Social interaction is a fundamental component of relationships; however, the key features of Auti... more Social interaction is a fundamental component of relationships; however, the key features of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) include marked and lifelong impairments in social interaction that adversely affects abilities to fulfil this essential relationship requirement. Despite the momentum of worldwide research on ASD, there is insufficient empirical study on adults with ASD and their relationships. This research examined the reported social interaction needs of adults when involved in neurodiverse relationships (relationships that include adults with ASD and neurotypical (NT) adults). The use of an advocacy/participatory approach allowed for a detailed investigation of the characteristics of participants’ interpersonal communication. It was identified that a pairing of incompatible social interaction needs caused a sequence of distinctive, competing, and intertwined interactions that formed into interwoven communication cycles. These cycles included compensatory and competing behav...
Connected text reading is crucial to beginning reading development as this is where children appl... more Connected text reading is crucial to beginning reading development as this is where children apply the reading skills they are learning. The most recent version of the Australian Curriculum includes the requirement that teachers use both predictable and decodable texts in early reading instruction. As each text type is underpinned by a different approach to reading instruction, this creates a potential dilemma for teachers when implementing the curriculum. A preliminary study of the instructional practices used to teach reading in the first two years of schooling was therefore conducted to investigate how early years teachers make use of two different text types that are arguably incompatible. An online survey regarding approaches to reading instruction and use of different text types was distributed to Western Australian Pre-primary and Year 1 teachers via several social media platforms. A total of 138 teachers responded. Survey responses indicated that these teachers do not have a...
Professional learning provides the opportunity to improve teacher practice and student outcomes; ... more Professional learning provides the opportunity to improve teacher practice and student outcomes; however, challenges exist in ensuring that teachers can access quality professional learning. Teache...
In 2014, the Australian Government established the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (... more In 2014, the Australian Government established the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) to advise on how teacher education programmes could ensure new teachers were adequately prepared for the classroom. Following this, the Australian Government endorsed a key recommendation of the TEMAG Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers report, the inclusion of specialisations in primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE). This research was conducted at an Australian public university that, in 2016, had embedded specialisations in a revised primary teacher programme structure and was one of the first ITE institutions in Australia to graduate primary teachers with a specialisation. Using a mixed-methods case study design with convenience sampling, this study sought to investigate these primary graduates’ perceptions of undertaking a specialisation in relation to the development of content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge in the specialist area, as well as perceived employment adva...
The Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 2020
International and national data continue to identify poor literacy standards among secondary scho... more International and national data continue to identify poor literacy standards among secondary school students. The researchers, in collaboration with a metropolitan secondary school in Perth, Western Australia, elected to use the Direct Instruction Reading Mastery program to improve students' reading skills. Data on reading performance was collected from 59 Year 7-9 students identified by their teachers as having poor reading skills. Students were assessed using the Woodcock Reading Mastery III and were retested twice during the remainder of the year. Teaching staff were observed delivering the program and were interviewed in the final term of the year to ascertain their experiences while using the program. Results showed a statistically significant improvement in students' reading performance. There was a moderate, statistically significant correlation between higher reading improvement and higher attendance. The program was effective for students regardless of equity group....
The way in which technologies support students with disability has been widely explored in recent... more The way in which technologies support students with disability has been widely explored in recent times. Much of this research has focused on computer programs specifically designed to teach social and academic skills to students with disability. In the research reported in this paper we examined how students with disability could use technology designed for the general market. The impetus for the study was the principle of normalisation, which espouses that people with disability should have the opportunity to share in experiences of their same-aged peers. In previous research we demonstrated the benefits of using the commercially available hand-held games console Nintendo DS with Dr Kawashima's Brain Training program with students in mainstream classrooms. This finding led us to consider how this technology could be used to meet specific academic and social outcomes for students with disability in the same settings. We implemented a small-scale study in an Education Support Ce...
