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The adoption of problem-based learning as a teaching method in the advertising and public relations programs offered by the Business TAFE (Technical and Further Education) School at RMIT University is explored in this paper. The effect of problem-based learning on student engagement, student learning and contextualised problem-solving was investigated and it was found that students perceive problem-based learning to be beneficial. Several success factors for this approach are also identified. The research for this paper was undertaken by a novice researcher in the Community of Practice scholarship program, a program funded through the National Centre for Vocational Education Research's (NCVER) Building Researcher Capacity initiative. Three appendices are included: (1) Research methods; (2) the first questionnaire used for Student Engagement Survey 2008; and (3) the second questionnaire used for Student Engagement Survey 2008. (Contains 6 tables and 1 figure.)

The paper examines between-country differences in the mechanisms through which education could promote generalised trust using data from 29 countries participating in the OECD's Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). Results indicate that education is strongly associated with generalised trust and that a large part of this association is mediated by individuals' literacy skills, income and occupational prestige. However, education gradients in levels of generalised trust and in the extent to which they are due to social stratification mechanisms or cognitive skills mechanisms vary across countries. Differences across countries in birthplace diversity and income inequality are correlated with how strongly education is associated with trust in different countries, as well as in the relative magnitude of direct and indirect associations. In particular, the relationship between literacy skills and generalised trust is stronger in the presence of greater birthplace diversity but is weaker in the presence of greater income inequality.

This study investigated the institutional characteristics considered by 774 Australian first-year students attending the University of South Australia in their choice of this university. A self-administered survey instrument asked respondents to rate their attitudes on a Likert scale regarding their reasons for selecting this university. Results indicated that students ranked career preparation, academic program, distance from home, academic reputation, the quality of the school's research program, and library resources as strongly affecting their choice. The role of parents was not rated highly, although students used them as a source of information. The primary source of information that they used to find out about the university was the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Center guide. (Contains 29 references.) (Author/CK)

The Children's Headline Indicators are a set of measures designed to focus policy attention and to help guide and evaluate policy development on key issues for children's health, development and wellbeing in 19 priority areas. They were endorsed by health, community and disability services ministers and education systems officials in 2006. Headline Indicators were defined for 16 of these priority areas. However, more work was needed on the remaining three--"family social network, social and emotional wellbeing" and "shelter"--to conceptualise and identify the most important aspects of these areas for children's health, development and wellbeing. This information paper outlines the process of developing a Headline Indicator for the "social and emotional wellbeing" priority area. Appended are: (1) Process to identify a Headline Indicator; (2) Headline Indicator Data Development Expert Working Group; (3) Social and Emotional Wellbeing Workshop participants; (4) Headline Indicators for children's health, development and wellbeing; and (5) Additional information on selected surveys and screening tools. (Contains 8 tables, 4 figures and 3 footnotes.)

This paper presents composite indicators of the institutional and policy characteristics of educational systems, collated from the questionnaire responses of 26 Member countries. These indicators provide an overview of the institutional framework in the primary and secondary education sector and are constructed so as to be used for the analysis of international differences in spending efficiency. The key features of the institutional setting in the non-tertiary education sector are grouped under three headings: (1) the ability to prioritise and allocate resources efficiently (through decentralisation and mechanisms matching resources to specific needs); (2) the efficiency in managing spending at the local level (through outcome-focused policies and managerial autonomy), and (3) the efficiency in service provision (through benchmarking and user choice). For each country, an intermediate indicator is computed for each of these six institutional properties. Composite indicators then combine the six intermediate indicators of spending efficiency into a single, aggregate measure. Results are presented and some of their implications are discussed. Overall, the characteristics of the institutional framework in the non-tertiary public education sector seem to be very favourable, compared to OECD average, in the United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands, whereas results are less favourable for the Czech Republic, Greece, Luxembourg, Japan, Turkey, Hungary, Belgium (French speaking community), Switzerland and Austria. (Contains 3 tables, 15 figures and 14 endnotes.) (Abstract altered to meet ERIC guidelines.)

