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Staff Profile

Title: Dr. Mitch O’Toole

Position/s: Program Convenor of: Secondary Diploma in Education Bachelor of Teaching / Bachelor of Science,
Bachelor of Education (Science), Science Education Postgraduate Programs, Lecturer in Science Education

Faculty/Division: Education and Arts
School:                 Education
Phone:                  61 2 4921 7822
Fax:                       61 2 4921 7916
Email:                    mitch.otoole@newcastle.edu.au
Location:              Hunter Building, Room HA73
Campus:              Callaghan

Biography

Mitch O’Toole has worked in science education at all levels since 1978. This has included fifteen years in universities in Australia and the People’s Republic of China and thirteen years as science co-ordinator in various schools. These schools ranged across the age (K-12, 7-10 and 7-12) and system spectra (catholic systemic, catholic independent and independent systems). He has also worked as language across the curriculum co-ordinator in a state high school.Mitch’s major research interest, communication in science contexts, has arisen directly from this diverse background and continues to inform his practice as he prepares science teachers at this university.

Major Accomplishments

Qualifications:

Bachelor of Science (Education), University of New South Wales, 1977.
Master of Education (with Honours),University of New South Wales, 1985.
Thesis entitled: ‘The Domremy Supplementary Science Exercises: A case study of school-based innovation and evaluation’
Doctor of Philosophy, University of New South Wales, 1997.
Thesis entitled: ‘Difficulties of Scientific Language for Secondary School Students’

Academic Appointments:

The University of Newcastle, School of Education, 2001 onwards
The University of New South Wales, School of Teacher Education, 1993-1996
Hefei University of Technology, Anhui, People's Republic of China, Foreign Languages Department, 1989
East China University of Chemical Technology, Shanghai, Peoples Republic of China, Foreign Languages Department, 1986-1987

Consultancies & Community Service:

Periodic consultancies for Department of Education and Training, Association of Independent Schools, Catholic Education Office and Christian Parent Controlled Schools
Academic partner on Australian Government Quality Teaching Project action research in schools projects in 2004 and 2005
Critical Friend on two Australia Schools Innovation in Science, Technology and prosthetics pagents 2005 and 2006.
Ongoing partnership relationships with three local high schools.

Courses taught:

EDUC 4070/6741 Literacies across the secondary curriculum
EDUC 2033 Teaching and learning in Science 1
EDUC 2052 Teaching and learning in Science 2
EDUC 3052 Teaching and learning in Science 3
EDUC 4109 Teaching and learning in Science 4B
EDUC 6728 Foundations in teaching science
EDUC 6715 Teaching practices in science
EDUC 6723 Curriculum studies in science

Teaching interests:

Science education
Language across the curriculum

Specific areas of responsibility:

Science education
Language across the curriculum

Publications:

Books and Monographs

O'Toole, J. M. (2003). Preparing for Professional Experience in Education: Where the rubber hits the road. Seven Hills: Five Senses Education.
O'Toole, J. M. (2003). Literacy Across the Secondary Curriculum: Different games have different rules Seven Hills: Five Senses Education.
O'Toole, J. M. (2003, 2005). Teaching Secondary School Science: Playing to win Seven Hills: Five Senses Education.
O'Toole, J. M. (2006b). Success in science: Years 7 & 8 Science Assessment, Seven Hills, NSW: Five Senses Education. (ISBN 1-74130-286-2).
O'Toole, E., O'Toole, G. & O'Toole, J.M. (2006a) Highlighs! Teaching Guide, Set 1, Clayton Sth, VIC: Blake Education, (ISBN 1-74164-132-2).
O'Toole, E., O'Toole, J.m. (2006b) Highlights! Teaching Guide, Set 2, Clayton Sth, VIC: Blake Education, (ISBN 1-74164-133-0)
Rothapfel, J. & O'Toole, J.M. (2006). Sucess in science: Years 9 & 10 Science Summary, Seven Hills, NSW: Five Senses Education. (ISBN 1-74130-287-0)

