Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Mixed Ability'
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Горобченко, Неля Георгіївна, Неля Георгиевна Горобченко, and Nelia Heorhiivna Horobchenko. "Teaching english in mixed-ability classes." Thesis, Вид-во СумДУ, 2009. http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/16684.
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Overall, variety in the types of working groups, and an open discussion of the class situation will help to deal with some of the difficulties that are present in mixed ability classes of students. The aim of these strategies is to create a positive working environment, which is all part of ensuring better learning.
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Analyn, Londres. "Keeping up with the High-Ability Students : Teachers’ Perspectives on Helping High-Ability Students in Mixed-Ability English Classes." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för utbildningsvetenskap (UV), 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-61200.
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This paper aimed to investigate how English teachers in junior high school help and motivate high-ability students to develop their potentials in mixed-ability English classrooms. Five junior high school English teachers from two different schools in Southern Sweden participated in this study. The method used to carry out the investigation was qualitative, with in–depth, semi-structured interviews. Results showed that the participants found that it was difficult to focus their attention on high-ability students in a mixed-ability setting. However, the participants have been positive to have high-ability students in a classroom because they serve as good role models to inspire their classmates. In addition, it was found that teachers prepare various materials with different levels of difficulty to suit to the differing needs of their students. Although the term differentiated instruction was not used by the participants of the study, it was, in fact, the approach they used to motivate their students. It is not possible to recommend best practices for dealing with high-ability students because what works with one student does not automatically work with other students. Furthermore, teachers reported that many high-ability students do not want to have differentiated instruction. This appears to be one of the hindrances to helping high-ability students develop their potentials.
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Rubadiri, Lindiwe. "Evacuation modelling of mixed-ability populations in fire emergencies." Thesis, University of Central Lancashire, 1994. http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/1704/.
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UK statistics have shown that a significant percentage of fatalities in fires have suffered from some kind of disability. In this context 'disability' relates to a person's physical or mental condition that impinges on their ability to react and move promptly in an emergency. Various evacuation modelling techniques are being adopted to study the movement of occupants during emergencies since the exposure of people to fires for experimental purposes is unethical. However, many evacuation models have ignored the effects of disability on escape potential and therefore tend to predict optimal evacuation times. Moreover, whilst providing some valuable insights into certain factors affecting occupant movement, current models are generally presented in isolation and fail to define a general framework for designing solutions to fire safety engineering problems. The purpose of this research programme was to develop a more general methodology for predicting evacuation times of mixed-ability populations. This was made possible through the development and use of a novel concept of evacuation peiformance index (EPI), which is the relative ease of evacuating a disabled person compared to an able-bodied person, founded on a consideration of the effects of disabilities and mobility aids on evacuation times. The author shows how this concept relates three aspects of fire safety, namely, individual characteristics of disabled occupants, the amount of assistance they require, and building design and environmental factors. She contends that the evacuation peifornzance index of a class of individuals is primarily dependent on these three categories. Experimental data to verify the above claim was collected from careflully monitored evacuation drills involving a group of disabled people. Their EPIs were determined along a pre-defined route from which their evacuation times were calculated. Comparisons between predicted times using the EPI concept and measured times from alternative empirical data were seen to be in reasonable agreement. An iterative design procedure is also suggested; one that is capable of predicting worst possible evacuation times by incorporating measures of EPI and escape route dimensions and details. The EPI concept provides fire safety engineering with a logical design philosophy, which is flexible and easily comprehensible. It endeavours to increase understanding of evacuation of disabled people, and provide a simplified mechanism for fire safety design and planning of evacuation procedures.
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Screnar, Rachel Katherine. "Differentiated math instruction in a mixed ability fifth-grade classroom." Montana State University, 2012. http://etd.lib.montana.edu/etd/2012/screnar/ScrenarR0812.pdf.
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My classroom has children of varied background knowledge, learning differences, and readiness to learn. During math I often find myself teaching to the middle, neglecting to meet the diverse needs of all of my students. This project focused on the effects of differentiated instruction on students' understanding of fifth-grade math concepts. The effects of differentiated instruction on the level of understanding, and both student and teacher attitudes and motivation were also considered. This project investigated the effects of differentiated instruction strategies as compared to traditional classroom instruction. Students' understanding of fifth-grade math concepts were assessed by comparing two differentiated instruction units to the traditional taught unit using pre and postunit assessment data, concept maps, exit cards, and interview data. Student motivation and engagement were assessed through student questionnaires, observations, and interviews. Effects on my own teaching, attitude, and motivation were determined through the use of journaling, self-evaluation, and peer observations. The results indicated an increase in student understanding, motivation, and engagement. Results also suggest that students developed a deeper level of understanding of fifth-grade math concepts as reflected in their ability to develop higher-order answers according to Bloom's Taxonomy. Increased student motivation and engagement positively affected my teaching, attitude, and motivation toward math instruction.
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Brentnall, Kevin. "Believing everyone can learn| Differentiating instruction in mixed ability classrooms." Thesis, College of Saint Elizabeth, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10111279.
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Differentiated instruction is necessary to meet the needs of diverse learners, particularly those in mixed ability classrooms (Gregory and Chapman, 2012; Sulla, 2013). This action research study explored one middle school that recently transitioned from ability grouped classrooms to mixed ability classrooms and prioritized differentiated instruction. Therefore, this study examined the teaching staff’s perceptions regarding the professional development they received in the area of differentiated instruction. Additionally, this study explored teacher perceptions about differentiated instruction and how well they were planning for its implementation. The study revealed the overall positive impact of professional development on teachers’ ability to differentiate instruction; that teachers vary on their core belief that all students are capable of learning within a mixed ability setting; that differentiated instruction is seen as a necessary instructional strategy, but is difficult to implement; and a direct correlation between teachers’ ability to differentiate instruction and the amount of choice they provide to their students.
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Lu, Ling-Ying. "Mixed-ability grouping policy in Taiwan : influences on policy and practice." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/5704.
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This research aims to explore the attempted implementation of mixed ability grouping in junior high schools in Taiwan and the challenges generated by individuals and groups to this policy. The mixed-ability grouping policy in Taiwan has been disputed for nearly thirty years, but the disputes have never been examined from a wider perspective that considers the evolution of the policy and the contexts the policy process resides in. This study thus attempts to understand the process of the mixed-ability grouping policy from a contextualised, politicised, long-term perspective within which not only the ideological and practical debates, but the contexts that shape the conflicts over time, are taken into consideration. The study is grounded in an analytical framework that allows for the exploration of the politically-driven mainstream educational ideologies, the power relationships between policy actors, and the cyclical policy process. The research methods adopted consider the timeframe, the contexts, the multiple policy actors and the interactions among policy actors and between contexts and policy actors within the policy. Documentary analysis is adopted to trace the policy process, the conflicts within, and the political, cultural, economic and societal contexts of the policy from its inception to today whilst a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews are utilized to understand the attitudes and actions of educational authorities and school educators. Case studies are conducted in two junior high schools in order to learn about the dynamics, the conflicts, and the considerations of grouping practice within individual schools. The key findings of this thesis are as follows. First, the mixed-ability grouping policy in Taiwan has existed through two different political regimes, within which the different mainstream educational ideologies and power distribution among policy actors contribute to the distinctive policy process, interpretations of disputes and patterns of conflicts. Second, although the first-line educators recognise the advantages of mixed-ability grouping regarding discipline and resource distribution, their perceptions of pupils’ ability and teaching are in line with the assumptions of streaming, which contribute to educators’ conflicting attitudes and actions towards the mixed-ability grouping policy. Third, the senior high school entry system and the actions of parents and junior high schools together shape a hidden educational market within which the ‘disguised forms’ of streaming, such as the establishment of special classes, are valued by market players. The senior high school entry examination also profoundly influences educators who internalise the values embodied in the examination and perceive pupils’ ability and their own teaching mainly in terms of examination results.
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Metcalfe, Peter Anthony. "It's just a word : CALL, French verbs and mixed-ability pupils." Thesis, Open University, 1996. http://oro.open.ac.uk/54852/.
