This research provides empirical evidence on the implementation of the strategic marketing planning in the context of Indonesia, a newly industrialized country. Drawing from a contingency theory, the research posits that the credibility of marketing strategy depends on the external business environments and its formulation process. The credibility of marketing strategy and the strategy formulation process, in turn, determine the effectiveness of the implementation of the strategy in achieving the desired performance. The causal relationships amongst these variables were then analyzed by structural equation model using LISREL 8.30 program. The primary data for this study were collected through structured interviews with the Marketing Managers of 219 Indonesian companies. The results of the study not only strengthen the notion of the influence of external business environments on the actions of organizations, such as the credibility of marketing strategy, but also confirm the belief of the importance of an innovative culture in implementing strategic marketing planning. The study also identifies that marketing managers play a pivotal role in the formulation and implementation of the strategy. Within the scope of the strategy formulation, marketing managers as boundary spanners of their companies provide the decision makers with current and up to date strategic issues, which in turn enhance the credibility of the formulated strategy. On the other hand, within the strategy implementation, the managers with their autonomy conduct evaluation and control of the marketing strategy, and adjust the strategy to any significant environmental changes to achieve the desired performance. / These findings not only support the view that it is inappropriate to separate the strategy formulation from its implementation aspects, but also corroborate the importance of the fit between marketing strategy and its external and internal environments to gain the desired performance. Finally, the use of Indonesian companies as the sample of this study and the consistencies of most of the results of the study with the existing findings reveal that the results are applicable in both industrialized and newly industrialized countries.

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Behavioural difficulty is probably the least understood area of special education as it is very problematic to identify a specific cause. Behavioural difficulties are those behaviours that students sometimes exhibit that are inappropriate and unacceptable in the classrooms or schools, as they disrupt the smooth process of teaching and learning. This study investigated primary school teachers' perspectives of the causal factors of students' behavioural problems and what can be done to minimise this problem. The study was carried out in the Madang Province involving two primary schools. From the two schools, twelve teachers (six from each school) participated in the study. The same participants were involved in both the questionnaire and the semi structured interview. The data gathered for the questionnaire and interview were analysed and transcribed respectively. The findings discovered that the family and school factors contributed substantially towards students' inappropriate behaviours. Family factors include parental problems, abuse in the families, and the constant struggle to provide the basic necessities due to the high living cost. School factors, on the other hand, include negative teacher attitudes, teacher lack of knowledge and skills to adapt the curriculum to include social skills, lack of teacher support and encouragement, and peer influences. The findings also discovered that teachers were more bothered about externalising behaviours such as disruption and aggression than internalising behavioural problems like withdrawal and depression displayed by students. Further, teachers' limited pre-service and in-service training and lack of experience in teaching students with behavioural problems contributed significantly for teachers not attending to students who behave inappropriately. Based on the findings identified in the study, several recommendations were made on how to intervene to alleviate this problem. Of particular importance is teacher training at both the pre-service and in-service level. Also government support is needed in terms of funding for training, involving specialists and other resources to respond to student behavioural problems effectively and efficiently. The findings may have particular relevance to future studies in this area and provide teachers with effective and workable intervention strategies for students' behavioural problems in the classrooms.

