CDU Research


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Research

CDU Researcher Profile

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Name: Professor Ian Falk Professor Ian Falk
Qualifications: BA/TSTC
BEd
MEd
PhD
Main role: Chair - Remote and Rural Education
Phone: +61 8 8946 6051
Fax: {fax}+61 8
Email: ian.falk@cdu.edu.au
Address: School of Education
Faculty of Education, Health and Science
Charles Darwin University
Darwin NT 0909
Australia


Research Interests

Ian's expertise includes:

  • Sociology and rural sociology
  • Regional and community development, community capacity building
  • Social capital
  • Adult learning, learning communities
  • Policy processes and relationship with research
  • Leadership
  • Schools relationships with their communities
  • Literacy (school and adult from socio-cultural perspective)
  • Indigenous education (including aspects of flexible delivery)

Recent Publications

Books and research reports

Falk, I. with Kral, I. (2003). What is all the learning for? Indigenous adult English literacy practices, training, community capacity and health. SA: NCVER
*Falk, I. & Guenther, J. (2002). Literacy and numeracy for the new world of un/employment: Implications of a fully literate Australia. Melbourne: Language Australia.
*Falk, I. (Ed.) (2002). Workplace communication: Making language, literacy and numeracy in Training Packages work. Melbourne: Language Australia.
Falk, I. (Ed.) (2001). Learning to manage change: Developing rural communities for a local-global millennium. South Australia: NCVER.
Falk, I. & Guenther, J. (1999). Community Trust Survey. Launceston: CRLRA, University of Tasmania
Falk, I. & Guenther, J. (1999). Measuring trust and community capacity: Social capital for the common good. Launceston: CRLRA, University of Tasmania
*Falk, I., Golding, B. & Balatti, J. (2000). Building communities: ACE, lifelong learning and social capital. Melbourne: Language Australia Pty Ltd. And at http://www.acfe.vic.gov.au/publications/building%20communities/.
*Falk, I. (Ed.). (2000). Lifelong learning: Literacy, schooling and the adult world. Melbourne: Language Australia.

Chapters

Falk, I. (Forthcoming Jan 2005). Effective leadership: Designing and implementing leadership interventions. Chapter in Researching educational leadership: Perspectives, values and ethics. Eds. W Newton & L Kydd, London: Open University Press.
Falk, I. (Forthcoming). Essence of engagement: Social capital in workplace learning. Chapter in Workplace learning. Eds. R Gerber & G. Castelton, NY: Nova Science Publishers Inc.
Falk, I. & Millar, P. (2002). Evaluating literacy and numeracy in Training Packages: An evaluation framework and some issues. In Workplace communication: Making language, literacy and numeracy in Training Packages work, pp. 101-123, Melbourne: Language Australia.
Falk, I. (2001). Challenges facing rural regional Australia in new times. In Falk, I. (Ed.). Learning to manage change: Developing rural communities for a local-global millennium. Chapter 1, pp. 3-12. South Australia: NCVER.
Falk, I. (with MacManamey, Falk, Bruce and others). (2001). Newspapers and health centres: Selected short stories of community development case studies. In Falk, I. (Ed.). Learning to manage change: Developing rural communities for a local-global millennium. Chapter 22, pp. 201-220. South Australia: NCVER.
Falk, I. (with Kingma, O.). (2001). Learning to manage change in communities: A way forward. Chapter 24, pp. 233-245.
Falk, I. (2001). Sleight of hand: Job myths, literacy and social capital. In J. Lo Bianco & R. Wickert (Eds.). Australian policy activism in language and literacy, pages 205-222. Melbourne: Language Australia.
Falk, I. & Mulford, B. (2001). Enabling leadership: A new community leadership model. Chapter 24. In I. Falk (Ed.). Learning to manage change: Developing rural communities for a local-global millennium. South Australia: NCVER.
Falk, I. & Kilpatrick, S. (2000). Literacy, numeracy, self-confidence and values: Chickens, eggs and ‘access’. In Falk, (Ed.). Lifelong learning: Literacy, schooling and the adult world. Melbourne: Language Australia.
Falk, I. & Kilpatrick, S. (1999). Re-focusing on learning regions: Education, training and lifelong learning for Australia’s wellbeing. Commissioned Chapter, Regional Australia Summit, Parliament House, Canberra, 27–29 October.
Falk, I. (1999). Situated Leadership: A new community leadership model. Chapter in Rural Community Partnerships: Education for the 21st Century. Proceedings of the National Rural Education Conference of the Country Education Project. Held at School of Mines, Ballarat Oct 1-3 1998. Country Education Project.
Falk, I. & Kilpatrick, S. (July 1999). Numeracy, literacy, self-confidence and values: Chickens, eggs and “access”. Chapter in I. Falk & C. Hiller (Eds.) (Forthcoming mid-1999). Language, culture and work: Teaching and training for diversity. Melbourne: Language Australia.

