Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Social sciences Study and teaching (Secondary) Australia'
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Kurup, Premnadh M. "Secondary students beliefs about, understandings of, and intentions to act regarding the greenhouse effect." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2003. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1324.
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The greenhouse effect (GHE) is a concern to everyone on this planet. To understand the GHE, students and citizens need an understanding of the chemical processes underlying this environmental phenomenon. Citizens need to be scientifically literate in relation to this phenomenon in order to participate in democratic decision-making and to take appropriate actions in their daily lives. As the GHE is a global issue it will require collective and individual actions to prepare for the likely climatic changes and to reduce the further impact of the GHE. This study focused on high school students' beliefs about, understandings of the GHE and their intentions to act in ways that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Aspects of the GHE that are taught in high school science were also investigated. The study was conducted in five schools each in Western Australia (Australia) and Kerala (India) and data were collected from 438 Year 10 and 12 students representing compulsory and post-compulsory stages of education in both states. Two hundred and thirteen students from Western Australia and 225 students from Kerala completed a questionnaire and a sample of students and heads of science were interviewed. A Propositional Knowledge Statement (PKS) was developed, which is a set of propositions that outline science concepts necessary for an understanding of the GHE in terms of its causes, effects, mechanism and actions that can be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emission. In this study the PKS is considered to be the essential knowledge necessary to interpret the GHE, to take appropriate environmental action, and to make informed decisions as a scientifically literate member of society. The questionnaire and interviews were based on the PKS. The study revealed that high school students strongly believe that the GHE is real and affecting the climate at present and will also affect it in the future. They consider that the GHE is a relatively important social issue and they believe that governments should conduct programmes to raise community awareness and enact strict laws to reduce the release of greenhouse gases. Students' understanding of the GHE is inadequate to make informed decisions and take appropriate environmental actions as a scientifically literate member of society. The majority of students and their families are already taking or are considering taking 10 accepted actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by household activities. The majority of students are not prepared to sacrifice their personal comforts or conveniences to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and they have strong reasons for that, however, they believe that governments should enact strict laws to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and should sign the Kyoto protocol. The GHE is not adequately represented in Western Australian and Kerala science and chemistry curricula. The heads of school science departments in Western Australia and Kerala consider that school science should do more to teach the GHE, as it is an important aspect of scientific literacy. An ideal scenario for students’ beliefs about, understanding of the GHE and commitments to take action that would enable individuals and communities to reduce greenhouse gas emission was developed based on the PKS and reports such as lPCC (2001), UNEP (2001), AGO (1999; 2000) and UN (1992). The actual scenario was based on the data from this study. The differences between ideal and actual scenarios were discussed and implications for improving education about the OHE were developed. Information about the curriculum and students' sources of information about the GHE, students' beliefs, understandings and intentions to act were mapped against the theory of reasoned action (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980).
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Leung, Lai-yung, and 梁麗容. "Value orientations in junior secondary social studies curriculum." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1999. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31961095.
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Ng, Ka-yun Amanda, and 吳嘉欣. "Teaching, learning and assessment of liberal studies in secondary one classes." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2006. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B45007895.
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Brewer, Robert Lee. "The effect on comprehension of teaching selected vocabulary prior to reading an eleventh grade social studies passage." Virtual Press, 1985. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/435170.
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This study was conducted to determine the affect on comprehension of teaching selected key vocabulary words prior to reading an eleventh grade social studies passage. Four hypotheses were stated and the .05 level of confidence was used as the criterion for acceptance or rejection.Data for the study were collected from 143 students in six eleventh grade social studies classes. All students in the study were asked to read the same social studies passage. Students in the treatment group were given vocabulary instruction; students in the control group were given no vocabulary instruction. Upon completion of the reading assignment all students were asked to answer sixteen multiple choice questions. The questions were classified as vocabulary specific and general.The sum of the means for specific and general questions and the difference between the means of specific and general questions were calculated in order to determine if differences between the treatment group and control group could be attributed to the question type. A multivariate and a univariate analysis were applied to the data collected for the study.Hypothesis 1, which stated that there is no significant difference between the comprehension scores of the social studies class which receives vocabulary instruction and the social studies class which receives no instruction, was rejected. Vocabulary instruction improved scores for students in the treatment group. Hypothesis 2 which stated that there is no significant mean difference among the gains in comprehension scores of the social studies students classified as high, medium, or low was accepted. There was no significant difference in the gains in comprehension for students of varying vocabulary development. Hypothesis 3, which stated that there is no significant mean difference between the number of correctly answered vocabulary specific questions and the number of correctly answered general questions, was rejected. Students scored higher on the vocabulary specific questions. Hypothesis 4 which stated that there is no significant mean difference between the comprehension scores of the male and female social studies students was accepted. The vocabulary instruction did not result in a significant difference in comprehension between male and female subjects.
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Wong, Ping-man, and 黃炳文. "The evolution of a secondary school subject in Hong Kong: the case of social studies." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1992. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31232838.
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Witayangkoon, Kamonkan. "Secondary Social Studies Teaching Competencies as Perceived by Student-Teachers, Instructors, and Administrators in Thailand." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1990. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330774/.
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The major purpose of this study was to determine what differences exist among groups of social studies student-teachers, instructors, and administrators in eight teachers colleges in Northern Thailand regarding their perceptions of the importance of selected social studies teaching competencies.
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Hollenberger, Jason. "A qualitative study on the use of computer gaming teaching methods in a high school social studies curriculum." Online version, 2009. http://www.uwstout.edu/lib/thesis/2009/2009hollenbergerj.pdf.
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Waters, Kevin Stewart. "Pre-service secondary social studies teachers' efficacy towards character education a comparative study." Doctoral diss., University of Central Florida, 2011. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/5081.
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Character education is one of the most controversial aspects of academic institutions in the United States. The responsibility of educating children about democratic principles and moral values is something many states and schools are taking very seriously as a vital part of a teacher's role in the classroom. This study investigated the personal teaching efficacy and general teaching efficacy beliefs of pre-service secondary teachers at a large university in the state of Florida. This study investigated the responses of 130 pre-service secondary teachers in language arts, science, social studies, and mathematics within one teacher education program. The questionnaire utilized in this quantitative research study was the Character Education Efficacy Belief Instrument (CEEBI), which was designed by Milson and Mehlig (2002). This instrument is composed of 24 items designed to understand personal teaching efficacy (PTE) and general teaching efficacy (GTE) beliefs. This study examined if there was a statistically significant difference in PTE and GTE scores between secondary pre-service teachers based on the independent variables of a) program/major, b) gender, c) race/ethnicity, and d) coursework in character education. The results of this survey adds to a rich field of research and literature on character education and teacher education by taking a closer look at the specific beliefs of secondary preservice teachers regarding their PTE and GTE for character education. This study was an attempt to better understand the teaching efficacy beliefs for secondary pre-service teachers graduating from a teacher preparation program within a state that mandates character education.ID: 029810388; System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Central Florida, 2011.; Includes bibliographical references (p. 135-144).
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Klein, Carolyn. "The effects of ability and prior knowledge on recall in social studies /." Thesis, McGill University, 1989. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=59444.
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This research examined the influence of ability, prior knowledge and knowledge of text structure on expository history text corpora comprehension using a quasi-representative research paradigm. Sixty grade eight students participated in two history units. Hypotheses that ability, prior knowledge and knowledge of text structure would significantly influence performance in terms of the amount and organization of information presented on various measures were supported for the Ancient Man unit only. No interactions between the independent variables arose. The lack of significant findings for the Ancient Egypt unit is explained by poor text corpus organization and weak text structure. The findings suggest that teachers can facilitate students' comprehension of an expository text corpus by providing appropriate background knowledge of content and strategies for recognizing and utilizing text structure. Further, teachers should consider the organization of a textbook or corpus, and when necessary manipulate the materials to improve their structure and comprehensibility.
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Shum, Siu-ying Isis, and 岑小瑩. "The exploration of the school knowledge in sociological perspectives: a case study of a secondary schoolsubject "social studies"." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1996. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31958977.
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Nicholson, Yim-wan Annie, and 羅艷雲. "A study of the implementation of a curriculum innovation in a secondary school in Hong Kong: the case ofF.I-III social studies." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1988. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B44569725.
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Leung, Kim-ching Gary, and 梁劍靑. "The immersion and acquisition of higher-order thinking skills: a case study in the teaching context ofeconomic and public affairs." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2002. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31963079.
