CREEW'S News
Welcome to the June edition of Creew's News and our new web site. This edition is somewhat shorter than usual, so please keep telling us about all your activities ready for a bumper edition in July.
June 2004
- Research News
- Publications
- Conferences and Seminars
- Professional Development/Service
- CREEW Seminar Series
- Centre News
- HRISS Update
- Future CREEW's News
Research News
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Bruce White, Yvonne Zeegers and Ian Clark (from the School of Natural and Built Environments) are continuing their research into 'Pedagogical Practices in Mathematics and Science that Assist Student Transition in the Middle Years of Schooling', with teachers from three northern area schools, as part of the UNISA NAP. This project was initiated by the teachers, and we were invited to be researchers. In essence the project focuses on developing units of work in maths and science, that assist student transition from primary to high school. To date the research team has collected survey data from the students about their attitudes to maths and science, and attended each of the teacher planning meetings. Some initial findings suggest that teacher initiated professional development requires a leader who can help the group to focus beyond the immediacy of classroom practice, that the pedagogical dispositions and location differences between the primary and secondary teachers influence the process, and that teacher familiarity and level of confidence about the topic content is crucial.
Publications
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Bruce Johnson has published a Hawke Institute Working Paper entitled 'Local school micropolitical agency: an antidote to new mangerialism' which challenges some of the orthodoxies of educational managerialism.
Conferences and seminars
- Reid, A. May 14, 2004, Keynote address: 'Innovation and educational change' to the combined conference of the Mitcham Plains Schools (Unley, Urrbrae and Mitcham Girls High Schools), at Unley High School.
- Reid, A. May 20, 2004. Keynote address: 'Teacher knowledge in action' to the Eyre District Leaders Conference, Streaky Bay, South Australia
- Reid, A May 26, 2004. Keynote address: Conceptualising inquiry, to the Yorke District Leaders Conference, Kadina, South Australia
- Tom Stehlik presented on the topic of 'Strategic sites for developing and sustaining communities of practice' at the Hawke Research Institute seminar 'Communities of inquiry and communities of practice: building blocks for social sustainability?'
Professional Development/Service
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Sue Howard and Bruce Johnson facilitated a half-day workshop for the Glenelg Schools on May 14th. The topic was Child and Adolescent Resilience and was part of DECS' Drug Initiative Program.
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Sue has also been involved in several local radio interviews regarding children's responses to graphic images of warm based on her (and her students') work in the area of children and media.
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Yvonne Zeegers is about to work overseas in Mindanao for 18 months and hope to develop opportunities for research partnerships while there in pre-service education and/or the practicum.
CREEW Seminar Series
We have had some very interesting seminars this past month which have given us some insights into research endeavours overseas, thanks to the contributions of two international visitors. All seminars were well attended and stimulated some lively discussion, rewarded by wine and platter afterwards, organised by Miriam.
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On 14 May, Professor Anja Heikkinen, Vice Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland, a visitor at the Hawke Research Institute, led a discussion on "Social Inclusion and social research: the relation of researchers to the practice of inclusive activities'.
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On 21 May Peter Willis, Pam Carden and Andrew Wojecki led the second CREEW colloquium of the year on the topic of 'The adult education dimensions of research supervision: Co-operative and reciprocal postgraduate learning in CREEW'.
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Associate Professor Susan Noffke from the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign presented a seminar entitled 'Theory matters: populism, privilege and community in action research 'on 28 May.
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The seminars scheduled for 11 June are presented by Rob Steventon on the topic of 'Early experiences of conversational analysis', and Susan Owen on 'Situativity theory and teacher professional development'.
Centre News
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Roger Harris has gone overseas for 7 weeks - to lecture on VET to students at the university in Konstanz in Germany, then on to England for a SCUTREA (Standing Conference on Univeristy Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults) conference in Sheffield. Peter Willis and Tom Stehlik will also be presenting at the conference, the theme of which is 'Whose story now? (Re)generating research in adult learning and teaching'. Click here for more information.
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The CREEW web site now conforms with the new corporate style and architecture. The content has not changed substantially, just the presentation. We welcome any feedback about the site and any new content. In particular, you may wish to supply us with a description for your projects listed on the 'Projects' page.
HRISS Update
- Firstly were still waiting to hear from the international assessors about our HRISS application. Were hopeful it wont take too much longer.
- It was great to see those of you came to the Hawke Research Institute Celebration on 20 May. We enjoyed good food, fine wine and good company. It was also an opportunity to congratulate HRI researchers Judy Gill, Rob Hattam, Martin Shanahan and Gerry Treuren on their recent books.
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Well once again be running the 'Weaving the Social Fabric' series this year. CREEW will be hosting the first event in this series on 5 August. It will be a combined Weaving the Social Fabric seminar ('Teaching for sustainable, vigorous and defiant societies' presented by Mike Newman) and the launch of the book ('Lifelong learning and the democratic Imagination: Revisioning Justice, freedom and community' edited by Peter Willis and Pam Carden). We look forward to seeing you there. More information will follow.
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Recently, the Hawke Research Institute has become a member of the Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS). Four members of DIV EASS will attend a large meeting of academic staff with Members of Parliament in Canberra in the week beginning 14 June. It is an opportunity to remind Parliamentarians of the value of the sector to Australia and the exciting opportunities it offers.
- Finally a reminder about the Research Retreat were planning this 2 day event for November and will be circulating information shortly. The other item discussed at the Planning Day in February was the possibility of a Research Week - this is still on the agenda for further discussion. More information will follow on both of these issues.
Future CREEW's News
This newsletter reflects the activities and interests of some 80 members of CREEW. Please keep us informed about your activities, sending all contributions to Linda Rainey.