Journal articles and refereed conference papers

Falk, I. And Ballati, J. (2004) Social capital, literacy ecologies and lifelong learning.  Learning Communities:  International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts, 2004 (1), 45-6
Falk, I. And Millar, P. (2004) Literacy and Numeracy Practices of non-standard workers.  International Journal of Learning  9, pp1143-1152
Tait, A. & Falk, I. (forthcoming 2005). Professional learning communities: Connecting teachers, practice and student outcomes through the arts. Refereed paper for: AARE 2004 International Education Research Conference, Melbourne, Nov 28-Dec 3 2004.
Sushames, L., Falk, I. & Wallace, R. (2004). How Does National Policy Translate to a Local Adult Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Regime for Indigenous Trainees? International Journal of Learning, (11). Last accessed 3 Nov 04 at http://learningconference.publisher-site.com/.
Falk, I. & Balatti, J. (2004). Literacy ecologies and lifelong learning: The importance of ‘process’ in repositioning literacy debates. Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts. (1) pp. 45-65.
Falk, I. & Balatti, J. (2004). Identities of place: Their power and consequences for VET. Refereed paper in conference proceedings for Learner and practitioner: The heart of the matter, Rydges Eagle Hawk Resort, Canberra ACT, 17-19 March. Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association (AVETRA).
Falk, I. And Balatti, J. (2004) Identities of place:  Their power and consequences for VET.  7th Australian VET Research Association Conference, March 04, Canberra

