Education honours for 2010

Applications by students in Year 3 of the BEd for entry to the 2010 BEd honours program close on November 27, 2009. Acceptance depends on a calculated HWAM of 75+ and the availability of a suitable supervisor.

Because each application form (pdf, 88kB) must include a statement about the intended research topic, students are advised to discuss their ideas with possible supervisors before submitting.

Contacts

Topics and potential supervisors

The table below contains a list of current research that could accommodate honours projects, as well as potential topics for honours projects and the academics who have expressed an interest in supervising these areas.

Honours applicants whose topic of choice appears not to be covered in the table should consult the faculty directory list of eight major research specialties (and more than 40 sub-specialties) to find possible supervisors.

Research area	Existing or potential	Supervisor
A study of inquiry-based learning in higher education An honours project could investigate either students' or teachers' conceptions of inquiry-based learning (what's involved, what can be learned, how to improve it).	existing	Professor Peter Goodyear Dr Lina Markauskaite
Professional learning – combining multiple forms of knowledge and ways of knowing An honours project could conduct interview-based research into aspects of professional learning during practicum (in education, health sciences or elsewhere). We have a special interest in 'epistemic fluency' – the ability to combine different kinds of knowledge and ways of knowing when solving a complex problem – and in how practicum experiences help with the development of epistemic fluency.	existing	Professor Peter Goodyear Dr Lina Markauskaite
When does ICT really matter? Understanding teacher decisions to use ICT How do teachers make decisions to use ICT (technologies) for teaching specific topic/activity in any curriculum area? What kind of role does ICT play? When does ICT really make difference and when not? This could be a small scale research based on interviews with 3–4 teachers who use ICT asking them to describe in detail 2–4 activities in which they use ICT or wish to use ICT).	potential	Professor Peter Goodyear Dr Lina Markauskaite
How do teachers design learning activities (for ICT integration)? This could be a small-scale research project based on interviews with 3–4 teachers asking each to describe in great detail 2–3 activities they have designed personally. Alternatively, teachers could be asked to design 1–2 activities, observed and interviewed. Ideally the activities under investigation should represent a range of models, visual presentations, diagrams, templates and scripts.	potential	Professor Peter Goodyear Dr Lina Markauskaite
Perceptions and attitudes towards disability and inclusion among trainee teachers, teachers and students Research into the ways inclusion is defined in policy and implemented in practice, as well as cultural representations of disability.	potential	Dr Ilektra Spandagou
Children's choice awards: encouraging critical response	potential	Dr Alyson Simpson
Developing scientific literacies	existing	Dr Alyson Simpson
Teachers' attitude to the use of dictionaries in primary schools	potential	Dr Alyson Simpson
Using student feedback to improve blended learning	potential	Dr Alyson Simpson
Sexualities education	potential	Dr Kellie Burns
Health education in schools	potential	Dr Kellie Burns
The health-promoting school	potential	Dr Kellie Burns
Gender, sexualities and schooling	potential	Dr Kellie Burns
Leadership in organisations (especially school leadership and management)	potential	Dr George Odhiambo
Educational change	potential	Dr George Odhiambo
School culture	potential	Dr George Odhiambo
School effectiveness and improvement	potential	Dr George Odhiambo
Staff development	potential	Dr George Odhiambo
Quality assurance for education	potential	Dr George Odhiambo
Staff/teacher appraisal	potential	Dr George Odhiambo
Science education topics or gifted and talented topics	potential	Dr Louise Sutherland
Sydney Theatre drama and literacy project and Readers' theatre project	existing	Professor Robyn Ewing
Aboriginal education	potential	Janet Mooney
Teacher education	potential	Janet Mooney
Indigenous Australian history and culture	potential	Janet Mooney
Development of professional teacher identity Neo-liberal influences including professional standards, accreditation and accountability measures.	potential	Dr Dianne Bloomfield
Teaching strategies for increasing motivation and engagement of middle-years' students in mathematics	existing	Associate Professor Janette Bobis Dr Judy Anderson Dr Jennifer Way
Profession learning and development of teachers from trainee teachers to in-service courses	potential	Associate Professor Janette Bobis
The empty number line (either from a teacher's perspective or from children's)	potential	Associate Professor Janette Bobis
Motivation and engagement of students in mathematics	potential	Associate Professor Janette Bobis
Technology and primary mathematics	potential	Dr Jennifer Way
