Search

The following outlines the rationale and structure of a professional learning initiative that seeks to explore teachers' ways of engaging students more actively in building mathematical connections for themselves. An example of one of the suggested experiences is presented.

Schools are now situated within a dominant public policy regime that is demanding compliance and standardisation, at a time when the achievement of success for all students demands a capacity at the school level to design and deliver an approach that embeds "an ongoing process of professional learning for teachers" (Caldwell, 2014, p. 4). Such professional learning must provide opportunities for teachers to reflect on their own assumptions and beliefs, to test their assumptions and adapt and reshape strategies in light of their analyses in the context of a collective profession. The development of teacher capability matrices at a primary school in New Zealand appears to be a unique and authentic expression of dialogue between teachers about how teachers can seriously engage in their own learning and be accountable for continuously improving their instructional practice through integrating what they have learned into their classroom practice. The matrices support dialogue about teaching and learning through making knowledge and thought "more explicit", providing a platform for regular reflection, observation and feedback among and between beginning and experienced teachers. In cultivating such dialogue, teachers learn to conceive of, to speak in, and to assess their work, in terms of agreed 'standards'.

How teachers position themselves and their students can influence the development of afforded or constrained local moral orders in ability-based teacher-led mathematics lessons. Local moral orders are the negotiated discursive practices and interactions of participants in the group. In this article, the developing local moral orders of 12 teachers and their highest and lowest mathematics groups are examined with particular attention paid to teacher positioning and the patterns of differentiated positioning between the groups.

There is an identified and growing need for a levelled diagnostic basic facts assessment tool that provides teachers with formative information about students' mastery of a broad range of basic fact sets. The Individual Basic Facts Assessment tool has been iteratively and cumulatively developed, trialled, and refined with input from teachers and students to meet that need. The development of the tool, results from test trials, and our next steps are described in this article. IBFA Fact Sets are appended.

Despite the Ministry of Education Statement of Intent 2014-2018 that the performance of the education system for priority students--Maori, Pasifika, students with special education needs and students from low socio-economic areas needs to improve rapidly these groups remain a concern in the New Zealand Education System. This article explores what happens to a group of Pasifika students and their teachers when the teachers draw on Pasifika focused culturally responsive teaching in the mathematics classroom. Changes to the identity and mathematical disposition of the Pasifika students are illustrated when their ethos becomes the cultural capital valued in the classroom using teacher and student voice.

The "lived reality" of secondary schooling for ten young gay men and the impact of this "reality" upon their emerging sexual identities is explored in this study. Two semi-structured interviews were held with each participant which allowed for the exploration of peer group culture, social and sexual activities, teachers, curriculum, counselors and identity management strategies. The discussion of these contexts is framed by a consideration of social constructionist and post structuralist ideas which challenge the current positioning of sexual minority youth as "abnormal,""unnatural," and "unacceptable." In light of these experiences the young men constructed what they perceived were "acceptable" masculine identities that enabled them to survive heterosexist and homophobic school environments. The discussion that follows suggests that schools need to challenge hegemonic practices that currently reinforce the binaries of heterosexual/homosexual and masculine/feminine in both classrooms and the wider school environment. These perceptions are held up in comparison to the young men's reflections of the research process they have been involved in, suggesting potential for personal change that can be elicited through the provision of venues and opportunities that allow for an exploration of potential identities that "read against the text" of "normal,""masculine," and "heterosexual." Contains 32 references. (Author)

In 1989, New Zealand implemented a decentralized education system centered on school-based management. Outcomes of decentralization include higher workloads at the school level, more structural opportunities for parental voice, and resource discrepancies between schools in low- and high-income areas. This paper describes and analyzes the changes that have occurred in New Zealand education since decentralization in the four following areas--curriculum and instruction, regulations and accountability, funding, and governance. Data were obtained from surveys of board members and elementary-school principals and teachers conducted in late 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1993. The New Zealand experience offers the following lessons: (1) from the beginning, designers of school-site management must identify and counter potential problems related to funding formulae, structures, roles, and processes of governance; (2) school-site management alone will not solve problems of unequal educational provision, improve the overall quality of education, or enable the central agency to abandon a planning function; (3) accountability structures and sanctions alone are insufficient means for achieving desired goals; (4) decentralization is likely to make education more politicized, especially if some of the inherent tensions are not addressed in the design and unrealistic results are promised; and (5) school-site management in a positive context is rewarding, and is probably as useful a vehicle for educational administration as any other strategy yet attempted. Contains approximately 14 references. (LMI)

This research study: (1) looks at what happens in social studies classrooms; and (2) attempts to determine the characteristics and behaviors of effective teachers. To collect data, the researcher observed several high school (grades 9-12) social studies classes since the fall semester of 1991 in the San Francisco (California) Bay Area for 3 months and in five other countries (Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Poland, and Korea). In addition, teachers and students answered questionnaires and were interviewed. Teachers were asked about their expectations for students, what good or effective teaching is, how they characterized today's students, and whether or not they treat honors classes differently than they treat non-honors classes. Students were asked whether or not they liked social studies, and to define good and poor social studies teachers. Tests, lesson plans, teacher's notes, and student notebooks and assignments were examined. The study found that effective teachers behave similarly and share certain characteristics. They tend to maintain high expectations for their students, are able to explain things clearly to their students, and vary their teaching methods and classroom activities. The study also showed that effective teachers saw their courses as having an impact on their students' lives, and were concerned with not only course contents, but also with student learning processes. Tables throughout the paper describe types of research activities, compare classroom activities of effective teachers to those of ineffective teachers, show evidence of student learning, compare how frequently various classroom activities occurred in United States and overseas schools, list student ratings of classroom activities, and list characteristics and behaviors of effective social studies teachers. (LP)

