Abstract Schools generally in Australia, as elsewhere, are increasingly IT-deficient compared to ... more Abstract Schools generally in Australia, as elsewhere, are increasingly IT-deficient compared to homes, workplaces and other areas of society (Moursund & Bielefeldt, 1999, p 5). Given this dearth of IT support, it is difficult to frame a meaningful policy for the inclusion of computers across the curriculum, because the equipment and its potential fail to match real-world opportunities.
This paper presents findings from a project run in the UK on the use of speech recognition in spe... more This paper presents findings from a project run in the UK on the use of speech recognition in special education, and compares these with the use of speech recognition products by students and staff in the Faculty of Education at the University of Tasmania. In each case, there are particular expectations about the benefits that speech recognition will bring, some of which have been met, and others that require specialist help to achieve.
ABSTRACT This preliminary report gives details of a project conducted in Tasmania to replicate st... more ABSTRACT This preliminary report gives details of a project conducted in Tasmania to replicate studies conducted in England. The UK-based BECTA report (2001) Primary Schools of the Futureachieving today analysed results from 2110 schools. It confirmed that schools with very good Information and Communication Technology (ICT) resources had more students achieving at higher levels in national English, Mathematics and Science tests.
Integral calculus is often taught in high schools to students aged fifteen or older. The project ... more Integral calculus is often taught in high schools to students aged fifteen or older. The project described in this paper investigates the possibility of introducing these concepts and capabilities to students aged 10 to 12 years using computer based algebra system software. At the end of the programme, the students attempt a test based on first year engineering degree calculus examinations.
Abstract This paper describes the development of a set of information and communication technolog... more Abstract This paper describes the development of a set of information and communication technology (ICT) competencies for initial teacher trainees. One of its strengths is its integration with a proposed curriculum framework for the use of computers across the curriculum in schools. The full set of competencies articulates with the nationally recognised Graduate Certificate of Education (Computing for Teaching and Learning).
Abstract Few contemporary pre-service teachers would have completed their schooling with the exte... more Abstract Few contemporary pre-service teachers would have completed their schooling with the extensive aid of computers. Yet, classroom use of information and communication technology (ICT) is now ubiquitous in much of the world. Today's pre-service teachers are the 'cusp generation'who, at a unique moment in history, straddle the two worlds of the ballpoint pen and the computer mouse. This study examined pre-service teachers' beliefs about their stakeholder role in terms of influencing ICT innovation and adoption.
Behaviour management is a foremost concern of new teachers and the schools in which they work. Go... more Behaviour management is a foremost concern of new teachers and the schools in which they work. Good behaviour management results in more pupil time on task, and this can be measured with feedback (Hattie, 2009). Pre-service teacher training is often criticised for poor connection between theory and practice (Standing Committee on Education and Vocational Training, 2007). Behaviour management is a particular skill where this connection is crucial.
The advent of relatively cheap micro-computers in the 1980s has led to major investment in inform... more The advent of relatively cheap micro-computers in the 1980s has led to major investment in information and communication technology (ICT) for schools. The technology has been developed continually, creating a situation where there may be significant differences between policy and practice. The literature relating to innovation diffusion and the rationale for ICT in school education has concentrated upon effectiveness and teacher professional development.
ABSTRACT This project reports an investigation into the relationship between computer use at scho... more ABSTRACT This project reports an investigation into the relationship between computer use at school and at home. 170 young people aged 8 to 18 were surveyed at school and at home. Focus groups and interviews were also conducted. The results suggest a shift away from local contacts to an increasingly national and global set of children's contacts as more access the internet at home. The study also revealed the importance of parental ICT skills and attitudes.
ABSTRACT Computers in students' homes greatly outnumber those in schools. This disparity and teac... more ABSTRACT Computers in students' homes greatly outnumber those in schools. This disparity and teachers' desire for equity make good reasons for adopting portable one-to-one ICT provision. This paper describes the provision of handheld computers to an entire primary school class. The implications for teacher and children were enormous; the learning environment became digital, and the handheld acted as a digital conduit between home and school.
ABSTRACT Computer-based assessment (CBA) has practical and economical benefits in that it allows ... more ABSTRACT Computer-based assessment (CBA) has practical and economical benefits in that it allows testing of a large student cohort with the facility of automated marking of responses. In 2001 we incorporated formative CBA as a means of promoting and measuring student understanding of course content. Anecdotal information suggests that student learning was enhanced and results showed that learning occurred. But, learning processes promoted by this technology need explication. We aimed to do this.
