Dissertations / Theses: 'Student teaching – Zimbabwe – Curricula'

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Jeko, Ishmael. "An improved mentoring model for student teachers on practicum in primary schools in Zimbabwe." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1017553.

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As part of a drive to improve the quality of teachers, Zimbabwe introduced a school-based mentoring model in 1995, a move which regrettably seems not have borne fruit. Therefore, this study sought to propose an improved mentoring model for initial teacher training for primary school teachers. Efforts to improve the current mentoring could, however, be facilitated if they were informed by an empirically-based understanding of the shortcomings of the existing mentoring system for student teachers and teachers. In order to attain the above objective, this study adopted a multisite case study design, guided by the interpretive paradigm. A core of nine primary schools, drawn from the rural, urban and peri-urban areas of the Masvingo Province in Zimbabwe, was purposively selected to participate in the study. In the participating schools, key participants were student teachers and mentors, while school principals participated when they had time. A secondary group of primary schools were also identified to be used as validation of findings in a wider setting. An in-depth literature study on teacher education and mentoring was also carried out and this, combined with empirical data, illuminated the issues being investigated. The empirical data were primarily gathered through focus group and face-to-face individual semi-structured interviews, while participant observation (used in conjunction with informal unstructured interviews) and questionnaires were used to verify and triangulate data collected through the interviews. To safeguard the ethical integrity of the study, ethical approval from the relevant university committee, as well as the official consent of educational authorities, was obtained beforehand, as was the informed consent of individual participants. The research established that the support rendered to student teachers in the participating primary schools was largely inadequate and of a shallow mode, focusing primarily on facilitating the mastery of technical skills and the provision of psycho-social support, while being sorely deficient in empowering the student teachers with the skills and attitudes to reflectively and critically engage with their own and others‟ teaching practices. The mentoring was taking place in the context of field experience, organised along the apprenticeship model, hence located in an outmoded traditional paradigm of field experience, something which is regrettable at a time when international best practices seek to move towards a reflective-inquiry-oriented paradigm. Secondly, the research found that the participating schools were not structurally or culturally ready to take significant teacher training responsibility; hence the schools, in their present state, could be seen as constraining the smooth functioning of the mentoring model. Thirdly, some mentor-based factors also seemed to inhibit the functioning of the mentoring model. These included teachers who were attitudinally indisposed to accept student teachers as their professional colleagues, preferring to relate to them hierarchically and vertically, thereby limiting the emergence of a culture of professional collaboration and reciprocal learning relationships. In similar vein, the mentors‟ lack of training limited their capacity of mentors to perform the extended range of mentoring functions necessary for supporting student teachers trained in 21st century schools. The above conclusions and implications point towards the following recommendations: Mentor support for student teachers should be extended from the present superficial level to include functions that are oriented towards reflective practice. However, for this to happen, some adjustments will need to be made in the schools. These include, most importantly, making time available for mentoring activities. In order for the mentors to be able to perform their mentoring functions knowledgeably, they must be made fully aware of what they are supposed to do by providing them with the official documents spelling out mentoring expectations in schools. Additionally, the commitment of mentors to their duties could be made more sustainable by putting in place a clearly defined reward structure that is fully recognized officially and integrated into the employee grading system. To make school environments more propitious towards mentoring, schools must be structurally modified and re-cultured to create slots for mentoring activities, provide opportunities for informal professional interaction among teachers, as well as establish professional engagement forums, such as school-based learning circles. The research also suggests that student teachers should be allowed to choose their mentors through providing them with opportunities for early contact with their prospective mentoring partners. In an attempt to close the gap between college-based modules and field-based school experiences, the research further recommends that college-based modules be delivered in a way that ensures that they are fully integrated with student teachers‟ field experiences. Finally, mentoring could be better facilitated if schools and colleges adopted a partnership arrangement that is more aligned to mentoring. This implies provisionally shifting from the present separatist to the HEI-led partnership model, while preparing for the adoption of a fully-fledged collaborative partnership in the long term. The research was, however, by no means carried out perfectly. It was somewhat limited by its failure to take into account the view of officials from the Department of Education, as well as the input of colleagues in teacher education. In similar vein, the researcher felt that a more nuanced and fine-grained picture of the participants‟ mentoring experiences could have emerged if he had spent more time in the field, something which limited resources and work commitments did not allow him to do. Some significant issues arose from this study, but which it could not pursue. These include exploring the possibility of coming up with a model of teacher education that integrates ITE and CTPD in the context of mentoring, as well as conducting a similarly designed research into the mentoring that is taking place in secondary schools.

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Muzenda, Verity. "The delivery of the clothing and textiles curriculum in Zimbabwean universities: towards an integrated approach to vertical and horizontal discourses." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1019748.

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The introduction of Technical Vocational Education (TVE) has been marred by a myriad of challenges, and this has not spared universities. The incompetency of lecturers, the perceptions of both lecturers and students, the relationship between universities and the world of work as well as support strategies have been the most contested issues in TVE. The researcher used the mixed method design which is rooted in the post-positivist research paradigm that integrates concurrent procedures in the collection, analysis and interpretation of the data. Post-positivist research paradigm attempts to enhance one’s understanding of the way certain phenomena are and that objectivity is an ideal that can never be achieved. The sample of the study comprised two Heads of Department (HODs) from the universities under study, 18 lecturers for the interviews, 18 lecturers who responded to the questionnaire, 24 students formed the 4 focus groups for both universities with 6 students each. Two industrial personnel were also interviewed. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data while qualitative data were collected through interviews, focus group discussions, observations and document analysis. The researcher employed the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) to summarise, compile tables and graphs on quantitative data and qualitative data was analysed using content analysis through emerging themes. The study established that lecturers were not competent enough to deliver CT curriculum in universities and this was as a result of the type of training lecturers received which was no longer congruent with the technological advancement which have taken place in the textile industry. It was also instituted that universities were producing students who lacked the hands-on skills necessary for them to be acceptable in the world of work. There was a stern shortage of equipment and machinery in CT departments in universities. The machinery and equipment in the departments were too old and broken. Furthermore, the study established that there was no collaboration between universities and industries. Industrial personnel lamented that universities were not willing to put into consideration all the suggestions they gave them and that time for Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) or placement was too short for them to impart all the requisite skills to students. It was also established that students were discontented by the teaching methods that lecturers were using and the way they were being assessed. Students conveyed their desire for the industry to be involved in assessing them whilst they were in universities. Based on the above findings, the study concluded that lecturers were incapacitated to deliver CT due to the training they received in colleges and universities which was no longer congruent with the dynamics of technology. The study also concluded that the shortage of machinery and equipment also demotivated lecturers and incapacitated them. It was also concluded that the lack of collaboration between universities and industries posed serious challenges to both lecturers and students. The study recommends that the quality of the existing lecturing force must be improved mainly through extensive staff development training programmes.There is need for lecturers to be staff developed through training workshops in order to improve on competence. There should be collaboration among University management, lecturers and the industry during curriculum design, implementation and monitoring to improve their attachment and sense of ownership of CT programmes. To improve on students’ acquisition of skills, the study recommends that time for Work-Integrated Learning should be lengthened so that students leave the industry well equipped with relevant skills and knowledge.

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Mlambo, Phares Jona Taindisa. "Attitudes of teachers and students to the place of Home Economics in a mixed curriculum : a case study." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22042.

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Bibliography: pages 88-95.
The aim of the investigation is to assess the extent to which various initiatives aimed at improving the status of a technical subject like Home Economics (H/E), have helped to transform the attitudes and perceptions of teachers and students in a school in Zimbabwe. The study was carried out at Rusununguko Secondary School in Zimbabwe, where H/E was one of the technical subjects within a curriculum mainly dominated by academic subjects. Students and teachers' attitudes and perceptions towards H/E were assessed along the following dimensions: 1. The extent to which H/E is subjected to gender stereotyping; 2. The extent to which H/E is viewed as suitable for slow learners and low-achieving students; 3. The extent to which the subject suffers from subject choice constraints; 4. The extent to which H/E is viewed in terms of low academic and occupational expectations; 5. The extent to which the subject is perceived as offering low-status knowledge when compared to other subjects.

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Van, Ongevalle J. "The significance of participation in capacity development and project sustainability: a case study of the Zimbabwe Secondary Teacher Training Environmental Education Project (St²eep)." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003651.