This research sought to investigate the feasibility of digitising exams to improve student outcom... more This research sought to investigate the feasibility of digitising exams to improve student outcomes and was based on research suggesting that the handwriting speed of undergraduate students limits their ability to demonstrate knowledge, while poor legibility makes it difficult for the assessor to accurately judge the quality of the response. Research found that the handwriting speed of undergraduate students was equivalent to fluency data on 11-year-old schoolchildren, which is a significant concern when we consider that handwriting fluency accounted for considerable variance in writing quality and tutor marks for examination answers. This generation of students typically relies on digital technologies to record their thoughts and access to mobile devices has opened up the possibility of carrying out a digital examination without the need for specialised campus facilities. This approach was trialled with 32 students in a 4 year elective unit in the Bachelor of Education. Students we...
Reflection and ePortfolios are current ‘buzz words’ in learning and teaching circles in preservic... more Reflection and ePortfolios are current ‘buzz words’ in learning and teaching circles in preservice teacher education. Given their increasingly prominent role in teacher preparation members of the Primary Program in the Faculty of Education and Arts sought to determine how best to incorporate these activities into learning and teaching at ECU. A program-wide implementation was considered to be most effective in promoting reflective practice and that a reflective portfolio would enhance the engagement of pre-service teachers with their learning experience and encouraging them to take responsibility for their developmental learning. This resulted in the development of the Professional Learning Journal (PLJ), which incorporated both reflective practice and a professional portfolio. While a number of measures were implemented to support pre-service teacher use of the PLJ, one of the key concerns identified by them was the cumbersome nature of the print-based PLJ. It was determined that a...
This chapter explores inclusive approaches to reading instruction for Australian Aboriginal and/o... more This chapter explores inclusive approaches to reading instruction for Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children. Drawing from the literature on effective reading instruction, culturally appropriate instructional practices, and the authors’ research on reading interventions in remote communities in Australia we assert that to be inclusive you must provide a learning environment that supports all students to learn. Further, that the approaches used in this learning environment should be evidence-based.
One of the most important determinants of inclusive practice by classroom teachers is their belie... more One of the most important determinants of inclusive practice by classroom teachers is their beliefs and attitudes towards individuals with disabilities (Avramidis & Norwich, 2002; Moberg, Zumberg & Reinmaa, 1997). This notion was the primary motivation for ...
Universities are increasingly experimenting with the online domain to connect with busy and digit... more Universities are increasingly experimenting with the online domain to connect with busy and digital-savvy students and counter the decline in face-to-face lecture attendance More often than not universities are offering videoed lectures or PowerPoints with lecturer voice-overs as a way of delivering content. Evidence suggests that while these techniques may provide the flexibility required, some content needs more personalised delivery. In this article the authors explore the development and delivery of an online lecture format. Using a combination of video, text and interactive cell technology, this online offering was trialed in a unit focused on the education of students with disability in inclusive classrooms. Using the Attitude toward Computer Aided Instruction Scale (ACAIS) (Allen, 1986) the author’s surveyed 159, 3 rd year pre-service teachers and asked them to compare the online presentation format with a traditional face-to-face lecture. The students were enthusiastic about...
It is high time we moved performance assessment into the mobile age. Performance is one of the mo... more It is high time we moved performance assessment into the mobile age. Performance is one of the most difficult tasks to assess using traditional methods. The pen-and-paper method generates multiple administrative bottlenecks that prevent the assessor from focusing on their primary task of professional judgment. The application of mobile technology and tablet devices can now replace pen-and-paper assessment, and achieve significant synergies resulting from the combination of technology with the assessors’ professional judgment. The presentation will demonstrate how the application of mobile technology to the assessment of performances can be successfully achieved. The Touch2Assess (TA) software process developed over the last three years was used to develop the mobile assessment app. The assessment task involved a group performance and an individual task of a third-year Education unit. The mobile assessment app allowed the assessment of these two tasks, and the combining of the rubric...
