363 research outputs found
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Is the PROBE reading assessment an effective measure of reading comprehension?
No full textAlthough the PROBE reading assessment is widely used to assess the reading comprehension of students in New Zealand schools, there is little information available about the reliability and validity of the test.The study reported in this article investigated the adequacy of the PROBE test for a group of Year 4 students.The findings of the study raise some concerns about the reliability and validity of the test.The article also discusses other issues that impact on the adequacy of the PROBE test, including(1) a lack of information on the determination of reading ages for particular text levels, (2) problems with the classification of comprehension questions, and (3) variability in the ways that the PROBE test can be administered at different times
Curriclum rhythm and HPE practice: Making sense of a complex relationship
No full textIn this paper we suggest that official curriculum statements provide a relatively modest influence onthe emergence of Health and Physical Education (HPE) in school settings and that not enoughattention is paid to the other factors that influence curriculum practice in schools. We argue thatwhile the perspectives of teachers may reflect the conceptions and philosophies of particular nationalcurriculum documents, there are a variety of agents and discursive elements operating at the level of curriculum practice that influence how teachers in secondary school situations perform in the subject area of Physical Education. The metaphor of music is used as the basis for conceptualisingcurriculum as a complex emergent practice resulting from the interplay of many different elementsoperating at multiple levels of the education system. In particular, we identify four ‘rhythms’, that ofhealth, criticality, biculturalism, and technology, that contribute to giving New Zealand PhysicalEducation and performance of HPE in schools a unique style and character
Students' beliefs about learning mathematics: Some findings from the Solomon Islands
No full textStudents’ beliefs and attitudes can impact on their mathematics learning and performance. Yet, there appears to be minimal literature that deals with the educational implications of this dimension. This paper focuses on the beliefs of Year 12 Solomon Islands students in mathematics learning. Thestudents’ beliefs are analysed and themes identified. While most students were in agreement about the beliefs in doing mathematics, there were variations in the students’ self-efficacy beliefs. The findings are interpreted in relation to recent writing about students’ beliefs towards learning mathematics.The paper will consider the issues arising out of the study and offer suggestions for meeting thesechallenges
How can the secondary school learning model be adapted to provide for more meaningful curriculum integration?
No full textInterest in curriculum integration (CI) has resurged recently as schools seek to bring togetherknowledge from separate curriculum areas to create a more holistic, integrated learning experiencefor students to address the demands of ‘twenty-first century’ learning. As the educational sciencesdeliver new research on the role of the arts in cognitive development, educators are also refreshingtheir perspective on what is termed ‘arts integration’. This study set out to investigate theintroduction of a curriculum integration model in a secondary school setting, focusing on the arts.The findings indicate that collaborative learning became a powerful strategy for enhancing student’ssocial and motivational skills, specifically that of compromise. For a Curriculum Integration model tosucceed in secondary schools there needs to be a paradigm shift in the way that secondary schoolsstructure their timetables and their learning environments
Secondary school technology education in New Zealand: Does it do what it says on the box?
No full textTechnology education, as mandated in the New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2007)provides an opportunity for schools and teachers to offer contextually relevant and innovativecurriculum responses. Recent governmental initiatives appear to offer additional transitionalpathways for ‘at risk’ students but signpost new challenges for technology teachers who are alreadyexperiencing tensions between political agenda, school compliance and community expectations.The research upon which this article is based highlights that even when technology teachers feelmotivated and empowered to enact curriculum change in their schools, local constraints requireongoing, negotiated responses to ensure that all of their students’ diverse learning needs are beingaddressed. This article asserts that the continued political shift towards vocational educationthrough initiatives such as the introduction of the Youth Guarantee Scheme, have the potential tofurther undermine the position of technology teachers and technology education within the NewZealand secondary schooling system
Key Competencies and school guidance counselling: Learning alongside communities of support
No full textOften the work of school guidance counsellors goes on “behind the scenes” in the privacy and confidentiality of the counselling room. This article makes visible particular aspects of school counselling practice. It illustrates the potential for understanding school guidance counselling as a site of student learning, in particular of key competency use and development. Moments of counselling interaction are investigated for their illustration of moment-by-moment learning-in-action. Further, when two students come to counselling, the possibility of a community of support becomes available. Collaboration within a community of support is shown to offer therapeutic and learning benefits