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This study uses a systems thinking perspective to explore the role and meaning of participation, capacity development and project sustainability in the Zimbabwe Secondary Teacher Training Environmental Education Project (St²eep). Since there was no consistent critical reflection upon the different assumptions that underpin these important aspects of St²eep in the original project design, this study aims to articulate a theoretical framework for guiding the project. St2eep is a donorfunded project, located in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education in Zimbabwe that seeks to integrate environmental education across the curriculum of secondary teacher education. The study first develops a theoretical framework drawing on systems thinking. In particular it uses the holistic and constructivist perspectives embedded in systems thinking to describe a number of analytic frameworks that are used as a guide to investigate participation, capacity development and project sustainability in the St²eep case study. The research methodology comprises a qualitative case study approach, which contains elements of an instrumental, evaluative and critical case study. Data-collection methods include document analysis, focus group discussions, focus group interviews, semi-structured face-to-face interviews and participant observation. Data analysis follows the constant comparative method of coding and categorising data as outlined by Strauss and Corbin (1998). The outcomes of this research show that participation processes in St²eep evolve around the interactions between a political dimension and a learning dimension. The political dimension relates to giving the project stakeholders a critical voice, allowing them to shape the project and involving them in the decision-making process. This approach has fostered an ongoing learning process in a small team of committed stakeholders based on the principles of collaborative learning, team learning and action research. Participation was shown to enhance capacity-development processes at individual and institutional level by the provision of support through learning teams, and by the renegotiation of responsibilities and power relations between lecturers involved in St²eep, donor representatives and college administrations. The strong operational role of the donor organisation was seen as a serious threat towards individual and institutional capacity development since it creates a functional but artificial and independent project system within the college system and takes over any local institutional support structure that it might seek to develop. Fostering continuous learning and capacity development, St²eep’s participatory approach was shown to contribute to a better understanding of the interconnectedness of factors that influence future sustainability of the project and the implementation of environmental education. This has assisted in the development of different scenarios on the sustainability of the project. The research shows that the project-ustainability planning process draws directly from St²eep’s ongoing learning process, with individual and institutional capacity development featuring strongly in the different scenarios, and with the external context such as the economic situation and the low priority of environmental education being recognised as important factors that need to be considered. Drawing on the findings from the case study, this study makes a tentative recommendation that donor organisations should focus more on capacity-development initiatives and avoid taking on a strong operational role in project activities. The research also recommends that there is need for a deliberate focus on both the political and learning dimensions of the participation process in order to foster local ownership. Making the learning aspect much more central in St²eep is presented as a possible strategy for motivating a larger number of college lecturers to become involved in the project and the implementation of environmental education. The study also urges St²eep to combine the different scenarios that have emerged during the project sustainability planning process and to focus on the benefits that stakeholders want to see sustained.

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Shumba, A., and J. Shumba. "Mentorship of student teachers on teaching practice : perceptions of teacher mentors in Zimbabwean schools." Journal for New Generation Sciences, Vol 10, Issue 1: Central University of Technology, Free State, Bloemfontein, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/11462/604.

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Published Article
Mentorship as a concept in teacher training is vital in developing full professionals. It becomes even more effective if the mentors are adequately prepared for their mentorship roles. This study sought to determine: (a) the nature of training mentors had received in mentorship; (b) the extent to which they understood their role as mentors; (c) the mentors' views on the assistance they rendered to mentees; (d) the relationship between parent colleges and mentors; and (e) assess implications for teacher training in Zimbabwe. The study followed a descriptive survey design which utilized both quantitative and qualitative approaches. A comprehensive questionnaire was administered on a purposeful and information-rich sample of 120 mentors in two provinces in Zimbabwe. Interviews were also held with some of the mentors to triangulate findings from the questionnaire. The study revealed that many mentors had not been given any formal training in mentorship; they were not really sure of their roles and while they stated that they assisted mentees to the best of their abilities assistance given to mentees differed from mentor to mentor. College supervisors did not consult mentors for mentees' progress checks and mentors had no input in the final assessment of students under their tutelage. College supervisors and mentors' input should be incorporated in the final assessment of students.

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Hanks, Camille E. "Relationship between Extracurricular Activity Involvement and Student Success Among High School Students in Accelerated Academic Curricula." Scholar Commons, 2018. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7302.

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Over the last few decades, a growing body of research has linked extracurricular activity participation with positive outcomes among high school students. Extracurricular activities often provide a rich environmental context for positive youth development, given that they provide opportunities for identity formation, the creation of interpersonal connections, and the development of social, emotional, academic, and/or career-related skills. However, there are no studies to date examining the relationship between extracurricular activity involvement and student outcomes among students enrolled in rigorous high school curricula (e.g., Advanced Placement [AP] and International Baccalaureate [IB]). The purpose of the current study was to extend the current understanding of the relationship between extracurricular activity involvement and academic and mental health outcomes for youth enrolled in AP and IB programs by investigating the levels of extracurricular activity participation among AP/IB students, and examining whether participation predicted student success in terms of academic and mental health outcomes. Given the increased academic demands faced by this group of students, this study aimed to also investigate the overscheduling hypothesis to see whether there was a curvilinear relationship between extracurricular activity involvement and student success (i.e., a point of diminishing return). In addition, this study examined whether the program type (i.e., AP or IB) moderated the relationship between extracurricular activity participation and student outcomes. Using data obtained from a larger research project led by Dr. Shannon Suldo and Dr. Elizabeth Shaunessy-Dedrick (Institute of Education Science: R305A100911), results indicated that on average, AP and IB students (N= 2,379) reported being involved in 3-4 different extracurricular activity types and spent approximately 5-9 hours per week involved in extracurricular activities. Findings also revealed that compared to AP students, IB students participated in a greater number of types of activities (3.38 vs. 3.89) and more hours of activities per week (3.03 vs. 3.18, where “3” corresponds to 5-9 hours per week). Although a significant difference in the overall levels of involvement in extracurricular activities was observed between AP and IB students, these differences did not translate into differences in associations between extracurricular involvement and student outcomes. Finally, this study found significant linear associations between the breadth of extracurricular activity participation and higher levels of life satisfaction, lower levels of psychopathology, higher GPAs, and higher AP/IB exam scores. Significant linear relationships between the intensity of extracurricular activity participation and lower levels of psychopathology and higher GPAs were also observed. Regarding the overscheduling hypothesis, results from the current study found curvilinear relationships between breadth of participation and AP/IB exam scores and GPA, with optimal levels of breadth of 4.1 and 5.2 types of extracurricular activities, respectively. Moreover, curvilinear relationships were also observed between intensity of participation and students’ psychopathology and GPA, with optimal intensity scores of 3.2 and 3.3 (i.e., between the “5-9” and “10-19” hours per week response option categories), indicating that participation in 20 or more hours of activities per week was associated with diminishing outcomes. Implications of findings for school psychologists and educational stakeholders, as well as future directions for research are discussed.

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Shum, Kai Zhuang. "Exploring the Facilitators and Barriers of Cognitive Engagement among Ninth Grade Students in Accelerated Curricula." Scholar Commons, 2017. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7088.

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Cognitive engagement has been linked to positive outcomes such as academic achievement (Eccles & Wang, 2012). However, students’ level of cognitive engagement tend to decline as students move into middle childhood and adolescence (Archambault, Janosz, Morizot, & Pagani, 2009; Wang & Eccles, 2012a; Wiley & Hodgen, 2012). In addition, two out of three high school students nationwide reported feeling bored at school because the academic tasks are not interesting or relevant (Yazzie-Mintz, 2006). In regard to this matter, researchers have examined factors that relate to cognitive engagement. Most of the existing research is quantitative in nature and only involves students who are low or average achievers. This study addressed this gap in the literature by examining the facilitators and barriers of cognitive engagement from the perspective of high-achieving students with qualitative methods. Participants were ninth grade students in accelerated curricula (i.e., enrolled in Advanced Placement classes or International Baccalaureate Diploma program). A mixed-method sequential design was utilized. Forty-seven participants who scored at the top or bottom 10% on indicators of cognitive engagement, specifically the Goal Valuation and the Motivation/Self-Regulation subscales of School Assessment of Attitudes Survey-Revised (SAAS-R) were identified from a larger sample of 320 freshmen. Among the selected participants, 13 were invited and 12 took part in the qualitative part of the study— individual interviews. A generic approach, focusing on the constant-comparative method, was used to analyze data generated from interviews. The qualitative analyses revealed nine themes. The first theme provided context to the voices of participants, including why they decided to join accelerated curricula and how their experiences in AP/IB classes have been. The next five themes were related to the facilitators of cognitive engagement. It includes (a) students’ role, (b) teachers’ role, (c) parents’ role, (d) school connectedness, and (e) technology’s role. Finally, the last three themes addressed barriers to cognitive engagement. Participants shared that some (a) student characteristics, such as mindset and life circumstance, (b) negative academic experiences, and (c) distractions deterred them from being cognitively engaged in their AP/IB coursework. Collectively, most of the themes generated from this study aligned with the findings from past research, except some themes from past studies were not found in this study. This study also discovered new themes that expanded upon the past literature’s understanding on ways to promote and remove barriers that hinder cognitive engagement. Consistent with the theories of other researchers, the results of this study showed that the three different types of student engagement (i.e., cognitive, behavioral, emotional engagement) are interrelated to each other. This study also found relatively little differences in the sentiments provided by participants who self-reported higher or lower level of cognitive engagement. Implications of this study include expanding the current literature body on facilitators and barriers of cognitive engagement. The results of this study also serve as a general guidebook for educators of AP/IB students to (a) create a learning environment that promotes cognitive engagement, (b) suggest to students strategies that might increase their level of cognitive engagement, and (c) share with parents home-based strategies that may promote students’ cognitive engagement. Future studies should focus on exploring the applicability of the findings on other student populations by conducting interviews with a more diverse set of participants (e.g., students with varying level of academic achievement) and further explore barriers to cognitive engagement.

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Gorbel, Jason Edward. "Examining Adolescent Student Photography and Related Processes to Inform Day Treatment School Curricula and Behavioral Interventions." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3991.

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Adolescent students with psychiatric disorders who are educated in day treatment school classrooms manifest cognitive limitations, maladaptive behaviors, and social functioning deficits that often lead to academic failure, impeding their productivity when they become adults and causing them to run afoul of the criminal justice system. Informed by their students' interests and perspectives, day treatment schoolteachers can individualize existing curricular and behavioral interventions, or develop alternatives so that unwanted classroom behaviors decrease and academic performance improves. This qualitative case study used Roland Barthes' (1981, 1985) theory of semiotics as a conceptual framework for answering how an analysis of photographs taken by adolescent day treatment school students who have psychiatric disorders provide insight into the students' interests and perspectives. The photography of seven adolescent participants, who were placed in a day treatment school and involved in its photography elective, was found to have communicated their interests and perspectives. A semiotic analysis was conducted of the photographs they took, observation notes made at the time the photographs were taken, and questionnaires collecting their reflections on taking the photographs. Should school-wide photography programs be implemented in day treatment schools and in schools with similar student populations nationwide, those programs could generate more effective curricula informed by their students' interests and perspectives. This could lead to a larger percentage of their graduates becoming productive members of society, thus prompting positive social change.