Since the restructuring of education in New Zealand in 1989, a new curriculum framework has been developed. This framework emphasizes the thinking, problem-solving, and group skills processes. This paper traces the growth of a strategic approach to teaching and learning in New Zealand, with a focus on cooperative learning. It describes findings of a study that designed and assessed a staff development program implemented in two secondary New Zealand schools. Data were obtained from on-site observations, teacher and student questionnaires, and principal interviews. The program model was participant-driven, in which teachers chose teaching strategies and controlled the pace and development. A significant outcome was an almost total teacher commitment to cooperative learning. Teachers and students moved from an individualistic, competitive goal orientation to a collaborative and supportive one. This is noteworthy because New Zealand schools are particularly competitive; at the sixth form, students compete for a preset number of grades. Any assistance they give their peers could potentially reduce their own grades. Students did, however, use the groups to enhance their individual performances, as well as to teach cooperative skills and encode new learning material. Future plans to implement the program within clusters of neighboring schools are described. Contains 23 references. (LMI)

Teaching practice in schools is an essential component of the professional practice courses for primary student teachers at the University of Waikato (New Zealand). During the first three years of their training, students have a combination of short term placement in normal schools, and longer blocks of teaching practice in other schools. During this time they are expected to gain experience in urban and rural schools with junior (year 1-3), middle (year 4-6), and senior (year 7-8) levels, across all curriculum subject areas. The practicum comprises tasks from both professional practice and curriculum courses. In their fourth year, students are expected to undertake action research projects for short periods in schools. The professional practice courses aim to empower student teachers through the development of a reflective approach to the process of teaching, the development of clear links between theory and practice and the encouragement of a critical analysis of educational issues. This paper outlines the principles underpinning the teaching practicum, describes the structure and organization of the school-based component, and comments on some emerging practical, theoretical, and political issues. (Author/IAH)

This paper reviews research on teaching practicums and describes research-based efforts of the University of Waikato in New Zealand to make the practicum component more effective. Changes in the practicum component being implemented include clarifying the relationship between theory and practice; improving the communication among schools, colleges, and students; outlining the logical development of expectations for each practice teaching requirement; providing training for associate teachers; improving assessment of the practicum; and establishing the Professional Studies Department. Findings suggest that the blend of the practicum incorporated within professional practice courses produces an effective mix of theory and practice and that improvements to this model will bring about a professionally more sound development than the school-based initial teacher education models being proposed elsewhere. (JDD)

Northland Support Wilderness Experience (NSWE) was a bicultural (White and Maori) wilderness therapy program that operated in New Zealand from 1985 to 1990. NSWE conducted 11 wilderness expeditions per year with approximately 10 participants each, and provided 18-month followups for participants, parents, and significant others. Participants were aged 13-29; were at risk of being caught in destructive or self-destructive lifestyles; were referred by welfare departments, the courts, schools, or other sources; and participated voluntarily. Expeditions were demanding 10-day outdoor experiences characterized by extensive group meetings, group guidance and counseling, and group monitoring of participant behavior. This paper outlines aspects of the following program elements: (1) roles within the leadership team; (2) participant preparation and group building activities; (3) group development of a behavior agreement establishing behavior boundaries, group goals, consequences for breaking the agreement, and guidelines for participation and safety; (4) sharing power and control with participants, including the role and tasks of the day leader appointed each day by the group; (5) group activities and learning sessions for "korero time" (talk time); and (6) empowerment for participants, employees, and program administrators. (SV)

This paper discusses the issues of power, self-determination, and culturally appropriate learning as they relate to Australian Aboriginal, Native American, and Maori early childhood programs. It is asserted that many programs for the education of indigenous peoples in Australia, the United States, and New Zealand have failed to serve the needs and aspirations of those peoples, because the majority culture in those countries has historically maintained policies of assimilation of and hegemony over native peoples. Only in the last several decades have national and local governments and agencies come to address the inequities of early childhood programs within indigenous communities. The aims of culturally appropriate early childhood education for indigenous peoples include: (1) acknowledging the validity of cultural knowledge and ways of learning; (2) enhancing self-esteem, cultural pride, identity, and self-concept; (3) enhancing educational outcomes, including maintenance of the people's native language; (4) educating for self-determination; and (5) furthering bicultural and multicultural understanding. Real progress to meet the educational needs of indigenous peoples is possible by providing for the control of their educational resources by the indigenous peoples themselves. Contains 42 references. (MDM)

Findings of a study that examined the ways in which school principals, directors of nursing education programs, and supervisors of community health centers manage conflict are presented in this paper. The study attempted to determine the applicability of research on conflict management in noneducational settings to school organizations. Interviews were conducted with 15 Canadian school principals, 18 New Zealand school principals, 8 community health supervisors in western Canada, and 6 directors of schools of nursing in a western Canadian province. Findings indicate that both groups of principals and the community health center supervisors most often handled conflict by managing the common information base, and that nursing education directors attempted to manage the organizational climate. A conclusion is that conflict resolution information developed from the study of certain organizational settings is not necessarily applicable to others. Five tables are included. (29 references) (LMI)

