CREEW'S News
May 2005
Hello everybody,
This month's CREEW's News reflects the many aspects of research work, from beginnings and endings for new and graduated students, to the dissemination of research activities through various media and geographic locations. Read on ...
- Research News
- Publications
- Conferences
- Presentations
- Awards
- Professional Service
- Postgraduate News
- Seminar Program
- Future CREEW's News
Research News
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In researching for her forthcoming book on Intellectual Property and the work of Information Professionals, which within the parameters of a Marxian critique includes researchers as well as librarians, Helen Raduntz is turning up some very interesting and disturbing trends. If allowed to go unchecked researchers and scholars could be precluded from including direct quotes within their writings without getting prior copyright permission from the authors. Imagine it! It could also be within the rights of publishers and authors to prevent any scholarly criticism of their publications and work as well as to litigate anyone whom they claim drawing on their work without payment or permission because that would be regarded as theft.
This state of affairs is possible because the products of intellectual work are increasingly being regarded as private property the ownership of which is protected by private property law instead of being negotiated according to copyright law which allows authors limited monopoly in the interests of public access.
This is not just a matter of the relationship between information professionals and the 'owners' of intellectual property either. It turns out that the privatisation of ideas as intellectual 'property' in this way has been a key factor and condition opening the way for the emergence of the current information and knowledge-based economy allowing monopoly corporations to corner the information market and demand user-paying access under licensing arrangements. It has also permitted information services to become part of any trade agreements nations make under the World Trade Organisation.
It is of course a classic capitalist market system approach noted for its contradictions in which the drive to maximise profits through information ownership in effect locks up the very information that knowledge workers need to generate the information that the system needs to promote economic growth! -
On 12 April, Roger wrote to all CREEW members asking for suggestions for a funding proposal relating to international research, for which a $10,000 grant has been made available.
Publications
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Harris R, Sumner R and Rainey L (April 2005) Student traffic: two-way movement between vocational education and training and higher education, Adelaide: NCVER ($22), ISBN: 1 920896 37 6 print; 1 920896 38 4 web.
Seamless movement in Australia's tertiary sector - between and within higher education and vocational education and training - is vital to lifelong learning and to meeting labour force requirements in changing global economies. This report investigates the extent and nature of student traffic between the two sectors, nationally and in South Australia from 1997 to 2002. Movement from university to VET was dominated by women and mature-aged students studying part-time, and the move occurred some time after completing university. Often they chose to study in a different field of education to improve their prospects in their current career. On the other hand, VET to university students tended to be younger and studying full-time, and the move to higher education tended to occur soon after completing VET. Usually they chose to study in the same or a similar field of study to retrain for a different career. Since 1997 the movement between university and VET has increased significantly, and in particular, the flow from university to VET is three times the flow in the reverse direction. Click for full report and supporting documents. -
Roger's and Michele's report 'Shifting mindsets: the changing work roles of VET practitioners' has hit the Campus Review of 30 March (p.7). The article, 'One size doesn't fit all: NCVER serves a warning to policymakers', focusses on the impact of policy decisions on VET practitioners and the tension between global policy initiatives and the impact on practitioners in organisations of varying type, size, structure and staffing levels.
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Denise Macgregor is also featured in the same edition of Campus Review, in an article describing the new course, the Bachelor of Education (design and technology education, jointly delivered by UniSA and TAFE SA(p.6). The article promotes the course as an alternative to the federal government's proposed Australian technical colleges, as it produces teachers qualified to provide design and technology subjects in secondary schools.
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Raduntz, Helen (2005) Marketization of Education within the Global Capitalist Economy', in Globalizing Education: Policies, Pedagogies, & Politics, edited by Michael W. Apple, Jane Kenway & Michael Singh (eds.), Peter Lang, New York.
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Reid, A (2005) 'Rethinking the Democratic Purposes of Public Schooling in a Globalising World' in Apple, M., Kenway, J, and Singh, M. (eds) Globalising Education: Policies, Pedagogies and Politics, Peter Lang, New York, pp.281-296.
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Last week CREEW was quoted in The Advertiser in a front page article on police training, 'The old bill: papers reveal police want mature recruits' (Thursday 31 March, p4).
Conferences
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Following collaboration on a University funded assessment development project with a number of staff from Computer Information Sciences, Sue Gelade is off to Hong Kong next month to present a paper at The First International Conference on Enhancing Teaching and Learning Through Assessment. (Just dont ask Sue what she knows about computer sciences!)
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Roger and Michele presented a refereed paper at the AVETRA Conference at the Sofitel Hotel in Brisbane: Harris, R & Simons, M (2005) Playing the right tune in VET research? Using cognitive interviewing to improve our instruments, Emerging futures recent, responsive and relevant research, 8th Annual National Conference of AVETRA, Brisbane, 13-15 April.
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Lawless A, 2005, HERDSA Conference, Activity Session, 'Radical wisdom: creating safe spaces for dangerous conversations', University of Sydney, 2-6 July.
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Lawless A, 2005, HERDSA Conference, Paper Presentation, 'Diversity and inclusivity in medical education? Flying pigs and other UFOs', University of Sydney, 2-6 July.
Presentations
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On Monday 4 April, Alan Reid presented an invited talk on Commonwealth policy in relation to public education to the National Executive of the Australian Government Primary Principals Association.
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Alan Reid will be presenting The MacKillop Medal Lecture, entitled 'Rethinking national curriculum: beyond the railway guage metaphore', on 20 May at 5 pm at the Holiday Inn Hotel. Registrations for this event should be made by 18 May and further information can be secured from 08 428 888 900.
Awards
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Robert Hattam was awarded promotion to Associate Professor in the recent round of academic promotions considered by University Council and Academic Board. Congratulations Robert!
Professional Service
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CREEW members Marie Brennan and Clare Hay attended the Catholic Education, South Australia, Graduation Ceremony on 18 March 2005 for students who have graduated in Catholic religious and theological studies at Masters, Graduate Certificate and Bachelor levels. All but 14 of the 131 graduates were from UniSA.
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Roger shared the presentation of awards to graduates of the School of Education at the awards ceremony on 14 April.
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Alan Reid has been a member of the three person Panel, chaired by former Education Minister Greg Crafter, reviewing the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE). The Review Report was handed to the Minister of Education, Hon. Jane Lomax-Smith, on Friday, April 29.
Postgraduate News
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Tom Short, Director of the Performance Improvement Centre in the faculty of Education at The University of Auckland in NZ, is a beginning PhD candidate with CREEW supervised by Roger and Peter, and visited CREEW on Tuesday 26 April to discuss his research. His working title at this stage is An exploration of strategic alignment and learning in human resource development.
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A light lunch was organised for three CREEW graduates and their families and friends after the Graduation Ceremony at the Festival Centre on Thursday 14 April. Those who graduated were Dr Meath Douglas Conlan (PhD), Mr. Peter Shanahan (MEd) and Ms. Lyn Browning, (Bachelor of Adult & Vocational Education (Honours).
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An interesting program of workshops for both research candidates and supervisors is provided by the Research Education Support Activities program.
Seminar Program
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On Friday, April 1, Alan Reid presented a CREEW seminar Reflections on possible futures for senior secondary education.
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Jeannie Daniels, Jan Coker and Roger will be leading CREEW seminars over the next few weeks.
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Peter Willis is enthusiastically putting together a seminar program for the year. If you would like to present a seminar, please contact Peter Willis.
Future CREEW's News
This newsletter reflects the activities and interests of some 80 members of CREEW. Please keep us informed about your activities.