Social interaction is a fundamental component of relationships; however, the key features of Auti... more Social interaction is a fundamental component of relationships; however, the key features of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) include marked and lifelong impairments in social interaction that adversely affects abilities to fulfil this essential relationship requirement. Despite the momentum of worldwide research on ASD, there is insufficient empirical study on adults with ASD and their relationships. This research examined the reported social interaction needs of adults when involved in neurodiverse relationships (relationships that include adults with ASD and neurotypical (NT) adults). The use of an advocacy/participatory approach allowed for a detailed investigation of the characteristics of participants’ interpersonal communication. It was identified that a pairing of incompatible social interaction needs caused a sequence of distinctive, competing, and intertwined interactions that formed into interwoven communication cycles. These cycles included compensatory and competing behav...
Connected text reading is crucial to beginning reading development as this is where children appl... more Connected text reading is crucial to beginning reading development as this is where children apply the reading skills they are learning. The most recent version of the Australian Curriculum includes the requirement that teachers use both predictable and decodable texts in early reading instruction. As each text type is underpinned by a different approach to reading instruction, this creates a potential dilemma for teachers when implementing the curriculum. A preliminary study of the instructional practices used to teach reading in the first two years of schooling was therefore conducted to investigate how early years teachers make use of two different text types that are arguably incompatible. An online survey regarding approaches to reading instruction and use of different text types was distributed to Western Australian Pre-primary and Year 1 teachers via several social media platforms. A total of 138 teachers responded. Survey responses indicated that these teachers do not have a...
Professional learning provides the opportunity to improve teacher practice and student outcomes; ... more Professional learning provides the opportunity to improve teacher practice and student outcomes; however, challenges exist in ensuring that teachers can access quality professional learning. Teache...
In 2014, the Australian Government established the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (... more In 2014, the Australian Government established the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) to advise on how teacher education programmes could ensure new teachers were adequately prepared for the classroom. Following this, the Australian Government endorsed a key recommendation of the TEMAG Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers report, the inclusion of specialisations in primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE). This research was conducted at an Australian public university that, in 2016, had embedded specialisations in a revised primary teacher programme structure and was one of the first ITE institutions in Australia to graduate primary teachers with a specialisation. Using a mixed-methods case study design with convenience sampling, this study sought to investigate these primary graduates’ perceptions of undertaking a specialisation in relation to the development of content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge in the specialist area, as well as perceived employment adva...
The Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 2020
International and national data continue to identify poor literacy standards among secondary scho... more International and national data continue to identify poor literacy standards among secondary school students. The researchers, in collaboration with a metropolitan secondary school in Perth, Western Australia, elected to use the Direct Instruction Reading Mastery program to improve students' reading skills. Data on reading performance was collected from 59 Year 7-9 students identified by their teachers as having poor reading skills. Students were assessed using the Woodcock Reading Mastery III and were retested twice during the remainder of the year. Teaching staff were observed delivering the program and were interviewed in the final term of the year to ascertain their experiences while using the program. Results showed a statistically significant improvement in students' reading performance. There was a moderate, statistically significant correlation between higher reading improvement and higher attendance. The program was effective for students regardless of equity group....
The way in which technologies support students with disability has been widely explored in recent... more The way in which technologies support students with disability has been widely explored in recent times. Much of this research has focused on computer programs specifically designed to teach social and academic skills to students with disability. In the research reported in this paper we examined how students with disability could use technology designed for the general market. The impetus for the study was the principle of normalisation, which espouses that people with disability should have the opportunity to share in experiences of their same-aged peers. In previous research we demonstrated the benefits of using the commercially available hand-held games console Nintendo DS with Dr Kawashima's Brain Training program with students in mainstream classrooms. This finding led us to consider how this technology could be used to meet specific academic and social outcomes for students with disability in the same settings. We implemented a small-scale study in an Education Support Ce...
