Western Australian Secondary Schools Research Articles

Rethinking Adolescent School Nutrition Education Through a Food Systems Lens.

Obesity-driven nutrition education in schools does not appear to result in healthier adolescent food choices. This study explored food systems as an alternative pedagogical approach to engage students in nutrition education. After playing a food systems computer game, 250 13- to 16-year-old students in 5 Western Australian secondary schools, participated in group discussions to distinguish learning and interests in food systems. Discussion records were thematically coded using constant comparative analysis. Students reported crop growth, food production and food waste, healthier food choices, and food systems as knowledge outcomes of game play. They requested additional content on food production, costing, handling, processing, and accessing local produce. Experiential activities were preferred pedagogical approaches. Cross-curricular pedagogy which embraces human and planetary health through a food systems lens, can engage adolescents in nutrition education. Transformational computer games are effective to engage, educate and stimulate inquiry in food systems education.

Individual, Social, and Environmental Correlates of Energy Drink Use Among Adolescents

ObjectiveTo investigate the correlates of adolescent energy drink (ED) use using a socioecological approach to inform future interventions. MethodsIn 2017–2018, 3,688 students attending 25 randomly selected Western Australian secondary schools completed a self-report survey. A backward stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to construct a model of the most significant individual (n = 12), social (n = 3), and environmental (n = 4) factors associated with being an ED user (ie, past month ED use). ResultsOverall, 18% of participants were ED users. The factors significantly associated with being an ED user included being male (P < 0.001), having a higher disposable income (P < 0.001), perceiving EDs as good for health (P = 0.009), perceiving EDs as safe for someone their age to drink (P < 0.001), having a sensation-seeking personality (P = 0.011), having friends who drink EDs (P < 0.001), having parents who would give them an ED if asked (P < 0.001), and having EDs available at home (P < 0.001). Conclusions and ImplicationsInitiatives to reduce ED intake among adolescents need to be multifaceted, addressing individual, social, and environmental factors. It is also important that educational interventions target both parents and adolescents.

Attitudes toward Direct Instruction in Western Australian primary and secondary schools

A validated and reliable survey was administered to 89 teachers and school administrators across 27 schools in Western Australia to determine their attitudes towards Direct Instruction (DI). Results showed that contrary to the literature, participants in this sample felt positive towards this scripted approach. The teachers acknowledged DI was expensive and American in content but took a pragmatic view and were impressed with the results obtained. In contrast to previous research, they did not find DI boring, harmful or an approach that employs rote learning and believed it can meet the complex demands of classrooms and exist alongside inquiry learning.

‘That teacher really likes me’ - Student-teacher interactions that initiate teacher expectation effects by developing caring relationships

Teacher expectations are associated with student academic achievement, but no research has generated new theory that explains how teacher expectation effects occur from students' perspectives. A substantive theory explaining the process through which students reconcile with their teachers' expectations is presented in this paper, emphasising the role of caring student-teacher relationships in teacher expectation effects on academic achievement. The theory was constructed with 25 grade 10 participants across three Western Australian secondary schools, with data including 100 interviews and 175 classroom observations. The analysis and synthesis of the data confirmed that the students acted in ways that they reflected improved their academic attainment when their teachers communicated high expectations of them. Noddings' enduring philosophy of the ‘ethic of care’ is used as a discussion framework, emphasising implications for how teachers practise and learn to interact with their students so that they can initiate positive teacher expectation effects on student learning.

\u2018Believe in me, and I will too\u2019: a study of how teachers\u2019 expectations instilled confidence in Grade 10 students

Teacher expectation research has continued to establish an association between what teachers expect of their students and what students accomplish academically. These expectations affect students when they are communicated by teachers through differential treatment in the class, but no qualitative research has sought adolescent students’ points of view about how they experience teacher expectation effects. This paper presents new research findings that explain how Grade 10 students experienced their teachers’ expectations in ways that they reflected impacted their academic outcomes. Classic grounded theory methods were used to develop this new knowledge, which has implications for how teachers are educated for, and practice, interacting with secondary school students. The findings are grounded in data from more than 100 interviews with students and 175 classroom observations in three Western Australian metropolitan public secondary schools. Students’ voices are projected, explaining how their teachers convey high academic expectations through classroom interactions that instil confidence in students. The discussion invokes a connection to Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory and its enduring tenants of self-efficacy beliefs and mastery learning experiences.

Loneliness in adolescence: a Rasch analysis of the Perth A-loneness scale.

