Examination of the latent structure of the psychological sense of school membership scale

Despite its widespread use, there has been limited examination of the underlying factor structure of the Psychological Sense of School Membership (PSSM) scale. The current study examined the psychometric properties of the PSSM to refine its utility for researchers and practitioners using a sample of 504 Australian high school students. Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the PSSM is a multidimensional instrument. Factor analysis procedures identified three factors representing related aspects of students’ perceptions of their school membership: caring relationships, acceptance, and rejection

Kindergarten transitions and linkages to primary school-readiness reconceptualised

Young children’s transition into school has been constructed as a time-limited period around initial school entry, a set of teacher or school practices, a process of establishing continuity of experience, a multi-layered, multi-year set of experiences and a dynamic relationship-based process. Although preparedness issues continue to be addressed, there is a trend towards more complex understandings of transition emphasizing continuity, relationships amongst multiple stakeholders, system coherence across extended time periods and enhancement of resilience and transition capital. This article, in the early years of a new century, outlines some conceptualisations of readiness and transition as they relate to diverse children’s pathways through early childhood and early school settings.

Grade A Taipei junior high school principals’ self-reported leadership practices

The principal’s leadership and curriculum development are considered the core elements for creating a high performing junior high school. In Taiwan, mathematics curriculum reform has been an ongoing topic since 1994. The pedagogy, classroom interactions, and the underlying philosophy of mathematics education have varied with different versions of guidelines. These changes inevitably increase the requirement for principals’ leadership in order to effectively implement the curriculum reform. Principals’ leadership is essential to the success of the implementation in their school. This study aimed to explore and identify the leadership of junior high school principals whose schools had been judged by the Taipei City Government as Grade A junior high schools. Principals’ implementations of the reformed mathematics curriculum were used as examples to generate insights of their leadership. This study drew upon a multiple-case study approach. Data were collected from interviews, observations, and documentations. Bass and Avolio’s (1997) full range leadership theory provided a structure for gaining insight into these principals’ leadership practices. Five Grade A Taipei junior high school principals participated and shared their leadership concepts and experiences. Findings revealed that the leadership preferences of the five principles varied considerably. Management by exception-active, contingent reward, individualised consideration, and idealised influence were Grade A Taipei junior high school principals’ preferred leadership practices. In addition, principals’ leadership strategies associated with these practices were identified. These principals had adopted a range of leadership strategies according to the staff and school needs. Results of this study have implications for both Taiwanese principals and education departments. Principals can enhance their leadership by gaining more understanding about the Grade A principals’ leadership practices and strategies. Taiwanese education departments can improve school leadership training programs by focusing on these practices and strategies, which may also lead to more effective strategies for implementing national curriculum reform.

Adapting to the work-life interface : the influence of individual differences, work and family on well-being, mental health and work engagement