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This thesis follows the trail of a perennial problem in the written work of pupils studying GCSE French, and suggests a CALL solution. The motivation for the research lies in the decline of grammatical accuracy, particularly in verb use, in the French produced by mixed-ability pupils and university students alike. Theories of language acquisition are assessed and a limited amount of guidance emerges. French GCSE Examiners' Reports then provide a firm foundation for research with their suggestion that the rise in oral work has affected written standards. A review of the literature reveals a wide range of barriers to verb learning. These can be classified as linguistic, psycholinguistic and pedagogic. One of the most impenetrable barriers is the redundancy of many verb endings. Empirical evidence from written and interview data is presented to show the startling kinds of misconceptions held by many pupils about verbs,and the complex of systems learners devise to solve problems. The thesis then proposes an explicit grammar-teaching approach based on principles of pedagogical grammar. Current Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) approaches to verb teaching offer admirable formal practice for able pupils but do not cater for the difficulties experienced by less able learners, who may therefore be disenfranchised. Detailed proposals are given for the creation of 'mixed-ability CALL' for verb learning, followed by a description of the design and production processes of three new programs aimed at less able pupils. Further empirical work is undertaken with GCSE pupils in order to assess the effects of tutorial, game and 'cognitive' CALL approaches. The quantitative data show that written performance can improve after using these programs. However, the most striking result of CALL intervention is the transformation of weak pupils' spoken metalanguage from restricted grammatical expression to accurate verb articulation within a short space of time.
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Kantor, Kristen Sparks. "General educators perceptions of preparedness to teach in mixed-ability classrooms." ScholarWorks, 2011. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/850.
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The increasing populations of students with special academic needs included in general education classrooms in American public schools are providing a growing teacher preparation challenge. The purpose of this study was to analyze both strengths and weaknesses in how general education teachers perceived their pre-service preparation for teaching in mixed-ability classrooms. A constructivist learning theory paradigm was used to interpret shared experiences of general education teachers working in mixed-ability public elementary schools. The research question was centered in how this group of teachers assessed preparation to provide instruction for Autism Spectrum Disorder, English Language Learners (ELL), general education, gifted, and Inter-Related Resource students. A sequential explanatory mixed methods research design was used in the study, and a teacher survey and interviews with teacher focus groups served as data collection instruments. Triangulation of data sources and peer review ensured reliability and validity of findings. Comparison of categorical sample data using percentages revealed that teachers did indeed identify differences in their perceived training. Teacher focus group data was then coded and analyzed to reveal; a need for more in-depth training for general education certification to better meet the specific needs of Autistic, ELL, gifted, and Resource students; sustained environmental support; and comfort in essential professional knowledge and abilities. Recommendations include the addition of specific special education coursework for general education certification in higher education and ongoing in-service training for public school teachers. Adopting these recommendations in both arenas may affect positive social change by increasing the likelihood of retaining general education teachers in American public schools.
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Sköldvall, Henning. "Able pupils in different groups : A comparative study of interaction in tracked and mixed-ability groups." Thesis, Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för språkdidaktik, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-88143.
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Ability grouping has become increasingly common in the teaching of English in Swedish secondary schools. This study was concerned with the effects of different group constellations on the more able pupils. The research questions involved the able pupils’ performance, their roles in mixed-ability groups and whether the learning environment is better for them when they work with other able pupils. The study used discourse analysis of group interaction in the target language between pupils in year eight. It was found that able pupils perform according to their pre-defined skill, regardless of what groups they were put in. They also supported and lifted the interaction to higher levels in mixed-ability groups. Finally, the results suggested that able pupils might have a greater chance to develop their English in tracked groups. It is argued that this has implications for the implementation of ability grouping in the teaching of second languages in Sweden.
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Row, Madeline Elizabeth. "An investigation into the experiences of pupils in ability and mixed ability grouping in an independent secondary girls' school." Thesis, Brunel University, 2016. http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/13088.
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The focus of this research was an exploration of pupils’ perceptions of their experiences in mixed ability and ability grouped lessons within a selective independent girls’ secondary school in West London, which presents the case study for the research. Previous research into ability and mixed ability grouping has shown the area to be contentious, leading to different outcomes and recommendations. Also, there is limited research into this area within independent schools and looking at a range of curriculum areas, and these were the unique contributions that this study made. For this Case Study research, data was gathered using questionnaires and focus groups. A total of 260 girls across years 8-11 (aged 12-16) completed a Likert scale questionnaire, which was analysed using the Software Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). A paired samples t-test was completed, which allowed comparisons to be made between responses given by participants in the curriculum subjects of Science, Modern Foreign Languages, English and Physical Education. Four focus groups were carried out, involving 24 girls across all four year groups, with six from each year group. Using a coding process the data from the focus groups was analysed and four key themes and categories were identified. With the use of content analysis it was possible for the frequency of phrases, categories, and comments to be identified and calculated. Three key findings were obtained; first, that ability grouping can create pressure on pupils with regard to maintaining a standard or creating a fear of being moved down; however some pupils reacted in a positive way to this pressure. The second key finding linked to ability grouping was the advantage gained from being able to work with others of the same ability, allowing for tasks and the pace of the lesson to be pitched at the right level. Third, mixed ability grouping allowed pupils to feel more relaxed and confident; however there were instances where pupils reported that they felt anxious about trying to keep up with others or feeling frustrated about having to wait for others to catch up. The results are discussed in relation to existing literature and recommendations are made, including; the benefits of creating a positive learning environment, the importance of reducing anxieties and pressures about being in the top sets, including having transparency with the system of ability grouping, and specifically for this Case Study school the potential to begin ability grouping earlier within Science. The findings should be useful to practitioners, as well as those in the Case Study school, to inform the principles and practices for organising groupings in order to create a positive learning experience for pupils. This research adds to the body of knowledge that already exists regarding ability grouping, and offered a new contribution with the insights from an independent secondary school and looking at a range of curriculum subject areas. The findings were equivocal, with both positives and negatives identified for mixed ability groupings and ability groupings in different curriculum subject areas.
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Leigh, Gregor. "Developing multi-representational problem solving skills in large, mixed-ability physics classes." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6533.
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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-139).First time entering students at South African technikons (even those enrolling for science courses) are typically characterised by having poor numeracy and problem solving skills coupled with poor attitudes towards learning physics. Their secondary education experience of physics has left them with little fondness or appreciation for the subject, which they perceive as a purely formula-driven, mathematical discipline with little or no connection to either their everyday experiences or their future careers.Poor first year pass rates at technikons are but one consequence of such attitudes and under-preparedness. Inappropriate epistemologies hamper life-long learning by precluding students from developing conceptual mastery and from assimilating valuable generic skills such as problem solving. To address this situation, and the declining pass rates among Physics 1 students at the Cape Technikon, a new, research-based teaching strategy was introduced for the first year physics course in which multi-representational problem solving approaches were explicitly developed in order to provide an underlying foundation for the physics. It was found that more students were able to make appropriate use of the mathematical formulae needed to numerically solve a physics question after progressing through a series of non-mathematical representations of the particular problem situation. It was found that, as students’ confidence improved, so too did their attitudes towards the subject. Post course testing showed a shift towards a more positive view of learning physics which also manifested itself in a higher pass rate in the Physics 1 course.
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Stacy, Catherine Ann. "Applying mixed-effects receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to diagnostic evaluations of human learning." Access restricted to users with UT Austin EID Full text (PDF) from UMI/Dissertation Abstracts International, 2001. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/utexas/fullcit?p3035981.
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Kinsberg, Batya Rena. "The effects of differentiating instruction in a mixed-ability middle school science class." Montana State University, 2012. http://etd.lib.montana.edu/etd/2012/kinsberg/KinsbergB0812.pdf.
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This study examined the effects of differentiating instruction in a sixth grade earth science classroom. During three lessons within one unit of study, tiered instructional materials were utilized and students were assigned to tiered learning groups. Likert-style surveys, student interviews, teacher observations, open-ended survey questions and unit test scores were used to collect data about the impact on student achievement, engagement and attitudes. Journal entries and teacher observations were used to determine how differentiating instruction impacted the teacher. Differentiating instruction improved the achievement of previously low-achieving students, but had mixed results for other students. Student attitudes were more negative following differentiated instruction. This treatment has mixed effects on student engagement and on the teacher.