Parents' views on the goals of early childhood programs and on characteristics of a high quality center were examined in a study that also investigated parents' understandings of quality in three different types of early childhood services. The study was part of a major project on the quality of early childhood centers, which was funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Education. The focus in this paper is on findings revealed when day care center managers and staff were, for the first time, required by the government, as part of the charter development process, to consult with parents and find out their views. A total of 211 families participated in the survey, with the response rate high in play centers, and modest at child care centers and kindergartens. Three main topics were surveyed: (1) parents' reasons for choosing their current early childhood center; (2) parents' ratings of a list of goals and criteria of high quality centers; and (3) demographic and background information. It was found that convenience and program appearance were important factors in center selection. The most frequently cited goals were children's self-confidence, a safe and secure setting, and warm and loving care. The most important criteria for a high quality center were responsive and knowledgeable staff, good supervision, and safe and clean equipment and facilities. Differences among parents of children at play centers, child care centers, and kindergartens were found. Contains 23 references. (LB)

After six decades of supposed equal resource sharing among all cultural groups, in 1982 the first Maori-initiated and operated child care center opened in New Zealand. Called a "Kohanga Reo" ("language nest"), it inaugurated a new movement, and by 1990 there were 612 such centers. This paper first describes the characteristics of Te Kohanga Reo programs, and then reports on a research study of parent attitudes toward them. Te Kohanga Reo are early childhood centers for the care and education of young children and the delivery of services to families. Most provide full-day care. They operate in a variety of settings, such as schools, community houses, private homes, churches, or Marae (Maori meeting places). They are licensed by the Ministry of Education. The centers feature immersion of children in the Maori language and culture, and "whanau" development: the involvement of Maori elders in Kohanga operation. Te Kohanga Reo is aimed at developing bilingual and bicultural children who can interact competently in both Maori and Pakeha worlds. The early education program fuses children's cultural needs with their developmental needs. Findings from a survey of 12 families in two programs suggest a high degree of congruency between people's aspirations and the pedagogy of Te Kohanga Reo. Contains 15 references. (LB)

This paper examines the prevailing theoretical orientation of the "free play" curriculum in New Zealand child care centers. It also introduces an alternative way of understanding how children learn and discusses a literacy-centered curriculum that uses aspects of the free play and alternative curricula. Child care centers in New Zealand typically use a free play curriculum based on Piaget's theory that child development consists of passage through predetermined stages. Social experience and interpersonal behavior play a secondary role. An alternative curriculum is based on the work of other theorists, such as Vygotsky. The elements of an alternative curriculum are: (1) scaffolding, or the practice of an adult helping a child acquire knowledge or a skill that the child could not acquire alone; (2) access, or the provision of appropriate written materials in the home and school; and (3) mediation of the child's learning by adults. A curriculum centered around literacy would combine attributes of a free play and an alternative curriculum. Ways of promoting literacy development include access to a library, provision of a print-rich environment, a curriculum that integrates literacy into theme learning, and a classroom design that encourages multimedia construction. A list of 29 references is provided. (BC)

The history of counseling psychology in Australia, which has been marked by confusion and uncertainty about the distinction between it and other applied areas such as clinical psychology, community psychology, educational psychology, and psychotherapy, is discussed in this paper. The development of the Division of Counselling Psychology within the New Zealand Psychological Society is traced and the more recent and distracting tensions that exist within the areas of clinical psychology, counseling, and psychotherapy are discussed. Counseling-related research conducted in New Zealand during the 1980s is reviewed and trends and omissions are identified. These topics are included: (1) the history of counseling psychology in New Zealand; (2) the history of clinical and counseling psychology research; (3) previous reviews of counseling-related research; (4) descriptions of the activities of guidance counselors and applied psychologists; (5) applications of counseling to specific settings, such as sexual counseling, pastoral counseling, unemployment counseling, abortion/pregnancy counseling, crisis counseling, prison counseling, and grief counseling; (6) training resources and developments; (7) critiques of counseling theories and training models; (8) evaluations of training; (9) counseling research; (10) testing and assessment; (11) bicultural counseling; and (12) evaluation. (162 references) (ABL)

The classroom implementation of open-ended mathematics tasks, such as Model-Eliciting Activities (MEAs), can be challenging for teachers. This case study research considers a teacher, Adam, implementing a lesson intended to be an MEA on graphical antiderivative. We describe the lack of alignment of the written, intended and enacted curricula that occurred. An analysis of Adam's conflicting resources, orientations and goals, and how these influenced his pedagogical decision making, enables a description of the reasons for this misalignment. One possible implication for teacher professional development arising from the case study is presented. [For the complete proceedings, see ED597799.]

Education, and especially tertiary education, is vital for people preparing for the workforce. Students have a range of choices for higher education, from domestic tertiary institutions to the option of studying overseas. A number of factors influence this choice, such as the perceived benefits of living in an English speaking country and the prestige of gaining an international qualification. New Zealand is a popular destination for many students. They expect a friendly, safe and culturally tolerant society, and to a large extent their expectations are met. In 2012, the New Zealand government tightened the eligibility for allowances for domestic undergraduate students and eliminated them for domestic post graduate study. As a result the number of domestic enrolments in tertiary education has reduced. This has been balanced by an increasing number of international students coming to New Zealand. However, many educational institutions are becoming dependent on the fees of international students. This research examines the current state of the international student market in New Zealand. Additionally, the urgency of planning for any sudden reduction in the numbers of international students is highlighted and conclusions about how these institutions can best plan for survival should the international student market bubble burst.

In early childhood settings narratives that capture children's learning as they go about their day-to-day activities are promoted as a powerful assessment tool. However, in the New Zealand context there is increasing concern that learning stories currently downplay domain knowledge. Data from teacher interviews and samples of learning stories suggest that many teachers prefer to document and analyse mathematics learning that occurs within explicit mathematics activities rather than within play that involves mathematics.

