AbstractsSchools and the health of our childrenApril 2005;
Pages 20–22
A study of the way children use their time has been conducted by the University of South Australia. Over one thousand children aged 9–15 were asked to record their daily activities over 24-hour periods. Common social types amongst both boys and girls were ‘screenies’, who have high levels of time watching screens (TV, computers etc), and low levels of physical activity and sleep; and ‘sporties’, who have high sports participation and medium levels of time watching screens. Another significant groups of boys were ‘potterers’, who were quietly active. Significant numbers of girls were ‘players’, engaged in high levels of non-organised group physical activity, and ‘socialisers’, spending large amounts of time in low-energy communication with friends. Researchers conclude that children’s health and wellbeing needs to be assessed in terms of their overall use of time rather than focussing on specific activities. To stimulate children’s activity levels the school curriculum needs to promote a variety of activities that they find enjoyable and challenging, and which takes account of ways to engage them in activity outside school hours. School-based activity programs are only one element in addressing these problems. Schools and teachers should not be expected to take sole responsibility for combating obesity and inactivity. However, schools should consider ways to incorporate physical movement into a broad range of learning activities designed to develop skills in thinking, interacting with others, and leading. Advisers to the Australian National Obesity Taskforce have recently argued that programs to address obesity solely through sports are ‘setting up a platform for failure’. All Australians need to increase their incidental levels of activity, which have declined significantly over the past decade. Key Learning AreasHealth and Physical EducationSubject HeadingsSportSouth Australia Physical education Obesity Motivation A decade of more and more...
Volume 35
Number 1, March 2005;
Pages 22–23
The increasingly demanding nature of teachers' work was noted in the report Australia’s Teachers: An Agenda for the Next Decade published in 1990. This article considers the response of the NSW Catholic schools sector to the issues raised in that report. The response included reforms in the area of accountability, as well as organisational change, career re-structuring and curriculum reviews, the latter having being conducted by the NSW Board of Studies. The article considers the judgement of the NSW Industrial Relations Commission in the Catholic Schools Special Case, and includes extracts from the testimony of expert witnesses in that case. The extracts shed light on some of the changes in the profession in areas such as teacher-student relationship, inclusive education, information communication technologies and societal expectations of schools and educators. KLA Subject HeadingsTeaching professionTeachers' employment Industrial relations Catholic schools New South Wales (NSW) Facing increased workload demands - tipping the balance
Volume 35
Number 1, March 2005;
Pages 16–19
This article considers the implications of the intensification of teacher’s work, and work generally, for the ‘work/life balance’. Teacher’s work has increase considerably in recent years, with initiatives such as the inclusion of special needs students into mainstream schools, diverse educational pathways, curriculum changes, and an increase in testing transforming the role and responsibilities of the profession. With this transformation has come an increasing dissatisfaction amongst teachers with the rewards and conditions of their profession. A study conducted among teachers in the non-government sector has found that teachers have much higher levels of job dissatisfaction than the workforce in general, with many citing understaffing, an absence of rest time, and work related pressure on their personal and family life as major concerns. Against this background of growing discontent, Froude considers some of the strategies that schools and education systems can adopt to lessen the pressure on teachers. KLA Subject HeadingsTeaching professionIndustrial relations Health and Physical Education: contemporary issues
Volume 4
Number 1, 17 March 2005;
Pages 6–8
The author is a teacher educator in Health and Physical Education (HPE) at Monash University's Faculty of Education, reporting on feedback from her students after their 2004 teaching rounds. A ‘disturbingly high’ number of girls were found to evade time in PE classes, particularly in Years 8–10 and particularly during vigorous sports sessions. Avoidance techniques included arriving late for class, leaving PE uniform at home, or asking to leave class due to minor ailments. Girls’ participation is inhibited by sex role stereotyping as to ‘gender-appropriate movement’. Girls may be more willing than boys to exercise if dance was part of the HPE curriculum. The extent to which co-education inhibits girls’ participation in exercise is debated amongst HPE educators and needs further investigation. On the issue of curriculum, the student teachers found widely varying levels of commitment by established teachers toward implementation of Victoria’s Curriculum Standards Framework II. While some HPE faculties took this role seriously, some established teachers lacked the ‘time, motivation or discipline’ to do so. Schools should involve newly trained teachers in their HPE policies and practices, to draw on their vitality and enthusiasm and their knowledge of current trends in the subject area. Key Learning AreasHealth and Physical EducationSubject HeadingsCurriculum planningPhysical education Girls' education Health Context rich problems in physics for upper secondary school
Volume 16
Number 4, December 2004;
Pages 293–302
Swedish students’ enrolment levels in physics drop sharply at the senior secondary level. To address this problem the Context and Conversation Project, a joint initiative by Malardalen and Key Learning AreasScienceSubject HeadingsSurveysCase studies Sweden Secondary education Inquiry based learning Science teaching Establishing the field of science education policy: an analysis of math and science initiative in US
Volume 16
Number 4, December 2004;
Pages 345–361