This qualitative study investigated the educational and social experiences of six children who had been identified as Gifted with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The children were aged from six to ten years old. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the children and their parents and a staff member of the George Parkyn Centre (now The Gifted Education Centre) to explore their educational and social experiences in order to identify their preferred strategies that were also expected to be the most effective educational strategies. It is important to identify effective educational strategies for Gifted children with ADHD. This is because there are children in New Zealand (as this study has found) who have been identified as Gifted with ADHD but according to the literature review conducted for this study there does not appear to be a significant amount of literature from New Zealand or international writers that informs educators about how to assist these children to learn. Instead, the literature appeared to focus on misdiagnosis of Giftedness as ADHD, however, these children may benefit from having assistance with their learning as some literature suggested they are not being identified and could be underachievers. It seems that the use of effective educational strategies may be the only way these children could reach their academic potential. Therefore, this study sought to move on from the misdiagnosis debate evident in the Gifted/ADHD literature to identify some effective educational strategies. This study also investigated the social experiences of Gifted children with ADHD. This is because the literature maintained Gifted children with ADHD could have difficulties with social interactions. Talking to the children about their social interactions could indicate whether the literature's implications are correct and if they are it should allow further understanding regarding how we could assist the Gifted child with ADHD to have more positive social interactions that could also positively impact on learning as social interactions occur within the classroom. The key findings of this study indicated that some Gifted children with had specific learning preferences that could stimulate them to learn (e.g., when their interests were recognised, information was presented visually, tasks had a meaningful purpose and movement and use of computers was allowed). Ineffective educational strategies were also addressed although not in detail as for the most part they seemed to be the opposite of effective educational strategies. The findings also indicated Gifted children with ADHD could benefit when they find their 'true peer' as this seemed to result in the children within this study wanting to work with others. Although specific suggestions were recommended (e.g., the use Renzulli's 1977 Enrichment Triad Model) the findings emphasised the depth of information that could be gained by simply talking to children and their parents about their learning. A wider implication may be this Gifted group of children may benefit from the use of specific educational strategies that personalise their learning.

What makes an effective one-to-one tutor of literacy is unclear. Researchers (Anand Bennie, 2004; Chapman, Tunmer, Prochnow, 1999; Holland, 2004; Oliver, 2000) in New Zealand have investigated the effectiveness of one-to-one tutoring programmes; however there are very few studies on tutor effectiveness especially in the context of New Zealand education. The present New Zealand study explored the strategies that effective one-to-one tutors of literacy used as well as the observed and perceived characteristics distinctive to effective one-to-one literacy tutors. Three effective tutors were observed at the Hamilton Children's Reading Centre during their regular tutoring with two of their tutees over a period of four weeks. To determine the strategies used and the characteristics distinctive to the three tutors, tutoring sessions were audio-tape recorded, and observational notes were recorded. The time spent engaged in various teaching activities was recorded and tutors were required to comment on the successes and challenges of the session in a journal entry after each tutoring session. Individual and group interviews with the tutors were conducted to gain further insight into observational data and journal entries. Numerous strategies were identified during observations of the three effective tutors; the use of these strategies was further explored during individual and group interviews. The majority of each one-to-one tutoring session focused on the teaching of direct letter-sound relationships, listening to tutees read, and phonemic awareness activities. Open questions were asked more frequently than closed questions. Tutees were praised frequently. Scaffolding was observed regularly throughout tutoring sessions. The effective tutors used Questioning as their most frequent type of help and used Demonstrating least frequently. High levels of engaged teaching were maintained throughout tutoring sessions. A higher percentage of words were spoken by the effective tutors than the tutees. Written planning did not appear to play a role in the effectiveness of the tutor. Role reversal was a strategy used frequently by one of the effective tutors. Effective tutors used a variety of ways to motivate tutees to read, complete homework, and remain on task. Many characteristics of effective tutors were revealed during observations and journal entries. The perceived characteristics of effective tutors were explored during interviews with the three tutors. The ability to establish positive, caring relationships appeared to play a major role in the tutees' learning and confidence. The tutors believed being responsive to tutees' emotional needs was the most important characteristic of an effective tutor. The tutors ensured that the sessions were positive and laughter was frequently observed. Good communication was maintained with parents and tutees. The effective tutors were flexible during tutoring sessions, yet consistent with routines. The three effective tutors were knowledgeable and experienced in working with children experiencing reading difficulties. They believed effective tutors are aware of their tutees' areas of greatest need, understand their tutee, and maximise all teaching opportunities.