When students begin secondary school they must learn what it means to be a learner of mathematics in this new context. Certain actions are more valued than others and these can be considered "scripts" for successful learning. Students may call upon these scripts when enacting their mathematics learner identity. Sixty-four interviews with 22 students and 16 interviews with their Year 9 teachers were analysed using a performance metaphor for identity to explore the role of scripts in developing learners' mathematics identities. Teachers promote an "ask questions" script and see their students as lacking if they do not do so. Students, in contrast, receive and enact passive learner identity scripts.

Tablet PCs were used interactively in a Discrete Mathematics course in the first year of a Computing degree. The main benefit expected was an improvement in student engagement, but peer instruction was very evident and the ability to display many student answers led to very effective and immediate feedback, particularly when incorrect answers were displayed to the class. We discuss our experiences and the student reactions, and in particular, what they reported as the main advantages.

The mathematics content knowledge of pre-service teachers is a growing area of inquiry. This topic requires further theoretical development due to the limited applicability of current cognitive and practice-oriented frameworks of mathematics content knowledge to beginning pre-service teachers. Foundation content knowledge is an integrated, growth-oriented concept of mathematics content knowledge specifically for beginning pre-service primary teachers. While we acknowledge that our proposal is preliminary and incomplete we also maintain that it addresses a number of important issues faced by pre-service teachers, their initial teacher education providers, and the mathematics education community.

New Zealand and Australian curricula require students to learn about weight/mass for at least six years. However, little research identifies what should be taught. This study reports cognitive interviews with 17 Year 9 students who were asked "how heavy is my rock?" Only one student demonstrated some understanding of how to use analogue kitchen scales, most had multiple errors. Results suggest that teachers would benefit from better guidance about teaching the skill set needed for such a task.

This study expands contemporary theorising about students' conceptions of equality. A nationally representative sample of New Zealand students' were asked to provide a spoken numerical response and an explanation as they solved an arithmetic additive missing number problem. Students' responses were conceptualised as acts of communication and analysed according to their mathematical structure. Specifically, students' spoken explanations were parsed and mapped using the properties of equality. These maps were classified according to their correspondence to the mathematical structure of the given problem. Students gave four different numerical responses and their explanations were interpreted as seven different conceptions of equality. These findings indicate that students' conceptions of equality are more diverse and complex than previous accounts suggest.

Teacher respect, important within culturally responsive practice, has seldom been explored in relation to mathematical pedagogy. Our study involving interviews, surveys, and lesson videos with Year 12 and 13 New Zealand mathematics students and teachers indicated specific pedagogical behaviours are important for demonstrating respect for students and their learning. Respectful teachers provide opportunities for mathematical decision-making, follow chains of reasoning with individuals, and sensitively guide next learning steps. Implications for practice include knowing individuals' learning needs and prioritising one-to-one interactions.

The value of a consideration of large numbers and exponentiation in primary and early secondary school should not be underrated. In Indian history of mathematics, consistent naming of, and working with large numbers, including powers of ten, appears to have provided the impetus for the development of a place value system. While today's students do not have to create a number system, they do need to understand the structure of numeration in order to develop number sense, quantity sense and operations. We believe that this could be done more beneficially through reflection on large numbers and numbers in the exponential form. What is reported here is part of a research study that involves students' understanding of large numbers and powers before and after a teaching intervention incorporating historical ideas. The results indicate that a carefully constructed framework based on an integration of historical and educational perspectives can assist students to construct a richer understanding of the place value structure.

The importance of understanding the various uses of the literal symbol in algebra, and in particular the idea of generalised number, is well documented in the literature. Many research findings have also reported student difficulties with this vital and central concept. This research study examines the use of a combination of historical and educational research ideas as a way of enhancing students' understanding of generalised number. The results suggest that this approach helped some students to make some generalisations and to understand the difference between specific unknown and generalised number.

The importance of student understanding of the concept of place value cannot be underestimated. Place value is a "gate keeper" in developing mathematical understanding. The purpose of this study was to examine and develop a teacher-made test of place value knowledge. The questions were developed using the progressions from the Number Framework (Bobis, Clarke, Clarke, Thomas, Wright et al., 2005). An exploratory factor analysis was used to evaluate the assessment tool. The analysis of student responses to the test questions revealed a three-factor structure that supported the existing literature on the progression in learning of place value ideas, by identifying the critical key ideas that underlie the concept of place value. The results validated the tool as a test of place value knowledge that could be used to assess the performance of Yrs. 3-9 students.

Using a case study, the complex challenge of making mathematics education research accessible to secondary mathematics teachers was addressed with two questions. How can we design a method that will meet the challenge of making research usable for mathematics teachers? And what would this method be? To address this challenge we describe a process and product that emerged from using the stages of design-thinking. We invite fellow researchers to join us in the collective mission of bridging the gap between mathematics research and practice, furthermore, we seek to stimulate conversations about what counts as a research output.

