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1
Craig, Ian. "Primary school size and its relationship to school effectiveness : an exploration of optimal size for primary schools." Thesis, University of Kent, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.369681.
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Wong, Wai-ling Winnie. "A new primary school for quality education." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1999. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B25950940.
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Wong, Wai-ling Winnie, and 黃惠玲. "A new primary school for quality education." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1999. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31984903.
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Stevens, Vanessa Jane. "Governing education : the ethical spaces of primary school citizenship education." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2010. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.522269.
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Ahmad, Hajah Asmah bte Haji. "Collaborative management and school effectiveness in Malaysian primary schools." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 1998. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/10211/.
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The thesis investigates variations in effectiveness of six Malaysian primary schools in three kinds of geographical sites: urban, rural and resettlement areas. It also focuses on the perceptions of headteachers, deputy headteachers, and teachers about school effectiveness, leadership/ management style of headteachers and collaborative management culture. The research explores the tensions that exist between the ingrained assumptions of Malaysian education and the practices and attitudes of headteachers, deputies and teachers. Detailed interview research on effectiveness and managerial collaboration is highly significant in enhancing understanding of education in Malaysia. The findings also make a further contribution towards international and cross-cultural perspectives of `school effectiveness' and `collaborative management'. Although generally the understandings of what constitutes collaborative management and what constitute the effectiveness of schools are still in their infancy in Malaysia, however, this does not mean that they are not important to the Malaysian educators. The need for collaborative management in Malaysian primary school is getting greater as the country moves towards `Vision 2020' and obviously this need is not adequately provided for in the present education system despite the Ministry's directive. More emphasis on policy making, awareness, commitment and training are needed for better application of the collaborative management. At the same time better communication and relationship between headteachers, teachers, DEDs, SEDs and the Ministry should be enhanced. This research also suggests ways in which training for headteachers in the area of collaborative management may be helpful for the more effective function of the schools. For collaborative management to be a success, artistry is required, to know when and how to exercise the various components of leadership so that a collaborative culture that brings success can be developed and maintained in schools. Although there is relatively little disagreement concerning the belief that headteacher's management styles have an impact on the lives of teachers and students, both the nature and degree of that impact continue to be open to debate.
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Wikeley, Felicity Jane. "Parental choice of primary school." Thesis, University of Exeter, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.244957.
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Chimombo, Joseph Patrick Goodson. "Implementing educational innovations : a study of free primary education in Malawi." Thesis, University of Sussex, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.310250.
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The new democratic government of Malawi introduced free primary education (FPE) in the 1994/95 academic year. This major policy intervention included the removal of tuition and other school fees, and children were no longer required to wear a uniform to attend school. The main objectives ofFPE were to increase access to primary education and to eliminate inequalities in participation through reducing the direct costs, and to improve retention rates and thus reduce illiteracy. FPE is the most significant educational policy ever introduced in Malawi. Its development invited a detailed study of how participation has changed, what mechanisms were employed to improve retention and promotion, and what strategies were used to meet the need for additional human and physical resources. There are four main concerns which shaped this study: 1) The genesis of the policy- how was the policy initiated and for what reasons? 2) The policy itself- i.e. what did the policy consist of and what did the ministry of education do? 3) What happened after the introduction of FPE and how did enrolment, access and retention change over time? 4) Why did things happen the way they did and what are the reasons which help explain the effect of implementing FPE? Data were collected through grounded case studies of ten schools undertaken in different parts of Malawi. The literature indicates that judgements on the effectiveness of policy implementation require insights that can only be obtained from case study work at the local level. Those involved in the development of policy were interviewed and national level data were also analysed. Systems theory was used to examine the relationships between system components, between the system and its environment and between one system and another, and the major concepts of this theory of interdependence, integration and cohesion were used to analyse and interpret the findings of this thesis. At the macro level, the study also drew on functionalist theory. In order to examine how educational institutions perceive, manipulate and act within the structural constraints within which they find themselves, the socio-politico-cultural frameworks within which, and through which these institutions have shaped schooling under FPE were elaborated. The analysis has shown that the immediate goal of ensuring universal access to primary education has been largely achieved. Most children in Malawi have set foot inside a school of some kind. But when the implementation of FPE policy was examined within the Jomtien aspirations which included improving educational quality, ensuring greater equity in the distribution of educational resources, and improving retention and attendance, the thesis concludes that Malawi lacks the administrative and fiscal capacity to deliver primary education of minimum quality to all. This deficiency leads to system fragmentation and low cohesion in the implementation process which partly explains the limitations of FPE policy identified. The study established that schooling problems might have worsened since the introduction of FPE and that despite increased efforts towards girls education, gender disparities still remain one of the main problems. Further, the rhetorical association of schooling with economic opportunity is questionable, at least for those where the demand for schooling is weak and the benefits not apparent. A simulation modelling costs also indicates that achieving EFA is financially unsustainable in the short and medium term. The findings provide pointers about what needs to be done or strengthened in order to ensure a more effective implementation of an ambitious and worthwhile educational policy reform in Malawi, as well as the lessons that can be learned for the implementation of similar reforms.
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Okesli, Tayyibe Fulya. "Relationship Between Primary School Students." Master's thesis, METU, 2008. http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/2/12609970/index.pdf.
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The purpose of this thesis was to investigate environmental literacy of 6th, 7th and 8th grades primary school students in public schools of Bodrum, Turkey. The study was carried out during the spring semester of the 2006-2007 academic years. A total of 848 students enrolled in four public primary schools completed the 49-item Environmental Literacy Questionnaire (Kaplowitz &Levine, 2005). The components of environmental literacy which are defined as knowledge, attitude, use and concern of students about environmental issues were examined by means of frequency distributions. Results displayed that although students had low levels of knowledge about the environent, they displayed positive attitudes and high levels of concern toward the environment. They were also aware of the importance of interaction between humans and the environment. Relationships among the components of the ELQ (knowledge, attitudes, uses, and concerns) have been analyzed by means of zero order correlations. The strongest correlation found between &lsquo
attitude and use&rsquo
and &lsquo
use and concern&rsquo
variables among the components of the ELQ indicating that the students with positive attitude towards environmental issues have positive views on environmental uses and service and students concerning about environmental problems have more positive views on environmental use and service. Canonical correlation analysis was used to examine the relationship, if any, between the background characteristics of students and the set of environmental literacy variables in the questionnaire. The results showed that students who were interested in environmental issues, who gave importance to environmental problems, who thought they had good knowledge about environmental issues, whose parents&rsquo
were interested in environmental issues and involved in environmental activities had better knowledge about environmental issues, more positive attitude towards environmental issues, more positive view on environmental uses and service and concern environmental problems. In addition, the results of analysis by means of Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) demonstrated that female students had more positive attitudes towards environmental issues, more positive views on environmental use and more concern about environmental problems than male students&rsquo
had but same level of knowledge on environmental issues.
