Teacher educators’ and pre-service teachers’ preparedness to use ICT: a Western Australian perspective

With the ongoing development of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT), a wide variety of devices, software and apps are available that could be used in education. As a result, universities and schools are adopting different policies and strategies for integrating these new technologies. As teachers are a key element in the implementation of educational innovation, teacher educators and pre-service teachers need to be confident in using ICT effectively in teaching and learning. This study proposed to investigate how teacher educators’ and pre-service teachers’ integration of ICT in their teaching and learning. A mixed methods design, that included both quantitative and qualitative methods, was employed in this research. Through conducting surveys and semi-structured interviews, the study examined teacher educators’ and pre-service teachers’ ICT ownership and self-perceived ICT skills along with perceptions of ICT use within the classroom. Document analysis was used to examine the current institutional ICT policies and infrastructure support for teacher educators and pre-service teachers at two of the largest teacher education providers in Western Australia and one Australia’s online university. It is anticipated that this research will have benefits for both teacher educators and pre-service teachers. It is hoped that the research outcomes will have both practical implications for current in-service teachers and students as well as having policy implications for university and future teacher education

Tales from the exam room: Trialing an E-exam system for computer education and design and technology students

The Centre for Schooling and Learning Technologies (CSaLT) at Edith Cowan University (ECU) was asked in 2016 to be the Western Australian arm of a national e-exam project. This project used a bespoke exam system installed on a USB-drive to deliver what would have been traditional paper-based exams in an enclosed computer-based environment that was isolated from the internet and any resources other than those provided by the lecturer. This paper looks at the two exams chosen by the Western Australian group for the trial; a programming exam for pre-service computing teachers and an occupational health and safety exam for pre-service design and technology teachers. Both groups were drawn from the Graduate Diploma in Education course at ECU. The paper looks at the nature of the exam environment and the procedure for creating e-exams. It also outlines the exam procedures used and examines the feedback provided by both the lecturers and students involved. Conclusions are drawn about the suitability of the e-exam system and improvements are recommended as well as a discussion about e-exams and digital assessment more generally

The effect of parental opportunism, IJV's autonomy and tacit knowledge on IJV instability: A comparison of multi-variate regression and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis

This study uses an agency theory perspective to examine how the factors that influence principal (IJV parents) and agent (IJV) relationship may affect IJV instability in China. The study proposes a framework that bridges knowledge-based theory (of tacit knowledge) and agency theory (of parental opportunism) by incorporating reactance theory (of autonomy). By comparing the empirical results of fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and multiple regression analysis, using a sample of 203 Chinese-foreign IJVs, the study add further evidence to growing methodological consideration regarding complexity theory. The results from multiple regressions show that parental opportunism and IJV’s autonomy has a positive effect on IJV’s instability, and that the interaction of autonomy and tacit knowledge moderates the effect of parental opportunism on IJV instability. However, fsQCA uncovers more causal paths than findings from multiple regression analysis

Foreign patents surge and technology spillovers in China (1985-2009): evidence from the patent and trade markets

The paper investigates the determinants of foreign patent surge and the effects of technology spillovers in China based on an industry-level sample of 19 countries and regions from 1985 to 2009. We explore two hypotheses to explain the increasing foreign propensity to patent and the effects of technology spillovers in China, the market covering hypotheses and competitive threat hypotheses. The results show strong support for the competitive threat hypothesis. However, the foreign patenting surge in China does not mean China has more access to outsource advanced technology; on the contrary the technology spillover from foreign countries in China is limited. The paper investigates the determinants of foreign patent surge and the effects of technology spillovers in China based on an industry-level sample of 19 countries and regions from 1985 to 2009. We explore two hypotheses to explain the increasing foreign propensity to patent and the effects of technology spillovers in China, the market covering hypotheses and competitive threat hypotheses. The results show strong support for the competitive threat hypothesis. However, the foreign patenting surge in China does not mean China has more access to outsource advanced technology; on the contrary the technology spillover from foreign countries in China is limited