A case study of a New Zealand educator's 14-year efforts to apply reading theory to reading instruction is described in this paper. The project was begun in 1962 to find out if teachers could observe the process of learning to read going awry within a few months of the child's entry into school, and to seek ways of correcting that trend if observed. The data were collected in a longitudinal study design from six New Zealand schools. The data indicated that students developed self-limiting and self-improving reading behaviors, complex sets of hierarchically organized behaviors acquired over three to four years of graduated practice. The applications of ideas gained from this research took the form of inservice workshops to make teachers more sensitive observers of student reading behaviors, helping the teachers to observe, analyze, and correct the students' reading strategies before self-limiting strategies would inhibit reading progress and lead to reading failure. (Discussion following presentation of the paper is included.) (RL)

This proceedings of the 17th annual conference of the Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia (SPERA) contains 28 keynote addresses and conference papers. Major conference themes were vocational education and training (VET) in rural schools, small schools, flexible rural delivery systems, and the community as a resource and support for education. Keynote addresses are: "VET in Rural Schools" (Mike Frost); "Why Aligning Curriculum and Assessment in New Times Is Ultimately a Pedagogy Question" (Paul Herschell); "Swimming against the Tide" (Bob Meyenn); and "Aliens in the Classroom?" (Faith Trent). Refereed papers are: "Learning Partnerships in Rural Early Childhood Settings" (Kennece Coombe, Joy Lubawy); "Cut Your Teeth on Online Collaborative Projects" (Roger Edmonds); "Bridging Studies: An Alternative Pathway to University for Rural Australians" (Bronwyn Ellis, Nancy Cooper, Janet Sawyer); "Regional University Access: A Case Study from the South West" (Robyn Eversole); "Vocational Education: Voices from the Field" (Annette Green, Colin Boylan); "A Foot in Both Camps: School Students and Workplaces" (Annette Green, Erica Smith); "A Rural-Based Teacher Education Internship: Stressors and Coping Mechanisms" (Tania Hockley, Brian Hemmings); "Online Support for Action Research in a Teacher Education Internship in Rural Australia" (T. W. Maxwell, Jo-Anne Reid, Catherine McLoughlin, Catherine Clarke, Ruth Nicholls); and "An Innovative Flexible Program for Rural Women" (Judith Wooller, Lesley Warner). Other (non-refereed) papers and panels were presented by April M. Bender, Judith Duff, Stephanie Gadeke, Lyn Gorman, Tamara Jones, Sheila King, Felicity Masson, Louise Pritchard, Sherrin Bell, Rosa Lincoln, Jan Martin, John McMillan, Harry Jones, David McSwan, Emma Clinch, Ron Store, Don Squires, R. J. Wenzel, and Russell Yates. Topics include motivating indigenous children, improving outcomes for high-risk students in Port Hedlund School of the Air, online teaching and resources, teacher perceptions of teaching in changing times, preservice teacher preparation for rural schools, recruiting quality student teachers for rural western Australia, school governance in small rural New Zealand schools, rotor streaming media software, otitis media, VET provision in rural schools, case study of small rural New Zealand schools, and flexible learning applied to primary teacher education. (SV)

This document contains 95 papers and summaries of 5 poster sessions from an Australian conference on putting vocational education and training (VET) research to work. The following are among the areas covered in the papers: factors affecting VET graduates' employability over time; technical and further education (TAFE) institutes as models of learning organizations; school noncompleters' outcomes in VET; increasing disabled students' participation in VET; VET management; bringing research and policy development together; innovative and flexible approaches to training package implementation; online support for VET clients; work-based learning; self-determined learning in the workplace; quality control and employability; using statistical software to interpret educational research; moving from andragogy to heutagogy in VET; drivers of learning cultures within organizations; VET practices in foreign countries; action research as action learning; challenges facing TAFE teachers; urban disadvantage and provider equity strategies; factors preventing uptake of apprenticeships and traineeships among secondary school adolescents; literacy and first-line management; performance level assessment; linkages between adult continuing education and VET; using training indicators to improve VET planning; student experiences of generic competency learning; managing the transformation to an e-learning organization; learning from small enterprise structured work placements; and using research to inform business and strategic decisions. Many papers include substantial bibliographies. (MN)

Designed to be used with the New Zealand curriculum framework, this slide presentation defines "information literacy," gives an information literacy overview, proposes 10 questions that students need to ask themselves, and provides student educational objectives for information skills. The report presents an essential skills assessment formula for primary (years 5 and 6), intermediate (years 7 and 8), and secondary (years 9 and 10) grade. It offers examples of definitions and discusses persuasive language and positive, negative, and neutral writing for intermediate and secondary grades, as well as ambiguity for secondary grades. It then focuses on evaluating information in text and finding information in prose text for intermediate and secondary levels. Contains 13 references. (NKA)

This document contains a total of 57 welcoming speeches, theme addresses, seminar and workshop papers, and poster sessions that were presented at a conference on technological education and national development. The papers explore the ways technology and technological advances have both necessitated and enabled changes in the way education is designed and delivered. The following are among the themes addressed in the individual papers: rival views of technology and their impact on education; the learning needs of older adults using information technologies; entrepreneurship education; lifelong learning on the World Wide Web; issues faced by polytechnics and institutes of technology as they respond to the challenges of Internet technologies and new media; working knowledge; flexible delivery; strategies for teaching technical students to be critical; development of curricula incorporating "hands-on" experience and interaction with industry; a framework for open, flexible, and distributed learning; models of online teaching; the transition from secondary to university education; digital curriculum databases; use of technology to foster authentic communication for second language students; labor and education dilemmas facing the Arab Gulf States; the future of women's colleges; universal education; English for workplace purposes; empathy as a paradoxical key to successful human learning futures; economic education; and funding problems of technical education in developing countries. Many papers include substantial bibliographies. (MN)