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Chau, Tat-sing, and 鄒達成. "A forgiveness education programme with primary school students." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2004. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B30247767.
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Ó, Cuanacháin Colm. "Human rights education in an Irish primary school." Thesis, University of Leicester, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/2381/27726.
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This thesis reports on an action research study conducted with teachers and pupils in one Irish primary school. It focuses on human rights education as a framework for a whole-school approach to participative learning that promotes citizenship, justice, and equality, in the classroom. As the principal teacher in the school, the author sought to develop a more effective, inclusive and democratic learning environment for children. The study was a response to opportunities presented for human rights education both in international human rights law, and in the Irish primary school curriculum. The needs analysis generated research aims that focused on developing a human rights school, monitoring its impact, and evaluating the outcomes. The process included the development of policies, programmes, and methodologies to achieve the identified aims. The change process ran over the course of one year, during which the children were engaged in participative learning about, in and for human rights. The praxis based implementation model involved a series of cumulative stages of action and reflection. Monitoring and evaluation methodologies included questionnaire based longitudinal cohort studies, formal and semi-formal meetings, and the use of teachers' diaries. The resultant data was analysed and interpreted with the participants, and resulted in findings across four areas: • The role and function of the school leadership in facilitating, and implementing a whole-school approach to human rights education. • Aspects of the curriculum, and the hidden curriculum, including participation, time, and evaluation. • Professional development, including pre-service, and in-service training. • Behaviour, and the framework for accountability, decision-making, transparency, and responsibility in the school. The resultant recommendations point to the need for the school partners to consolidate the human rights approach through the ongoing provision of resources and time to participative methodologies, and the responsibility on the Department of Education and Science to facilitate and support schools seeking to encourage democratic education.
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Gatenby, Lisa Ann. "Nutrient intakes of primary school children." Thesis, University of Hull, 2008. http://hydra.hull.ac.uk/resources/hull:761.
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Background In April 2004 Hull City Council introduced free healthy school meals for all primary and special school pupils (approximately 20,500 children from 71 primary schools and 6 special schools) in an attempt to reduce health and education inequalities. The meals were prepared to meet the Caroline Walker Trust (CWT) nutritional guidelines for primary schools. This study was carried out to assess the nutritional content of the meals and children’s actual intake from school dinners in comparison to children’s nutritional intake from packed lunches. The study then aimed to assess how food intake at lunch time impacted upon food consumed for the remainder of the day. Methods Children were recruited onto the study from two schools in Hull. The schools were selected by the number of pupils on roll and the number of children eligible for free school meals. The first phase of research assessing lunch consumption was conducted with 147 children, aged 8 – 11 years. School meals and packed lunches were weighed and photographed before and after consumption to assess actual intakes. The second phase assessed total daily food and nutrient intakes in a small sample of 20 children. All assessments were carried out over five consecutive days. Results The food provided by the schools for lunch met the majority of the CWT nutritional guidelines, however children’s intake did not. Children who ate a hot school dinner consumed only the foods they liked from the school meals provided leading to a low energy and nutrient intake. Large differences, for example 367kcal in comparison to 760kcal, in nutritional intakes were found between those children who ate a hot school dinner and those who ate a packed lunch. Children who consumed a packed lunch consumed significantly (p less than 0.05) more energy, fat, saturated fat, non-milk extrinsic (NME) sugar and sodium than children who ate a hot school dinner, but with this consumed more micronutrients. However, neither of the groups of children met the CWT guidelines for lunch time micronutrient intakes. The food diary analysis revealed that those children who ate a hot school dinner went on to consume food high in energy, fat, saturated fat, NME sugar and sodium later in the day. The significant differences in nutrient intakes between the hot dinner and packed lunch groups at lunch time disappeared when total daily intakes were compared. Differences were found between the children’s nutritional intake from the two schools, which may be due to socio economic factors. Conclusion The free healthy school dinners were not having the desired effect of improving children’s nutritional intake, children chose to eat the foods they liked and left the rest. Children who ate a free healthy school dinner went on to consume foods high in energy, fat, NME sugar and sodium later in the day and overall did not have a lower intake of these macronutrients than those children who had a packed lunch.
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Fraser, Alister. "Independent learning in the primary school." Thesis, University of East Anglia, 1994. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.242432.
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Wragg, Caroline Maria. "Classroom management in the primary school." Thesis, University of Exeter, 1994. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.384986.
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Newman, Barry Keith. "Control technology in the primary school." Thesis, University of Leicester, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/2381/35659.
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This study traces the origins of control technology in the primary school from the beginning of the 1980's and identifies the factors which led to the emergence of this new curriculum area. The various local and central government initiatives are reviewed in terms of their catalystic effect in stimulating the development of resources and growth of training to encourage primary schools to introduce control technology into their curriculum. A central part of the study investigates how one local authority, Northamptonshire, has responded to the development of this curriculum area in its primary schools. This investigation took the form of a questionnaire to all primary schools, as well as an additional questionnaire to teachers attending control courses, to assess the current county position and identify issues that emerged which might limit the growth of this curriculum area. As part of this investigation case studies were carried out in two Northamptonshire primary schools to identify possible difficulties in the transition from the use of constructional materials to the introduction of computer control. By reviewing the latest developments in primary control and using the evaluation of the Northamptonshire investigation the study attempts to relate all the activities essential to the development of control technology to the requirements laid down in the National Curriculum. This inevitably leads to the identification of many current issues which will affect the future development of this curriculum area. By 1990 control had become an accepted part of the primary classroom, with recognition as a requirement of the National Curriculum, but for the majority of schools it represents yet another challenge to be met during this decade.
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McDonald, Anne. "Primary school boys' narratives about masculinity." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/80281.
