Reading Reviews
Our reading reviews explore relevant literature. They provide summaries of key aspects that underpin elements of our programs, and discussions and provocations about how the literature relates to the Stronger Smarter Approach.
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OVER 16,103 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO THE STRONGER SMARTER APPROACH TO DATE
Organizational Culture and Leadership
Edgar Schein’s book, Organizational culture and leadership, is considered a definitive work on understanding organisational culture. The Stronger Smarter Leadership Program (SSLP) uses Schein’s work, alongside the Indigenous Knowledge framework of the great Torres Strait Islander leader and thinker Uncle Steve Mam, to show how subconscious patterns of thinking and behaving can impact on classroom practice. In this reading review, we provide a summary of the key aspects of Schein’s work that underpin the SSLP.
Leadership and the New Science
In the Stronger Smarter Leadership Program (SSLP), we use the provocation from Margaret Wheatley that “What organisations need is leadership – not leaders.” In this reading review of Wheatley’s book, Leadership and the New Science, we delve into what this means, and how it links to the Stronger Smarter view of leadership.
ACER - Early Years Transition
This Reading Review looks at work by Jacynta Krakouer and others regarding supporting transitions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in the Early Years.
Indigenous STEM Education Project – First Evaluation Report
This Reading Review is based on a national evaluation report of the targeted Indigenous STEM approach taken by CSIRO as part of their successful procurement of a $28 million grant from BHP Billiton Foundation.
Footprints in Time
This Reading Review considers the Footprints in Time report, which looks at the role of ‘resilience’ in an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander early learning context, drawing on both a review of the literature and on data from the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC).
Postcolonial Computing: a Lens on Design and Development
This Reading Review explores the paper Postcolonial Computing: A Lens on Design and Development by Irani, Vertesi, Dourish, Philip & Grinter (2010).
A Pedagogical Model for Engaging Aboriginal Children with Science Learning
This Reading Review looks at an analysis of science lessons delivered by Scitech in Western Australia. The purpose of the study was to identify pedagogical practices that were particularly effective in engaging Aboriginal students in learning science.
Building Quality in Teaching and Teacher Education.
This ACER report by Nan Bahr and Suzanne Mellor concludes that the difference between a competent teacher and a quality teacher is the personal qualities – the forces that bring the competencies together holistically.
Folk Belief Theory
This Reading Review provides a summary and review of a 2014 paper by Bruce Torff where he analyses several research studies about teacher beliefs around curriculum for low-advantage and high-advantage students in the USA.
Adaptive and Maladaptive Work-Related Motivation Among Teachers
Collie and Martin (2017) undertook an analysis of surveys of Australian teachers on the positive and negative dimensions of teacher motivation.
TIMSS and PISA Reports
This Reading Review provides a summary and review of two reports released by the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER) in 2017 The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is an international comparative study of student achievement.
Maths as Storytelling
This Reading Review provides a summary and review of Dr Chris Matthews’ chapter on Maths as Storytelling, from the book Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education, edited by Dr Kaye Price.
Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage
The Productivity Commission’s 2016 report on Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage (OID) is the seventh report looking at the wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders nationally in relation to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) targets and action areas.
Seeking a Pedagogy of Difference
Lewthwaite et al (2016) explored Aboriginal student and family voices about what classroom environments and teacher practices look like if they are truly reflective of Aboriginal students’ histories, preference and circumstances.
Indigenous Primary School Achievement
The Productivity Commission’s research paper released in June 2016 analyses ACARA datasets for Year 3 and Year 5 primary students that link student demographics and school characteristics to NAPLAN results.