Search

This discussion paper highlights the importance of Australian nursing and midwifery students' lack of exposure to electronic medical records during their undergraduate programs. There is pressure on universities offering nursing and midwifery programs to provide students with opportunities to learn to use patient electronic medical records. This will provide authentic rehearsal with the digital technology prior to clinical placements and increase graduate work readiness. Informed by contemporary literature, we describe the benefits of implementing electronic medical records (eMR) in health organisations and identify the challenges and barriers to implementing and integrating the education of electronic records into undergraduate nursing and midwifery programs. Undergraduate students who had not experienced eMR as part of on-campus learning felt unprepared and lacked confidence when commencing clinical practice. Some international nursing and midwifery programs have found that student's skills improve in decision-making and documenting patient observations when eMR is integrated into their university education program. Successful integration of an eMR program should consider academic/teaching staff skills and confidence in technology use, initial and ongoing costs and technical support required to deliver the program. In conclusion, Australian universities need to embed eMR learning experiences into the nursing and midwifery undergraduate curricula to increase students work-readiness with a focus on patient safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a digital era where people may experience seamless control in determining their interactions with the world via analogue and digital modes, this paper challenges the need for a university-determined position on whether study need be designated as on-campus, online, or a predetermined mix of each. In a university in Australia, several subjects were designed in a flexible hybrid format where students were offered flexibility to create their own learning pathway via online or on-campus mode, changing as it suited and regardless of their original enrolment mode in the subject. The curriculum model was conceptualised and deployed using educational design research, involving three designed and taught subjects and a further two designed-only subjects (i.e. not yet taught) to help test the concept in contrasting contexts. Insights on the new model were gained from participating teachers, their students, and online analytics. Using the experiences of the trial as the basis of this discussion paper, one practical step and its related challenges are shared in working toward a hybrid pedagogy, with associated design principles extrapolated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with Down syndrome can and do learn important mathematics and increasingly, this is occurring in regular school classrooms. The research literature offers little about the practices of effective primary school teachers who are including children with Down syndrome in the teaching of mathematics. In this paper we present findings from a project that followed teachers' journeys through a school year as they taught mathematics in primary classrooms including a child with Down syndrome. In particular, we focus on one aspect of the project: the nature of the teachers' practice and the specific challenges that emerged during teaching and planning. Data were collected through classroom observations, interviews with teaching team members and examining learning artefacts such as work samples and reflection journals. Classroom experiences in such contexts often require adjustments both in the planning and in the implementation. Vignettes illustrate such adjustments and provide insights into the teacher decision-making involved. Themes that emerged from analysis of the data are discussed. These themes were based on researcher reflections and meetings following each round of observations and were reported back to the teachers for verification. We explore the themes, reflecting on current policy influencing inclusive education in Australia and internationally, highlighting challenges that emerged in seemingly straightforward concepts. Our aim in this paper is to explore examples of an innovative approach to mathematics education for students with Down syndrome—the technique of teaching all students the mathematics from their year level, with adjustments. The careful study of the practices of teachers offers implications for effective inclusive mathematics education for the diverse classrooms that are increasingly the norm across Australia and around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper builds upon the evolving methodological perspective of a rural standpoint (Roberts, 2014b), and its related method of strategic eclecticism (Roberts & Green, 2013), to reanalyse existing data behind a previously published paper by Drummond, Halsey and van Breda (2012). It does this through an examination of the role of the rural in the Australian curriculum, drawing upon work that raises the lack of recognition of rurality in the curriculum as an important social justice issue (Roberts, 2014a; Roberts, 2015; Roberts & Downes, 2016). Through the reanalysis the paper illustrates that the rural educators who responded to the initial study had a concern for local places, and a perspective that an Australian Curriculum has the potential to marginalise local knowledges, and rural and remote schools more generally. Furthermore the re-analysis shows that age, time teaching in a rural or remote setting, distance from a major centre and jurisdiction of the school all influence respondents' views in distinct ways. Consequently this paper illustrates the utility of re-analysing previous research reports, the use of a rural standpoint in research, and that rural educators have specific rural-related concerns regarding the Australian Curriculum that are largely unaddressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim is to present outcome and engagement data from the initial years of the implementation of a new teaching approach in entry to practice nursing and midwifery education. The Block Model (TBM) is a teaching approach that involves studying one unit of study at a time over a four-week period, as opposed to the traditional semester model. This paper presents data revealing the impact of TBM on student engagement and overall experience in entry to practice Bachelor of Nursing and Midwifery programs. The evaluation retrospectively compared key indicators pre- Block Model implementation with outcomes for nursing and midwifery students using TBM approach using standard data sets and external comparators such as the Student Experience Survey and National Employability Survey. The study presents a comparative analysis of key indicators and graduate outcomes for students. We use reportable data and two external comparators, the Student Experience Survey and the National Employability Survey, to gauge student learning and graduate employability. The evaluation was conducted in a tertiary institution in Australia with for nursing and midwifery students who completed their studies using TBM approach at the university. The implementation of TBM in nursing and midwifery programs resulted in improvements in learner engagement, retention rates and pass rates. Improvements were also noted graduate outcomes, with an increase in full-time graduate employment. The results suggest the Block Model is a promising new teaching approach in nursing and midwifery education, with potential benefits for learner engagement, retention and pass rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most Australian universities articulate some