The promise, embraced by governments around the world, is that the knowledge economy will provide knowledge workers with a degree of autonomy and permission to think which enables them to be creative and to attract high incomes. What credence should we give to this promise? The current economic crisis is provoking a reappraisal of both economic…

This paper describes the rationale for, methodology of, and some early results from a longitudinal study on science teachers' knowledge of science. Each of the participants is a university science graduate with a post-graduate university training for secondary school science teaching. The study focuses on two issues: (1) variations that occur in…

Federal research funding is increasingly pointed towards models of innovation derived from the sciences. And yet, argues Stuart Cunningham, this is an increasingly outmoded model of research discovery. The humanities and social sciences--the poor relations of innovation policy--have been pioneering new and sophisticated paths of research and…

This book provides a retrospective account of the processes of curriculum development and evaluation of the Australian Science Education Project (ASEP), a venture which pioneered large-scale State-Commonwealth cooperation in education in Australia. The processes are described to identify practices for future curriculum initiatives. Important…

Studies the interviews of 24 professional scientists to seek their views on the long range effects of their initial training. Analyzes the interviews for content, teaching, and types of learning experience. Concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings for science education. Argues for a reduction in content. (CW)

Describes the interactions of high school girls and boys during coeducational science lessons. Analyses of the audiovideo recordings of 144 lessons taught by 12 male teachers indicate that girls were more likely to initiate classroom discourse. Findings did not support the hypothesis that gender disparity in science achievement in favor of boys…

Reported are some data on both knowledge and perception of science and technology from a sample of adults in Perth, Western Australia. The results are compared to those of the United Kingdom. Included are the sampling and survey procedure, sample questions, results, and the discussion. (KR)

In the mid to late 1980s, observers of education in Western Australia witnessed considerable educational change. Following an inquiry into education in Western Australia (Beazley, 1984), several major changes were made in secondary school curricula, procedures of assessment, and methods of certification. This paper explores some of the…

This report critically examines studies of how scientific research drives innovation which is then translated into socio-economic benefits. It focuses on research evaluation insights that are relevant not only to the academic community, but also to policymakers and evaluation practitioners--and particularly to biomedical and health research…

In July 1983, the Board of Advanced Education, Queensland, Australia, considered the problem of the acute shortage of secondary science and mathematics teachers and the role of teacher education in remedying the situation. The Board of Teacher Education was approached and asked to investigate matters pertaining to the supply and education of…

In July 1983, the Board of Advanced Education, Queensland, Australia, considered the problem of the acute shortage of secondary science and mathematics teachers and the role of teacher education in remedying the situation. The Board of Teacher Education was approached and asked to investigate matters pertaining to the supply and education of…

This document is a "methodological annex" to volume I of the Women in Science and Technology in Australia (WISTA) final research report. The 10 discussion papers that make up this document deal with the 10 core factors of influence that formed one main axis of the study's theoretical framework for inquiry. A diagram illustrates this…

This volume is to be used in conjunction with volume I (Final Research Report) of the Women in Science and Technology in Australia (WISTA) research project. This document contains the main statistical tables of grade 12 and higher education enrollments used as the basis for the statistical element of the WISTA research report. The document is…

Any consideration of the status of science and mathematics education at the upper secondary school level in Australia must take into account the range of courses offered and the number of students enrolled in the different courses. This monograph describes science and mathematics curricula at national and state levels, and provides full enrollment…

The "Technology Outlook Australian Tertiary Education 2013-2018: An NMC Horizon Project Regional Analysis" reflects a collaborative research effort between the New Media Consortium (NMC) and Open Universities Australia to help inform Australian educational leaders about significant developments in technologies supporting teaching,…