The psychometric properties of the Perth A-loneness Scale (PALs) have been extensively validated using classical test theory, but to date no studies have applied a Rasch analysis. The purpose of this study was to validate the PALs four subscales, using Rasch analysis. Responses from 1484 adolescents (58% female, mean age = 12.8years), 131 of whom had a diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorder, from 10 Western Australian secondary schools were included in the Rasch analysis. Overall fit, individual item fit, local response dependence, dimensionality, operation of response categories, and differential item functioning (DIF) were examined. The Rasch analysis supported the factor structure of the PALs. A reasonable to high reliability was obtained for each of the subscales. Participants did not distinguish consistently between the higher categories 'very often' and 'always' on three of the subscales. No item showed Differential Item Functioning (DIF) for neurodevelopmental disorder status and age. One item on each of the Positive and Negative Attitude to Aloneness subscales showed DIF for gender. The results support the interval scale measurement properties of the PALs and provide clinicians and researchers with a measure to assess adolescent loneliness, a construct strongly associated with a constellation of mental health problems.

Influences to HPV completion via a school-based immunisation program

ABSTRACT In Australia, school-based immunisation programmes (SBIP) provide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations to secondary school students. However, despite such free programmes, around 20% of girls and 25% of boys do not complete all doses. This formative study identified barriers and enablers to vaccine completion. Online surveys were conducted with senior school administrators and nurses from Western Australian secondary schools across all three school sectors. Year 8 students participated in focus group discussions. Parents participated in one-on-one interviews (n = 22). Administrators were supportive of vaccination and the SBIP. Nurses and administrators perceived lack of parental awareness, issues around consent and school absenteeism as the main barriers to completion. Parent and student knowledge concerning HPV, the HPV vaccine and immunisation in general were low. Despite this, students and parents were supportive of the SBIP and wanted the opportunity to learn more about HPV, the vaccination and immunisation in general. There are opportunities for targeted school-based work to increase awareness and provision of consent.

Fish out of water: Investigating the ‘readiness’ and proficiency of beginning drama teachers in Western Australian secondary schools

The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL, 2011) stipulate that graduating teachers need to be classroom-ready and able to perform at a ‘graduate standard’. However, recent research indicates that nearly 50% of beginning teachers lack readiness, are overwhelmed with stress, and will leave the profession within five years. This paper seeks to elucidate this disconcerting reality by providing a nuanced focus on the experiences of beginning drama teachers. Findings indicate that while participants in this study began feeling confident and ready for teaching drama; they were largely unprepared for the unwritten requirements of the profession – namely, coping with systems, policies and bureaucracy - and extensive extracurricular responsibilities. This article posits several strategies for enabling beginning drama teachers to successfully ‘manage’ their induction into the profession, and ultimately achieve teacher identity salience.

Education for Sustainability in Western Australian Secondary Schools: Are We Doing It?

AbstractThis research was commissioned by the (then) Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) to provide recommendations on how to best support Western Australian (WA) secondary schools to engage in education for sustainability (EfS). The research aims were to identify barriers and benefits to being involved in EfS, the support systems required for schools to participate in EfS at secondary school level, and the difficulties that secondary schools experience when implementing EfS programs. A variety of research methods were utilised: semi-structured interviews with non-teaching stakeholders; online questionnaires for teachers, school administrators and students; focus groups and semi-structured interviews with teachers and school administrators; and an expert panel workshop to discuss data and recommendations prior to completion of a final report. Data were collected from 29 schools, 45 teachers and school administrators, 186 students, and various EfS external providers and stakeholders across metropolitan and regional WA. This article focuses on three issues identified in the data that we consider important and under-represented in discourses of EfS in Australia: lack of understanding about what EfS means among educators; lack of meaningful student involvement in EfS in secondary schools; and differing quality in EfS programs offered by external providers. We conclude this article by offering ways to improve EfS in WA secondary schools.

Relationships and sexuality education topics taught in Western Australian secondary schools during 2014

This paper reports on findings from the first Western Australian Survey of Educators of Sexuality Education, which aimed to assess the state of relationships and sexuality education (RSE) in the state of Western Australia. Key findings show that secondary school teachers provided more hours of RSE instruction than the national average. However, they mainly taught curriculum topics such as Abstinence from Intercourse until Married, Effects of Alcohol/drug Use on Decision-making, Puberty, and Sex and Ethics (respectful relationships). The least taught subjects included Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS, Birth Control, the Impact of Media on Sexual Identity and Sexual Orientation. These findings are of concern when one considers that nationally, Western Australia has higher rates of STIs among young people aged 15–24 years and teenage pregnancies, than other parts of the country. Results from the survey can be used to form a baseline measure ahead of the roll-out of the Australian Curriculum, which includes RSE as a focus area, and the new Western Australian Curriculum for Health and Physical Education.