These proceedings consist of 66 conference papers on these themes: changing nature of work; emerging technologies; internationalization of vocational education and training (VET); enterprise and educational innovation; flexible delivery approaches; and research and technology and using technology in research. The papers are "Training Needs of Older Workers" (Ball et al.); "In Search of Evaluation Truths--Representation and Abstraction" (Barratt-Pugh); "Competency-Based Assessment--One-Minute Wonder or Here to Stay?" (Booth); "Technical and Further Education (TAFE) as a Pro-Active Partner in VET in Schools" (Bradbery, Murphy); "Work-Related Learning and Changing the Nature of Work" (Brown); "Improving the Incentives for Investment in Learning by Adults" (Burke); "Seductive Hope of Education Work" (Childs); "Managing a Case Study Approach in VET Research to Address the Funding Agency's Criteria" (Choy, Hill); "Constructing Work" (Crowley et al.); "Changing Nature of Work and the New Politics of Literacy" (Devereaux); "Key Competencies in Training Packages" (Down); "Facilitating Educational Growth" (Down); "Unintegrated Training? Exploring Links Between Off- and On-the-Job Learning" (Dymock, Gerber); "Leadership in VET" (Falk); "Outcomes for Apprentices and Trainees in Australian Small Enterprises" (Freeland); "National VET Research and Evaluation Program" (Gibb); "University-VET Transition" (Golding, Vallence); "Voices in VET" (Green); "Work as Paid Employment" (Hanrahan); "Trying to Hit a Moving Target" (Harris, Simons); "'There Are Workplace Trainers and Then There Are Workplace Trainers'" (Harris, Simons); "Measuring Organizational Capability" (Hase); "VET Research Information from Around the World" (Hayman); "Collaborative Insider Research in VET" (Herbert); "Researching VET and the Voluntary Sector" (Hopkins); "English Rules OK?" (Kell et al.); "VET in Rural Schools" (Kilpatrick et al.); "Contributions of VET to Regional Communities" (Kilpatrick et al.); "'I Am Still Studying, I Just Have Not Finished'" (Kirkby); "Lifelong Learning in the New Millennium" (Krogh); "Learning from History" (Kronemann); "Admin Training Company's Best Practice Models" (Lewanski); "RAVL Symposium" (McIntyre et al.); "Further Local Participation Study" (McIntyre); "Using Longitudinal Data for Research on VET" (McKenzie); "Value of Work-Based Learning" (McNickle);"Effectiveness of Workplace Training and Assessment Practices in On-the-Job Traineeships" (Misko et al.); "Impact of E-Commerce on Online Learning Systems in the VET Sector" (Mitchell); "Exploring Capacity-Building" (Modra, Seddon); "Relationship Between Course Design, Delivery, & Course Outcomes" (Moy et al.); "What Skill? Whose Knowing? Futures for Competency Based Training" (Mulcahy, James); "Management Education" (O'Keefe); "Strategic Alliances and the New World of Work" (Owen, Bound); "Outcomes from Enabling Courses" (Phan, Ball); "Selling TAFE Short" (Pitt); "Leadership of Change--TAFE Study" (Rice); "Learning and Assessment Issues in Apprenticeships and Traineeships" (Robertson et al.); "How Owner/Managers Decide to Participate with New Apprenticeships for the First Time" (Rowlands); "Impact of VET Research" (Smith); "Police Culture and the Learning Organization" (Shanahan); "Teenagers' Full-Time Work and Learning" (Smith); "Preparing Learners and Workplaces in the Effective Use of Flexible Delivery for Workforce Training" (Smith); "Research and Technology--Using Technology in Research--Implications for Researchers and the Researched" (Smyth et al.); "Implementing Training Packages" (Stewart); "Trainee and Apprentice Retention and Attrition in Australia" (Symons, Simons); "Measuring Performance" (Symons); "Workbased Learning as Critical Social Pedagogy" (Wagner, Childs); "Flexibility Through Technology--Lessons from the Field" (Walsh); "Equity in Australian Education and Training" (Watson, Pope); "Three Years Down the Track" (Webb, Gibson); "Best Practice in Managing Diversity in TAFE Distance Learning Centers" (Weeks); "Flexible Delivery Approaches--Evaluating Outcomes and Informing Learning" (Wemyss); "Introduction to the New Zealand Industry Training Sector and the Industry Training Federation" (Williams); "Current and New Research Tools and Techniques in Planning" (Young, Stockdale); "Measuring Long-Term Impacts of Short-Term Projects" (Young); and "In Their Own Words" (Zuvich). (YLB)

This study examined the "educare" experiences of infants and toddlers in New Zealand child care centers to evaluate whether those experiences provided opportunities for learning. Subjects were 200 under-2-year-old children (99 boys and 101 girls) from 100 childcare centers, 2 children from each center. Subjects were each observed for 80 minutes of structured time-sampled observations and 30 minutes running records of the child's activity in context. The results showed that children initiated many interactions with adults, most commonly through vocalization. Crying, requesting, physical actions, and positive affect were much more infrequent. Most of the children's initiations received either positive or neutral responses from adults. Children were engaged more than three quarters of the time when they were observed but spent about 14 percent of the time wandering or waiting. Children were somewhat unlikely to be involved in joint play activities with an adult, which occurred only 7 percent of the time. A third of all children in the study participated in no joint attention at all. Qualitative data provided evidence of the overall responsiveness of high quality centers and the richness of joint attention episodes as contexts for learning. (Contains 33 references.) (Author/AA)

When students enter the classroom they are confronted with a wide variety of goals to strive for, activities to engage in, and challenges to face, across a number of domains: academic, artistic, sporting and social. Recently, there has been a growing recognition of this complexity of goals among researchers interested in student's motivational beliefs. This New Zealand study examined the relationship between Form Two students' (n=162) academic task values in two school subjects, mathematics and language, and their perceptions of social satisfaction in classrooms using a cooperative goal structure or in regular classrooms. Task values for engagement in mathematics and language activities were higher, and perceived costs lower, in classrooms using a cooperative goal structure. Higher task values and lower perceived costs were also associated with higher social satisfaction. The relationships between classroom goal structure, social satisfaction and task value orientation were mediated by gender. The interaction of gender and classroom goal structure suggested that girls are more affected by the nature of the classroom climate than are boys. This study supports current moves to extend research attention beyond the academic sphere and to consider students' perceptions of tasks within a wider contact. (JBJ)