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Lundy, Sarah Elizabeth. "Leveraging Digital Technology in Social Studies Education." PDXScholar, 2014. http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/1743.
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Today's K-12 classrooms are increasingly comprised of students who accomplish much of their informal learning through digital media and technology. In response, a growing number of educators are considering how they might draw upon these informal learning experiences to support student engagement and learning in the classroom through technology. The purpose of this study is for social studies educators, school administrators, teacher educators and curriculum developers to understand more about the potentials and limitations of integrating technology such as a digital text. This research focuses on the differences in experiences using a digital text and a printed text from the perspective of four high school social studies classes. The curriculum for the printed and digital texts was developed in collaboration with the Choices Program for the Twenty-First Century at Brown University.
This research was based on the assumption that the thoughtful integration of a digital text in the classroom can support student engagement and differentiation while facilitating learning that students can readily transfer to multiple political, economic and social contexts beyond the classroom. Critically, students of poverty and students of color have the most to gain from increased access to digital technology in the public education system. People of color and people of poverty in the United States have significantly less access to technology at home than their white and middle class counterparts. Therefore, the classroom presents an opportunity for students who lack access to digital learning opportunities in their home environments to develop the technological fluency and digital literacy that are increasingly necessary to engage in multiple political and economic spheres in the United States.
The current literature on digital technology in education lacks sufficient empirical evidence of the potential benefits and challenges that digital technologies may offer secondary social studies education from the perspective of the classroom. Therefore, the classroom field test that was undertaken for this research offers a more empirical understanding of digital texts from the important perspectives of students and teachers in the classroom learning community. This research was conducted in a large, suburban high school in the Portland Metropolitan area and compared the experiences of tenth-grade World History classes working with a print text to the experiences of tenth-grade World History classes working digitally. The mixed-methods multiple-case study design addresses the following research questions: a) In what ways, if at all, does a digital text provide high school social studies' students different affordances and academic skills than a printed text? and b) How, if at all, do high school social studies students interact differently with a digital text from a printed text?
The analysis of data offered evidence that the use of the digital text supported technological fluency, the creation of more sophisticated learning products, differentiation for multiple learning styles and a more supportive reading experience due to its multimodal features. These unique academic affordances were not equivalently supported by the use of the print text. However, the type of text did not demonstrably influence students' ability to communicate their thinking in analytical writing. The analysis of data also suggested that students were somewhat more cognitively and behaviorally engaged in the digital case studies. Importantly, the digital text did not create a negatively discrepant learning experience for students of color but, rather, supported increased student engagement for both white students and students of color.
The data also suggested that the digital text posed significant challenges for both students and teachers. The digital experience required students to learn new and challenging technology skills. The digital text also required more class time and created more classroom management challenges for teachers than the print experience. Despite these additional challenges, both students and teachers expressed a preference for the digital experience. Thus, the digital text seemed to provide both a more challenging and a more rewarding experience for students. This study has implications for educators that are interested in thoughtfully integrating a digital text or, a similar digital technology, in comparable classroom contexts.
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Grote, Ellen. "An ethnography of writing : the writing practices of female Australian indigenous adolescents at school." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2004. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1675.
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The lack of success in addressing the educational needs of Aboriginal English (AbE) speaking adolescents is evidenced by consistently lower outcomes in literacy than those of their non-Indigenous peers. Differences in literacy levels between Indigenous girls and boys suggest that gender is an influential factor in literacy achievement. This ethnographic study explores cultural and gender influences on the writing practices of a group of female Indigenous adolescents in the cross-cultural context of an urban Western Australian secondary school.
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Cox, Linda Carol. "Teaching vocabulary through integrated curriculum improves reading comprehension." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2005. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2626.
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This investigation was designed to determine if teaching vocabulary through integrating English and Social Studies curricula would provide tenth grade students who are poor readers with strategies to improve their reading comprehension. The strategies used were designed to support struggling readers and English language development students to connect denotative and connotative meanings of words found in the novel Animal Farm to their social studies class' content.
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Kwong, Siu-po Eve, and 鄺小寶. "The use of variation theory in developing students' critical thinking skills." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2005. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B3554207X.
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Carver, J. Mark. "A teaching program for a ninth grade world cultures course." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1986. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/156.
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Silas, Fenni. "Understanding Grade 10 Life Sciences teachers’ perceptions and experiences of teaching topics on human reproduction." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020305.
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This study was conducted in order to understand Grade 10 Life Science teachers’ perceptions and experiences of teaching human reproduction topics in the Ohangwena political region in the northern part of Namibia. It also explored how the culture of the majority of the inhabitants of Ohangwena region who are Oshiwambo speaking impacts the teaching of human reproduction topics. The study was prompted by the fact that the Grade 10 Life Science syllabus requires learners to learn details of human reproduction although in Oshiwambo culture such things are not discussed openly. And this section has proven to be one of the poorly answered sections in the Grade 10 national examinations. A total of thirty five (35) Grade 10 Life Science teachers participated in this study. It is a qualitative case study underpinned by an interpretive paradigm. The unit of analysis for this study was teachers’ perceptions and experiences of teaching the topic of human reproduction. Data were generated through document analysis, questionnaires and tape recorded semi-structured interviews. Such data were analysed inductively by sorting them into categories and then into emerging themes. Categories included teachers’ views and experiences of being taught and teaching human reproduction, how culture influenced the manner in which teaching and learning of human reproduction takes place as stated in the socio-cultural theory, and how teachers of different gender perceived and experienced the teaching of human reproduction according to the feminist standpoint theory. The emerging themes were colour coded and then developed into analytical statements. Data triangulation, member checking, and follow up interviews ensured data validity and trustworthiness. This study revealed that the cultural belief of the Owambo people that prohibits adults to talk to children about things related to sex because it encourages them to practice sex is still strong among individuals in the community including teachers themselves. As a result, teachers are not comfortable with teaching human reproduction topics. From the findings, it is recommended that teachers should be empowered to teach Life Science, specifically human reproduction topics, with confidence. Furthermore, parents should be made aware of the importance of including human reproduction topics in the school curriculum so that they can motivate their children to study it with an open mind.
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Butterfield, Alexandra. "Employing metacognitive procedures in Natural Science teaching." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/20212.
