The focus of this study is the attempt of one school, Loreto Normanhurst, to draw from its values base and traditions to develop and implement a new holistic paradigm of schooling, more relevant to the needs of its 21st century students. Loreto Normanhurst is a Catholic secondary day and boarding school for girls in the northern suburbs of Sydney, Australia. It is a school over 100 years old, associated with the 400 year old, Mary Ward, international tradition of educating women. The aims of the study were threefold: to document and analyse the process of reinvention from a ‘living systems’ perspective (Senge et al., 2000; Sergiovanni, 2000), while it was happening, thereby enhancing the reinvention process itself through a reflexive approach; to document and acknowledge the efforts of the members of the school community in seeking to meet the needs of its students in a 21st century context; and, through its blend of theory and practice, to contribute both to the literature on educational leadership and school reform, and to practice in schools. The study was limited to Loreto Normanhurst, the school in which the researcher is principal. A mixed methodology was adopted, although the study was chiefly qualitative. As an ethnographic case study, it incorporated phenomenological data from the school community, as well as some quantitative data. The particular situation of the researcher, however, as an insider researcher in a position of power within the community studied, necessitated some innovative methodological strategies in order to protect both the participants and the integrity of the research. The situation of the researcher led also to the incorporation of the research traditions of autoethnography and transpersonal research methodologies. The researcher drew from the literature on change, culture and leadership to analyse and interpret data gathered, predominantly, over a five-year period. The study traces the process of reinvention within the school from 2001 to 2005. Most of the data were gathered between 2001 and 2004, although antecedent data, particularly from 1994 to 2000, were included, as well as some data from 2005, by which stage the new paradigm had been implemented for two years within the school. The study presents findings in three main areas: change processes in schools; educational leadership; and insider research methodology. Findings related to change processes are addressed in two parts. The first of these relates to the development, implementation and evaluation of the new educational paradigm, while the second relates to the school’s attempt to ‘continually reinvent’ itself, thus institutionalising change (Schein, 1992). The school’s values played an important role in both of these aspects of change. Findings related to educational leadership are derived from the study of the school’s reinvention processes. These findings include insights into how a range of leadership theories supported, or failed to adequately support, leadership of the reinvention process as well as the identification of twelve dilemmas associated with leadership for change in a Mary Ward school. Findings related to methodologies for insider researchers in positions of power address the need for techniques, methods and research traditions which will protect participants and the research, as well as assisting the researcher in managing the multiple roles entailed in research of this kind. The study concludes with important contributions to the fields of school reform, educational leadership, and insider research methodology. First, it offers a framework for the reinvention of a school and the development of a culture of continual reinvention. This is the eight-step ‘Framework for Reinventing a School’. Second, it proposes a model of leadership for such a reinvention, identified as ‘Contemplative-reflexive leadership for reinvention’. Third, it presents a more fully developed method for conducting insider research, which can be used by school principals and others in positions of authority. This is known as ‘PIRM – Powerful Insider Research Method’: a research method for use by insider researchers in positions of power in their own organisation.

The mission of Catholic Education in Mauritius is to ‘humanise’ education and pedagogies to be consistent with Catholic values. The vision of a ‘humanised’ education explicitly teaches collaboration and cooperation. In January 2005, the Catholic Education Bureau (BEC) opted for a ‘mixed ability’ philosophy whose articulation fosters inclusiveness in all Catholic secondary schools. To achieve this, schools need to re-invent and restructure themselves into learning organisations to make obvious the ‘mixed ability’ philosophy at the middle level of schooling from Form I to Form III.The first purpose of this study is to explore an integral model for an effective education for Catholic secondary schools in Mauritius that acknowledges diversity in the classroom particularly in Form I. The second purpose is to investigate the beliefs and understandings of educators in Catholic secondary education in Mauritius of this model.For the first purpose, a review of the literature was undertaken to understand the concepts of middle schooling, differentiation, learning theories and implications for practice, the enabling structures for Catholic secondary schools to develop into learning communities and the leadership role of key actors. For the second purpose, the perceptions of educators were investigated using a predominantly qualitative, interpretative methodology around an instrumental multi-site case study.The study found a number of challenges faced by Catholic educators in Mauritius regarding the implementation of the integral model. These challenges present a new direction for these schools to focus on the human person, leading to the development and implementation of the ‘mixed ability’ program. The study concluded with a cogent set of recommendations and directions which need to be put in place in order to improve student learning outcomes at the middle level of schooling and achieve the vision of a human-centered education within the espoused Catholic mission.