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Burgis, Paul Lindsay Education Faculty of Arts &amp Social Sciences UNSW. "The role of secondary schools in the development of student knowledge about poverty in Australia, The Philippines and Zimbabwe." Awarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Education, 2006. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/25483.

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This thesis examined student knowledge about the nature, scope, causes and responses to poverty, student perceptions of the emphasis in the school curricula on poverty and development, student attitudes to poverty and the factors that influence such knowledge and attitudes. Knowledge and attitudes at the end of primary school were compared with those after four years of secondary school in three nations, Australia. The Philippines and Zimbabwe, involving 1296 surveys and 188 interviews. The investigation draws on earlier work in Ireland (Regan, 1996). and is a response to the recent emphasis on the role of schools in development education in Europe (Lemmers, 2001) and the call for a greater emphasis in Australia on this area (Simons. Hart and WTalsh, 1997). The survey compared student understanding with current 'knowledge' in the literature and the interview allowed an examination of the stories students constructed about people in poverty, including their cognitive and affective responses to people in poverty. Results showed that whilst almost all students recognised that poverty exists, they were more likely to define it simply as a lack of income than as a phenomenon involving social power and self esteem. Few students were aware that the majority of the world's poor are female. Nationality was an important predictor of student knowledge and values. Australian students considered nationally based causes (e.g., government, education) to be more important than personal qualities (e.g., laziness) or international causes (e.g., powerful countries). Australian students were also more likely to value hedonism, but it could not be demonstrated conclusively that this affected the ways that they defined poverty and its causes. Filipino students were more likely to perceive poverty as being the fault of the person experiencing poverty and were more pejorative towards the poor. Whilst Filipino and Zimbabwean students considered that they had learnt a lot about poverty, few Australian students thought this to be the case. Students in senior secondary school were not well informed of current understandings about poverty and development and did not possess a significantly greater knowledge than primary school students on these matters. Specifically. current school practices allow students to perceive poverty as primarily income related and do not place due emphasis on internationally related causes.

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Maundu, John Nyamai. "Student achievement in science and mathematics : a case study of extra-provincial, provincial, and Harambee secondary schools in Kenya." Thesis, McGill University, 1986. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=72790.

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Werner, Stuart C. "Influences of an integrated teaching model and selected background characteristics on developmental studies student achievement in a community college." Diss., Virginia Tech, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/29328.

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Waite, Robert D. "A Study of the Effects of Everyday Mathematics on Student Achievement of Third-, Fourth-, and Fifth-Grade Students in a Large North Texas Urban School District." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2000. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2593/.

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Data were examined in this study from student records in a large North Texas urban school district who were taught with two different mathematics curricula to determine whether or not they had different effects on student achievement. One of the mathematics curricula, Everyday Mathematics, was developed upon national mathematic standards, written by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. The other mathematics curriculum was district-approved, using a textbook from a large publisher, with a more traditional approach. The students selected for the experimental group came from six schools that had implemented the Everyday Mathematics curriculum for the 1998-99 school year. An experimental group was formed from these students. Twelve schools with similar socioeconomic ratios, ethnic makeup and 1998 Iowa Test of Basic Skills mathematic score profiles were selected. A control group was formed from this population of students that was similar to the experimental group with the exception of having been taught using the district-approved mathematics curriculum. These two groups were very similar in socioeconomic, ethnic, gender, and grade level makeup. Most importantly, the experimental group and control group were almost identical (there was no statistically significant difference) in their 1998 Iowa Test of Basic Skills mathematics scores, a gauge used to demonstrate that prior mathematics ability was equal going into the 1998-99 school year. In the statistical analysis, almost all comparisons showed that the experimental group taught with the Everyday Mathematics curriculum had higher scores on the 1999 Texas Assessment of Academic Skills mathematics test. When compared to children with similar mathematics ability at the beginning of the 1998-99 school year, the students in this study who were taught using Everyday Mathematics showed greater achievement gains than students in classes that used the district-approved curriculum.

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Clark, Karen. "A qualitative study of faculty/student perceptions of RN to baccalaureate nursing degree curricula and instructional needs through focus groups and follow-up interviews." Virtual Press, 2004. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1290774.

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The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the RN to BSN student's perceptions about what they need from curricula and the faculty to meet their educational goals. In addition, the study looked at the relationship between student identified needs and those identified by the faculty in regard to the RN to BSN curriculum.Evidence was collected using three focus group interviews with RN to BSN students and three focus group interviews with faculty who teach in RN to BSN programs. The number of participants in faculty focus group totaled 13 while participants in student focus groups totaled 16 participants. Individual follow-up interviews were conducted with participants from five of the six focus groups.A total of 50 concepts and a total of 20 subcategories were identified as significant as a result of the student data analysis. Seven themes emerged from the data analysis: 1) reasons for seeking BSN degrees (personal reasons, job advancement or maintenance, bridge to graduate school); 2) curricular content (nursing research, nursing leadership/management, health assessment, politics, computer technology, and general education); 3) curricular outcomes (professionalism, professional self-esteem, critical thinking); 4) institutional factors (advising and admissions processes, separation from traditional BSN students); 5) teaching methodologies (discussion, sharing, student presentations); 6) adult learning principles (self-direction, choices, peer learning, respect for experience); and 7) accommodations (acknowledgement for multiple roles, convenience, flexibility, credit for previous work, choices, physical environment).
Department of Educational Studies

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Ray, Barbara. "An investigation of how non-tenured faculty members use the results of student /faculty evaluations to improve classroom instruction." Scholarly Commons, 1999. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/2574.

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Purpose . The student/faculty evaluation is one of the most widely used evaluation tools for determining which faculty to rehire and to identify those faculty who should receive merit increases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ways in which non-tenured faculty members utilize the information from student/faculty evaluations to improve classroom instruction. Procedure . A survey of 300 faculty members from 22 National University campuses in California was conducted. National University faculty members are ranked bit do not have tenure. Each faculty member receives a student/faculty evaluation at the end of each class. Faculty members were provided with a questionnaire during the first week of class. The questions were evaluated using an analysis of variance. Findings . Results suggest: (1) that few faculty share the evaluations they receive with other faculty, (2) that both scores and comments influence faculty to review and modify course outlines and in-class behavior, (3) that student comments on the evaluations provide more information to faculty for improvement, (4) that few faculty attend workshops in order to improve teaching, (5) that faculty do engage in an ongoing process of self-evaluation in addition to using feedback from evaluations in order to improve their classes, (6) that faculty do not feel that making such changes in their classes based on evaluations reduces academic freedom, and (7) that most faculty feel the student/faculty evaluation is somewhat helpful. Conclusions and recommendations . Specific recommendations about the timing for obtaining student/faculty evaluations and the provision of support and resources for faculty development are made in the dissertation. Recommendations are also made for further research in this area.

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Hodge-hardin, Sherri L. "Interactive Television in the Classroom: A Comparison of Student Math Achievement Among Three Instructional Settings." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 1995. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2921.

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A dramatic expansion of distance learning through the use of interactive television (ITV) is allowing colleges and universities to offer students potentially unlimited access to educational and training opportunities. While the expanding information age beckons us to consider mechanisms for using communication technologies for the benefit of meeting the needs of learners in a variety of locations, the question may be raised--Is ITV an effective medium of instruction? This study examined the effectiveness of using an interactive television system to broadcast developmental algebra classes at East Tennessee State University. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were differences in math achievement of students taught in an ITV class setting with the instructor present (host site), students receiving instruction via television at an off-campus location (remote site), and students taught in a traditional classroom setting. This study also examined student attitudes toward enrolling in future ITV courses. Results showed no significant differences in math achievement among the three groups. There were also no differences in student attitudes toward enrolling in future ITV courses when comparing the host site with the remote site. Students in both television settings had positive attitudes toward future ITV course participation. The results of this study show that in developmental algebra students at the distance learning sites are learning as well as those students in the traditional classrooms. Thus, it was concluded that interactive television should be considered as an adequate method of providing developmental algebra instruction beyond the campus.

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Sigauke, Aaron T. "The teaching and practice of citizenship in schools in Zimbabwe (2007) : an investigation into student knowledge, attitudes and participation levels and teachers' views prior to the implementation of citizenship education." Thesis, Available from the University of Aberdeen Library and Historic Collections Digital Resources, 2008. http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIGITOOL-3&owner=resourcediscovery&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&pid=25201.

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Krome, Elizabeth Ann. "The effects of cooperative learning on student attitude and achievement in a Middle School science classroom." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2004. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2608.

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Aguiton, Rhonda Lisa. "The Relationship Between Student Engagement, Recess and Instructional Strategies." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1344449012.

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Jagger, Carla Beth. "Describing the Relationship Between Cooperative Learning Techniques Used and Student Cognitive Processing Capability During College Class Sessions." The Ohio State University, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1275413092.

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Bashet, AbuZafar. "Effects of Student-Created Question Process on Learning Biomedical Statistics in a Specialized Master's in Medical Sciences." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2017. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc984186/.

