The purpose of this study was to investigate the implementation of curriculum policy regarding eight key learning areas in ACT government high schools with particular analysis concerning the Arts. The study sought to identify the discrepance between school curriculum policy and timetable allocation to the mandated curriculum areas. Analysis of time allocation to learning areas as defined by the timetable allocation of time was considered to be an appropriate method of examining curriculum practice in ACT government high schools. Fifteen ACT government high school timetables were analysed in conjunction with school curriculum documentation. Mandatory time requirements for the eight key learning areas was identified. Timetable structures were analysed in terms of allocation of time to key learning areas, pastoral care, assemblies, activities and electives. Formulae were developed in order to make comparisons between schools possible. Results indicated that disparities existed between time allocation to key learning areas within key learning areas and mandatory time (i.e. minimum guaranteed access time) requirements for key learning areas.

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Research has suggested that the identity of the school counsellor is inevitably determined by what they do or are perceived to do, rather than by what they would like to do or ought to do. Thus the perception held by students, counsellors and teachers are of paramount importance in attempting to define the role and function of the counsellors. This study attempts, by a descriptive approach to determine what their perceptions are, and in addition to determine what effect, if any, the administration of a school can have on the perception held by the counsellor of that school. A questionnaire was distributed to a randomly selected sample (N-223) of students from a secondary school within the ACT, whose total population was 750. The results were shown in their-raw score form, percentage form and in years and sex. The same method was used to ascertain the perceptions held by stuff and administration of this school, and results were shown in raw score and percentage form. Similarly counsellors' perception of their role and function were obtained, although counsellors themselves were able to comment upon the design of the questionnaire before the final format was given to them. The results tend to show that counsellors within the ACT system were similar to those in the USA, in that their identity was determined by what they were perceived to do. The second part of the study used a causal - comparative approach to determine the effect of school administration on counsellors. The results of this showed that this body can potentially exert an extremely powerful influence upon the role and function of counsellors. The implications of the study for the ACT system are great. If the counsellors are to be used to their maximum, greater support must be given to them, and teachers at all levels should undergo some training to aid them in understanding and thus utilizing the counsellors to their fullest potential.

Three groups of health care professionals were canvassed for their views on euthanasia - student nurses, practising nurses and doctors. The aim of the research was to make a possible contribution to a formalised health policy on this issue for the ACT. The following forms of euthanasia were covered by the research: (i) voluntary active euthanasia: (ii) voluntary passive euthanasia: (iii) involuntary active euthanasia: (iv) involuntary passive euthanasia. Passive forms of euthanasia were found to be the most acceptable. Voluntary forms of euthanasia were not found, in general, to be more approved of than involuntary forms of euthanasia. However, active forms of euthanasia were much less acceptable than passive forms. In order to adapt the research findings to a methodology for policy use. Allison's models (1971) of public policy development were modified into a single model. This provided an application of the research results in such a way as to allow for the development of a possible formalised policy on euthanasia, and practical applications. The conclusions drawn from the research findings and the subsequent recommendations are supportive of law reform and the implementation of a new policy on the issue of euthanasia.

The aim of this field study is to investigate the relationship between creative thinking abilities and an Industrial Design course. The report contains an analysis of the background to current teaching methods in Industrial Arts within the Australian Capital Territory. A link between design education and creativity is investigated, as well as the nature of creativity and its relationship to the learning process and teaching strategies employed in design education. The Torrance Test of Creative Thinking was used in this study and the subjects were grade nine students in selected high schools in the Australian Capital Territory.

The research in this thesis attempts to study the ACT Institute of Technical and Further Education's marketing strategy, and it addresses a particular situation at a specific time. The research was undertaken in two studies. The first,through the use of a marketing audit, was focused on three key marketing areas within the Institute to indicate its overall marketing strategy. The second study involved a questionnaire to ascertain the effectiveness awareness of the Institute's advertising. The researcher first presents an historical review and an ordering of the historical aspects to illuminate the past and the current marketing posture of the ACT Institute of Technical and Further Education (ACTITAFE). The data are presented through four distinct historical periods from the establishment of the organisation in 1921 to 1991. Although technical and further education in the ACT has a history in excess of sixty years, data revealed that there is no clear evidence of a formal marketing strategy. The marketing audit interviews collected information from a broad but representative sample of eighteen staff members of the institution who are involved with marketing, media, career advice, publicity and similar marketing activities. The results revealed ACTITAFE has no formal marketing strategy. The attitude toward marketing and the marketplace has been ad hoc, uncoordinated, disjointed and reactive in its approach. Its principal approach is a reliance on awareness advertising. Because of the emphasis placed on advertising as the Institute's major concept for marketing, a questionnaire was distributed on advertising effectiveness and data were obtained from 252 completed responses. The results obtained from this study indicated that over the years the Institute has successfully built advertising awareness. Currently, it has no formal structured marketing strategy. The approach appears to be ad hoc, disjointed and uncoordinated. There are positive attempts to rectify this posture. However, the evidence available suggests that the journey will not be easy and the transition will not be rapid.

