Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Buloba Teacher Training College'

This thesis investigates how instructional leaders at the Windhoek College of Education (in Namibia) make sense of their roles. The Windhoek College of Education (WCE) was selected for this study because that is where I work, therefore it would be easy to observe some of the responses provided by the interviewees. It was also observed that instructional leadership is little researched in Namibia and hence study would contribute towards understanding the various perceptions that instructional leaders have of their roles. There is a need for information about the skills and tasks required to support practices of instructional leadership so that the best possible instruction can be provided. The thesis examines and presents such skills. A qualitative research framework, in particular an interpretative approach was used for the study. As my research is concerned with people’s perceptions, it is located in the interpretative paradigm. Semi-structured, open-ended interview questions were asked in order to gather information on how the participants make meaning of their roles as instructional leaders. The sample for the study consisted of eleven instructional leaders over different levels, i.e., executive leaders, leaders on middle-management level and leaders on classroom-instructional level. The findings indicated a narrow view of instructional leadership at the college. Factors contributing to this narrowness are addressed, e.g., the way concepts such as delegation, guidance and monitoring/supervision are perceived. The findings also addressed certain expectations that are needed from instructional leaders in order to ensure efficiency in their practice. The study concludes by recommending alternative, expansive ways of thinking about instructional leadership.

Doctor Educationis
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between identity and differential academic performance in a cohort of preprimary teachers-in-training. The study draws on indepth interviews with, and detailed observations of, nineteen students and five of their lecturers at a college of education in Cape Town in the late 1990s. Through an analysis of the narratives of academic performance of these students, this work argues that students constructed narratives of academic performance framed by their expectations of what they considered possible for people of their particular identity. Thus as a consequence, students who shared common identities and social locations tended to share common narrative threads. This was most evident in the way in which three broad narrative perspectives emerged - framed by shared social locations of race, class, and gender, and common understandings of religion and cognitive ability. However, within each broad grouping .individual agency nuanced how each student interpreted his or her personal history and particular social locations through the discourses to which he or she had access. This work presents a. challenge to the dominant metaphor of reproduction in the field of educational studies. It is clear from analysis of the students' narratives that as active agents they were not unproblematically reproduced by the teacher college as classed, raced, and gendered subjects. Rather, they produced themselves within existing, and often potentially contradictory, material and discursive contexts. In explaining differential academic performance, this work examines the way in which narrative understandings introduce people into particular ways of life through their authorial voice and legitimating functions. More specifically, it explains how subjective narratives of academic performance introduce students into particular social actions that result in 'objective' differential academic performance as recorded on year-end mark schedules. However, in selecting narrative analysis as a conceptual framework for the work, it has been possible to motivate for an explanation that goes beyond an analysis of academic achievement and failure. In successive chapters evidence is marshaled to frame an argument that students' narratives shape their social action as agents of history, and are implicated in the distribution of privilege within society. The framing of the research question was premised on the assumption that a relationship exists between educational outcomes and access to life chances. While evidence is presented that signals how subjective narratives of academic performance are 'lived out' as 'objective' academic performance, a linear relationship between marks as academic performance and life chances is raised as problematic. It is argued that rather than merely shaping academic performance, narratives as theories of social reality frame all understandings of the social world including access to socio-economic privilege. It is these understandings that get 'lived out' in the choices that students make about their futures. A significant thread to the argument is the extent to which lecturers are implicated in the narrative understandings that students construct, and consequently in the unequal distribution of privilege in society. While seeking to explain academic performance, the study comes to the significant conclusion that narrative understandings, rather than academic performance, are implicated in the distribution of privilege in society.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 1991.
Title from title page screen, viewed December 16, 2005. Dissertation Committee: Larry D. Kennedy (chair), Robert L. Fisher, John T. Goeldi, Patricia H. Klass, JoAnn S. McCarthy. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 137-148) and abstract. Also available in print.

The Government of Afghanistan is struggling to provide education facilities all over the country for both boys and girls. Many problems exist in girls’ access to education and girls generally participate less than boys. Gender disparity exists in rural as well as in urban areas of Afghanistan. The girls are expected to stay at home instead of taking part in education. The issue of girls’ non participation in education may have different reasons for example social, cultural, religious, and traditional origins. This study explores the views of female participants, their parents and the teachers about girls’ participation in Paktia TTC. 16 teachers, 38 students and 25 parents were interviewed through separate questionnaires about the obstacles for female participation in Paktia TTC as well as about the influence of GSP (Girls scholarship program) on female participation. This study is conducted in central TTC of Paktia province. In the result of this study it is found that among all the obstacles for girls’ security is a basic problem for girls to continue with their education. As well the study found that more than half of the teachers and girls interviewed mentioned distance between residence and TTC is also a big problem for girls to participate in TTC. Another finding of this study is that among all the personal involved in the study most parents which is about more than half of the parents told that the social pressure for girls is the basic problem as well as the traditions of the society have also affected the girls’ participation in Paktia TTC. More than half of the parents were also agreed that parents’ illiteracy is a big problem in girls’ participation because illiterate parents do not want their daughters to get education. As the purpose of this study is also to know about the influence of GSP (Girls’ scholarship program) on female participation. This grant motivate female participants to attend TTC but the study found that more than half of the teachers told that if there was no GSP the girls will continue but 25 parents most parents were agreed that the GSP grant is a contribution to their families. As well as 25% teachers told that the GSP grant has encouraged girls to attend TTC in Paktia province.

The introduction of technology and the widespread use of ICT in the wealthier nations have led teacher-educators to integrate technological applications in their teaching environment. The research investigated the new teaching modes created by teacher-educators in teacher-training colleges in Israel, due to their transition from traditional teaching to distance-teaching through the Internet. This was a qualitative research using case study within an interpretative paradigm that enabled the researcher to consider the viewpoints of the informants together with her own viewpoint. The research tools included: 14 open interviews, a non-participatory observation, documentation reading and the writing of a personal log. The rich variety of research tools enabled triangulation of data. The conceptual framework of the research was based on theories of teacher-training, distance-teaching, academic disciplines, and several teaching dimensions: organisation and representation of data, organisation and management of teaching and different types of interaction. The research findings indicated intrinsic and extrinsic motives for the teacher-educators transition to distance-teaching. The transition created a pedagogy characterised by four teaching modes that corresponded to different academic disciplines. Each discipline harnessed the technology for intensive use in one or more of the teaching dimensions. The Representation mode used by teacher-educators in the natural sciences and statistics used a large variety of data representations and Internet writing characterised by multiple links. The Interactive mode employed by teacher-educators in the field of literacy principally dealt with formative assessment of the students' writing and used virtual communication tools to tighten the teacher-learner inter-personal interaction. The Organisational mode used in education disciplines focused on organisation and management of teaching and learning through the use of computer applications. The Holistic mode employed by teacher-educators in the fields of education and literature, in substance constituted a combination of all the characteristics of the above-mentioned modes with an emphasis given to social presence of both learners and the teacher. Analysis of the teaching modes led to the creation of a typology of four modes positioned at different points along the following scales: organisation of teaching, flexible – fixed, types of interaction few – multiple; data representation, creative – conservative; computer literate – computer users. There was a clear contrast between teacher-educators teaching education disciplines as a continuation of traditional frontal teaching and those who had previously taught in workshops. At the crossroads of pedagogy with technology, the changes in location, time and lesson character have meant that the implementation of the teaching paradigm of Zeichner and the teaching orientations of Feiman-Nemser have taken on fresh dimensions. The new teaching modes necessitate appropriate training for all teacher-educators working in distance-teaching in accordance with their academic disciplines. The research findings contribute to the reduction of a gap in knowledge concerning the new teaching modes of teacher-educators teaching distance-learning in a teacher-training college in Israel.