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This study explored the effectiveness of a student question creation process engaging students actively in self, peer, and instructor interaction in development of affective, cognitive, and meta-cognitive skills. Employing a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design assigning both treatment and control activities sequentially in an alternating pattern over a six week period, students' performance on exams as well as their perceptions of various aspects of the student question creation process were used to evaluate the effectiveness of student-created questions (SCQs) activities as a cognitive strategy and to identify factors contributing to the effectiveness of question creation activities on students' learning. Subjects of this study were high performing and highly motivated graduate students in an 8-week online biomedical statistics course, part of a specialized master's program designed for medical school preparation. Survey findings and focus groups strongly supported the student question creation process as a facilitator of higher order thinking. However, the relatively short study duration, comparison of student question creation with another competing method for facilitating learning (discussion board) and not a pure control group, and availability of a common study guide course with student-created questions on all course topics may have muted assessment of the full impact of the strategy on learning. Although practically difficult in an education environment, further research to assess fully the impact of the student question creation strategy is desirable especially if these confounding factors can be greatly minimized, if not eliminated.

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Sweitzer, Marilyn Jean. "Positive prevention: The relationship between teacher self-efficacy, program implementation, and student outcomes." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2004. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2698.

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In the San Bernardino City Unified School District, Positive Prevention: HIV/STD Prevention Education for California Schools Grades 7-12, Second Edition (Positive Prevention) by Clark & Ridley (2000) is used as the curriculum for ninth grade. In evaluating the curriculum, it is of key importance to first determine if this curriculum is being taught as it was designed, or with fidelity. Fidelity is affected by the comfort, confidence, competence and commitment of the personnel presenting the curriculum.

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Regacho-Anaclerio, Renee D. "Principal behaviors and practices that support the development of a standards-based instructional system." Scholarly Commons, 2007. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/2350.

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This qualitative study sought to identify the common behaviors and practices of principals in high achieving standards-based schools. Three schools were examined in the study. These schools were selected from a ten county area and had demonstrated consistent and unusual growth on the Academic Performance Index (API). The practices of principals were identified through a phenomenological study of the experiences of successfully implementing a standards-based instructional system. Principals were interviewed individually, and focus groups of teachers were interviewed separately. Both groups were asked about the principal behaviors and practices that led the school to achieve academic success. Principals and teachers across the three sites identified similar practices including high expectations of students and staff, planning and goal setting based on student achievement data, frequent monitoring of student achievement, teacher collaboration, principal classroom visits, principal visibility on campus, principal accessibility, and a school culture that promoted trust and team work.

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Thomazini, Mauricio. "Algumas relações de complexidade e racionalidade, em torno do conceito de divisão celular." Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, 2013. http://repositorio.utfpr.edu.br/jspui/handle/1/843.

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Acompanha: Um novo olhar para o desenvolvimento dos conceitos de divisão celular: trabalhando as relações de complexidade e racionalidade na aprendizagem
Nesta dissertação, foram conhecidas algumas possibilidades de articulação entre os diversos conteúdos envolvidos na formação de professores de Biologia, tendo todos eles uma ligação com o conceito de divisão celular. A partir de dados fornecidos por acadêmicos do último ano do curso de Licenciatura em Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal do Paraná e de documentos referentes ao currículo deste curso, foi identificada a presença pontual de relações de complexidade e racionalidade. No contexto da descrição de E. Morin, foi elaborado o modelo de uma rede complexa de conhecimentos, evidenciando possíveis conexões entre conteúdos presentes em diferentes unidades curriculares do núcleo básico do referido curso. Como produto final, foi estruturada uma unidade didática constituída por cinco aulas, exemplificando as relações analisadas, com o intuito de facilitar o processo ensino-aprendizagem.
In this work, some were known possibilities of connecting several contents that are involved in the undergraduate formation in the teaching of Biology, all of them related to the concept of cell division. Out of data that were provided by students of last year of licentiate in Biology at Universidade Federal do Paraná (Brazil), as well as official documents referring to the curriculum of this course, we identified the presence of specific relationships of complexity and rationality. In the context of the description introduced by E. Morin, we constructed a model for a complex network of knowledge, making evident the possible connections between contents which belong to different disciplines of this course. As our final product, we structured a didactic unit that consists in five classes, exemplifying the analyzed relationships, with the aim of facilitating the learning-education process.

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Walendorff, Kelly Rosa. "A abordagem temática “reciclagem” integrando o currículo de ciências do ensino fundamental: investigando a percepção dos professores." Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, 2014. http://repositorio.utfpr.edu.br/jspui/handle/1/954.

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Acompanha: A abordagem temática “reciclagem” integrando o currículo de ciências do ensino fundamental: investigando a percepção dos professores
Este trabalho investigou a percepção dos professores de ciências com relação à temática ambiental reciclagem no ensino de ciências do Colégio Estadual Olavo Bilac situado no município de Cantagalo/Pr. Defende-se que a reciclagem deve ser abordada em sala de aula de forma local, a fim de proporcionar aos estudantes mudanças de atitude com relação ao meio ambiente ao qual estão inseridos. Essa investigação traz como ponto de partida reflexões teóricas acerca dos documentos oficiais PCN e DCE e a educação ambiental através do tempo. Realizamos uma pesquisa qualitativa na modalidade de estudo de caso aplicando um questionário aos professores que ministram aulas de ciências nesta escola. Os questionários foram analisados por modalidades envolvendo escola, currículo, professores e sociedade. Os professores consultados evidenciaram que a influência no comportamento dos estudantes é possível, desde que seja efetivado um trabalho pedagógico continuado, não se esgotando na sala de aula, mas envolvendo o desenvolvimento de ações educativas que possam mobilizar os estudantes e envolver a própria comunidade. Os professores percebem a necessidade de uma prática de ensino diferenciada, mas ainda encontram dificuldades, como a de conseguir abordar todo o conteúdo curricular definido. As respostas do questionário nos levaram a construir uma unidade didática chamada “Cartilha da Reciclagem” que aborda a reciclagem de maneira local com particularidades do município, destinada aos professores a fim de enriquecer as aulas de ciências.
This study investigated the perception of Science teachers regarding environmental recycling theme in the science education from the OlavoBilacState School, located in the city of Cantagalo/PR. Argues that the recycling should be addressed in the classroom locally, in other to provide to students changings in the attitude towards the environment, which they belong. This research brings as a starting point for theoretical reflections, the official documents PCN and DCE and environmental education beyond the time. We conducted a qualitative study in the form of case study applying a questionnaire to the teachers that teach science at this school. These questionnaires were analyzed in themes such as school, curriculum, teachers and society, which provides a perception that an influence in the students‟ behavior is possible, using a continued pedagogical work, not extinguishing the classroom, but involving the development of actions in education that can mobilize the students to be part of the community. Teachers perceive the need of a differentiate education practice, but still have difficulties in address all the curricular content. The answers to the questionnaire led us to build a teaching unit called “Primer on Recycling”, that covers the local city recycling for teachers to enrich the science classes.

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Schudel, Ingrid Joan. "Examining emergent active learning processes as transformative praxis : the case of the schools and sustainability professional development programme." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006079.

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This is a study on the nature of learning, particularly the emergence of active learning processes in the case of an environmental education teacher professional development programme – the Eastern Cape Border-Kei cohort of the 2008 Schools and Sustainability Course. This was a part-time, one-year course supporting teachers to qualify, strengthen and deepen opportunities for environmental learning in the South African curriculum. An active learning framework (O’Donoghue, 2001) promoting teaching and learning with information, enquiry, action and reporting/reflection dimensions was integrated into the Schools and Sustainability course design to support these environmental learning opportunities. In this study, the notion of active learning is elaborated as a situated, action-oriented, deliberative and co-engaged approach to teaching and learning, and related to Bhaskar’s (1993) notion of transformative praxis. The study used a nested case study design, considering the case of six Foundation Phase teachers in six primary schools within the Border-Kei Schools and Sustainability cohort. Interviews, observations (of workshops and lesson plan implementation in classrooms) and document review of teacher portfolios (detailing course activities, lesson plans, learners’ work and learning and teaching support materials) were used to generate the bulk of the data. A critical realist theory underpinning the methodology enables a view of agency as emergent from social structures and mechanisms as elaborated in Archer’s (1998b) model of morphogenesis and Bhaskar’s (1993) model of four-planar being. The critical realist methodology also enables a view of emergent active learning processes as open-ended, responsive to particular potential, but dependent on contingencies (such as learning and teaching support materials, tools and methodologies). The analysis of emergent active learning processes focuses particularly on Bhaskar’s (1993) ontological-axiological chain (MELD schema) as a tool for analysing change. The MELD schema highlights1M ontological questions of what is (with emphasis on structures and generative mechanisms) and what could be (real, but non-actualised possibilities). It enables reflection on what mediating and interactive agential processes either reproduce what is or have the potential to transform what is to what could be (2E). Thirdly, the MELD schema enables reflection on what should be – this is the 3L “axiological moment” (Bhaskar, 1993: 9) where questions of values and ethics in relation to the holistic whole are raised. Finally, the schema raises questions (4D) of what can be, with ontologically grounded, context-sensitive and expressively veracious considerations. The study describes the agency of course tutors, teachers and learners involved in the Schools and Sustainability course, as emergent from a social-ecological context of poverty and inequality, and from an education system with a dual transformative and progressive intent (Taylor, 1999). It uses a spiral approach to cluster-based teacher professional development (Janse van Rensburg & Mhoney, 2000) focusing on the development of autonomous (Bernstein, 1990) and reflexive teachers. With teachers well-disposed and qualified to fill a variety of roles in the classroom, these generative structures and mechanisms had the power to drive active learning processes with potential for manifestation as transformative praxis. Through the analysis of the active learning processes emergent from this context, the study shows that the manifestation of transformative praxis was contingent on relational situated learning, value-based reflexive deliberations, and an action-orientation with an emphasis on an iterative relationship between learning and doing. These findings enable a reframing of an interest in action in response to environmental issue and risk, to an interest in the processes that led up to that action. This provides a nuanced vision of active learning that does not judge an educational process by its outcome. Instead, it can be judged by the depth of the insights into absences (2E), the ability to guide moral deliberations on totality (3L), and by the degree of reality congruence (1M) in the lead up to the development of transformative agency (4D). The study also has a methodological interest. It contributes to educational and social science research in that it applies dialectical critical realist philosophy to a concrete context of active learning enquiry in environmental education. It reports on the value of the onto-axiolgical chain in describing a diachronic, emergent and open-ended process; in providing ontological grounding for analysis (1M); in understanding relationality in situated learing processes (2E); in focusing on value-based reflexive learning (3L) and in understanding transformative learning as “tensed socio-spatialising process” (Bhaskar, 1993: 160) where society is emergent from a stratified ontology, and agency and change are open-ended and flexible processes not wholly determined by the social structures from which they emerge (4D). Considering the knowledge interests defined in the 2011 South African Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education (South Africa. Department of Higher Education and Training, 2011) and the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) which were implemented in South Africa from 2012 (in a phased approach), the study concludes with recommendations for exploring environmental learning in the CAPS. The study proposes working with a knowledge-focused curriculum focusing on the exploration and deepening of foundational environmental concepts, developing relational situated learning processes for meaningful local application of knowledge, supporting transformative praxis through the “unity of theory and practice in practice” (Bhaskar, 1993: 9), and implementing a spiral approach to cluster-based teacher professional development.