The completion of two school-based evaluation reports at a Catholic High School in the ACT highlighted the need for support structures both for evaluating staff and for the management of an evaluation report. The writer (a school principal) felt a need to review school-based evaluations in a more professional manner, and to ensure that evaluations were managed with greater support for the staff involved. In the absence of known Australian checklists, designed to review school-based evaluations, two recognised evaluation checklists, those of Russell and Maling-Keepes, are tested as instruments of review, by applying them to the two school evaluation reports. Four evaluation reviews are documented, in all. The main purposes of this research were: (1) to determine the merits of the completed evaluations by applying the checklists of Russell and Maling-Keepes, (2) to test the relevance of the evaluation checklists of Russell and Maling-Keepes as instruments of review at the school level, (3) in the light of this research, to be in a better position to recommend a) a suitable review method for use by Catholic School Principals, b) support structures, both at a system level and a school level, to assist the development of school-based evaluations.

Year 12 has been identified as a critical decision point in the career decision making process for students. Students have been found to make decisions in different ways some having already defined goals for the future others are doubtful and make tentative goals. At the end of Year 12 students are faced with the task of career decision. During the final two weeks of year 12 these students will have to make choices about their imminent future that is whether to do tertiary studies/seek apprenticeships look for immediate employment or defer studies for a time and seek employment. A review of major theories relating to career determination was undertaken. Decision-making theories have identified twelfth grade/age range 16 - 18 years, as being one of the critical decision periods for an adolescent. 355 A.C.T. Year 12 students from Catholic Colleges were given a questionnaire designed to probe students' self awareness in relation to study habits coping abilities, as well as a description of some of their personal qualities relating to school life, subject interest, and career benefits derived from the future career considered. The information gained from the Questionnaire was reduced to a number of sets of relationships by factor analysis. The personal factors of subject interest, career benefits and further study interests were examined by canonical correlation techniques with Career Types. Students with an interest in scientific careers exhibited an interest in the physical science subjects. Those with an expressed interest in a blend of science and expressive arts career were a group of students with creative ideas / leadership aspirations,an interest in cultural and physical science subject, and a desire for further- studies. Another group of year 12 students involving more girls than boys showed an interest in a cluster of careers with a social involvement component but a rejection of routine activities. Students with an interest in environmental subjects with a possession of management and living skills looked towards careers that provided out of doors activities involving social work and selling. There was a positive correlation between these personal factors and the students' choice of a career.

This decade has seen an increasing awareness by the Commonwealth Schools Commission, the ACT Schools Authority, educators and members of the community of students who are gifted in a diversity of areas. A number of programs designed to meet the special needs of gifted students have been developed in some primary schools in the A.C.T. and it is timely that the attitudes of principals, teachers and parents were assessed. To assess the attitudes of the three populations (principals, teachers and parents) toward general attitudes about gifted students, key aspects of planning and organisation of gifted programs, classroom teachers and their knowledge and need of assistance in gifted education; and to explore whether the three populations held different attitudes toward gifted students and the provision of specific programs to meet their special needs, the Field Study candidate developed and administered a questionnaire to members of the A.C.T. Association for Gifted and Talented Children, together with principals, teachers and parents in nineprimary schools in the A.C.T. The results of the questionnaire indicated that all three groups agreed with the proposition that every child was entitled to an educational program that would assist the child to develop to his / her fullest potential. Appropriate extension programs should be run for gifted students in the local primary school, with the involvement of the resource teacher and the assistance of personnel and locations outside of the local school when it was appropriate. Some reservations were expressed toward the level of parent participation in the identification procedure, program planning and program evaluation, and classroom teachers were seen to require assistance in the areas of identification, program planning and the evaluation of programs designed to meet the special needs of gifted students. The Field Study concludes that local A.C.T. primary schools could meet the special needs of gifted students. This could be achieved by principals, teachers and members of the School Board developing and implementing special educational programs by utilising Special Project funding, additional staff and professional development opportunities which are currently available in limited amounts through the ACT Schools Authority and the Commonwealth Schools Commission.

The purpose of the study was to establish that a relationship existed between teacher Pupil Control Ideology (PCI) and membership of a practical subject faculty or of a humanities subject faculty in ACT government high schools. It was hypothesized that teachers in practical subject faculties and teachers of practical subjects would be custodial in their PCI. Teachers in humanities subject faculties and teachers of humanities subjects would be humanistic in their PCI. A subsidiary purpose was to replicate earlier research findings of a relationship between PCI and years of teaching, sex, position in the school administration, and type of school. The PCI Form was administered to a population sample of 116 teachers from five high schools in the Belconnen area of Canberra. The results were subjected to t-test and one-way analysis of variance. Statistically significant relationships were observed between PCI and teacher variables of subject faculty, subject taught, and sex of teacher. Earlier findings for other variables were not replicated. The direction of findings was surprising. Teachers in practical subject faculties and of practical subjects were more humanistic than humanities faculty and subject teachers. Female teachers were more custodial than male teachers. An analysis of variance showed no interaction effect between variables sex and faculty, and sex and subject taught. More research on possible causes of the relationships, such as student attitude to subject, and teacher sense of achievement, is needed before the findings can have practical application.