The purpose of this study was to collect from University of Arizona secondary education graduates information regarding first-year employment and retention, perceived professional preparedness, perceived effectiveness as first-year teachers, types and perceived effectiveness of district induction support, and interest in receiving induction support from the university in the first year of teaching. This information would shed light on the potential role of the university in providing inductive support to graduates. Eighty-three percent of respondents entered teaching, and 93% were still teaching at the time of the study. However, 35% either planned to leave or contemplated leaving the profession in the future. Many experienced challenging first-year assignments. For respondents in their first-year of teaching, the decision to remain in teaching was linked to perceptions of teaching effectiveness and the effectiveness of induction received. Graduates felt "somewhat prepared" to teach upon graduation, except for master's program graduates who felt significantly better prepared. They felt "somewhat effective" as first-year teachers. There was a positive correlation between perceived preparedness and first-year teaching effectiveness. Respondents recommended modifications to preservice programs, including more coursework in classroom management and planning, extended time in schools, and increased relevance of coursework. The quality of district inductive support varied tremendously, with many receiving insufficient support, particularly from rural or charter schools. The most common support included administrative observations and orientations. Far fewer were mentored, provided with professional training or support sessions, observed by staff development specialists, or given release time to observe others. Respondents felt their district induction was "not very effective." There was a positive correlation between perceived first-year teaching effectiveness and effectiveness of induction. Finally, 79% would have been interested in receiving assistance from the university during their first year, requesting training in classroom management, planning, and content-specific methods. They also recommended support sessions for new teachers, observations, and on-line support. It was concluded that the university could play a valuable role in providing inductive support to graduates.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2007.
Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 84 p. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 71-77).

This dissertation examined the College-Ready Teaching Framework (CRTF), a multiple measure teacher effectiveness rubric created by Green Dot Public Schools. The purpose of the dissertation was to determine whether or not the CRTF as a whole or in part could account for differences in student outcomes (California Standards Test [CST] scores, student growth percentile [SGP], and grade point average [GPA]). The study included teachers and students at Green Dot during the 2012-2013 school year. Correlational analyses were used to determine if there was a relationship between student achievement outcomes and the CRTF. Factor analysis was used to discover other Factors in addition to the CRTF's original five Domains. Multiple regression and step-wise regression were employed to determine if a combination of indicators, Domains, or Factors could predict student scores. The results of the findings showed that overall there were no relationships between Teacher Effectiveness Score (TES), Teacher Observation Score (TObs), and student outcome metrics (SGP, CST, and GPA). Disaggregating the dataset for math, science, and history separately, however, moderate relationships emerged between TES, TObs, SGP, and CST. Four additional Factors emerged from factor analysis that were similar to the original theoretical Domains created by CRTF designers; however. neither the original Domains nor the additional Factors were related to student outcomes. Finally, no regression model was found to hold any practical significance as no combination of indicators, Domains, or Factors accounted for more than 19.5% of the variation in student outcomes. The findings of this study are largely consistent with similar studies in the research literature where correlation analysis has been promising, yet inconsistent. The results of this study represent the addition of the CRTF to the research literature. Future research on the study of the effect of professional development and the impact of various weights of the CRTF composite score are recommended.

The aim of this study was to describe the knowledge and attitudes of college students of the Manzini Nazarene Teacher Training College with regard to HIV/AIDS. The aim was to identify risky sexual practices of the college students as well, which may require redress in order to enhance their effectiveness in combating the spread of HIV.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.
The use of ICT to enhance the quality of student learning is generally observable in higher education institutions. The adoption of ICT policy for education in Namibia in 1996 has profoundly encouraged the use of ICT to enhance student learning at teachers training colleges, in particular Caprivi College of Education. Although ICT has positioned itself in higher education, its implementation to enhance student learning has been received with mixed feelings, attitudes and perceptions among students. The use of ICT in relation to learning paradigm, collaborative and/or co-operative learning, deep learning approach and assessment seem to be problematic among students and may affect their learning. Issues related to access to ICT, ICT skills and support (technical and service) contribute to students’ negative perceptions towards the use of ICT in learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate students’ perceptions of the possible effect of ICT application on student learning at Caprivi College of Education in order to determine the ICT skills and learning strategies student teachers use to enhance their learning. The research strategy for this study was a quantitative survey. Quantitative data was obtained by administering closed-ended questionnaires to third-year student teachers at Caprivi College of Education. The study concludes that student teachers overwhelmingly perceive the use of ICT to enhance their learning in various ways.

This study offers an explanation of enabling and / or constraining factors in Zimbabwe‘s 3-3-3 secondary teacher education model for Post ‗O‘ Level Science. It is a theory driven study that derives its theoretical foundation from Roy Bhaskar‘s critical realism and Margaret Archer‘s morphogenetic approach to reality. The study therefore offers explanations about structural, cultural and agential influences that facilitate and / or hinder the 3-year program for Post ‗O‘ Level Science. This was a qualitative case study of one secondary teacher education college in Zimbabwe. Qualitative data were collected through interviews, focus group discussions and document analysis. One official from the Department of Teacher Education(DTE) at the University of Zimbabwe(UZ),the Principal, the Vice Principal and 10 lecturers from the studied college,3 Heads of Science department in secondary schools,3mentors and 5 groups of 10 and 11eleven student teachers participated in the study. The DTE Handbook (2012), vision and mission statements and core values of the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development (MHTESTD),DTE and the studied college, syllabuses, teaching practice reports, policy documents, external examining reports, College Academic Board (CAB) minutes, admission records, mark profiles and pass lists among other relevant documents complemented interview data. As a theory driven study, structural, cultural and agential influences were found to be enabling and / or constraining the model. The acute shortage of Science teachers in secondary schools and the few Post ‗A‘ Level Science graduates led to the re-introduction of the 3- year Post ‗O‘ Level Science program in secondary teacher education colleges. The bureaucratic structures in educational institutions, the In-Out-In structure, institutional structures such as the family, the University, the studied college, secondary schools, infrastructural facilities, material and financial resources, transport facilities and utilities such as water, electricity and the internet were established as some among other structural factors affecting the 3-3-3 model. Discourses held about the teaching profession, the vision, mission and core values of the MHTESTD,DTE and the studied college, beliefs about what Science teachers should learn, knowledge, skills, attitudes and values they should acquire and how they should be taught were established as cultural factors enabling and / or constraining the 3-3-3 model. Agential influences offering causal explanation for enablers and / or constrainers of the model were established as the decision by the Principal and the CAB to re-introduce the 3- year Post ‗O‘ Level Science program, the decision by the students to enroll for the program, the recruitment of under qualified students, the use of various teaching methods, conducting staff development and mentorship workshops and failure to increase staff establishment. The study has put forth recommendations for the improvement on constraining factors in pre-service teacher education programs. With the understanding that agency has power to reinforce or transform structures and cultures, it should not be seen to be reinforcing disadvantaged structural positions and cultures; instead, after having identified structural and cultural constrainers, it should engage in communicative and meta-reflexivity to come up with the best possible solutions to the hindrances. Courses of action should then be taken accordingly.

