Education News
Innovative mentoring helps Curtin teaching students
More than 90 children from Applecross Primary School visited Curtin University of Technology recently as part of an innovative mentoring research project.
Curtin School of Education senior lecturers Dr Lina Pelliccione and Dr Kathryn Dixon, and Curtin Science and Mathematics Education Centre lecturer Dr Christine Howitt are working with Applecross Primary School on a project titled, Building a sustainable learning community with industry partners through reverse mentoring in an ICT – rich environment. Read the full article.
The Mathematics Showcase Day
The Mathematics Showcase Day was held on 13 November 2008. This a unique project in which First and Second year primary teaching education students had the opportunity to participate in semi-structured interviews with industry professionals providing a stimulating learning opportunity, preparing pre-service teachers to support mathematics learning for children in schools. This project is funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council, to develop primary teaching education students’ professional capacities for children’s diverse mathematics achievement and learning needs.
The Lertap Project
“The Lertap Project (www.lertap.curtin.edu.au) continues to carry our good name to many places all over the globe. Lertap is an Excel based item and test analysis system which has arguably become one of the most used tools for those who use multiple choice tests to assess student achievement, and fixed response surveys to measure attitudes. Curtin has a contract with Assessment Systems Corporation (www.assess.com) to market Lertap; to give an idea of the international reach of Lertap, recent purchases include the University of the West Indies, the University of Sofia (Bulgaria), Professional Examination Services (New York), Nipissing University (Canada), The Medical School of Kashan University (Iran), and the training branch of a company in Abu Dhabi.
Burapha University, Thailand invited me to provide a series of annual lectures in measurement in 2000, and since then I have been spending between one and three months of the year at Burapha. Two years ago they made things more official by appointing me as an adjunct professor. This year I have assisted Burapha’s new College of Research Methodology and Cognitive Science as it endeavour to get up and running. I have helped them set up the inaugural invited lecture series in cognitive science; it was held in January and drew a respectable crowd. A follow up to the lectures has had me working a bit with Burapha’s School of Electrical Engineering (my undergraduate degree is in E.E). I have also had the responsibility of organising a special workshop in computerised adaptive testing, to be held at Bhurapa in May. “ - Larry Nelson in Burapha
Curtin Department of Education awards outstanding teachers
Outstanding education graduates from Curtin University of Technology were awarded for their excellence in classroom teaching and university studies at the University's Department of Education Annual Awards Ceremony on Wednesday April 23.
Associate Professor Len Sparrow
Head of Curtin's Department of Education Associate Professor Len Sparrow said the awards recognise the amazing work of new graduates and is a way of celebrating their transition into the classroom. "The awards are presented to a number of our outstanding former students, some of whom are new teachers working in classrooms and others who hold important positions in education in WA," Associate Professor Sparrow said.
"Celebrating the success of our outstanding graduates is an important aspect of our program, and the ceremony is another way we try to stay in contact with our graduates once they are out in the education workforce," he said.
L-R: Mrs Joan Miles and Sharon Davies
This year's major award the 2008 Miles Medal Award for Excellence in Education was presented to Sharon Davies who graduated with a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) with Honours recently.
The Miles Medal Award recognises the Curtin graduate considered to have achieved the highest excellence in overall academic performance during the Bachelor of Education course. During the course Ms Davies averaged 89.9 and she received 100 out of 100 for her Assistant Teacher Program (ATP) at the South East Metropolitan Language Development Centre where she now works as an early childhood teacher.
The Miles Medal Award for Excellence in Education honours the work of Mrs Joan Miles a founding member of the Department of Education at Curtin who inspired her students towards excellence.
At the ceremony Sharon Davies said she was delighted to be the winner of the 2008 Miles Medal Award for Excellence in Education.
"I am honoured to be presented with this award," Ms Davies said.
"My Honours research focused on the ongoing support that children at the South East Metropolitan Language Development Centre need so they can be effectively integrated into mainstream schools," she said.