Proponents of socially and culturally oriented mathematics education have argued that teaching approaches which value and connect with the learner's prior knowledge and everyday experience are more likely to promote active, meaningful, relevant and liberatory learning than approaches which rely on transmission and abstract presentation of mathematical content. In Malawi, proposals to reform the outdated secondary mathematics curriculum have been made with the aim of aligning mathematics instruction with the social and political changes in the current Malawian society. Using a case study approach, this study investigated the extent to which everyday experiences could be used as a vehicle for changing the learning and teaching of secondary mathematics in Malawi. The study was collaborative, taking place over a period of five months in severely overcrowded and poorly resourced classes in two schools. It involved three mathematics teachers in a cycle of planning and teaching mathematics lessons based on the use of everyday experiences, and observation of and reflection on these lessons, in order to document the effects of using everyday experiences on student learning and teachers' teaching practices. The data was collected through student questionnaires; classroom observations and fieldnotes; interviews and reflective meetings with teachers; and informal meetings with key education officials in Malawi. Mathematics examination results from students involved in this study and a corresponding group from the previous year were collected. A reflective and critical approach was adopted in the interpretation and discussion of the data. Teachers' participation in this study resulted in heightened awareness of their teaching roles and the value of linking school mathematics with everyday experience. The study also shows that students found mathematics interesting and important to learn despite their lack of success in it. In addition, the study documented a number of constraints to change in mathematics instruction such as teachers' focus on mathematics content and examination requirements, and students' resistance to inquiry learning. It also recorded possibilities and barriers to collaboration both between teachers and researchers, and teachers themselves. The findings of this study are timely since they could serve to inform the reform of the Malawian secondary mathematics curriculum currently being undertaken, which began without a critical examination of the classroom conditions necessary to accommodate a socio-politically relevant mathematics education.

This study examines trends over the past decade in the learning of foreign languages in schools, tertiary institutions, adult classes and ethnic schools in the A.C.T. It reports results of a survey of the attitudes towards learning foreign languages of secondary language teachers and samples of students and parents from two high schools and two secondary colleges in Canberra. The introduction of the new system of education in Canberra in 1976 has had an impact on foreign language learning in schools. This is examined. Reasons are offered for the trends observed and future directions for language teaching in the A.C.T. are suggested.

Students who have learning difficulties generate a resource to assist them with their schoolwork. This resource has been delivered in a number of different ways. In the last decade the introduction of inclassroom assistance has been adopted in several states in Australia including the Australian Capital Territory. This method of service delivery of the resource has been considered to be helpful as it allows the student to remain in the classroom while still receiving the necessary assistance. The proponents of this delivery method believe that the students prefer remain in the classroom. Critics of this delivery method consider that it is not easy to address basic skill deficits in the classroom and that students find being helped in the classsroom embarrassing. This study examines the preference for service delivery model of three groups of population, students, classroom teachers and teachers of students with learning difficulties. A survey was used to ascertain the preference of these three groups, why they preferred a model, which model they regarded as most efficacious and why. Other specific questions were asked of each group. Interviews were also conducted with ten percent of each group and also with the principal and the counsellor from each school. Some illumination of school climate and other variables which may affect data was sought from the interviews. Teachers were found to prefer a mixed model of service. Students' results showed a preference for two models over a third, small classes, which was not favoured. Students also saw these two models as most efficacious. Interviews revealed a satisfaction with the service amongst students but some concerns about the delivery of the service and the decision making processes amongst teachers.

This study attempts to trace the development of the Australian Capital Territory Secondary Principals' Council (SPC) from the midfifties to the late seventies. The dramatic change from the monolithic centralised New South Wales state education system to one of autonomous school-based decision making of the new ACT School Authority forms the background on which this study is developed. The changing fortunes of the SPC as a pressure group are followed from their prestigious days with the NSW school inspector to the depths of the conflicts of the early seventies when change towards autonomy was imminent. The Teachers' Federation, at this time, gained power at the expense of the SPC when the union demanded that it be the sole spokesman for ACT teachers. The multiplicity of problems confronting the SPC in the late sixties and early seventies resulted in the forming of the Preservation of Principals Society (POPS), which conducted certain activities to allow principals to get away from such pressures. The gradual gaining of acceptance, within this new task environment, by the SPC saw it become an expert unit within this participative model. SPC members are on many committees which function to improve the administration, the curricula, and other major facets of ACT education. Finally, this study culminates in the SPC formulating a set of goals to guide its operations in the future. Tentative recommendations for Council to consider form a conclusion. These are to: 1. convince the ACT Legislative Assembly that the SPC is an expert body which should be heeded when the Assembly assumes control of local education, and 2. act as a group to monitor the curricula of their schools to ensure that a relevant education is available for the next generation. Principals should initiate change for the future rather than react to the problems of the past.