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Bruce, Westerlund Keren. "Accommodating for different levels of proficiency in the English classroom : With focus on ability grouping." Thesis, Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för språkdidaktik, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-91640.
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This study investigated the perceived strategies used to deal with mixed ability classes of four English teachers, two working at a year 4-9 compulsory school, and two at an upper secondary school in Sweden. The same teachers were asked about their attitudes towards and experience of ability grouping. The findings of the latter part of this investigation were discussed in reference to research concerning the field of ability grouping.Semi structured interviews were used. Strategies used by teachers included grouping devices, issues of communication, giving individual attention inside and outside the classroom and encouraging self- and peer reviewing. Two teachers in the 4-9 school used ability grouping sparingly but clearly and had experienced an ability grouping of a year nine class which was perceived to have predominantly positive results in academic terms and both positive and negative results in social areas. The teachers of upper secondary school did not use ability grouping – either on democratic grounds or because it was perceived to be unacceptable in the particular school climate. Because the research in ability grouping is diverse, many of the teachers’ attitudes could be supported, and refuted in the research. The teachers using ability grouping felt themselves to be going against research made, but were confident in the decisions they made. Further investigations about maximum numbers of students in heterogeneous classes and time spent with an extra teacher contra own teacher were encouraged.
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Valente, Maria Raquel Pio Oliveira Pratas. "Podem as actividades diferenciadas aumentar a participação dos alunos menos participativos num "mixed ability class"?" Master's thesis, Porto : [Edição do Autor], 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10216/54857.
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O objectivo de cada professor é chegar a todos os alunos. No entanto, é sabido que cada aluno tem uma forma diferente de aprender e progride segundo o seu próprio ritmo. Assim, enquanto alguns alunos podem deparar-se com tarefas muito fáceis de superar, outros podem achá-las de difícil compreensão. Além disso, aprendizagem depende também o que os alunos trouxeram com eles para a turma. Cada aluno é proveniente de uma família diferente, um ambiente diferente e/ou uma nação diferente, a população multicultural da sala de aula pode constituir um desafio para os professores. Além disso, embora seja muito dificil para o professor saber tudo sobre cada aluno, é importante para o professor chegar a todos os alunos e colmatar as suas necessidades de uma maneira variada para se alcançar um ensino eficiente. Uma vez que a maioria dos manuais são projectados para um ambiente de sala de aula homogénea ideal, os professores têm de lidar com o problema de que nem todos os alunos conseguem acompanhar a aula da mesma maneira devido às suas diferenças individuais. Portanto, é geralmente necessário que o professor avalie e adapte o material de acordo com a sua turma. Como a sala de aula é o primeiro e, por vezes, o único o ambiente para muitos estudantes de línguas estrangeiras, eles devem usar esta oportunidade, tanto quanto possível. No entanto, alguns dos alunos vão achar dificil falar na língua-alvo por muitas razões, desde o interesse e a confiança, desde a idade e o conhecimento. Outros estudantes, no entanto, gostariam de expressar tudo o que pensam e sentir que usam o novo idioma.
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Valente, Maria Raquel Pio Oliveira Pratas. "Podem as actividades diferenciadas aumentar a participação dos alunos menos participativos num "mixed ability class"?" Dissertação, Porto : [Edição do Autor], 2010. http://aleph.letras.up.pt/F?func=find-b&find_code=SYS&request=000205632.
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O objectivo de cada professor é chegar a todos os alunos. No entanto, é sabido que cada aluno tem uma forma diferente de aprender e progride segundo o seu próprio ritmo. Assim, enquanto alguns alunos podem deparar-se com tarefas muito fáceis de superar, outros podem achá-las de difícil compreensão. Além disso, aprendizagem depende também o que os alunos trouxeram com eles para a turma. Cada aluno é proveniente de uma família diferente, um ambiente diferente e/ou uma nação diferente, a população multicultural da sala de aula pode constituir um desafio para os professores. Além disso, embora seja muito dificil para o professor saber tudo sobre cada aluno, é importante para o professor chegar a todos os alunos e colmatar as suas necessidades de uma maneira variada para se alcançar um ensino eficiente. Uma vez que a maioria dos manuais são projectados para um ambiente de sala de aula homogénea ideal, os professores têm de lidar com o problema de que nem todos os alunos conseguem acompanhar a aula da mesma maneira devido às suas diferenças individuais. Portanto, é geralmente necessário que o professor avalie e adapte o material de acordo com a sua turma. Como a sala de aula é o primeiro e, por vezes, o único o ambiente para muitos estudantes de línguas estrangeiras, eles devem usar esta oportunidade, tanto quanto possível. No entanto, alguns dos alunos vão achar dificil falar na língua-alvo por muitas razões, desde o interesse e a confiança, desde a idade e o conhecimento. Outros estudantes, no entanto, gostariam de expressar tudo o que pensam e sentir que usam o novo idioma.
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Westerveld, Marleen Frederike. "Examining the relationship between oral narrative ability and reading comprehension in children with mixed reading disability." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Communication Disorders, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/1389.
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Oral narrative ability has received increasing attention over the past three decades, and the importance of children's oral narrative skills to academic achievement has been well established. Children with reading disabilities are known to demonstrate difficulties in the ability to produce and comprehend oral narratives (Roth & Spekman, 1986; Snyder & Downey, 1991). However, the nature of the relationship between oral narrative ability and reading comprehension performance in children with reading disability is not clear. The experiments reported in this thesis aim to address this issue. The following questions are asked: 1) Do deficits in oral narrative ability contribute to reading comprehension difficulties? and 2) What is the likely direction of the relationship between aspects of oral narrative ability and reading comprehension performance in children with reading disabilities? Fourteen children (aged between 6;4 and 7;8 at the initial assessment) with mixed reading disability (MRD: i.e., children who demonstrate both word recognition and listening comprehension deficits) participated in the study. Their oral narrative skills were compared to those of their chronological age-matched peers with typical development (TD) and their reading-age-matched peers with typical development (RMTD). The study consisted of three phases: 1) A longitudinal phase in which the children's oral narrative performance was assessed on three occasions over a two-year period; 2) An intervention phase (using a nonequivalent pretest-posttest control group design) in which 10 children participated in an oral narrative intervention program that focused on enhancing children's story structure knowledge; and 3) A follow-up assessment phase conducted eight months post-intervention. Oral narratives were elicited in a personal narrative context and in a story retelling context. Oral narrative production ability was analysed at macrostructure (story quality) and microstructure (morpho-syntax and vocabulary) levels. Oral narrative comprehension was assessed in a fictional story context through questions relating to story structure elements. Reading comprehension performance was assessed using a standardised test of reading ability. The results from the longitudinal study showed that the children with MRD demonstrated inferior oral narrative production and oral narrative comprehension performance compared to their peers with typical reading development at each assessment occasion. When comparing the poor readers' performance to the RMTD group at the third assessment trial, the results suggested that the children with MRD demonstrated a specific deficit in oral narrative comprehension. In contrast, a pattern of delay was observed on the microstructure measures of oral narrative performance. The results from the intervention indicated significant treatment effects with large effect sizes for oral narrative comprehension performance. Despite this improvement in oral narrative comprehension, there was little change in oral narrative production ability, and transfer to reading comprehension was not evident. Although the follow-up assessment indicated sustained improvement in oral narrative comprehension for the children with MRD, accelerated reading comprehension progress was not evident. The findings from the longitudinal case study highlighted the benefits of oral narrative intervention for a child considered at high risk of continuing academic difficulties. This thesis provides evidence of the persistent oral narrative difficulties in children with MRD. The findings also provide support for the importance of narrative structure knowledge to these poor readers' oral narrative comprehension performance. The results demonstrate that oral narrative comprehension ability explains only a small amount of the variance in reading comprehension performance. Rather, the persistent word recognition difficulties of the children with MRD exert the biggest influence on their reading comprehension performance. These results are discussed in terms of current models of reading and language development. Implications for clinical practice are also addressed.
