opportunity for students at low socio-economic schools, which in turn reduces Australia's ability to fully invest in its most valuable resource, its young people. The current Labor government is committed to investing in low socio-economic schools. This study will highlight ways to support low socio-economic schools by showing how they differ from more advantaged ones. Comparative analysis of educationally equitable and efficient countries will provide further evidence for ways to support low socio-economic schools in Australia.Read moreRead less
AusAID at work: the design, delivery and impact of Australian aid to education in Asia and the Pacific. The project is designed to determine how Australian overseas aid can make more effective interventions in the education sector, at a time of significant budgetary increases. Australian overseas aid is officially regarded as a key means of promoting poverty reduction, economic growth, social cohesion, expanded trade and regional security. Each objective is significant for Australian futures. Ai ....AusAID at work: the design, delivery and impact of Australian aid to education in Asia and the Pacific. The project is designed to determine how Australian overseas aid can make more effective interventions in the education sector, at a time of significant budgetary increases. Australian overseas aid is officially regarded as a key means of promoting poverty reduction, economic growth, social cohesion, expanded trade and regional security. Each objective is significant for Australian futures. Aid to the education sector has been taking on increasing weight, given that well-performing education systems are known to impact positively in these areas. The project provides a platform for greater impact of Australian aid, including that provided in partnership with other donors.Read moreRead less
Facilitating Equitable Science Learning Environments for Multicultural Societies: A Cross-Cultural Study in Australia, Taiwan and South Africa. In our multicultural society, science teachers must be sensitive to the culturally-specific needs of students from different cultural backgrounds. This cross-cultural study in Australia, Taiwan and South Africa aims to assess culturally-sensitive aspects of science classroom learning environments using multiple research methods. This information will be ....Facilitating Equitable Science Learning Environments for Multicultural Societies: A Cross-Cultural Study in Australia, Taiwan and South Africa. In our multicultural society, science teachers must be sensitive to the culturally-specific needs of students from different cultural backgrounds. This cross-cultural study in Australia, Taiwan and South Africa aims to assess culturally-sensitive aspects of science classroom learning environments using multiple research methods. This information will be used to explore whether the size of discrepancies between actual and preferred learning environment (1) depends on students' cultural backgrounds and (2) is related to students' a) attitudes b) achievement and c) retention. Finally the study will examine the effectiveness of strategies for creating learning environments that are more suitable for minority students.Read moreRead less
Redesigning schools and school leadership: an Australian comparative case study. This project on school redesign addresses an urgent need identified in Government and OECD reports for schools and systems to redesign in order to be more responsive to multiple social and economic pressures while addressing significant disparities between schools. Longitudinal case studies with a focus on schools in particularly challenging circumstances will reconceptualize the relationship between sustainable sch ....Redesigning schools and school leadership: an Australian comparative case study. This project on school redesign addresses an urgent need identified in Government and OECD reports for schools and systems to redesign in order to be more responsive to multiple social and economic pressures while addressing significant disparities between schools. Longitudinal case studies with a focus on schools in particularly challenging circumstances will reconceptualize the relationship between sustainable school reform, leadership, student learning and school-community relationships. These are all policy priority areas. Communication strategies aim to inform policymakers, professional associations, the new National Institute for Quality Teaching and School Leadership, and schools about how to conceptualise and sustain reform.Read moreRead less