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Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.Bibliography
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The issue of masculinity is complex, and many theories on how gender is constructed exist. The central premise of this study is that gender construction is the result of dynamic social interaction and, as such, a post-structuralist paradigm is ascribed to. The concept of multiple masculinities exists to explain the influences different contexts have on how masculine ideas are constructed. This is not a passive process and individuals are considered active creators of their own identity. However, research demonstrates that not all masculinities are equal. Hegemonic masculinity maintains its leading dominant position status through using strategies of power and dominance to maintain the pinnacle position of status in the hierarchy of masculinities. The purpose of this study is to listen to the narratives of pre-adolescent boys about masculinity. Post-structuralist and social constructivist ideas that meaning is fluid and open to change, is influenced by culture and the individual meanings that people make. This understanding provides the theoretical framework for this qualitative study. Through a narrative-inquiry design, meaning was made of the individual experiences of six boys within the context of a single-sex preparatory school. The narratives of these participants, purposively selected, were obtained using the data-collecting methods of interviews, a focus group and the construction of a collage. The analysed data was presented both in the form of the narratives of the participants and through a thematic analysis. The findings indicate that within this private, single-sex preparatory school context, multiple constructions of masculinity are formed, and they all appear to be constructed in relation to hegemonic notions of masculinity. It was found that fathers play an important role in the way in which boys construct their masculine identity. However, their peers and the school context also play a significant role. Further, the findings revealed that although hegemonic notions of masculinity in this context had a powerful impact on these participants’ construction of masculinity, there are indications some are challenging overt expressions of hegemonic masculinity and, as such, hold more complex, transitional constructs of masculine identity.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die kwessie rondom manlikheid is kompleks en daar bestaan baie teorieë oor hoe geslag gebou word. Die sentrale uitgangspunt van hierdie studie is dat die konstruksie van geslag ‘n resultaat van dinamiese sosiale interaksie is en dus aan 'n post-strukturalistiese paradigma toegeskryf word. As sodanig bestaan die konsep van verskeie vorme van manlikheid om te verduidelik hoe verskillende kontekste manlike idees beïnvloed. Dit is nie 'n passiewe proses nie. Individue word as aktiewe skeppers van hulle eie identiteit beskou. Navorsing toon egter dat nie alle vorme van manlikheid gelyk is nie. Hegemoniese manlikheid hou 'n dominante posisie in stand deur die gebruik van strategieë van mag en oorheersing; die hoogsteposisie van status in die hiërargie van manlikheid word dus gestaaf. Die doel van hierdie studie is om na die narratiewe van pre-adolessente seuns oor manlikheid te luister. Post-strukturalistiese en sosiale konstruktivistiese idees wat aandui dat bedoelings vloeibaar en veranderbaar is, afhangende van kultuur en die betekenis wat deur 'n individu daaraan geheg word, voorsien dus 'n teoretiese raamwerk vir hierdie kwalitatiewe studie. Deur die gebruik van ‘n narratiewe ondersoek-ontwerp, is die betekenis van die individuele ervaringe van ses seuns in die konteks van 'n enkel-geslag voorbereidende skool geevalueer. Die verhale van hierdie deelnemers, wat doelgerig geselekteer is, is verkry deur gebruik te maak van onderhoude, 'n fokus groep en die konstruksie van 'n collage as data insamelingsmetodes. Die geanaliseerde data is beide in die vorm van verhale van die deelnemers sowel as 'n tematiese analise aangebied. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat binne hierdie private, enkel-geslag voorbereidende skoolkonteks, verskeie konstruksies van manlikheid gevorm word en het telkens beblyk in verhouding tot hegemoniese idees oor manlikheid gebou te word. Daar is bevind dat vaders 'n belangrike rol speel in die wyse waarop seuns hul manlike identiteit konstrueer. Eweknieë en die skoolkonteks speel egter ook 'n belangrike rol in die konstruksie van geslag. Die bevindinge het verder aan die lig gebring dat, alhoewel hegemoniese idees oor manlikheid in hierdie konteks 'n kragtige uitwerking op hierdie deelnemers se konstruksie van manlikheid het, daar aanduidings is dat sommige van die deelnemers openlike uitdrukkings van hegemoniese manlikheid uitdaag en sodoende meer komplekse oorgang-konstrukte van manlike identiteit het.
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Wong, Kai-hung Peter. "Whole school approach to guidance : a pilot project in a primary school /." [Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong], 1993. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B13744628.
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Wang, Kuanyun Rhoda, and 王宽韵. "Examining philosophical congruity between kindergartens and primary schools in Hong Kong: implications for thekindergarten-primary school transition." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2009. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B4439150X.
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Chan, Shuk-mei Pearl. "Implementation of whole school approach to guidance in a primary school : a case study /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1998. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B20057374.
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Woods, Lois. "Children's perspectives of primary school environments." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2018. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/51143/.
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It has been recognised for many years that children learn from direct experiences with their surrounding environments (Weinstein and David, 1987). Considering children spend the majority of their early lives occupying school buildings, the quality of this built environment is important as it is thought to have an impact on their learning, social development and well-being. The architectural design of school environments, procured over the past 15 years has been constantly evolving with the need for new and improved school buildings coupled with significant changes in education over the past few decades. In the UK, during the 2000s, there was significant investment in the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, with a desire to achieve high quality inspirational environments that enhance learning (DfES, 2003c), where design quality was considered an important factor to address issues of sustainability, flexibility and adaptability (DfES, 2002b). As such, there has been significant research undertaken into school design, which has found that certain elements of the environment may have an impact on learning and achievement. However, a change in government in 2010 led to the existing school building programmes at the time being axed and the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) being introduced in 2011, with baseline design guidelines and the aim to make school construction more cost-effective (National Audit Office, 2017). During the economic downturn, it became apparent that some elements of school design were being omitted to reduce building costs. Considering the current situation, this poses the question: what impact does the latest wave of school buildings have on the users and their experiences in these new settings? Optimising the design of school buildings remains important, and in order to achieve this, we need to examine some of our existing and recently constructed school buildings. This thesis reviews the current situation by investigating the impact of ‘new’ primary school buildings on children’s experiences and their daily lives at school, conducting a post-occupancy investigation of four case study schools. The qualitative research targeted the end-users, the children themselves, by exploring their views on their schools. The research also highlights the potential of participatory techniques through use of creative methods, providing an understanding of primary school buildings through the children’s eyes, giving them a voice within the research. The findings identify that, from the children’s perspective, new primary schools are to an extent, providing sufficient spaces in which to learn. However, it remains that there are some environmental issues which are affecting children. The importance of the holistic school environment has been highlighted as well as desirable spaces and places for children at school, with an emphasis on outdoor spaces and the natural environment. By providing insights into their daily experiences, the findings suggest that such spaces ought to be considered higher priority in the design process. The research aims to set a precedent for architects and designers, providing an insight into four post-occupancy case studies, whilst looking forward to integrating participatory techniques in future school evaluation and design. By enriching existing knowledge in the area of school environments, it provides fresh information that will continue to aid the future design of schools by architects, which ultimately, has the potential to have a positive impact on development and well-being.