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Hamm, Jolene Diane. "Exploring the Dimensions of Problem-solving Ability on High-achieving Secondary Students: A Mixed Methods Study." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/40265.
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This mixed-methods study investigated the relationship between self-concept and problem-solving style and how these two constructs compared and contrasted in regards to a participantâ s perception of his or her problem-solving ability. The 86 study participants were high-achieving rising 11th and 12th grade students attending a summer enrichment program for agriculture. This study used a concurrent triangulation mixed methods design. The quantitative aspect of the study employed two instruments, SDQ III to test perceived self-concept and the VIEW to determine the perceived problem-solving style. Concurrent with this data collection, 13 open-ended interviews were conducted to explored the description of the problem-solving process during a problem-solving event. The reason for collection of both quantitative and qualitative data was to bring together the strengths of both forms of research in order to merge the data to make comparisons and further the understanding of problem-solving ability of high-achieving youth.
The study discovered that self-concept and problem-solving style have a weak relationship for many of the constructs and a negative relationship between two of constructs. The qualitative component revealed that high-achieving youth had clear definitions of problem-solving, a rich and descriptive heuristic approach, a clear understanding of which resources provided key information, and a strong depiction of themselves as problem-solver. An emergent concept from the research was the participantsâ perceptions of the team-based structure and how the inclusion of multiple ability levels versus high ability levels affected the participantsâ perceptions of solving a problem in a team situation. The mixing component of the study depicted the influence of self-concept on the problem-solving style.
This study was an initial exploration of the relationship between self-concept and problem-solving and compared the current results with previous research. It extended and connected the previous research areas of self-concept and problem-solving style. As an initial study, it led to recommendations for further research across education as well as additional exploration of the emergent relationships identified. Finally, the study denoted the importance of mixed-methods research due to the interconnectivity between self-concept and problem-solving style and the participant descriptions of themselves as problem-solvers.Ph. D.
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Voss, Richard Nowell. "Teaching mathematics for social justice within a Victorian public school for Year Nine mixed ability classes." Thesis, Curtin University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/727.
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This study examines a learning task based around inequality that was designed for a year nine mathematics class. The task incorporated mathematical ideas and issues involving social justice to foster the students’ understanding of society and active citizenship while teaching them mathematics. The study discusses the strategies used to teach and promote this initiative, and also critically evaluates the learning tasks to determine their effects on student learning, student engagement and higher order thinking.
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Tam, Siu-ping. "Changing from a streaming to a destreaming system : case study of a secondary school /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1996. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B17597043.
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Burbaugh, Bradley James. "The influence of leadership development approaches on social capital: A mixed methods study." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/52925.
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Leadership programs serve as a mechanism to develop the leadership capacity of individuals, groups, and organizations. Although considerable time and resources have been devoted to understanding the outcomes of leadership development, little time and effort has been dedicated to understanding the developmental approaches that influence the emergence of these outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore and untangle the relationships between common leadership development approaches, networking ability, and social capital outcomes.
A sample of graduates from 15 agricultural-based leadership development programs, and a two-phase, convergent parallel mixed methods (QUAN + QUAL) design, were used to assess the relationships between the aforementioned constructs. Specifically, this research explored the influence of common leadership development approaches – conceptual understanding, feedback, personal growth, and skill building – on networking ability and the following dimensions of social capital: (a) groups and networks, (b) trust and solidarity, and (c) cooperation and political action. Quantitative data were collected using a cross-sectional, web-based survey (n = 231), and qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews (n =11). Equal priority was given to the quantitative and qualitative data, which was collected concurrently, analyzed independently, and mixed at the conclusions and metainference stage.
The findings indicate that participation in an agricultural leadership program influences the social capital capacity of graduates by providing opportunities that facilitate the emergence of new, appropriable social networks. Through a variety of learning activities and shared experiences, participants diversify their social network and develop strong network connections. These connections, and the embedded social capital (i.e., relational) resources, are being accessed frequently for advice, information, and support. As reported by program graduates, personal growth and skill building were identified as the most influential approaches for developing leadership capacity. These approaches, which are characterized by collaborative, group learning, also had the strongest relationships with networking ability. Networking ability should be specifically targeted and included in leadership development curricula because it can influence cooperation and political action, which have been described as the highest levels of social capital. Informal learning also plays an important role in the development of trust, strong bonds, and solidarity among program participants.Ph. D.
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Pang, Lau Seung-man Bessie. "Social aspects of integration of children with profound hearing impairment in Hong Kong primary schools." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 1990. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/HKUTO/record/B38627085.
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Ambreen, Samyia. "Analysing the nature of pupils' interactions in different fixed and mixed ability groups in the primary classroom." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2017. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/18812/.
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Group work is defined as an instructional strategy to encourage social interaction among pupils. Pupils are more likely to work in groups to perform their daily based learning activities in most of primary classrooms in England. Pupils sit around the table and apparently work in groups. However, putting pupils in groups does not always guarantee that they interact and communicate with one other to fulfil the theoretical expectations advocated in constructivists’ theories of learning. There can be various factors related to pupils and their context which can affect their interactions to make group work successful in any classroom. This study was aimed to explore the nature of pupils’ interaction and their perceptions of working with others during their routinely organised group work in a state primary school in England. The primarily focus of the study was to analyse the nature of pupils’ interactions under various grouping structures organised by the class teacher, to explore pupils’ perceptions about group work while identifying various contextual, social and cultural factors which can influence pupils’ interactions and their perceptions of group work. In this small- scale qualitative study, I used naturalistic participant observation to observe pupils’ interactions during their routinely organised group work in one primary classroom. I also used informal conversational interviews to explore pupils’ perceptions about their experiences of working with others in groups. Both the class and support teachers of the observed class were also involved in the research to gain their perspectives on the organisation of group work. The qualitative data gathered in form of pupils’ conversations, actions, verbal and non-verbal interactions and dialogues was analysed by using first thematic and later on through discourse analytical approaches. The findings of my research are drawn on the ecological model of Bronfenbrenner which revealed that the pupils adopt dynamic, situational, cooperative and non-cooperative interactions towards their peers during their group work. They participated in task-related discussions and remained cooperative by showing positive social attitudes of helping and encouraging others. They showed non- cooperative interactions by being competitive and showed mistrust towards their peers. The pupils also exhibited gender biased attitudes which influenced their decisions of being cooperative or non- cooperative towards a particular peer. The use of ecological model helped me to illicit that pupils were influenced from their immediate and wider contexts while interacting with their peers. In the immediate setting of the classroom, pupils were dependent on the group structure, teaching instructions and learning tasks to work as a group or as an individual. Similarly, pupils were dependent on and were influenced by their wider contexts (i.e. interpretations of the national curriculum guidance, pupils’ socio-cultural backgrounds and community influences) to adopt competitive and gender biased interactions. In the light of these findings, I suggest that the success of social interactions among pupils is dependent on the context which is interwoven by various internal organisational, social, educational as well as cultural layers. These influences coming from the internal and external contextual layers cannot be ignored in any educational research aiming to investigate classroom practices or pupils’ learning experiences inside the state primary schools.
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Morris, John Llewellyn. "A Qualitative Investigation of Interdisciplinary Mixed Ability Co-operative Classes in an Inner-ring Suburban High School." Cleveland State University / OhioLINK, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1228311371.
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Steele, Kristi. "Differentiated teacher training for differentiated instruction." [Denver, Colo.] : Regis University, 2006. http://165.236.235.140/lib/KSteele2006.pdf.
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Dauguet, Kathleen, and res cand@acu edu au. "Understanding the ‘Mixed Ability’ Program in Catholic Secondary Schools in Mauritius: Perceptions of educators for best practice in the middle years of schooling." Australian Catholic University. School of Education, 2007. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp181.20112008.