Book Chapters

O’Toole, J.M. (2004). What is difficult to read, why might this be so, and what could, or should, be done about it?: An overview of section two. In A. Peacock & A. Cleghorn (Eds.), Missing the meaning: The development and use of print and non-print learning materials in diverse school settings (pp. 161-178). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
O'Toole, J.M. (2006a). The place of science in Christian schools, In R. Edlin & J. Ireland (Eds) Engaging the Culture: Christians at work in education. (pp. 207-224). Blacktown NSW: National Institute for Christian Education. (ISBN 0-9752422-1-0)

Refereed Journal Articles

O’Toole, J.M., Irwin, W. & Jolliffe, G. (2001). Writing short essays for New HSC science papers. Science Education News, 50(3), 101-109.
O’Toole, J.M. (2002). An ecological approach to ethics, International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 11(1), 48-53.
O’Toole, J.M. (2002). Monday morning: Ethical issues in secondary school classrooms, International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 11(1), 85-89.
O’Toole, J.M. & Absalom, D.J. (2003). The impact of blended learning on student outcomes: Is there room on the horse for two?, Journal of Educational Media, 28(2&3), 179-190.
O’Toole, J.M. & O’Toole, G. (2004). Specialist language style and supposedly adept monolingual science students, International Journal of Learning, 9(2002/2004), 1201-1214.
O'Toole, J.M. (2005b). Weak in the head or soft on the scriptures: Science (in general), evolution (in particular) and Christian schools, The Christian Science Teachers Journal, 13(2), 20-24.

Other Publications

Furniss, R., Garner, R. & O’Toole, J. M. (2001). 2 Unit Chemistry Trial Examination. Sydney: Professional Trial Papers.
Furniss, R., Garner, R. & O’Toole, J. M. (2001). 2 Unit Physics Trial Examination. Sydney: Professional Trial Papers.
O’Toole, J. M. & Quill, A. (2001). Year 10 Science Trial Examination. Sydney: Professional Trial Papers.
O’Toole, J. M. (2001). Scaffolding in science questions. Paper presented at Research Symposium, Faculty of Education, Newcastle, May.
O’Toole, J. M. (2001). 2 Unit Senior Science Trial Examination. Sydney: Professional Trial Papers.

School Texts and Other Teaching Journals

Odlum, C., Garner, R., O'Toole, M., & Mahon, R. (2003). Science tests for the School Certificate: Plus a guide on how to achieve success in School Certificate Science. Harbord: Odlum & Garner.

Professional Activities:

Conference Presentations

O’Toole, J. M. (2001). Scaffolding in science questions. Paper presented at Research Symposium, Faculty of Education, Newcastle, May.
O’Toole, J. M. (2001). Judging science knowledge through complex communication tasks: Changing assessment patterns in NSW, Australia. Paper presented at the 10th Pacific Science Inter-Congress, Guam, USA, June.
O’Toole, J. M. (2001). Valuing land: Environmental ethics on the Sydney basin. Paper presented at the 10th Pacific Science Inter-Congress, Guam, USA, June.
O’Toole, J.M. (2001). A timely response to pendulum motion. Paper presented at CONASTA50, Sydney, July.
O’Toole, J. M. (2001). Scaffolding exam answers. Workshop session, Department of Education and Training: Central Coast Office, Gosford, August 21.
O’Toole, J. M. (2001). Scaffolding exam answers. Workshop session, Department of Education and Training: Maitland Office, Newcastle, August 28.
O’Toole, J. M. (2001). Scaffolding exam questions. Professional development day, Department of Education and Training: Tamworth Office, Tamworth, September 24.
O’Toole, J. M. (2001). Scaffolding in School Certificate Science examination questions. Professional development day, Department of Education and Training: Moree Office, Walgett, November 5.
O’Toole, J.M. (2002). Unscaffolded essays in the 2001 HSC science papers,
Association of Independent Schools Science Workshop, Newcastle, March
O’Toole, J.M. (2002). Helping students write responses to HSC short answer questions, Professional Development Session, Tomaree High School, Newcastle
O’Toole, J.M. (2002). Science: A Christian perspective
Science Inservice: NSW State Council of Christian Parent Controlled Schools Ltd.
O’Toole, J.M., O’Toole, G. & Cheng, J.Y. (2003). Baseline data for exploring student access to undergraduate science text, Paper presented at LAS 2003: Language & Academic Skills in Higher Education National Conference, Flinders University, Book of Abstracts, p. 21.
Pearson, S, Honeywood, S. & O’Toole, J.M. (2004, February). Not learning for sustainability: The challenge of Environmental Education in a university Paper presented at Effective Sustainability Education Conference, University of New South Wales, preserved in Conference Proceedings CDrom.