Children's intrinsic motivation for school work has been recognized as an important contributor and predictor of school achievement. It is characterized by enjoyment and valuing of learning for the inherent pleasure its accomplishment brings. Important features include curiosity, persistence, autonomy, a mastery orientation, and a preference for challenging tasks. Most intrinsic motivation research has focused on college students, adolescents, and children in middle childhood. This study targeted school beginners. Young children vary in the extent to which they are intrinsically motivated toward academic work, but the development of this motivation is not fully understood. The study's participants were 48 boys and 35 girls from 8 first-year classes in 5 Auckland (New Zealand) elementary schools. Measures included: (1) academic competence; (2) social competence; (3) perceived social competence; (4) perceived academic competence; (5) academic intrinsic motivation; and (6) teacher questionnaire. The study showed children's perceptions of their social competence as the largest contributor to their intrinsic motivation for school work. Children's social behavior, as perceived by their teachers, was also strongly related to academic performance. Contains 31 references. (BGC)

Twenty New Zealand lecturers supervising third (final) year student teachers were interviewed and completed questionnaires about their supervision visits. Results focus on the professional development needs of the supervising lecturers and the associate teachers, and the ways in which student teachers could have been better prepared for their final teaching practice. Key factors in enhancing successful teaching practice and teaching practice supervision were the establishment of rapport between lecturer and student, rapport between the associate teacher and the lecturer, rapport between associate teacher and student teacher, and adequate time for the supervisory process. Relationships between associate teachers/student teachers and between associate teachers/supervising lecturers were also seen as factors inhibiting successful teaching practice. Professional development needs of lecturers focused on mentoring, induction courses, discussion groups, and feedback. Professional development needs of associate teachers focused on knowledge about School of Education expectations, competencies to expect of student teachers, feedback techniques, supervisory techniques, and student teacher autonomy. Student teachers expressed a need for additional preparation in articulating performance objectives and in doing unit planning. (JDD)

This publication contains the proceedings of a conference on the universities, labor market, the academic labor pool, and society's needs for educated workers in New Zealand. Following background information on the conference, a list of participants, and a conference program; the texts of the two keynote presentations are given including questions and following discussion. The first presentation was by Simon Upton, "The Labour Market and the Universities" and looked at the present role of higher education in New Zealand, current pressures, and changes. It proposes some principles for thinking about education and labor, discusses the pros and cons of a system driven by student choice; and looks at the merits of a purchasing agent model. The second presentation, "Educating Highly Skilled Labour: Demographic Aspects of the Contributions of the Universities," by Ian Pool and Lisa Davies, is a research-based essay on enrollment, historical, and demographic trends in higher education. Additional papers included in this publication but not formally presented include additional technical responses to the second keynote address with extensive figures and tables, "The International Market for Academics" by Ed Vos, and "A Note on Occupational Projections in the United States of America" by Dennis Rose. The final section offers commentary on the entire conference. Both keynote papers include references. (JB)

Working out assessment philosophy and practices takes time, as the team members working on the "Competent Children" research project in New Zealand have found out during the first 18 months of the project. It is imperative that those with expertise in early childhood care and education insist on developmentally appropriate assessment practice and know why they are arguing for such practices. The "Competent Children" project's goal is to find out more about the influences of early childhood experiences on children's competencies as they enter school. The two strands of influences are family background and early childhood care and education. Attempts to align the project with the aims and goals of the National Curriculum have been made. Rather than focusing on only one or two competencies, the Competent Children project will study numerous competencies (including early literacy, logical reasoning, communication skills, and social problem-solving) and end up with numerous sets of results because no one instrument to measure holistic learning holistically has been developed. It is not possible to offer high quality early childhood care and education without assessment; but, though difficult, assessment guidelines need to be worked on by early childhood educators. (Contains 11 references.) (RS)

These two volumes comprise the proceedings of a conference on links between education and work and the power relationships in the wider culture and in its social order. Each volume begins with a "Foreword" (Ronald C. Morrison), "Preface" (Arthur Kruger), "Introduction" (David Corson), and author notes. Volume I contains seven papers: "Beyond Criticism: Convergence and Conflict in the Organization of Education and Work" (William Taylor); "Education for Prosperity in a Multicultural, Multiracial Society" (Veronica S. Lacey); "The Workplace Challenge: Learning a Living" (Douglas A. Stephens); "Pathways to Science: Career Transitions for Adolescents" (John H. Lewko, Carol Hein); "Facilitating Transition from School to Work in Japan: Why It Works" (Kaori Okano); "Women, Education, and Work in New Zealand: Choices and Chances" (Wanda Korndoerffer); and "Education and Jobs: A Proactive View" (Henry M. Levin). Volume II consists of 10 papers: "Training and Education: Disastrous Solitudes" (Alan M. Thomas); "Education and Work: A Narrow Focus We Cannot Afford" (James L. Turk); "Education for Work: An Educator's View" (Thomas F. Powers); "Work and Education: The Perspective of the Employer" (Kathleen Redmond); "Education and Work: A Graduate's View" (Dianne Hounsome); "Community-Based Education for Career, Work, and Life" (Aryeh Gitterman, Marion Levi, Suzanne Ziegler); "Life Roles, Life Chances, and Career Education: The Equity Imperative" (Avis Glaze); "Women in Nontraditional Occupations: Educational Strategies that Work" (Margaret Schneider); "Part-Time Work: The Underground Passage" (E. Lisbeth Donaldson); and "The Workplace Challenge: Learning a Living" (Douglas A. Stephens). Both volumes conclude with a "Commentary and Synthesis" by Stephen B. Lawton. (YLB)

