Student Profiles
The following are a sample of students who are currently undertaking a higher research degree with the Faculty of Education and Social Work. For fuller list, please go to Postgraduate Research in Progress
Yosef Aharonov
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Degree: Thesis title:
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PhD (Ed) Educational emissaries from countries of origin to diaspora communities: A case study of Israeli Shlichim to Australia |
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Email: |
y.aharonov@edfac.usyd.edu.au |
This project will examine the case of educational emissaries (Shlichim) who come from Israel to serve within the Jewish community in Australia in both formal and informal settings. They are individual representatives who come for a period of 1-3 years and often experience a clash between cultures/culture shock. Such representatives, who could be seen as temporary migrants, not only confront this situation, but also seek to make a change as educators. This study will examine how they undergo this process, how they manage to fulfil their mission and in what way it contributes to their professional lives and to their views about their country of origin and its diaspora. Yosef Aharonov
Tesfaye Alemayehu
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Degree: Thesis title: |
DSW Challenging social exclusion and vulnerability: The experiences of humanitarian entrants from Sub-Sahara Africa in Sydney |
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Research area: |
Social structure and social justice |
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Email: |
tale5125@mail.usyd.edu.au |
This study will try to explore, describe and document the key dimensions of social exclusion and vulnerability facing humanitarian entrants from Sub-Sahara Africa in Sydney and the major options for social inclusion and coping capacities. Existing studies on humanitarian entrants in particular and African-Australians in general have demonstrated that these communities are the new poor, the underclass, welfare dependent and, living in the lower echelons of Australian society. However, this study will generate a grounded theory that will provide a clear overview of the historical, economic, political, institutional and cultural dimensions of their social exclusion and vulnerability with a special focus on their historical background and current context. The study will be conducted using a social constructivist paradigm, grounded theory methodology and in-depth interviews with humanitarian entrants from Sub-Sahara Africa now living in Sydney.
Sarah Bedford
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Degree: Thesis title: |
PhD (Ed) A critical perspective on English as an international language of business |
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Research Area: |
TESOL and languages educatio |
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Email: |
s.bedford@usyd.edu.au |
Sarah Bedford Bedford, S.
Sarah's PhD project focuses on business English language teaching and learning and has the working title A critical perspective on English as an international language of business. The development of her PhD project has been motivated by her experiences as an English language teacher and builds upon her dissertation A critical perspective on the representation of racial identities in business English course books.
Sarah teaches at the University of Sydney as a Course Tutor on the Master of Education (TESOL) programme. The course units that she has tutored on are Perspectives on language development, Language as social practice, English for business and specific purposes, and English in academic settings. Sarah is also a Course Tutor on the University of Sydney’s intensive off-shore Master of Education TESOL programme at Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Sarah is a member of the TESOL Research Network in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Sydney. She is also a member of the association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL).
Publication:
Andrew Bennie
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Degree: Thesis title: |
PhD (Ed) Effective coaching in professional cricket, rugby league and rugby union: An Australian perspective |
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Research area: |
Human movement and health education |
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Email: |
a.bennie@edfac.usyd.edu.au |
The battle to gain competitive advantage over opposing teams in a professional sport environment is ever-present within the Australian contexts. In the past 20 years, professional sport has evolved significantly and with this, changes have been eminent when considering the role of coaches. This study explored the perceptions (through interviews) and behaviours (via observations) of six, male, professional coaches and 28 athletes from cricket, rugby league, and rugby union over a four month period in Australia. The results indicated that in today’s professional sport context, a coach must be able to develop and maintain effective relationships with many constituents through effective, direct and honest communication. Furthermore, coaches must be able to identify specific individual needs and cater for them within a supportive and open learning environment. Practical implications for coaches, researchers and coach educators will be addressed. Andrew Bennie
Presentations: Click here to view Andrew’s slides from his presentation. Click here to view Andrew’s poster. Click here to view the Program Overview.
In September, 2007, Andrew presented his paper The Retention of Youth Sport Coaches at the ICCE Global Coach Conference, in Beijing, China.
In November, 2007, Andrew presented his paper Effective Coaching in Team Sports: A qualitative investigation involving coaches and athletes from Australia. at the Elite Coaching Symposium, organised by Sport Knowledge Australia, in Sydney, Australia.