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Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Education, both in South Africa and internationally, experiences a number of challenges with regards to the need for improved teaching and learning. South African education is in a state of transformation to address the country's educational needs. In science education specifically, there is a heightened necessity to develop teaching that will respond to distinctive educational needs in the sciences. Many of the educational issues, presented in current literature, are mirrored in my Natural Sciences classroom. Given the benefits of enhanced metacognition for effective learning, this study aimed to investigate the use of metacognitive instruction procedures to improve my Natural Sciences teaching practice. Consequently, it also aimed to explore the influence that this may have on the metacognitive development of my Grade 9 Natural Sciences learners. This research study was based on a social constructivist perspective that views learning as a unique, internalized construction of knowledge from a social interaction, such as teaching. This study was embedded within a paradigm of praxis, with a qualitative action research cycle forming the research methodology and design respectively. Purposeful sampling was used to select nine of my Grade 9 Natural Sciences learners to act as informants for the Grade 9 class. Data was collected in the form of learner reflections, an open-ended questionnaire, a focus-group interview, and a research journal. Furthermore, the data was analysed, using a theoretically founded coding scheme, to identify and interpret significant themes and/or trends. The research findings indicated that the employed metacognitively orientated teaching procedures enhanced my Grade 9 Natural Sciences learners' metacognition. Their metacognitive awareness and reflection abilities improved, as well as their knowledge and regulation of cognition. The teaching techniques also demonstrated the potential to facilitate the development of my learners' conscious thinking, self-discipline, responsibility and active participation in learning - all characteristics envisaged for the ideal South Africa learner. In addition to this, the research process demonstrated the ability to enhance my Natural Sciences teaching practice and the information gained from this study will be used to inform my future teaching practice. I now realise the value of incorporating metacognitive teaching procedures into my lessons, as well as the importance of reflecting on my teaching process and considering the uniqueness of each learner in my class. Additionally, teacher training institutes and educational policy makers may benefit from the information gained from this study, for improving teaching practice. Apart from this, findings attained from this study have the potential to inform future cycles of this action research process or alternatively to be used for other research within the field.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Onderwys, beide in Suid-Afrika en internasionaal, ervaar 'n aantal uitdagings rakende die behoefte aan verbeterde onderrig en leer. Die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel is tans in 'n staat van transformasie om die land se opvoedkundige behoeftes aan te spreek. In die wetenskap-onderwys spesifiek, is daar 'n toenemende noodsaaklikheid om onderrig te ontwikkel wat die unieke onderwysbehoeftes in die wetenskappe kan aanspreek. Baie van die opvoedkundige kwessies soos in huidige literatuur uitgelig, is ook in my Natuurwetenskappe-klaskamer teenwoordig. Gegee die bewese voordele van verbeterde metakognisie vir effektiewe leer, het hierdie navorsingstudie gepoog om die gebruik van metakognitiewe onderrigprosedures vir die verbetering van my Natuurwetenskappe-onderrigpraktyk te ondersoek. Die studie was ook daarop gemik om die invloed van metakognitiewe onderrigprosedures op die metakognitiewe ontwikkeling van my Graad 9 Natuurwetenskappe-leerders, na te vors. Hierdie navorsingstudie is gebaseer op 'n sosiaal-konstruktivistiese leerperspektief wat leer sien as 'n unieke, geïnternaliseerde konstruksie van kennis binne 'n sosiale interaksie, soos onderrig. Hierdie studie is binne 'n paradigma van „praxis‟ ingebed, met aksienavorsing as navorsingsontwerp en daar is van „n kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodologie gebruik gemaak. Doelgerigte steekproefneming is gebruik om nege van my Graad 9 Natuurwetenskappe-leerders te kies om as informante vir die graad 9-klas op te tree. Data is in die vorm van leerders se refleksies, 'n oop-einde vraelys, 'n fokusgroep-onderhoud, en 'n navorsings- joernaal ingesamel. Verder is die data met behulp van 'n teoretiese koderingskema geanaliseer wat belangrike temas en/of tendense identifiseer en interpreteer. Die navorsing het aangedui dat die metakognitiewe onderrigprosedures wat gebruik is, my Graad 9 Natuurwetenskappe leerders se metakognisie versterk het. Hulle metakognitiewe bewustheid en reflektiewe vermoëns het verbeter, sowel as hulle kennis en regulering van kognisie. Die onderrigtegnieke het ook die potensiaal getoon om die ontwikkeling van my leerders se bewuste denke, self-dissipline, verantwoordelikheid en aktiewe deelname in die leerproses te fasiliteer. Hierdie eienskappe is van dié wat vir die ideale Suid-Afrikaanse leerder beoog word. Benewens hierdie aspekte het die navorsing ook my Natuurwetenskappe-onderrigpraktyk verbeter en die navorsingsbevindinge sal in die toekoms gebruik word om my onderwyspraktyk toe te lig. Ek besef nou die waarde daarvan om metakognitiewe onderrigprosedures in my lesse te inkorporeer, sowel as die belang van refleksie oor my onderrigproses en om die uniekheid van elke leerder in my klas in ag te neem. Onderwys-opleidingsinstellings en opvoedkundige beleidmakers mag uit hierdie navorsing voordeel trek rakende die verbetering van onderwyspraktyk. Afgesien van die bogenoemde, het die navorsingsbevindinge ook die potensiaal om toekomstige siklusse van aksienavorsing toe te lig en om binne verdere navorsing in die veld gebruik te word.
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Rogers, Lambert. "Die voorbereiding van onderwysers vir uitkomsgebaseerde onderwys binne die leerarea sosiale wetenskappe." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/53391.
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Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since 1994 South Africa has been characterized by transformation inter alia in the field of education. A process characterized by preparation and development of a new, extended curriculum evolved between 1994 and 1997. On 24 March 1997 Curriculum 2005 with an outcomes-based approach was introduced. Curriculum 2005 strives to bridge the imbalances of the past. Owing to the complexity of this curriculum and the problems encountered in practice, Curriculum 2005 was revised between January and July 2001 in order to address the problem areas. A change in curriculum necessitates a change in teaching-instruction strategies, learning programmes, assessment strategies and the method of recording and reporting. As educators are directly affected by the process of change in curricula, it is essential that educators are curriculum-competent to understand and implement the changes. In this regard, Evans (1996:55) states: "One of the necessary ingredients of such a restructuring is empowering the players, the teachers." An essential condition for successful implementation of change is the empowerment of educators to manage the change. The essential questions addressed in this study are: • To what degree are educators trained to manage these changes? • What does the successful implementation of change, entail specifically within the Social Sciences Learning Area? • What are the educators' needs and experience regarding change? The main focus of this study is to make a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the current changes with a view to developing a theoretical framework for the training of educators for Outcomes-based Education (OBE) within the Social Sciences Learning Area. To achieve the main focus of this study, the following specific aims have been formulated: • executing of a literature study, with regard to appropriate curriculum theory, curriculum practice and development of educators; • making a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the training process of educators within the Social Sciences Learning Area; and • developing a theoretical framework to address the problems that have been identified, regarding educator development. The contribution of this study is located not only in the appropriate literature study, but also in the fact that the outcome of this research can contribute to the development of a relevant, effective and contextualised dissemination process. It is clear that ineffective dissemination is the root cause of ineffective curriculum development, as educator development cannot be optimalised in such conditions.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika word sedert 1994 deur transformasie gekenmerk, onder meer op onderwysgebied. Tussen 1994 en 1997 is 'n proses aan die gang gesit om 'n nuwe, breë kurrikulum voor te berei en te ontwikkel. Op 24 Maart 1997 is Kurrikulum 2005 bekend gestel. Met Kurrikulum 2005 se uitkomsgebaseerde benadering word daarna gestreef om die ongelykhede van die verlede te oorbrug. As gevolg van die kompleksiteit van die kurrikulum en probleme wat in die praktyk ervaar is, is Kurrikulum 2005 tussen Januarie en Julie 2001 hersien ten einde probleemareas aan te spreek. Kurrikulumverandering beteken uiteraard dat daar ook In verandering in onderrigstrategieë, leerprogramme, assesseringstrategieë en wyses van optekening en rapportering sal wees. Aangesien opvoeders direk deur die veranderingsproses van kurrikula geraak word, is dit noodsaaklik dat opvoeders kurrikulumbekwaam is om die verandering te verstaan en te implementeer. In die lig hiervan verklaar Evans (1996: 5): "One of the neccesary ingredients of such a restructuring is empowering the players - the teachers." 'n Kernvoorwaarde vir suksesvolle implementering van verandering is die bemagtiging van opvoeders om hierdie verandering te hanteer. Die kernvrae wat in hierdie studie aangespreek word, is: • In watter mate word opvoeders voorberei om sodanige veranderinge te kan hanteer? • Wat behels effektiewe opvoedervoorbereiding met die oog op die suksesvolle implementering van verandering, spesifiek binne die leerarea Sosiale Wetenskappe? • Wat is opvoeders se behoeftes en ervaring van verandering? Die hooffokus van die studie is die maak van 'n kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe evaluering van huidige verandering met die oog op die ontwikkeling van 'n teoretiesee raamwerk vir die voorbereiding van opvoeders vir Uitkomsgebaseerde Onderwys (UGO) binne die Leerarea Sosiale Wetenskappe. Om die hooffokus van hierdie studie te realiseer, is die volgende besondere doelstellings geformuleer: • die uitvoer van 'n literatuurstudie ten opsigte van toepaslike kurrikulumteorie, kurrikulumpraktyke en opvoederontwikkeling. • die maak van 'n kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe evaluering van die voorbereidingsproses van opvoeders binne die Leerarea Sosiale Wetenskap; en • die ontwikkeling van 'n teoretiese kurrikulumraamwerk vir die aanspreek van die geïdentifiseerde probleme met betrekking tot opvoederontwikkeling. Die bydrae van hierdie studie is nie net in die toepaslike literatuurstudie geleë nie, maar ook daarin dat die uitkoms van hierdie navorsing kan bydra tot die ontwikkeling van relevante, doelmatige en gekontekstualiseerde disseminasieprosesse. Dit blyk duidelik dat oneffektiewe disseminasie 'n grondoorsaak van oneffektiewe opvoederontwikkeling is, juis omdat opvoederontwikkeling nie tot sy reg kom nie.
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Evans, Barbara Anne. "Beating the High Stakes Testing Game: A Three-Year Study of Improvement Rates on the TAKS Social Studies Exit Exam." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2006. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc5284/.