Sushames, L., Falk, I. and Wallace. R.  (2004) How does national policy translate to a Local Adult Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Regime for Indigenous Trainee? Eleventh International Literacy & Education Research Network Conference on Learni, June 2004
Falk, I & Balatti, J. (2003). Role of identity in VET learning. Refereed paper in conference proceedings for Enriching Learning Cultures: 11th Annual International Conference on Post-compulsory Education and Training, Crowne Plaza, Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast Queensland, 1-3 December. Centre for Learning Research, Griffith University.
Falk, I. (2003). Social capital and policy engagement: Can participatory think tanks help improve policy process? Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts, (1) pp. 4-21.
Falk, I. (2003). The design of effective leadership interventions: A case study of Vocational Education and Training. The Leadership and Organization Development Journal, 24(4), pp. 193-203.
Falk, I. with Kilpatrick, S. & Field, J. (2003). Social capital: An analytic tool for exploring lifelong learning and community development. British Educational Research Journal, 29(3), pp. 417-433.
Falk, I. & Kilpatrick S. (2003). Learning in agriculture: Building social capital in island communities. Local Environment, Vol. 8, No. 5, 501–512, October 2003
Falk, I. (2002) The design of effective leadership interventions. Refereed paper in SEGRA Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia, 6th National Conference, Queanbeyan, New South Wales, 25-27 November (F1).
Kilpatrick, S., Falk, I. and Hamilton, V. (2002) Issues of quality learning: Apprenticeships and traineeships in rural and remote Australia. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Vocational Education Research, 10(2), pp. 1-26.
Kilpatrick, S., Falk, I. and Johns, S. (2002) Leadership for Dynamic Learning Communities. Paper accepted for 2nd International Lifelong Learning Conference, University of Central Queensland, Yeppoon, 17-19 June (F1).
Falk, I., Coombs, W. & Balatti, J. (submitting). Leadership effectiveness in community capacity building. Journal of Appalachian Studies.
Falk, I. with Guenther, J. (2002). What makes ‘good’ literacy and numeracy provision? Findings from Australian research. UK Literacy Trust.
Falk, I. with Balatti, J. (2002). Socioeconomic Contributions of Adult Learning to Community: A social capital perspective. Adult Education Quarterly, (52)4, pp. 281-298.
Falk, I. (2001). Literacy by design not by default: Social capital’s role in literacy learning. UK Journal of Reading Research. 24(3), pp. 314-324.
Falk, I. (2001). The future of ‘work’ and the work of the future. Journal of adolescent and adult literacy. 44(6), 566-571.
Falk, I. & Kilpatrick, S. (2000). What is social capital? A study of a rural community. Sociologia Ruralis, 1(40), pp. 87-110.
Falk, I. & Harrison, L. (2000). Indicators of social capital: Social capital as the product of local interactive learning processes. Learning Communities: International Journal of Vocational Learning, (1)1.
Falk, I. & Golding, B. (1999). A view from the Centre: Equity and VET in regional Australia. Training Agenda: A Journal of Vocational Education and Training. 7(1), pp. 6-7.
Falk, I. with Kilpatrick, S. and Bell, R. (1999). The role of group learning in building social capital. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, (51)1. Triangle Journals: UK.

Research consultancy reports

Roman, C., Wright, T., Arnott, A. & Falk, I, (2004). Koobenuh Gnutbi: Evaluation of the Kigaruk Men’s Indigenous Leadership Development Program. Darwin, NT: Office for the Commissioner of Public Employment, Northern Territory Government.
Wallace, R., Sushames, L. & Falk, I. (2004). Adult Literacy and Numeracy (ALaN) Profiles: Development and evaluation of a pre- and post-assessment tool for Indigenous apprentices. Darwin: Northern Territory Department of Employment, Education & Training (DEET).
Falk, I., Arnott, A., Blohm, R., Grenfell, M., Guenther, J. & Wallace, R. (2004). Integrated local employment and learning support service: Creating effective pathways to employment and training for the disadvantaged in the Northern Territory. Darwin: Northern Territory Department of Employment, Education & Training (DEET), auspiced by the Northern Territory Council for Social Service.
Rennie, J., Patterson, A. & Falk, I. (2004). Discontinuities in literacy and numeracy practices between Indigenous community schooling and urban high school. Canberra: Department of Education, Science & Training.
Fasoli, L., Falk, I. And a team of staff from Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education. (2004). ‘Both Ways’ children’s services project. A Project funded by the Van Leer Foundation for Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, Batchelor, NT.
Falk, I with Cocklin, C, Dibden, J, Kilpatrick, S, Higgins, V, Sass, J, Snell, D, Birrell, B, Pfueller, S & Waddell, D, (2001), Social Capability in Rural Victoria: The Food & Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Sectors, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Bendigo, Victoria.

