Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354538
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$30,000.00
Summary
Enabling Sciences Education (EnSE) Research Network. The Network aims to ensure the long-term ability of Australians to excel in scientific and technological innovation at all levels of community activity. This will be achieved by establishing significant and ambitious research agendas for improving the teaching and learning of Mathematics, Science and Technology in primary, secondary and tertiary education sectors. Of significance will be the productive synergies flowing from uniting, across ....Enabling Sciences Education (EnSE) Research Network. The Network aims to ensure the long-term ability of Australians to excel in scientific and technological innovation at all levels of community activity. This will be achieved by establishing significant and ambitious research agendas for improving the teaching and learning of Mathematics, Science and Technology in primary, secondary and tertiary education sectors. Of significance will be the productive synergies flowing from uniting, across the three disciplines, Australia's most outstanding, experienced and dedicated researchers with new and mid-career colleagues. Expected outcomes include a diverse but cohesive and collaborative research community that provides international leadership in helping students achieve their full potential. Read moreRead less
Predicting progress: A longitudinal study of the social behaviour, numeracy and literacy of children in the Queensland preparatory trial. High quality early education has been shown to improve later school performance. By identifying factors that affect literacy, numeracy and social behaviour in the early years, this project contributes to improvements in literacy and numeracy outcomes for children and increased levels of pedagogical expertise for teachers. Children will have better chances of a ....Predicting progress: A longitudinal study of the social behaviour, numeracy and literacy of children in the Queensland preparatory trial. High quality early education has been shown to improve later school performance. By identifying factors that affect literacy, numeracy and social behaviour in the early years, this project contributes to improvements in literacy and numeracy outcomes for children and increased levels of pedagogical expertise for teachers. Children will have better chances of achieving essential standards in literacy and numeracy, especially in rural, remote, Indigenous, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. National benefits include contributing to life long learning and improving the life chances of young children. Read moreRead less
Researching teachers' funds of knowledge and teaching repertoires in relation to student diversity. Diversity in the Australian community has been recognised as a valuable national asset. This project will provide insight into how classrooms can be formed to value diversity among students and provide learning opportunities for all students whatever their background or needs. Students' experiences within schools provide them with a blueprint of the way communities operate, particularly in terms o ....Researching teachers' funds of knowledge and teaching repertoires in relation to student diversity. Diversity in the Australian community has been recognised as a valuable national asset. This project will provide insight into how classrooms can be formed to value diversity among students and provide learning opportunities for all students whatever their background or needs. Students' experiences within schools provide them with a blueprint of the way communities operate, particularly in terms of how inclusion and exclusion are decided, how conflicts are dealt with, and how consensus between members of a group can be built. This project will help clarify how inclusive communities for students and teachers are formed and managed over time. Read moreRead less
Learning essential knowledge by design: Promoting and connecting mathematics and science in the middle years of schooling. In the international setting, Australia's scientific and technical competitiveness is under threat. In the US this similar threat has elicited responses that focus on new mathematics and science teachers and teacher professional learning. This project aligns with major national and state initiatives to develop curricula that promote essential learnings and standards without ....Learning essential knowledge by design: Promoting and connecting mathematics and science in the middle years of schooling. In the international setting, Australia's scientific and technical competitiveness is under threat. In the US this similar threat has elicited responses that focus on new mathematics and science teachers and teacher professional learning. This project aligns with major national and state initiatives to develop curricula that promote essential learnings and standards without losing sight of current educational approaches such as middle years of schooling. The project will explore research-based, integrated pedagogies, content and assessment to provide Australian teachers with new ways of engaging students with the mathematics and science curricula.Read moreRead less
Restructuring Statistical Reasoning in the Early School Years: A Longitudinal Study of Data Modelling. Research Priority 2 (the goal, Strengthening Australia's Social and Economic Fabric) is targeted. By providing young learners with the foundations of data modelling, which has been ignored in early curricula, the study will sow the seeds for productive participation in a data-driven society and effective use of its increasingly complex economic and social systems. The foundational statistical i ....Restructuring Statistical Reasoning in the Early School Years: A Longitudinal Study of Data Modelling. Research Priority 2 (the goal, Strengthening Australia's Social and Economic Fabric) is targeted. By providing young learners with the foundations of data modelling, which has been ignored in early curricula, the study will sow the seeds for productive participation in a data-driven society and effective use of its increasingly complex economic and social systems. The foundational statistical ideas and processes to be developed will lay the groundwork for further studies in the key curriculum areas, 'chance and data,' 'probability and statistics,' 'science and society,' and 'life and living.' Professional gains include knowledge of ways to implement mathematical and scientific experiences that capitalise on young children's potential.Read moreRead less