policies around the integration of graduate learning outcomes in courses. This paper draws on a Federal Government funded project that adopted a developmental approach to students' acquisition of course learning outcomes, through the embedding of academic literacies in course curricula. The project was part of a Higher Education Participation and Partnership Program (HEPPP), which focused on courses with a high proportion of students from a low socio-economic status (SES) background. However, the project took an inclusive approach to curriculum development by focusing on the needs of all students. In describing this project, the paper aims to explore the challenges and advantages of collaborative curriculum development. The findings, which are based on individual interviews with the project partners suggest that increased collaboration between course team members and professional staff, and the opportunity to reflect built the capacity of all staff, specifically their understanding of academic literacies. Evaluation of the project helped to confirm that a curriculum renewal process needs to ensure that members of course teams have time to fully engage in collaborative refection. The evaluation supported a move to a more cooperative approach to curriculum development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports how ‘invented tradition’ [Hobsbawm, E. (2012), Introduction: Inventing traditions. In E. Hobsbawm & T. Ranger (Eds.),The invention of tradition(pp. 1–14). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press] as a long-term process has contributed to Indigenous students experiencing physical education (PE) within Eurocentric curricula that largely ignores their own culture. The study was undertaken at three high schools within the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) which come under the remit of the ACT Education and Training Directorate. Documentary evidence was the main data source and figurational sociology was used to inform the study and analyse the data. Central to figurational sociology is the notion of the figuration which refers to how individuals are located interdependently in social structures characterised by relationships of power. Historical and contemporary documents were analysed using content and thematic analysis according to the premise that the document writers are themselves included in figurations and their inclusion or presence has to be taken into account [Dolan, P. (2009), Using documents: A figurational approach. In J. Hogan, P. Dolan, & P. Donnelly (Eds.),Approaches to qualitative research: Theory and its practical application(pp. 185–208). Cork: Oak Trees Press]. The paper identifies key events and long-term processes mainly linked to Australia’s colonial past that have shaped contemporary PE curricula. Despite intent within historical PE curricula to include Indigenous perspectives in PE these have largely not translated to actual teaching. The final part of the paper suggests additional research to find ways to embed these perspectives. This is important because current curriculum requirements at a national level emphasise these perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the strong influence of Herbartian ideas on the first secondary school-based English course (1911) in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Whilst previous research has established the influence of the “New Education” on the (NSW Director of Education, Peter Board, the architect of the) 1911 courses, no specific analysis of Johann Friedrich Herbart’s educational ideas has been undertaken in relation to this seminal secondary English course.Design/methodology/approach Through using three of Herbart’s key educational ideas as an interpretive framework to analyse the 1911 NSW Courses of Study for High Schools English course, the paper demonstrates the influence of those ideas on this inaugural secondary English course.Findings The analysis reveals that the NSW 1911 secondary English course was influenced by Herbartian educational ideas underpinning the course.Research limitations/implications This paper focuses on the “pre-active”1911 rhetorical English curriculum in NSW, rather than the “enacted” implemented curriculum.Practical implications The paper identifies Herbartian influences on the 1911 NSW English syllabus, revealing important philosophical ideas.Social implications Future English curriculum design will benefit from the identification of the philosophical ideas embedded in the NSW 1911 English curriculum.Originality/value This analysis provides insights into the Herbartian influences on the first secondary English course in NSW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background Presentations to emergency departments (EDs) and patient acuity continue to increase. Whilst strategies to deliver safe patient care in the ED are evolving, emergency nurses need to be well educated through specialist qualifications to enable delivery of advanced patient care. This paper presents a comparative analysis of available international practice and competency standards for nurses graduating from emergency nursing courses in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Methods CINAHL, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, and Embase were searched for papers, published in English, using the terms: ‘emergency’, ‘accident and emergency’, ‘nursing’, ‘competency’, ‘practice standards’, ‘scope of practice’, ‘regulation’, and ‘specialist standards’. Secondary sources from relevant reference lists and professional websites were also searched. Results The standards from the five countries were common across five domains: clinical expertise, communication, teamwork, resources and environment, and legal. None of the standards were specific to the emergency nursing graduate, and there was variability in the level of expertise required for which the standards apply. Conclusions The available practice standards demonstrated some commonality. Consideration of the utility of a universal framework for informing the development of emergency nursing practice standards and emergency nursing curriculum for nurses wishing to specialise is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper overviews the decline and revival of music education in New South Wales schools from 1920 to 1956. Commencing with a focus on vocal music during the period up to 1932, a time of decline in music teaching, the paper examines initiatives introduced in 1933 to address shortcomings in music education, and the subsequent changes in curriculum and teaching during the 1930s. Evidence of a variable revival lies in the school choral music movement of 1939 to 1956, and in how music education diversified beyond its vocal heritage from the late 1930s and early 1940s, with new emphasis on music appreciation, percussion, flutes, and recorders. By the mid 1950s, involvement in, and quality of, school instrumental music was continuously improving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper was developed at the request of the Organising Committee for the 27th Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation International Conference, in Melbourne, 2013. Its genesis was as a feature forum, wherein a panel of curriculum experts were bought together to discuss the emergence of the Australian Health and Physical Education (HPE) curriculum. The title of the paper emerged as an alliteration of three panellist's first names beginning with the letter 'D' As well as this, the respective and collective expertise that Doune, David and Dawn brought to the forum covered the necessary depth, width and breadth to warrant the use of this multidimensional metaphor. While their collective experience