Conference keynotes, plenaries

Falk, I. (2004). Leadership for sustainable economic development. Keynote paper to: Regional Outlook Conference: Innovation and Opportunities, Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics, Alice Springs Convention Centre, 18 Nov 04.
Falk, I. (2003). Eight keynote papers delivered to national conferences this year.
Falk, I. (2002). Three keynote papers delivered to international conferences (USA only). Five keynote papers delivered to national conferences.
Falk, I. (2001). Community, regional and State development: Using social capital and capacity building. Plenary talk, Marshall University Graduate College, Charleston, West Virginia USA, 1 September.
Falk, I. (2001). Social capital and human capital: Socio-economic well-being for all. Plenary talk, Faculty of Education, University of Wisconsin at Madison, 19 September.
Falk, I. (2001). Literacy by design not default: Social capital and human capital’s role in socio-economic well-being. Plenary talk, combined Faculty of Education & Linguistics, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK, 8 October.
Falk, I. & Kilpatrick, S. (2001). Social capital and human capital: Enabling leadership for learning communities. Plenary paper delivered to ANZRSAI, Hobart, February.
Falk, I. (2001). Plenary address to Enterprise and Career Education Foundation (ECEF) conference June 2001.
Falk, I. (2001). An integrated model of vocational education and training dynamics: Social and economic benefits for all. Keynote speech to Victorian Institute for Senior TAFE Administrators (VISTA), Cumberland Hotel, Lorne, Victoria, May 28-29.
Falk, I. (2001). Assessing success: Communities as a key driver of quality Vocational Education and Training. Keynote address to National TAFE Directors Association, Brisbane March 6-7.
Falk, I. (2000) The characteristic of the public provider: the role and function of TAFE Institutes in communities, Position paper delivered to TAFE Directors Australia and commissioned by them.
Falk, I. with Kingma, O. (2000). Cooperation and Tolerance: restoring our economic system. Plenary paper presented at Symposium Australian Values – Rural Policies. Canberra, 28-29 August.
Falk, I. (2000). Cyclical leadership development. Keynote speech to Australian Rural Leadership Foundation, Forum held at Launceston, 21 May.
Falk, I. (2000). Enabling Leadership: A new leadership model. Keynote speech to Sydney Leadership Forum. 18 Feb, Quarantine Station, Manly.
Falk, I. (1999). How to measure social capital: Measurement by definition. Plenary paper prepared for Australian Institute of Family Studies Forum Social Capital and Social Policy, Rydges Hotel, Canberra, Feb 17-18, 1999.
Falk, I. (1999). An Australian Partnership: The Community Perspective. Keynote speech to Prime Minister’s Business and Community Partnerships Initiative, International Speakers’ Program. Philanthropy Australia Inc. Sir Raymond Ferrall Centre, Launceston, Tasmania March 8.
Falk, I. & Kilpatrick, S. (1999). Re-focusing on learning regions: Education, training and lifelong learning for Australia’s wellbeing. Plenary for Regional Australia Summit, Parliament House, Canberra, 27–29 October.


Current Projects

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Recent Completions Supervised

  • Throssell, P. (2005). The relationship between agelessness and lifelong learning. A multi-methods study of the concept of ageing and its potential relationship to learning through the lifespan.
  • Thomas, A. (2004). E-selves@palace.kids: Literacy and identity in a virtual community. PhD thesis: Longitudinal multi-methodological study of student learning using the internet.
  • Millar, P. (2004). The literacies of “empowerment”: Literacy practices in a socio-economically disadvantaged community. PhD thesis studying the relationship between literate practices in a community and socio-economic disadvantage.
  • Smith, T. (2003). The role of social capital in negotiating socio-economic needs. MEd thesis, rated as PhD by overseas markers.

Current PhD student topics supervised:

  1. Leadership and management in organisational effectiveness
  2. Why people do not ordinarily access further education: improving access to universities and higher education
  3. The role of music and arts education in producing literacy and numeracy outcomes in schools
  4. Vocational Education and Training as a tool for regional planning and management in northern Australia
  5. What underlies the sustainability of community-based organisations?
  6. How can retention at school be improved in rural and remote areas of the NT?
  7. Excellence in models of teacher practicum
  8. Educational implications of Indigenous membership of motor cycle gangs
  9. How does Policy influence national identity: Evidence-based research, its nature and influence
  10. Literacy policy: A case study of teachers, change and professional identity
  11. Mature-aged workers: strategies for considerate and productive ageing
  12. Optimum forms of learning in teacher education programs for rural and remote Australia
  13. MEd: Workbased literacy practices in Kakadu

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