Bronfenbrenner.s Bioecological Model, expressed as the developmental equation, D f PPCT, is the theoretical framework for two studies that bring together diverse strands of psychology to study the work-life interface of working adults. Occupational and organizational psychology is focused on the demands and resources of work and family, without emphasising the individual in detail. Health and personality psychology examine the individual but without emphasis on the individual.s work and family roles. The current research used Bronfenbrenner.s theoretical framework to combine individual differences, work and family to understand how these factors influence the working adult.s psychological functioning. Competent development has been defined as high well-being (measured as life satisfaction and psychological well-being) and high work engagement (as work vigour, work dedication and absorption in work) and as the absence of mental illness (as depression, anxiety and stress) and the absence of burnout (as emotional exhaustion, cynicism and professional efficacy). Study 1 and 2 were linked, with Study 1 as a cross-sectional survey and Study 2, a prospective panel study that followed on from the data used in Study1. Participants were recruited from a university and from a large public hospital to take part in a 3-wave, online study where they completed identical surveys at 3-4 month intervals (N = 470 at Time 1 and N = 198 at Time 3). In Study 1, hierarchical multiple regressions were used to assess the effects of individual differences (Block 1, e.g. dispositional optimism, coping self-efficacy, perceived control of time, humour), work and family variables (Block 2, e.g. affective commitment, skill discretion, work hours, children, marital status, family demands) and the work-life interface (Block 3, e.g. direction and quality of spillover between roles, work-life balance) on the outcomes. There were a mosaic of predictors of the outcomes with a group of seven that were the most frequent significant predictors and which represented the individual (dispositional optimism and coping self-efficacy), the workplace (skill discretion, affective commitment and job autonomy) and the work-life interface (negative work-to-family spillover and negative family-to-work spillover). Interestingly, gender and working hours were not important predictors. The effects of job social support, generally and for work-life issues, perceived control of time and egalitarian gender roles on the outcomes were mediated by negative work-to-family spillover, particularly for emotional exhaustion. Further, the effect of negative spillover on depression, anxiety and work engagement was moderated by the individual.s personal and workplace resources. Study 2 modelled the longitudinal relationships between the group of the seven most frequent predictors and the outcomes. Using a set of non-nested models, the relative influences of concurrent functioning, stability and change over time were assessed. The modelling began with models at Time 1, which formed the basis for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to establish the underlying relationships between the variables and calculate the composite variables for the longitudinal models. The CFAs were well fitting with few modifications to ensure good fit. However, using burnout and work engagement together required additional analyses to resolve poor fit, with one factor (representing a continuum from burnout to work engagement) being the only acceptable solution. Five different longitudinal models were investigated as the Well-Being, Mental Distress, Well-Being-Mental Health, Work Engagement and Integrated models using differing combinations of the outcomes. The best fitting model for each was a reciprocal model that was trimmed of trivial paths. The strongest paths were the synchronous correlations and the paths within variables over time. The reciprocal paths were more variable with weak to mild effects. There was evidence of gain and loss spirals between the variables over time, with a slight net gain in resources that may provide the mechanism for the accumulation of psychological advantage over a lifetime. The longitudinal models also showed that there are leverage points at which personal, psychological and managerial interventions can be targeted to bolster the individual and provide supportive workplace conditions that also minimise negative spillover. Bronfenbrenner.s developmental equation has been a useful framework for the current research, showing the importance of the person as central to the individual.s experience of the work-life interface. By taking control of their own life, the individual can craft a life path that is most suited to their own needs. Competent developmental outcomes were most likely where the person was optimistic and had high self-efficacy, worked in a job that they were attached to and which allowed them to use their talents and without too much negative spillover between their work and family domains. In this way, individuals had greater well-being, better mental health and greater work engagement at any one time and across time.

Creative pedagogies and the contemporary school classroom

This chapter explores the ‘creative pedagogies’ of imaginative teaching and learning and the development of creative capacities in formal schooling. It considers how educational policies enable and constrain creative thinking as students learn through play and experimentation. The chapter outlines two classroom based case studies involving creative media technologies in Queensland, Australia. It argues that Queensland’s ‘open’ system of curriculum development enabled the two schools to implement transdisciplinary ‘rich tasks’ for the students. However, there are constraints related to the social mediation of creativity and the influence of high stakes testing in foregrounding ‘value’ and ‘purpose’ in learning.

Enabling 21st century learning spaces : practical interpretations of the MCEETYA Learning Spaces Framework at Bounty Boulevard State School, Queensland, Australia

While the Queensland and Australian Governments have recognised the importance of new spaces for teaching and learning, particularly with the Rudd Government's Building the Education Revolution, the practical implementation of new spaces is largely left to schools and even individual teachers. This article proposes a theory for the consideration of 21st century learning spaces in relation to the learner, desired knowledge and understanding, digital technology and digital pedagogy. New and emerging learning spaces at Bounty Boulevard State School are analysed and critiqued through an analysis of the guiding principles offered by the 'Learning in an Online World: Learning Spaces Framework' (MCEETYA, 2008) publication, including flexibility, inclusivity, collaboration, creativity and efficiency. The argument put forward in this article is that 21st century learning spaces can be enabled while acknowledging barriers of resourcing and current ICT infrastructure.

Handhelds nuture inquiring minds : an Australian high school case study

Technology is not always introduced into educational contexts in ways that position pedagogy to the fore. In optimizing learning, forward looking approaches require that we question what it means to be an educated person in the 21st Century and how individuals should engage with technologies to be suitably equipped for emergent knowledge age work. Responses to such ideas typically emphasize collaborative knowledge building where technology is employed as a tool to think with and allows for the active messing with and the development of ideas, rather than merely being a passive window to information. This paper discusses a very deliberate attempt to address a range of imperatives and competing demands within a high school setting where wireless handheld technologies integrated with a learning management system (Moodle) are used to scaffold and implement knowledge sharing and knowledge-building within the school community.

