Journal of Student Engagement: Education Matters

Biographies 2013 - JSEEM 3(1)

Russell Walton — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:16:41 PDT

Brief biographies of individual contributors.

Pre-service teacher training in gifted and talented education: An Australian perspective

Kylie Fraser-Seeto — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:16:27 PDT

Our gifted and talented students come with a diverse and unique range of characteristics and abilities across a wide range of domains. Research supports the need for appropriate educational opportunities that matches their capabilities, and allows them to reach their full potential. However, a teacher’s capacity to adequately identify and program to meet the specific learning and developmental needs of gifted and talented students is not always addressed as part of pre-service teacher training. This is particularly striking given that research repeatedly supports challenging teacher attitudes toward, and beliefs about, gifted education in order to challenge misconceptions. Providing preservice teachers with opportunities to gain knowledge and skills, and have access to resources in gifted education, can significantly impact on their ability to maximise gifted student outcomes through effective learning experiences. Despite a long history of educational provisions for gifted and talented education in Australia, there remains a lack of response to research and government inquiries that maintain the need for increased teacher training, especially at pre-service level.

Instilling a personal teaching philosophy in pre-service teachers: Vitally important but not always easy to achieve

Lena Soccorsi — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:10:24 PDT

A personal teaching philosophy is an essential and active element of a teacher. Acquiring a philosophy is powerful, in that it directs and guides a teacher’s teaching practices in the classroom as well as how they perceive teaching and learning and the students around them. This paper aims to discuss the importance of developing and reflecting on a personal teaching philosophy as a pre-service teacher, with a particular emphasis on the process of its development and its usefulness as a tool for developing pedagogy. The development of a personal teaching philosophy will be explored through a discussion on best practice and reflection, with insights into the procedural differences for undergraduate and Graduate Diploma of Education teaching philosophy development. The paper will also explore the university’s role and challenges in assisting pre-service teachers to develop a personal teaching philosophy.

Problem Solving: Solutions Associated with Music in NSW Primary Schools

Claire Rogerson — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:02:41 PDT

The greatest inadequacy of primary teaching lies in music instruction and, as such, students are not given the quality education that they deserve. Whether this is due to a lack of teacher confidence, a failure to see the importance of music, curriculum restrictions or the overwhelming nature of standardised testing, quality music programs are not consistently apparent in primary public schools. This paper examines the issues that are blamed for a lack of quality music education and offers solutions that aim to turn around this prognosis for future students.

Teaching English as a lingua franca in Tyrol, Austria

Sarah Harding — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:02:33 PDT

More speakers of other languages are using English to communicate in today’s globalising world. It is important for foreign students to learn English to communicate effectively. This paper looks at an overview of the Austrian compulsory education system and then discusses the demand for native English-speaking high school teachers in Austria, and how native and nonnative speakers can work together to teach English as an international language. Effective ways for native speakers to teach within the Austrian academic secondary school context in Tyrol are examined, as these will develop intercultural understanding and respect for other cultures. The article concludes by highlighting the impact that teaching English as an international language may have on interculturalism and international communication throughout the world.

Editorial 2013 - JSEEM 3(1)

Russell Walton — Mon, 13 May 2013 20:55:41 PDT

Welcome to the latest edition of the Journal of Student Engagement: Education matters. Readership of the undergraduate articles continues to grow apace through wide accessibility – one student has had over 4,000 downloads in the last twelve months. Graduating students have even had their articles raised as an interview topic when applying for teaching positions. For a significant number of students, having a paper published in JSEEM is now part of their career planning. We encourage students to view their papers as professional development and this is borne out through the positive attitudes they bring to the process. Mentoring becomes a pleasure when dealing with thinking that is both vigorous and open.

Biographies 2012 - JSEEM 2(1)

Russell Walton — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:06:30 PDT

Author biographies for Journal of Student Engagement: Education matters, 2 (1)

Exploring the intertextual and multimodal connections young adults make in their explorations of hard copy and visual texts: Some implications for classroom teachers

Lara Sheils — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:06:29 PDT

This paper will examine the intertextual and multimodal connections identified and explored by young adults as they engaged with a hard-copy text (book) and a related visual medium (film). Four fourth-year pre-service teachers from the University of Wollongong were recruited to participate in extensive semistructured interviews, during which they explored their interactions with their chosen mediums. Focus was placed on how individuals constructed meaning, the connections they identified between the mediums, and any cultural knowledge they drew upon for interpretive purposes. The findings of this inquiry revealed five major themes that provide insight into the intertextual and multimodal nature of meaning-making processes employed for written and visual mediums, as explained by the participants. Through better understanding of how individuals construct meaning from these media forms, teachers are more able to adequately prepare students for future success in an advanced technological society.