"I was delighted when some of my Honours recommendations were taken up by the South East Metropolitan District.
"Now I am enjoying working at the Centre as an early childhood teacher - a position I took up at the beginning of this year."
In addition to the Miles Medal Award for Excellence in Education - these awards were presented:
The Early Childhood Teachers' Association Graduate Award:
Jemma Myers, Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)
L-R: Ms Heather Thomas and Jemma Myers
The Early Childhood Teachers' Association Graduate Award:
This is an annual award and is offered to a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) graduate in recognition of academic achievement and outstanding professional conduct during the course.
This award is sponsored by the Early Childhood Teachers' Association.
The Pat Duffy Medal for Excellence in Art Education:
Emma Havard, Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary)
The Pat Duffy Medal for Excellence in Art Education:
This is an annual award and is offered to a Bachelor of Education (Secondary-Art Education) or a Graduate Diploma in Education (Art Major) graduate who has achieved the highest mark in the Assistant Teacher Program (ATP) or long practice in the final semester of the course.
This award is sponsored by the Department of Education, the Schools of Arts, the Australian Women's Coalition (WA Branch) and the Art Teachers Association of Western Australia.
The Australian College of Educators (WA Chapter) Award:
Lee Scott, Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary)
L-R: Dr Simon Clarke and Lee Scott
The Australian College of Educators (WA Chapter) Award:
This is an annual award and is offered to a student in a pre-service primary or secondary teacher education program who best fulfils the College expectations of academic and professional excellence.
This award is made available to the Department of Education by the WA Chapter of the Australian College of Educators.
The Police & Nurses Credit Society Award for Excellence, Perseverance and Integrity:
Justin Buttery, Bachelor of Education (Primary)
L-R: Justin Buttery and Ms Donna Web
The Police & Nurses Credit Society Award for Excellence, Perseverance and Integrity:
This is an annual award and is offered to a pre-service graduate who has achieved excellent results, in addition to managing a variety of external obligations.
This award is generously donated to the Department of Education by the Police & Nurses Credit Society.
The John Lake Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Master of Education:
Glenda Cain, Master of Educational Studies
L-R: Glenda Cain and Dr John Lake
The John Lake Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Master of Education:
This is an annual award and is offered to a Master of Educational Studies student for recognition of excellent achievement in the Master of Education Studies Coursework and Research Project.
This award was generously donated to the Department of Education Dr John Lake. Dr Lake was a Foundation member of the staff of the Curtin School of Education and Dean of the Faculty (1982-1987).
The Walter D Neal Award for Excellence in Educational Research:
Dr Neil MacNeill, Doctoral Studies (PhD)
L-R: Dr Neil MacNeill and Dr Walter Nea
The Walter D Neal Award for Excellence in Educational Research:
This is an annual award which seeks to encourage educational research at the Master of Education and Doctor of Philosophy levels and is presented for an outstanding thesis in the preceding year.
This award was generously donated to the Department of Education Dr Walter D Neal and Mrs Neal. Dr Neal is a distinguished Western Australian educator, former Vice President for Planning for the University of Alberta; Chairman of the Western Australian Post Secondary Education Commission and the Founding Dean of the Curtin School of Education.
Western Australian Secondary School Executives Association Award:
Sian Morgan, Bachelor of Education (Secondary)
L-R: Sian Morgan and Dr Rob Nairn
Western Australian Secondary School Executives Association Award:
This is an annual award and is offered to a graduate from the Bachelor of Education (Secondary) course for a student who has demonstrated the highest level of academic performance and teaching competency.
This award is sponsored by the Western Australian Secondary School Executives' Association.
The Clare McBeath Award for Excellence in Training and Development: Pamela Vlajsavljevich, Graduate Diploma in Training & Development
The Nathan Winnett Memorial Bursary: Marie D'Argent, Bachelor of Education (Primary)
All awards were donated and presented by former Curtin staff members or sponsored and presented by partners in the school system.