Roger Bourne
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Degree: Thesis title: |
PhD (Ed) Emancipatory Research on the educational life stories of Aboriginal people: A reflexive perspective. |
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Research area: |
Learners, cultures and their communities |
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Email: |
Roger Bourne plans to continue to collect the educational life stories of Australian Aboriginal people to be informed about their experience of education and Aboriginality. The qualitative methodology of Emancipatory Research allows the researcher to adopt a reflexive gaze on the data and to enter into the shoes of the other. This process has given Roger an insight into their perspective on education and the socializing influences of post colonial Australian education. Talking with Aboriginal people has convinced Roger that his educational intentions have been devoid of an awareness of their experience and perspective. Just as British colonial policy declared Australia to be empty of occupants (terra nullius) and moved into the country and land as if into unpopulated space, so Roger is beginning to realise he has approached Aboriginal people as if they live in a cultural vacuum that needs to be filled with the educational outcomes and objectives sanctioned by our educational system. Roger's benevolent intentions and ignorance of their life experiences and culture has been challenged by adopting a reflexive position toward the Aboriginal people that he has been privileged to interview.
Rúen Chew
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Degree: Thesis title: |
PhD (Ed) Exploring the link between Drama Education and the National Values Education Framework |
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Research areas: |
Youth, youth policy and secondary schooling |
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Email: |
r.chew@edfac.usyd.edu.au |
Pivotal events such as the 'September 11', the 'London Train Bombings' and the 'Cronulla Riots', coupled with the increasing influx of eastern migrants into western civilisations has fuelled for a new wave of interest for values/moral development within the past decades. It is in such a climate, that the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) and the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) have invested millions of dollars in developing and implementing a National Values Education Framework (2003). The proposed research aims to explore the links between the National Values Education Framework and Drama Education through a Year 8 New South Wales drama class - investigating; what and how certain aspects of drama education, in a Year 9 New South Wales drama class, related to the National Values Education Framework.
Dau-Chuan Chung
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Degree: Thesis title: |
PhD(SW) Development of curricula about HIV/AIDS in schools of social work in Taiwan |
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Research area: |
Curriculum and knowledge |
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Email: |
d.chung@usyd.edu.au |
The growth of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Taiwan has a strong influence on social work practice. However, it is unclear how Taiwanese social work educators consider these challenges, and reflect them in teaching activities. One way to investigate the preparedness of Taiwanese social work educators is to compare the representation of HIV/AIDS and PLWHA in social work textbooks and newspaper opinion articles. The comparison reported in this presentation includes the emphases of the problems related to HIV/AIDS; the appropriateness of using HIV/AIDS; and the attitudes toward PLWHA and HIV/AIDS. A content analysis was used to investigate 165 newspaper opinion articles and 47 (translated or written) social work textbooks which included HIV/AIDS topics in Taiwan. The results reveal, generally, between textbooks and opinion articles, that the topics of HIV/AIDS and PLWHA are treated differently. There was a notable distinction in the emphases of the problems related to HIV/AIDS. In addition, textbook writers referred HIV/AIDS more inappropriately, and expressed less positive or neutral attitudes toward HIV/AIDS or PLWHA than opinion article writers. Implications for social work education and training, and the improvement of textbooks are discussed.
Presentations:
Chung, D. C., & Mo, L. L. (2007, September). Taiwanese social work educators' willingness to include HIV/AIDS into courses. Paper presented at the Nineteenth Asia Pacific Social Work Conference, Penang, Malaysia. Click here to view the program (4:15pm session on Tuesday 4 September 2007) Click here to view the power point presentation. (PDF, 106KB)
Chung, D. C. (2007, June). HIV/AIDS coverage in opinion articles in Taiwan, 1982-2006. Paper presented at the (Un)marking Queer Worlds seminar, Melbourne, Australia. Click here to view the power point presentation. (PDF, 124KB)
Neil England
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Degree: Thesis title: |
PhD(Ed) Intercultural dialogue with Indonesian state sector language teacher educators on the epistemology of their practice. |
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Research area: |
Teaching English to speakers of other languages; Languages and cultures education |
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Email: |
Neil England has taught English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and been involved in pre- and in-service EFL teacher education in Australia, Indonesia, Japan, the United States and Singapore. He is a part-time PhD student.