The problem of this study was the needed administrative competencies of administrators in teacher training colleges in Kenya as perceived by administrators and faculty. A questionnaire (Inventory of Administrative Competencies) was mailed to principals, vice-principals, and four faculty members selected at random from sixteen teacher training colleges in Kenya. Ninety-six questionnaires were returned, yielding a return rate of 100 percent. Responses were analyzed using t-tests and one-way analyses of variance utilizing the F-test of the statistical test. A series of post hoc comparisons was made using Duncan's New Multiple Range Test to locate significant differences. Based on the analysis of data, it was concluded that both administrators and faculty considered the desired status of the competency very high. The administrators were performing below the desired status. Size of college was the major factor for the differences in perceptions of the respondents. Years of experience and educational background had little or no effect on the respondents' responses to the questionnaire. The following recommendations were made: A future study should investigate the perceived desired status and present performance ratings assigned to a validated set of competency statements of those levels of administrative activities not included in this study. Such a study would involve school inspectors, provincial education officers, deans of students, and heads of departments. A study should be made to investigate the current methods of evaluating administrative competence in teacher training colleges in Kenya. The results of this study should be analyzed by the Ministry of Education teacher college program developers responsible for conducting administrative workshops or in—service training in Kenya. This study could provide developers with additional information for improving the adequacy and relevance of both pre—service and in-service programs for practicing administrators.

Recruitment and retention of ethnically diverse students in college education preparation programs remains a difficult challenge for many colleges and universities across the United States. Low numbers of education majors yield low numbers of ethnically diverse teachers in the teaching workforce. According to 2010 data from the National Center of Education Statistics, African American students comprise about 16% of our public school students nationwide, but African American teachers only represent about 8% of the teaching workforce. While Asian students comprise 4.6% of the total public school population, only 1% of the teachers in American public schools are Asian (National Center of Education Statistics, 2010). Additionally, Latinos are expected to make up a third of the total U.S. school-age population (ages 3–17) by the year 2036, while Latino teachers represent only 14% of the teacher workforce (NCES, 2012).

Although college going rates for ethnically diverse students are increasing, many of those students are not choosing education as a major. Researchers have studied the perceptions ethnically diverse students have about teaching and have identified numerous barriers, such as: limited educational opportunities, more lucrative career options and standardized testing requirements (Madkins, 2011). Furthermore, Gordon's (1994) research points to not graduating from high school, negative experiences in school, lack of respect, teachers not being prepared for diversity, lack of support for college, lack of academic encouragement, racelessness, absence of role models of color, low status of the profession, too much education for the return, low pay, negative image, poor school conditions, having more opportunities elsewhere, and racism as contributing factors affecting students' decisions not to pursue a career in education. Graham and Erwin (2011) who studied African American boys discovered three themes: negative perceptions of teachers and teaching, perceptions of schools as oppressive institutions, and African American men are nonconformists. While these are all significant potential barriers to ethnically diverse students choosing careers in education, those ethnically diverse students who do choose to pursue teaching may be able to shed some light on the issue. Since much of the research focuses on the barriers and limitations ethnically diverse students face in our society, part of the purpose of this research is to highlight what is working for ethnically diverse students who are pursuing a career in education.

The purpose of this dissertation is to describe the factors that contribute to an ethnically diverse education major's career aspiration and college success. Since the disparity problem is multifaceted, I addressed historical, personal and social aspects that may impact the overall phenomenon, including: desegregation of teachers of color, students' experiences within the context of secondary schools, issues surrounding institutional racism, students' perceptions of teachers and teaching, college readiness, college recruitment and retention of teacher candidates, mentoring, personal motivations and identity development.