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Khan, Shereen Alima. "Mathematics proficiency of primary school students in Trinidad and Tobago." Thesis, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10256768.
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To address the problem of underperformance in mathematics, Trinidad & Tobago introduced national tests to provide feedback to stakeholders, so that well-targeted interventions can be planned. After more than a decade of generating and sharing reports on performance with these stakeholders, results of national tests remained much the same. It was evident that the feedback was ineffective in instituting the desired changes. In keeping with Vygotsky’s notion that instruction can be improved by teaching within the child’s Zone of Proximal Development, this study devised a model, incorporating the principle of assessment for learning to provide feedback on student performance.
Data from the 2015 mathematics (Standard 3) national test was analysed to describe the proficiencies of students within each of four performance levels. Using a mixed methods design, a sample of 180 scripts was analysed to determine content-specific proficiencies. These were categorised into (i) what students know and can do (Zone of Achieved Development), (ii) what they can do with help (Zone of Proximal Development) and (iii) what they cannot do.
The findings indicated that students in the lower performing groups had deficiencies in reading and comprehension skills and this impacted on their mathematics performance. Division and multiplication algorithms posed difficulties for these students. Performance in measurement was poor, with only the top performing group demonstrating proficiency in this strand. Items requiring higher order thinking were challenging for all students. Inability to carry out mathematical modeling prevented students from obtaining correct answers to questions covering almost half of the test.
A key recommendation is that teachers be given support in planning and instructional strategies to cater for all learners. Intense, ongoing professional development, targeting problem solving, mathematical modeling, and teaching algorithms was recommended. To enable learners to experience more depth and less breadth in achieving competence in measurement, reform in curricula demands, assessment techniques and instructional strategies was suggested.
The study also called for re-conceptualising the design and implementation of national assessment. Such approaches should incorporate models that provide feedback on all curricula outcomes on a continuous basis, and empower teachers to analyse classroom data so as to diagnose student deficiencies.
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Lebo, Scott Robert. "HONDURAN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL EDUCATION AND ITS STATIC NATURE." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 1985. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/275266.
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Fellers, Jaime. "Impact of Malawi's School Meals Program on Primary Education." Thesis, Boston College, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2345/bc-ir:104303.
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Thesis advisor: Paul CichelloInitially launched as a pilot program in 1996 by the World Food Program (WFP) at the request of the Government of Malawi (GoM), the School Meals Program (SMP) reached approximately 642,000 primary school children by 2011. According to the WFP, the objectives of the SMP are: 1) reduce drop out rates; 2) promote regular attendance; 3) increase enrollment; and 4) improve children’s ability to concentrate and learn, through food provision (WFP, 2010). Given these aims, this paper aims to determine if Malawi’s SMP affects the primary enrollment rate or attendance as measured as an impact on temporary withdraws. By applying a propensity score matching (PSM) model to the Third Integrated Household Survey data from 2010-2011, the estimation of the impacts will aim to mitigate selection bias using historic enrollment and other covariates, which include WFP selection criteria and theory-based community and political characteristics. Using three different matching techniques, the model predicts that the SMP has no impact on primary enrollment and a statistically insignificant, but positive impact on attendance, here measured as a decrease in temporary withdraws. Explanations for these atypical results include the presence of exclusion errors, which were found in the pilot evaluation, model misspecification, and the lack of social desirability bias in my measures. Further research is needed to determine the extent to which previous results have been biased by Hawthorne effects or social desirability bias. Given the potential of the temporary withdraws for highlighting a positive impact of the program, further studies should include this measure as a potential outcome of any SMP program, especially in agrarian economies
Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2015
Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences
Discipline: Departmental Honors
Discipline: Economics
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Beresford, Charles Richard de la Poer. "Strategic planning : Local Education Authorities and primary school development." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1994. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10019218/.
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Many changes were taking place in schools and local government while this thesis was being developed during 1992 and 1993. An historical perspective of the impact of legislation on education is followed by a description of the emergence of school development planning. The literature on school effectiveness and improvement, together with that on inspection and advice, are the contexts for consideration of change and quality in schools. Data from every LEA in the UK is linked with interview data from a sample of LEAs with schools engaged in an ESRC-funded research project. Additional information from national education offices and from other research carried out during the same period is used to triangulate perceptions. Insights from this range of data are then presented in two sections: the implications for LEAs and schools are explored and characteristics identified. The evidence indicates that the strategic role of LEAs has been significant in the introduction of primary school development planning. The implementation of policies that have been mandated by central government since 1988 have increasingly depended on schools' ability to prioritise within their own planning. The impact of these policies on the performance, accountability and strategic capacity of community services is considered. Particular consideration is given to collaboration between services, the power shift away from elected members of LEAs towards school governors, and the scope for effective leadership in education. The implications for the deployment of resources and re-orientation of responsibilities throughout the education service and teaching profession are far-reaching. Conclusions about the appropriateness of networking, of competition, and of new patterns of bureaucracy vary in different parts of the UK. In the wake of recent legislation affecting education and local government, a new initiative is needed to revitalise strategic systemic planning and inter-school collaboration.
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Ryan, Aine. "The road to democracy in Irish primary school education." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2014. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/7777/.
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This thesis explores the extent to which democratic values and ideals have informed Irish primary school education since independence in 1922. The examination reveals how undemocratic structures, principles and practices have been maintained in primary education by denying equality and freedom of conscience to those not of the majority Catholic faith. It describes how the unique predicament of religious hegemony has persisted because of legislative machinery which, by guaranteeing protection of religious ethos, allows discrimination in enrolment policies, employment practices of primary school teachers, indoctrination across the curriculum and religious control of all teacher training colleges. The social, cultural and political factors which have produced this anomaly of a democratic State having an undemocratic education system are examined, as well as why this situation persists. The possibility for evolution of the democratic discourse within education as well as the forces currently obstructing change is also considered. The arguments presented emerge from a critical policy analysis which draws on democratic theories. In particular, a historical account of Irish primary education is outlined which is informed by Dewey’s philosophy of education, theories referencing participatory democracy and those contemporary sociological concepts which emphasise the role of education in the process of social reproduction and transformation. Gramsci’s ideas on hegemony are applied to analyse the power structures controlling education and theories of selective knowledge, as propounded by Williams and Apple, are applied to the Irish context to highlight the political nature of the curriculum and how it is manipulated to exercise power. Contemporary schooling as a site of conflict and contest is analysed in the light of the potential of counter-hegemonic groups to challenge existing patterns and tradition. The main findings are that the grip which hegemonic forces have had on Irish society has produced a conservative culture contributing to a democratic deficit in terms of social reform and civic participation. Although the Irish social order has changed significantly there is still a mismatch between society’s expectations and the ideology and practice which defines primary schooling today. Education is not keeping pace with the requirements of contemporary Irish culture.