Neil’s research aims to develop the practice of in-service professional development (INSET) for state sector EFL teacher educators in the developing world. His study is of and through different forms of intercultural dialogue with language teacher educators from the Ministry of National Education, Indonesia. These teacher educators conduct INSET for local teachers of English in primary and secondary schools throughout Indonesia. The dialogues centre on what forms of knowledge – external propositional knowledge, personal practical knowledge and contextual knowledge - are, or should be, valued in INSET for language teachers, and how to deal with tensions between these forms of knowledge, especially in intercultural INSET. A second related dimension to the study is a methodological one, of how the qualitative educational researcher establishes and maintains a productive and ethical “culture of dealing” with participants and stakeholders in intercultural contexts.
Publication:
Harbon, L., & England, N. (2006). The cultural practice of research higher degree supervision: A case in progress. University of Sydney Papers in TESOL, 1(1), 1-27.
Sabrin Farooqui
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Degree: Thesis title: |
PhD (Ed) The new textbook for teaching English language in Secondary Education in Bangladesh: teachers' perceptions and teaching practices. |
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Research area: |
TESOL and languages education |
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Email: |
s.farooqui@edfac.usyd.edu.au |
The government of Bangladesh made changes in the education policy in the year 2000 to raise people’s overall level of competency in English language. Co-funded by the Bangladesh government and Department for International Development (DFID) of United Kingdom, the English Language Teaching Improvement Project (ELTIP) introduced communicative textbooks up to the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) level. This curriculum reform in Bangladesh has aimed to teach students the use of English language for effective communication. The inclusion of communicative activities in the new textbook has promoted the change from a teacher-centered to a student-centered approach. This study will examine English language teachers’ perceptions of the new textbook used at secondary level, the factors that influence teachers’ use and how they use the textbook in the classroom.
In Semester 1, 2008, Sabrin Farooqui won the Outstanding Research Student Award for her full paper titled “Establishing truths, targeting dreams - The Secondary English textbook in Bangladesh”.
Publications: Farooqui, S. Farooqui, S. Click here to view the conference program. Click here to view the conference program Click here to view the poster.
Begum, M & Farooqui, S. (2008). School based assessment: Will it really change the education scenario in Bangladesh? International Education Studies, 1(2), 45-53.
Presentations:
In June 2008, Sabrin presented Teacher training and teaching practice: The changing landscape of ELT in Secondary Education in Bangladesh at the International Conference on Language Teaching & Learning held at Hungkuang University, Taiwan.
In June 2007, Sabrin presented Developing speaking skill of adult learners in private universities in Bangladesh: Problems and solutions at the 5th Annual Conference of Asia TEFL.
Poster:
In June 2008, Sabrin presented a poster titled Teacher training and teaching practice: The changing landscape of ELT in Secondary Education in Bangladesh at the International Conference on Language Teaching & Learning held at Hungkuang University, Taiwan.
Annette Green
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Degree:
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PhD (Ed) Bridging two worlds: From Industry to school. |
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Research Areas: |
Teachers and teacher education |
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Email: |
The purpose of Annette Green's research is to find out about the experience of teachers during their first three years of teaching when they have come from quite different backgrounds from many beginning teachers. The teachers who have been involved as participants in the longitudinal study are all graduates of an Accelerated Teacher Training Program sponsored by NSW DET. To enter this course, the requirements included a trade or industry background in food / hospitality; wood or metals technology – involving a mix of trades; agriculture; information technology. Annette's key questions concern the ways in which they have adapted to their new careers in regional and rural schools in NSW. The course, from which Annette's participants are representative of the first cohort, is now in its 8th year since beginning and Annette has been told, informally, by DET that they have been retained at a higher rate than the ‘average’ teacher in their first three years, although she can not cite this ‘officially’. Annette has chosen a longitudinal study, and data has been collected via ‘conversation’ style telephone and face to face interviews, school site visits and material, mainly emails, submitted through the duration of the data collection period. Annette is looking at a combination of issues based case study with analysis involving aspects of biographical research, observation and responses to try and discover how these teachers have constructed their identities as teachers in their new careers.