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The Texas high school class of 2005 faced a defining test that had no precedent in Texas and little nationally. Social studies testing is a relatively new addition to the world of high stakes testing currently impacting United States high schools. Although other diploma dependent areas of mandated testing have some testing history and, therefore, related paradigms for curriculum and instructional assistance, the area of social studies largely lacks that perspective. Texas Education agency provided specific school grant monies and training for the purpose of preparation for the social studies exams. This quasi-experimental study examines the scores to learn whether or not any statistically significant differences in social studies scores would exist between the schools that participated in the TEKS/Tools Training Program and the schools that did not participate in the TEKS/Tools Training Program. The two primary at-risk groups in Texas, Hispanic and low SES, were analyzed for statistically significant differences in scores. Independent t tests and ANCOVA were used to analyze the score differences between program schools and non-program schools. Results relate to individual school staffing and implementation. The at-risk groups remained flat in score gains whether they were part of the program schools or not. Results relate to differences in learning and teaching for at risk groups. A separate trend analysis was used on the program target school which was the only school with three years of scores to determine improvement from grade 9 to 10 to 11 on the social studies TAKS test scores. Results from the repeated measures analysis indicated a statistically significant linear trend in the program target school's TAKS social studies mean gain scores across the 9th, 10th, and 11th grade levels.
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Hanisi, Nosipho. "Nguni fermented foods: working with indigenous knowledge in the Life Sciences: a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008372.
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This study examines learning interactions around indigenous ways of knowing associated with fermented grain foods (the making of umqombothi) and the concept of alcoholic fermentation in the Grade 11 Life Sciences curriculum. As an environmental education study it also investigates the cultural significances of the fermented grain food and how learners might make better lifestyle choices. The inclusion of indigenous ways of knowing in the Life Sciences curriculum (FET band) created spaces and opportunities for the use of both knowledge's in sociocultural context and the structured propositions of the learning area in order to construct knowledge. This stimulated learners' understanding of fermentation and also led to a valuing of social context as well as the cultural capital embedded in the indigenous ways of knowing. The study suggests that parental involvement contributed to this valuing of intergenerational ways of knowing. Learners also deliberated how colonial interpretations of Nguni culture and the religious beliefs of Christians had served to marginalise and foster a widening urban rejection of isiXhosa cultural practices related to fermented foods. In their learning and discussion, learners developed new insights and respect for isiXhosa fermentation practices (ukudidiyela) that bring out the food value and nutrition in the grain. The data illustrates that lesson activity that drew on relevant Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards to integrate Indigenous Knowledge practices in a Life Sciences learning programme, served to enhance learner understanding of alcoholic fermentation. They also document a revaluing of cultural heritage and learners bringing up the problem of alcohol abuse in the community. Curriculum work with Indigenous Knowledge thus not only assisted learners to grasp the science but to use this alongside a valued cultural knowledge capital to deliberate and act on a local concern.
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Tang, Pui-han, and 鄧佩嫻. "The effects of cognitive strategy instruction on conceptual understanding and conceptions of learning for junior secondarystudents." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2000. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31961939.
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Waghid, Faiq. "Towards the democratisation of senior phase school science through the applicatin of educational technology." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/85577.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this dissertation I report on an action research study in relation to the democratisation of science education in a Grade 10 life sciences classroom at a local high school through the application of educational technology, more specifically social network media such as Facebook. I argue that action research for social justice with the support of educational technology can contribute towards cultivating critical teaching and learning in the science classroom, thus contributing to the democratisation of science education in schools. In the main, this study shows that educational technology can contribute to the democratisation of science education in classrooms in relation to teaching contentious issues in the current life sciences school curriculum on three levels: firstly, learners and educators can experience enhanced levels of participation, collaboration and deliberation through Facebook; secondly, learners can construct personal learning contexts as a testament to the sense of autonomy they have (and can acquire) in learning about life sciences, particularly as they endeavour to nurture their critical and problem-solving skills, construct and apply life sciences knowledge, and integrate understandings of life sciences into the context of societal change; and thirdly, learners and educators can cultivate equal partnerships in the sense that equality refers to their insistence to „rupture‟ and „disrupt‟ pedagogical activities in the life sciences classroom. Finally, this study also reveals that critical teaching and learning in the life sciences classroom cannot be oblivious to poststructuralist thought on learning to think and act rhizomatically as opposed to hierarchically and linearly, and that exercising one‟s individual autonomy through a claim to intellectual equality can simply be pedagogical ingredients that can further enhance democratic science education in schools.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie proefskrif doen ek verslag oor ‟n aksienavorsingstudie in verband met die demokratisering van wetenskaponderwys in ‟n Graad 10 lewenswetenskappe- klaskamer in ‟n plaaslike skool deur die toepassing van onderwystegnologie, meer spesifiek sosiale netwerkmedia soos Facebook. Ek argumenteer dat aksienavorsing vir sosiale geregtigheid met die ondersteuning van onderwystegnologie kan bydra tot die kultivering van kritiese onderrig en leer in die wetenskapklaskamer, wat dus bydra tot die demokratisering van wetenskaponderwys in skole. Hierdie studie bewys hoofsaaklik dat onderwystegnologie op drie vlakke kan bydra tot die demokratisering van wetenskaponderwys in klaskamers met verwysing na omstrede vraagstukke in die huidige lewenswetenskappe-skoolkurrikulum: eerstens kan leerders en opvoeders hoë vlakke van deelname, samewerking en beraadslaging deur Facebook ervaar; tweedens kan leerders persoonlike leerkontekste konstrueer as bevestiging van hulle sin van outonomiteit wat hulle bekom (en kan aanleer) deur leer oor die lewenswetenskappe, veral soos hulle poog om kritiese en probleemoplossingsvaardighede uit te bou, wetenskapskennis te konstrueer en toe te pas, en betekenisse van lewenswetenskappe in die konteks van sosiale verandering kan integreer; en derdens kan leerders en opvoeders gelyke verhoudings kweek in soverre gelykheid verwys na hulle aandrang daarop om pedagogiese aktiwiteite in die lewenswetenskappe-klaskamer te „verbreek‟ en te „ontwrig‟. Ten slotte wys hierdie studie dat kritiese onderrig en leer in die lewenswetenskappe-klaskamer nie onbewus kan wees van poststrukturalistiese denke oor die aanleer van risomatiese eerder as hiërargiese en liniêre denke en optrede nie, en dat die uitleef van individuele outonomie deur aanspraak te maak op intellektuele gelykheid die pedagogiese inspuiting kan wees wat benodig word om demokratiese wetenskaponderwys verder in skole te bevorder.
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Shaw, Shirley A. "Hypercard: A promising tool for constructivist methodolody." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1992. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1121.
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Parrish, Donna North. "An American History Curriculum for Eighth Grade Gifted Students." UNF Digital Commons, 1987. http://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/675.
Full textAbstract:
The curriculum developed in this project was designed to meet the requirements of the Clay County gifted program. It provides a comprehensive American history curriculum, discovery through the Civil War, to promote mastery of the content area, increase involvement and interest of students in learning through the reduction of irrelevant and redundant material, and encourage individual initiative for one/sown investigations.
The program consists of a series of independent studies in which the teacher is a facilitator who sets the stage and encourages students' endeavors. The study units developed for this project include objectives representing all levels in Bloom/s Taxonomy.
The curriculum was evaluated by pilot-testing and surveying the students involved, as well as by surveying a team of teachers of the gifted and a university faculty member in social studies education.
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Pope, IV Alexander. "Opportunities for Civic Engagement: A Study in Five Secondary Social Studies Classes." Thesis, 2015. https://doi.org/10.7916/D8JH3KF5.
Full textAbstract:
I investigate stakeholder experiences in five New York City secondary classes associated with the low end of the civic opportunity gap. Classroom stakeholders are students, teachers, and college mentors participating in the Generation Citizen program. Generation Citizen is a push-in program meant to promote civic engagement opportunities in middle and high schools associated with the civic opportunity gap. The civic opportunity gap refers to observations that opportunities for civic engagement differ based on racial and socioeconomic markers.
A conceptual framework based on situated learning theory (Lave & Wenger, 1991) guides data collection and analysis. The framework draws attention to the experiences of individuals and groups in specific contexts, called communities of practice. Successful learning in a community of practice begins with legitimate peripheral participation, a process similar to apprenticeship. Situated learning theory considers the ways that people engage with each other around important issues, imagine realities in other communities, and try to align their efforts with existing processes.