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Williams, Travis Andrew. "Ground-play yard-school play-school : a Ludic typology for primary education." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/79140.
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Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 2013.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 218-221).
This thesis explores how free play can be promoted, incentivized, and enabled through architecture to reinterpret the elementary school typology within the urban context of the Los Angeles Unified School District. The project is not a playground, but it is not just a school either. It functions as a play of ground that uses manipulated terrain to serve the programmatic needs of a school while also allowing for playful reinterpretation during its use. It combines the school yard with the school through the wielding of a visual datum of 56 inches that allows the space to be inhabited differently by adult faculty compared to young students. The system of ground is designed to be dextrous enough to create scalar variations in space and complex relationships between interior and exterior. It also exists as a recognizable language of objects, pauses, slopes and cliffs. These construct schools within schools, and rooms inside of other rooms serving students individually and collectively within a continuous volume where walls do not exist. In the end, the school tries to re-present a programmatically recognizable example of a typical school for the LAUSD. However, it does this while also creating a combination of play and school that is greater than the sum of those two parts and allows for scales of socialization that promote endless iterations of play.
by Travis Andrew Williams.
M.Arch.
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Kyritsi, Krystallia. "Creativity in primary schools : exploring perspectives on creativity within a Scottish primary school classroom." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/31518.
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This thesis explores children's and teachers' perspectives on creativity, and its implementation, within one primary school classroom in Scotland. The data collection phase of the research employed an ethnographic approach, involving four and a half months of fieldwork in the primary school classroom. Data were generated from participant observation/informal conversations with children and teachers and one round of semi-structured interviews with twenty-five children (aged eleven to twelve) and two teachers. Creativity within primary education has been mainly studied through psychological research, which is mainly based on theories of developmental psychology. Such theories view creativity solely as an individual trait. Despite recognition of the importance of sociocultural issues to the flourishing of children's creativity, the study of their collaborative creativity has been neglected - particularly in relation to socio-cultural power dynamics. This thesis specifically analyses the balance between individual and collective creativity in the primary classroom, examines how collaborative creativity can acknowledge childhood diversity, and poses questions about how we include children with differing and complex identities in creative processes. Furthermore, this research has been carried out in Scotland, within the context of a fairly new curriculum, the Curriculum for Excellence. This curriculum has been viewed by some as a progressive, modern and motivating curriculum that enables children's autonomy, and by others as one that has been highly influenced by accountability and performativity regimes, which leave limited space for children's and teachers' autonomy. This thesis examines how the Curriculum for Excellence is interpreted in everyday practice and the extent to which it enables the cultivation of children's creativity. The thesis does so by shedding light on the practical interconnections between children's and teachers' agency, structural enablers/barriers, and cultural processes. The findings of this study show that children perceive, perform and embody creativity not only as an individual trait, but also as a collaborative process. However, the findings also show that collaborative creativity entails many complexities and that cultural barriers to creativity may emerge when power among people (children and teachers) operates in ways that create cultures of exclusion. The thesis concludes that the multiple identities of the Curriculum for Excellence, its multiple interpretations, and lack of coherence regarding what is expected of teachers, leads to a blurred landscape of implementation. The thesis argues that lack of a clear plan, strategy and framework for enabling creativity inhibits the founding principles of the Curriculum for Excellence from being achieved. The thesis also argues that environmental and structural barriers within the research setting inhibit the flourishing of children's creativity, but that the structural barriers can sometimes be overcome through the construction of enabling cultures. The thesis is able to define enabling cultures as cultures that value diversity, promote inclusion, and view space not as static, but as a dynamic process. In so doing, the findings of this study emphasise the interconnected importance of: viewing creativity as an individual trait; perceiving creativity as a collaborative process; and thinking in spatial terms, for example, in ways that create the space for children to perceive, perform and embody creativity in their diverse, but equally valuable ways. This finding enables this study to argue that there is a need for future policies and curricula which promote and encourage greater flexibility in teaching and learning practices, in order to enhance children's and teachers' agency and thus allow them to collaboratively create the types of enabling environments, originally envisaged by the Curriculum for Excellence, that will allow children's creativity to flourish.
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Papastamatis, Adamantios. "Teaching styles of Greek primary school teachers." Thesis, University of Manchester, 1988. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.278909.
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Wills, Robin C. "Teaching primary school children in single-gendered classes." Access electronically, 2003. http://www.library.uow.edu.au/adt-NWU/public/adt-NWU20041103.152651/index.html.
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Newman, M. "Post occupancy evaluation of primary schools : a multi-stakeholder perspective." Thesis, Coventry University, 2010. http://curve.coventry.ac.uk/open/items/63752b3c-45f7-d6ff-b065-a80705279f0f/1.
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The UK government, under the Primary Capital Programme, is planning to rebuild or refurbish approximately half of all primary schools by 2022/23. The aim is to create primary schools that are equipped for 21st century teaching and learning. Around £7 billion will be invested in the scheme with £1.9 billion of the budget being spent 2008-11, £650 million for all local authorities in 2009-10 and £1.1 billion in 2010-11. However, this substantial investment will only meet the target of providing a 21st century educational environment, with opportunities for exemplary teaching and learning, if the design of new and refurbished schools is fit for this purpose. The research set out to answer the question ‘How can all user groups be involved in the evaluation of newly built primary schools?’ This question was addressed by achieving the aim of developing a post-occupancy evaluation toolkit specifically for primary schools which accounted for the views of all stakeholders. The research focussed on primary schools in the city of Coventry in the UK West Midlands and was conducted in two phases: an examination of schools built before the introduction of a model brief in 1996 and an evaluation of schools that were built using its guidance. The findings from the initial case studies indicated issues to be addressed in the design of the toolkit. Following the initial case studies in pre-1996 schools, the research focussed on five recently built primary schools that were constructed according to the guidelines contained in Coventry’s model brief. At the time of commencing the research, six primary schools had been built using this framework. However, there had been no attempt to evaluate the schools to establish whether they met the needs of all stakeholders. The post-occupancy evaluation toolkit that was developed took a multi-stakeholder perspective on primary school builds and resulted in findings which indicate the variability in responses between different stakeholder groups and schools. The research concluded that the post-occupancy toolkit can provide information on school buildings, from a multi-stakeholder perspective, which may be useful architects and designers. It also proposes an approach to primary school design which accounts for the variability in the needs of diverse stakeholder groups and the individuality of each school, including their geographical location.
