Emancipatory pedagogies in a grade 11 social studies classroom

This study aimed to uncover the incorporation of transformative pedagogies into the social studies curriculum. This educational approach aims to educate students about a variety of forms of oppression based on race, gender, sexuality, class, ethnicity, and culture, through the use of dialogue to uncover the students' understanding and personal experience with these concepts. This study examined the impact of discussing these topics in a grade 11 class of 22 White students (of various cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds). The teacher, Kelvin, and two of his students were interviewed and his class was observed on four occasions over a 2-week period. Based on the data I collected, I argue that a range of emancipatory teaching approaches should be used in critical classroom discourse. These different approaches emphasize the importance of critical thinking, the ability to recognize and combat oppression, the understanding and respect of different cultures, and the ability to recognize the impact of gender and sexuality on the past and present. These are life skills that extend beyond the curriculum (Freire, 1970; Giroux, 1988; hooks, 1994). This study fills a theory to practice gap in the research literature on transformative practice within Canadian contexts. The findings are important for several reasons. Firstly, they illustrated how the teacher's ideology and personal history affect hislher teaching and learning philosophies and approach to teaching. This has implications for the overall classroom environment, what students learn, and how teachers are trained. Secondly, this study provided a glimpse of what transformative pedagogy could look like from a pragmatic standpoint and demonstrated the complexity of using these multiple approaches in the classroom.

Professional development : the singing ear sees and does

This paper argues that professional development is seen as one element that can lead to the types of change that create more effective schools and improve the learning outcomes of students (Rhodes and Houghton-Hill, 2000). As change is a multifaceted phenomenon that teachers find difficult, it questions and challenges education reform that requires teachers to significantly change their practices and approaches to teaching without significant long-term ongoing support for that change. While there is an emphasis on teachers to be lifelong learners and teaching is viewed as a dynamic and growing profession, many teachers will require ongoing professional development to support such change. This paper examines the relationship between professional growth and professional development and its impact on teacher change. This paper concludes with some views from artists-in-residence and from music teachers regarding onsite professional development and the need for ongoing professional development specifically in African music. The authors contend that an expanded program of professional development in music is likely to be more effective if it is onsite and long-term where broad educational views are considered and participants’ knowledge valued.

P(ICT)ures of English : teachers, learners and technology

The increasing challenges presented by information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the need for English curriculum to prepare young adults for the digital world are raised in this work. Viewed from the standpoint of current theoretical debates on the subject among educators, it draws on a wide range of classroom and real-world experiences to explore how technology affects the instruction of English. Teachers' knowledge of these technologies and their practices in assimilating them into English curriculums are celebrated and exciting scenarios for the future are presented.

Arlathirnda ngurkarnda ityirnda: being-knowing-doing: de-colonising indigenous tertiary education

Veronica Arbon is currently Professor and Chair in Indigenous Knowledge Systems at Deakin University. She has succeeded in delineating and elaborating on the dialects of coloniser- colonised interaction in tertiary education in a way that expands our understanding and opens many new questions and avenues of inquiry.

Students' experiences of e-learning at school

The dissertation describes the experiences of senior secondary students taking an online course for the first time to further their language education. The experiences are presented from the perspective of students, of supervising teachers and the 'virtual' teacher. Issues of importance with younger learners are identified and discussed and guidelines for the conduct of online courses at school level developed. It is proposed that online courses may have a worthwhile place in school education if specific learning needs can be met using this medium.