The Vocational Interest Survey (VIS) is a set of six questionnaires for measuring vocational interests. It is designed to be used in career counseling with persons 15 years and over, who want to explore and understand their vocational interests. Completion of this inventory requires: (1) active participation of respondents, (2) a setting where individuals can concentrate, and (3) an understanding of the goal of this assessment. The purpose of this paper is to outline some aspects of the administration and scoring of the VIS, with special emphasis on the relative preference index. The VIS comes with instructions for administering and completing the survey. The reading level for the instructions is estimated to be at year 5/6 level. The VIS is designed to be essentially self-scoring. The procedure for computing raw scores is the same for all scales. Based on a sample of 2,459 men and women, combined-sex norms were developed as percentile ranks for each of the six scales. The Relative Preference Index (RPI) is used to make statements about a client's level of preference on each subscale. The RPI is a variation of a mastery score that shows quantity of preference. It describes the level of performance rather than the relative standing in a group. It is cautioned that any questionnaire should be employed as only one aspect of the vocational guidance process. (JAZ)

The Vocational Interest Survey (VIS) is a set of six questionnaire scales for measuring vocational interest. It is designed for Australian users and is consistent with Holland's theory that there are six basic career categories. This paper discusses the development of the VIS and presents some technical data on the questionnaires. Items were provided by the users (in the form of free-association responses) rather than by psychologists. Based on those items, a pilot questionnaire was prepared, which contained three separate lists of 138 occupations, 105 study courses, and 152 activities. Complete-link clustering was used to develop six temporary groups of occupational items. The 105 items relating to study courses were then correlated with the six experimental scales. Further item-analyses were conducted to produce six combined jobs/study courses scales with maximum internal consistency. Finally, activity items were selected and added to the combined jobs/study courses. Reliability of VIS scales was assessed using measures of internal consistency, split-half reliability, and test-retest coefficients. In addition, the intercorrelations of the six VIS scales, the construct validity of the VIS, and the relationship between vocational interests on the VIS and career related characteristics were measured. The appendix provides a listing which summarizes the overall responses to each item. (JAZ)

A survey of a random sample of students from five tertiary institutions in Melbourne was conducted in 1986 to determine the nature and extent of their usage of their own university or college and other libraries. Questionnaires were mailed to 1,996 students, of whom 999 responded. The questionnaire sought information on: (1) students' backgrounds; (2) the types of libraries used; (3) the frequency of that usage; (4) the primary reasons for using academic and public libraries; (5) the resources and services used in these libraries; (6) the degree of satisfaction with services offered; and (7) the nature and extent of course-related usage of public libraries. Other comments were also solicited. A complex network of information sources used by students in fulfilling their course needs emerged from the study. Academic libraries were found to constitute the primary information source, with other sources, including public libraries, playing supplementary roles. It is noted that some of the traditional assumptions of the relative roles of different types of libraries are challenged by the data, and the final chapter explores some implications of these findings for planning library services in Victoria. Tabulated data are presented in 120 tables, and appendixes contain copies of the questionnaire and cover letter, a follow-up letter, additional cover letters, and respondents' comments. (82 references) (CGD)

The user of the Vocational Interest Survey (VIS) has available a number of interpretative approaches at various descriptive and qualitative levels. This report provides a brief outline of the various approaches. Whenever all six scales of the VIS are administered, the client's total score on all six scales should be within the average range. The average total score is 54. Fifty percent of all clients range from 26 to 72. The clients' highest scores determine their resemblance to one of the six vocational types. People who resemble many vocational types are labeled as undifferentiated or poorly defined; the average level of differentiation in a sample of 206 high school students was 58. The level of consistency refers to the compatibility between a person's highest interests. Compatibility is measured by the distance between the vocational types of interest on a hexagonal typology of interests described by Holland. The hexagonal model may also be used to obtain four degrees of person-occupation congruency. Results from the VIS can be used to search for occupations which are compatible with interests. A copy of the interest profile and list of careers in each vocational category is attached. (JAZ)