Data-Driven Performativity: Neoliberalism's Impact on Drama Education in Western Australian Secondary Schools

The much touted “difficult economic times” we live in have in recent years resulted in a drastic reduction in arts and education funding in western capitalist nations (Fowles 2014; Henwood and Featherstone 2013; Murray and Erridge 2012; Smith 2013). For example, in Australia, the 2013 landslide victory of the conservative Abbott government resulted in an almost immediate slashing of funding for education (A$1.1 b) and the arts (A$87.1 m) (Riddle et al. 2014, Tregear et al. 2014). Simultaneously, the new Federal government decided to spend A$12 billion on fifty-eight F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft (Tregear 2014). This prioritizing of government spending accords with what Henry A. Giroux would call the twin ideologies of neoliberalism and violence, or what he refers to as “today's culture of consumerism and violence” (Giroux 2013, 458)...

Philosophy and Ethics in Western Australian Secondary Schools

The introduction of Philosophy and Ethics to the Western Australian Certificate of Education courses in 2008 brought philosophy into the Western Australian secondary school curriculum for the first time. How philosophy came to be included is part of a larger story about the commitment and perseverance of a relatively small number of Australian educators and their belief in the value of introducing philosophical communities of inquiry into school classrooms through a revised pedagogy which could sit comfortably with an outcomes-based education system.

Encouraging Student Access to and Use of Pastoral Care Services in Schools

School-based health services (SBHS) including pastoral care can play a pivotal role in addressing adolescent health and wellbeing; including their tobacco and other drug use. To maximise the benefits of these services, they need to be accessible, useful for, and acceptable to students. This formative, qualitative study involved 12 focus groups within nine lower socio-economic Western Australian Government secondary schools. The purpose was to identify student (n = 59) perceptions of the availability and usefulness of SBHS (and other identified caring staff) to reduce students’ harm associated with tobacco and other drug use. The findings suggest students were aware of the SBHS available to them, but considered them less useful if staff were regularly unavailable; presented a ‘don't care’ attitude; held solely disciplinary roles; and were based in an area of the school unfamiliar to the student. Services were considered useful when staff members built rapport with students; took time to listen; followed-up with students and displayed a general concern for the student's wellbeing. Interestingly, students acknowledged trusting health teachers more than SBHS staff for tobacco information and support. These findings have important implications for school counsellors and other school health/pastoral care staff who want to increase the likelihood of students approaching and using school support services to reduce harm associated with tobacco and other harmful drug (OHD) use.

Using IT to assess IT: Towards greater authenticity in summative performance assessment

An applied Information Technology (IT) course that is assessed using pen and paper may sound incongruous but it is symptomatic of the state of high-stakes assessment in jurisdictions such as Western Australia. Whereas technology has permeated most aspects of modern life, including schooling, and more has been demanded of education systems in terms of outcomes and participation, methods of summative assessment have changed little and are seriously out of alignment with curriculum, pedagogy and the needs of individuals and society. This paper reports on an analysis of some of the data from a component of a study into the feasibility of using digital technologies to achieve greater authenticity in summative performance assessment in the Applied Information Technology (AIT) course in Western Australian secondary schools. In the first phase of the study a sample of 115 students completed a digital portfolio and a computer-based exam that were both externally assessed using online tools and by two methods of marking, with the results analysed using Rasch modelling software. A traditional analytical method and a comparative pairs method of marking were investigated. The study found that both the digital portfolio and computer-based exam were implemented without significant technical difficulty and were well accepted by the students and teachers. The work output in digital form was readily accessed from an online repository by external markers using a standard web browser. The two methods of marking provided highly reliable scores, with those from the comparative pairs method being the more reliable. A number of questions of validity and manageability were raised and the strengths and weaknesses of the two forms of assessment revealed. It was concluded that it was feasible to implement either form of assessment for high-stakes purposes, with a resulting improvement in alignment and authenticity.

Evaluating Secondary Students’ Scientific Reasoning in Genetics Using a Two‐Tier Diagnostic Instrument

While genetics has remained as one key topic in school science, it continues to be conceptually and linguistically difficult for students with the concomitant debates as to what should be taught in the age of biotechnology. This article documents the development and implementation of a two‐tier multiple‐choice instrument for diagnosing grades 10 and 12 students’ understanding of genetics in terms of reasoning. The pretest and posttest forms of the diagnostic instrument were used alongside other methods in evaluating students’ understanding of genetics in a case‐based qualitative study on teaching and learning with multiple representations in three Western Australian secondary schools. Previous studies have shown that a two‐tier diagnostic instrument is useful in probing students’ understanding or misunderstanding of scientific concepts and ideas. The diagnostic instrument in this study was designed and then progressively refined, improved, and implemented to evaluate student understanding of genetics in three case schools. The final version of the instrument had Cronbach’s alpha reliability of 0.75 and 0.64, respectively, for its pretest and the posttest forms when it was administered to a group of grade 12 students (n = 17). This two‐tier diagnostic instrument complemented other qualitative data collection methods in this research in generating a more holistic picture of student conceptual learning of genetics in terms of scientific reasoning. Implications of the findings of this study using the diagnostic instrument are discussed.