The SWOT analysis from Step 1 will have given some early warnings about poss ible disruptions to ... more The SWOT analysis from Step 1 will have given some early warnings about poss ible disruptions to the change process. Step 2 will have provided a wider appre ciation of the points of negotiation available within the initial SWOT. The involve ment of senior school management in this phase helps guarantee that energies are not wasted on unproductive pathways. At the same time, some of the ideas presented by practitioners (including classroom teachers) that they see as on their 'wish list'could be converted to 'possibilities' ...
Where documents are made available* through records in La Trobe University Research Online they m... more Where documents are made available* through records in La Trobe University Research Online they may be regarded as" open access" documents; interested readers may read, download or print them, but they remain protected by copyright, and many are subject to publishers' policies regarding use, reproduction or communication. Please check individual records for details of other permissible use. If you believe that any material has been made available without permission of the copyright owner please contact us with the details.
Many fraMeworks There are numerous frameworks covering and linking various aspects of ICT and its... more Many fraMeworks There are numerous frameworks covering and linking various aspects of ICT and its uses, teaching and learning, the curriculum and schooling. Each one has the potential to contribute to the work of the school development 'architect'. This chapter introduces a range of such frameworks, some of which have been formally published, and others that emerged in the course of the research undertaken by the authors. Examples are: frameworks covering levels of ICT use (Downes et al. 2001, p. 2); curriculum reform and ...
Now is the time for celebration! This stage embeds new practices into the life of the organisatio... more Now is the time for celebration! This stage embeds new practices into the life of the organisation and begins by sharing experiences, insights and outcomes. Towards the end of the designated project period, it is important for all the participants involved to collectively reflect on their achievements. What better way to do this than to invite people from outside the organisation to see what has been achieved? This can be a purposeful exhibition that highlights the differences between previous norms and the new ways of learning that have ...
Introduction As part of a large Australian Research Council funded grant, class-based observation... more Introduction As part of a large Australian Research Council funded grant, class-based observations were conducted into fifty Australian primary school classrooms during the period 2002–04. This excerpt from the study focuses on interviews conducted during week-long visits to schools. the sample and method Interviews were conducted in twenty-four Tasmanian primary schools. Of these schools, six were from the Catholic sector and eighteen were Department of Education schools. On the basis of their location, eleven ...
Abstract Schools generally in Australia, as elsewhere, are increasingly IT-deficient compared to ... more Abstract Schools generally in Australia, as elsewhere, are increasingly IT-deficient compared to homes, workplaces and other areas of society (Moursund & Bielefeldt, 1999, p 5). Given this dearth of IT support, it is difficult to frame a meaningful policy for the inclusion of computers across the curriculum, because the equipment and its potential fail to match real-world opportunities.
This paper presents findings from a project run in the UK on the use of speech recognition in spe... more This paper presents findings from a project run in the UK on the use of speech recognition in special education, and compares these with the use of speech recognition products by students and staff in the Faculty of Education at the University of Tasmania. In each case, there are particular expectations about the benefits that speech recognition will bring, some of which have been met, and others that require specialist help to achieve.
ABSTRACT This preliminary report gives details of a project conducted in Tasmania to replicate st... more ABSTRACT This preliminary report gives details of a project conducted in Tasmania to replicate studies conducted in England. The UK-based BECTA report (2001) Primary Schools of the Futureachieving today analysed results from 2110 schools. It confirmed that schools with very good Information and Communication Technology (ICT) resources had more students achieving at higher levels in national English, Mathematics and Science tests.
Integral calculus is often taught in high schools to students aged fifteen or older. The project ... more Integral calculus is often taught in high schools to students aged fifteen or older. The project described in this paper investigates the possibility of introducing these concepts and capabilities to students aged 10 to 12 years using computer based algebra system software. At the end of the programme, the students attempt a test based on first year engineering degree calculus examinations.
Abstract This paper describes the development of a set of information and communication technolog... more Abstract This paper describes the development of a set of information and communication technology (ICT) competencies for initial teacher trainees. One of its strengths is its integration with a proposed curriculum framework for the use of computers across the curriculum in schools. The full set of competencies articulates with the nationally recognised Graduate Certificate of Education (Computing for Teaching and Learning).
Abstract Few contemporary pre-service teachers would have completed their schooling with the exte... more Abstract Few contemporary pre-service teachers would have completed their schooling with the extensive aid of computers. Yet, classroom use of information and communication technology (ICT) is now ubiquitous in much of the world. Today's pre-service teachers are the 'cusp generation'who, at a unique moment in history, straddle the two worlds of the ballpoint pen and the computer mouse. This study examined pre-service teachers' beliefs about their stakeholder role in terms of influencing ICT innovation and adoption.