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The mission of Catholic Education in Mauritius is to ‘humanise’ education and pedagogies to be consistent with Catholic values. The vision of a ‘humanised’ education explicitly teaches collaboration and cooperation. In January 2005, the Catholic Education Bureau (BEC) opted for a ‘mixed ability’ philosophy whose articulation fosters inclusiveness in all Catholic secondary schools. To achieve this, schools need to re-invent and restructure themselves into learning organisations to make obvious the ‘mixed ability’ philosophy at the middle level of schooling from Form I to Form III.The first purpose of this study is to explore an integral model for an effective education for Catholic secondary schools in Mauritius that acknowledges diversity in the classroom particularly in Form I. The second purpose is to investigate the beliefs and understandings of educators in Catholic secondary education in Mauritius of this model.For the first purpose, a review of the literature was undertaken to understand the concepts of middle schooling, differentiation, learning theories and implications for practice, the enabling structures for Catholic secondary schools to develop into learning communities and the leadership role of key actors. For the second purpose, the perceptions of educators were investigated using a predominantly qualitative, interpretative methodology around an instrumental multi-site case study.The study found a number of challenges faced by Catholic educators in Mauritius regarding the implementation of the integral model. These challenges present a new direction for these schools to focus on the human person, leading to the development and implementation of the ‘mixed ability’ program. The study concluded with a cogent set of recommendations and directions which need to be put in place in order to improve student learning outcomes at the middle level of schooling and achieve the vision of a human-centered education within the espoused Catholic mission.
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Chan, Hung-kit. "The study of the different grouping arrangement ICT supported cooperative learning." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2003. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B40040276.
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Harmon, Sally Baden. "The Implementation of a Learning Contract and the Effects on the Learning Experiences of Seventh-Grade Life Science Students." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/27353.
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The purposes of this case study were to describe how a learning contract was implemented for a seventh-grade life science class and to discover its effects on the
learning experiences of the students. A learning contract was a written agreement between the student and the teacher in which the student agreed to complete a variety of assignments for a particular grade. Learning contracts were issued to the students for three grading periods of six-weeks. A total of 137 students participated in the case study, which began in September 1997 and culminated at the end of the third grading period in January 1998.
The data were collected from three groups: (a) 137 seventh-grade life science students, (b) 48 parents, and (c) the classroom teacher-researcher. In order to guide the collection and analysis of data, twenty-four questions were developed. These questions were then compiled into two surveys. Responses from the student survey indicated that students: (a) signed up for an A more than any other grade, (b) liked working in teams, (c) found it easy to find assignments, (d) set goals to earn high grades, and (e) felt good about their science grades. For the first grading period, eighty-nine percent of parents surveyed responded that they were aware of their childrenâ s learning contract grade, and sixty-two percent of the parents surveyed responded that they were satisfied with their childrenâ s academic performance using the learning contract.
Taped interviews were conducted with former seventh-grade students and the teacher-researcher. In the taped interviews, students told of their positive learning experiences. The teacher-researcher kept a daily journal and used its contents as data.
As a result of this case study, the students and the teacher-researcher supported the continued use of the learning contract for the next school year.Ed. D.
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LaSovage, Anne Jeannette. "Effects of using a layered curriculum format of instruction in a high school environmental science energy unit." Diss., Connect to online resource - MSU authorized users, 2006.
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Thesis (M. S.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Science and Mathematics Education, 2006.Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on June 19, 2009) Includes bibliographical references. Also issued in print.
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Pak, Seohong. "Ability parameter recovery of a computerized adaptive test based on rasch testlet models." Diss., University of Iowa, 2017. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/5977.
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of various testlet characteristics in terms of an ability parameter recovery under the modality of computerized adaptive test (CAT). Given the popularity of using CATs and the high frequency of emerging testlets into exams as either mixed format or not, it was important to evaluate the various conditions in a testlet-based CAT fitted testlet response theory models. The manipulated factors of this study were testlet size, testlet effect size, testlet composition, and exam format. The performance of each condition was compared with the true thetas which were 81 equally spaced points from -3.0 to +3.0. For each condition, 1,000 times of replication process were conducted with respect to overall bias, overall standard error, overall RMSE, conditional bias, conditional standard error, conditional RMSE, as well as conditional passing rate. The conditional results were presented in the pre-specified intervals.
Several significant conclusions were made. Overall, the mean theta estimates over 1,000 replications were close to the true thetas regardless of manipulated conditions. In terms of aggregated overall RMSE, predictable relationships were found in four study factors: A larger amount of error was associated with a longer testlet, a bigger effect size, a random composition, and a testlet only exam format. However, when the aggregated overall bias was considered, only two effects were observed: a large difference among three testlet length conditions, and almost no difference between two testlet composition conditions. As expected, conditional SEMs for all conditions showed a U-shape across the theta scale. The noticeable discrepancy occurred only within the testlet length condition: more error was associated with the condition of the longest testlet length compared to the short and medium length conditions. Conditional passing rate showed little discrepancy among conditions within each facto, so no particular association was found.
In general, a short testlet length is better, a small testlet effect size is better, a homogeneous difficulty composition is better, and a mixed format is better in terms of the smaller amount of error found in this study. Other than these obvious findings, some interaction effects were also observed. When the medium or large (i.e., greater than .50) testlet effect was suspicious, it was better to have a short length testlet. It was also found that using a mixed-format exam increased the accuracy of the random difficulty composition. However, this study was limited by several other factors which were controlled to be the same across the conditions: a fixed length exam, no content balancing, and the uniform testlet effects. Consequently, plans for improvements in terms of generalization were also discussed.
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Neumann, Heike. "What's in a grade? A mixed methods investigation of teacher assessment of grammatical ability in L2 academic writing." Thesis, McGill University, 2011. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=103454.
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This study investigates how grammatical ability is assessed in L2 academic writing classrooms. In the assessment literature, grammatical ability is defined to include syntax and morphology (Purpura, 2004; Weigle, 2002) and lexical forms, cohesion, and information management on the subsentential, sentential, and suprasentential levels (Purpura, 2004). Writing teachers would, therefore, need to attend to morphosyntactic and other grammatical aspects in L2 texts that serve to organize information and create cohesion on the sentence, paragraph, and text levels. In a mixed methods triangulation design (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007) using both quantitative and qualitative methods, this study examines the indicators of grammatical ability that writing teachers (n = 2) attend to when assessing their students' (n = 33) grammatical ability in academic essays in one high-intermediate and one advanced L2 writing course at an English-medium university in Canada. In addition, the study considers to what extent the students' learning is affected by the teachers' assessment criteria. In the first phase of this study, the students' essay exams and the teacher-assigned grammar grade were collected and analyzed quantitatively using accuracy and complexity measures as indicators of morphosyntactic ability. They were also examined qualitatively within a framework of systemic functional linguistics to assess the students' ability to manage information in their texts. In phase two, student questionnaires were administered, and student interviews were conducted to determine the students' knowledge of the teachers' assessment criteria for grammar. In phase three, the teachers were interviewed about their criteria and their priorities in the assessment of grammar. Finally, the results from all three phases and all four data sources were integrated to come to an overall interpretation of the findings. The results indicate that writing teachers focus above all on grammatical accuracy when assessing their students' grammatical ability. Consequently, writing teachers seem to assess a reduced construct of grammatical ability in academic writing, compared to definitions in the L2 assessment literature. This emphasis has an impact on how students learn in these L2 writing classrooms. This dissertation concludes with a discussion of implications and makes recommendations for L2 writing assessment based on the findings of this study.Cette recherche s'intéresse à la façon d'évaluer les compétences grammaticales dans les cours universitaires d'écriture langue seconde (L2). Selon la littérature, les compétences grammaticales comprennent la syntaxe et la morphologie (Purpura, 2004; Weigle, 2002) de même que les formes lexicales, la cohésion et la gestion de l'information au niveau sous-phrastique, phrastique et supra-phrastique (Purpura, 2004). Par conséquent, les professeurs d'écriture devraient, lors de l'étude de textes en L2, miser sur la morphosyntaxe et sur d'autres aspects grammaticaux utiles à l'organisation de l'information et assurant la cohésion au niveau de la phrase, du paragraphe et du texte. En s'appuyant sur une approche méthodologique mixte (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007), utilisant une triangulation de données qualitatives et quantitatives, cette recherche vise à déterminer quels sont les indicateurs de performance grammaticale sur lesquels s'appuient les professeurs d'écriture (n = 2) lorsqu'ils évaluent les compositions de leurs étudiants (n = 33). Les étudiants de l'échantillon étaient inscrits à une université canadienne anglophone et suivaient un cours d'anglais de niveau intermédiaire ou avancé. D'autre part, cette recherche a pour objectif de déterminer à quel point l'apprentissage des étudiants est influencé par les critères d'évaluation de leur professeur. Dans la première partie de la recherche, les compositions des étudiants et les notes de grammaire données par le professeur ont été collectées et analysées quantitativement, en utilisant des mesures de justesse et de complexité grammaticales comme indicateurs de la compétence morphosyntaxique. Elles ont également été analysées qualitativement dans un cadre linguistique systémique fonctionnel afin de déterminer la compétence des étudiants à gérer l'information dans leurs textes. Dans la seconde partie de la recherche, des questionnaires ont été administrés aux étudiants et certaines entrevues ont été menées afin d'évaluer la connaissance qu'avaient les étudiants des critères d'évaluation de leur professeur en ce qui a trait à la grammaire. Dans la troisième partie, les professeurs ont été interviewés au sujet de leurs critères et priorités dans l'évaluation de la grammaire. Enfin, les résultats des trois parties et des quatre sources d'informations ont été réunis afin d'en arriver à une interprétation globale des conclusions. Les résultats révèlent que les professeurs d'écriture priorisent surtout la justesse grammaticale lorsqu'ils évaluent les compétences grammaticales de leurs étudiants. Par conséquent, les professeurs d'écriture semblent s'appuyer sur une définition plus limitée de la compétence grammaticale dans l'évaluation des textes de leurs étudiants que ce qui est défini par la littérature à ce sujet, ce qui a nécessairement un effet sur la façon d'apprendre des étudiants qui suivent des cours d'écriture. Cette thèse se termine par une discussion qui met en lumière ce qu'impliquent ces résultats et où sont émises certaines recommandations au sujet de l'évaluation en écriture dans un cours de L2.
