For the first time in the ACT, Social Psychology was introduced as a discrete course of study at Hawker College in 1976. Its implementation represented some eight months of research. This field study reports part of the course and its evaluation, and it comes in two distinct segments: the detailed content of the first third of the course (i.e. the first two units of a six-unit course) and its part-evaluation. The term, 'part-evaluation' was chosen with care. It serves two meanings: firstly, it refers to an evaluation of part of the social psychology course, and secondly, it indicates that the evaluation was completed by a novice, who is not qualified to investigate and operationalise either a comprehensive, or a thorough and controlled, evaluation of the units. The field study is produced in six chapters. The first provides a backcloth, as it were, to the emergence of social psychology as a discipline of study at Hawker College. The second chapter continues the theme, and it presents social psychology in a historical perspective, and it outlines the mechanism which eventually effected the implementation of the course at Hawker College. The third chapter analyses social psychology as a body of knowledge in the light of recent curriculum philosophy. The detailed content of Units 1 and 2 form the fourth chapter. Chapter 5 is lengthy, and it addresses itself to the part-evaluation process, and in so doing, makes use of Robert Stake's 'countenance model', and in particular, to his three major components: antecedents, transactions, and actual outcomes. The first part of the chapter, however, introduces the concept of evaluation and the particular stance taken towards it by the author. The last two chapters, in turn, report the major findings of the partevaluation, and relate them to the literature. This field study serves the major purpose of providing the initial research for a full and comprehensive evaluation of the social psychology course which will be conducted in the third term of 1978. (See 6.3 and 6.4).

The Report of the Working Committee on College Proposals for the Australian Capital Territory (Campbell Report, 1972) led to far-reaching changes in senior secondary education. Hawker College, opened in 1976, is one of eight resulting government secondary colleges. The writer, a member of the Committee, has been Assistant Principal (Curriculum) at Hawker since its inception. This field study examines the dynamics, nature and achievements of curriculum change at Hawker, from the planning year in 1975, to 1980. Data includes student surveys and interviews; discussions with teachers, administrators and counsellors; college curriculum documents; and the writer's own observations. The Campbell Report's educational philosophy was eclectic, and "progressive". Strengths and weaknesses of the Working Committee's analyses and recommendations are assessed. Seven curriculum aims "clusters" are synthesized: four concerned with individual development, and three with the student as an effective, contributing member of society. ACT systemic strategies and structures fostered and sustained purposeful curriculum innovation, despite some problems and shortcomings. In the optimistic, idealistic climate of 1975, enthusiastic, pre-identified teachers planned Hawker's curriculum, often co-operating with staff of other colleges. Course writers' aims were highly congruent with those of the Campbell Committee. Teachers of some subjects used course models from overseas and interstate. Others developed ideas quite innovative for Australia as a whole, and sometimes without known precedent anywhere. Almost all the curriculum aims espoused by the Campbell Report are reflected in written or "unwritten" course aims. In content, a core of basic subjects are very similar to those offered for the NSW HSC. Others offer students either greater breadth or depth than does the NSW curriculum, or attend to the affective and psychomotor domains. Most teachers had modified their pedagogy, moving to a more progressive style. Hawker has had significant success in promoting students' individual 'development. It has been markedly less successful in preparing students to function within, and contribute to, society. The opening of ACT secondary colleges coincided with widespread social innovation and with changes in educational administration, funding, staffing structures and teacher education. All these created a favorable milieu for curriculum innovation. By the early 1980s, teacher weariness, some disillusionment, and social, political and administrative changes were apparent. These have slowed the rate of educational change and caused Hawker teachers to re-evaluate their aims, course content, and methods.

This study examines some aspects of the transition of students from high schools to a particular college in the A.C.T. The stimulus for the study arose from the writer's perception of problems being experienced by beginning college students and a concern that these were in part due to the recent restructuring of secondary education in the A.C.T. The study investigated a number of areas affecting the transition experiences of students moving from high schools to Hawker College. A comparative study was undertaken of the various curricula of the feeder high schools and of the College. Instruments were devised to measure student's perceptions of their transition experiences and of their orientation to the College. Interviews were conducted with College and high school teachers, a random selection of parents and some ex-students. The modified American CUES questionnaire used by Whitta in Queensland formed the basis of a study of environmental press in the high schools and College. An analysis was also undertaken of the nature and extent of communication between the high schools and College. Results indicated that for most students the transition to the College was short and relatively smooth, although not without problems. However 10 to 15 per cent of students, particularly those of lower ability and low motivation, were observed to have experienced a difficult and often prolonged transition. Problems for students arose from a sudden increase in the amount of freedom given them, a significant rise in teachers' expectations of their written language skills and their lack of self-organisational skills. On the basis of the findings certain recommendations are made aimed at increasing the communication between teachers in high schools and the College and at improving the orientation of students to the College. Other recommendations are concerned with easing the transition of students, particularly those most likely to experience transition problems.