I present data collected through observations of classroom interactions and interviews with students, teachers, and program mentors. I find that legitimate peripheral participation required classroom stakeholders to engage the root causes of their chosen issues and put their knowledge into practice through actions aligned with the locus of their issue. This finding emerged through three themes, which address the role of classroom pedagogies in supporting or complicating the process of legitimate peripheral participation. Themes allow a discussion of the role that classroom interactions play in framing civic engagement experiences. Opportunities for civic engagement in school can positively address the problems of civic gaps when youth can name and enact legitimate efforts on their own terms.
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Choi, Yoonjung. "Are They "American" Enough to Teach Social Studies? Korean American Teachers' Social Studies Teaching Experiences in American Public Schools." Thesis, 2012. https://doi.org/10.7916/D8DV1RV2.
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This study explores three Korean American social studies teachers' experiences of teaching social studies, focusing on their curricular and pedagogical perceptions and practices. Framed by sociocultural theory, this study aims to shed light on the heterogeneous stories and socially and culturally contextualized teaching experiences of Korean American social studies teachers, which have been largely undocumented in the social studies scholarship. The major research question for this study is: How do three Korean American social studies teachers perceive social studies curriculum and implement pedagogy in the realities of their classrooms? Subsidiary questions are: (a) What are these Korean American social studies teachers' perceptions and experiences of teaching profession in American public schools?; (b) How do these Korean American social studies teachers perceive social studies curriculum and implement pedagogy in the realities of classrooms?; and (c) How do sociocultural experiences of these teachers influence their curricular and pedagogical practices? This qualitative multicase study investigates three Korean American teachers who taught global history in urban public high schools in the Northeast. Data sources include a semester-long classroom observation, interviews, and artifacts. Findings indicate these three Korean American teachers exhibited diverse, complex, and contextualized experiences of teaching profession, and particularly teaching social studies. The racial minority teachers' experiences of racism and academic struggles during K-12 schooling, cross-cultural/international experiences, and familial immigration backgrounds served as a springboard for them to have better understandings of their culturally and linguistically diverse students and to teach for global/multicultural perspectives. Powerful teacher education infused with social justice perspectives and supportive, autonomous, and cooperative school atmosphere aided them to implement student-centered, inquiry-based pedagogies which improved academic engagement of their students. Meanwhile, misguided curricular beliefs and philosophical stance, rigid school culture, bureaucratic school personnel, pressure from high-stakes tests, test-driven contexts, and racism pervasive in school culture became barriers for the teachers to practice culturally relevant and meaningful pedagogy in their classrooms.
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Dy, Christian. "Reshaping the bubble : implementing global awareness through a senior mathematical lens." Thesis, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/12443.
Full textAbstract:
The study examined student perceptions of global issues when introduced through
their Logarithms unit in the Principles of Math 12 course and student opinions regarding
the suitability of the issues within the course. Through journal books, the students
expressed thoughts, ideas, and concerns related to the mathematics and the global issues.
With our global environment being threatened in numerous ways, a need to
educate through 'responsibility' is essential. In mathematics, students require relevancy
when expected to learn increasingly difficult material. The study addresses the questions
of: do students concerns for global issues increase when viewed through a mathematical
lens and do the students believe that the global issues have a place in the math class?
The findings were varied based on individual experiences of students within the
study. In summary, the majority of the students gave positive feedback towards the use
of the global issues within the math class. However, there were concerns from weak and
strong students and from students currently studying similar topics in Geography. As
well, several ESL students expressed concerns surrounding their difficulties with the
written language, and anxiety regarding their emergent academic standing.
The students favoured global exposures in the math class when they were able to
actively participate with a solution, and when direct links to the mathematics being
studied at the time was relevant to the global issue. Conclusively, more accessible
resources are required for instructors, and more time is needed in the classroom to
effectively implement, for all learners, global issues in the mathematics course.
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Pearson, H. John. "A review of selected social studies curricula for Australian primary schools: 1952-1984." 1985. http://repository.unimelb.edu.au/10187/458.
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This thesis analyses social studies curriculum prepared by State Education Departments in Australia for use in primary schools. Curriculum statements from Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, in the period from 1952 to 1984, are examined.
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McIntosh, Susan Kay. "Re/presenting women : the dilemma of social studies curriculum change in BC." Thesis, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/8325.
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Formal curricula, official curriculum documents and recommended resources, are
revised periodically and have the opportunity to reflect feminist scholarship available at
the time of writing. This feminist project analyzes the treatment of women's history in
British Columbia's Social Studies 8-10 Integrated Resource Package 1997, the Social
Studies 11 Integrated Resouces Package 1997, and the History 12 Integrated Resource
Package 1997, all of which are due to be implemented in September, 1999. Informed by
feminist historiography and pedagogy, the above curricula are analyzed using the
following thematic organizers: degree of representation; segregation versus integration;
experience, diversity and voice; and the construction and deconstruction of gender
knowledge. A sampling of recommended learning resources found in the above
Integrated Resource Packages are also examined for their treatment of women's history.
The outcome of the research suggests that while limited gains have been made in the
degree to which women are addressed in the new curricula, the manner of representation
largely reflects her-story approaches that have been considered problematic by most
feminist historians since the mid-1970s. Recommendations for future revisions are also
included.
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Villarreal, Christina. "Who We Are and How We Do: Portraits of Pedagogical Process and Possibility When Teaching and Learning About Race and Racism in Social Studies Classrooms." Thesis, 2019. https://doi.org/10.7916/d8-f6qg-mc72.
Full textAbstract:
This dissertation study documented and analyzed the key curricular and pedagogical features of three secondary social studies teachers who center issues of race and racism in their classrooms by examining their decision-making processes and the impact of relevant lived experiences on their practice. I utilized portraiture methodology, which included ethnographic field notes, document analysis, interviews, and impressionistic records to document and analyze the key curricular and pedagogical features of each teacher. Data were collected during the 2016-2017 school year across three racially diverse social studies classrooms located in southern New England. My findings were that each teacher treated race and racism as central objects of historical inquiry and enacted a set of curricular and pedagogical moves that were guided by a combination of what they know (technical pedagogy) and who they are (relational pedagogy). I refer to the relevant lived experiences that give shape and form to each teacher’s practice as their pedagogical origin stories. This study has implications for teacher education and underscores the importance of focusing on technical and relational curricular and pedagogical development in novice and veteran social studies teachers. Teacher education programs need to focus on preparing preservice teachers to recognize and, at times, reconcile the relationships between our respective origin stories and the curricular and pedagogical decisions and moves that we make in classrooms when we teach about issues of race and racism.
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Taylor, Ashley Michelle. "Pedagogy for Latino/a Newcomer Students: A Study of Four Secondary Social Studies Teachers in New York City Urban Newcomer Schools." Thesis, 2013. https://doi.org/10.7916/D8DF6ZFX.
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This dissertation study examined how teachers in four newcomer schools conceptualized and implemented social studies education for newcomer Latino/a youth. I designed this multi-site, collective case study to examine the perspectives and decision making of four social studies teachers' enacted pedagogy for Latino/a newcomer students. I documented how social studies teachers (U.S. History and Global History) were teaching Latino/a newcomer youth within urban newcomer high schools through the research question: how do four secondary teachers conceptualize and implement social studies education for newcomer Latino/a youth? As evidenced in their culturally and linguistically relevant pedagogy, teachers in this study provided constant support, encouragement, and opportunity for Latino/a newcomer students to succeed academically, and encouraged active civic engagement by using students' cultural, linguistic, and civic knowledge and experiences as central to their pedagogy. I analyzed the findings within and across four case studies to develop an emerging grounded theory of culturally and linguistically relevant citizenship education. This developing grounded theory analyzed the intersections of culturally relevant pedagogy, linguistically responsive teaching, and active and engaged citizenship. These intersections and cross-case analysis of the four teachers' social studies pedagogy for newcomer Latino/a students developed five principles of culturally and linguistically relevant citizenship education. These principles included: pedagogy of community, pedagogy of success, pedagogy of making cross-cultural connections, pedagogy of building a language of social studies, and pedagogy of community-based, participatory citizenship. This study has the potential to add to and expand on the discourse regarding social studies pedagogy for culturally and linguistically diverse students (Ladson-Billings, 1995b; Lucas and Villegas, 2011), newcomer schools (Short and Boyson, 2000), English Language Learners (Cruz and Thornton, 2009), and citizenship education for newcomer youth (Salinas, 2006). Possibilities for future research might include examining how Latino/a immigrant students' cultural and linguistic experiences influence their perceptions of social studies and how they conceptualize citizenship. Furthermore, additional research might also explore how the findings in this study may be used to develop a more culturally and linguistically responsive teacher education program, create professional development opportunities for in-service teachers, and examine how elementary teachers and teachers in rural/suburban contexts conceptualize their social studies pedagogy for immigrant youth.