The Mathematics and Science Initiative was released in the USA in 2003 in a move to improve school performance which lags behind that of most developed nations. The Initiative is closely connected to the core No Child Left Behind legislation for school education, based on strong accountability measures. The Initiative included a public engagement campaign to draw attention to the need for better outcomes in school maths and science.It made moves to strengthen ties between professional scientists, teachers, other educators and researchers, and included a program to recruit and retain teachers with strengths in maths and science. It also made moves to increase knowledge of how better maths and science results can be achieved. However, a study has found that the Initiative is unlikely to raise the poor academic performance of disadvantaged students. The policy behind the Initiative attributes the poor performance of disadvantaged students solely to the cumulative effect of a lack of basic skills in maths, and does not address deeper issues of race and class. The study employs the concept of social field to investigate the role played in the Initiative by the US Department of Education and its agencies, and uses discourse analysis to explore the meaning of key policy documents. Key Learning AreasMathematicsScience Subject HeadingsUnited States of America (USA)Science teaching Mathematics teaching Educational planning Education policy Curriculum planning Curriculum reform and professional development in San Diego City Schools
Volume 43, February 2005;
Pages 102–106
In 2001, San Diego City Schools (SDCS) initiated a science reform program, introducing inquiry-based learning in physics, revising science curriculum materials, re-sequencing science courses so that students would take physics in 9th Grade, and requiring that physics, chemistry and biology be taken up to graduation level. Implementing the changes required changed pedagogy by existing teachers and also led to an influx of physics teachers, many ‘out of discipline’, into SDCS schools. To meet these needs, SDCS developed a new professional development plan for more than 80 Grade 9 science teachers. In 2001, ‘summer institutes’ were set up for new or out-of-discipline physics teachers. The sessions built up content knowledge, familiarised teachers with the new Active Physics materials, and modelled inquiry-based instruction methods. In 2002 the program was extended to all teachers and attendance was made compulsory. Monthly meetings of physics teachers were created for them to share experience and expertise and to reflect on present teaching practice. The University of California ran courses for out-of-discipline teachers, covering physics content and inquiry-based teaching methods. Content went beyond the 9th Grade curriculum. The instructors found that the teachers suffered from limited quantitative understanding, which was then built up more strongly in the course. SDCS staff noted that teachers struggled or failed to implement the new curriculum and pedagogy at some schools, where local leadership lacked depth of scientific understanding. To overcome this problem, the SDCS hired six expert ‘teacher-leaders’ – enrolled in a school leadership credentialing program – as vice-principals based at the schools. A survey of participants found high levels of confidence in using inquiry-based science teaching methods, although only half the teachers thought the method was useful for physics. Test scores of 9th Grade students have improved since the program was implemented. Key Learning AreasScienceSubject HeadingsSurveysUnited States of America (USA) Curriculum planning Inquiry based learning Professional development Secondary education Science teaching Physics Mobile learning
Volume 4
Number 1, March 2005;
Pages 35–37
Development of new mobile-learning architecture points to mobile phones playing a part in strengthening learning for school students internationally. With writing, print, television, music, film and video converging in mobile phone technology, mobile phones are now being recognised as a positive way to develop global wireless learning in schools. The European Commission has initiated two important projects surrounding mobile learning. The m-learning project uses young people's interest in handheld communications to deliver learning experiences through mobile phones, the lessons aiming to improve levels of literacy, numeracy and participation in education. The second project, Mobilearn, adapts mobile technologies into various contexts, such as business schools, museums and first aid environments, and targets personalised and tailored learning. KLA Subject HeadingsInformation and Communications Technology (ICT)Technology Students Social life and customs School culture Learning ability Internet Information services Information literacy Elearning Educational sociology Educational planning Education research Computers in society Adolescents Deadly Vibe: engaging Indigenous students at schoolApril 2005;
Pages 26–29
Deadly Vibe magazine is significantly improving learning outcomes for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students by increasing students' interest in reading, numeracy and Indigenous culture. Deadly Vibe aims to close the divide between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. The Australian Council of Educational Research sought views about the magazine via two surveys. Results indicated that eighty-five per cent of students learn new issues through the magazine; seventy-one per cent have become more interested in reading; and seventy-six per cent are more aware of career options available to them. Teachers are also reporting that Deadly Vibe is a useful teaching tool for stimulating class discussion. The magazine is positively affecting attendance and retention rates, career aspirations, health and self esteem of Indigenous students. KLA Subject HeadingsAboriginal studentsAboriginal peoples Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Multicultural education Social life and customs School culture School and community Citizenship Child development Reaching teens: back to the futureFebruary 2005;
Page 26