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Costello, Patrick J. M. "Against unjustifiable indoctrination : philosophy in the primary school." Thesis, University of Hull, 1990. http://hydra.hull.ac.uk/resources/hull:14331.
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Gibbs, Desmond Robert. "Victorian school books : a study of the changing social content and use of school books in Victoria, 1848-1948, with particular reference to school readers /." Connect to thesis, 1987. http://eprints.unimelb.edu.au/archive/00001321.
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Cele, Sanelisiwe Yenzile Nicole. "Experiences of Primary school teachers in full service schools in Umlazi District." Thesis, University of Zululand, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10530/1678.
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A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Educational Psychology in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Needs Education at the University Of Zululand, 2018The dispute of inclusion is one that has not only been a challenge for South African schools but for the country as a whole. The success of the implementation of the inclusion policy will not only talk to the progress at the schools in South Africa (SA), but it will also provide us with a glimpse of the nation’s progress towards the implementation of democracy itself. Considerable work has been done internationally with regards to the practicality of full-service schooling; however, a limited expanse locally. The objectives of the study were: (i) To determine the nature of experiences of primary school teachers in full service schools; and (ii) To establish if there is any relationship between the teachers’ experiences in full service primary schools and the variables of interest: gender, age, qualification, race and teaching experience. In order to address the study questions, a mixed method research design was employed. A sample of 63 teachers in Full Service Schools (FSSs) in Umlazi district was purposefully selected based on experience and expertise. For data collection, self-developed questionnaires comprising a demographic information section and a Likert-type inventory were used. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) accounted for statistical and descriptive analysis; and Thematic Analysis for qualitative analysis. The findings of this study revealed that a greater number of teachers had positive experiences within FSSs in Umlazi district. However, disabling conditions that prevent teachers to be completely convinced of Inclusive Education (IE) were found to be: Lack of support from the Department of Education (DoE), teachers’ perceived incompetency when dealing with impaired children, insufficient resources, maltreatment of disabled children by their non-disabled peers, lack of parental support, large class sizes and shortage of staff. With regards to the variables of interest in relation to the experiences of teachers in FSSs, it was discovered that: male teachers expressed more positive experiences than their female counterparts; it appeared that the higher the qualification, the more teachers felt confident about teaching in FSSs; more Indian teachers reported having favorable experience than black African teachers; and teachers with more years of teaching experience indicated optimism towards teaching in FSSs than teachers with less teaching experience. Recommendations from the current study suggest that teacher pre-service training be tailored in accordance with the requirements of teaching in a FSS. Workshops and conferences should be conducted to provide teachers with recent updated teaching material that will allow them to stay relevant with the IE curriculum. Furthermore, psycho-education around the maltreatment of disabled children should be provided to schools and communities in an attempt to bring awareness about disability and advocacy against the exclusion and the ill-treatment of the disabled. Again, psycho-education should be provided to families to bring awareness regarding the importance of the caregiver’s active role in the academic and personal life of a child. This would entail the process of providing education and information to families of children that attend FSSs. These recommendations would bridge a gap in the challenges that are experienced in FSSs.
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Watts, Pauline. "Leadership learning through challenging situations : Primary School Headteachers." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2012. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/3316/.
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This study offers an understanding of the leadership learning of headteachers through an exploration of their practices and perspectives when dealing with challenging situations. The research methodology uses semi-structured interviews to capture the experiences of eighteen primary school headteachers as they describe the challenges they face and the way in which they learn from them. The findings show that primary school leadership is embedded in relationships which are complex and challenging. The strategies and coping mechanisms headteachers use to deal with challenges are similar and reflect the powerful influence of values, trust and emotional resilience. The insights presented in this study should inform the future research agenda in educational leadership and identify inadequacies in the leadership development of school leaders. Strategies which enable headteachers to experience more planned and meaningful development are presented. These include formal coaching systems, the formation of meaningful networks and guided critical reflection on experiences. A framework for integrated leadership development, which supports the aspects of leadership acquired through real-life challenges, is also proposed. This should enhance those aspects of leadership which can be learnt through challenging situations and better equip headteachers to manage and lead their schools.
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Floyd, David Graham. "An examination of the links between the pedagogical culture of primary schools, school effectiveness and school improvement." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1999. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10006625/.
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This study examines the proposition that values and beliefs about teaching and learning are of critical importance in determining pupil outcomes. Using a sample of teaching staff from 32 primary schools, I attempt to identify these beliefs and their links with school effectiveness and school improvement. School effectiveness is measured in terms of pupil progress on Suffolk Reading Tests taken at 6+ and 8+ from 1994-6. Data about pedagogical values and beliefs were collected using interviews, questionnaires and Ofsted reports. An outlier framework was used to analyse effectiveness and improvement, and to determine if either was associated with a pedagogical culture based upon the ideology of progressivism which the work of Plowden and Piaget supposedly spawned during the early 1970s. It has been argued that this ideology still continues to influence primary practice and has been largely responsible for a perceived decline in standards of literacy. The results of this study suggest that differences in pedagogical culture between outlier groups are not nearly as wide ranging as some critics of primary practice suggest. However, although the differences may be few, they may still explain the apparent divergence in effectiveness since they appear to relate to pedagogical goals, methods, and certain leadership strategies. Differences between schools in which the rate of pupil progress improved substantially between 1994-6 and those in which it declined, appeared even less marked. This study also explores the challenges involved in linking research into school effectiveness with school improvement, and suggests that the lack of synergy between the two, particularly in the sphere of teaching and learning, can be partly transcended through the concept of pedagogical culture which is common to both fields of enquiry. The study concludes by positing a model that uses pedagogical culture to link both the school effectiveness and school improvement paradigms.
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Wong, Shuk-ching. "Improving ICT use in a primary school." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2004. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B40040069.
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Wong, Kai-hung Peter, and 黃啓鴻. "Whole school approach to guidance: a pilot project in a primary school." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1993. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31249589.
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Nicola, Eric Thomas. "Has universal primary education improved school enrollment of AIDS orphans?" Connect to Electronic Thesis (CONTENTdm), 2010. http://worldcat.org/oclc/646048288/viewonline.