Leading for sustainability: is surface understanding enough?

PurposeThis paper aims to report an investigation of how education for sustainability is conceptualised, incorporated across the curriculum and led in three Western Australian Government secondary schools. It also reports on processes to enable education for sustainability to become embedded into these schools.Design/methodology/approachData for the research were gathered through semi‐structured interviews with teachers who were reputedly leading education for sustainability.FindingsWith the exception of one participant, the concept of education for sustainability is not widely embraced in the schools of this study. Instead participants focus only on the environmental aspect of sustainability. Again, with the exception of one participant, education for sustainability remains fragmented and vulnerable to changing school conditions. Leadership of education for sustainability occurs whimsically and with little vision for the future across this study with little evidence of alliance building or collaboration among colleagues.Originality/valueThe paper concludes that leading for sustainability requires a combination of a deep knowledge of sustainability; forward thinking and the ability to imagine a different future; the interpersonal and networking skills to build strong relationships; and the energy and capability of taking action to achieve the imagined different future.

Communicative Competence in Oral Language Assessment

This paper reports on a review of the teaching and assessment of oral language in Western Australian secondary schools. Results show that teachers have considerable difficulty in incorporating oral language tasks into their pedagogy because of a curriculum biased towards developing writing skills. Teachers also revealed that they do not have the skills to assess oral language even though they acknowledge the importance of their students’ communicative competence both within the school environment and outside it. Students involved in the study were also aware of many weaknesses in their communicative competence and that these were not being addressed in the classroom.

Exploring the Sources and Relationships that Propel Organisational Learning: An Investigation of Some Western Australian Schools

In exploring intricate relationships among environmental factors, internal school conditions and contextual variables that facilitate organisational learning, 90% of staff in six Western Australian secondary schools provided data for this exploratory study. Findings from the study not only shed light on the decade-old debate about the basic momentum for organisational change, but they also help rank-order the sources which initiate change. Additional analyses reveal factors from external environmental and internal school conditions that interact in bringing about organisational learning processes and outcomes in different contextual situations.

I honestly can't see the point: Youth negotiation of the ideology of school completion

This paper considers youth engagement with dominant discourses regarding school completion. The paper is fundamentally concerned with the way the notion of school completion is being cast, its supporting discourse and the manner in which this potentially marginalizes and excludes. The ultimate efficacy of secondary school completion in the current economic climate is not questioned, however, policy that aggressively promotes and normalizes universal Year 12 completion raises issues of equity and social exclusion for those who opt for other pathways for whatever reasons. Data are drawn from a qualitative longitudinal project tracking trade-oriented adolescent boys from five Western Australian secondary schools who undertook the same Year 11 cross-sectoral building and construction vocational education and training programme. Half of this cohort subsequently left secondary school prior to Year 12, while the other half chose to complete their final year of secondary schooling. The school completers endorsed the dominant ideas concerning the efficacy of Year 12 although few believed that they gained much academically or vocationally from their final school year. Contrary to the dominant claims made for Year 12 completion, however, the early exits tended to view their Year 12 peers as lacking in maturity, motivation and vocational commitment. Youth engagement with, and negotiation of, the dominant ideology and supporting discourse concerning the efficacy and purpose of school completion, such as that reported here, have implications for the manner in which encouragement to complete secondary school is presented to youth in the post-compulsory years.

Working Together to Improve Vocational and Career Opportunities for Students

This paper explores the institutionalisation of career and vocational education programs in secondary schools. In particular, the research represents the major findings of a doctoral study and investigates the institutionalisation of vocational education programs in six Western Australian government secondary schools. Five specific objectives formed the basis of the research. First, the study aimed to determine the meanings teachers construct for career and vocational education. Second, the direct effects of this personal construction of meaning on the organisational assimilation and institutionalisation of vocational education was examined. Third, the study determined the relationships between these variables and, fourth, investigated the effectiveness of a causal model of variables using the method of path analysis. The fifth objective was to develop an instrument to measure the institutionalisation of these programs in secondary schools. Teachers' construction of meaning for vocational programs involved their perceptions of the curriculum as being divided between those areas that offered an “academic” experience as opposed to those that were more closely linked to “creativity”. This appeared to be the way in which teachers created meaning for a wide range of subject areas. While trends in school reform are conducive to new forms of vocational education, the two “worlds” of academic and vocational education tend to remain quite distinct. This research indicates that locating the key to decreasing the bias some teachers have towards vocational courses could be compounded by the fact that the very notion of “vocational education” does not even enter the psychological continuum for creating meaning in the first place.