Optimising students’ academic trajectories: The role of growth (‘personal best’) goals. Too many students fail to reach their academic potential and, as a result, they risk being systematically denied a sense of academic ‘success’ and progress. Through a focus on academic growth (and ‘personal bests’), this research project traverses complex terrain to identify the role of growth goals and growth goal setting in students’ academic trajectories. It also tackles methodological challenges that have ....Optimising students’ academic trajectories: The role of growth (‘personal best’) goals. Too many students fail to reach their academic potential and, as a result, they risk being systematically denied a sense of academic ‘success’ and progress. Through a focus on academic growth (and ‘personal bests’), this research project traverses complex terrain to identify the role of growth goals and growth goal setting in students’ academic trajectories. It also tackles methodological challenges that have impeded research progress in this compelling area. Through strategic international and institutional links, the research program will identify innovative approaches to academic growth and growth goals that will significantly assist pedagogy and psychology aimed at optimising students’ academic potential.Read moreRead less
Multiliteracy testing: a criterion-referenced tool to assess secondary students’ multiliteracy learning within a technology-rich, multimodal domain. Evidence shows that while multimodal learning in schools is occurring, a valid measurement and diagnostic tool to provide reliable scores and accurate diagnostic information does not exist. This project aims to develop a criterion-referenced tool to measure students' multiliteracy learning within technology-rich, multimodal domains.
The impact of examiner feedback on doctoral learners and thesis outcomes. This project aims to investigate the final stage of doctoral examination across institutions in Australia, with particular emphasis on examiner feedback, candidate engagement with feedback, and the decision processes involved. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the least visible yet critical end stage of the doctoral examination process and its impact on thesis quality and candidate development. The expected ....The impact of examiner feedback on doctoral learners and thesis outcomes. This project aims to investigate the final stage of doctoral examination across institutions in Australia, with particular emphasis on examiner feedback, candidate engagement with feedback, and the decision processes involved. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the least visible yet critical end stage of the doctoral examination process and its impact on thesis quality and candidate development. The expected outcomes will inform future examination models and contribute new knowledge on the role of feedback in doctoral examination, and assessment practices more generally.Read moreRead less
Measuring individual and group performance in collaborative problem solving. This project aims to develop performance measures of individuals and groups completing collaborative problem-solving tasks. The project plans to draw on new research in online assessment of collaborative problem solving across curricular domains. Outcomes may include new psychometric models taking into account differences in student ability within groups and the effect on student and group performance of the curriculum ....Measuring individual and group performance in collaborative problem solving. This project aims to develop performance measures of individuals and groups completing collaborative problem-solving tasks. The project plans to draw on new research in online assessment of collaborative problem solving across curricular domains. Outcomes may include new psychometric models taking into account differences in student ability within groups and the effect on student and group performance of the curriculum domain in which the task is embedded. The benefits include a better understanding of the measurement and improvement of group work. Policy extensions beyond the classroom may lead to a workforce better equipped to solve problems collaboratively.Read moreRead less
Realising the Potential of Australia’s High Capacity Students. This project aims to investigate factors that contribute to high capacity students failing to improve in literacy, numeracy and problem solving compared with their lower capacity peers. The project aims to focus on protective factors that might mitigate against this negative association between capacity and achievement. The study and method extends previous research the influence of evidence-based decisions by collaborative teacher t ....Realising the Potential of Australia’s High Capacity Students. This project aims to investigate factors that contribute to high capacity students failing to improve in literacy, numeracy and problem solving compared with their lower capacity peers. The project aims to focus on protective factors that might mitigate against this negative association between capacity and achievement. The study and method extends previous research the influence of evidence-based decisions by collaborative teacher teams on student achievement. In partnership with the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, this project seeks to identify ways that will enable systems of education to realise the learning potential of all students.Read moreRead less
The roles of scientific diagrams in contributing to science achievement and conceptual change. The project is designed to develop a body of research that facilitates excellence in teaching and in learning scientific diagrams in secondary school science. Benefits will include the dissemination of effective pedagogical strategies and improved science achievement measured by conceptual change from both cognitive and affective perspectives.
Accelerating the mathematics learning of low socio-economic status junior secondary students. This project aims to develop theory that will enable mathematics programs to be constructed to accelerate Years 8-9 students’ learning to the point that Years 10-12 mathematics can be accessed and employment and life chances increased.
Processing mathematics tasks: the nature and role of visual and non-visual reasoning in digital and non-digital environments. Within the next four years, it is likely that the National Assessment Plan for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) will be administered in a digital mode. This project identifies differences between the delivery of mathematics assessment in pencil-and-paper and computer-based modes. Primary students' mathematics reasoning is compared across these modes and to cohorts from Sing ....Processing mathematics tasks: the nature and role of visual and non-visual reasoning in digital and non-digital environments. Within the next four years, it is likely that the National Assessment Plan for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) will be administered in a digital mode. This project identifies differences between the delivery of mathematics assessment in pencil-and-paper and computer-based modes. Primary students' mathematics reasoning is compared across these modes and to cohorts from Singapore.Read moreRead less
Innovative measurement approaches to optimise the comparability of large-scale and high-stakes performance assessments. Over 1.2 million Australian school children participate in national and high-stakes state assessments each year. This project aims to produce improved and novel methods for assessing students using open-ended tasks so that educators can more accurately compare students’ achievements and track their progress. In turn, this aims to support decision makers to enable better educati ....Innovative measurement approaches to optimise the comparability of large-scale and high-stakes performance assessments. Over 1.2 million Australian school children participate in national and high-stakes state assessments each year. This project aims to produce improved and novel methods for assessing students using open-ended tasks so that educators can more accurately compare students’ achievements and track their progress. In turn, this aims to support decision makers to enable better educational outcomes. The investigators aim to refine a rubric used in the National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) so that Writing assessments are as accurate and comparable as possible. Methods also aim to be designed to enable more accurate and comparable assessments of Australian children in areas not covered by NAPLAN such as History and The Arts.Read moreRead less
Improving teacher assessment using exemplars and online moderation. This project aims to assess the dependability of teacher judgement using psychometric scaling and online moderation. The project will use an innovative approach to connect achievement standards and judgement-practice for middle-year students in Australian education system. Expected outcomes of the project include the development of scaled work samples exemplifying A-E standards of achievement, refined methods for the consistency ....Improving teacher assessment using exemplars and online moderation. This project aims to assess the dependability of teacher judgement using psychometric scaling and online moderation. The project will use an innovative approach to connect achievement standards and judgement-practice for middle-year students in Australian education system. Expected outcomes of the project include the development of scaled work samples exemplifying A-E standards of achievement, refined methods for the consistency and comparability of assessment decisions, and a new approach to moderating teacher judgements. This project should provide significant benefits in building teachers’ assessment capabilities, shaping policy and teacher preparation.Read moreRead less