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St, Louis Jessica. "Within-class grouping during literacy instruction a look at equity /." Online pdf file accessible through the World Wide Web, 2010. http://archives.evergreen.edu/masterstheses/Accession89-10MIT/St_Louis_JMIT2010.pdf.
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Svärd, Ann-Christin. "The challenge of mixed-ability classes : How should upper secondary English teachers work in order to help the weaker students?" Thesis, Jönköping University, 2007. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-693.
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The purpose of this essay is to find out how upper secondary English teachers should work in order to reach the weaker students. I am interested in what has been written about mixed-ability classes, the challenges they present and most of all how teachers of English need to work in such classes to reach all students, especially the weaker ones.
I have also interviewed three upper secondary teachers about how they work to reach the weaker students in their classes.
My findings are that, according to the teachers interviewed, the best way to deal with the problem is to bring back ability grouping. The literature I read mostly had negative views on this method and stressed the importance of differentiation and motivation instead. Both the literature and the teachers claimed that a good atmosphere, clear instructions, structure and setting routines were the most important factors when working with mixed ability classes.
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Pierman, Eleanor L. "Dance-ability: A Mixed Methods Study of Dance and Development in PreschoolStudents with Disabilities and Adaptations for Sustainable Dance Programming." The Ohio State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1586543857308249.
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Carroll, William E. "Leadership and emotional intelligence| Ability-based and mixed models of emotional intelligence as predictors of leadership performance across manager levels." Thesis, Capella University, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10264376.
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The current study asks four primary research questions to address several questions about the psychometric properties of emotional intelligence (EI) assessments; is there a statistically significant difference in (a) the predictive validity of a participant’s EI scores for their leadership performance as measured by Charismatic/Transformational Leadership (CTL) behavior occurrence when EI is measured using an assessment based on the ability-based as compared to an assessment based on the mixed model; (b) the predictive validity of a participant’s EI scores for their leadership performance as measured by CTL behavior occurrence when EI is measured at different levels of leadership within the organizational hierarchy; (c) the predictive validity of a participant’s EI scores when measured using an assessment based on the abilities-based model for their leadership performance as measured by CTL behavior occurrence when EI is measured at different levels of leadership within the organizational hierarchy and; (d) the predictive validity of a participant’s EI scores when measured using an assessment based on the mixed model for their leadership performance as measured by CTL behavior occurrence when EI is measured at different levels of leadership within the organizational hierarchy? The goals were to determine (a) if there is a difference in how well the ability-based and mixed models each predict the self-reported CTL and (b) if this predictive relationship is affected by a leader’s position within the organizational hierarchy. Current supervisors from all levels within their organization’s hierarchies completed the MSCEIT, Genos EI, MLQ, and a demographic questionnaire which asked for their leadership level. 168 current leader’s data was obtained from Qualtrics, LLC. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis showed no statistically significant difference in the predictive validities of the abilities-based and mixed models of EI for self-reported CTL. Regression-based tests for moderation effects showed a statistically significant difference in the regression coefficients between front-line leaders and other leadership levels for the MSCEIT, but no statistically significant differences for the Genos-EI. Possible artifacts and confounding variables were discussed, with particular focus on the use of self-report versions of the assessments.
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Wang, Wei. "Mixed-format test score equating: effect of item-type multidimensionality, length and composition of common-item set, and group ability difference." Diss., University of Iowa, 2013. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/4973.
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Mixed-format tests containing both multiple-choice (MC) items and constructed-response (CR) items are now widely used in many testing programs. Mixed-format tests often are considered to be superior to tests containing only MC items although the use of multiple item formats leads to measurement challenges in the context of equating conducted under the common-item nonequivalent groups design (CINEG). The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate how various test characteristics and examinee characteristics influence CINEG mixed-format test score equating results.
Simulated data were used in this dissertation. Simulees' item responses were generated using items selected from one MC item pool and one CR item pool which were constructed based on the College Board Advanced Placement examinations from various subject areas. Five main factors were investigated in this dissertation, including item-type dimensionality, group ability difference, within group ability difference, length and composition of the common-item set, and format representativeness of the common-item set. In addition, the performance of two equating methods, the presmoothed frequency estimation method (PreSm_FE) and the presmoothed chained equipercentile equating method (PreSm_CE), was compared under various conditions. To evaluate equating results, both conditional statistics and overall summary statistics were considered: absolute bias, standard error of equating, and root mean squared error. The difference that matters (DTM) also was used as a criterion for evaluating whether adequate equating results were obtained.
The main findings based on the simulation studies are as follows:
(1) For most situations, item-type multidimensionality did not have substantial impact on random error, regardless of the common-item set. However, its influence on bias depended on the composition of common-item sets;
(2) Both the group ability difference factor and the within group ability difference factor had no substantial influence on random error. When group ability differences were simulated, the common-item set with more items or more total score points had less equating error. When a within group ability difference existed, conditions in which there was a balance of different item formats in the common-item set displayed more accurate equating results than did unbalanced common-item sets.
(3) The relative performance of common-item sets with various lengths and compositions was dependent on the levels of group ability difference, within group ability difference, and test dimensionality.
(4) The common-item set containing only MC items performed similarly to the common-item set with both item formats when the test forms were unidimensional and no within group ability difference existed or when groups of examinees did not differ in proficiency.
(5) The PreSm_FE method was more sensitive to group ability difference than the PreSm_CE method. When the within group ability difference was non-zero, the relative performance of the two methods depended on the length and composition of the common-item set. The two methods performed almost the same in terms of random error.
The studies conducted in this dissertation suggest that when equating multidimensional mixed-format test forms in practice, if groups of examinees differ substantially in overall proficiency, inclusion of both item formats should be considered for the common-item set. When within group ability differences are likely to exist, balancing different item formats in the common-item set appears to be even more important than the use of a larger number of common items for obtaining accurate equating results. Because only simulation studies were conducted in this dissertation, caution should be exercised when generalizing the conclusions to practical situations.