Annette Green also works as a lecturer at School of Education, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga.
Gloria Hill
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Degree:
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PhD(Ed) The medicalisation of behaviour in children diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). |
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Research areas: |
Social structure and social justice |
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Email: |
Gloria Hill received a MEd with merit at the University of Sydney in 2000. Currently a doctoral student, she is nearing completion of a qualitative study entitled: The medicalization of behaviour in children diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Gloria brings to her research considerable educational practice and leadership experience. This includes a variety of roles from teaching children of all ages (early childhood through to secondary school) to educational consultancy and training for parents and teachers in Australia, United Kingdom and China.
Some highlights for Gloria include: starting a primary school in northern NSW; managing the NSW Department of Education and Training state-wide Resource Support Unit (a multi-disciplinarily health and education service for children aged 0 – 20 years with severe disabilities); working in teacher training in the Hong Kong Institute for Education; managing and publishing a major educational reform initiative for the Hong Kong Department of Education and Manpower Bureau entitled: The Indicators for Inclusion; and conducting numerous programmes and school based analysis for schools in China towards improving the learning and life experiences of children.
Although Gloria has worked intensively with children diagnosed as having various disorders and impairments including acquired brain injury, selective mutism and cortical blindness, her main curiosity surrounds the sociology of deviance and theoretical matters of disability and mental health. She hopes to embark upon a future marked by further research, writing and advocacy to promote the rights of children who have experienced the process and impact of being medicalized.
Yoon-Suk Hwang
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Degree: Thesis title: |
PhD (Ed) Theory-of-Mind continuum model: Theory from the lived experience of Theory-of-Mind in Autism Spectrum Disorder |
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Research areas: |
Special education |
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Email: |
y.hwang@edfac.usyd.edu.au |
This study seeks to understand the inner worlds of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who demonstrate an ability to communicate verbally or who use augmentative communication strategies. A total of 20 high school students with ASD (CA 15:01-19:02; MA below 45-77) from the republic of Korea were interviewed to draw out the lived experiences of Theory-of-Mind. A variety of methods were employed to accommodate the individual needs of participants during in-depth interviews with a range of 2-5 sessions. Interviews were followed by evaluation of IQ and social competence of participants using the Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and the Korean Vineland Social Maturity Scale. It is the first attempt to qualitatively look at the lived experiences of Theory-of-Mind perceived by ASD population. The analysis employed a grounded theory approach and presented essential features of the inner worlds in this population which psychological tests of Theory-of-Mind have overlooked. This study also suggests a Theory-of-Mind continuum model.
Publication:
Yoon-Suk Hwang, David Evans and Jim Mackenzie (2007). Theory-of-Mind Continuum Model: Why Mind Matters in Philosophy, Psychology and Education. The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, Volume 2, Issue 3, pp.249-258.
Marlène Lebreton
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Degree: Thesis title: |
PhD (Ed) Second language teaching within the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme: Issues and strategies. A comparative study of the International School of Paris (France) and St Paul's Grammar School (NSW, Australia) |
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Research areas: |
TESOL and languages education |
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Email: |
m.lebreton@edfac.usyd.edu.au |
Internationalization has a great impact on language teaching policies and intercultural education. The International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) is the leader in international education. It proposes three international education programmes which prepare students for the International Baccalaureate: the Diploma Programme (DP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Primary Years Programme (PYP). The PYP was implemented in 1997 and little, if any, research has yet been conducted on it.
The PYP philosophy aims to develop students’ international consciousness, notably by learning about other cultures and to speak other languages. However, PYP language policy documents often give a general view on language teaching and not specifically on L2 teaching. L2 teachers often meet difficulties with using the L2 as a means of communication and a tool for learning, notably in the programme of inquiry which is central to this programme. This research compares L2 teaching issues and strategies in the PYP in two schools: the International School of Paris in France and St Paul’s Grammar School in Australia (Penrith).
In Semester 1, 2008, Marlène Lebreton received a "highly commended" certificate in recognition of the full paper she submitted for the Outstanding Research Student Award.