Helping teachers surf the information and communication technology tsunami

A range of factors, both internal and external, is creating changes in teaching and teachers’ professional lives. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is just one of the major changes impacting on the teaching profession. As teachers face intense pressure to adapt to this tsunami, this study aims to investigate ways in which teachers can be helped. In South Australia, where this study is set, all teachers in Government schools are expected to be "ICT Smart", i.e. able to use appropriate forms of ICT to enhance the teaching and learning environment of their classrooms. From the researcher’s involvement for over a decade in professional development for teachers, and from visits to many schools, it appears that numerous teachers have not reached this standard. The greatest need is in Reception to Year 7 schools where the average age of teachers is nearly 50. Because no state-wide data exists, this study is intended to establish if there is a problem and if there is, to identify specific needs and offer possible solutions. The study is comprised of four parts: Part A, the Introduction gives an overview of the inter-relationships between these parts and the overall Folio. It establishes the setting and provides a rationale for the study and its focus on Professional Development in Information and Communication Technology. Part B, the Elective Research Studies, follows the writer’s involvement in this field since the 1980s. It establishes the theme of "Moving best practice in ICT from the few to the many" which underlies the whole study. Part C, the Dissertation, traces the steps taken to investigate the need for professional development in ICT. This is achieved by analysing and commenting on data collected from a state-wide survey and a series of interviews with leading figures, and by providing a review of the relevant literature and past and existing models of professional development. Part D, Final Comments, provides an overview of the whole Folio and a reflection on the research that has been conducted. The findings are that there is widespread dissatisfaction with existing models and that there is an urgent need for professional development in this area, because nearly 20% of teachers either do not use computers or are considered to be novice users. Another 25% are considered to be below not yet "ICT Smart". Less than 10% of ICT co-ordinators have a formal qualification in the field but more than 85% of them are interested in a Masters program. The study offers solutions in Part B where there is a discussion of a range of strategies to provide on-going professional development for teachers. Chapter 9 provides an outline of a proposed Masters level program and offers suggestions on how it could be best delivered. This program would meet the identified needs of ICT co-ordinators. The study concludes with a series of recommendations and suggestions for further research. The Education Department must address these urgent professional development needs of teachers, particularly those in the more remote country regions. There needs to be a follow-up survey to establish to what extent teachers in South Australia are now "ICT Smart ".

Case study of the integration of ICT's into the school curriculum

This study, conducted in a laptop environment, found many factors mediate teachers' integration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) into the curriculum. Successful integration of ICTs was not so much related to pedagogical style and teachers' self-sufficiency with computers, as to the principle of 'teachers first' and professional development which utilizes a 'situative-learning' model.

Supporting community, culture and collaboration with emerging e-Learning technologies

This thesis examined whether wikis, online lectures and Drupal could be used to support community, culture and collaboration in an e-Learning environment. A series of information technology usability studies informed the iterative development of the technologies, culminating in a framework for implementing e-Learning technologies to support community, culture and collaboration.

Thirnda ngurkarnda ityrnda : ontologies in indigenous tertiary education

When Indigenous knowledge production is shifted through critical work in curriculum, Indigenous employment and authority underpinned by stronger Indigenous philosophies and cultures, resistance emerges. A storied descriptive and reflexive approach from within Arabana philosophy and ontologies - Yalka - brings understanding for a new old way in tertiary education and life.

'no through road'? Disadvantage in rural education

Investigates educational disadvantage for students completing their secondary education in rural schools. For these students rural location has contributed reduced exposure to a broad range of literacy practices, and involvement in student cohorts with lower levels of socio-economic status, less extensive cultural knowledge and lower post-school aspirations.

Proof of Concept : developing a peer reviewed evidence-based interactive e-learning programme

Knowledge and skill acquisition related to vascular access are traditionally individual institutional educational initiatives. Australia currently has no national evidence based education programme for renal nurses. A survey of Australian and New Zealand Nephrology Educators' conducted in 2009, identified the need for more effective and consistent delivery of clinical education for nurses using innovative, web-based approaches supporting the tenets of e-learning methodologies. This paper discusses the development, implementation and proposed evaluation of a peer reviewed Australasian e-learning programme on buttonhole cannulation. It will further highlight the benefits of inter-organisational partnerships and how these partnerships can facilitate positive change in teaching and learning practices. This project has unique characteristics that collectively provide value, distinction and innovation to nurses, patients and renal departments. As the e-learning programme was founded on a platform of evidence-based practice it is therefore easily transferable to an international context.

School finance reform in Texas; a report to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights,

Cover title.

A generation deprived : Los Angeles school desegregation : a report of the United States Commission on Civil Rights.

On cover: Equal education.

Statement on the fiscal year 1983 education budget.

Item 288-A