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Ritucci, Raffaella. "Bambine e ragazzi bilingui nelle classi multietniche di Torino." Doctoral thesis, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.18452/19485.

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Das Schulregister des Kultusministeriums MIUR verzeichnet, dass mehr als jede/r zehnte aller Schüler/innen in Italien keine italienische Staatsbürgerschaft hat, obwohl sie mehrheitlich dort geboren wurden. Zahlreiche Erhebungen weisen für sie im Vergleich zu den italienischen Mitschülern/innen geringere Italienischkenntnisse und weniger schulischen Erfolg auf. Innerhalb dieser explorativen Feldforschung haben Einzelinterviews mit 121 Schülern/innen (5.-8. Klasse) in Turiner Schulen und mit 26 Eltern, sowie die Auswertung von 141 an 27 Italienisch- und Herkunftsprachlehrer/innen verteilten Fragebögen ergeben, dass viele Schüler/innen "zweisprachige Natives" sind, da sie mit Italienisch und einer anderen Sprache aufwachsen. Dieser Polyglottismus, den die Interviewten sehr positiv bewerteten, findet jedoch in der Schulpraxis keine Entsprechung: Gezielte Förderung im Italienischen und der Unterricht der Familiensprache sind meist Wunschdenken. In der Kohorte haben die Schüler/innen mit den besten Italienischkenntnissen einen italophonen Elternteil bzw. kamen im Vorschulalter nach Italien und besuchten dort den Kindergarten. Dagegen sind, wie auch bei den INVALSI-Tests, die in Italien geborenen und die dann die Krippe besuchten, leicht benachteiligt. Was die Familiensprache angeht, verbessert ihr Erlernen die Kompetenzen darin, ohne dem Italienischen zu schaden: Im Gegenteil. Diese Ergebnisse bestätigen die wichtige Rolle der "anderen" Sprache für einen gelungen Spracherwerb. Das MIUR sollte also sein Schulregister mit Sprachdaten ergänzen, um die Curricula im Sinn der EU-Vorgaben umzuschreiben und den sprachlich heterogenen Klassen gezielte Ressourcen und definierte Vorgehensweisen zur Verfügung zu stellen. Mit geringeren Mitteln, im Vergleich zu den jetzigen Kosten für Herunterstufung, Klassenwiederholung und Schulabbruch würde man Schulerfolg, Chancengerechtigkeit und Mehrsprachigkeit fördern, mit positiven Folgen für den Einzelnen sowie für die Volkswirtschaft.
The Italian Ministry of Education (MIUR) student register records that today in Italy more than one out of ten students is not an Italian citizen, although the majority of them were born there. Several statistical surveys indicate that "foreign" students, when compared to native students, show a poorer performance in Italian and in academic achievement. This exploratory fieldwork carried out in schools in Turin (5th to 8th grade) analyzed data obtained through semi-structured interviews with 121 students and 26 parents as well as 141 questionnaires filled in by 27 teachers of Italian and family language. It showed that many students are "bilingual natives", as they grow up acquiring both Italian and another language; however, despite the fact that the interviewees rate polyglottism positively, schools don't usually offer targeted support in either language. Within the cohort the broadest range of competences in Italian are found first among those with an Italian-speaking parent, then among those who arrived in Italy at pre-school age attending kindergarten there; this latter group shows higher competences than those born in Italy attending nursery there, as also in the INVALSI tests. As far as family language is concerned, data illustrate that its teaching increases its competences without affecting those in Italian: quite the opposite in fact. These results confirm the remarkable role played by the "other" language in successful language education. MIUR is therefore called upon to include also linguistic data in its student register, so as to redefine its curricula according to EU Guidelines, and to identify specific procedures and resources for multilingual classes. This new policy would reduce the current cost of placing students in a lower grade, grade retention and drop-outs, and would promote school success, equal opportunities and multilingualism, with positive consequences both for the individuals and for the national economy.
L'anagrafe studenti del MIUR registra come oggi in Italia più di uno studente su dieci non è cittadino italiano, pur essendo la maggioranza di loro nata in questo paese. Numerose indagini statistiche mostrano come gli allievi "stranieri" presentino, rispetto a quelli italiani, ridotte competenze in italiano e minore successo scolastico. Questa ricerca esplorativa svolta in alcune scuole di Torino (V elementare-III media) ha analizzato dati ottenuti tramite interviste semi-strutturate a 121 studenti e 26 genitori e 141 questionari compilati da 27 insegnanti di italiano e di lingua di famiglia. Da essa è emerso che molti studenti sono "nativi bilingui", poiché crescono usando l'italiano e un'altra lingua. Questo poliglottismo, valutato dagli intervistati assai positivamente, non si rispecchia però nella prassi scolastica: un supporto mirato in italiano e l'insegnamento della lingua di famiglia sono di regola una chimera. All'interno del campione le più ampie competenze in italiano si trovano fra chi ha un genitore italofono e chi è arrivato in Italia in età prescolare frequentandovi la scuola materna; come constatato anche nei test INVALSI, chi è nato in Italia e vi ha frequentato l'asilo nido è leggermente svantaggiato. Rispetto alla lingua di famiglia risulta che il suo studio porta a migliori competenze in essa, senza nuocere all'italiano: anzi. Emerge quindi il ruolo significativo della lingua "altra" per un'educazione linguistica efficace. L'invito al MIUR è quindi di integrare la propria anagrafe con dati linguistici, così da ridefinire i propri curricula secondo le Linee Guida Comunitarie, individuando procedure e risorse specifiche per le classi multilingui. Con un investimento ridotto, paragonato con il costo attuale dato da retrocessioni, ripetenze e abbandono scolastico, si riuscirebbe a sostenere il successo scolastico, le pari opportunità e il plurilinguismo, con conseguenze positive per i singoli e per l'economia nazionale.

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Ndlovu, Themba Petros. "The development of a teaching practice curriculum for teacher education in Zimbabwe." Thesis, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/15589.

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The fundamental aim of undertaking the study was to develop a teaching practice curriculum for teachers colleges in Zimbabwe. In order to accomplish this, basic questions on curriculum development were first investigated These were on curriculum intent, structure and content. In chapter two a conceptual framework for the proposed teaching practice curriculum was investigated. This involved an analysis of the influence of aims of education on curriculum theory and development, issues of curriculum foundations and models of curriculum development. The analysis culminated in the adoption of a cyclical model for the development of the proposed teaching practice curriculum. The cognitive framework of the study was further illuminated through the conceptualisation of the teaching practice curriculum, where philosophical foundations of teaching practice as well as its theoretical contexts were examined. Critical in this was the theory-practice relationship. In chapter four, the prevailing teaching practice situation in Zimbabwe was examined and views of lecturers and students on it analysed. This was accomplished in order to further identify flaws in the current approach to teaching practice which could be improved by means of the proposed teaching practice curriculum. The teaching practice curriculum being proposed was synthesised and developed in chapter five. This curriculum is founded on the philosophical foundations discussed in chapters two and three. It has theoretical components and is implemented in teachers' colleges and schools. It brings to the fore the importance of partnership between the practising schools and colleges as well as reflective teacher education. The development of the proposed teaching practice curriculum resulted in the following outcomes: • An investigation into how theory and practice in teacher education could be integrated. • Suggestions for improving the college-school relationship through the development of partnership in teacher education. • The extrication of theory p-orn practice. • An emphasis on the importance of reflective practice and reflective teacher education. In recommending the adoption and implementation of the curriculum the researcher identified a number of meaningful consequences: • The improvement of teaching practice programmes in colleges. • The development of expertise in the practice of education. • The active involvement of experienced teachers in teacher education and training. • The resurgence of research in the practical aspect of teacher education.
Teacher Education
D. Ed. (Didactics)

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Chin'anga, Lawrence Cyprian. "Teaching styles and the acceptance of pupils." Diss., 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/16501.