Building bridges to participation : sociocultural case studies of AfL

Assessment for Learning(AfL) case studies in a North Queensland school highlight the significance of the teacher-student relationship in creating a supportive culture within which students can negotiate new learner identities. AfL practices are school based evaluative practices that occur within the regular flow of teaching and learning with the purpose of informing and improving student learning to enhance learner autonomy. The identity of an autonomous learner is socially negotiated through participation in the community of practice of the class. Underpinned by a sociocultural perspective this research shows how AfL is manifested in action in its complexity and how positive teacher-student interactions can build bridges for students to move towards full participation.

Three primary school students’ cognition about 3D rotation in a virtual reality learning environment

This paper reports on three primary school students’ explorations of 3D rotation in a virtual reality learning environment (VRLE) named VRMath. When asked to investigate if you would face the same direction when you turn right 45 degrees first then roll up 45 degrees, or when you roll up 45 degrees first then turn right 45 degrees, the students found that the different order of the two turns ended up with different directions in the VRLE. This was contrary to the students’ prior predictions based on using pen, paper and body movements. The findings of this study showed the difficulty young children have in perceiving and understanding the non-commutative nature of 3D rotation and the power of the computational VRLE in giving students experiences that they rarely have in real life with 3D manipulations and 3D mental movements.

Providing a law degree for the “real world” : perspective of an Australian law school

The Queensland University of Technology badges itself as “a university for the real world”. For the last decade the Law Faculty has aimed to provide its students with a ‘real world’ degree, that is, a practical law degree. This has seen skills such as research, advocacy and negotiation incorporated into the undergraduate degree under a University Teaching & Learning grant, a project that gained international recognition and praise. In 2007–2008 the Law Faculty undertook another curriculum review of its undergraduate law degree. As a result of the two year review, QUT’s undergraduate lawdegree has fewer core units, a focus on first year student transition, scaffolding of law graduate capabilities throughout the degree,work integrated learning and transition to the workplace. The revised degree commenced implementation in 2009. This paper focuses on the “real world” approach to the degree achieved through the first year programme, embedding and scaffolding law graduate capabilities through authentic and valid assessment and work integrated learning.

Implementation of an embedded sensor network for the coordination of Slocum gliders for coastal monitoring and observation

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are revolutionizing oceanography through their versatility, autonomy and endurance. However, they are still an underutilized technology. For coastal operations, the ability to track a certain feature is of interest to ocean scientists. Adaptive and predictive path planning requires frequent communication with significant data transfer. Currently, most AUVs rely on satellite phones as their primary communication. This communication protocol is expensive and slow. To reduce communication costs and provide adequate data transfer rates, we present a hardware modification along with a software system that provides an alternative robust disruption- tolerant communications framework enabling cost-effective glider operation in coastal regions. The framework is specifically designed to address multi-sensor deployments. We provide a system overview and present testing and coverage data for the network. Additionally, we include an application of ocean-model driven trajectory design, which can benefit from the use of this network and communication system. Simulation and implementation results are presented for single and multiple vehicle deployments. The presented combination of infrastructure, software development and deployment experience brings us closer to the goal of providing a reliable and cost-effective data transfer framework to enable real-time, optimal trajectory design, based on ocean model predictions, to gather in situ measurements of interesting and evolving ocean features and phenomena.

Autonomous underwater vehicles: development and implementation of time and energy efficient trajectories

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are increasingly used, both in military and civilian applications. These vehicles are limited mainly by the intelligence we give them and the life of their batteries. Research is active to extend vehicle autonomy in both aspects. Our intent is to give the vehicle the ability to adapt its behavior under different mission scenarios (emergency maneuvers versus long duration monitoring). This involves a search for optimal trajectories minimizing time, energy or a combination of both. Despite some success stories in AUV control, optimal control is still a very underdeveloped area. Adaptive control research has contributed to cost minimization problems, but vehicle design has been the driving force for advancement in optimal control research. We look to advance the development of optimal control theory by expanding the motions along which AUVs travel. Traditionally, AUVs have taken the role of performing the long data gathering mission in the open ocean with little to no interaction with their surroundings, MacIver et al. (2004). The AUV is used to find the shipwreck, and the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) handles the exploration up close. AUV mission profiles of this sort are best suited through the use of a torpedo shaped AUV, Bertram and Alvarez (2006), since straight lines and minimal (0 deg - 30 deg) angular displacements are all that are necessary to perform the transects and grid lines for these applications. However, the torpedo shape AUV lacks the ability to perform low-speed maneuvers in cluttered environments, such as autonomous exploration close to the seabed and around obstacles, MacIver et al. (2004). Thus, we consider an agile vehicle capable of movement in six degrees of freedom without any preference of direction.

