Spiritual and Religious Capabilities for Catholic Schools

The Australian Curriculum articulates the role of general capabilities across all learning areas in the schooling years. The function of these general capabilities is to ensure that students have the dispositions and skills that provide for deep learning and the ability to function successfully in the 21st Century. Within Catholic schools, these same general capabilities apply. Catholic schools, in recognising the mission of the Church, are however, called to ensure that not only are students able to participate in the 21st Century context, but that they are able to evangelise through the integration of faith, life and culture. This article acknowledges the distinctive nature of the Catholic school by proposing that both spiritual and religious capabilities feature amongst these general capabilities

Diagnosing the Invisible: Grant Morrison’s The Invisibles and the Ontology of Graphic Medicine

Graphic medicine is frequently based upon autobiographical narratives that are ontologically unsound. Graphic medicine uses visual and verbal media (and their hybrid form) to present information but how ontologically sound are these media and their hybrids? Medical narrative relies upon chronological and temporal obedience which graphic narrative both simulates and deconstructs. Autobiographical narratives frequently rely upon authenticating paratexts which appear absent in graphic medicine texts. To view a recording of this presentation and the panel discussion, see Panel D: Pushing Boundaries

Children\u27s choices: the technology choices that children make within their free time. Influences and implications

The Irish Neighbourhood Play Research Project included almost 1700 families and 240 communities throughout Ireland. Using parental surveys and naturalistic observation, data was secured on how children in modern Ireland aged 0-14 are spending their free time. An all-island approach was taken incorporating cities, towns and rural areas across a variety of socio-economic groupings. Interesting findings arose from the data relating to the choices that children are making within their free time. This paper focuses on the choices they are making within technology use. Data on the children’s technological engagement will be presented and discussed through a child development lens. The positive and negative implications for both learning and development are raised. This generation of children will be the first to emerge into adulthood without ever experiencing a world without technology. For them, it will always have been central to their existence. What does this mean for the next generation of humanity? ©IATED (2016). Permission granted by IATED for inclusion in ResearchOnline@N

The influences of opportunity. Differences in children\u27s play choices across diverse communities in Ireland

This paper presents findings from The Irish Neighbourhood Play Project; a research study initiated by IT Sligo and Early Childhood Ireland in 2012. The focus of this paper is on the data section which highlights children’s play choices and opportunities across socio-economic communities. The study incorporated almost 1800 families across 240 communities. Data was collected within disadvantaged communities, middle class communities and affluent communities. Where and what children are playing was investigated. The choices children and families make within play have a direct effect on the developing brain of the young child (Acar & Torquati, 2015). This, in turn, affects school performance and engagement. Choices however, are often framed by opportunities; opportunities are framed by government policy and investment in community facilities as well as socio-cultural norms. The data from this project shows that children across socio-economic divides are engaging in dramatically different play, experiences and activities. Key differences also emerged in relation to how children in diverse communities are engaging with technology. The differences across multiple themes are startling and offer insights into the breadth of childhood experience across the Island of Ireland. ©IATED (2017). Reproduced in Research Online with permission

Is it time for the risky classroom? Dealing with risk and uncertainty is a natural part of adult life. Yet modern children are shielded from risk at every opportunity. A pedagogical shift is required

Risk within learning environments is a much debated topic within early childhood education. The sector sees and understands the benefits of risk but often remain risk adverse. No –one wishes for children to experience injury and as such safety measures are essential. However, risk has also been shown to be essential for holistic development and learning in the early years (Lights, 2014). It is very important in the formation of many important skills and contributes greatly to children’s holistic health (Brussoni, Olsen, Pike & Sleet, 2012). Contemporary research and the most up-to-date wisdom requires educators to embrace risk and risky play in order to maximise children’s learning opportunities (Brussoni et al, 2015). It is a type of play that supports the child to encounter and overcome challenge. It includes the development of self-belief in the face of adversity, resilience building and problem solving confidence as well as physical competence and survival skills. Taking risks also transfers into skills such as judgement and risk measurement as well as tenacity and the ability to try again after failure. But is risk endangered in modern childhood? This paper presents data from the Irish Neighbourhood Play Study. This study incorporated 1688 families across 240 communities. One of the things under investigation was the engagement with risk within neighbourhood play. The results indicate that the children were engaging in very low levels of risk. If the benefits of risk are to be experienced by this generation of children, educators may need to overcome their fears and reservations and learn to embrace and incorporate risk provision into Early Childhood pedagogies. ©IATED (2017). Reproduced in Research Online with permission

Let\u27s get real: are today\u27s children playing with nature? Do the educational aspirations of the nature play movement emerge within children\u27s neighbourhood play?