This report presents the findings of a study into the experiences of non-English speaking background (NESB) migrant women in the Australian workforce. The fieldwork, which involved interviewing over 100 immigrant women living and working in Sydney, was carried out in 1988 and 1989. The study also involved an extensive review of Australian and international literature on immigrant women in the workforce and the analysis of recent census and labor force survey data. A particular focus was the experience of newly arrived immigrants, including the relationship between their premigration histories, their participation in the workforce in Australia, and their domestic and family responsibilities. Although the economic and social conditions of Australia have changed considerably in the post-war period, the similarities in the lives of women immigrants arriving in the 1950s and 1960s were more marked than the differences. Their place in the economy has altered little, and employment continues to play a key role in structuring women's lives despite the development of an increased role for the state through ethnic affairs policies. Little evidence was found to support the theory that immigrants' work force experiences reflected their pre-migration capital endowments. Instead, women from a variety of backgrounds ended up, after immigrating to Australia, in low status, unpleasant, and unrewarding jobs. Unemployment emerges as the greatest difficulty encountered by newly arrived women in Australia. The last chapter makes recommendations in the areas of vocational guidance and training, equal employment opportunity, work conditions, participation in trade unions, and child care and family support. An appendix contains the study questionnaire. (Contains 91 references.) (SLD)

In view of recent Australian government policy favoring multiculturalism, a research study was undertaken to investigate the effect of literacy, bilingualism, and adult education and training on non-English speaking background (NESB) women in Australian society. NESB women have been identified as a migrant group with both special needs and problems as well as skills. This report reviews issues in literacy and bilingualism, new orientations in the 1990s for adult education and training, and workforce reform. The aim of the study was to enhance the opportunities for and access to further education and/or paid employment for NESB women. The methodology included a review of published and unpublished materials, interviews with a wide range of service providers and students, surveys of training opportunities, attendance at conferences and workshops, observations of a range of classes, collaboration on a literacy and basic education workshop, and development of a network of skilled informants. It is concluded that: (1) location, functioning, needs, and problems of NESB women as a specific group in Australia must continue to be the focus of research; and (2) matters of restructuring have profound implications for literacy, language, basic education and other forms of education and skills training for those in and out of the workforce. Eleven tables and figures on labor force participation rates, unemployment rates, and migration category supplement the narrative. Appended is information on the project outline, questionnaire, interview schedule, letters and survey sheets for government and community organizations, meeting agenda, and recommendations for a model for action. (LB) Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse on Literacy Education.

The major focus of interest in the present research is the question of congruence between parental and school attitudes toward issues of authority and freedom. It was hypothesized that the child's adjustment to his/her particular type of classroom (either open or traditional) would be affected by whether he/she came from a family which shared broadly "open" or "traditional" attitudes toward discipline and control systems and had a similar philosophy about the way in which school learning ideally takes place. Variables relating to the learner and his/her background were also investigated, particularly in regard to I.Q., sex, and some of the attributes comprising adjustment. Several additional hypotheses were developed and explored. The sample consisted of 227 boys and girls, 9 to 12 years of age, who were pupils in three open and five traditional fifth and sixth grade level classrooms from three different primary schools in the Sydney, Australia, suburban area. A parent attitude questionnaire, included in Appendix One, was devised for this study and was used in conjunction with teacher ratings, school records, standardized test data and the Classroom Observation Schedule. Results are discussed. (Author/RH)

This paper presents results from a study undertaken in 1983 at the Australian National University (ANU) to determine the extent and type of problems academic staff and students had while using the library's catalogs or while locating materials on the shelves. A questionnaire mailed to a stratified random sample of approximately 1,200 academic staff, post-graduate and undergraduate students, and research assistants, yielded a response rate of between 70% and 87% for each of the target populations. Responses showed that a substantial portion of the university community had experienced some or all of the following: (1) confusion resulting from the number of different catalog sequences and the variety of formats used on microfiche and card records; (2) inadequate sign postings and floor plans; (3) insufficient reader service instruction on the range of library materials available and its location; and (4) inadequate information about changes in the catalog or relocation of particular books and journals. Information was also obtained on the desired range of access points to be made available when the catalog is put online. Tables displaying survey results and the nine-page survey questionnaire are included. (THC)