with major curriculum reform is truly diverse and international, they had each worked together at various points of their esteemed careers. The presentation of this, somewhat unique, paper provides some rich insights into the opportunities and challenges that await the roll-out of the HPE curriculum across Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the legacy of Dr Fritz Duras in order to address the issue of whether the implementation of a new curriculum for health and physical education in Australia represents a defining time for the subject. Dr Duras was Director of the first physical education teacher education course at the University of Melbourne during an earlier defining time, when a new sports and games-based form of physical education was created to replace an older drilling and exercising form of physical training. The paper interrogates what we might mean by the notion of a defining time before investigating key events in the history of Australian physical education between the 1940s and the 1970s. It considers the role of Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation and individual activism in relation to the new curriculum. The paper concludes with a detailed discussion of five things the new curriculum must do in order for it to build further on the legacy of Dr Duras and create a new defining time for the subject in Australian schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies binary oppositions in the discourse of mathematics education and introduces a binary-epistemic model for (re)conceptualising these oppositions and the epistemic-pedagogic problems they represent. The model is attentive to the contextual relationships between pedagogically relevant binaries (e.g., traditional/progressive, student-centred/teacher-centred, discovery/transmission, constructivist/behaviourist) and epistemically relevant binaries (e.g., concrete/abstract, pure/applied, interpretivist/positivist, subjective/objective) that operate in mathematics classrooms. The premise of this paper is that ways of knowing mathematics (i.e., epistemologies) are actualised in ways of teaching mathematics (i.e., pedagogies), and vice-versa. The binary-epistemic model describes oppositional, equipositional and parapositional ways of knowing and teaching in relation to these binaries. We argue for a more a relational-contextual or parapositional approach to binary polarities that have otherwise proven divisive in mathematical discourse. In the context of the new Australian Curriculum, we illustrate epistemically differentiated ways of teaching measurement in a Year 5 mathematics classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies binary oppositions in the discourse of mathematics education and introduces a binary-epistemic model for (re)conceptualising these oppositions and the epistemic-pedagogic problems they represent. The model is attentive to the contextual relationships between pedagogically relevant binaries (e.g., traditional/progressive, student-centred/teacher-centred, discovery/transmission, constructivist/behaviourist) and epistemically relevant binaries (e.g., concrete/abstract, pure/applied, interpretivist/positivist, subjective/objective) that operate in mathematics classrooms. The premise of this paper is that ways of knowing mathematics (i.e., epistemologies) are actualised in ways of teaching mathematics (i.e., pedagogies), and vice-versa. The binary-epistemic model describes oppositional, equipositional and parapositional ways of knowing and teaching in relation to these binaries. We argue for a more relational-contextual or parapositional approach to binary polarities that have otherwise proven divisive in mathematical discourse. In the context of the new Australian Curriculum, we illustrate epistemically differentiated ways of teaching measurement in a Year 5 mathematics classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australian Universities are increasingly seeking ways to better prepare their graduates for the workplace by developing attributes required by employers and/or by offering internships and work placements. This article reports on a new course developed in the Department of Italian Studies at the University of Sydney that in line with these directions, connects advanced students of Italian with commercial, cultural and educational Italian work realities operating in Sydney. The course increases students' confidence to operate in Italian-speaking workplaces as well as their knowledge of contemporary Italy, while helping them identify future career opportunities. Drawing on students' evaluations and comments from the commercial partners, the paper discusses strengths and challenges of the course, which demonstrates the opportunity for humanistic subjects to create concrete links with the work environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing risk of mass casualty incidents from extreme climate events, global terrorism, pandemics and nuclear incidents, it's important to prepare nurses with skills and knowledge necessary to manage such incidents. There are very few documented accounts of the inclusion of mass casualty education within undergraduate nursing programs. This paper is the first to describe undergraduate mass casualty nursing education in Australia. A final year Bachelor of Nursing undergraduate subject was developed. The subject focused on initial treatment and stabilisation of casualties predominantly within pre-hospital environments, and included a capstone inter-professional mass casualty simulation. Students experience of the subject was evaluated using the Satisfaction with Simulation Experience Scale (Levett-Jones et al., 2011) and a subject evaluation survey. Student satisfaction and evaluations were extremely positive. As a tool for developing clinical skills, 93% (n = 43) agreed that the simulation developed their clinical reasoning and decision making skills. In particular, the simulation enabled students to apply what they had learned (77%, n = 35, strongly agree). Due to the frequency of mass casualty events worldwide, there is a need for educational exposure in undergraduate nursing curricula. We believe that this mass casualty education could be used as a template for development in nursing curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on concepts from contemporary education policy sociology to explore the prospective interpretation, contextualisation and enactment of Health and Physical Education in the Australian Curriculum. Analysis examines the dynamic between characteristics of official texts and the contexts in which responses will be made. The paper identifies the consultation draft curriculum as highly flexible, such that multiple aspects of past and current policy contexts can be expected to strongly frame its reading and enactment. Exploration of contexts points to the critical role that policy actors, agencies and artefacts will all play in determining the ways in which the new curriculum will be expressed and experienced in schools across Australia. Discussion raises issues for Health and Physical Education teachers, teacher educators and members of professional associations to consider in looking forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will propose and privilege educative outcomes in Health and Physical Education (HPE), reflecting that one of the five propositions in the Draft Shape of Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], 2012a) can be regarded as the bonding agent. The paper recognizes current research in HPE and refers to the long-standing positioning of (successful) `learning' at the forefront of subjects, activities and curriculum (Hayes, Capel, Katene, & Cook, 2006). It explores