The case of Drew: An animated social narrative intervention to improve the social skills of a student with a mild intellectual disability (MID)

Alyce Shepherd — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:06:27 PDT

This paper presents the case of nine-year-old Drew, a Year 3 Primary School student who has a Mild Intellectual Disability (MID). Drew is one of four individual case studies from a research project that examined the potential of students with MID co-constructing their own animated social narratives about being safe (keeping hands and feet to one-self) using the teaching approach of ‘slowmation’ (abbreviated from ‘slow animation’). This paper explores the extent that Drew was able to use slowmation to co-construct an animated social narrative and the ways in which this social skills intervention supported his understanding and application of safe behaviour at school. Drew worked oneon- one with a researcher across three forty-minute lessons to co-construct an animated social narrative. Data was gathered from audio-recorded, semistructured student and teacher interviews, video recorded lesson observations, student work samples, and student school behaviour records. Analysis of data revealed that Drew was able to successfully co-construct an animated social narrative about being safe at school by engaging with slowmation processes and that after co-construction his understanding of ways to be safe and his application of safe behaviour at school improved.

Quality teaching and learning in the educational context: Teacher pedagogy to support learners of a modern digital society

Amanda-Rita Gigliotti — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:06:27 PDT

National and international research has been undertaken on the effects of oneto- one (1:1) laptop programs in education, however, there is minimal literature available on the impacts of such a program on students’ achievements of learning outcomes in the Australian primary school setting. Therefore, this paper reports on the findings of an honours inquiry, which investigated whether a 1:1 laptop program could allow students to engage in higher-order thinking when participating in the laptop-based tasks designed by their teachers during a COGS unit of work. Through exploring the findings of this research study, an understanding can develop about the use of laptops as tools for learning in the educational context and allow an insight into whether laptops can enable quality teaching and learning to occur in Australian primary school classrooms. It is imperative that teachers develop quality teaching and learning experiences that allow their students to actively participate in their learning and engage in higher-order thinking. Thus, this paper draws on a number of sources such as the New South Wales Quality Teaching Model and the New South Wales Professional Teaching Standards to highlight the complexity of teachers’ work and the importance of planning for learning in a 21st century digital society.

Introduction to special Honours feature - JSEEM 2 (1)

Shirley Agostinho — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:06:26 PDT

As the 2011 Honours coordinator, I am delighted to introduce the following papers written by three students from the 2011 Honours cohort. These papers represent diverse research topics and present implications for practice by providing recommendations for teachers.

Race and education: Hidden links between media and Indigenous academic self-concept

Kelsey Wall — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:06:25 PDT

The aim of this paper is to locate ideological constructions of racism in relation to the Australian education system that are imbricated within the structure of newspaper reporting. The study focuses on reports concerning the poor and rapidly declining Aboriginal student academic standards as presented in The Australian and the resultant socio-psychological implications held and enforced by, firstly, Australian society, and then, more significantly, adopted by the students themselves. The analysis of these reports follows the analytic paradigm of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and is undertaken in two stages. Firstly, giving a general depiction of media techniques and structures, which highlight discursive practices of ‘othering’ of ethnic minority, and secondly, the effects of these stereotypes upon indigenous students’ academic self-concept.

Cultures education in the primary years: Promoting active global citizenship in a changing world

Megan Blight — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:06:24 PDT

The purpose of this article is to address the importance of authentic cultures education in the primary years. With the rapid globalisation that has taken place over the past century, there has emerged a great need for individuals to participate as active global citizens. It is within the school context that these skills, values and attitudes are fundamentally developed. This paper seeks to provide practical ways for educators to achieve this kind of relevant and effective intercultural education in the classroom.

Inclusion through multiple intelligences

Sarah Murray — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:06:23 PDT

Inclusion ensures education is accessible to all students regardless of age, race, gender and abilities. Teachers differentiate the classroom environment along with the content and its delivery, in order to cater for all students’ needs at an individual and class level. Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences (MI) can be used as a mediator, to differentiate how students access this content. Using MI-inspired lessons allows students to explore important concepts using a range of domains, and find information based on their own abilities. This paper addresses issues around using multiple intelligences to create an inclusive classroom.