I endeavored to capture the rich stories of ethnically diverse college students' journeys to becoming a teacher and to understand what impact mentoring may have had on their career aspirations and college success. Results from this study can inform students, schools, and colleges and universities about the barriers and support systems that successful education majors of color report affect them. Since the primary focus is on the perceived effect of mentoring, the results may also provide insights regarding the retention of ethnically diverse students once they enroll in college.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A. Background - Registrars play a significant role as teachers for undergraduate medical students and junior doctors in the clinical setting. (Jack et al. 2010; Busari & Scherpbier 2004). Many however teach ineffectively as registrars are rarely taught how to teach (Morrison et al. 2002, Busari et al. 2002; Thomas et al. 2002). This has prompted a number of universities to implement “Registrar-as-Teacher” training programs as part of faculty development (FD) initiatives (Leslie et al. 2014; Post et al. 2009, Hill et al. 2009). Although available evidence has demonstrated a positive impact of these programs on the teaching performance of registrars, large differences exist in the interventions, curricula content and participant characteristics. Few studies identified a conceptual framework that informed the design. Most studies focused on a quantitative approach to evaluate outcome; ignoring contextual factors that may shape the successful implementation of new knowledge and skills gained. At Tygerberg Hospital, education is a key performance area of registrar’s staff performance management agreement but no formal training program for registrars as teachers exists. The Centre for Health Professions Education at Stellenbosch University thus piloted a half-day workshop for newly appointed registrars from various disciplines with the aim to develop the clinical supervision skills of registrars as clinical educators. B. Research Design and Methodology - The overall aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of a pilot “Registrar-as-Teacher” workshop at the University of Stellenbosch. The specific objectives included: - To evaluate registrar perceived relevance of workshop content - To evaluate registrar self-evaluation of teaching practices - To identify factors affecting the teaching practices of registrars - To observe and evaluate registrar teaching practices in the clinical setting - To increase the “Registrar-as-Teacher” workshop effectiveness A two-phased mixed method design was used, using semi-structured interviews and observation of registrars. Phase one comprised of semi-structured interviews to elicit both numerical and text-based data. Phase two included observer ratings to further explore the application of knowledge, skills and attitudes gained. The “Registrar-as-Teacher” program content was informed by the teaching roles described by Harden and Crosby (2000). As educational strategy, Knowles’ adult learning theory (1980) was applied. The study was conducted at Tygerberg Hospital, a Stellenbosch University Faculty of Health Sciences affiliated teaching hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. The study population included newly appointed registrars (year 1 and 2) from the Departments of Internal Medicine, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Surgery, and Orthopaedics. An inductive approach was used to analyze the qualitative data. Demographic, registrar self- evaluations and workshop evaluation data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. This study was approved by the Health Research Ethics Committee of Stellenbosch University (protocol number S13/10/177). C. Results - Seven of the fifteen registrars attending the pilot workshop agreed to take part in phase 1 of the study; five from the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, and one from Surgery and Obstetrics & Gynaecology respectively. Five agreed to take part in phase 2 of the study; all from the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health. Participants reported satisfaction with the program and experienced the workshop as a positive learning experience (Kirkpatrick level 1). Participants self-reported positive changes in attitudes, including motivation, self-confidence, enthusiasm, and conceptions of teaching. Knowledge and skills were gained, as self-reported and observed. Individual benefits such as increased self-awareness of teaching ability and increased awareness of student needs were reported (Kirkpatrick level 2). Participants self-reported behavior changes in their teaching practices. Participants, bar one, demonstrated appropriate educational practices and teaching skills (Kirkpatrick level 3). Participants in our study reported their expanded conceptions of the roles of a teacher as one of the most useful aspects of the workshop. Role modelling was singled out as the most useful session. Participants generally had a positive view on their contribution to student learning. They saw it as a formative influence on how students view the profession and discipline. Unique aspects of registrar teaching were highlighted as being more informal in nature, more practice orientated; and working in a closer relationship with students; thus complementary to the consultant teaching role. Participants recognized that they are still developing their clinical teaching skills. Most participants rely on observed teaching methods or borrow from their own experiences as students. Participants based their self-assessment of being a good teacher on their personal views that mirrored their conceptions of a good teacher; seldom asking for or receiving feedback on their teaching skills to shape their own learning or performance as clinical teachers. Most participants in our study asked for regular or follow up training where they could reflect on their development and also receive feedback on progress made. Few participants felt comfortable to give feedback to students or to use the ‘one-minute preceptor’ compared to other aspects of clinical teaching. Our FD program’s session on teaching in the clinical setting and the ‘one-minute preceptor’ thus worked less well. This speaks to how to increase the effectiveness of future workshops. Even though all participants enjoyed teaching students, reported barriers to effective teaching were many. Participants often felt frustrated and overwhelmed by their teaching task. Limited time with competing responsibilities such as huge service demands and administrative duties impacted negatively on participants’ ability to teach students. Participants mostly felt unsupported and undervalued as teachers by their various departments, with little guidance on the expected student teaching content, process or learning outcomes. Although the expectation to teach is clearly communicated by the various departments, there is no training, supervision structure, formative feedback, or appreciation of their teaching performance. This lack of orientation and communication was further highlighted by participants pointing to the explanation of the MBChB undergraduate curriculum structure as the second most useful component of the course after role modelling. D. Conclusion and Recommendations - Our study confirmed the important role of registrars as teachers in the clinical setting. Apart from sharing theoretical and on-the-job knowledge, registrars teach practical skills and act as role models for the profession. Participants perceived the pilot “Registrar-as-Teacher” workshop content as relevant and the workshop shaped their teaching conceptions and practices. But workplace barriers like limited time with competing responsibilities impacted negatively on participants’ ability to teach students. A reported lack of guidance and support from the respective departments further undermined their ability to develop as clinical teachers. Future “Registrar-as-Teacher” FD initiatives at Stellenbosch University should thus provide registrars with optimal approaches and best teaching practices for busy clinical settings; enabling them to merge teaching with work. Strengthening FD requires the adoption of a broader conceptual framework that does not just focus on the individual participant, but link FD to the development of the department or institution as a whole (Swanwick & McKimm 2012). Workplace communities that include departmental faculty members should be involved in FD programs; allowing for ongoing learning and professional development of registrars as clinical teachers (O’Sullivan & Irby 2011; Steinert et al. 2010; Webster-Wright 2009; Hunter et al. 2008; Thorndyke et al. 2006). This requires a longitudinal strategy. Our “Registrar-as-Teacher” FD program should thus move away from the one-time workshop and instead create multiple learning events with opportunities for application and reflection.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: A. Agtergrond - Kliniese Asssistente (KAs) speel ‘n belangrike rol as onderwysers vir voorgraadse studente en junior dokters in die kliniese omgewing (Jack et al. 2010; Busari & Scherpbier 2004). Baie gebruik egter oneffektiewe onderrigmetodes omdat hulle selde opleiding ontvang oor onderrig (Morrison et al. 2002, Busari et al. 2002; Thomas et al. 2002). Verskeie universiteite het die probleem aangespreek deur “KA-as-Onderwyser” opleidingsprogramme as deel van hul Fakulteitsontwikkelings inisiatiewe te loots (Leslie et al. 2014; Post et al. 2009, Hill et al. 2009). Alhoewel beskikbare bewyse dui op ‘n positiewe impak van die programme op die onderrig prestasies van Kliniese Assistente, kom groot verskille voor in die intervensies, kurrikulum inhoud en deelnemer eienskappe. Min studies het sover ‘n konseptuele raamwerk geidentifiseer wat die studie ontwerp belig. Meeste studies fokus ook op slegs ‘n kwantitatiewe benadering as evalueringsuitkoms; en ignoreer die kontekstuele faktore wat die suksesvolle implementering van nuwe kennis en vaardighede mag beinvloed. By Tygerberg Hospitaal is onderrig ‘n sleutel prestasie area vir Kliniese Assistente se personeel prestasie bestuur ooreenkoms, maar geen formele opleidingsprogram vir KAs bestaan nie. Die Sentrum vir Gesondheidsberoepe Onderwys by Stellenbosch Universiteit het dus ‘n halfdag werkswinkel geloots vir nuutaangestelde KAs van verskeie departemente met die doel om hul kliniese supervisie vaardighede te ontwikkel. B. Navorsingontwerp en Metodiek - Die oorkoepelende doel van die studie was om die uitkoms van die nuwe “KA-as-Onderwyser” werkswinkel by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch te evalueer. Die spesifieke doelwitte het ingesluit: - Om die KAs se relevansie van die werkswinkel inhoud te evalueer - Om KAs se self-evaluasie van hul onderrigpraktyke te evalueer - Om faktore te identifiseer wat onderrigpraktyke van KAs beinvloed - Om KAs se onderrigpraktyke in die kliniese omgewing te observeer en te evalueer - Om die effektiwiteit van die “KA-as-Onderwyser” werkswinkel te verbeter. ‘n Twee-fase gemengde metodiek ontwerp is gebruik wat die gebruik van semi- gestruktureerde onderhoude en observasies van KAs ingesluit het. Fase een het bestaan uit semi- gestruktureerde onderhoude om beide numeriese en teks-data te ontlok. Fase twee het ingesluit observasies en gradering van onderrig aktiwiteite om die toepassing van nuwe kennis, vaardighede en houdings te verken. Die “KA-as-Onderwyser” program inhoud is deur die onderwyser rolle soos beskryf deur Harden en Crosby (2000) toegelig. As onderrigstrategie is Knowles se volwasse leerteorie (1980) toegepas. Die studie is uitgevoer by Tygerberg Hospitaal, ‘n Stellenbosch Universiteit Fakulteit van Geneeskunde en Gesondheidswetenskappe geaffilieerde onderrighospitaal. Die studie populasie het ingesluit nuutaangestelde KAs (jaar 1 en 2) van die Departemente Interne Geneeskunde, Pediatrie, Obstetrie en Verloskunde, Chirurgie en Ortopedie. ‘n Induktiewe benadering is gevolg om die kwalitatiewe data te analiseer. Demografiese, KA self- en geobserveerde evaluasies, en werkswinkel evaluasie data is met behulp van beskrywende statistiese metodes geanaliseer. Die studie is goedgekeur deur die Gesondheids Navorsings Etiese Komitee van Stellenbosch Universiteit (protokol nommer S13/10/177). C. Resultate Sewe van die vyftien KAs wat die werkswinkel bygewoon het, het ingestem om deel te neem aan fase 1 van die studie; vyf van die Departement van Pediatrie en Kindergesondheid, en een elk van Chirurgie en Obstetrie en Verloskunde. Vyf het ingestem om deel te wees van fase 2 van die studie; almal van die Departement van Pediatrie en Kindergesondheid. Deelnemers was gelukkig met die program en het die werkswinkel as ‘n positiewe leerervaring beskryf (Kirkpatrick vlak 1). Deelnemers het positiewe veranderinge in houding, insluitend motivering, selfvertroue, entoesiasme, en opvattings van onderrig rapporteer. Beide selfbeskrywende en geobserweerde kennis en vaardighede is uitgebrei. Individuele voordele soos verhoogde self bewustheid van onderrig vermoeens en verhoogde bewustheid van studentbehoeftes is gerapporteer (Kirkpatrick vlak 2). Deelnemers het veranderinge in hul onderrig praktyke rapporteer. Alle deelnemers, behalwe een, het ook toepaslike onderrig praktyke en onderrig vaardighede demonstreer (Kirkpatrick vlak 3). Deelnemers van ons studie het die nuwe opvattings oor hul rol as kliniese onderwysers as een van die waardevolste aspekte van die werkswinkel beskryf. Rolmodellering was uitgesonder as die mees waardevolste sessie. Deelnemers het in die algemeen ‘n positiewe siening van hul bydrae tot studente onderrig gehad. Hulle sien dit as ‘n formatiewe invloed op hoe studente die mediese professie en spesifieke dissiplines beskou. Unieke aspekte van KA onderrig wat uitgelig is was die meer informele aard van hul onderrig, dat dit meer prakties georienteerd is, en dat hul ‘n nouer verhouding met studente het; dus ‘n komplementere rol tot die onderrig rol van die konsultant. Deelnemers erken dat hul steeds ontwikkel as kliniese onderwysers. Meeste deelnemers maak staat op geobserweerde onderrigmetodes of leen van hul eie ervarings as student. Deelnemers baseer hul siening oor hulself as goeie onderwysers op hul persoonlike siening van ‘n goeie onderwyser en vra selde terugvoer oor hul onderrig praktyke om sodoende hul eie leer en prestasie as kliniese onderwysers te vorm. Meeste deelnemers in ons studie het egter gevra vir gereelde en opvolg opleiding sodat hulle oor hul eie onderrig praktyke kan reflekteer. Min deelnemers was gemaklik om terugvoer aan studente te gee of om die ‘one-minute preceptor’ strategie te gebruik in vergelyking met ander onderrig strategiee. Ons werkswinkel sessie oor onderrig en strategiee in die besige kliniese omgewing was dus minder suksesvol en sal in toekomstige werkswinkels aangespreek moet word. Alhoewel deelnemers studente onderrig oor die algemeen geniet, is baie hindernisse tot effektiewe studente onderrig beskryf. Deelnemers voel dikwels gefrustreerd en oorweldig deur hul onderrig taak. Min tyd, met kompeterende verantwoordelikhede soos dienslewering en administratiewe pligte beinvloed onderrig negatief. Deelnemers rapporteer dat hul nie voldoende ondersteuning ontvang van hul verskeie departemente nie, en voel ondergewaardeer as onderwysers. Min leiding word verskaf oor verwagte studente leeruitkomste, prosesse of kennis wat oorgedra moet word. Alhoewel die verwagting dat KAs moet onderrig gee duidelik gekommunikeer word deur die verskeie departemente, vind geen opleiding, supervisie of terugvoer oor hul prestasies plaas nie. Hierdie gebrek aan orientering en kommunikasie was verder uitgelig deurdat deelnemers die verduideliking van die MBChB voorgraadse kurrikulum struktuur as die waardevolste sessie naas rolmodellering beskryf het. D. Opsomming en Aanbevelings - Ons studie bevestig die belangrike rol van KAs as onderwysers in die kliniese omgewing. Behalwe dat teoretiese en praktiese kennis en vaardighede geleer word, tree hul ook as rolmodelle vir die mediese professie op. Deelnemers het die “KA-as-Onderwyser” werkswinkel inhoud as relevant beskou en rapporteer dat dit hul onderrig opvattings en praktyke positief beinvloed het. Werksplekhindernisse soos beperkte tyd en kompeterende verantwoordelikhede beinvloed onderrig van studente egter negatief. ‘n Gerapporteerde gebrek aan leiding en ondersteuning van hul onderskeie departemente ondermyn verder KAs se ontwikkeling as kliniese onderwysers. Toekomstige “Kliniese Assistent-as-Onderwyser” Fakulteitsontwikkelings-inisiatiewe by Stellenbosch Universiteit moet dus KAs voorsien van optimale strategiee en onderrig praktyke om werk en onderrig suksesvol te kan kombineer. Om Fakulteitsontwikkelings-inisiatiewe verder te versterk, moet ‘n breer konseptuele raamwerk aanvaar word wat nie net fokus op die individuele deelnemer nie, maar wat Fakulteitsontwikkeling koppel aan die ontwikkeling van departemente en instansies (Swanwick & McKimm 2012). Werksplek gemeenskappe wat departementele konsultante insluit, moet betrokke wees by Fakulteitsontwikkeling om KAs in staat te stel om professioneel te ontwikkel as kliniese onderwysers (O’Sullivan & Irby 2011; Steinert et al. 2010; Webster-Wright 2009; Hunter et al. 2008; Thorndyke et al. 2006). Hierdie vra vir ‘n longitudinale strategie. Ons “KA-as-Onderwyser” Fakulteitsontwikkelingsprogram moet weg beweeg van eenmalige werkswinkels en eerder veelvuldige leergeleenthede skep met geleenthede vir toepassing en refleksie.