gaps and potential in `pedagogical work' (Tinning, 2008) and `pedagogic action' (Penney, 2013) that may prioritize and legitimate, or challenge, how topics, curriculum, assessment and activities can be emphasized over learning. It argues that foregrounding educative outcomes requires knowledge building in relation to curriculum, pedagogy and assessment; that the significance of the interplay and alignment of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment is key to attaining educative outcomes; and that the notions of cumulative and segmented learning (Maton, 2011) in HPE deserve exploration. A text analysis of sections of the Consultation document will be utilized to demonstrate how learning is potentially the bonding agent, how curriculum documents make it legitimate (or not) and how comprehensive and developmental learning are situated in the text. In addition, excerpts from a case study of student and teacher voices in one school event is utilized to raise and provoke discussion about student learning, perceptions about learning in HPE and raise challenges about the interplay between curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. The final section of the paper proposes challenges for teachers of HPE with issues to consider in generating `pedagogic action' (Penney, 2013) for educative outcomes in HPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In March 2012, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) released for public consultation the Shape Paper for the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education (HPE) that was finalized for publication in August 2012. This paper set out the key propositions for a `futures-oriented' curriculum suggesting that HPE should: take a strengths-based approach; focus on educative outcomes; develop health literacy skills; value learning in, about and through movement; and include an inquiry-based approach. As the Lead Writer of the Shape Paper, I believed my task was to consider both what is and what could be. This Fritz Duras Lecture introduces the research and thinking behind the HPE Shape Paper, helping to illuminate this case of curriculum-making. It also reflexively asks if this case is notable for its gradualism, interrogating the strengths and weaknesses of gradualism as applied in curriculum reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers in rural schools are often caught in a binary between a curriculum and 'official' pedagogies that value cosmopolitan ways of being and their own situated concerns for the interests of the students they teach and the communities in which they live. In this paper I draw on the example of two categories of (history) teachers, those who locate their practice in place and those who value a more bureaucratic approach to their work, in order to explore the question of an authentic rural curriculum (and pedagogy). The paper draws upon a series of semi-structured in-depth interviews with newly appointed teachers in rural school, experienced rural teachers and experts with systemic responsibilities or experience related to quality education in general. On a number of key issues of curriculum and pedagogy the data gathered grouped around two distinct views; that rural schools are different and that teachers need to be prepared for this difference and recognize it in their curriculum, or that all schools are the same regardless of location and what matters is the quality of the teaching. As a result of this study I suggest that teachers who reinterpret the curriculum and situate their pedagogy in the places they work are better placed to meet the educational needs of their students and their own professional goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In both policy and practice, collusion is a perplexing area of academic integrity. Students are expected to learn to work collaboratively in university courses, yet are often required to submit assessment tasks as individuals whilst in group-work situations. This paper discusses the tension between 'collaboration' and 'collusion' in group-work and the consequences for crossing the line. Adopting a theoretical framework from Bourdieu's work (Bourdieu & Passeron, 1971; Bourdieu, 1991) on symbolic power, the notion of legitimate voice and intertextuality, this paper outlines the effects on the academic identities of 17 students found 'guilty' of collusion in one Australian university. In addition, 34 staff involved in formal disciplinary procedures were interviewed. The findings indicate that collusion is a fraught notion and not approached systematically across the university, nor with any degree of confidence by staff or students. The delineation between 'acceptable collaboration' and 'collusion' appears to be founded in shifting sands, with negative attitudes towards collaborative tasks being the main lesson learned by students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term place features prominently in the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority's (ACARA) Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Geography and, while the concept of place has been examined in numerous papers, what it means in the context of geographical education remains somewhat ambiguous. At the root of this ambiguity is the combination of physical and human academic Geography disciplines within the adoption of the single focus of place. This leads to potential contradictions in methodology, particularly where the modern/ postmodern debate is played out. This paper will draw attention to two features of the academic literature that allow for greater insights to be drawn into teaching practices. These are: Postmodern relativism and being in the world. The paper considers what these theories bring to a reading of place and what implications can be drawn for Geography teaching practice. The paper presents a brief philosophical investigation of these key issues and suggests a pragmatic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This literature review explores the potential impacts of high-stakes testing on literacy education in Australia. The paper draws upon research primarily from the United States and the United Kingdom. Both of these countries have pursued high-stakes testing in order to increase accountability, encourage standardization, and to close the achievement gap between socially advantaged and socially disadvantaged students. The issue is discussed by exploring the impact of high-stakes testing upon curriculum and pedagogy. The paper concludes that the predominantly negative unintended consequences of high-stakes testing result from a failure to gain the support of teachers for testing systems. It is recommended that, in order for literacy education to benefit from the opportunities provided by the emphasis upon literacy in high-stakes systems, teachers be provided with a greater role in the design, implementation and evaluation of the tests, as well as having input into how test results are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores contemporary Health and Physical Education ( HPE) curriculum in Australia in the context of the ongoing development of a new national curriculum. Drawing on policy documents and academic commentaries it reviews and problematises the current position and prospective development of HPE in the Australian Curriculum, examining key aspects of the policy terrain upon which curriculum development will occur and by which it will be shaped. The current HPE curriculum context across Australia is identified as featuring both clear commonalities in curriculum structure and content and notable variations. Attention is drawn to curriculum strengths that have emerged from state and territory based development