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Wen, Ming-Lee. "Critical thinking and innovation in primary school education in Taiwan." Thesis, Online version, 1992. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?did=1&uin=uk.bl.ethos.284944.
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Sethusha, Mantsose Jane. "How primary school learners conceptualize the environment and environmental education." Diss., Pretoria : [s.n.], 2006. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-10022007-134249/.
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Williams, Randall. "The impact of residential adventure education on primary school pupils." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10036/3518.
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This is a mixed method study carried out from a pragmatist philosophical position. The research question is how (if at all) do primary school pupils change following a residential adventure education experience, how does any change relate to their experience during the residential and what implications does that have for the provision of residential adventure education? It is a three phase study. Phase 1 is quantitative: a survey to assess whether there is a correlation between the extent of residential opportunities and whole school performance measures. Phase 2 is qualitative: a series of interviews with headteachers, parents and policy makers to discover their perceptions of the impact of a residential programme. Phase 3 is quantitative: designing and testing an instrument to measure the impact on pupils of different aspects of a residential programme and comparing this with their classroom attainment and their social and emotional development. No relationship was found between the extent of residential opportunities and whole school performance measures, although it was found that opportunities are inversely correlated with deprivation. Interview data produced a rich source of evidence for the way in which different aspects of a course combine together to produce a powerful impact. Complexity theory was used as a theoretical perspective to suggest that a non-linear step change in self-confidence could arise naturally and possibly inevitably as a result of the fact that residential adventure education is a complex system. Analysis of the pupil impact survey showed that many different aspects of the experience combine to create the impact but that it can reliably be separated into four components: living with others, challenge, teacher relationships and learning about self. There was a significant correlation between the improvement in individual pupils’ classroom attainment over the course of a term and the impact that the residential had on them. There was a significant improvement from pre-course to post-course in pupils’ prosocial behaviour and a significant reduction in perceived hyperactivity.
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Yip, Heung-wing Timothy, and 葉向禜. "The implementation of all round education in a primary school." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2001. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31962713.
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Simm, Rebecca Jayne. "Education professionals' understanding of self harm in primary school children." Thesis, Lancaster University, 2006. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.673844.
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Shelley, Carolyn Ann. "Behaviours, attitudes and decision-making in primary school health education." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.395893.
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Yip, Heung-wing Timothy. "The implementation of all round education in a primary school." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 2001. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk:8888/cgi-bin/hkuto%5Ftoc%5Fpdf?B22925788.
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Byerly, Anna Katarzyna. "Scottish primary school teachers' perspectives on multicultural and antiracist education." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/25460.
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Primary school teachers’ commitment to social justice may be enshrined in various educational policies in Scotland and beyond, yet it stands in conflict with growing push for teacher accountability, value of education as a market place (Ball, 2006) and the persistence of the myth of meritocracy (Tomlinson, 2008; Oyler, 2012). At the level of practice, whether teachers actually engage in inclusive and critical multicultural education is not always clear; what we know for sure is that teachers find it difficult and shy away for any discussions which challenge power relations between groups (May and Sleeter, 2010). As student population continues to diversify, minority groups demand recognition in ways not seen before. Yet still, discrimination based on ethnicity, language, religion social class, disability, gender and sexual orientation is commonplace, and racism can often be an elephant in the (class)room, discussed in hushed voices only when an ‘isolated incident’ happens. Much more often, it remains unrecognised or is dealt with in a way which perpetuates white privilege (Arshad, 2008). Antiracism is oftentimes misunderstood or outright avoided, as teachers fear using any terminology that sounds negative or they are unsure of, and retreat to the language of all-encompassing, positive sounding, but fuzzy celebration of diversity and equality (Gaine, 2005). Multiculturalism, on the other hand, being blamed for failing integration and social cohesion of communities by the political right, remains in popular debates but occupies a weak position in education and public policy (Modood, 2007). This research set out to investigate what are primary school teachers’ perspectives on multicultural and antiracist education in the context of Scotland, where legislation and educational policies are in theory demanding educators to be proactive. The research followed a nested case study design, which involved observing and interviewing 9 class teachers in 4 primary schools, both rural and urban. I used the critical interpretive lens to find out what are their understandings of multicultural and antiracist education, both as concepts and principles and in terms of how they are being incorporated into their everyday teaching. Teachers were asked to define these terms, as they developed in the specific national context (Ball, 1990), and then consider the interplay of ideals behind ‘race’ equality policies with the realities of their school and classroom practice. This study was concerned with the personal, structural and institutional aspects of teachers’ work. The importance of the context of teachers’ work is stressed, that is their ‘organizational embeddedness’ (Holstein and Gubrium, 1994) and institutional thinking that teachers are thought to be immersed in. To get to know this context better, additional interviews with 4 Head teachers, 3 English as an Additional Language teachers and 5 other Key Informants were conducted. Finally, policy analysis was undertaken, using aspects of Critical Theory to find out how teachers’ attitudes correspond to the attitudes expressed in education policy, as well as what is the impact of educational policy on these attitudes. The findings suggest that there is no one definition of the study’s central concepts to which all teachers can ascribe. Whether or not teachers take up issues of discrimination and difference depends more on their own dispositions and characteristics rather than on any official policy, of which they are largely unaware. Teachers’ prior knowledge, attitudes to diversity and personal experiences of discrimination influenced their commitment for social justice and exercising agency in practice. Structural and institutional boundaries placed on teachers acted as either directions, limits, opportunities or enablers. These related to the leadership within the school more than from the local authority, and included the influence of various actors within the school context. Finally, the translation of policy ideals into everyday school life was seen as uncertain, as it depends on a number of actions and interpretations within any school context. This study concludes by comparing teacher’s perspectives on critical multicultural practice with policies on racial equality in Scotland, to demonstrate which areas need most bridge-building if policy and practice are to be more closely aligned.
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Carey, Francis. "Conscientization and in-service education in Zambian primary school teachers." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1986. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10019596/.
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Zhao, He. "Chinese Primary School Teachers' Perceptions and Experiences of Outdoor Education." Thesis, Linköpings universitet, Institutionen för kultur och kommunikation, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-149673.