University of Technology, Sydney. Faculty of Education. / This thesis reports an investigation into children's understanding of learning, as they engage with an e-Iearning design challenge. It begins by making a case that children's views of learning are of crucial significance, not only because of their position as pre-eminent learners in families and societies, but also because their learning is at the heart of our culture's aspirations for education. Then, it examines a selection of prior studies of learning in e-design contexts in order to gauge the advantages of seeking the views of children about learning in an e-design context. This consideration revealed the technological and educational potential of e-design, suggesting that such a context would be opportune here. Fortuitously, a large, ARC-funded Linkage Project (GENESIS - Generating e-Iearning Systems in Schools) provided just such an e-design context. In this project, researchers were keen to investigate whether the slowness of schools in appropriating e-Iearning might be offset when students have a sustained opportunity to conceive, design and, as far as possible, build an e-Iearning environment in which they and other students could explore questions they were passionately curious about. As a case study within the GENESIS Project, this study followed Papert's (1973) five-step process of educational research. First, a theory of education (a biologically based generative theory) was selected. Next, the ensuing set of conditions for the intellectual growth of children (the e-Iearning design challenge itself) was laid out. These conditions were then implemented within the context of The GENESIS Project: the children were equipped with the opportunity and resources to design an e-Iearning environment to explore a science-and technology topic of their choice (How and why do we think? How come we're not born with the knowledge we know now?). Of the large set of project data, six accounts were selected as representative of the diversity and commonality of children's learning and their understanding of learning in this study. Findings revealed that these children understand learning as generating, testing and thereby modifying ideas, they appreciate that these events are influenced by each learner's values and they recognise value in undertaking this knowledge gaining activity as part of a learning community. Furthermore, these children explicitly enact opportune learning experiences, particularly technologically, demonstrating their fluency as technological thinkers, capable of having technological ideas about learning.

In the current research project the functions of self-initiated self-repairs in an advanced Japanese language classroom were investigated. From the reviewed literature it was found that repairing is possible through monitoring, which includes error detection, and involves attention and memory. Therefore, data was collected on the abilities of the participants in the current research project to repair, monitor and their attention levels and memory. There were seven methods used to collect data; participant observation, classroom interaction tape recordings, a questionnaire, stimulated recall interviews, attention test, memory and attention test and proficiency level assessments. From the participant observation, classroom interaction tape recordings and stimulated recall interviews data was collected on the repairs that the participants made and the way in which they monitored was explored. The questionnaire revealed relevant background information, such as, number of years the participants had studied Japanese, which supplemented other information collected. The attention test and memory and attention tests were used to obtain information on the participants’ perceptions of their levels of attention and their actual levels of attention and memory respectively. The final data collected was on the participants’ own perceptions of their speaking proficiency levels in Japanese and an independent judge’s evaluation of their levels. The results of the data collected on the way in which the participants repaired and monitored showed that overall the participants repaired and monitored in ways that had been discussed in previous research on repairing and monitoring. However, for the first known time, phenomena related to repairing and monitoring, which the researcher terms as communication strategies, are used frequently by the participants and also, that these communication strategies used and repairs made by the participants were not needed to be made. In other words, the participants in the current research project were often repairing errors that had not been made. As for the data collected on the participants’ attention levels and memory, no significant differences were found between the participants and neither did any differences reflect on the ways in which the participants repaired. From the proficiency level assessments, further evidence was found that supported previous research done on repairing and monitoring as well. Also, it was found that the participants under-estimated their levels of proficiency in comparison to the independent judge’s evaluations. Therefore, the participants both over repair and under estimate their Japanese speaking abilities. This is seen as detrimental to the participants’ performances in Japanese. Recommendations are made to use this data provided by Japanese language learners when repairing to guide instruction and to encourage learners to gain fluency by repairing less often than is thought necessary.