Intrinsic motivaiton in the classroom

Krystle Valerio — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:06:22 PDT

Motivation plays a significant role in a student’s learning and development. It is part of teachers’ pedagogy to develop in students the desire for new knowledge and understandings, known as intrinsic motivation. All students are unique; educators, through implementing a variety of motivational techniques, can have considerable influence on students’ participation and self-expression. Individual teachers have the capability of making learning empowering, thus allowing the energy of the classroom to be filled with excitement and anticipation. The purpose of this paper is to examine my own understandings of the importance of intrinsic motivation within the classroom, as it applies to pre-service teachers. It is important for pre-service teachers to think about ways to motivate students in the classroom, as part of the process of developing lifelong learners and to develop effective practice.

Impacts of parenting on children's schooling

Ediva Hong — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:06:22 PDT

Being the backbone of every child, ‘parenting style’ is an intricate aspect to grasp despite the voluminous research that exists. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to synthesise the various research on theoretical findings, in relation to Diana Baumrind’s parenting styles. It examines the different ways in which parenting styles impact on children’s behaviour, which, in turn, influences the predictive effects on their academic achievement. It aims to bridge the gap between children’s home and school environments, bringing together the key elements of children’s lives, in order to form a more-informed approach toward their learning. Essentially, every parenting style impacts differently on each child, however, common behavioural tendencies exist that can be used to support areas that need attention.

Twice-exceptionality in the classroom

Stephanie Chivers — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:06:21 PDT

Who are twice-exceptional students, what are their needs and how does a teacher best facilitate their learning in the primary classroom? The purpose of this paper is to identify issues surrounding twice-exceptionality and explore how classroom teachers can overcome some of these educational issues. Three foci are addressed: teacher attitudes toward twice-exceptional students, issues surrounding misdiagnosis and the importance of curriculum differentiation for learners. Teachers need a comprehensive understanding of the condition, equipped with a positive attitude and ample curriculum differentiation options tailored to individual strengths and weaknesses. Quality support for students in their primary years will result in individual success in future schooling and work life. With enough attention, adequate support and an education tailored to their needs, they can not only succeed, but excel in life.

Inside inclusion: Asperger's and teaching

Jessica Tougher — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:06:20 PDT

Asperger’s syndrome (AS) is a developmental disorder that influences the behaviour of a person socially. People diagnosed with AS have impairments in social relationships, communication issues and repetitive patterns of behaviour. Considering this, students with AS require additional needs within the classroom setting. This article briefly examines the educational options for students with AS, while covering the preferred option of inclusion more closely. With inclusion becoming the preferred option by parents and professionals, it is important to examine the classroom teacher’s perspectives on the inclusive classroom policy, as they are primarily responsible for its success. A variety of teacher perspectives are outlined within the article, along with practical techniques and strategies for teaching students with AS. The importance of ongoing teacher training in special needs and inclusive education is highlighted throughout the article.

Across the globe: Promoting intercultural understandings in the classroom through sharing stories

Chloe Gordon — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:06:19 PDT

Students in the 21st Century are living in an increasingly globalised and multicultural society. In order to interact productively in society, it is essential for students to develop an understanding of, and respect for, cultures different from their own. This paper will examine how web 2.0 technologies and children’s literature can be used as tools to promote intercultural understandings in the classroom. The author will provide specific examples and applications of these resources within the Australian primary school context, which encourage meaningful discussion and critical thinking. The article will conclude with exploring the conjunction of web 2.0 technologies and children’s literature, for learning that travels across the globe.

The importance of teacher–student relationships, as explored through the lens of the NSW Quality Teaching Model

Lauren Liberante — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:06:18 PDT

This paper aims to address the importance of supportive teacher–student interactions within the learning environment. This will be explored through the three elements of the NSW Quality Teaching Model; Intellectual Quality, Quality Learning Environment and Significance. The paper will further observe the influences of gender on the teacher–student relationship, as well as the impact that this relationship has on student academic outcomes and behaviour. Teacher–student relationships have been found to have immeasurable effects on students’ learning and their schooling experience. This paper examines the ways in which educators should plan to improve their interactions with students, in order to allow for quality learning.