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Outdoor education as a cultural construct comprises outdoor activities, personal and social development, and environmental education. However, the learning process within the Chinese educational system is mainly based on traditional models of teaching. As a relatively new and progressive teaching method, outdoor education tries to find and consolidate its place within the existing educational system. Thus, the aim of the current research is to investigate Chinese primary school teachers' perceptions and experience in outdoor education. Specifically, ten Chinese primary school teachers reported their views and experiences about outdoor education. The current research uses qualitative approach methodology, which specifically is thematic analysis of data extracted from semi-structured interviews with those ten Chinese primary school teachers. From the thematic analysis of the data four themes emerged to report the participants' opinions. The participants revealed their basic knowledge and perceptions about outdoor education and presented examples including some characteristics of outdoor education. However, they emphasized outdoor activities more than other characteristics and tend to consider outdoor education as environmental education, without other essential aims, theories and practices that defined this multidimensional approach. Besides, although Chinese education is still based on traditional teaching and learning approach, the participants showed the willingness to enrich their classes in various ways. The outdoor activities in their classes were mainly combined observation and participation. The participants also revealed that the places they chose were mainly schoolyard and other places out of the classroom but still within the school. Moreover, Chinese primary school teachers acknowledged several benefits of practicing outdoor education such as stimulating multi-senses to help experience, improving social relation and both mental and physical health, promoting educational knowledge and attitude, developing creativity and imagination, and increasing interest and participation. Additionally, the participants reported several barriers that suppress their willingness of practicing outdoor education, such as restricted time, limited place, large population, lack of financial support, air pollution situation, weather factor, insufficient pedagogical training, lack of preparation, teachers' attitude and preference. It is highlighted by the participants that air pollution situation and large population are two essential factors that prevent them applying outdoor education. The above findings contribute to the current limited scientific knowledge concerning the practice of outdoor education in the context of China. Thus, further qualitative research is a prerequisite so that the results of the current research can be testified and be further discussed.
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Casey, Jonathan. "Understanding High Dropout Rates in Primary School Education in Mozambique." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för samhällsstudier (SS), 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-35948.
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Mozambique remains one of the poorest countries in the world and has one of the least functional basic education systems. Despite a rapid expansion in access to basic education, the vast majority of pupils fail to complete a full seven year cycle of primary school. This research aims to better understand the characteristics, causes and consequences of children dropping out of primary school among low income families in rural areas. The research is based upon a qualitative fieldwork study in Ribáué, a rural district in the northern province of Nampula. Theoretically orientated by the Capabilities Approach, giving a holistic conception of education and development, this research will analyse the findings using the Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (SRL) framework. Such a model enables the analysis to incorporate a diverse range of household, societal and exogenous aspects to give a rich interpretation of the situation. Given education’s prominence in many development discourses, particularly in relation to the Millennium Development Goals and the forthcoming post-2015 agenda, this research aims to contribute a deeper understanding of the role of education in such situations, what factors influence the dropout phenomenon, and the consequences of children failing to finish primary school. The results indicate that dropouts are characterised by situations of extreme income poverty interacting with exogenous factors which create vulnerable livelihoods and where the quality of education is considered low. The causes of dropouts generally relate to families’ lack of resilience to cope with socio-economic shocks and the paucity of post-school opportunities. The consequences are severe for the individuals, their families and Mozambique, resulting in limited capacity to create sustainable livelihoods. There is also a likely transgenerational effect, with future generations afflicted by persistent vulnerability due to a lack of capabilities and opportunities from not completing school.
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Gu, Yuan. "A case study of the meanings and values of educational research for participants in a Shanghai primary school and a Yorkshire primary school." Thesis, University of Hull, 2017. http://hydra.hull.ac.uk/resources/hull:16538.
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This is a case study of teaching practitioners in two school settings, one in Shanghai and the other in the Yorkshire region of England. Its focus is on their views and values regarding the use of educational research in relation to their own practice and how their social practices as well as cultural orientations influence their use of different kinds of knowledge. The research problem addressed is the one identified in the 1990s’ policy debate about why much educational research does not seem to be directly helping teachers in improving their practice. Although the situation might have changed more recently with the greater development of evidence-based practice and some teachers’ active engagement in research, how practitioners make research meaningful to them remains unclear. This study aims to clarify how these teachers regard the idea of research-informed practice. The principal method of data collection was semi-structured interviewing. Other methods were used only to support the validity of interpretations in the analysis of interview data. This analysis shows that with respect to published research produced elsewhere and to their own research activities, the use, if any, that these practitioners make of research is likely to depend on whether they can appropriately recontextualize it according to the professional knowledge they value in their own networks or communities of practice. That process of recontextualization is one with which they are familiar from their social practice of transforming explicit codified knowledge embedded in curriculum documents, textbooks and other context-independent learning resources into pedagogic activities according to their tacit experiential understanding of what works in their particular situation. The high value placed on tacit situated knowledge as an essential component of professional knowledge and development is maintained when these practitioners extend recontextualization to research knowledge and evidence. It is present in the sense of agency and professional identity that is a priority for practitioners in each setting, although the respective cultural orientations towards it are different. A relational model is developed from the case study findings, with implications for revising the aims of educational research towards working with teachers to understand better their recontextualizing practice rather than seeking transferable prescriptions of pedagogy as a technical instrument.
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Hawkes, Neil. "Does teaching values improve the quality of education in primary schools? : a study about the impact of introducing values education in a primary school." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2005. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:bdb77d49-ab71-4d2b-87eb-ffa040ade219.
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This thesis has been undertaken to consider whether values education, as conceived in Palmer Primary School, improves the quality of educational provision. To do this, it explores the research question: Does teaching values improve the quality of education in primary schools? The research study seeks evidence to analyse whether moral education in positive values, in the form of values education, is fundamental to the purposes of developing quality education. Significantly, the study considers whether values education can enable pupils to internalise, and act on, a code of personal ethics. It considers the argument that values education may have positive qualitative effects on the attitudes and behaviour of adults and pupils in state primary schools. Furthermore, the study seeks to ascertain whether the methods and pedagogy of values education can be an effective means of implementing the second aim of the revised National Curriculum, which is concerned with the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils. This research study seeks to establish whether values education, as the embodiment of the aim, can pass on what the National Curriculum describes as enduring values and help pupils to be caring citizens capable of contributing to the development of a just society. It reflects on whether values education can be an effective means for reestablishing the moral purpose of education and thereby affect the quality of education in the state sector of schooling. The thesis is coherently structured in ten chapters that cover: the theoretical background to values education; a philosophical framework; a literature review, case studies, examination of data; conclusions and recommendations. The research methodology is designed to collect and analyse data from a main and subsidiary case study. It focuses on data from semi-structured interviews with fulltime teachers; pupil interviews; parent interviews; documents from Ofsted, governors' meetings and sample lessons. The potential significance of this study is whether the research produces evidence that will support further, more extensive, research that will consider whether values education represents a positive paradigm shift in the way that schooling in primary schools is conceived.