The prevalence of conduct problems in children impacts upon families, educational settings, and broader society within Australia. Conduct problems develop early in an individual's life and can lead to more serious problems including substance abuse and delinquency in adolescence and adulthood. Given the high incidence of conduct problems in children, the need for prevention and early intervention strategies to target the onset and development of this phenomenon is paramount. This thesis focuses on early intervention strategies for reducing the incidence of conduct problems in children and explores a multi-modal early intervention and prevention program targeting children and families at-risk of the development of conduct problems. A randomised controlled trial involving 455 children was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of this program. Participants were drawn from ten Education Queensland primary schools in the Mount Gravatt district of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The 455 children were randomly assigned to either experimental or control conditions for the purposes of the program's evaluation. From this initial cohort, an indicated sample of 1 52 participants was identified through a universal screening process. This sample included children who were considered more at-risk of conduct problems. Participants designated to experimental conditions engaged in the school component of the program, with 66 of the experimental group receiving an additional indicated component facilitated in the school setting. Further, a selection of parents of children in the experimental group participated in the home component of the intervention. The retention rate for families engaged in the study was high with 96% of participants remaining engaged in the study throughout the evaluation process. The findings that emerged from the study revealed significant differences between participants who engaged in the intervention program compared with those designated to control conditions. Positive changes in the behaviour of students reported at the school level were statistically significant. However, while some changes were identified in the home setting, the treatment effects of the program were not significant. These findings were sustained at the six-month follow up period. Conclusions drawn from this study were conceptualised within the framework of current advances in the social science literature that focus on conduct problems and early intervention and prevention. The outcomes of the research emphasise the significance of comprehensive interventions programs for children and families at-risk that focus on both school and home settings and that are easily implemented in, and cost-effective to, community populations. Recommendations from this research serve to inform ftiture research agendas in early intervention and prevention and specialists in the fields of psychology and education.

This study investigated eight and nine year old children’s capabilities to develop skills in the intrapersonal intelligence domain as defined by Howard Gardner. A group of twenty-seven, seven to nine year olds were introduced to a program specifically designed to foster their self-knowledge as learners and their self-management skills in the English learning environment. The students were introduced to activities that would help them to identify their own relative strengths and limitations and use this knowledge to negotiate a learning environment that would best suit their own learning needs. This program included developing skills in goal setting and identification of personal learning strategies. It also sought to improve work habits and student on- task behaviours and encourage self-monitoring, self-evaluation and self-reflection. The results obtained evidenced a considerable improvement in the students’ self knowledge and how this impacted on their perceptions of themselves as learners. The students grew increasingly aware of their own relative strengths and used this information to negotiate their learning environment, to identify strategies that worked for them and to take increasingly more responsibility for their own learning. As a result of the findings of this study, there are clear implications that if students are provided with opportunities to develop accurate intrapersonal intelligence, this improved awareness of ‘self’ can have an impact on successful learning. This study indicates that if teachers provide students with opportunities to investigate and learn about themselves as learners, to build skills in goal setting and to identify personal learning strategies, then an increase in self-knowledge and self-management will impact positively on the students’ capacity to learn successfully. Consequently, programs and strategies designed to promote students’ intrapersonal intelligence may become a valuable part of school practice and curricula.

The main purpose of this study is to explore the effects of the use of games as a teaching strategy for raising the grammatical accuracy level of secondary students of German as a second language. This thesis seeks also to examine the effect of game-based grammar instruction on students’ motivation and classroom atmosphere. The participants in this study were divided into two groups, the Control and Experimental groups, and received 90 periods, over 18 weeks, of grammatical instruction by the same teacher. The teaching program was the same for both groups. The difference consisted in the use of game-based practice for the experimental group, while the control group performed traditional grammar-based practice only. Data were collected using the following instruments: grammar tests and examinations,a questionnaire on motivation, a questionnaire on classroom atmosphere, a questionnaire on the type of grammar practice, a questionnaire on the role of grammar and grammar instruction, focus group interviews with students, and the researcher’s field notes. While the main result does not support the hypothesis for significant improvement in grammatical accuracy by the experimental students as a result of game-based practice, their overall improved performance is a worthwhile achievement, particularly if it is linked to significant improvements in students’ motivation and classroom atmosphere.These positive results offer a notable incentive to language teachers to include games in their teaching of grammatical features, because the positive results of this experiment with regard to learners’ motivation, peer interaction, teacher-student interaction augur well for an eventual improvement also in the rate of grammatical accuracy.