Grillo considers teachers’ use of comic books and poetry to engage otherwise unwilling readers in secondary school. Comic books have a certain novelty amongst the current generation of young people given that their sources of information and entertainment, such as videos, DVDs, television and computers, are more technologically driven. Teachers are finding that even students who are good readers find enjoyment in comics, and that the varieties of comics – Japanese anime and ‘comics’ with complex themes – can challenge students to rise to higher levels of literacy sophistication. Poetry is another form of writing which is gathering favour with students. Students are finding the genre accessible and liberating, and a less ‘intimidating’ form of text to both comprehend and in which to compose. KLA Subject HeadingsLiteracyAdolescents Body image: young teens at riskApril 2005;
Pages 24–25
Crawford reports on the research findings of Dr Delyse Hutchinson, of the Department of Psychology at Macquarie University, who, in a series of projects, investigated the prevalence of, and factors contributing to, eating disorders among young adolescent girls. Her research sample included a sample of 1,000 Year 7 and 8 female students across New South Wales secondary schools, and it sought to uncover the factors which led to girls developing eating disorders at a later stage in their adolescence. The study considers the impact of social networks and peer groups on girls eating behaviours, as well as the influence of ‘negative affectivity’ (teasing) and its relationship to ‘body dissatisfaction’. This article describes the findings of the research, and considers the implications for both further research and school curriculum programs in this area. KLA Subject HeadingsPsychologyHealth Girls' education Adolescents Mental Health Health education The arts matterApril 2005;
Pages 13–15
In the United States, the value of the arts in schools’ curriculums and to student learning outcomes has been acclaimed in a series of reports. Notable among these is the United States Presidential Committee on the Arts and the Humanities report, Champions of Change: The impact of the arts on learning, which found that education in the arts contributes to student learning across the curriculum, and that it contributes positively to student self-confidence and to the acquisition of skills needed in post-school environments such as the workplace. Moreover, arts education was also found to have a direct benefit to educational outcomes of students who were from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and who were at risk of not completing their schooling. The authors of this article survey the findings of a plethora of reports on arts education in the USA, and also report on a study conducted in New South Wales primary schools on the benefits of arts education to student learning outcomes. Key Learning AreasThe ArtsSubject HeadingsUnited States of America (USA)New South Wales (NSW) Primary education Arts in education Science management observation protocol
Volume 71
Number 10, December 2004;
Pages 30–33
Victor Sampson has devised an observation tool specifically for inquiry-based learning environments, with the hope that more science teachers will feel confident about using inquiry-based pedagogical practices once they understand the classroom management expectations that accompany them. Classrooms that are inquiry-based look, sound and feel different to classes that are based on more traditional teacher-centred instruction. Students are expected to work in groups, collaborate and move around the room. How teachers manage the group work, participation and transition from one activity to the next is an important part of classroom management in inquiry-based settings. Sampson explains, in detail, the characteristics of inquiry-based science classrooms, and his Science Management Observation Protocol allows teachers to assess each other’s classroom management practices. Key Learning AreasScienceSubject HeadingsScienceScience teaching Pedagogy Teaching and learning One bottleneck at a time
Volume 71
Number 10, December 2004;
Pages 26–29
Inquiry-based learning in science education is the exception rather than the rule, according to the authors of this article. Teachers, for reasons of time and accountability demands such as those which underpin standardised testing, too often resort to transmitting knowledge and facts to students through teacher-centred pedagogical practices. ‘Learning bottlenecks’, however, provide teachers with the ideal opportunity to use inquiry learning, and this article describes, in a step-by-step fashion, how teachers can undo learning bottlenecks by employing an inquiry based pedagogy. A ‘learning bottleneck’ is that part of the curriculum that teachers can anticipate students will find problematic, but which is essential to their ultimate understanding of a topic or concept. This article suggests it can be overcome by student investigation and discovery, which ultimately leads to deeper understanding. To that effect, it contains a seven-step plan to help teachers convert bottlenecks into inquiry-based learning opportunities. The article and plan include provisions for defining ‘learning bottlenecks’, advice for modelling thinking strategies, and approaches to assessment. Key Learning AreasScienceSubject HeadingsScienceScience teaching Teaching and learning Pedagogy The Teaching and Learning Exchange: should sharing be limited?In New South Wales the Teaching and Learning Exchange (TaLE) is a web-based gateway to resources and professional support for teachers, educational leaders and parents. Despite its success and rapid uptake, it has been restricted by requirements for protection of intellectual property (IP), for example through password-based access to its website. IP hinders TaLE from becoming part of the global network of teaching professionals and resources. The tight control of information threatens to stifle the very intellectual creativity and openness that the information age makes possible. The earliest copyright laws were designed to encourage creativity, but the changes since then have shifted too far in favour of the rights-holder, with detrimental consequences for education systems, schools, teachers and their students. The mentality of IP works against the notion of knowledge as a public good. KLA Subject HeadingsIntellectual property (IP)Websites Information services |