Volume 6 Issue 1

“Be” is a fascinating word. It more than captures

the attention and rigorously stimulates the

imagination. It is everything to everyone all

the time, yet poses a formidable challenge to

be harnessed and presented in a meaningful

way. The word “be” is most often coupled with

“to” usually in a passive form. However, great

implications result when the action verb form

of “be” is used. This has to do with a conscious

identity of active being. The Biblical text,

Micah 6:8, “to act justly and to love mercy and

to walk humbly with your God” (NIV), clearly

emphasises the active form of “be”.

Experienced music educators rate their senior class of musicians by often using the terms exceptional, talented, average, limited, unremarkable or apathetic. This summative evaluation considers class size, academic results, willingness to participate in extra curricula musical activities or post secondary school career choices in the music industry. Such characterisation by teachers raises the question: To what extent does this determination depend on the individual traits of the students, their musical experiences or the personal influence of their music teachers? This pilot study examined this question by comparing six cohorts of senior musicians over the six years of their secondary school music education within an action research context. Through the use of the Boy’s Music Ecosystem model (Collins, 2011) and interview results, the study revealed six themes that point to successful practices in boys’ music education and the possible benefits of a longitudinal view across a boy’s entire secondary school music experience.

The usefulness of manipulatives in the primary maths classroom has been frequently asserted. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two different types of manipulatives, bendable and rigid, as aids for the conceptualisation of 3D solids from 2D nets (fold-outs of solid geometrical shapes) within the NSW Stage 2 Mathematics Curriculum. Contrary to initial expectations, the bendable nets, although more attractive to pupils, did not prove superior to the rigid variety. In fact, the most noticeable advances in conceptualisation followed teaching experiences using the rigid nets. Although this was a preliminary study and the sample sizes were too small to support solid conclusions, it is suggested that the data were sufficiently robust to warrant further investigation. We suggest that the lower than expected results for the bendable nets may be explained, partially, by the reduced conceptual demands made by these more ‘obvious’ shapes. Correspondingly, the greater mental visualisation required when working with the rigid nets may have produced heightened student conceptualisation.

In an educational environment where multicultural and multi-faith classrooms have become the norm, it is essential that teachers are aware of, and are knowledgeable about contemporary worldviews. This article provides a general framework for exploring a worldview—in terms of defining, analysing, developing, testing and refining it. As part of this process, several contemporary major worldviews—theism, pantheism and naturalism—are examined and compared, before some classroom implications are considered and conclusions drawn.

Campus churches, situated on school grounds, are growing in number within Christian education systems in Australia. In this relationship, the school partners with the campus church in providing a community of faith. This case study investigated senior students’ perceptions of the factors positively influencing their faith development at two K–12 Christian schools with campus churches. A review of the literature pointed to a strong connection between adolescent faith development and social context, but noted research gaps in the area of the school-church nexus. Data were gathered from senior students, school staff and campus church members, employing an emergent mixed-method approach, through the use of a questionnaire, focus group interviews and unstructured staff interviews. The data, when analysed, revealed that faith development for senior students is more likely to occur when six key factors are taken into consideration in the planning and implementation of faith-based activities and programs, namely: Perceptions about spirituality, influence of the school’s special character, relevant content, social context, emphasis on discipling through involvement, and positive relationships with school / church personnel.

On Monday, 20th February, 2012, the eagerly

awaited Review of funding for schooling—the

final report1 by David Gonski, was released to

an assemblage of educational leaders amid

tight security in Canberra. I was among the

assembled group. After signing confidentiality

agreements and relinquishing mobile phones,

we were allocated some time to consider the

contents of the report prior to briefings by

Prime Minister Julia Gillard, David Gonski, AC

and also Peter Garrett—the Minister for School

Education, Early Childhood and Youth.

Life in the modern world is fast, complex,

uncertain and compressed. This presents new

problems and challenges for school systems

and the teachers who work in them (Fullan,

2005). The compression of time and space

create accelerated change; evidenced by

growing innovation, overload and intensification

in teachers’ work. It is undeniable that

teachers and principals in Australian schools,

increasingly, are expected to address an array of

social issues and societal problems previously

external to their professional domain (Mitchell

et al., 2002, p. 19). Furthermore, government

safety and welfare concerns have resulted in

new legislation and regulations, culminating in

additional levels of accountability for educators.

Has learning about text types lost some of its

lustre for your students; particularly boys?

Does Studies of Society, HSIE, or History need

a fillip to energise students’ learning in your

classroom? Could your Bible/Scripture/Studies

of Religion program do with more vibrancy and

relevance? And what about a little detective

work, some historical research, a mapping

assignment or a variation on some of these?

Perhaps the reading of a boy’s diary may

become a spring-board for any one of a number

of interesting learning activities.