Refereed Conference Proceedings

O’Toole, J. M. (2001). History and nature of science in the Board of Studies, NSW, 2001 science Specimen Papers, In M. R. Matthews (Ed.), History, Philosophy and New South Wales Science Teaching, Fourth annual conference, (pp. 125-133). Sydney: School of Education, UNSW.
O’Toole, J.M. & Absalom, D.J. (2003). Language variations in established contexts. In Bill Cope and Mary Kalantzis. New learning: Proceedings of the learning conference 2002, LC02-0058-2002 retrieved from http://LearningConference.Publisher-Site.com/
O'Toole, J.M. (2005c). Grading scheme format effects in standards-referenced assessment contexts, In S. Frankland (Chairman), The First International Conference on Enhancing Learning through Assessment, 13th - 15th June, 2005, Abstract 1 (pp. 120-121). Hong Kong: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Pearson, S. Honeywood, S. & O'Toole, J.M. (2005a). Learning for sustainability: The challenge of Environmental Education in a university. Paper presented at Geographies for Sustainable Futures, 18th - 22nd July, Program and Book of Abstracts (p.66). Armidale: University of New England.
Pearson, S, Honeywood, S. & O'Toole, J.M. (2005b). Not yet learning for sustainability: The challenge of Environmental Education in a university, International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 14(3), 173-186.

Research:

Current

Dealing with jumps in numerical data to produce a new and powerful quantitative indicator for readability in science text.
Grading scheme format effects in standards-referenced evaluation contexts.
A reconsideration of readability formulae in light of their use in word processing packages.
Environmental ethics in teacher training.
Literacy issues in ‘mainstream’ science classes.
A compliance/resistance model for language variation.
Enhanced cloze tests: A powerful tool for identifying student difficulties with special purpose English.
Cloze tests and sampling error: How much does the first deletion matter?
Difficulties in the English of science books for secondary school students speaking different heritage languages.
Question format effects in standards-referenced evaluation contexts.

Past

Production of a computer-based tool for diagnosis of student language difficulties and the suggestion of appropriate stylistic development strategies
Development of a research-based illuminative test of the language of science.
The Analysis of Student Errors within Scientific English.

Training and Supervision

One completed research Masters in Science candidate. The use of aviation and space themes in secondary science classes
Four Doctoral candidate in Education are: working on the identification of excellence in teaching, working in inclusion of the new genetics in teaching, working on international develoopment in Orthotic and Prosthetic curricular and working on the integration of values into civics and environmental education in Indonesia

Grants

Research

Dealing with jumps in numerical data to produce a new and powerful quantitative indicator for readability in science text’ RGC 2005
Production of a computer-based tool for diagnosis of student language difficulties and the suggestion of appropriate stylistic development strategies’ RGC 2004
Development of a research-based illuminative test of the language of science’. RGC 2003
‘The Analysis of Student Errors within Scientific English’ RMC 2002

Other

Prizes, Honours and Awards

Inaugural Newcastle University Postgraduate Student Association award for excellence in post-graduate coursework teaching in 2002.

Scholarly Activities:

Keynote Addresses

O’Toole, J. M. (2001). History and nature of science in the Board of Studies, NSW, 2001 science Specimen Papers, In M. R. Matthews (Ed.), History, Philosophy and New South Wales Science Teaching, Fourth annual conference, (pp. 125-133). Sydney: School of Education, UNSW.

Governance

Assistant Director (Secondary) Professional Experience Unit 2002-2004.
Convenor of the secondary Diploma in Education 2006+

Membership of Networks and Professional Associations

Phi Delta Kappa (International at-large member)