On representation and construction in a tectonic design studio

The study compares the roles of representation and construction in enhancing students' learning in a tectonic design studio by investigating issues of representational media use in the conception, development and communication of design processes and relating these to real-scale construction as a means of understanding tectonic design.

Critical examination of clinical teaching in undergraduate nurse education

Reports on the complex work of Australian clinical nurse teachers, identifying the influence of a range of socio-political factors. Teachers worked from personal curricula and often developed maternal relationships with students. They used time to descipline student learning whilst simultaneously being desciplined in their teaching practices by time.

Emagining change : English teachers and technology

This textually playful study focuses on gaining a deeper understanding of teacher beliefs about English and the influence of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs). Because English is in transformation, these insights into teachers' perpectives of their subject, technology and change will contribute to the productive rethinking of the profession. It employs narrative research, diaglogics and Actor Network Theory techniques.

Learning and teaching about disability

This thesis examined in-service education as a context for teachers and students to recognise and challenge ableism. It identified conditions that either promote consciousness of discrimination or maintain ableist beliefs and practices. The studies expose the role of ableism in constructing inequality, and highlight the change process individuals can experience.

Semantic and pedagogical aspects of affixation in Bahasa Indonesia

This thesis analyses eleven affixes sampled from a range of contemporary writings in Bahasa Indonesia. Though assumed to be basic, these affixes cause difficulties for tertiary-level non-native learners, thus suggesting the need for alternative materials and methods of instruction.

An evaluation of the Victorian Certificate of Education common study of English

This paper traces the development of the Victorian Certificate of Education and in particular the common English Field of Study demonstrating that the VCE is the culmination of many forces acting both within and from outside education. Changes in education are traced and the stimuli for these changes are shown to be economic, social, political and educational.

Contact with nature and children's mental, emotional, and social health

This research investigated the benefits of children's contact with nature as perceived by adult educators. It was found that contact with nature is perceived to: increase self-confidence and self-esteem; provide opportunities to experience mystery, privacy, and sensory engagement; connect children with school; and accommodate different learning styles and abilities.

The governance of specialist nursing education and professional practice

Researching the governance frameworks supporting specialist nursing education and practice attests to deficiencies with the frameworks, and incongruence between expectations of academics, regulators and the profession for performance outcomes. The thesis argues for an evidence based governance infrastructure for national application and establishment of functional cross sectoral partnerships.

English as an international language and teachers' professional identity

This thesis found that the notion of English as a lingua franca and its implications in teaching English are difficult for English teachers to accept in a social-cultural context where English is a foreign language. Teachers' professional identity is the key to determine the success or failure of educational innovations.

Subject cultures and pedagogy : comparing mathematics and science

This research found that a teacher is both a member of a culture and an individual, building practice within parameters set by a dynamic and multifaceted subject culture. Feelings of competence and confidence grow as an aesthetic understanding of what it means to know, teach, and appreciate a subject.

Communicative language teaching of a foreign language : the Indonesian 1984 senior high school English syllabus

This thesis examines the implementation of the 1984 English syllabus, which is claimed to be communicative. The study was conducted in three government Senior High Schools in Singaraja, northern Bali. The results indicate that the implementation of the Communicative Approach has been constrained by the limited resources, inadequate professional development and the national examination system, the EBTANAS.

Influence of gender and pair-type on preschool children's learning in computing context

The thesis examined early differences between girls and boys in their attitudes and social behaviour which might help explain why girls and women continue to reject computing. The behaviour of preschool children playing freely for three supervised sessions in either same-gender or mixed-gender pairs with a computerised robot was studied, and then their individual programming performance was measured. Conclusions were that social interaction and computer programming performance were not differentiated by gender. Mixed-gender pairs had a significant effect on both children's style of social interaction and their performance, an impact that was particularly negative for girls.

Meanings of the terms, problem and problem solving across the school curriculum

Many teachers at all levels of education find it hard to articulate what the terms problem and problem solving mean. This study was designed to explore the meanings of these concepts held by people involved in education.