in recent years, but also, ongoing tensions relevant to prospective national consensus. The paper highlights the need for productive collaboration across interest groups, between states and territories, and between academic and professional communities in order to secure a prosperous curriculum future for HPE across Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design and Technology has become an important part of the school curriculum. In Queensland, Australia, Technology (which encompasses Design) is one of the Key Learning Areas (KLAs) for students in the first ten years of schooling. This KLA adopts a student-centred, hands-on constructivist approach to teaching and learning. The ability to conceptualise and implement appropriate learning experiences, however, has been a challenge for some early career teachers. This paper describes how Design and Technology is being taught to preservice primary teachers at an Australian University through their involvement in a range of authentic problem-solving activities supported by social learning tools such as wikis and blogs. An interview with a sample from this group (N=5) provides an insight into how these social software tools enhanced their knowledge and learning. This paper will describe how these social learning tools impact on the agency of learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conduct of fieldwork and preparation of a written report for school-based assessment will become compulsory in the upcoming Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education examination in Geography from 2014 onwards. It is hoped that students will in due course become more independent and inquiry-oriented learners and that the validity of assessment can be enhanced by grading against prescribed criteria. The types of fieldwork commonly used in teaching the subject, their merits and shortcomings, and the adequacy of the assessment measures for the achievement of intended objectives, are analysed first in this light. Implementation problems are examined next together with suggestions for improving the assessment and learning process. Noting the value of assessing student performance in fieldwork and developing effective criteria for this purpose, the conclusion is that a global approach of enhancing teacher reconceptualisation of teaching and learning and student participation in decision-making should be adopted if this major curriculum change is to succeed as planned. The use of school-based assessments (SBA) in public examinations is an increasingly popular development worldwide. The Diploma Programme examination of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (2004) for instance has been allocating 20% to 50% of the marks to SBA in all subjects since 1968. External examinations in Australia are widely accompanied by teacher assessments; in Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory they have even been completely replaced by SBA (Baumgart and Low, 1990). In England and Wales, SBA, under the name of teacher assessment was introduced to the General Certificate of Secondary Education examination (Gipps and Stobart, 1997) which was first implemented in 1986. Hong Kong, a former British colony returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, is following these examples by incorporating SBA into all subjects (except Mathematics) in the new Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) examination, which is to be taken by students from 2012 onwards after three years of junior secondary and three years of New Senior Secondary (NSS) studies, replacing the long-established five-year secondary and two-year Advanced Level system. The express purpose is to enhance the validity and reliability of assessment and redress the problems brought by the concentration of public examination papers on the more measurable and concrete cognitive objectives of academic subjects at the expense of authentic abilities and other less tangible learning outcomes (Education and Manpower Bureau, 2005).School-based assessments for DSE Geography, to be compulsory from 2014, will be based entirely on the reports completed by students after conducting their own independent field inquiry. A teacher survey (Hong Kong Geographical Association, 2004) and the related consultations revealed concerns about the fairness, manageability and impact of the arrangements. This paper attempts to examine the nature of fieldwork inquiry and its usefulness as SBA. Problems are discussed in view of teacher concerns, and improvements are suggested for assessment changes so that students can benefit from their inquiries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this discussion paper is to discuss learning theories in midwifery education, as related to the Midwifery Continuity of Care Experience and to propose an original conceptual framework based on Heutagogy. Midwifery education curricula include a number of midwifery practice experiences. One of the requirements is for students to provide Midwifery Continuity of Care. To achieve these experiences, students in Australia are required to provide care to at least ten (10) women through pregnancy, be on call for the woman's birth and provide at least two visits post-birth. Continuity of care experiences appear to have been incorporated without sufficient consideration of the educational purpose of the experience, or how the experiences contribute to the development of the profession. Although we do know midwifery practice embraces woman-centred care as its philosophical underpinning, a learning approach that is congruent with this philosophy needs to be clearly articulated. A discussion paper that compared and contrasted learning theories to align with Midwifery Continuity of Care experiences. A review of the literature on learning theories was conducted before comparing and contrasting the theories to arrive at a conceptual framework focused on learning theory and its application to the Midwifery Continuity of Care Experience. Heutagogy provides a potentially congruent educational learning approach to underpin the continuity of care experiences, in comparison to traditional learning theories of pedagogy and andragogy. With a paucity of research in the application of heutagogy to midwifery education, it's conceptual underpinnings and the possible application to the Continuity of Care Experience, this paper explores the possible theoretical applications of heutagogy to midwifery education. As a learning theory, heutagogy is well - aligned with woman-centred care. Heutagogy provides a theoretical framework suitable to underpin strategies, including the conceptual framework proposed, that may assist in empowering students to participate in their own education by giving them the ability to be self-determined in both their approach to learning and to evaluate their own learning needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the contexts of learning and teaching there is a substantial (and growing) body of research indicating that students often bring to class a range of 'alternative frameworks' and 'naïve theories' (constructed from their prior experiences) that are inconsistent with currently accepted 'expert views'. While there is a significant body of work related to students' conceptions in some subject domains (namely Physics), there has been little research undertaken on the relationship between teacher awareness of student conceptions and effective pedagogy in Geography. The National Curriculum debate in Australia provides geographers with a unique opportunity to consider the role of students' preconceptions in the development of conceptual understanding in Geography and the implications of this for its pedagogy. This paper