Preparing quality teachers is a continuing issue and concern in discussions about the future of schools in many countries. This study described and compared the stated goals and perceived outcomes of teacher preparation programs at the College of Basic Education (CBE) in Kuwait. This information will assist educational decision makers in Kuwait to align teacher preparation at the CBE and decide what is needed to make the programs more effective. The study assessed the perceptions of knowledge, skills, and attitudes of student teachers, new teachers, and instructors toward the existing program at the CBE in Kuwait. The discussion of teacher preparation in Kuwait was used to set a cultural and historical context. The literature reviewed recommendations from the United States to develop a framework of five common standards for analyzing the teacher preparation curriculum: content knowledge, instruction, diversity, professional development, and field work. In addition, research and evaluation of teacher education programs were reviewed for perceptions of student teachers and new teachers about their preparation and for methodology. Document analysis techniques were used with current documents from four major teacher preparation programs in the CBE. Five standards from U.S. recommendations were also found in the CBE curriculum. However, the analysis suggested that the curriculum in Kuwait might increase attention to professional attitudes and use of new technologies to prepare teachers. A three-part questionnaire was developed based upon the questionnaires of Van Zandt, Smith, and Zelazek et al. The questionnaire was translated into the Arabic language, and 280 responses to the survey instrument were analyzed. Perceptions of pre-service teachers, new teachers, and instructors toward the existing curriculum at the CBE in Kuwait were positive (3.3 and higher on 5-point scale) toward preparation of teachers’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes. However, a significant contrast was found between groups in perceptions of knowledge and skills. Pre-service teachers were more positive than first-year teachers or college instructors in their perceptions. No significant differences were found in attitudes. Recommendations included a suggestion to the faculty at CBE for continuing the model of curriculum analysis from this study to evaluate and address possible improvements in the teacher preparation program, such as use of technology and more attention to professional attitudes. Replication of the study was also suggested for other colleges of education in the Middle East.

