Empowering practitioners to critically examine their current practice

A Self-Assessment Manual (SAM) for early childhood practitioners has been developed around the previously reported framework (Raban, Waniganayake, Deans, Brown & Reynolds, 2003a), and this has been piloted in a number of early childhood settings. When engaging in self reflection using SAM, practitioners collaborate with mentors from the Early Childhood Consortium Victoria (ECCV) to consider their past, present and future professional experiences. This process empowers practitioners to critically examine their current practice and plan for their future professional development in a more systematic way. SAM is seen here to serve dual purposes: on the one hand, it is an evaluative instrument that can direct professional development of individual practitioners. On the other hand, it is a research tool aimed at identifying theoretical assumptions underpinning professional practice, and allows a longitudinal approach to mapping professional growth and development. Either way, it has the potential to enhance the quality of early childhood experiences for preschool children regardless of the settings in which they may find themselves. This paper presents a formative evaluation of this work and discusses its potential for professional development planning.

Educational research in a global economy of knowledge production : what troubles a traveling textworker?

The first (and most specific) postcolonial intersection to which this paper refers was constituted initially by an Australian-South African institutional links project (funded by the Australian federal government) and subsequent collaborations and partnerships between Australian and South African academics arising (directly or indirectly) from this project. In this paper I will focus on activities that were intended to enhance research capacity in educational leadership and in environmental education, with particular reference to appropriate methodologies and supervision practices. Other postcolonial intersections to which this paper will refer include those that have been formed as a result of international students from various locations in Africa and Asia studying at Deakin (either on-campus or by distance modes). My purposes in the paper are (i) to examine, through cases and examples, some ways in which difference (with particular reference to race, ethnicity, language and location) might be linked to individual and/or community dispositions to take up (or to reject) specific research methodologies and epistemologies, and (ii) to consider the implications of such differences and dispositions for academic practices directed towards developing 'communities of understanding' at postcolonial intersections.

Western science and Islamic learners : informing constructivism, quality learning and `internationalising the curriculum`

This presentation reports on a two-phase research program which focuses on the experiences of Islamic-background learners in science/environmental education. The research program explores perceived dissonances between western science and Islamic belief as an issue for: the highly visible discourse of constructivism in science and environmental education; the policy challenges of ‘internationalising the university curriculum’; and the pedagogical challenge of ‘Quality Learning’ – in particular responding to ‘faith-based’ commitments in education.
Conceptually, the research program is conducted within a constructivist discourse. Essentially, we are proposing that dissonances experienced by Islamic-background learners in a western science curriculum (as reported in Sharifah, 2003), and the effects of these dissonances on how learners construct meaning in science, can be understood within a constructivist discourse. Further, we believe the research has the promise of not only exploring and explicating some of the issues experienced by teachers and learners in Islamic science education contexts (and thereby contributing to our understanding of the idea of ‘quality learning’), but also expanding our grasp of the expressions, implications and limitations of the constructivist hypothesis in education. In this sense it has a transformative agenda by working to improve access to and experience in the science curriculum for Muslim students.

Broadening the stakeholder base : Rio Tinto's business with communities programme

Developing long term Business with Community partnerships is becoming an increasingly strategic means of realising corporate citizenship, in one form or another. Many companies in Australia, and elsewhere, are rushing into this, often with disastrous results. One company which has been at the forefront of developing such partnerships, in ways to avoid some of the rushed disasters we are seeing right now, is Rio Tinto, with its Business With Communities Programme established for the last six years in Australia. At the heart of this programme is an approach to strategic corporate citizenship which has nothing to do with altruism, philanthropy or corporate generosity to the community. It is a serious exercise, driven by stakeholder dialogue, in building social capital in the communities in which Rio Tinto operates.

The lifestyle of our kids (LOOK) project : outline of methods

This methods paper outlines the overall design of a community-based multidisciplinary longitudinal study with the intent to stimulate interest and communication from scientists and practitioners studying the role of physical activity in preventive medicine. In adults, lack of regular exercise is a major risk factor in the development of chronic degenerative diseases and is a major contributor to obesity, and now we have evidence that many of our children are not sufficiently active to prevent early symptoms of chronic disease. The lifestyle of our kids (LOOK) study investigates how early physical activity contributes to health and development, utilizing a longitudinal design and a cohort of eight hundred and thirty 7–8-year-old (grade 2) school children followed to age 11–12 years (grade 6), their average family income being very close to that of Australia. We will test two hypotheses, that (a) the quantity and quality of physical activity undertaken by primary school children will influence their psychological and physical health and development; (b) compared with existing practices in primary schools, a physical education program administered by visiting specialists will enhance health and development, and lead to a more positive perception of physical activity. To test the first hypothesis we will monitor all children longitudinally over the 4 years. To test the second we will involve an intervention group of 430 children who receive two 50 min physical education classes every week from visiting specialists and a control group of 400 who continue with their usual primary school physical education with their class-room teachers. At the end of grades 2, 4, and 6 we will measure several areas of health and development including blood risk factors for chronic disease, cardiovascular structure and function, physical fitness, psychological characteristics and perceptions of physical activity, bone structure and strength, motor control, body composition, nutritional intake, influence of teachers and family, and academic performance.

Pathways from rural schools : does VET make a difference?

This paper reports findings from a survey of former students from six Australian rural school clusters. It compares the experiences and outcomes of students who had participated in a school vocational education and training (VET) program with those who had not. School VET courses intended to provide a pathway to local employment appear to be successful in retaining students who otherwise may have left school before completing Year 12, and in assisting their transition from school to work. For all school VET students, the work placement component of the program aids the transition to local jobs and apprenticeships, and increases youth retention in the community. As the findings indicate that school VET students are predisposed to live in a rural area at some time during their working life, the paper concludes that VET programs in rural areas have special potential to develop skills and pathways for the future workforce of rural Australia.