This research sought to investigate the feasibility of digitising exams to improve student outcom... more This research sought to investigate the feasibility of digitising exams to improve student outcomes and was based on research suggesting that the handwriting speed of undergraduate students limits their ability to demonstrate knowledge, while poor legibility makes it difficult for the assessor to accurately judge the quality of the response. Research found that the handwriting speed of undergraduate students was equivalent to fluency data on 11-year-old schoolchildren, which is a significant concern when we consider that handwriting fluency accounted for considerable variance in writing quality and tutor marks for examination answers. This generation of students typically relies on digital technologies to record their thoughts and access to mobile devices has opened up the possibility of carrying out a digital examination without the need for specialised campus facilities. This approach was trialled with 32 students in a 4 year elective unit in the Bachelor of Education. Students we...
Reflection and ePortfolios are current ‘buzz words’ in learning and teaching circles in preservic... more Reflection and ePortfolios are current ‘buzz words’ in learning and teaching circles in preservice teacher education. Given their increasingly prominent role in teacher preparation members of the Primary Program in the Faculty of Education and Arts sought to determine how best to incorporate these activities into learning and teaching at ECU. A program-wide implementation was considered to be most effective in promoting reflective practice and that a reflective portfolio would enhance the engagement of pre-service teachers with their learning experience and encouraging them to take responsibility for their developmental learning. This resulted in the development of the Professional Learning Journal (PLJ), which incorporated both reflective practice and a professional portfolio. While a number of measures were implemented to support pre-service teacher use of the PLJ, one of the key concerns identified by them was the cumbersome nature of the print-based PLJ. It was determined that a...
This chapter explores inclusive approaches to reading instruction for Australian Aboriginal and/o... more This chapter explores inclusive approaches to reading instruction for Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children. Drawing from the literature on effective reading instruction, culturally appropriate instructional practices, and the authors’ research on reading interventions in remote communities in Australia we assert that to be inclusive you must provide a learning environment that supports all students to learn. Further, that the approaches used in this learning environment should be evidence-based.
One of the most important determinants of inclusive practice by classroom teachers is their belie... more One of the most important determinants of inclusive practice by classroom teachers is their beliefs and attitudes towards individuals with disabilities (Avramidis & Norwich, 2002; Moberg, Zumberg & Reinmaa, 1997). This notion was the primary motivation for ...
Universities are increasingly experimenting with the online domain to connect with busy and digit... more Universities are increasingly experimenting with the online domain to connect with busy and digital-savvy students and counter the decline in face-to-face lecture attendance More often than not universities are offering videoed lectures or PowerPoints with lecturer voice-overs as a way of delivering content. Evidence suggests that while these techniques may provide the flexibility required, some content needs more personalised delivery. In this article the authors explore the development and delivery of an online lecture format. Using a combination of video, text and interactive cell technology, this online offering was trialed in a unit focused on the education of students with disability in inclusive classrooms. Using the Attitude toward Computer Aided Instruction Scale (ACAIS) (Allen, 1986) the author’s surveyed 159, 3 rd year pre-service teachers and asked them to compare the online presentation format with a traditional face-to-face lecture. The students were enthusiastic about...
It is high time we moved performance assessment into the mobile age. Performance is one of the mo... more It is high time we moved performance assessment into the mobile age. Performance is one of the most difficult tasks to assess using traditional methods. The pen-and-paper method generates multiple administrative bottlenecks that prevent the assessor from focusing on their primary task of professional judgment. The application of mobile technology and tablet devices can now replace pen-and-paper assessment, and achieve significant synergies resulting from the combination of technology with the assessors’ professional judgment. The presentation will demonstrate how the application of mobile technology to the assessment of performances can be successfully achieved. The Touch2Assess (TA) software process developed over the last three years was used to develop the mobile assessment app. The assessment task involved a group performance and an individual task of a third-year Education unit. The mobile assessment app allowed the assessment of these two tasks, and the combining of the rubric...
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