This study examined manufacturing firms' characteristics and environmental factors and their relationships to the perceived importance of basic workplace skills and the preferences of employers toward customized training partnerships with community colleges. Key individuals in the human resource departments responsible for planning and decision making of employing companies were surveyed. The Workplace Education Survey was used to collect data on the employers' perceptions about the importance of basic skills groups, about workplace-based customized training as the preferred means of delivering training in each of seven basic skills groups to their employees, and to determine their preferences for providers of the training. The survey also included customized training partnerships with community colleges. The study analyzed the relationships that exist in comparing the size of the firm and other characteristics identified in the literature with the respondents perceptions regarding the importance of the seven basic skills groups, workplace-based customized training, and partnerships with community colleges. Adaptability Skills, Communication Skills, and Group Effectiveness skills emerge as the most important workplace skills groups, and community colleges as the preferred providers according to the respondents to this study. Findings also revealed that changes in the nature of work and workplace skills are being dictated by the application of computers.

In the age we are living, we require more to learn because advancement in science and technology needs more knowledge. Such knowledge comes from deep studies which require more attentive focus. It is mathematics that have role in developing technology. Students learn mathematics in order to gain knowledge enough about making the technology and usage of it. There are some motives that can co-operate the learners to choose mathematics as their majors. It is very important to know about the motives that makes students learn. Being aware of these motives, help teachers to create a situation that make students more active and help students to learn more. Students are different from each other; their wishes, aims, learning styles, etc are different. In the time, there are different motives that motivate the students in different ways. In this study I have strived to find some common but main motives that make students learn mathematics in Sayed Jamaludin teacher training college. The actual rate of learner`s enrolment in the mathematics department of Sayed Jamaludin teacher training college is higher. However, some people believe that mathematics is hard to learn and it is also clear that the students who graduate from the college will be teachers. Still, the students prefer to learn in this department. So I wanted to explore about the motives behind this issue. This study has investigated about motives which are stated in research questions for this purpose, the study was conducted in Sayed Jamaludin teacher training college and it is the first time that such research had launched in mathematics department of this college. In this study questionnaires have been used as data collection tools. The questionnaires have distributed to 30 mathematics teachers and 100 students in Sayed Jamaludin teacher training college. Since number of female students is higher rather than males, therefore most of (66 0ut of 100) questionnaires were answered by females. The main findings of this study are students’ personal interest in learning mathematics, teaching mathematics, being confident to have brilliant future as a mathematics teacher and achieving an academic degree. These motives made the learners to join to the mathematics department at Sayed Jamaludin teacher training college. Finding of this study indicates that we should aware of the motives behind choosing mathematics as learners` major in their study. Through such knowledge we can persuade our students to do their best in learning mathematics. Besides, the official can empower the movies of the learners by offering jobs after graduation. These activities can make the student learn better.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, 2005.
Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Nov. 10, 2008). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-03, Section: A, page: 0856. Adviser: Nancy Chism.

This study was undertaken to selectively investigate pre-service primary teacher education in one of the Pacific island countries, and in particular to explore whether it provides an adequate and enriching professional preparation to beginning teachers with a view to satisfying the demands of work in the field. In doing so, the issue was examined in detail in a teacher education institution located in Fiji, namely, Lautoka Teachers College (LTC). An integration of qualitative and quantitative approaches was employed to explore if beginning teachers from the College are provided with appropriate professional preparation as future teachers. Using LTC as a case study, basic data gathering methods utilized questionnaire surveys, interviews and documentary analyses. Survey-based data were gathered from the beginning teachers to find out their perceptions of the pre-service program that they had completed. Data were also gathered from their Head Teachers to ascertain views on the beginning teachers' professional preparation for the demands of work in their schools. In addition, an interview-based approach explored the perceptions of not only the College staff but also the Ministry of Education officials with regard to the preparation of teachers in meeting the demands of work and responsibilities in the field. Documentary-based research was also used to explore matters associated with teacher preparation at LTC and to integrate the findings with the data obtained in the surveys and interviews. The study indicated that the beginning teachers were not adequately prepared for the demands of work and responsibilities expected of them as perceived by the profession and other stakeholders. A number of factors were found to be contributing to the perceived inadequacy of the professional preparation of beginning teachers. Lack of physical facilities and quality of educational resources together with an outdated curriculum contributed to this situation. At the same time, lack of support from the principal stakeholder in terms of staff professional development and funding was also cited as impacting upon the quality of pre-service teacher education provided to the beginning teachers. An important emergent issue emanating from the study relates to colonial influence on Fiji's education in general, and teacher education at LTC in particular. Some of the problems LTC grappled with were attributable to certain features of the formalised educational system introduced during the colonial era. These aspects, such as the inheritance of the system of educational administration and centralised control, constrained the College in attempting to fulfil its professional role in an appropriate and responsive manner. The administrative system and related context, delivery and assessment elements established in education during the colonial period have been retained and not attuned to contemporary Fiji needs despite the changing times. In overview terms, the presence of these aspects appeared to have impacted negatively on College's effective conduct of its professional role and responsibilities. Further, this study provides specific insights into the pre-service primary teacher education in Fiji, in particular the importance of having relevant policies and programs to ensure the provision of an adequate and enriching professional preparation for teachers to meet the range of work commitments in the field. The study concluded that a number of factors influence the professional preparation of future teachers and these need to be considered with a view to ensuring that teachers are able to meet the demands of their profession. Based on these findings, the study recommends ways and means to improve the pre-service primary teacher education at LTC, which in turn could be expected to enhance the professional preparation of teachers and their competence within the context of teaching in Fiji primary schools. Additionally, some possible areas for future research have been suggested.