This study examines the manner in which primary schools, particularly at the school entry level, negotiate the process of parent-school collaboration in New Zealand. Parents' and professionals' attitudes about what parent roles are appropriate are also studied. The study describes the present range and levels of contact, and the amount of effort expended in the development of home-school relations. Parents and teachers from primary and secondary school in Auckland were interviewed concerning their beliefs about: (1) parent role; (2) involvement in discussions and decisions concerning curriculum, pedagogy, rules, and discipline; (3) the nature and importance of home-school contact; and (4) school visits and the procedure for parent-teacher contact. The data suggest that elementary classroom teachers have an open door policy. More elementary teachers perceive contact as direct than teachers at any other level of schooling. Nearly all the parents of elementary school children see direct contact with the classroom teacher as the norm. However, parents do not seem to be regarded by professionals as anything close to equal partners. Parents are not considered by others or themselves to be alternate teachers. Yet the importance of the home in literacy learning is widely acknowledged. Teachers are considered experts, and this contrasts with parents who are seen as having little to offer to discussions of curriculum or pedagogy. Appended are 19 references. (GLR)

Case studies of three children who participated in the play program at Auckland Hospital in New Zealand are presented. About a third of the children admitted to the hospital have access to the play program, but only a few are able to participate in individual sessions with a hospital play specialist. The first case study described in this report is that of a 3-year-old child who required only minor surgery, but who associated hospitals with death, separation, and acute illness due to experiences of several family members. His avoidant behavior was overcome by means of play on medical themes and the involvement of other members of his family. The second case is that of a 6-year-old developmentally delayed boy whose emergency surgery resulted in an extended stay with postsurgical complications. His unexpected admission, and the frightening circumstances surrounding it, caused him to withdraw and revert to babyish behavior. But 11 sessions of play therapy using role-playing enabled him to progress. The third case study is that of a 4-year-old boy who had congenital problems requiring repeated corrective surgery and who was fearful of hospitals and refused to be examined by a physician. His free play represented symbolic themes common in the play of hospitalized preschoolers, including helplessness, powerlessness, separation, and lack of control or autonomy. Contains 18 references. (LB)

The theme of this convention was the impact of policy changes on practices in early childhood education worldwide, and particularly in New Zealand. Nine keynote addresses considered issues relevant to early childhood education. A total of 53 papers presented at the convention discussed: (1) cultural issues in early childhood education; (2) educational and recreational programs for young children in hospitals; (3) new ideas being implemented in early childhood programs; (4) links between parents and education professionals; (5) a model program to assist the integration of children with disabilities into their community; (6) training of early childhood staff; (7) parent education and support; (8) quality in early childhood education; (9) early childhood education policies; and (10) research in early childhood education. The names and addresses of convention participants are appended. A reference list or bibliography is provided with some of the papers. (BC)

A study examined the quest for social equity by one adult education institution in New Zealand. It placed social equity in the wider context of recent developments in New Zealand society and explored models for conceptualizing social change. These models included the adaptive framework, helping/coping strategies, and allocation policies. A social change model advanced by Law and Sissons (1985), also explored, includes four essential systematically interrelated elements: collective empowerment, access for the oppressed, control by participants, and a holistic curriculum. A program devised with and for Maori (indigenous) people is then "tested" against these models. The study concludes that although the framework in which the program is offered appears limited in terms of potentiality for social change, the program may still have transformative properties. (43 references) (Author/KC)

These six papers report on future-oriented studies of the situation of the elderly. "Changing Elderly in a Changing Society: Danish Elderly in the Next Century" (Henning Friis) reports on research dealing with preferences of the future elderly for their life when they grow older. "Aging Effectively: Meeting the Challenge of an Aging World" (J. David Curb, Andrea La Croix, and Jack Guralnik) discusses special factors that promote "success" in aging. "'Future' Studies in Gerontology: The Case of Work and Retirement" (Harold L. Sheppard) addresses socioeconomic implications of multiple generations in the 65-plus population, domination of intergenerational conflict or "equity" or "equality" issues in the changing world, and external factors and trends that bear on these two issues."Income Security for the Future Elderly: Can We Avert the Crisis by Raising the Age of Retirement?" (Ruth Bonita) presents some issues being addressed in New Zealand with regard to the provision of care for the future elderly population. "Changing Elderly in a Changing Society: Health" (Mariaane Schroll) considers: (1) whether a society of disabled people is being developed, as old people are not allowed to die; and (2) the prevention of chronic diseases by developing good health practices in early adulthood. "Use of Health Care and Social Services by the Elderly: Determinants of Present Use and Future Developments" (Anneke Klaassen-van den Berg Jeths) reports on a study that sought an explanation for the variations in use of service facilities. Each paper concludes with a list of references. (YLB)

This introductory paper reviews the development of Maori language total immersion courses for adults, based on the author's own experience. Total immersion courses were established as part of the Maori mission under the Whakatupuranga Rua Mano-Generation 2000 tribal program. The program supports Maori people who can "karanga" (do a high-pitched call by senior women or elders), "whaikorero" (do formal speechmaking), and who can make a real contribution in terms of the Maori language and cultural centers, the "maraes" (a cultural center that includes a meeting house and dining hall, usually situated on Maori reserve land). The 7-day courses were designed as "language nests" for adults. Course development, eventual program changes, and organizations, recreation, and philosophy are described. (LB)