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Song, Yang. "Assessment for learning in a chinese university context: a mixed methods case study on english as a foreign language speaking ability." Thesis, McGill University, 2012. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=107825.
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This study investigates the effectiveness of Assessment for Learning (AFL) in improving oral English skills and explores students' and teachers' perceptions of AFL. The study took place at a university in China and involved both students and teachers of English at the institution. Chinese university level students were reported to be facing difficulties in their oral skills learning and were not satisfied with the oral English instruction they were receiving because it is related too much to large-scale tests administered in China (He, 1999; Liao & Qin, 2000; Wen, 2001). Classroom-based assessment, known as the alternative assessment approach, has attracted increased interest from researchers since the end of the last century (Genesee & Upshur, 1996; Gipps 1999; Shepard, 2000; Turner, in press). One approach to classroom-based assessment, Assessment for Learning (AFL), has proved a significant influence on language performance by encouraging learners' participation, identifying learners' weaknesses, providing instructors with useful feedback for learners' further development, and turning learners into autonomous learners (Black & Wiliam, 1998ab; Black, Harrison, Lee, Marshall, & Wiliam, 2003; Winne & Butler, 1994; Topping, 2009). In this study, a mixed methods design incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2009) is used to examine the effectiveness of AFL and to explore teachers' (n = 9) and students' (n = 74) perceptions of AFL. There are three phases in this study: the preparation phase, and Phases One and Two. In the preparation phase, second year students' and their teachers' classroom interactions were observed to aid in the selection of participants for this study. In Phase One, teacher questionnaires, pre- and post-study student questionnaires, and three AFL tasks were employed and data were collected and analyzed quantitatively by using descriptive statistical analysis to determine the effectiveness of AFL. In Phase Two, teachers and students were interviewed to express their opinions about AFL. The interviews were translated from Chinese to English, transcribed and then analyzed using content analysis. The results from the three phases were integrated to interpret the findings of the research. The results indicate that AFL can effectively improve the oral English language learning skills of intermediate and high level students. Additionally, results of the study demonstrate that both teachers and students showed positive attitudes towards AFL.Cette étude a pour but d'évaluer l'efficacité de "l'évaluation des apprentissages" (AFL) à améliorer les habiletés en anglais oral ainsi que la perception qu'ont les étudiants et les professeurs de l'AFL. Cette étude prend place dans une université de Chine et concerne des étudiants et des professeurs d'anglais dans cet institution. Les étudiants dans les universités chinoises ont été reporté ayant des difficultés dans leur capacités d'apprentissage orale et n'étaient pas satisfaits de l'enseignement qu'ils recevaient puisqu'il était trop orienté vers les tests à grande échelle administrés en Chine (He, 1999; Liao & Qin, 2000; Wen, 2001). Classroom-based assessment, connu comme étant l'approche alternative, a, depuis la fin du siècle dernier, de plus en plus attiré l'intérêt des chercheurs (Genesee & Upshur, 1996; Gipps 1999; Shepard, 2000; Turner, in press). Une approche du classroom-based assessment, l'évaluation des apprentissages (AFL), a été prouvé ayant une influence sur la performance linguistique en augmentant la participation de l'étudiant, en identifiant leurs faiblesses, en fournissant à l'instructeur de l'information utile pour le développement future de l'étudiant et en changeant la perception de l'étudiant pour en faire un étudiant autonome (Black & Wiliam, 1998ab; Black, Harrison, Lee, Marshall, & Wiliam, 2003; Winne & Butler, 1994; Topping, 2009). Dans cet étude, une méthode mixte incorporant des méthodes quantitatives et qualitatives (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2009) est utilisé pour étudier l'efficacité de l'AFL et explorer la perception des enseignants (n=9) et des étudiants (n=74) de l'AFL. Il y a trois phases dans cet étude : la phase de préparation et la phase un et deux. Dans la phase de préparation, les étudiants de deuxième année ainsi que l'interaction des enseignants avec leur classe pour aider à la sélection des participants à l'étude. Dans la phase un, les questionnaires des enseignants, les questionnaires des étudiants ex-ante et ex-post et trois tâches de l'AFL ont été employés et leur données ont été collectés et analysé quantitativement en utilisant une analyse statistique descriptive de façon à déterminer l'efficacité de l'AFL. Dans la phase deux, les enseignants et les étudiants ont été interviewés de façon à collecter leurs opinions sur l'AFL. Les interviews ont été traduits du chinois à l'anglais, ils ont été transcrits et leur contenu à par la suite été analysé. Les résultats des trois phases ont été intégrés de façon à pouvoir interpréter les résultats de l'étude. Les résultats indiquent que l'AFL peut en effet augmenter la capacité d'apprentissage de l'anglais oral des élèves de niveau intermédiaire et élevé. De plus, les résultats montrent que les enseignants et les étudiants réagissent positivement à l'ALF.
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Alsaleh, Sultan Abdullah. "Investigating Riyadh's public health inspectors' ability to conduct risk-based food inspection, and their professional needs: A mixed-methods research study." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2021. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/208321/1/Sultan%20Abdullah%20R_Alsaleh_Thesis.pdf.
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Globally, the responsibilities of Food Safety Inspectors have dramatically evolved in recent times. The major change is the shift from a diagnostic and traditional food safety assessment role to a proactive and risk-based evaluation, resulting in better protection from foodborne illnesses. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge and skills required by food inspectors in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that will enable continuous improvement to food safety inspection practices by using proactive and risk-based evaluation methods. The result being that the implementation of more effective food inspection practices will result in the provision of safer food for consumers.
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As, Adrienne van. "'n Ondersoek na die gebruik en ontwikkeling van onderrig- en leermateriaal in multigraadskole in die Wellington Landdrosdistrik." Thesis, Cape Pemninsula University of Technology, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/1884.
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Thesis (Master of Education( Education))-- Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2009Multigrade classrooms face a lot of challenges because of their unique circumstances where more than one grade is combined in one classroom with one teacher. One of the problems is the lack of suited teaching and learning materials (TLM) for these classrooms. It includes the lack of computer-based TLM. Existing TLM that is developed for the use in monograde classroom cannot be used effectively in multigrade classrooms. TLM can provide a valuable contribution in these unique teaching and learning processes. An investigation was needed to determine the condition of die development, selection and use of TLM in these kind of schools. Only then can the solutions for the problems be investigated. During the investigation quantitative and qualitative research methods were used. During the first phase data was collected by a structured questionnaire where after and where of data were collected through standardized structured open-ended interviews and classroom observations in phase two and three. One of the main reasons for the problem is multigrade teacher‟s lack of knowledge and skills in die development, selection and use of TLM in the teaching and learning process. There is no criteria and requirements for the development and selection of TLM. Multigrade teachers do no realize the contribution TLM can provide in the process. The teaching strategies used in the multigrade classroom are very teacher-centered and it contributes to learners‟ lack of development in die teaching and learning process. It also contributes to the multigrade teacher‟s raise in work load and lack of time to do what they must do to ensure quality teaching and learning. There is big need for teacher training as well as in-service training of multigrade teachers that prepare teachers for the different aspects multigrade education. This training must not just include the development, selection and use of TLM, but also the five areas of multigrade teaching. Complete criteria and requirements for TLM in multigrade classroom must be composed by all the role players where after and where of TLM can be developed and selected effectively
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Ho, Kaling Rosa, and 何家玲. "The effects of language arts on the learning experience of a Hong Kongsecondary four Chinese-medium mixed ability class: a case study." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2005. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31676522.
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McCaw, Donna S. Davis-Lenski Susan Braun Joseph A. "Teaching reading using small flexible-skills grouping and whole classroom instruction a study of project : FIRST /." Normal, Ill. Illinois State University, 2001. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/ilstu/fullcit?p3006623.
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Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 2001.Title from title page screen, viewed April 20, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Susan Davis-Lenski, Joseph Braun (co-chairs), Anthony Lorsbach. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-139) and abstract. Also available in print.