Parents play a central role in their children's education and social development and therefore can be extremely influential in children's attitudes, decisions and behaviour towards drugs. Despite this, there has been limited research to date which explores the parents' perspective and their needs in the area of drug education. This thesis reports on research which surveyed 92 parents of secondary students (Years 7-10) across ten secondary schools in the Australian Capital Territory. Two follow up focus group sessions, involving fourteen parents of secondary students, were also conducted with self-nominated parents of these respondents. The issues explored in the research include parents' concerns and knowledge of young people and drug issues, and their needs for a drug education program aimed at parents. The results show that parents see their role in drug education as a central one and are concerned about drugs in relation to their children and other young people. They are largely unaware of school drug policies and school drug education programs and want to work in closer partnership with the school and community in educating their children about drug issues. Parents identified a need for accurate and up to date information as they do not have sufficient knowledge in this area. Parents also identified a need to develop skills in dealing with adolescents and drug issues. This study provides insight into a range of parents' views on drug issues and confirms that parents would like to develop both knowledge and skills in order to support young people and reinforce school drug education programs. A number of implications of the results for the involvement of parents in drug education programs are presented, including: parent needs, strategies for delivery/ implementation and motivating factors for encouraging parental participation in such programs.

The study was based on the assumption that the analysis and evaluation of curriculum materials was an appropriate activity to be undertaken by practising teachers. Other studies indicated that teachers perceived a need for objective analyses of curriculum materials and for procedures suitable for use by the practising teacher which could generate information on which rational decisions concerning curriculum materials could be made. A variety of previously published analysis schemes were reviewed according to the criteria of: - range and scope of the scheme; - the relevance of the scheme to practising teachers; - feasibility; - adaptability and flexibility; - data collection procedures; - general considerations (curriculum model, presentation of report). The Sussex scheme (Eraut et al, 1975) was the analysis of junior science curriculum materials. This scheme was used in an analysis of I.S.C.S., "Probing the Natural World" materials. A simplified framework for the analysis of curriculum materials summarised the components of the scheme. In order to derive hard data on some of the effects of using I.S.C.S. materials, a quasi-experiment was attempted. Details of the quasi-experiment were included in this study. The validity of the concept of teacher-as-researcher or teacher-as-evaluator was supported throughout the field study.

Growing concern for the popularity of art competitions that encourage participation of secondary school senior art students is reflected in debate by many Australian art educators. It appears that acceptance of the external goal of winning a prize may demonstrate that many students and teachers have not fully considered the adverse implications of extrinsic rewards on learning strategies relevant to artistic behavior. On the other hand the benefit of exhibitions of student art work appears to be overshadowed by the prevalence of art competitions. This study surveys attitudes and perceptions of art teachers and secondary senior art students towards art competitions supported by the school. Subjects include secondary senior art students and teachers from selected Brisbane Independent Schools. It appears that participation in art competitions is more frequent in these schools. Results may prove beneficial to art educators who are concerned with the issue of extrinsic rewards for artistic behavior.

This investigation was prompted by a personal concern about what I perceived to be unacceptable practices and outcomes in senior secondary schooling in the Australian Capital Territory. For me, an unacceptable practice and/or outcome is one which could be said to contribute to social control by dominant elites. Liberation, in the sense of the acquisition of personal autonomy based on reason, and equality, in the sense of parity of esteem or the right of people to develop differently but within the parameters of concern for others, are the goals I seek in relation to education and schooling. They are goals which are ascribed to by many teachers, and which partially underpin the major reports which prompted and continue to influence supposedly reformist or progressive moves in secondary schooling in the Australian Capital Territory in the 1970's. However, an examination of the framework of these reports suggest that they concealed - non too deeply - contradictions and invalid assumptions which wider examination shows to be common also to what we can call the dominant or liberal educational framework. This framework of ideas, beliefs, assumptions, values and practices, has come under strong attack in recent years by those educationists, sociologists, historians and philosophers whom we can call Marxian. That is, those people who seek to understand and transform their world within a consciousness largely informed by those theories and insights which were first given major prominance by Karl Marx. It is a consciousness which I share. In my investigation of schooling, and of my part in it, as a teacher, I have come to the point where I think that the beliefs, assumptions, and practices associated with the dominant educational ideology do contribute to the formation of a distorted consciousness; that is, people in schools do not perceive that they are oppressed, and that public schooling does not work in what I consider to be the interests of most people. I believe, therefore, that radical change is needed. If we assume that the capitalist mode of production and, consequently, its concomitant set of social relations, are likely to persist in Australia, we can also assume that radical change will be very difficult, and a long term goal. However, I believe that teachers can play a significant role in the development of a more liberating and egalitarian form of schooling for all children. First, teachers have to develop a more critical view of the schooling process and in this way enable themselves to move beyond the limits set up by the traditional and dominant, liberal ideological framework. They have to develop a pedagogy based on the concept of consciousness-raising or critical thinking. This study represents the efforts of one teacher to do just that.