argues that an understanding of students' common preconceptions regarding core geographical concepts is a central component of a teacher's pedagogical content knowledge and that this knowledge is essential for the development of pedagogies that promote conceptual change and deep understanding in this domain. The paper provides a review of the literature concerning the nature and development of students' pre-instructional ideas and foreshadows an agenda for future research that will enhance our understanding of the relationship between student preconceptions and classroom practice in Geography. • The term 'storm surge' refers to a sudden burst in storm activity which creates problems in the supply of electricity. • Cyclones are a common cause of tsunamis. • Heat from car exhausts is responsible for the Greenhouse Effect. • Cold temperatures are the main cause of strong winds. Given the current debate surrounding the development of a National Curriculum for Geography, and the Deputy Prime Minister's recent announcement (Ferrari, 2008) that the National Curriculum design process needs to be informed by 'research' to determine 'the best possible methods of teaching', it is timely that we examine the research on evidence-based pedagogical approaches in Geography, especially as they relate to the development of student conceptual understandings. The works cited in this paper provide a succinct summary of earlier reported research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the development of tourism and tourism-related degrees in Australia in relation to Commonwealth government higher education policies. The deregulation of the higher education sector, government policies, and decreases in government funding, have resulted in increased competition for niche market degrees. The oversupply of study places has led to quick economic returns, but saturated the market and led to the decline and subsequent abolition of many degrees. Based on data from Australian tertiary admission centre handbooks, this paper argues that the increased competition for students between institutions is not in the long-term interest of the Australian tourism tertiary sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the phrase 'holistic approach' is increasingly used in reference to vocational education and training (VET) in Australia, there appears to be a paucity of literature which extensively conceptualises or details its practical application. Existing references to an 'holistic approach' appear indicative of art integrated model seen as a vehicle for the achievement of a broad range of vocational and social capital outcomes, particularly in Indigenous contexts. This paper suggests that the theoretical framework for an holistic approach to VET is humanism and constructivist theory and that tan 'holistic approach' is essentially relevant training which is contextualised and purposely tailored to the learner or community needs and goals. The paper also provides a practical schema for implementing an holistic approach in VET, which is seen as synonymous with the thematic, integrated and whole approaches to learning and curriculum development implemented in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication undergraduate enrolments have massively increased at Australian universities during recent decades. To date, however, retention rates through to postgraduate research have been comparatively poor. This paper identifies fourth-year Honours study as a critical gateway to higher degree enrolment. Its focus is on how Honours-level curriculum design can maximise self-motivated learning among students. To this end, the paper analyses design of the Honours year as a whole, the relationship between Honours coursework and the dissertation, and practical issues of classroom management and pedagogy. Drawing widely on educational theory, Communication disciplinary research, and higher education policy, the paper proposes a model of professional best practice in designing and delivering Honours curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orienting international English as a Second Language (ESL) students to research skills and discourses through bridging programs at the postgraduate level has been described in literature and is also explored in a range of text-books. The discussion regarding undergraduate research support is substantially less well developed, although research training at the undergraduate level is not uncommon in some disciplines. Content-based, team-taught bridging programs offer distinct advantages to students although they also require careful planning and consideration of integrated teaching and assessment. This paper presents a case study of the context and curriculum outline of an innovative three-week bridging program for international second-language medical research students undertaking a two-semester, third-year intercalated Bachelor of Medical Science (BMedSci) degree within the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) program at the University of Melbourne. Independent qualitative and quantitative student evaluations of the overall concurrent English for Academic Purposes (EAP) support, and specifically the bridging program, are also provided. The paper highlights the potential for concurrent discipline-specific support for research students under a faculty-based student support program (Hawthorne, Minas and Singh 2004). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nurse Practitioners (NPs) receive core clinical training at master’s level, with their employer providing the opportunity to upskill in clinical and procedural competencies. It is increasingly recognised that this generic education requires supplementary training for operating effectively within a specific clinical environment. In this paper we describe a pilot program designed to train Australian NP Candidates to work effectively within the Emergency Department Fast Track model of care. The training program consisted of a 12-month period: four hours in-house training per week over two semesters, running concurrently with the NP candidate’s University semesters, and 3 months’ clinical practice to consolidate. The training team defined milestones for Semesters one and two, and developed a case review form to assess application of the candidate’s knowledge in new clinical situations, as well as check for gaps in understanding. A clinical skills guide was developed for the candidate to work toward, and a comprehensive assessment was carried out at two time points in the training program. Feedback was obtained from the mentors and the candidate at the end point of the training program, and has been used to refine the program for 2017. This in-house training program provided specialised, evidence-based training for the emergency department environment, resulting in development of the nurse practitioner candidate as a high functioning team member. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores Australian secondary physical education (PE) teachers’ understanding of PE in the context of new curriculum familiarisation. Data was initially collected through online surveys (phase 1), and based on this data, participants were sourced from, and volunteered to be interviewed as part of phase 2 (interviews). The analysis of the phase 2 data highlighted a diverse array of teachers’ views relating to PE that ranged from PE being synonymous with sport and a strong desire to develop habits and patterns of behaviour for long-term physical activity participation in recreational pursuits. Although the multi-activity program model is highly problematised in academic literature, it was found that the multi-activity model is prominent and uncontested in most secondary school PE programs. A conflict between the rhetoric and reality of the educative importance of PE was evident. Therefore, it is argued that there is a gap between the proposition for a curriculum to demonstrate the value of learning ‘about’, ‘through’ and ‘in’ movement, and the ‘everyday practice’ of PE found in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal oral health is important yet many pregnant women are unaware of its significance. Midwives are advised to promote oral health during pregnancy and are supported to do this in Australia through the Midwifery Initiated Oral Health training program. However, limited undergraduate education is being provided to midwifery students in this area. The objective of this paper is to describe how an innovative oral health education module for an undergraduate midwifery course in Australia was designed using a multidisciplinary approach. Midwives experienced in curriculum development and key investigators from the Midwifery Initiated Oral Health program designed the module using existing literature. Constructive alignment, blended learning and scaffolding were used in the design process. The draft module was then reviewed by midwifery academics and their feedback incorporated. The final module involves 4 h of teaching and learning and contains three components incorporated into first year course units. Each component is aligned with existing learning outcomes and incorporates blended learning approaches and tutorials/class activities as well as online quizzes and personal reflection. The module details key information (current evidence; basic anatomy/physiology; common oral conditions; and guidelines during pregnancy) that could better prepare students to promote oral health in clinical practice. This is the first time such an innovative, multidisciplinary approach has been undertaken embedding oral health in an undergraduate midwifery program in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the implications for learning design in HRM education in the 21st century. An open systems perspective is used to argue the importance of establishing productive relationships between academia, professional associations, regulators and industry (resource inputs) to support the creation of optimal learning environments (the transformation process) to generate work-ready HR graduates (the product output). A comparison of Australian and Chinese curricula indicates similarities in terms of approximate programme weightings of general business units, core HRM, and elective units. It is recommended that curriculum design take into account the need to remain research-based academically, yet industryfocused, in the context of an international workplace. A key to this is the collaboration among the resource inputs. The curriculum formulation process is examined, with implications for 21st century HRM education design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the results of a survey that was conducted with 277 pre-service teachers studying at two regional university campuses in Victoria, Australia in 2014. Data showed that participants expressed high level of satisfaction with the quality of their undergraduate courses in education including the flexible teaching and learning experiences. However, many reported experiencing frustration with accessing cloud-based learning materials and support services, including communication with lecturers. Challenges in accessing learning materials were mainly attributed to slow internet speed which increased the time taken to download resources. Access to support services and lecturers was made difficult because many key staff were located at the larger, urban campuses, thus sometimes causing delay in communication with them. This study recommends that university faculties review the accessibility of services, facilities and resources for rural and remote students. Recommendations include greater attention to the presentation of online learning materials to ensure accessibility for all students, regardless of internet speed and location. Moreover, findings showed that by closer examination of the accessibility of services to reflect the reality and complexity of students' lives, universities could increase equity for rural and remote students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new, independent Catholic school in rural Australia has had to face significant challenges in relation to its distinct Catholic ethos and curriculum. The challenges have included resistance from parents of the School with regard to the weekly time allocation for Religious Education, the nature of the faith-based curriculum, and the way in which it is taught. Resistance to the School in general has also been demonstrated from further afield and higher up, including the 'systemic authorities'. The various forces of resistance have created challenges for the School on both a small and large scale. This paper presents the types of challenges met by the School's Directors and Principal. It also presents how the challenges were tackled and explores the implications for the School, at the time and in the future. The implications may also be relevant to other faith-based schools in similar settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In developed economies, such as Australia, schooling is heavily impacted by neo-liberal and neo-conservative agendas. Policies suggest a homogeneity in students that fails to reflect regional contexts of inequality. For the new Australian Curriculum, which includes Health and Physical Education (AC: HPE), this logic prioritises consistency in content and standards for students no matter location or socio-economic circumstances. Little is known about the ‘lived’ realities of such aspirations as they relate to teaching students from disadvantaged regions. This paper reports on practitioner inquiry into a redesigned dance unit, as part of a broader investigation into the implementation of AC: HPE with disadvantaged students. We draw on literature around student engagement and Nancy Fraser’s theorisation of justice to explore the pedagogical redesign. We conclude in arguing that enhanced learning outcomes for disadvantaged students are dependent upon rich and contextualised pedagogical practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous people are the most disadvantaged population within Australia. The Bachelor of Nursing program at a large university in Western Sydney embedded Indigenous health into the undergraduate teaching program. This paper reviews the negative responses received towards course content on evaluation of the Indigenous health unit and explores the predictors for the negative attitudes towards Indigenous Australians. Two surveys were used (baseline and follow-up) to: 1. Determine the main predictors for negative attitudes towards Indigenous people and; 2. Explore students' perceptions of the educational quality of the Indigenous health unit. The surveys allowed collection of socio-demographic, academic data and included the 18 item ‘Attitude Toward Indigenous Australians’ (ATIA) scale and open-ended responses. Students who were: 1. Overseas born, 2. Enrolment category: International student and; 3. Whose primary source of information about Indigenous Australians were the media and school were significantly more likely to have higher negative attitudes towards Indigenous Australians. Qualitative data revealed some unfavourable comments dismissing the value and educational quality of the content within the Indigenous health unit. Community engagement is paramount to enhancing the student experience. Movement away from media driven ‘hype’ to an educated perspective is necessary to create an accurate