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The purpose of the study was to investigate how teaching styles influence the acceptance of pupils by teachers, the development of a positive self-concept, and the extent to which it will enhance scholastic performance. The overwhelming finding from literature is that no teacher research, nor pupil investigation, has lead to the identification of one particular teaching style that can influence scholastic performance to the exclusion of others. While some studies have found a positive relationship between self-concept and scholastic achievement, others did not. To analyse data, the study made use of Factor Analysis, Cronbach Alpha, Regression Analysis and Significance level of tests. The study found no relationship between self-concept and scholastic performance but a positive correlation was found between scholastic performance and invitational style, acceptance of pupils, age, father and mother's employment .. The study makes recommendations and proposes areas for further research.
Psychology of Education
M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

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Xu, Shuli. "Teacher evaluation and student learning: Perceptions of elementary school principals and teachers." 2001. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI3012197.

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This descriptive study attempted to discover through the perceptions of elementary school teachers and principals whether existing practices for evaluating instruction are intended to help elementary school teachers improve student learning. Specifically, two major research questions guide the study. (1) What are the similarities and differences in perceptions of elementary school principals and teachers regarding the major purposes of teacher evaluation? (2) What changes do elementary school principals and teachers recommend so that teacher evaluation may be more effective in increasing student learning? Two questions are asked of principals and teachers in the Target Schools (TS) to gather in-depth information that complements the data for the above research questions. (TS1) In what ways is teacher evaluation in Target Schools designed to help elementary school teachers improve instruction and increase student learning? (TS2) What are the perceptions of elementary school principals and teachers in Target Schools regarding the current effectiveness of teacher evaluation as a means of improving student learning in their local schools and classrooms? Two populations are utilized for this study. 34 elementary school principals (General Schools) and 5 principals and 42 teachers from five elementary schools (Target Schools) filled out the survey questionnaires. Written documents such as teacher contract and teacher evaluation instruments currently used in schools were also requested from the Target School principals. Principals and teachers listed accountability, teachers' growth as professional, and improvement of curriculum and instruction as the three most important purposes. Only seven principals (20.59%) believed that the purpose of teacher evaluation was to improve student achievement and enhance student learning, a view shared by all teachers and most principals from Target Schools. Principals and teachers considered goal setting, teacher-principal conferences and improvement of curriculum and instruction as the most effective parts in teacher evaluation. Principals would like to spend more time with teachers and teachers would have liked to see their principals more often in their classroom rather than the once a year, fifteen-minute visit to evaluate their annual performance. Peer coaching, as an alternative to formal principal evaluation, was strongly advocated by both teachers and principals. Teachers would like to get more involved in designing and implementing teacher evaluation and to get feedback from more sources. Teacher evaluation can be a powerful means for improving student learning. Through evaluation, teachers will become more effective in reaching and teaching all children of all families.

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Greenwood, Jean Edith. "Student perceptions regarding classroom environments for learning." 2002. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI3056233.

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The classroom environment has a powerful influence on learning, and children's perceptions of that environment influence their behavior. This study examines the perceptions of sixth grade students who are the most and least academically successful regarding how they perceive their classroom environment and those factors within it that enhance or inhibit learning. Data gathered in this research indicate that there are significant disparities in how the most and least successful students perceive their classroom learning environment. The most successful students perceived the classroom environment as more affiliative and task focused, perceived their teachers to be more trusting, caring, and supportive, and perceived that they had more choice in how they learned. In contrast, the least successful students perceived the class to be more teacher controlled and competitive. In spite of the differences in friendship and support perceived by study participants, both groups of students were able to provide clear examples of teaching approaches and classroom conditions that they perceived increased or inhibited their learning. This study also includes students' suggestions for changes that would increase their learning. The findings in this study are consistent with the research and literature reviewed from the fields of education, psychology, and business regarding conditions that are likely to enhance learning. The major implications of this study are that teachers need to: (a) be able to form caring, supportive relationships with all students, (b) create safe, non-threatening environments where learning is less competitive and students are encouraged to form supportive relationships with one another, (c) provide students with interesting, challenging work that engages them, while supporting and encouraging students' efforts, (d) develop a large repertoire of effective instructional approaches to meet the diverse learning needs of students, (e) keep current with the knowledge base, (f) ask, and listen to students to understand how they learn best, and (g) seek professional experiences that will help them reflect on how they can improve their practice. Finally, a number of recommendations are proposed for use by teachers, administrators, organizations that provide pre-service and in-service opportunities, educational policy makers, and other parties interested in assisting teachers and schools increase student learning.

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Bebhe, Sithulisiwe. "Monitoring as a teaching practice strategy in music at Joshua Mqabuko Polytechnic, Zimbabwe." Thesis, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11602/340.

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Murphy, Patricia Anne. "Gang membership and involvement: Student perceptions and prevention impact." 2000. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9978531.

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The study describes the perceptions of a specific group of students toward the advantages and disadvantages of joining gangs. The research identifies the likely impact of a gang prevention program, the Gang Education and Resistance Curriculum (Tsagaris, 1996), on changing student perceptions about joining gangs. Lastly, the study examines what educators and law enforcement officials view are essential characteristics of a successful program to prevent students from joining gangs. Data were collected using a student survey and guided interviews with educators, correctional officers and teachers. One hundred seven students were administered a Gang Awareness Survey prior to and upon completion of the gang prevention program. Guided interviews explored observations and experiences the adults had working with each other and with the students who participated in the program. Findings indicate that students have varying perceptions about the advantages and disadvantages of joining gangs. The impact of a gang prevention program differs for each student. And, there is commitment by adults to prevent students from joining gangs. Specific findings suggest that: (1) Student perceptions of the advantages of joining gangs prior to participation in the program demonstrated lack of knowledge about gang member attributes. (2) Upon completion of the program fewer students perceived many advantages to joining gangs. (3) Overall data analysis indicates that it is likely that the Gang Awareness and Resistance curriculum has an impact on changing participating student perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of joining gangs. (4) Educators and correctional officers believe that collaborative models best serve the needs of the students, the schools and the community. The research culminates in recommendations for developing gang prevention programs. These recommendations can be used by school districts in collaboration with law enforcement officials and other community members to guide the development of programs that meet unique needs to prevent gangs in their schools and communities.

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Holmes, Judy Ellen. "What happens when a teacher stops judging student work? A case study of student responsibility for learning in a high school English class." 1995. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9524710.

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The purpose of this dissertation, a year-long qualitative study involving action research, was to record and analyze the behavior of both a teacher/researcher and her tenth grade students when she eliminated judgmental language, grades, and punishment in a high school English class. Instead, she provided specific feed-back, engaged students in dialogue concerning their work, and used verbal strategies which did not allow development of the usual classroom roles of "teacher as Rescuer and Persecutor," and "student as powerless Victim." The study describes the initial debilitating anxiety the students experienced as they created their own rules, examined qualities of excellence in writing and speaking, evaluated their own work, engaged in daily class discussion and performed a variety of cooperative learning tasks. The study further describes teacher responses to the students' behaviors, parental and administrative concerns, and the extensive time commitments involved. It concludes that most of the participating students did not know how to take responsibility for their learning, and that the teacher's primary role was to guide them through a process for learning to do so.

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Nunez, Oviedo Maria Cecilia. "Teacher-student co-construction processes in biology: Strategies for developing mental models in large group discussions." 2004. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI3118319.

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The aim of this study was to describe co-construction processes in large group discussions. Co-construction, as used here, is a process by which the teacher and the students work together to construct and evaluate mental models of a target concept. Data were collected for an in-depth case study of a single teacher instructing middle school students with an innovative curriculum on human respiration. Data came from transcripts of video taped lessons, drawings, and pre- and post-test scores. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted. In the quantitative analysis, differences in gains between one and two standard deviations in size were found between the pre- and post-test scores indicating that the students increased their understanding about human respiration. In the qualitative analysis, a generative exploratory method followed by a convergent coded method was conducted to examine teacher-student interaction patterns. The aim of this part was to determine how learning occurred by attempting to connect dialogue patterns with underlying cognitive processes. The main outcome of the study is a hypothesized model containing four layers of nested teaching strategies. Listed from large to small time scales these are: the Macro Cycle, the Co-construction Modes, the Micro Cycle, and the Teaching Tactics. The most intensive analysis focused on identifying and articulating the Co-construction Modes—Accretion Mode, Disconfirmation Mode, Modification Mode, Evolution Mode, and Competition Mode—and their relations to the other levels of the model. These modes can either describe the construction and evaluation of individual model elements or of entire models giving a total of ten modes. The frequency of these co-construction modes was then determined by coding, twenty-six hours of transcripts. The most frequent modes were the Accretion Mode and the Disconfirmation Mode. The teacher's and the students' contributions to the co-construction process were also examined. It was found that both the teacher and the students generated ideas in approximately equal proportion to build the models, that the teacher usually evaluated the ideas, and that both modified or disconfirmed the ideas. Thus the study is an attempt to develop a vocabulary for describing strategies that facilitate student model construction.

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Raker, David Aaron. "School computer policies and student computer access and use in schools." 1997. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9737574.

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This study explores the possible associations between school computer policy and equitable computer access and use in selected public schools. The study answers four research questions: (1) What are the various written policies of selected K-12 schools and school districts for student access to and use of computers? (2) How is computer policy for the selected schools established and disseminated? (3) What is the nature of student access to and use of computers in selected schools? (4) How does the nature of student access to and use of computers match the existing written school and/or district computer policy? Data were drawn from four samples of populations including five superintendents, 48 school principals, 14 selected teachers, and 21 observed classrooms. Participating educators and schools were all members of the National Coalition For Equality In Learning (NCEL), a diverse coalition of eight school systems from seven states that are dedicated to providing a quality education to all children of all families. Findings indicated that a majority of school districts (75%) and a minority of schools (8.3%) have written computer policy. Many policies focused exclusively on allocation of computer equipment, while others also included general and/or more specific statements to influence access and use. Policies in general were developed by committees and distributed through meetings and inservice training. Observation or monitoring were most often utilized to determine teacher adherence to policy mandates. Findings indicated that the reality of classroom practice did not always match the existing school/district computer policy. Also, findings suggest that the existence of computer policies in schools did not necessarily ensure greater computer equity. These findings raise serious questions about the effectiveness of policy to facilitate increased computer utilization and greater computer equity in schools. Recommendations for practice were proposed. The primary recommendation was to encourage schools and school districts to develop written computer policy which clearly states that all students have equal access to computers. In addition, the computer policy should help guide computer use and not dictate to teachers when and how to use them. The policy should help teachers understand that computers are not to be used exclusively for remedial work and that all students can utilize computers at high levels.