Learning in virtual reality and serious game worlds	potential	Professor Michael Jacobson
Pedagogical approaches for using computational modelling and visualisation systems for learning challenging scientific and mathematical knowledge	potential	Professor Michael Jacobson
Understanding complex physical and social systems	potential	Professor Michael Jacobson
Conceptual change and learning for transfer	potential	Professor Michael Jacobson
Arts-based learning and teaching	potential	Dr Marianne Hulsbosch
Using process diaries, reflective diaries, e-folios or learning journals as sites for learning	potential	Dr Marianne Hulsbosch
Visual-art education	potential	Dr Marianne Hulsbosch
Design and technology education	potential	Dr Marianne Hulsbosch
History curriculum	potential	Dr Tim Allender
History of education	potential	Dr Tim Allender
History of feminism	potential	Dr Tim Allender
Colonial education	potential	Dr Tim Allender
Secondary-language (including English) fluency-cum-literacy	potential	Dora Lafkas
Creative arts	potential	Dr Robyn Gibson
Creativity	potential	Dr Robyn Gibson
Creative teaching	potential	Dr Robyn Gibson
Arts-informed inquiry	potential	Dr Robyn Gibson
Primary-school science and technology	potential	Christine Preston
Marine education	potential	Christine Preston
Teaching science with toys	potential	Christine Preston
Handwriting This project will involve surveying teachers in primary schools or high schools about their approaches to handwriting. The survey has been already developed but requires adjustments. A Master of Education student may also be working in the same area. The project's focus will be on the how teachers address the teaching of handwriting, and the strategies they use for students who have difficulty with handwriting. Honours students may receive help in developing their written expression and computer skills. An ethics application is being developed.	existing	Associate Professor David Evans Dr Ilektra Spandagou Cathy Little
Self-regulated strategy development This project is linked to a project being undertaken by an MEd(Research) student. The honours candidate will work with the student, assisting in data collection, and participating in project delivery. The honours student will be encouraged to develop their research around issues involving self-regulated learning from either of two perspectives: the student's (via interview data and questionnaires); or the teacher's (via interview data and classroom observations). [Other suggestions are welcome.] Ethics has been obtained and a school selected. The project is awaiting final SERAP but is expected to be undertaken in late Term 1 and Term 2, 2010.	existing	Associate Professor David Evans Dr Ilektra Spandagou Cathy Little
Examination of literacy skills in primary students This project is part of an Institute of Social Sciences project, in collaboration with the Faculty of Health Sciences. As such, it offers the chance to work in a cross-disciplinary team. The focus of the project for the honours candidate will be parental perceptions of children's reading ability in circumstances where the child is developing in a typical manner. It will involve helping to recruit about 30 child participants, then collecting data that documents both the reading ability of the students, and their parents' perceptions of their ability. Ethics approval has been obtained for this project and a survey of parental perceptions developed and trialled. Materials are available for testing reading ability.	existing	Associate Professor David Evans Dr Ilektra Spandagou Cathy Little
Early numeracy development for students who have difficulty learning This project will contribute to research that has been running for two years. Together with a BEd student now in Year 2, the honours candidate will administer the third set of data. Ethics permission has been obtained and measures are in place. The honours candidate will use the previous two years' data to examine numeracy development over three years. The project offers the opportunity for the honours candidate to improve and refine the research through their own ideas, in collaboration with the chief investigator.	existing	Associate Professor David Evans Dr Ilektra Spandagou Cathy Little
Early intervention This is the opportunity to undertake a case study following the history of a child with complex educational needs in the form of a cochlea implant. The research will require the honours candidate to interview the child as well as his or her therapists, educators, audiologists, parents and teachers. Candidates must also be prepared to interpret data about hearing and audiology (with the assistance of experts). Ethics permission has been obtained and initial case studies have been conducted to provide a model of the methodology to be followed.	existing	Associate Professor David Evans Dr Ilektra Spandagou Cathy Little

Faculty of Education and Social Work

Education honours for 2010

Contacts

Director, BEd Honours

Coordinator, BEd(Primary) Honours

Coordinator, BEd(Secondary) Honours

Coordinator, BEd(HMHE) Honours

Topics and potential supervisors