This qualitative dissertation study explores the various roles and practices that classroom teachers can enact in their work to increase the college going rates of working-class Latina/o youth. Utilizing Stanton-Salazar's (2011) empowerment social capital theoretical framework, this study examined the role and identity development, practices, and challenges of 14 classroom teachers whose college-focused work aimed to increase their students' social capital, resources, and opportunities for higher education. In addition, it also examined those cases when educators extended their work to actively counter the inequitable schooling conditions and structures facing working-class Latina/o youth (i.e., empowerment agents). Utilizing interviews, document collection, and journal responses, some of the emerging themes included: the role that teachers' personal identities play in their practices for college access and social justice, the lack of funding and resources for students' college planning prompting educators' efforts, and the various challenging schooling structures and policies testing teacher sustainability. Policy and practice recommendations aim to increase the development of resource-generating and empowering relationships between working-class Latina/o youth and their teachers, as well as to develop structures and environments required for teacher sustainability. Recommendations for further research are also provided.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1996.
Title from title page screen, viewed May 18, 2006. Dissertation Committee: John R. McCarthy (chair), Larry D. Kennedy, Marcia D. Escott, Lemuel W. Watson. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 77-81) and abstract. Also available in print.

Teacher attrition is a central concern in the field of education. Although many factors contribute to teacher attrition, teacher personality styles contribute significantly to a teacher’s decision to stay or leave the field. Retaining effective teachers remains a central priority for school districts today. When measuring teacher effectiveness, research has shown that teacher personality and the resulting relationship between students and teachers play in integral role in academic success. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study is to determine if significant differences exist in the personality styles between individuals who aspire to teach at varying levels. The study used the Millon Index of Personality Styles, Revised (MIPS Revised) as a tool to assess the Motivating Styles, Thinking Styles, and Behaving Styles of pre-service teachers (n = 127) in three Northeastern community colleges. Three groups of pre-service teachers were examined: those who aspire to teach at the Birth-2^nd grade level; those who aspire to teach at the 1st-6th grade level; and those who aspire to teach at the 7^th-12^th grade level. The MIPS Revised is a 180 item self-reporting tool used to identify personality characteristics in normally functioning adults. The study collected demographic information, including age, gender, and age level teaching aspiration, as well as information regarding each individual participant’s personality style. Results of the study indicated no significant differences between the personality styles of individuals who aspire to teach at varying levels. The results of the study are discussed, and indicate the need for future exploration of pre-service teacher personality styles.

This study deals with learning achievement of English male and female learners in Sayed Jamaludin TTC. It is the first time that such research has been launched in the TTC. The number of female is higher rather than males. The female learners of the TTC seem to learn better than males’ students. The aim is to find the variables, which influence learning achievements of boys’ and girls’ language learning. A lot of studies of this kind have been conducted in this area in many different countries, but few researches have been done in Afghanistan. This research attempts to find the variables and compare English learning achievement among students. The variables indicate the similar and different points of learning English achievements among the TTC learners. The study covers Sayed Jamaludin main branch, city districts and Kabul Province district TTCs. The data is collected through questionnaires which distributed to 50 English teacher educators and 100 English language learners. In addition, the final semester learners’ average scores of 200 learners from each mentioned site of the TTC were collected and analyzed. The scores of 600 students were compared by maintaining variables such as learners` sex and their TTC location. The data from questionnaires are analyzed then compared through various factors from students’ and educators’ perspectives which are stated in findings and in discussion. The inquiry proceeds through various steps. At first the collected data has been compiled in Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. Then, the collected data were arranged in small tables. After that, the findings were illustrated in tables. Such steps helped to discuss the findings in the light of the international and national scholarly literature.The findings determine various factors that influence learners’ English learning achievement. The number of male and female, the role of learners’ relatives, learners’ living place, TTC location, teachers’ qualification, their university exam, and their final exam score effect learning achievement. The findings indicate that the difference between male and female learners’ scores in the TTC and their English learning are directly influenced by the variable mentioned above.

The purpose of this research study was to explore how college alternative teacher certification (ATC) participants experience mentoring support. The goal was to obtain a rich and deep understanding of the nature of the mentoring experience in a college ATC program through the perspectives of mentees and their mentors. The ATC program was the Educator Preparation Institute (EPI). Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Eight individuals participated in the study, four were mentors and four were EPI students. A triangulated set of research methods for data collection and analysis was used, including member checks, validation forms, and peer reviews. All the interviews were transcribed; data was subsequently analyzed for patterns. The findings indicated that students believed, while the course work was clear and well structured, the fieldwork aspect of the program was not. The topic of fieldwork disconnect between the college and the host schools was repeatedly observed as a challenge by the EPI students and identified as lack of support. All eight of the EPI study participants discussed lack of time and span of control issues in their interviews. Some implications that surfaced from this study included the desire for more one-on-one time, eliminating confusion in arranging field experiences, and assistance in learning to direct their own experiences. Other implications that emerged from this study included offering diversified instruction to college EPI students, such as different courses depending on the intended grade level, and building a working relationship with the host schools that would expedite the training of the EPI students. Finally, more in-depth knowledge, and hands-on practice in the field was a perceived need by all the EPI students which calls for alterations in the EPI program design and number of faculty to operate each EPI program.

Increasing interest in the quality of undergraduate education has led many U.S. institutions of Higher Education to focus their attention on the qualifications and careful preparation of Teaching Assistants (TAs) in general (Thornburg et al, 2000) and International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) in particular (Tang & Sandell, 2000), especially since the number of nonresident aliens in the graduate population has been rising steadily (Pae, 2001). This dissertation reports the findings of a study which investigated the proposition that when international graduate students are appointed International Teaching Assistants (ITAs), they need specific kinds of mentoring and support that differ from that of their counterparts, American Teaching Assistants (ATAs) because the issues applicable to ITAs encompass more than developing appropriate and efficient teaching behaviors. ITAs must also attend to their competencies regarding the English language, the American culture, and pedagogy, since their ability to communicate their knowledge as both graduate students and teaching assistants is sometimes limited by their competencies in the L2 language, culture, and pedagogy. This multi-case study evaluates the impact of an ITA Program on twenty-three ITAs as graduate students and teaching assistants, and offers an emic perspective on the teaching behaviors and communication skill changes ITAs experienced after participating in the optional semester-long ITA Development Program at the University of Arizona. This research study also provides an emic perspective on how ITAs see themselves in the different roles they perform, and it explores the ITAs' definitions and perceptions of teacher "effectiveness" together with those of their undergraduate students. The results of the analyses of data obtained via quantitative and qualitative methods indicate that the participants received positive benefits from the ITA Development Program and significantly improved their language, cultural and teaching competencies in L2. In addition, the findings show that upon completion of the program, ITAs felt more confident and better prepared to fulfill their multiple roles due to the customized support they received, which provided them with reassurance and encouragement throughout the mentoring process.