The Irish Neighbourhood Play Research Project was a large scale research project which included almost 1700 participant families and 240 communities throughout Ireland. It used parental surveys and naturalistic observation to secure data on how children in modern Ireland aged 0-15 are spending their free time. An all-island approach was taken incorporating cities, towns and rural areas across a variety of socio-economic groupings. Interesting findings arose from the data relating to the choices that children are making within their free time. This paper focuses on the choices they are making within their engagement with nature and natural materials. Data on the children’s nature choices will be presented and discussed through a child development lens. The positive and negative implications for both learning and development are raised. This leads us to interesting questions about the role of nature within child development and learning. As an international nature play movement gains ground in raising awareness about the importance of nature based learning and its linkages with educational structure and pedagogy, this research into children’s nature choices is timely ©IATED (2016). Reproduced in Research Online with permission

It\u27s okay, I\u27m a...teacher. Is professional status important to teachers?

Teacher accountability and the debate around teacher quality are issues of international importance. As society places increasing demands on the teaching profession, and regulatory bodies around the globe raise the ‘standards’ for teachers to adhere to, the professional status of teachers is drawn into focus. This paper reports research findings of an investigation into the perspectives of professional status of teachers, held by pre-service teachers about to embark on their teaching career. This was a comparative study whereby data were collected from an Australian university and an American university to explore professional status as an international issue. This quantitative study utilised a Likert scale to gather responses from participants. Data were analysed and findings from both universities indicated that professional status was a significant concern for pre-service teachers. Pre-service teachers felt that whilst they may have entered their teaching degree as a vocation, they hoped to receive status, as a professional, within society

An exploratory analysis of the military value of information and force

This thesis addresses the military value of information in conflict. It is composed of three complimentary experiments. The first experiment uses a simple contest to assess how military decision makers perceive and use information. The results of the experiment demonstrate that many military decision makers do not always use information optimally. Equally insightful, most military decision makers significantly overestimate the value of information compared to force advantage. The second experiment is an exploratory analysis of like naval surface forces and explores the value of information versus force advantage in modern naval surface combat using a computational model of naval missile combat. The results of the exploratory analysis of like naval forces suggest that increasing information advantage can enhance but occasionally may degrade a force's effectiveness. In contrast, increasing force advantage in the same conflict always enhances the combat effectiveness of the forces investigated. The third experiment analyzes a more realistic asymmetric scenario. In this case study, American aegis type ships engage more numerous coastal defense type forces. The results show the advantage of numbers even when the aegis type ships have virtually total information.http://archive.org/details/anexploratorynal1094513459U.S. Navy (U.S.N.) author.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Shall we play us and them or all together now? Leadership opportunities for cohesiveness and unity within a fractured Western Australian Early Childhood Education Sector

This paper presents the qualitative and quantitative findings of a research project that examines the perceptions and expectations held by pre-service teachers regarding the Childcare sector. It presents the experience based position of a group of pre-service teachers both before and after their exposure to practice within Childcare following a ten week practicum. It offers a contribution to the evolving body of research relevant to a recent Government decision that requires the employment of qualified teachers in all Childcare Services by 2014. This decision came about as a response to the 2006 report by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Starting Strong II, which stated the need for Australia to improve consistency and quality in their early years education sector. A mixed methods approach was employed. Thirty students in their third year of a four year teaching degree at The University of Notre Dame, Australia were surveyed and interviewed before and after embarking on a ten week practicum within the Childcare sector. The data gathered in this study provides a platform for the papers comparative discussion on their pre and post perceptions and expectations of the Childcare sector. Both data sets reveal interesting findings in relation to the impact of exposure to Childcare practice on pre-service teacher’s perceptions of Childcare. The qualitative data also sheds lights on the way in which their perspectives changed, and the reasons for the changes. A key finding was the sense of separation that the pre-service teachers felt. As educators that would soon be qualified teachers, they experienced a distinct sense of being outsiders within Childcare. They felt that the policy requiring the employment of a qualified teacher within Childcare was resented by those who have devoted their careers to the Childcare sector to date. This resentment manifested itself in many varied ways, some more negative than others. The overwhelming feeling that the resentment was not being managed well by leaders within the sector was also keenly felt. This leads us to the inevitable question of how greater cohesiveness and unity can be brought to a Childcare sector that includes qualified teachers. Such cohesiveness is essential for harmony within individual centres. However, more importantly, such harmony is essential in the lives of the young children whom they serve