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Cohen, Aviv. "Conceptions of Citizenship and Civic Education: Lessons from Three Israeli Civics Classrooms." Thesis, 2013. https://doi.org/10.7916/D8Q52WTJ.
Full textAbstract:
Based on the notion that philosophical assumptions and educational aims are important factors that gear educational processes, this study focuses on the ways in which teachers' assumptions and goals regarding citizenship influence their teaching of civics. The research of this topic is pursed based on a set of comparative analytic case studies that observe different ways in which conceptions of the notion of good citizenship manifest in three Israeli high school civics classrooms. This study draws from the research traditions of grounded theory, the use of ideal types, as well as the principles of the qualitative instrumental collective case study approach. This study's main finding is the identification of a stark disparity between the conceptions of citizenship that are promoted in each of the three cases, despite the a-priori similarities between them. This disparity results in the enactment of very different types of civics lessons as well as influences the goals, the relation to the curriculum standards, and the pedagogies implemented in these three settings. As a result of these findings, three ideal types of citizenship and civic education (CCE) are presented, reflecting these different approaches: (1) disciplined CCE; (2) participatory CCE; and (3) critical CCE. The importance of these findings is in the illumination of a civic education gap, relating to these differences. Following the scholarly discourse surrounding this topic, this study contributes to the understanding that not only is there a gap regarding the civic experiences and opportunities to which the students are exposed, but that the fundamental meaning of the term good citizenship is interpreted and promoted in a varying fashion. This focus, on the ways in which these different conceptions influence and reinforce the reality of the civic education gap, forges the connections between these two fields of study, a connection that yet has to been acknowledged in the literature. In fact, this civic education gap implies to the contextual factor of social inequality as it reflects in the classroom settings, in relation to this specific subject matter. An explanation for this gap is the central role that the civics teachers hold, in relation to their students' opinions, academic levels and socio-economic backgrounds. With the help of the theoretical concepts of civic abandonment and civic activity, which relate to the individual's civic identity in relation to the country in which s/he lives, this study documents ways in which teachers frame their civics lessons in congruence to their own perception of their students' civic orientations. In this manner this study points to the dangers of such a reality in which teachers choose to promote civic ideals that do not recognize the complexity and multiplicity of this topic. Based on these findings, a presentation of pedagogical strategies as well as a descriptive theoretical model of the civic education process will be brought forth, utilizing these different approaches to CCE. This presentation will potentially support teachers in designing holistic educational experiences that touch on a variety of CCE conceptions. This stands in contrast to the current reality in which such conceptions are dealt with as mutually exclusive. In this manner, this study promotes the belief that all students should have equitable access to the knowledge, values and dispositions that are crucial for any democratic citizen.
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Journell, Allen Wayne. "Teaching politics : a study of high school government courses and the 2008 Presidential Election /." 2009. http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:3362934.
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Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2009.Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-06, Section: A, page: . Adviser: Mark Dressman. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 250-264) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.
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Tenning, Cathleen. "Metaphorical images of science: the perceptions and experiences of Aboriginal students who are successful in senior secondary science." Thesis, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/2758.
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The purpose of this research study was to explore why some Aboriginal students participate in senior secondary Biology, Chemistry, or Physics and achieve a high level of academic success (67% or higher) in these courses. The following key questions were addressed: 1. What are the experiences and perceptions of Aboriginal students with regard to senior secondary science? 2.What role, if any, does culture play for Aboriginal students who are successful in the senior secondary sciences? 3. What are the factors that either contribute to or hinder success by Aboriginal students in science-related courses? Ten Aboriginal participants were interviewed from the Greater Victoria School District. Metaphor Interviews, Literal Interviews and a Focus Group were used to collect data. The results indicated that Aboriginal ancestry was important to the identity of many of the participants, but it was not a significant contributing factor in their academic success in senior secondary science.
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Keegan, Patrick Joseph. "Places of Civic Belonging Among Transnational Youth." Thesis, 2017. https://doi.org/10.7916/D8TH8TN4.
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This dissertation study investigated how immigrant youth attending two different high schools for late-arrival immigrants in New York City constructed civic belonging by attending to their everyday enactments of citizenship across the contexts of school, neighborhood and home. Civic belonging refers to the embodied social practices by which immigrant youth cultivate social trust and construct an emotional connection to particular communities and places. In conducting this research, I utilized a critical visual research methodology, as well as interviews and focus groups. Data was collected from 10 immigrant youth from Guinea, the Gambia, Senegal, Yemen, Bangladesh and the Dominican Republic. My findings were that participants constructed civic belonging in school by creating social trust that bridged cultural, religious, linguistic, and ethnic differences. In their neighborhoods, their civic belonging was restricted by a politics of belonging that created distrust and misrecognition of their cultural and religious identities. Finally, my participants constructed civic belonging in relation to their understandings of home. Family relationships mediated their civic belonging by reinforcing home country ties. This study has implications for how public schools can better educate immigrant youth as citizens who build solidarity with diverse others and work towards a common good. This is critical in today’s world that is more connected through the movement of people, and yet, where many nation-states seek to limit the rights of immigrants to belong within their borders.
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Catchpole, Heather. "GeoQuest : an interactive multimedia program for introductory earth science education." Master's thesis, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/150954.
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Houlbrook, Michael C., University of Western Sydney, College of Arts, and School of Social Sciences. "The politics and practices of work-based learning : accounts of experiences in the community services sector." 2007. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/20801.
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This thesis is a phenomenological study of the experiences of students engaged in a work-based learning (WBL) degree in the community service (CS) sector in NSW. The degree – a graduate diploma in social sciences (GDSS) - was developed through an industry/community partnership in response to identified workforce development needs. Positioned as a novel pedagogy, WBL is presented in the broad context, before the specifics of the research are outlined. The thesis presents, first, a political economy of higher education (HE) and the CS sector, followed by a description of the defining principles of WBL, characteristics of practice and issues arising from these things. The phenomenological study of the student experiences is supported by a case study of the GDSS. The research is approached from an ontological and epistemological framework informed by critical theory and critical hermeneutics. The methods draw substantially on data collection through semi-structured interviews and supporting data collected form other sources. The analysis of the data is presented as five major data stories – access, self and study, work-based learning and organisation, managing learning and outcomes. In discussing the data the thesis argues that the students are strongly positioned as non-traditional students with an orientation towards issues of access to HE, as well as a concern with critical practice. The concluding comments of the thesis consider the context of work-based learning under systemic influences of the political economy of the day, notably neo-liberalism and the application of a techno-economic framing of the knowledge economy. Some final comments are offered on the practice of WBL in the CS sector, including the defence of knowledge production as a public good and the life world/system dynamics of partnership.Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
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Epp, Bradley August. "Examining the predictive validity of the FSA on the provincial Mathematics 10 examinations." Thesis, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/2464.
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Student performance on the recently implemented Provincial Mathematics 10 examination concerns mathematics teachers. Using results from the Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) to implement a strategy for students' improvement as well as properly placing students into the correct curriculum pathway may be an effective way for improving student success. Students who participated in the 2001/2002 FSA may have also participated in the 2004/2005 provincial mathematics 10 examination. Using regression analysis, three separate models were created for students writing the Principles of Mathematics 10 examination (n = 27 292, R2 = 0.320), Essentials of Mathematics 10 examination (n = 5 052, R2 = 0.169), and Applications of Mathematics 10 examination (n = 2 662. R2 = 0.231). The independent variables included Item Response Theory Scaled scores for the Numeracy and Reading Subtests of the FSA, gender, aboriginal status, English as a second language status, and school size. As well, hierarchical linear model (HLM) was implemented as an exploration to compare the coefficients with the regression analysis. In all three cases the coefficients of the HLM were similar to the linear regression. Disciminant analysis also predicted student placement in the three pathways at 61% accuracy using FSA results and other independent variables.
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Gu, Zhimei. "Comparison of Canada and Hong Kong-China through hierarchical linear models: the relations among students' self-beliefs in math, learning environment at school, and math performance." Thesis, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/2049.