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Mosack, Victoria. "Student ratings of university teaching: similarities and differences in experientially-oriented courses." Diss., 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10057/377.

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End-of-course student ratings of teaching are among the most frequently used methods of evaluating instruction in university courses. Experiential courses focus on knowledge application and performance, and tend to be taught and experienced differently as compared to lecture type courses. Traditional instruments used in universities to gather data about the effectiveness of instruction tend to focus on teaching behaviors relevant to lecture type courses, and have not captured a professional practice dimension one would expect to find in experiential courses. The Student Perception of Teaching Effectiveness in Experiential Courses Scale (ESPTE) was designed to measure effective teaching across a university, and includes items related to a professional practice dimension. The primary aim of the study was to further examine the dimensions of effective teaching in experiential courses using the ESPTE, and to explore the appropriateness of the ESPTE instrument for use across several different disciplines. Additionally, the student ratings were examined in terms of influence of certain characteristics of the course and student raters, including anticipated grade, class size, course level, and students’ prior interest in the course. ESPTE instruments completed by the students of 364 experiential courses were used in this study. Mean course ratings for the items of the ESPTE were used as the unit of analysis. Factor analyses were conducted for the entire data set (1998-2005) and two subgroup data sets (1998-2002 and 2003-2005) to identify and confirm the dimensions of effective teaching measured by the ESPTE. To determine whether adjustments would be needed for the ESPTE, additional correlations and one-way ANOVAs were performed using factor scores. The factor analyses identified and confirmed three dimensions of teaching in experiential courses including a dimension related to professional practice. A fourth dimension involving grading did not form in analysis of the 2003-2005 data. Of the additional analyses, a prior interest in the subject or course (a priori motivation) had considerable influence on the course ratings. With appropriate adjustment for a priori motivation, the findings of this study can be used to provide useful information to instructors and administrators related to the effectiveness of instruction in experientially-oriented courses.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Wichita State University, Dept. of Psychology.
Includes bibliographic references (leaves 57-66).
"July 2006."

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Supaporn, Salee. "Middle school student perspectives about misbehavior in physical education classes." 1998. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9823780.

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Misbehavior is a research topic that most researchers investigate from teachers' points of view. This study, in contrast, was designed to explore misbehavior from the students' and the teacher's perspectives, using Doyle's ecological approach. A male teacher, Mr. Softball, and 14 seventh and eighth graders (ten males and four females) volunteered to participate during a two-week basketball unit. Data were collected through shadowing the teacher, critical incidents, student and teacher interviews, videotaped class sessions, and audiotaped stimulated recall sessions with the videotapes. Data from all sources were analyzed using constant comparison to identify common themes. Findings indicated that Mr. Softball's classes included overlapping instructional, managerial, and social task systems (Doyle, 1986; Siedentop, 1991) and his overall program of action could be classified as casual. Misbehavior was situation specific and occurred throughout these overlapping task systems. Students and the teacher noticed few misbehaviors during the actual classes and the misbehaviors recognized did not interrupt the flow of his teaching. When they noticed misbehavior incidents, either during class or when reviewing videotapes, they reacted differently from case to case based on who misbehaved, when it happened, and how it affected them or the class. Misbehaviors were common events in Mr. Softball's classes and most students admitted that they misbehaved. Misbehaviors could be classified as verbal, physical, or rules, routines, and expectations (RRE)-related. These students defined misbehavior as doing something that they were not supposed to do or not doing something that they were supposed to do. Mr. Softball's (a) weak RREs, (b) lack of effectiveness in organizing and delivering instructional tasks, and (c) loose accountability and the lack of intervention, allowed many opportunities for students to misbehave. Further, he created a class environment in which students engaged more often in social agendas at the expense of completing instructional and managerial tasks. Finally, the norm of this workplace did not support Mr. Softball in helping students learn or in maintaining order to insure that students were on-task and well-behaved. In summary, less effective teaching appeared to be the major issue that encourages students to misbehave.

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Gould, Stephen Martin. "The perceptions of elementary school principals regarding their role in helping teachers increase student learning." 1998. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9841873.

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The responsibilities of contemporary principals have increased dramatically and principals continue to be held accountable for school improvement efforts. Leading the school improvement process is a daunting task for principals. In this study, elementary school principals across Massachusetts reported that they consider helping teachers increase student learning to be a high leadership priority for school improvement. Further, the review of the research and literature undertaken for this study argues that principals should place helping teachers increase student learning at the heart of all school improvement efforts and that elementary school principals should make the facilitation of teaching and learning a leadership priority. However, data gathered in this research indicate that elementary school principals spend the greater percentage of their time on management/administrative responsibilities rather than on leadership aspects of their job that help teachers improve student performance. The review of the research and literature undertaken for this study examines the numerous and diverse responsibilities of the principalship, and the contexts in which principals work. The literature review also examines the various ways principals help teachers improve teaching and learning. In spite of the mismatch between what elementary school principals in this study consider to be important and their actual practice, they were able to provide examples of the various ways they are currently helping teachers increase student learning. This study also describes the work conditions elementary school principals across Massachusetts perceive they need in order to improve teaching and learning. The major implications of this study are that elementary school principals need to: (a) find a balance between their management and leadership responsibilities; (b) utilize their discretionary time to help teachers improve teaching and learning; and (c) seek professional experiences to help them reflect on how they can improve their practice. Finally, this study proposes a number of recommendations that may be useful to elementary school principals, organizations that provide preservice and inservice opportunities, educational policy makers, and other parties interested in assisting elementary school principals help teachers increase student learning.

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Warner, Sean S. "Black student perceptions of predominantly White University of Massachusetts Amherst and their relationship to the CCEBMS Program." 1998. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9823786.

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This study observes and investigates the relationship between a predominantly White institution of higher education and its African-American student population. It explores how Black students conceptualize the uniqueness of their experience at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in terms of the Committee for the Collegiate Education of Black and other Minority Students (CCEBMS) Program. Three different methodologies were utilized to assess the inquiry. Focus groups, individual interviews, and survey-questionnaires were implemented to gain greater insights into the realities of Black juniors and seniors at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. A total of fourteen--nine women and five men--participated in the focus groups and interviews. The focus groups met twice and took place over a two-week period. Six individuals out of the original fourteen volunteered to be interviewed, so as to look closer at the issues previously raised in the focus group sessions. Lastly, survey-questionnaires were generated based upon the information revealed via the focus group and interview sessions. Over two hundred-fifty surveys were disseminated across campus to African-American juniors and seniors in an effort to weigh their responses against the data previously collected. The qualitative and quantitative instrumentation used examined the attitudes of African-American students towards university practices and whether or not the construction of a culturally-specific programming, otherwise known as the Committee for the Collegiate Education of Black and other Minority Students (CCEBMS), helped shape or modify their opinions. The findings of this study revealed that: (1) Black students in social science courses encounter a highly racialized climate, which expects Black students to represent the entire Black collective; (2) Black students, initially, are frustrated by having to negotiate where they belong and how they're supposed to behave in a racially segregated setting in all contexts that relate to campus life; (3) the Committee for the Collegiate Education of Black and other Minority Students (CCEBMS) Program minimally influences or impacts how African-American collegians interpret their experience at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst; and (4) that many Black students believe that their success relies on their ability to effectively balance the duality of their reality, which requires them to be part-student/part-politician.

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Hungerford, Gregory R. "Elementary teachers' perceptions regarding the usefulness of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) for improving student learning." 2004. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI3136741.

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Currently, students in Massachusetts are under pressure to pass Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) testing in order to advance to the next grade or to receive a graduation diploma. The major purpose of this research is to determine upper elementary teachers' perceptions regarding the usefulness of Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) testing for improving the learning of third, fourth, and fifth grade public school students. Specifically, the research questions that guide this study are: (1) To what extent do upper elementary teachers perceive the WAS test inclusive of important learning being taught in their classroom? (2) To what extent do upper elementary teachers think WAS testing contributes to improvements in student learning? (3) What do upper elementary teachers report to be the positive and negative impacts of WAS testing on curriculum and instruction? (4) Why do upper elementary teachers prefer to continue or eliminate MCAS testing as a means for improving student learning? The schools participating in this study came from 254 randomly selected elementary schools in Massachusetts. A total of 310 third, fourth, and fifth grade teachers were selected from 41 diverse public schools that represented 12 of all 14 counties within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Teacher Perception Survey, which included 66 Likert scale items and the Teacher Perception Interview, which consisted of four interview questions were used to gather data for answering the four research questions. Data for research question one suggest that teachers did not consider MCAS testing to be inclusive of important learning being taught in the their classroom. Data for research question two reveal that teachers do not consider MCAS testing as a major reason for improvements in student learning. Data for research question three imply that teachers' view MCAS testing as having more negative than positive impacts on curriculum and instruction. Data for research question four suggest that teachers' preference for eliminating MCAS testing is more extreme than their desire to keep MCAS testing as a means for improving student learning. Seventy-seven percent of participating teachers indicate a preference for eliminating MCAS testing.