Physical activity in the construction of occupation for primary school aged children. Children become less physically active as they make the transition from childhood to adolescence. The physical, medical, social and concomitant psychological sequela of inactivity is of major concern to the community. The aim of this study is to map change in physical activity patterns in an identified group of 315 children currently aged between 6 and 7 years of age. Studies with children in their primary sc ....Physical activity in the construction of occupation for primary school aged children. Children become less physically active as they make the transition from childhood to adolescence. The physical, medical, social and concomitant psychological sequela of inactivity is of major concern to the community. The aim of this study is to map change in physical activity patterns in an identified group of 315 children currently aged between 6 and 7 years of age. Studies with children in their primary school years and of a longitudinal nature such as this one have not to date been undertaken. The study will utilize quantitative and qualitative methodolgies to: (a)describe change,(b) determine the primary socioeconomical, environmental, child and family level factors which explain a decrease in physical activity, and (c) try to understand at the level of child and family what has driven these changes. The outcomes of this study will enable researchers to move forward in developing targeted interventions appropriately at this important age group.Read moreRead less
Researching Collective Argumentation in Mathematics and Science Classrooms. The project will provide evidence-based pedagogical strategies for the reform of classroom teaching and learning in the crucial areas of mathematics and science. We will develop a form of pedagogy (Collective Argumentation) that enables students to be confident in deploying mathematical and scientific knowledge and skills in relation to the economic and social choices that they make in everyday contexts. Collective Argum ....Researching Collective Argumentation in Mathematics and Science Classrooms. The project will provide evidence-based pedagogical strategies for the reform of classroom teaching and learning in the crucial areas of mathematics and science. We will develop a form of pedagogy (Collective Argumentation) that enables students to be confident in deploying mathematical and scientific knowledge and skills in relation to the economic and social choices that they make in everyday contexts. Collective Argumentation can induct students into 'habits of mind and social practices' necessary for building an innovative learning community. This project will enable us to extend this innovative approach and to further develop its effectiveness.Read moreRead less
Effects of training teachers in communication skills during cooperative learning on classroom discourse, social inclusion, and learning among middle-year students. Helping children work together, communicate effectively, and think constructively are critically important if children are to engage in learning, develop self-efficacy as learners, and respect for the unique contributions of others to their learning experiences. Teachers play a key role in creating leaning environments that are conduc ....Effects of training teachers in communication skills during cooperative learning on classroom discourse, social inclusion, and learning among middle-year students. Helping children work together, communicate effectively, and think constructively are critically important if children are to engage in learning, develop self-efficacy as learners, and respect for the unique contributions of others to their learning experiences. Teachers play a key role in creating leaning environments that are conducive to learning, responsive to children's needs, and supportive of their endeavours. This project will help teachers enhance children's strategic and metacognitive thinking and learning through the promotion of interactions and relationships that are inclusive of all children regardless of their diverse learning needs and social and ethnic identities.Read moreRead less
Comparative effectiveness of two strategic and meta-cognitive questioning approaches on children's explanatory behaviour, problem-solving, and learning during cooperative, inquiry-based learning. Teaching children to ask and answer questions is critically important if they are to engage effectively in reasoned argumentation, a cornerstone of inquiry-based learning. Unfortunately, in many schools, students are not consistently taught to pose and answer questions that challenge others' perspective ....Comparative effectiveness of two strategic and meta-cognitive questioning approaches on children's explanatory behaviour, problem-solving, and learning during cooperative, inquiry-based learning. Teaching children to ask and answer questions is critically important if they are to engage effectively in reasoned argumentation, a cornerstone of inquiry-based learning. Unfortunately, in many schools, students are not consistently taught to pose and answer questions that challenge others' perspectives, understandings, and learning, nor are they taught to simultaneously monitor, regulate, and evaluate their own thinking and learning. This project builds on the benefits widely attributed to promoting higher-level thinking by helping teachers to enhance students' use of strategic and metacognitive questioning and the development of explanatory discourse during inquiry-based learning.
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Enhancing mathematical learning for Indigenous students in remote communities: A design research approach. Students attending schools in remote community schools need to have quality learning practices that are sustainable in hard-to-staff regions. Indigenous students are not performing at acceptable levels in many measures of mathematical achievement so the project is of national significance in addressing this social phenomenon. The cultural-mathematical approach of the project is novel and of ....Enhancing mathematical learning for Indigenous students in remote communities: A design research approach. Students attending schools in remote community schools need to have quality learning practices that are sustainable in hard-to-staff regions. Indigenous students are not performing at acceptable levels in many measures of mathematical achievement so the project is of national significance in addressing this social phenomenon. The cultural-mathematical approach of the project is novel and offers new potential for learning. The project takes a holistic approach to this issue to include teachers, students and Aboriginal Education Workers in a partnership of learning mathematics. The principles developed through this project can be applied to learners and learning mathematics in other contexts.Read moreRead less