This study attempted to determine how much parents were involved in Western Australian secondary schools and how satisfied they were with their involvement. Subjects included almost 2,000 families with children in one of sixteen secondary schools that were a sample of schools of differing sizes, in several types of communities in both rural and metropolitan locations. Subjects completed questionnaires brought home from school by children. Results indicated that scarcely any parents believed there was too much parent involvement in secondary schools. Only a small minority were seeking greater influence over school decision-making. Less than a quarter reported attending a parents' or citizens' meeting in 1977. More than 70 percent of parents said they were satisfied with the way the school kept them informed. Few parents wanted more use of school facilities. Although half the parents were willing to help at school, only a quarter had done so. Two schools in less affluent neighborhoods had low parental involvement, and parents in these districts wanted more involvement. The two schools with the most parental involvement were an affluent metropolitan high school and a school in a large country town. There was no evidence parental involvement varied with school size. (Author/JM)

A study was conducted at the University of New South Wales in Australia to determine what happened to applicants who deferred enrollment in 1975 and did not enroll in 1976 at the university. Additionally, information was sought about what deferring applicants thought they had gained from deferment and their opinions generally about the advantages and disadvantages of deferring. A questionnaire was mailed to deferring applicants, and further information was obtained from the admissions office and the computer printout of offers made by the Metropolitan Universities Admissions Centre. Based on a response rate of 63 percent, it was determined that about 74 percent of respondents were undertaking some form of postsecondary education. Analysis of findings is presented under three subheadings: students attending other universities, students attending any other postsecondary institution (including nursing), and persons not enrolled in any institution in 1976. Data indicate that most of the deferring applicants do continue to enroll in some form of higher education. Deferrent policy and practices at the university are discussed, and a sample questionnaire is appended. (SW)

A 1981 investigation by the Australian National University (ANU) library of the scope and nature of online bibliographic retrieval services provided by the 19 Australian university libraries and 5 of the Australian central Institute of Technology libraries, and a further study carried out in 1980-81 to assess the satisfaction of patrons with online services offered by the ANU library are described in this 2-part report. Major areas examined in the library survey include the general management, organization and staffing of online services, charging schedules, equipment, facilities, systems accessed, and clientele. A description of the ANU library online service begins the report of the user study. Data collected on searches and user satisfaction by means of a search log, search request forms, and patron evaluation forms are presented in 26 tables, with separate figures for searchers on Lockheed Dialog and searches on the biomedical files available from the Australian Commonwealth Department of Health. Appendices comprise a list of the institutions whose libraries were included in the 1981 study; 9 tables of data and 2 figures presenting results of the library survey; and a sample search request form, log sheet, and search appraisal form used in the second study. (Author/ESR)

An evaluation of Monetary Economics, a course offered to distance education students of the University of Queensland in 1979 and 1980, was conducted in 1981. Monetary Economics is an innovative course designed and prepared using principles of educational technology specifically for distance education, and for the planning of effective interaction between the subject, teacher, and students. The aims of the course were to enable students to learn at their own individual pace and to increase the level of activity and involvement in the learning process. Audiotapes, workbooks, and small group syndicate discussions were used to achieve these aims. This report begins by describing the design strategy and major course features, including theoretical considerations, subject area considerations, student characteristics, design principles, and course structure. This description is followed by an explanation of the evaluation procedures and the results of the evaluation, which focused on student performance and their assessment of the course, course efficiency, cost effectiveness, and the consistency of results. It is concluded that the effectiveness of Monetary Economics is directly attributable to the effectiveness of education technology, which employed sound principles of learning to solve a problem in course design. A copy of the student questionnaire is appended. (30 references) (DB)

Mathematical competence of teachers continues to be an issue of great interest to mathematics educators within tertiary institutions and it is often thought of simultaneously with the notion of mathematics anxiety. While there has been considerable recent research into the latter, no clear conclusions have been able to be drawn about many aspects of the phenomenon and how it is linked to mathematical competence. Most recently, international studies have highlighted notable differences in the standards of teacher preparation in different countries and in Australia new standards for accreditation of teacher education programs have been drafted. This paper reports on a part of on-going research into mathematics anxiety and competence of pre-service teachers. It uses two small samples of pre-service teachers from different cohorts of a Bachelor of Education course and attempts to identify factors that may help develop positive attitudes towards mathematics as they seek to develop their competency in mathematics. In addition, as a response to greater reported levels of anxiety regarding cognitive and knowledge traits, the paper identifies targeted professional learning and social constructivist teaching as key factors as well as the need to identify personal knowledge of mathematics as a prelude to seeking to become more competent. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

