Testing a mechanism for the assessment of operators' cognitive skills in advanced technology environments

Abstract

Early childhood curriculum is limited when early multiliteracies are insufficiently understood. The purpose of this doctorate is to investigate and document children's early multiliteracies. Children actively learn multiliteracies, including critical dialogue, through their relationships and interactions within family and community. My goal is to influence early childhood policy-makers and educators to reconceptualise early multiliteracies through examining family practices, children's agency and critical dialogue, subsequently strengthening pedagogical practice. This reconceptualisation is crucial to ensure engaging curriculum and equitable multiliteracies learning opportunities for all children. The challenge lies in deepening the integration of these distinctive themes within a broad curriculum. Papers contained in this portfolio examine young children's multiliteracies, at home and in educational settings from theoretical, practice and philosophical perspectives. They present findings from four research projects which respectively focus on early literacy and social justice, internet services, play and literacy, and critical dialogue. These projects primarily draw on qualitative strategies of inquiry located within the constructivist-interpretative paradigm. Three projects involved participants from largely metropolitan and coastal New South Wales in Australia, whilst one took a national perspective by engaging a small number of participants across Australia. My research strategies emerging from an educational ethnographic stance included grounded theory, case study and practitioner research. Methods of collecting and analysing evidence drew on literature, observations, individual and group interviews, focus groups and artifacts. The portfolio brings together the major themes of family practices, children's agency and critical dialogue. My papers argue for educators and policy makers to reconceptualise early multiliteracies from children's lived experiences, to strengthen relationships with families and so expand possibilities for all children's multiliteracies learning and critical dialogue, especially enabling children to critique their social worlds. This portfolio comprises an Introduction, an Overarching Statement, a Record of Research Participation, Evidence of Scholarly Activity containing 11 portfolio papers and Appendices and References. The Overarching Statement outlines themes within this doctorate in relation to literature and examines the directions which shape the portfolio papers. Next this statement identifies and rationalises the four research projects and research events. The strategies of inquiry as well as methods of collecting and analysing evidence are then explained. Next, the contribution of the research projects towards my personal and professional development, and the field of scholarship are given. Finally my future directions are outlined.

Date of Award	2009
Original language	English