Volume 1 Issue 1
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Publication Teacher Well-being(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Daff, LynPublication Thailand Diary(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Long, Michelle; Bond, JanitaPublication Teens Tank Up with Spiritual ‘Fuel’(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Krevar, EliaPublication ‘You Walk Away Each Day Feeling Content’(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Petersen, MelissaPublication STORM Co Programs Change Lives(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Manners, BrucePublication Teachers Behaving Badly? Dilemmas for School Leaders(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Hansen, MarilynPublication Supporting Mathematical Thinking(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Watts, JohnPublication The Ministry of Teaching(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Beamish, PeterDifferent people want different things out of life but one of the things that most people want is to be happy. This, however, can be an elusive thing. In his recent book, Authentic happiness, Martin Seligman explores what it takes to really make us happy.
Publication Factors that Influence the Desire to Become Teachers of Technology: An Australian Study(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Greive, Cedric; Green, RonIn this study, 337 pre-service teachers enrolled in Technology Teacher Education Programs (TTEP), in eight tertiary institutions across Australia, responded to a questionnaire seeking information about those factors that influenced their decision to become teachers of Technical and Applied Studies (TAS). The study found: a majority of the respondents were male (71%); most came from urban areas (61%); just over half (51%) entered the course from the workforce and just over a third of the respondents entered the course direct from school. Of the 172 respondents who came from the work force, a total of 93 (86 male) had prior trade experience. Factor analysis of attitudinal items set against a four-point Likert scale produced three factors related to their decision to become TAS teachers. These included encouragement from members of the community, the influence of experiences in technology at school, and a desire to teach. A three stage regression model was created with the scale ‘Desire to Teach’ as the ultimate dependent variable. Factors most strongly influencing ‘Desire to Teach’ included hobbies and interests prior to enrolment, encouragement from members of the community and the influence of experiences in technology at school. The authors propose a number of strategies for promoting technology teaching and increasing the TTEP student intake, based on their findings.
Publication STORM Co: An Introduction to Adventure in Service(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Unser, JerrySTORM Company is a short-term mission adventure. It is based on five foundations which present a radical example of Christianity in action. STORM Co teams are trained for service. They enter a community and ask for a place to stay and a job to do. Team members volunteer their own time and finance; they commit to strict discipline and hard work. Their goal is to live out the legacy of service modelled by Jesus Christ.
Publication Educational Administrators: Leaders or Managers?(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Morey, Peter; Manners, TravisThe image is striking. A business man dressed
in his suit is sitting on a wooden chair that
has been placed on the pebbles very close
to the water’s edge. He has his legs crossed,
hands in his lap, shoulders back and with
an air of authority he is staring out across
the lake. In the background one can see the
mountains on the other side of the lake, giving
way to the expansive sky overhead. Words
have been overprinted in the sky which simply
read, ‘Now I invent instead of Predict. I am a
Visionary’. Underneath the image the rest of
the advertisement begins by proclaiming, ‘The
Advanced Management Program—Creating
Innovators.’
Publication A ‘Benevolent Trojan Horse’: Sacred Values in a Secular Setting(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Stafford, DavidPublication Implementing Interactive Whiteboards: What Can We Learn?(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Lee, Mal; Winzenried, ArthurPublication Christianity and a ‘Good Society’ in Australia: A First Response to Stuart Piggin’s Murdoch Lecture(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Patrick, Arthur N.The article responds to a challenge to focus the values of Christianity toward making 21st century Australia a ‘good society’. The author charts the directions for a projected three-part series, framed by the typology of theologian H. Richard Niebuhr that examines the historic nature and current potential of Christianity in Australia.
Publication Can Reading Adventure Packs (RAPS) Complement and Enrich the Literacy Program in Your Classroom?(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Fisher, Barbara J.Children’s personal experience, confidence and
success (or otherwise) with books and reading,
particularly at the initial stages, is directly
related to their attitude towards reading (Wang,
2000).
Many of these attitudes are developed prior to
school commencement and often are closely linked
to early literacy experiences in the home. Economic
conditions of the household may determine
children’s exposure and access to quality reading
materials in the home. Some low-income families
find it extremely difficult to resource their children’s
early literacy needs. While it appears that most
families are aware of the importance of the home
literacy environment and the need for reading
resources, too many are without books or lack an
adult who is willing to read to children.
With the realisation that family members can
contribute positively to early literacy development,
there has been a plethora of programs and initiatives
in recent years designed to support and encourage
family participation in children’s literacy education.
Surprisingly, most current programs assume (often
incorrectly) that parents/carers have sufficient
available finances to resource the literacy needs of
their children.
Publication The Gateway to Learning(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Gibbons, JennyPublication Growing with Early Childhood Education(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) James, BarbaraPublication ‘Can I Last the Distance?’ Stress and School Leadership(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Shields, MarionThis research study investigated how principals in a national, Christian independent school system cope with stress. Using a double-phased, mixed-methods approach combining questionnaires and in-depth interviews, school principals’ stressors and their reactions to these stressors were examined. Coping strategies used by principals to reduce or manage their stress were also explored. Forty-seven principals participated in the study and of these, 23 indicated a serious level of stress. The study highlighted a preference for using stress managers (a secondary approach), rather than stress reducers (a primary approach). Specific grouping of stressors into ten clusters suggested particular areas to be targeted for professional development and systemic reform.
Publication Preparing Students from a Different Culture for Examinations: A Pastoral Care Investment with Costs and Benefits(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Potter, Pauline R.This study sought to address perceived student study skills needs, as part of a secondary school’s pastoral care program. Utilising a teacher action research approach, the inquiry focused on three main areas: investigating students’ prior study habits; the nature of existing, ineffective study habits that impaired performance; and ascertaining the impact of a study skills intervention program. Findings indicated that many students either were unaware of, or not employing, study skills. Ineffective time and self management impaired students’ study performance, possibly linked to a ‘cultural trace’. Perceived improvements in students’ study habits were reported, both by students and teachers. Three likely reasons were identified: The imminence of exams acting as a catalyst, the newly learned study skills, and encouragement by the teacher.
Publication Editorial(Avondale Academic Press, 2007-01-01) Rieger, Wilf