Premier S Teacher Scholarship Reports

PREMIER’S TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP REPORTS

Premier’s Teacher Scholarship Reports Volume 8

2 PREMIER’S TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP REPORTS

 2011 Department of Premier and Cabinet NSW This book is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission of the Premier's Department of New South Wales.

NSW Premier’s Teacher Scholarships

The NSW Premier’s Teacher Scholarships were introduced in 1999. In their first year, five American History Scholarships were offered. In 2011 thanks to the generous support of our corporate partners, 30 scholarships across 20 curriculum areas are offered to all teachers in NSW government and non-government schools and TAFE NSW Institutes. Since 1999, over 300 teachers across NSW have received NSW Premier’s Teacher Scholarships. The Premier’s Teacher Scholarships are strongly supported by a number of professional teachers associations in NSW, including the History Teachers Association, the Secondary English Teachers Association, the Primary English Teaching Association, the NSW Science Teachers Association, the Australian Association of Special Educators (NSW Chapter) and the NSW Agriculture Teachers Association. Corporate supporters of the Premier’s Teacher Scholarship Program include Macquarie Capital, Xstrata Coal, EnergyAustralia, Westfield Holdings, The Royal Bank of Scotland, John Brown Sport and Tourism Foundation, Kingold Group Companies Ltd, Genworth Financial, NSW TAFE Commission Board, KPMG, Country Energy and The Anika Foundation.

Table of contents

Premier's Macquarie Capital Science Scholarships ICT in secondary science: A sustainable professional development model...... 7 Brett McKay, Kirrawee High School Innovative and engaging use of technology in K-12 science and environmental education...... 16 Neil Bramsen, Sussex Inlet Public School

Premier's Special Education Scholarships 2010 NSW Premier’s Special Education Scholarship report...... 26 Lyn Alder, Orara High School, Coffs Harbour Collaborative problem solving model: “Kids do well if they can” … a different way of understanding and working with young people with challenging behaviour……………….. 35 Keith Marshall, Caldera School, Tweed Heads

Premier's English Scholarship A critical approach to literacy: Improving outcomes for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds/ESL students...... 45 Eve Mayes, Condell Park High School

Premier's TAFE Scholarship A n investigation into workplace training and assessment in the United Kingdom...... 54 Paul Lowe, TAFE NSW – Hunter Institute, Newcastle Campus

Premier's Westfield History Scholarships Report: Contemporary perspectives on Ancient Greece for the NSW History Syllabus...... 63 Sasha Jessop, De La Salle College, Revesby The role of the international community in the conflicts of Croatia and Slovenia...... 73 Joanne McFarland, Killara High School The Romanisation of Celtic Gaul...... 80 Ronald Griffith, James Fallon High School, Albury North Digitising the image of Augustus: Rome, Italy and the Western Empire...... 90 Dennis Lendon, Colo High School Research into the strategy and tactics used by Lieutenant-General Monash and the AIF on the Western Front 1917-1918...... 99 Michael Connolly, Picton High School

Developing excellence in historical inquiry: Engagement and learning through “hands on history”...... 106 John Staats, Mount Annan High School

Premier's EnergyAustralia Environmental Education Scholarships Cultural landscapes: Enhancing the cultural aspects of environmental education...... 116 Sue Saxby, Awabakal Environmental Education Centre, Dudley Sustainable agricultural practices in peri-urban areas: What can we learn from England and Germany?...... 129 Alan Woods, TAFE NSW – Western Sydney Institute, Richmond College Effective leadership of whole-school approaches to education for sustainability development (ESD) in secondary schools in the United Kingdom and Germany...... 139 Donna Pearson, Mullumbimby High School

Premier's Xstrata Coal Rural and Remote Education Scholarships How schools in Leeds are extending educational opportunities to enhance academic success for students from low socio-economic backgrounds through sport and personalised learning ...... 147 Doreen Conroy, Orange School Education Area Office Exploring road safety programs in England and America...... 159 Grant Godfrey, Singleton High School The use of technology in rural and remote special education settings...... 166 John Kotlash, Mudgee High School Video conference content providers and new educational opportunities for NSW schools.175 David Foley, Distance and Rural Education Unit, Dubbo

Premier's Country Energy Indigenous Education Scholarship Supporting Indigenous students in the middle years of high school...... 185 Noeleen O’Neill, Carroll College, Broulee

Premier's Kingold Chinese Language Teacher Scholarship Facilitating the learning of Chinese Grammar : A report incorporating a study tour in China...... 194 Xi Ping Chen, TAFE NSW – Sydney Institute, Ultimo and Randwick Campuses

Premier's Agriculture Scholarship Implementing organic farming techniques into a school farm: An investigation of organic farming principles and practices and the Food for Life program...... 204 Jane Swan, Dapto High School

Premier’s Anika Foundation Youth Depression Awareness Scholarships Can positive psychology have an impact on youth depression if accessed at an early age?214 Christine Barrett, Batemans Bay High School Strengthening the case management thus outcomes of students with mental health needs within our school system...... 221 Dianne Watt, Cowra High School

Premier’s The Royal Bank of Scotland Creative Arts Scholarship Taming the You Tuber...... 233 Craig Malyon, Methodist Ladies College, Burwood Premier’s Genworth Financial Mathematics Scholarship Algebra: The key to mathematics...... 245 Shane Scott, Holy Cross College, Ryde

Note: Due to travel arrangements, the reports by the 2008 Premier’s Westfield History Scholarship recipient, John Staats, Mount Annan High School, and the 2008 Premier’s Genworth Financial Mathematics Scholarship recipient, Shane Scott, Holy Cross College, Ryde, are published here in Volume 8, 2010.