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Hobson, Meredith L. "An analysis of differentiation strategies used by middle school teachers in hetergeneously [i.e. heterogeneously] grouped classrooms." View electronic thesis, 2008. http://dl.uncw.edu/etd/2008-1/hobsonm/meredithhobson.pdf.
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O'Connor, Kevin Michael. "Learning to teach academic language: A mixed methods study of secondary teacher candidates' development of linguistic awareness and ability to support academic language for English learners." Thesis, Boston College, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2345/bc-ir:104233.
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Thesis advisor: Audrey A. FriedmanEnglish learners (ELs) in US K-12 classrooms are falling behind their peers as they struggle to develop the proficiency needed to succeed in an academic setting (NCELA, 2012). The majority of teacher preparation programs are not preparing teacher candidates (TCs) with the skills needed to help recently mainstreamed ELs succeed in their content area classrooms (Bunch, 2011). This study examined how one undergraduate, secondary education teacher candidates who had participated in supplemental trainings developed their ability to recognize linguistic demand, shelter instruction, and promote academic language proficiency. Using a Sequential Mixed Design (Teddlie & Tashakkori, 2006), this longitudinal study examined the journals and lesson plans submitted by 31 undergraduate, secondary education TCs as they progressed through their prepractica. Six of these TCs were followed as case studies, with observations and interviews collected during their full practica. Collective data analysis indicates that TCs scored higher on all measures when they were in a linguistically diverse classroom. Furthermore, recognition of linguistic demand precedes ability to plan instruction: many TCs were able to recognize linguistic demand in lessons they observed, but few were adept at describing or designing sheltered instruction that could promote academic language development. For many participants, the attention to linguistic demand was focused largely on content-specific vocabulary that is challenging for all learners. However, a small number of TCs were able to attend to the morphological and lexical aspects of their content areas that would be especially difficult for ELs. In classroom observations a few participants were able to plan instruction that sheltered content and promoted academic language. Findings also indicate that supplemental trainings and infusions into methods courses helped TCs to realize the linguistic challenges of their respective content areas. Most importantly, the findings suggest that TCs are better able to focus on the language of instruction when they witness instruction that is focused on language. Therefore, TCs learn best how to support ELs when they observe and teach in linguistically diverse classrooms with knowledgeable mentoring teachers and field supervisors
Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2015
Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education
Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction
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Tam, Siu-ping, and 譚兆炳. "Changing from a streaming to a destreaming system: case study of a secondary school." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1996. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31958916.
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Ho, Kaling Rosa. "The effects of language arts on the learning experience of a Hong Kong secondary four Chinese-medium mixed ability class a case study /." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2005. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B31676522.
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Dauguet, Kathleen. "Understanding the 'mixed ability' program in Catholic secondary schools in Mauritius: perceptions of educators for best practice in the middle years of schooling." Thesis, Australian Catholic University, 2007. https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/download/9737f34f590e58a2546a4191bac33c50e306a453d4fe3f4c66a2353917063cb5/1894262/64837_downloaded_stream_62.pdf.
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The mission of Catholic Education in Mauritius is to 'humanise' education and pedagogies to be consistent with Catholic values. The vision of a 'humanised' education explicitly teaches collaboration and cooperation. In January 2005, the Catholic Education Bureau (BEC) opted for a 'mixed ability' philosophy whose articulation fosters inclusiveness in all Catholic secondary schools. To achieve this, schools need to re-invent and restructure themselves into learning organisations to make obvious the 'mixed ability' philosophy at the middle level of schooling from Form I to Form III.
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Chan, Hung-kit, and 陳雄傑. "The study of the different grouping arrangement ICT supported cooperative learning." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2003. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B40040276.
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Ndebele, Kordwick. "An investigation of the impact of formal and informal assessment on the self-esteem of pupils with borderline learning difficulties learning in mixed ability English language classes." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2009. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/10794/.
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This thesis reports on a research study aimed at examining the impact of informal and formal assessment on the self-esteem of pupils with borderline difficulties and language deficiencies learning in mixed ability English language classes. The thesis adopted a qualitative ethnographic methodology with triangulated methods to enquire into macro and micro views of the main concepts in this study. Thus, data were collected by participant observation within English classes, informal and formal interviews with pupils and teachers at the research site and semi-structured interviews at home with parents and pupils. Questionnaires for 6 teachers, pupils and parents [total n=31] were administered 22 pupils were observed over a period of nine months, spanning 5th September 2005 to May 2006 and 3 parents interviewed due to availability of willing pupils and their parents. This was followed by structured and semi-structured questionnaire administration and interviews with six teachers and pupils [n=22]. The experiences of pupils deemed to be struggling with learning, yet not certificated as having learning difficulties were analyzed utilizing the methodology outlined by [Lincoln and Guba 1985; Creswell 1998; Richards 2005; and Bryman 2004] among others, and the data provided rich ground for a potential development of a substantive theory of learning and self-esteem. The questions focused on the evidence of classroom, and on verbal and non-verbal teacher treatment of the focus group. It also focused on the perceptions and expectations of teachers and students regarding assessment [formal and informal] and how it impacts on pupils’ self esteem. Some themes that emerged in the study included the following: resistance to learning and to authority, ridicule and racism, treats and intimidations, student-teacher infatuation, racial and bullying, counter- school culture, and unfair teaching practices. Findings from this research study are a mixed bag. The evidence suggests that, self-esteem is dynamic and has an inherent executive capacity based particularly on individual competence, beliefs, thinking and feeling components. Furthermore, there was no evidence to suggest that pupils performing poorly suffered low self-esteem.
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Howard, Janette. "HOW DOES RACIAL IDENTITY EFFECT AFRICAN AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS ABILITY TO ASSIMILATE IN A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND ITS IMPACT ON RETENTION: A MIXED METHOD STUDY." OpenSIUC, 2014. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/dissertations/822.
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AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Janette Howard, for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION, presented on APRIL 9, 2014 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: HOW DOES RACIAL IDENTITY EFFECT AFRICAN AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS ABILITY TO ASSIMILATE In A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND ITS IMPACT ON RETENTION: A MIXED METHOD STUDY MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. John McIntyre, Examination Committee Chair The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to determine how racial identity of African American college students can impact their ability to assimilate on predominately White college campuses to the point of hindering their retention. This study was a sequential explanatory mixed method study. Phase one of the study was a quantitative survey consisting of 25 questions that was completed by N=125 African American students attending a Predominately White University in the Mid-West. Phase two of the study was a convenience sample of thirteen African American students living on and off campus. The following research questions were addressed to explore the research topic. (1) How does racial identity impact African American college students' ability to assimilate at a predominately White university with a high enrollment of African American college students? (2) How do African American college students perceive their college/university's commitment to them? (3) How do African American college students perceive their racial identity impacting their lives? The findings of the study showed that the complexities of racism and stereotypical perceptions made the process of assimilating into the college environment holistic, including social, academic, internal and external variables that impacted their ability to assimilate and form relationships needed to have a well-rounded college experience. However, many of the students interviewed felt some of the stereotypical perceptions are sometimes perpetuated by the actions of their Black peers. During a few of the interviews, students (N=7) described their dismay with the behavior that some of their peers exhibited. The participants that were interviewed felt that the students' success should be a shared responsibility. It should be up to the students to be accountable; one participant stated "too often people want to blame others for things that happen to them." Furthermore, he explained that he takes full responsibility for the 2.0 grade point he had at the end of the last semester, but he is now looking at a 3.2 for this semester. Many of the students expressed that they did feel the faculty and staff ratio could be more representative of the African American population. The students also felt the administration could do more to bring the students together as a whole, the students of color and the White students. The consensus of the interviews was that Black people as a whole, in the eyes of the boarder society, are not respected nor looked at as assets. Many of the students interviewed felt that if the Black students and the White students had more opportunities to engage outside of the classroom, they may see Blacks beyond the stereotypical perceptions.
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Pang, Lau Seung-man Bessie, and 龐劉湘文. "Social aspects of integration of children with profound hearing impairment in Hong Kong primary schools." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1990. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B38627085.
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