This paper reports on early findings from a pilot study into student retention beyond Year 10. Located in rural, regional and disadvantaged communities in Tasmania, the research has implications at State, national and international levels. It is being funded by a nationally competitive Australian Research Council Linkage grant and the Tasmanian Department of Education across three years. The paper begins by providing a conceptual overview of the research, including the background to the study, and then reports on trends that have emerged during the initial phase of data collection. Preliminary findings resulting from pilot data analysis of responses to questionnaires by students in Years 5 and 9/10 are discussed. The paper concludes with a discussion about what these early findings suggest in regard to factors impacting on student retention. (Contains 1 table and 5 figures.)

The number of ethnic Chinese students in schools across Australian cities is small but increasing. It is important to understand how these students socialise into the Australian (mathematics) education system, so that we can better facilitate their education experiences in ways which optimise their potential to learn. This paper reports on part of a larger study which seeks to deepen our knowledge in this area. The research question addressed by this paper is: what are the preferences amongst three types of mathematical tasks of Grade 5 and 6 students from Chongqing, China? Through the administration of a questionnaire to 1109 students, it was found that across the topics of Number and Geometry, contextualised tasks were the most preferred by Chinese students. "Challenging", "easy to do" and "involving a model" were students' reasons for preferring particular task types. The significance of providing all students with a diverse range of task types, at the same time providing them with opportunities to be challenged and to experience success, are emphasized.

Philosophical inquiry (Lipman, Sharp & Oscanyan, 1980) has the capacity to push boundaries in teaching and learning interactions with students and improve teacher's pedagogical experiences (Scholl, Nichols, Burgh, 2008). This paper focuses on the potential for Philosophy to foster pedagogical transformation. Two groups of primary school teachers, 59 in total, have been involved in a comparison of pedagogical transformation between teachers who implemented Philosophy and teachers who used thinking tools (graphic organisers) for conceptual exploration. A mixed methods approach, including, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, was employed to inquire into the effect of teaching Philosophy on teachers' perceptions of their pedagogy. This paper describes how the engagement in communities of philosophical inquiry results in a significant improvement in perceptions of pedagogy, teacher thinking and student engagement. (Contains 2 tables.)

One of the perennial challenges for academics working in the area of professional experiences (practicum) is how to negotiate the constantly moving and contradictory boundaries around their work. A number of questions arise. Firstly, how do they cope with the "shifting, changing landscape" (Clandinin, 2008) of the university and at the same time cope with the shifting, changing landscape of schools? Secondly, how do they juggle the competing demands of schools and universities? For example, how do they increase their research outputs and at the same time develop productive relationships and "partnerships" with schools? It will be argued in this paper that academics working in professional experiences would benefit by taking up Clandinin's (2008) challenge "to learn to be in a middle space." The paper draws primarily on a year long self-study which was conducted by two professional experience academics at the University of South Australia focusing on the graduate Bachelor of Education (Primary) program. It also draws on findings from a post-practicum evaluation of 52 pre-service teachers and early findings from an investigation into the role of the school based professional experience coordinator involving 6 school leaders. The studies are based around two professional experiences which are framed around the notion of learning communities. These professional experiences have been restructured to aim for an intimate linking of on-campus, on-line and in-school learning with an explicit commitment to strengthening partnerships with school-based colleagues. There is a strong appreciation of the critical nature of professional conversations for ongoing professional learning and pre-service teachers have time and space structured into their professional experiences to engage in learning relationships with a range of colleagues, including their peers, mentor teachers, other school based colleagues and university mentors. Findings from the studies have illuminated many benefits for reframing professional experiences around the notion of learning communities. One finding in particular will be explored in this paper and that is that the university mentor role involves complex cognitive, emotional and interpersonal work in schools (Le Cornu, 2008). The challenges and dilemmas associated with this work are presented, as are a number of implications. The discussion centres on the notion of the professional experience academic as a "crosser of multiple boundaries".