Behaviour management is a foremost concern of new teachers and the schools in which they work. Go... more Behaviour management is a foremost concern of new teachers and the schools in which they work. Good behaviour management results in more pupil time on task, and this can be measured with feedback (Hattie, 2009). Pre-service teacher training is often criticised for poor connection between theory and practice (Standing Committee on Education and Vocational Training, 2007). Behaviour management is a particular skill where this connection is crucial.
The advent of relatively cheap micro-computers in the 1980s has led to major investment in inform... more The advent of relatively cheap micro-computers in the 1980s has led to major investment in information and communication technology (ICT) for schools. The technology has been developed continually, creating a situation where there may be significant differences between policy and practice. The literature relating to innovation diffusion and the rationale for ICT in school education has concentrated upon effectiveness and teacher professional development.
ABSTRACT This project reports an investigation into the relationship between computer use at scho... more ABSTRACT This project reports an investigation into the relationship between computer use at school and at home. 170 young people aged 8 to 18 were surveyed at school and at home. Focus groups and interviews were also conducted. The results suggest a shift away from local contacts to an increasingly national and global set of children's contacts as more access the internet at home. The study also revealed the importance of parental ICT skills and attitudes.
ABSTRACT Computers in students' homes greatly outnumber those in schools. This disparity and teac... more ABSTRACT Computers in students' homes greatly outnumber those in schools. This disparity and teachers' desire for equity make good reasons for adopting portable one-to-one ICT provision. This paper describes the provision of handheld computers to an entire primary school class. The implications for teacher and children were enormous; the learning environment became digital, and the handheld acted as a digital conduit between home and school.
ABSTRACT Computer-based assessment (CBA) has practical and economical benefits in that it allows ... more ABSTRACT Computer-based assessment (CBA) has practical and economical benefits in that it allows testing of a large student cohort with the facility of automated marking of responses. In 2001 we incorporated formative CBA as a means of promoting and measuring student understanding of course content. Anecdotal information suggests that student learning was enhanced and results showed that learning occurred. But, learning processes promoted by this technology need explication. We aimed to do this.
The SWOT analysis from Step 1 will have given some early warnings about poss ible disruptions to ... more The SWOT analysis from Step 1 will have given some early warnings about poss ible disruptions to the change process. Step 2 will have provided a wider appre ciation of the points of negotiation available within the initial SWOT. The involve ment of senior school management in this phase helps guarantee that energies are not wasted on unproductive pathways. At the same time, some of the ideas presented by practitioners (including classroom teachers) that they see as on their 'wish list'could be converted to 'possibilities' ...
Where documents are made available* through records in La Trobe University Research Online they m... more Where documents are made available* through records in La Trobe University Research Online they may be regarded as" open access" documents; interested readers may read, download or print them, but they remain protected by copyright, and many are subject to publishers' policies regarding use, reproduction or communication. Please check individual records for details of other permissible use. If you believe that any material has been made available without permission of the copyright owner please contact us with the details.
Many fraMeworks There are numerous frameworks covering and linking various aspects of ICT and its... more Many fraMeworks There are numerous frameworks covering and linking various aspects of ICT and its uses, teaching and learning, the curriculum and schooling. Each one has the potential to contribute to the work of the school development 'architect'. This chapter introduces a range of such frameworks, some of which have been formally published, and others that emerged in the course of the research undertaken by the authors. Examples are: frameworks covering levels of ICT use (Downes et al. 2001, p. 2); curriculum reform and ...
Now is the time for celebration! This stage embeds new practices into the life of the organisatio... more Now is the time for celebration! This stage embeds new practices into the life of the organisation and begins by sharing experiences, insights and outcomes. Towards the end of the designated project period, it is important for all the participants involved to collectively reflect on their achievements. What better way to do this than to invite people from outside the organisation to see what has been achieved? This can be a purposeful exhibition that highlights the differences between previous norms and the new ways of learning that have ...
Introduction As part of a large Australian Research Council funded grant, class-based observation... more Introduction As part of a large Australian Research Council funded grant, class-based observations were conducted into fifty Australian primary school classrooms during the period 2002–04. This excerpt from the study focuses on interviews conducted during week-long visits to schools. the sample and method Interviews were conducted in twenty-four Tasmanian primary schools. Of these schools, six were from the Catholic sector and eighteen were Department of Education schools. On the basis of their location, eleven ...
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