Bibliography: pages 78-90.
There is evidence that many primary school teachers of English Second Language (EL2) are inadequately equipped to teach reading comprehension skills. They test their pupils on literal, at the expense of inferential, reading skills. This investigation therefore sought to test the literal and inferential reading comprehension skills of a group of Afrikaans-speaking EL2 teacher trainees and to design a reading comprehension programme which would improve their thinking skills over a period of nine months. The students were also instructed in a programmed reading course (the SRA Reading Laboratory) to determine its efficacy in improving their thinking skills. A further objective was to establish whether a programmed reading course or the author's cognitive reading development programme benefitted high-status (proficient in English) more than low-status (less proficient) EL2 students and what effects the two different programmes would exert on their reading comprehension skills a year after formal instruction in reading comprehension ceased. It was found that specific sequences of the two different instructional programmes were associated with significant changes in the students' reading comprehension scores. It was also found that, while high-status students benefitted sooner from the author's cognitive reading comprehension programme, that approach was also ultimately beneficial for low-status students. It is suggested that cognitive reading development programmes be implemented at primary, secondary and tertiary institutions where language skills and levels of meaningful reading need to be raised.

This dissertation work entails three related studies on the investigation of Peer-Led Guided Inquiry student discourse in a General Chemistry I course through argumentation. The first study, Argumentation and participation patterns in general chemistry peer-led sessions, is focused on examining arguments and participation patterns in small student groups without peer leader intervention. The findings of this study revealed that students were mostly engaged in co-constructed arguments, that a discrepancy in the participation of the group members existed, and students were able to correct most of the incorrect claims on their own via argumentation. The second study, Exploration of peer leader verbal behaviors as they intervene with small groups in college general chemistry, examines the interactive discourse of the peer leaders and the students during peer leader intervention. The relationship between the verbal behaviors of the peer leaders and the student argumentation is explored in this study. The findings of this study demonstrated that peer leaders used an array of verbal behaviors to guide students to construct chemistry concepts, and that a relationship existed between student argument components and peer leader verbal behaviors. The third study, Use of Tolumin's Argumentation Scheme for student discourse to gain insight about guided inquiry activities in college chemistry, is focused on investigating the relationship between student arguments without peer leader intervention and the structure of published guided inquiry ChemActivities. The relationship between argumentation and the structure of the activities is explored with respect to prompts, questions, and the segmented Learning Cycle structure of the ChemActivities. Findings of this study revealed that prompts were effective in eliciting arguments, that convergent questions produced more arguments than directed questions, and that the structure of the Learning Cycle successfully scaffolded arguments. A semester of video data from two different small student groups facilitated by two different peer leaders was used for these three related studies. An analytic framework based on Toulmin's argumentation scheme was used for the argumentation analysis of the studies. This dissertation work focused on the three central elements of the peer-led classroom, students, peer leader, and the ChemActivities, illuminates effective discourse important for group learning. Overall, this dissertation work contributes to science education by providing both an analytic framework useful for investigating group processes and crucial strategies for conducting effective cooperative learning and promoting student argumentation. The findings of this dissertation work have valuable implications in the professional development of teachers specifically for group interventions in the implementation of cooperative learning reforms.

Students enrolled in a college preparatory reading class at one particular community college were categorized based on language origin. Native English speaking students comprised one group and foreign students formed two additional groups--students whose language origin was Latin-based (i.e. Romance languages) and students whose language origin was not Latin-based (i.e. Japanese). A pretest assessment measure was used to quantify the extent that pre-existing knowledge of Latinate word parts and morphologically complex vocabulary differed among groups based on language origin. The identical instrument served as a posttest to measure the extent that direct instruction in morphological analysis resulted in change among the same groups after one semester of instruction. Two sections on both the pretest and posttest yielded a total of four distinct mean scores that formed the primary basis for comparison. Categorizing students within the college preparatory reading class based on language origin revealed distinctive strengths and weaknesses relative to group identity when learning Latin-based word parts and vocabulary. Results of a one-way fixed-factor analysis of variance, in conjunction with multiple comparison procedures, indicated that the Latin-based group performed the strongest. This group had the greatest mean score on all four measurements; however, only for the word part section of the pretest was the difference statistically significant. The non Latin-based group performed the poorest as evidenced by scoring the lowest on three of the four measures, with a statistically significant difference for the vocabulary pretest. Additionally, a disproportionately large number of students within the native English-speaking group had difficulty mastering word parts. Though the lower group mean was statistically significant for the word part section of the posttest, practical significance was not observable from the descriptive data. A follow-up frequency tabulation revealed a dichotomization within the native English speaking group between those who proceeded to master word parts and those who did not. Furthermore, results from a pretest/posttest comparison for each respective group indicated that all three groups made significant gains on both sections of the test instrument as a result of direct instruction in Latinate word parts and vocabulary. However, there was an incongruity between word part and vocabulary mastery as all three group means were markedly better on the word part section of the instrument. The results of this study suggest that college preparatory students, regardless of their language origin, enter higher education with limited knowledge of Latinate word parts and vocabulary. The results further suggest that students comprising the heterogeneously populated college preparatory reading class can profit from direct instruction in morphological analysis--regardless of language origin. Prior research has demonstrated that college-level content words tend to be morphologically complex, singular in meaning, and likely to be Latinate in origin. Reading is the salient skill utilized across the curriculum and often the primary means of content dissemination. Reading, in turn, is principally linked to the extent of one's vocabulary. Consequently, teaching morphologically complex vocabulary at the college preparatory level along with providing a working knowledge of morphemes can assist students toward college readiness.
Ed.D.
Department of Educational Research, Technology and Leadership
Education
Educational Leadership

The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate the adjunct faculty's perception of professional development and support services offered and needed at Tidewater Community College, a multicampus community college. This study involved adjunct faculty only. A survey was created and contained 58 survey questions. The majority of these were Likert-like items based on a scale from Strongly Agree, indicating a very important need or value for the adjunct, to Strongly Disagree, indicating a not important at all level of perceived value. In order to determine if other factors influenced the perception of professional development or support services, other questions asked for demographic information, such as education level, age, number of years in the professional field, and discipline/department. Except for education level, each of the independent variables accepted the null hypothesis that there is no statistically significant difference between adjunct faculty perception of institutional supports and the professional development and support services offered in terms of the independent variables. Findings from this study indicated that adjunct faculty perceived that professional development and support services are significant in improving their teaching and important to their role and success. Adjuncts want to better serve students and connect with the institution. Orientation and mentoring are highly regarded and requested to help integrate adjunct faculty into the college. The data indicated that adjunct faculty members want professional development that meets their specific instructional and student-centered needs that is offered during more accommodating times. The current professional development offerings are not well-attended and do not seem to meet the specific needs of this adjunct population. It behooves the administration to further investigate what is currently being done to support adjuncts and to address a means to improve the delivery and execution of all institutional supports. While this study provides useful information related to one community college, it is important that each community college examine closely its personal investment relative to the institutional support it provides to adjunct faculty members.