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The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the relationships among students' self-beliefs in mathematics, learning environment at school, and math achievement, at student and school levels, in Canada and Hong Kong-China. Hierarchical linear modeling was utilized to analyze the data from the Programme for International Student Assessment 2003. It was found that school learning environment has more effect on school math achievement in Hong Kong than in Canada. Canada has stronger relationships between students' self-beliefs in math and their math performance than Hong Kong. School variations of self-efficacy effect and self-concept effect are accountable by school learning environment in Hong Kong, but not in Canada. Recommendations for improving students' math performance and future research are provided.
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Fisher, Kate. "Aboriginal students' high school mathematics experiences: stories of opportunities and obstacles." Thesis, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/3103.
Full textAbstract:
The mathematics education experiences of Aboriginal high school students has
received little research attention. Ten urban Aboriginal high school students in Victoria, BC facilitated a narrative qualitative inquiry. Bandura’s (1986) four sources of selfefficacy and social cognitive theory were used to examine the students’ stories.
Performance mastery experiences were found to dominate the formation of students’
sense of competence. Experiences were centrally impacted by students’ affective
domain. The importance of relationality and an inter-connection between all four sources
of self-efficacy are also noted. Implications for future research and practice are provided.
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Hsu, Pei-Ling. "Understanding high school students’ science internship: at the intersection of secondary school science and university science." Thesis, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/1096.
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In this dissertation I explore the nature of an internship for high school students in a university science laboratory and the issues that arise from it. The investigation of science internships is relatively new to science education; therefore, this exploration is urgently needed. Twenty-one participants were involved in the internship experience, including 13 students, one teacher, two research scientists, and five technicians. Data sources include observations, field notes, and videotapes. Drawing on four coherent and complementary research tools—cultural-historical activity theory, discourse analysis, conversation analysis, and phenomenography, I articulate a variety of phenomena from multiple perspectives. The phenomena identified in the dissertation include (a) the discursive resources deployed by a teacher for interesting and inviting students to participate in science; (b) the discursive resources high school students used for articulating their interests in science-related careers; (c) the natural pedagogical conversations for accomplishing the work of teaching and learning during the internship; (d) the theoretical concepts mobilized for describing the unfolding of science expertise in the internship; (e) participants’ ways of experiencing the science internship; and (f) students’ understandings of scientific practice after participating in the internship. The study identifies many useful resources for understanding the nature of the science internship and provides a foundation for future research. The findings reported here will also serve others as a springboard for establishing partnerships between high schools and science communities and improving teaching and learning in science education.
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Ashurst, David H. "Promoting sense of place and culture in science: a study of the effectiveness of a cross-cultural, marine science curriculum through experiential exploration." Thesis, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/1688.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis presents the development, implementation and evaluation of a cross-cultural, experiential marine program that occurred in 2007 at a Senior High School in
Sooke, British Columbia. The program consisted of a field-intensive, marine curriculum that acknowledged the contributions of Aboriginal science (Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Wisdom) as complementary to Western science, when understanding and monitoring the coastal environment. Students of both Aboriginal (N= 8) and non-Aboriginal (N= 11) heritage were surveyed before and after instruction of theirknowledge and beliefs about marine science and Aboriginal culture. Prior to instruction,students tended to have positive opinions about Aboriginal culture and marine science, although their knowledge in marine ecology and oceanography was not strong. However, students showed a good understanding of human impacts on the environment. An important finding was that after instruction all students, regardless of cultural heritage, gender or previous coursework, gained positively in all measures from the experience.
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Ram, Anita. "Multilevel analysis of mathematics literacy in Canada and Japan : the effects of sex differences, teacher support, and the school learning environment." Thesis, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/986.
Full textAbstract:
In this study, the effects of student and school level variables on the mathematics achievement of 15 year old students in Canada and Japan were investigated. Participants included 27,953 students from Canada and 4,707 students from Japan. The student level variables used in this analysis included student sex, perceived teacher support, and socioeconomic status, and the school level variables included principals' perceptions of both. student and teacher morale and commitment, and student and teacher related factors affecting school climate. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze data from the Programme for International Student Assessment 2003. The proportion of variance in mathematics scores attributable to schools was 20%, in Canada and 54% in Japan. In both countries, higher ratings by principals on both student commitment and morale, and student-related factors affecting school climate were linked to higher mathematics achievement. Implications for educators and suggestions for future research are discussed.
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Wood, Kip. "Effect of using multiple representations on student success in solving rational, radical, and absolute value equations and inequalities." Thesis, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/1926.
Full textAbstract:
Because of an emerging body of research and a wealth of classroom experiences, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics adopted representation as a process standard in 2000 to add to the four previously adopted (1989) process standards - problem solving, reasoning and proof, connections, and communication. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of using multiple representations on learning to solve equations at the grade 11 level. The sources of data included three unit test scores for two different groups over a seven-week period prior to the treatment and a test score for the two groups after the treatment.
Because of small class sizes (23 and 26), the statistical results need to be verified in future studies with larger groups. However, the results of this study indicate that students benefit from a multi-representational approach to equation solving. Students in the experimental group chose the graphing method of solving equations more often than the algebraic method and had more success with graphing compared to the algebraic approach. However, on some questions, students in the experimental group scored lower with the graphical method than the algebraic method. These results indicate that teachers need to weigh the benefits of teaching mathematical concepts with more than one representation against the costs of the learning demands placed on the student.
47
Manqele, Clement Mandlenkosi. "An evaluation of learner-centred teaching as part of curriculum delivery in under-resourced schools." Thesis, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/23198.
Full textAbstract:
The educational changes introduced by the South African democratic dispensation after 1994 were meant to address the apartheid imbalances. The self-governing regime sought to bring and safeguard quality education for all, and to amend the previous education inequalities among all racial groups. Hence, the new curriculum that was introduced by the National Department of Basic Education was meant to be a drastic departure from the school curricula of the apartheid administration. One critical innovation sought was to replace a teacher-centred curriculum with a learner-centred curriculum.
The emphasis of this study, therefore, was to determine the level to which learner- centred teaching has been adopted by rural and underdeveloped schools. The selection of rural schools was informed by the obvious differences that still persist between the former Model C schools and those that were predominantly black and underdeveloped, particularly in terms of resources and the quality of teachers. Given the fact that the main feature of the Outcomes Based Education (OBE) that was introduced from 1996 is that it is resource-reliant, the main research question of the study was therefore: How do educators in rural and underdeveloped schools cope with a learner-centred teaching as part of the curriculum innovation?
In order to riposte to the study’s main question, the researcher used qualitative research methods to discern data from Physical Sciences teachers, learners and Physical Sciences Heads of Departments (Hods) from the selected schools. In addition, the researcher conducted classroom teaching observations, analysed relevant documents and interviewed some participants to determine their views and experiences on using a learner-centred approach.
The findings of the study revealed many challenges to rural schools in adopting and implementing a learner-centred approach. These include the lack of relevant resources, poor quality of teachers, insufficient and inappropriate teacher-support programmes for teachers as well as the rural environmental challenges. The overall conclusion of the study is that, after two decades since the introduction of a learner-centred approach in South Africa, rural schools have not yet managed to adopt and implement learner-centred pedagogy as an important part of the post-1994 educational innovations.
The researcher finds it ironic that apartheid education was demonized for promoting inequality around racial lines. Sadly, the post-apartheid innovations have yet to address equality among the racial groups and areas of resident. The inability of rural schools to adopt and implement learner-centred approach is depriving black and rural learners of quality learning. They are still subjected to a teacher-centred learning which does not assist them to acquire required skills which can help them to compete with those learners who are attending affluent urban schools.Curriculum and Instructional Studies
D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)
48
Moyo, Khumbulani. "Secondary teachers' views regarding learners' awareness on household waste management in Newcastle South Africa." Diss., 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/27177.
Full textAbstract:
Abstracts in English, Sotho and ZuluWaste generation is a global problem encountered by many nations. In recent years, population growth, booming urbanisation, an increase in economic activities and rise of communities’ living standards have significantly escalated household waste generation which has been a cause for concern. Waste production in households and schools imposes serious concern on the environment. To curb further depletion of environmental resources, sustainable consumption and household waste management practices and systems cannot be over emphasised. Therefore, the aim of the study was to explore the views of secondary school teachers’ views with regard to learners’ awareness of household waste management in Newcastle, South Africa. This study, following a qualitative approach, adopted a case study design to explore secondary teachers’ views on learners’ awareness on household waste management in the Newcastle municipality, in the Amajuba District, South Africa. By using semi- structured interviews, non-participatory observation and documents analysis, data were collected from three secondary schools and nine teachers, teaching Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Life Orientation in Grade 8. The findings revealed that teachers understand the importance and benefits of household waste management although misconceptions of household waste management still prevailed. A challenge that emerged showed that teachers lack training to successfully integrate household waste management in their subjects. Their failure to identify household waste management themes in their CAPS subjects was sufficient evidence for the urgency of in-service training of teachers to assist them in integrating environmental education (EE) themes such as household waste management in their subjects. Although teachers experienced several challenges regarding implementing the theme of household waste management in their subjects, they considered the benefits outweighed the challenges.