Geometric Control Theory and its Application to Underwater Vehicles

This dissertation is based on theoretical study and experiments which extend geometric control theory to practical applications within the field of ocean engineering. We present a method for path planning and control design for underwater vehicles by use of the architecture of differential geometry. In addition to the theoretical design of the trajectory and control strategy, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the method via the implementation onto a test-bed autonomous underwater vehicle. Bridging the gap between theory and application is the ultimate goal of control theory. Major developments have occurred recently in the field of geometric control which narrow this gap and which promote research linking theory and application. In particular, Riemannian and affine differential geometry have proven to be a very effective approach to the modeling of mechanical systems such as underwater vehicles. In this framework, the application of a kinematic reduction allows us to calculate control strategies for fully and under-actuated vehicles via kinematic decoupled motion planning. However, this method has not yet been extended to account for external forces such as dissipative viscous drag and buoyancy induced potentials acting on a submerged vehicle. To fully bridge the gap between theory and application, this dissertation addresses the extension of this geometric control design method to include such forces. We incorporate the hydrodynamic drag experienced by the vehicle by modifying the Levi-Civita affine connection and demonstrate a method for the compensation of potential forces experienced during a prescribed motion. We present the design method for multiple different missions and include experimental results which validate both the extension of the theory and the ability to implement control strategies designed through the use of geometric techniques. By use of the extension presented in this dissertation, the underwater vehicle application successfully demonstrates the applicability of geometric methods to design implementable motion planning solutions for complex mechanical systems having equal or fewer input forces than available degrees of freedom. Thus, we provide another tool with which to further increase the autonomy of underwater vehicles.

The exemplification of governance principles within state asset management laws and policies : the case of Indonesia

Efficient state asset management is crucial for governments as they facilitate the fulfillment of their public functions, which include the provision of essential services and other public administration support. In recent times economies internationally and particularly in South east Asia, have displayed increased recognition of the importance of efficiencies across state asset management law, policies and practice. This has been exemplified by a surge in notable instances of reform in state asset management. A prominent theme in this phenomenon is the consideration of governance principles within the re-conceptualization of state asset management law and related policy, with many countries recognizing variability in the quality of asset governance and opportunities for profit as being critical factors. This issue is very current in Indonesia where a major reform process in this area has been confirmed by the establishment of a new Directorate of State Asset Management. The incumbent Director-General of State Asset Management has confirmed a re-emphasis on adherence to governance principles within applicable state asset management law and policy reform. This paper reviews aspects of the challenge of reviewing and reforming Indonesian practice within state asset management law and policy specifically related to public housing, public buildings, parklands, and vacant land. A critical issue in beginning this review is how Indonesia currently conceptualizes the notion of asset governance and how this meaning is embodied in recent changes in law and policy and importantly in options for future change. This paper discusses the potential complexities uniquely Indonesian characteristics such as decentralisation and regional autonomy regime, political history, and bureaucratic culture

Pedagogy and participation : literacy education for low-literate refugee students of African origin in a western school system

For ESL teachers working with low-literate adolescents the challenge is to provide instruction in basic literacy capabilities while also realising the benefits of interactive and dialogic pedagogies advocated for the students. In this article we look at literacy pedagogy for refugees of African origin in Australian classrooms. We report on an interview study conducted in an intensive English language school for new arrival adolescents and in three regular secondary schools. Brian Street’s ideological model is used. From this perspective, literacy entails not only technical skills, but also social and cultural ways of making meaning that are embedded within relations of power. The findings showed that teachers were strengthening control of instruction to enable mastery of technical capabilities in basic literacy and genre analysis. We suggest that this approach should be supplemented by a critical approach transforming relations of linguistic power that exclude, marginalise and humiliate the study students in the classroom.