portrayal of the Indigenous community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Queensland second language immersion programs have been in existence for three decades, and are part of a growing number of additive bilingual education programs in Australia. Most prominently, many new Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) programs have been established particularly in Victoria over the past few years. This focus on intensive language learning programs which integrate mainstream curriculum in subjects such as science or history with language learning is a welcome development for the languages sector in Australia. This paper offers insights into the Queensland context and presents interview data from program directors and teachers who reflected on teaching approaches and program structures. The teacher positions suggest that elements of CLIL have been part of Queensland immersion programs from their inception, and that 'immersion' alone might be a misleading description. The findings reveal a sustained focus on integrating 'language work' into all aspects of subject delivery, and therefore support the re-conceptualisation of these programs as CLIL/lmmersion [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contemporary higher education contexts, active learning pedagogy pervades in discourses around designing quality student experiences. Transposing student bodies from passive to active participants in learning experiences is widely considered best practice in curriculum and pedagogical design. While literature on active learning is vast and recommendations on how to transform into an active learning approach abounds, such advice is often prescribed to individual teachers or courses. What remains unknown in this transformational space is how leadership for person-centred teaching can guide a whole school to shift philosophical presuppositions and take-up active learning as the guiding pedagogy. This paper describes the challenges, processes and steps for how one school, the School of Nursing at an Australian University, invoked transformational change through a philosophical and practice-based shift across all learning spaces (online/ face-to-face/ blended, undergraduate and postgraduate domains). This paper offers recommendations for other schools interested in establishing a whole-of-school commitment to an active learning pedagogy transformation underpinned by person-centred teaching. • Curriculum transformation. • Using the Person-Centred Practice Framework as a underpinning philosophy. • Recommendations for whole School of Nursing involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the values and meaning of the nursing profession utilising a sample of new nursing graduates just entering the workforce. Nursing practice has shifted over the course of the 20th and 21st Centuries, with varied and shifting positions on the values and philosophy that underpin it. Reported here is data from a cohort of Australian and New Zealand nurse graduates (n = 97) who submitted survey responses to the open-ended question "I love nursing and/or midwifery because ..." as part of the web-based Graduate e-Cohort Study (GeS). Data were analysed relying on qualitative content analysis. Five themes emerged from the complete analysis of the responses. These themes were; self and personal development, immediate reward (intrinsic work values); meaning making and greater good, mobilities and momentum (extrinsic work values); and person-centred care (social work value). The findings suggest that while economic, workplace, organisational and professional influences may have influenced nursing work, when asked about what they value in nursing, the traditional values emerge as central. Nursing curricula and nurse educators would do well to promote these values and meanings leading to the education and recruitment of individuals suited to the work of nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The teaching of health literacy in school-based health education (SBHE) is of international interest, yet there is less ready access to how conceptions of health literacy can be operationalised in school programmes. More specifically, while articulated in curriculum documents such as the incoming Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education, there are few accounts of planning, implementing and evaluating units with critical health literacy aims that can inform curriculum reform. This paper introduces and evaluates a health literacy unit implemented in three Australian secondary schools. It demonstrates the capacity of schools to undertake critical health literacy teaching and learning that is valued by the students as relevant, engaging and contemporary, particularly when the pedagogies intersect with e-health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexity of teacher's work is manifest in the divergent use of digital technologies in and out of school. This paper explores the logical step of connecting students' out-of-school mediated literacy learning to the content descriptors of the Australian Curriculum. The study uses published evidence from four previous studies of young people to demonstrate the diverse ways that out-of-school practices can be linked to literacy learning in the Australian Curriculum. We frame this linking of informal literacy learning to the Australian Curriculum by highlighting the funds of knowledge' children bring through the school gate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In various parts of the world, Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples are actively working towards Reconciliation. In Australia, the context in which we each undertake our work as educationalists and researchers, the Reconciliation agenda has been pushed into schools and English teachers have been called on to share responsibility for facilitating the move towards a new national order. The recently introduced Australian Curriculum mandates that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures be embedded with "a strong" but "varying presence" into each learning area (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2013). In this paper we consider the tensions between policy and practice, when discourses external to education are recontextualised into the discipline of English. We do so by applying an analytical framework based on Bernstein's (1990, 1996, 2000) sociological theories about the structure of instructional and regulative discourses. Our findings suggest that the space to exert Reconciliatory agendas in the Australian Curriculum English is ambiguous and thus holds the potential to not only marginalise Indigenous knowledges but also to create tensions between policy and practice for non-Indigenous teachers of English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Croatian Journal of Education / Hrvatski Časopis za Odgoj i Obrazovanje is the property of Uciteljski Fakultet u Zagrebu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article explores some of the distinctive challenges in Chinese language education in schools and discusses how the development of the Australian Curriculum: Chinese has responded to these challenges. It details how the curriculum framework outlined in the Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Languages (ACARA, 2011) (hereafter the Shape paper), was applied firstly in addressing the characteristics of the Chinese language itself, secondly in meeting the needs of learners of diverse language background and experience, and finally in developing a curriculum for Chinese in the primary years that responds to the needs of learners in these early years of language learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]