New study on iPads in classrooms

School of Education academics Christina Curry and Catherine Attard are currently embarking on a research project to investigate how the incorporation of mobile technologies such as iPods and iPads can contribute to primary students' engagement with mathematics.

This research is timely because while teachers are expected the use such technologies to engage students, there is little current, local research on how these devices can be used to effectively support learning.

Two local teachers and students in Year 3 and Year 6 are taking part in this collaborative action research project.

The objectives of the project are to identify whether the incorporation of mobile technologies enhances student engagement in mathematics, how it changes teachers' pedagogical practices and, to develop creative approaches to using these devices.

What qualities does a teacher need in the 21st century?

What kinds of dispositions in teachers facilitate deep, engaged and effective pedagogies in and for the 21st Century? This is a question teacher education institutions around the globe are grappling with, and one in which the School of Education is keenly interested.

In 2010, small teams of academics began to identify a set of 'dispositions' that our graduates are likely to need as teachers in the 21st century. Our challenges in developing a set of dispositions are negotiating what a disposition is, how it may be enacted in classroom teaching and, in turn, how it can be developed though teacher education programs. Through a process of rigorous debate, a team of academics has developed a tentative list of dispositions:

• Autonomy and Teamwork
• Ethical accountability
• Thinking and Acting Globally
• Creativity

As a result of small group collaboration and across school critical conversations, we have developed clear definitions of each disposition and, examples of classroom practice which reflect the dispositions. We are now at the stage of articulating how these dispositions could be cultivated in our teacher education programs.

In the latter stages of this year, the material produced by each disposition team will be posted online in Wiki format. All members from the School of Education will then have opportunities to contribute to the further development and refining of each disposition, with the aim to integrate these dispositions into our teacher education programs by 2013.

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Professor Jayne Osgood

The School of Education, together with the Centre for Education Research, recently hosted a visit by Professor Jayne Osgood from the (IPSE) at London Metropolitan University.

Professor Osgood offered a number of public presentations across her areas of research, including;

• professional identity construction in education, (in early childhood)
• the risks and opportunities of narrative research methodology
• critical policy studies
• child and family well-being

A collaboration between UWS and the Social Justice in Early Childhood Group provided one of the focal points for Professor Osgood's visit. This was a 'Policy Lunch', bringing together key senior policy makers, activists, researchers and practitioners to debate issues such as:

• making good policy
• evaluating/critiquing policy effectively
• the role and strategies of policy activism.

Organisers Associate Professor Christine Woodrow from UWS, and Dr Miriam Giugni from the Social Justice Group said the event was an outstanding success and an opportunity to invigorate discussion of key policy issues from such a rich range of perspectives.

The are plans for the early childhood research team to collaborate with Professor Osgood.

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UWS graduates in PULSE concert

The PULSE concert held in August this year was the fifth annual showcase of performing arts excellence in Western Sydney Schools.

Hosted by the Regional Director, David Phipps, the evening involved massed choirs from primary schools in our region, as well as solo instrumentalists, dance groups, high school vocal ensembles and the Western Sydney Region Big Band.

It was wonderful to see the Big Band conducted by Greg Hebblewhite, a graduate from M.Teach (Secondary Program) and now a teacher at Glenmore Park High school. Greg was also listed in the program as a key member of the PULSE team.

Other UWS graduates were also involved in the concert including James Dallas who was playing with Western Sydney Lower Brass Ensemble and, Scott Turner who was working with the Western Sydney Region State Schools Concert Band. It was a great pleasure to see the fine work that had been inspired by the teachers.

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Professional Experience Partnership Awards

The inaugural Professional Experience Partnership Awards Ceremony was held at Parramatta campus of UWS on the evening of Wednesday 27th July 2011.

The School was pleased to host over fifty Professional Experience Partners for this occasion. The Head of School, Steve Wilson, outlined some of the issues and challenges facing the Education sector in the area of Professional Experience. Steve was very pleased to thank and award the School's long term partners with plaques or certificates.

A number of Distinguished Award Plaques were presented to partners with three or more consecutive years of engagement with the School of Education, while our other partners were presented with framed certificates recognising their consistent engagement with the School of Education.

Partners unable to attend the official awards presentation will be contacted by our Professional Experience Supervisors and presented onsite with their award.

Below is a group photograph of recipients at the Awards event.

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Successful expo for final semester Early Childhood Education students

Policy, Politics and Educational 'Futures' is one of the subjects students enrolled in the Bachelor of Early Childhood and Family Studies (BECS) program undertake in the final semester of their course.

Last semester, the subject culminated in a exhibition around the theme of 'Futures'. Students were asked to locate an educational issue and imagine an alternative educational future.

Working in groups, students were asked to create an exhibit that was suitable for viewing by an educational audience and offer an informed insight into an educational issue or problem. Each group was given a set amount of time to present their work to other teams and markers on the day of the expo.

Marion Sturges unit convenor commented, "The expo was very successful with students imagining new 'futures' for a variety of topics including gender equality, cultural diversity, homework, technology and national testing. A real advantage was the opportunity for the students to think like future educators".

Students too enjoyed and benefitted from the experience. "The expo was a real eye-opener to the issues out there in education. I was quite amazed by the creativity of everyone's group in how they tackled the issue and produced a program or project that could be implemented in the future as a solution to these issues" said Amanda Higgins, BECS Student.

The expo was a most successful and beneficial conclusion to a wonderful semester. Congratulations students and Marion.

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Contact us

Newsletter contributions:
Contact j.orlando@uws.edu.au

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