Jian E Peng
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Degree: Thesis title: |
PhD(Ed) Exploring willingness to communicate in 'English as a foreign language' (EFL) university classrooms in China: A mixed methods approach |
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Research areas: |
Research on teaching and learning; Learning & teaching in higher education |
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Email: |
jpen9319@mail.usyd.edu.au |
Jian E Peng began her PhD studies in Education in August 2006 upon obtaining her Master’s degree in TESOL from the University of Sydney in March 2006. She used to be a lecturer at the Medical College Shantou University in mainland China, teaching English for a number of years. Her research interests include second language acquisition, intercultural communication, and educational psychology. Her current research explores factors influencing Chinese university students’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in English inside their language classroom, and the dynamic fluctuations of WTC over time and across situations.
In Semester 2, 2008, Jian E Peng won the Outstanding Research Student Award for her full paper titled Willingness to communicate in English in Chinese EFL classroom.
Presentation:
Peng, J. (August, 2008). Dynamic fluctuations of willingness to communicate in Chinese EFL classroom: A multiple-case study. Paper presented at the 15th International Applied Linguistics Association (AILA) Congress. Essen, Germany. Click here to view the conference program.
Publications:
Peng, J. E. (2007). Weaving conversation analysis into language class. Academic Exchange, 11 (1), 172-176.
Peng, J. E. (2007). Willingness to communicate in a L2 in the EFL classroom: Rich descriptions from the Chinese university students. Review of Applied Linguistics in China, 3, 30-59.
Peng, J. E. (2007). Willingness to communicate in an L2 and Integrative Motivation among college students in an intensive English language program in China. University of Sydney Papers in TESOL, 2, 33-59.
Peng, J. E. (2007). Willingness to Communicate in the Chinese EFL Classroom: A Cultural Perspective. In J. Liu (Ed.) English language teaching in China: New approaches, perspectives, and standards (pp. 250-269). London: Continuum.
Christine Preston
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Degree: Thesis title: |
PhD (Ed)
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Research areas: |
Mathematics and science education;Curriculum and knowledge |
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Email: |
c.preston@edfac.usyd.edu.au |
Christine Preston's study is designed to investigate the effect of primary children’s interpretation of science diagrams (SDs) on their existing conceptual schema of science concepts. The development of skills in interpreting and comprehending diagrams is fundamental to an understanding of science concepts and processes. SDs continue to be used widely at the primary school level for instruction and assessment despite the absence of substantive research into their effectiveness as aids for the development of conceptual understanding or of indicators of scientific literacy. The proposed is exploring the ways children interpret SDs; the thinking stimulated by SDs; the meanings children construct from SDs and whether and in what ways the SDs change children’s knowledge and understanding of concepts. Factors affecting children’s ability to make meaning from SDs including student characteristics (age, gender, language and culture) and diagram characteristics (arrows, symbolism colour, realistic, schematic, keys and labels, concept area) will also be investigated.
Christine Preston is also a lecturer at the Faculty of Education and Social Work.
Publications:
Preston, C., & Crawford, G. (2008). Weather and our environment. In K. Skamp (Ed.), Teaching Primary Science Constructively (3rd ed.). Melbourne: Nelson Australia Pty. Ltd.
Preston, C., Mowbray, L. (2008). Use of SMART Boards for teaching, learning and assessment in kindergarten science. Teaching Science, 54 (2), pp. 50-53.
Miriam Stevenson
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Degree:
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PhD (SW) "Voices for Change": Participatory Action Research in partnership with young adults with Down syndrome in New South Wales, Australia. |
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Research area: |
Social structure and social justice |
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Email: |
When consulted, young adults with Down syndrome state that they want to "do stuff in our life like everybody else-like getting a job, moving out, seeing friends, going out, having a relationship and helping others."
The ‘Voices for Change’ research actively engages young adults aged between 18-25 with Down syndrome in participatory action research (PAR) to discover how the circles of support model can be utilised to help them realize their personal goals. This project is highly innovative in its engagement with these young adults at an early stage in their lives and explores concepts such as community capacity building, youth participation in decision making, self-advocacy and empowerment, equity, community contribution and sustainable outcomes.
Miriam Stevenson was featured in the faculty's Research.Net Newsletter, May 2008 edition.
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