Tlhahiso ya ditshila ke bothata bo aparetseng dinaha tse ngata. Dilemong tsa morao tjena, kgolo ya baahi, ho eketseha ha ditoropo, ho eketseha ha mesebetsi ya moruo, le ho phahama ha maemo a bophelo a baahi ho ekeditse tlhahiso ya ditshila tsa malapa ka mokgwa o bonahalang, e leng seo e leng sesosa sa ho tshwenyeha. Tlhahiso ya ditshila malapeng le dikolong e baka mathata a tebileng tikolohong. Ho thibela ho qepha ho eketsehileng ha mehlodi ya tikoloho, tshebediso e tsitsitseng le ditlwaelo tsa taolo ya ditshila tsa malapeng le ditsamaiso ho hloka ho elwa hloko ka tsela e kgethehileng. Kahoo, sepheo sa phuputso e ne e le ho hlahloba maikutlo a matitjhere a dikolo tse mahareng mabapi le tlhokomediso ya baithuti ka taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa Newcastle, Afrika Borwa. Phuputso, ka ho sebedisa mokgwa wa boleng, e amohetse moralo wa phuputso e ikgethileng ho hlahloba maikutlo a matitjhere a dikolo tse bohareng hodima tlhokomediso ya baithuti mabapi le taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa mmasepaleng wa Newcastle, Seterekeng sa Amajuba, Afrika Borwa. Ka ho sebedisa dipuisano tse hlophisitsweng hantle, tlhahlobo e sa kenyelletseng bonkakarolo le manollo ya ditokomane, datha e ile ya bokellwa ho tswa dikolong tse tharo tse bohareng le ho matitjhere a robong, a rutang Saense ya Tlhaho, Saense ya Phedisano le Thuto ya Bophelo bakeng sa baithuti ba Sehlopha sa 8. Diphetho di senotse hore matitjhere a utlwisisa bohlokwa le melemo ya taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa le hoja maikutlo a fosahetseng mabapi le taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa a ntse a atile. Phephetso e ileng ya hlaha e bontsha hore matitjhere a haellwa ke kwetliso ya ho kenyelletsa ka katleho taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa dithutong tsa bona. Ho hloleha ho kgetholla dihlooho tsa taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa dithutong tsa bona tsa CAPS e ne e le bopaki bo lekaneng ba ho potlaka ha kwetliso ya matitjhere a tshebetsong ho ba thusa ho kenyelletsa dihlooho tsa thuto ya tikoloho (EE) jwalo ka taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa dithutong tsa bona. Leha ele hore matitjhere a ile a ba le diphephetso mabapi le ho kenyelletsa dihlooho tsa taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa dithutong tsa bona, ba ile ba utlwa hore melemo e feta diphephetso.
Ukukhiqizeka kukadoti kuyinkinga ehlangabezana nezizwe eziningi emhlabeni. Eminyakeni esanda kudlula, ukukhula kwenani labantu, ukukhula kwamadolobha, ukukhula kwemisebenzi yamabhizinisi kanye nokukhuphuka kwezinga lempilo yabantu yikho okuye kwadala ukuthi imizi ikhiqize izinga eliphezulu likadoti/lenkukuma, okuyinkinga ebekade ivele isikhona. Ukukhiqizeka kukadoti emakhaya kanye nasezikoleni kudala izinkinga ezibi kakhulu endaweni. Ukuqeda ukumoshakala/ukuguga kwemithombo yezendawo okuqhubekela phambili, kusobala ukuthi kudingeka izindlela ezisimelele zokugaywa kukadothi kanye nezindlela zokulawula kukadothi kanti konke lokhu kuyiqiniso elingenakuphikiswa. Ngakho-ke, inhloso yocwaningo kwakuwukuphenya imibono yabafundisi bezikole zamabanga aphakeme mayelana nokuxwayisa uhlelo lokulawulwa kukadoti endaweni yase Newcastle, eNingizimu Afrika. Lolu cwaningo ngokulandela indlela yocwaningo eyencike kwingxoxo, luye lwalandela idizayini yocwaningo lotho ukuphenya imibono yabafundisi bamabanga aphakeme mayelana nokuxwayiswa kwabafundi ngokulawulwa kukadoti emakhaya ngaphansi kukamasipaladi waseNewcastle, ongaphansi kwesiFunda saseMajuba, eNingizimu Afrika. Idatha iye yaqoqwa ngokusebenzisa inhlolovo embaxambili, kwahlaziywa indlela yokuziphatha futhi kwahlaziywa imibhalo, kanti le datha iqoqwe ezikoleni zamabanga aphakeme ezintathu kanye nakubafundisi abayisishiyagalolunye, okungabafundisi abafundisa izifundo phecelezi Natural Sciences, Social Sciences kanye neLife Orientation yabafundi bakaGreyidi 8. Ulwazi olutholakele luveze ukuthi abafundisi bazwisisa ukubaluleka kanye nezinzuzo zohlelo lokulawulwa kukadoti, yize kusekhona ukudideka/ukungazwisisani mayelana nohlelo lokulawula ukuphatha kukadoti. Inselelo ebonakele, ikhombise ukuthi abafundisi baswela ukuqeqeshwa ukuze bakwazi ukuzwisisa kahle uhlelo lokulawulwa kukadoti kwizifundo zabo. Ukwehluleka kwabo ukwehlukanisa izindikimba zokulawulwa kukadoti emakhaya ezifundweni zabo zeCAPS kuye kwaba wubufakazi obanele besidingo esisheshayo sokuqeqeshwa kwabafundisi abasemsebenzini ukubanceda ukuba bakwazi ukuhlanganisa izindikimba zezifundo zezendawo environmental education (EE) ezinjengokulawulwa kukadoti ezifundweni zabo.Yize abafundisi behlangabezana nezinselele ezimbalwa mayelana nokusebenzisa indikimba yokulawulwa kukadoti ezifundweni zabo, baye babona ukuthi izinzuzo zalokhu zedlula izinselele.
Curriculum and Instructional Studies
M. Ed. (Environmental Education Curriculum)
49
Nukeri, Happy Jabulani. "Factors influencing the choice of physical science at secondary schools in the Northern Province." Diss., 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/15678.
Full textAbstract:
This study investigates variables that influence choice of Physical Science as a
secondary school subject. The variables are pupil, home environment, teacher and
school environment. A questionnaire was administered to 849 grade 9 pupils. The
following findings are recorded:
The better pupils achieve in Science the more likely that they will further their studies
in Science. If pupils have positive self-concepts, beliefs about, attitudes and interest
in Science and enjoyed Science at primary school they are inclined to choose Science
as a subject. Pupils who choose Science view it as a valuable subject for daily life,
have parents who evaluate Science favourably and come from better socio-economic
backgrounds than those who do not choose Science. These pupils also view the
attitudes, personalities, competencies and methods of assessment of their Science teachers positively. Finally, they perceive the Science curricula and textbooks as beneficial.Psychology of Education
M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)
50
Adams, Whynie Jeaneene. "Promoting environmentally responsible behaviour: an evaluation of the global learning and observations to benefit the environment (globe) programme." Thesis, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/1397.
Full textAbstract:
This study aimed at determining whether participating in an environmental education programme (GLOBE) was positively reflected in participants' environmental perceptions, attitudes and level of environmentally responsible behaviour. An ecologically homogeneous sample consisting of 40 Grade 8 GLOBE participants and 40 non-GLOBE participants was selected. Pearson correlation coefficients, multiple regression analyses and t-tests were employed to compare the research groups. Results showed that GLOBE participants were more positive in their attitudes and actions toward the environment than non-GLOBE participants. GLOBE participants were however not environmentally more perceptive than non-GLOBE participants. Analysing responses of the GLOBE participants in terms of gender and place of residency was fruitless as the sample was too small to yield meaningful results. It was recommended that a more controlled and extended replication of this study, paying specific attention to initial motivations for participation/non-participation in the GLOBE programme, be considered.Psychology
M.A.