Pre-service teachers’ preparedness to use ICT: A Western Australian perspective

This paper reports on an ongoing project being carried out at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Western Australia examining ECU Education students’ ownership and use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) since 2008. In particular the study to date has gathered information concerning students’ hardware ownership, self-perceived software skills, frequency of use of hardware and software, and access to Internet use. In the 2016 phase of this project, an online survey was designed and delivered via Qualtrics survey engine. 148 ECU Education students completed the survey. In comparison to the previous years results, the outcomes from the 2016 survey indicate a continuing positive trend in applying digital technology in education. The increase in the possession of laptops, smart phones and tablets and the way that devices are accessed suggests that more students are using portable devices and it is also the time for the universities to change their ICT policies and practice. This research has benefits and practical implications for lecturers and pre-service teachers through their integration of technology in their classroom teaching and learning more effectively and would have policy implications for administrators, course coordinators and future teacher education programs

Pre-service primary teachers’ preparedness to teach design and technology: a Western Australian perspective

The importance of Design and Technology (D&T) in the new Australian national curriculum is great and covers all year levels from k-10. So while previously the area could be given lip service by teachers this is no longer the case. In the context of this, the researchers set out to examine the perceptions of existing Edith Cowan University School of Education primary and early childhood student teachers towards the teaching of D&T to determine the nature of any preconceived views relating to the area of D&T and how well their university course has prepared them to teach D&T. An online survey was developed and delivered in 2016 via a Qualtrics (Qualtrics, Provo, UT) commercial survey engine. The survey was voluntary and was administered to School of Education primary and early childhood students via the university\u27s learning management system. A sample of students across all years and courses responded, 95% of whom were female giving a sample that roughly paralleled the School\u27s male/female population in those courses. Amongst the findings is a clear indication that before entering university many students’ views towards D&T were biased and stereotyped based upon school experiences, which supports the researchers\u27 previous findings (Pagram & Cooper, 2015). Just over half of respondents felt comfortable teaching D&T and most had either no formal training in D&, or half an online unit during their course. This paper discusses these findings and their implications for the School of Education at Edith Cowan University and primary and secondary schools in general

Tales from the Exam Room: Trialing an E-Exam System for Computer Education and Design and Technology Students

The Centre for Schooling and Learning Technologies (CSaLT) at Edith Cowan University (ECU) was asked in 2016 to be the Western Australian arm of a national e-exam project. This project used a bespoke exam system installed on a USB-drive to deliver what would have been traditional paper-based exams in an enclosed computer-based environment that was isolated from the internet and any resources other than those provided by the lecturer. This paper looks at the two exams chosen by the Western Australian group for the trial; a programming exam for pre-service computing teachers and an occupational health and safety exam for pre-service design and technology teachers. Both groups were drawn from the Graduate Diploma in Education course at ECU. The paper looks at the nature of the exam environment and the procedure for creating e-exams. It also outlines the exam procedures used and examines the feedback provided by both the lecturers and students involved. Conclusions are drawn about the suitability of the e-exam system and improvements are recommended as well as a discussion about e-exams and digital assessment more generally

Blindness in Right Eyes after Enema: A Case of Klebsiella pneumoniae-Related Invasive Liver Abscess Syndrome with Endophthalmitis-Caused Blindness as the First Symptom

We report a case of Klebsiella pneumoniae invasive liver abscess syndrome (KPILAS) with endophthalmitis-caused blindness as the first symptom after enema. The patient had diabetes, and his blood glucose was poorly controlled. She developed hematuria after four enemas for cosmetic purposes and later became blind. The eye discharge was cultured, which revealed a Klebsiella pneumoniae infection. B ultrasound did not show liver lesions, but computed tomography exhibited abscesses in the right lobe of the liver. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head indicated abscesses. These confirmed the diagnosis of invasive liver abscess syndrome. The patient was given ophthalmic and systemic anti-infection treatments, and her condition was effectively controlled. Unfortunately, the diseased eye still needed to be removed. This case underlines the necessity of avoiding unnecessary risky procedures (such as enemas) in vulnerable populations, the importance of early detection of invasive liver abscess syndrome, and the advantage of computed tomography in detecting liver abscesses