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Murwira, Stanley. "Integrating indigenous african knowledge systems in teaching and learning at the Catholic University of Zimbabwe : a critical investigation." Thesis, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/26722.

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The research study focused on the integrating of indigenous African knowledge systems in teaching and learning at the Catholic University of Zimbabwe. The curriculum of the Catholic University of Zimbabwe offers a number of degree courses. The study sets out to address the problem with the curriculum of the Catholic University of Zimbabwe, namely, that it is to a large extent dominated by Western knowledge and gives little priority to indigenous African knowledge systems. The majority of the courses offered at the CUZ are Eurocentric in nature and give little regard to the indigenous African knowledge systems. The study was undergirded by the Afrocentric theory which focuses on giving the African world view in terms of knowledge. The research study was informed by the constructivist paradigm which focuses on how individuals analyse and construct meanings of social situations. The research approach is qualitative in nature that means it is based on social interpretation and not numerical analysis of data. The data in the study was generated through face-to-face interviews, focus group discussion and document analysis. The data was presented under different themes. The study found out that they are few courses in the CUZ curriculum which include IAKS. Most of the knowledge and theories in the courses offered at the Catholic University of Zimbabwe curriculum are Western oriented. The knowledge in most of the courses is reminiscent of the colonial education system and gives no regard to indigenous African knowledge systems. The recommendation is for the inclusion of indigenous African Knowledge systems in the CUZ curriculum.
Educational Foundations
D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

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Bryan, Jon Lance. "An analysis of student programmatic delays in postsecondary flight training programs: A national study." 1996. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9638936.

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The purpose of this study was to determine the number of University Aviation Association (UAA) member postsecondary institutions that were experiencing student delays in flight certification. Such delays can lead to increased costs for the student, the failure to complete the intended academic program, and an interruption in career progression. This study queried the aviation program administrators of UAA member flight institutions to determine the extent of the problem. Through a questionnaire, the researcher determined whether a relationship existed between student flight curriculum progress and certain identified factors at those institutions. A survey instrument was used to obtain responses to questions such as: the level of flight student progress delays, institutional policies regarding prepayment for flight services, the number of students failing to complete their flight training in the semester predicated by the syllabus, the impact of weather and finances, the use of ground-based training devices, and institutional policies relating to flight student incomplete grades. The study revealed that approximately 88% of the respondents noted that they were experiencing a problem with flight student progress delays at their institution. The research indicated that institutional financial policies, such as the formal determination of flight student finances in advance of each semester, were factors in reducing "Major" progress delays. The use of simulation or ground-based training devices was associated with a reduction in the flight progress delays. Flight instructor turnover was not a substantial factor in the student training delays. No relationship was noted between the incidence of flight student progress delays and the level of degree offered at the postsecondary institutions. A larger percentage of the flight student progress delays were classified as "Major" at two-year rather than at four-year institutions.

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Calvert, Joan Mary. "Student and faculty perspectives on Internet resource usage in undergraduate university science and mathematics courses." 1999. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9920590.

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The purpose of this study is to investigate how faculty make use of Internet resources and how students respond to use of these resources in a variety of undergraduate science and mathematics courses. Much more has been published on the use of Internet resources in traditional undergraduate curricula from the perspective of faculty as teachers and researchers than from the perspective of students as learners. This qualitative case study is a balanced approach that surveys mathematics and science professors and students at the same university. Both teacher and learner perspectives about on-line resource usage are scrutinized for the extent to which such resources augment content and delivery of traditional university undergraduate mathematics and science courses. Faculty and students were interviewed and asked about their perceptions of Internet as a tool for teaching and learning. Responses focused on the Internet as it affords information, communication, and collaboration. Students expressed distrust for Web publications, citing the information glut and sense of security with “approved” library resources. Personal and course Web pages were much more important to faculty than to students, who did not see themselves as producers but rather as consumers of information prepared by faculty and other experts in their fields. All students expressed the importance of the university's role in advising incoming students to take computing-related courses in their first year to prepare them for courses that have on-line components. When asked if they would consider delivering their courses asynchronously on-line, all of the faculty members interviewed declined. Consensus was that Internet/Web resources found their place in augmenting rather than replacing traditional courses. Most students interviewed responded that they would try an on-line course for the experience but that they would be inclined to take a general education course rather than a course in their major, not wanting to risk a low grade. Students and faculty alike continue to work with new applications for Internet groupware messaging such as asynchronous discussion groups and electronic bulletin boards that will be incorporated into traditional university courses.

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Mutara, Godfrey. "Guidelines for the development of the generic nursing programme in Zimbabwe." Thesis, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/25022.

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The predominant trend in nursing education in Zimbabwe is the hospital-based apprenticeship model. Globally, there has been a shift from a hospital-based model to a university-based one. When a new nursing programme is introduced in Zimbabwe, the institution presenting the programme is solely responsible for developing guidelines for running it. The institution in most cases has inadequate infrastructure, human, financial and material resources, and will lack the capacity to develop the guidelines. As a nurse educator, the researcher noticed with concern that newly introduced nurse education programmes in Zimbabwe soon faced problems because they were introduced without clear guidelines. This made their implementation difficult. The purpose of the study was to develop guidelines for the Generic Nursing Programme (GNP), a four-year Bachelor of Science Honours Nursing degree. The GNP will balance clinical practice and theory in order to produce nurses who can meet diverse patients’ needs; function as leaders; advance science that benefits patients, and deliver quality, safe patient care. The researcher used Walt and Gilson’s (1994) policy analysis framework as the theoretical framework for the study. Their policy triangle framework is grounded in a political economy perspective, and considers how the four elements of content, context, actors and processes interact to shape policy-making. The study was a qualitative, explorative case study. Data was collected from forty-nine purposively selected participants by means of semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and the Delphi technique. The study found that the content of the GNP should include sciences, nursing courses, social sciences and practical component courses. The GNP should be developed in an environment with adequate resources and will hinge on the economic and political situation since that will determine available resources. The actors involved in the development should include the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare; the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe; nurse educators; nurses working in the clinical area, and curriculum committee members of the university that will offer the GNP. The guidelines should ensure good quality nursing education for nursing students, and prevent inconsistencies in and the failure of the GNP.
Health Studies
D. Lit. et Phil. (Health Studies)

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O'Brien, Freda Lilian. "Andragogical listening in business education in Zimbabwe : a study in tertiary didactics." Diss., 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/15686.

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Listening for learning during lectures has been established to be a staged process. Listening's role during didactic andragogical events in the Bulawayo Polyte9hnic Business Studies Department's Business Communication lectures was investigated. Both the qualitative and the quantitative data gathered contributed to a statistical groundstructure and an ethnomethodological outline, which together combined into a balanced description of the listened learning .p rocess in that tertiary learning environment. Data sources included student and lecturer responses as well as observed learning during communicativeness skills development, and whilst learning in lectures and tutorials. The related literature was supported by the study's findings, confirming that individuals perceive, interpret and evaluate information directly in accordancewith their own lifeworld. This includes own learned technique which derives from inherent oral or literate culture base as well as from personal cameral preferences and endowments. The consequent individually different listened learning range constitutes a conventional normal dispersion.
Educational Studies
M. Ed. (Didactics)

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Zimbiti, Clementine T. "Challenges faced by student teachers of Nyadire Teachers' College in engaging pupils in philosophical inquiry and feasible solutions." Thesis, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/24833.

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Philosophical inquiry as a pedagogical approach develops higher order thinking and problem solving skills. Inquiry-based learning is an important approach for sustainable development, considering the fact that today’s societies has to deal with everyday challenges. Philosophical inquiry is a powerful educational approach that has cognitive, social and practical benefits. This study examined the challenges faced by the Nyadire Teachers’ College (NTC) student teachers in Mashonaland East Province in Zimbabwe in engaging pupils in philosophical inquiry and ways of overcoming them. The study employed the qualitative design because of its focus on participants’ perceptions and actions. The researcher viewed participants as reflective beings whose actions were influenced by their thoughts. The study sample comprised forty student teachers on campus who had just completed their Teaching Practice (TP), eight student teachers on TP and ten lecturers from various departments. The data were collected through individual interviews, focus group discussions, non-participant observation of lessons and document analysis. The evidence from literature indicates that philosophical discourse and pedagogy develop learners’ ability to be responsible and accountable for their actions. It has also indicated teachers’ inability to introduce children to thoughtful discussion as one of the barriers to the use of philosophical inquiry as a pedagogy. The findings of the study indicated that NTC student teachers lacked skills and dispositions to engage pupils in philosophical inquiry. This was attributed to lack of critical pedagogy in teacher education at NTC. The findings also indicated that there were challenges in practicing schools. The study established knowledge and competence gaps amongst NTC student teachers as one of the challenges. The study suggested that NTC teacher education should expose student teachers to theory and practice of critical pedagogy. It also suggested in-service education on mentoring for teachers in schools, as mentoring demands more skills and knowledge than mere teaching.
Educational Studies
D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

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Gannon, Mary Martha. "Valuing student relationships across race and ethnicity: An exploration of the development of positive intergroup contact in a college classroom." 2000. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9978498.

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This qualitative research inquiry explores the development of intergroup relationships across race and ethnicity in a college classroom. The study describes the conditions that support the development of positive intergroup contact among members of racially and ethnically diverse groups and identifies the factors that impede intergroup relationships. College faculty are searching for effective ways to work with diverse racial and ethnic populations in college classrooms and for interventions when faced with challenging intergroup dynamics. Issues of differential status among students often impact their ability to develop intergroup relationships. The literature in the field of intergroup relations lacks an analysis of social inequality to balance the literature on intergroup difference. This study positions intergroup relations within a framework of social justice education that acknowledges issues of inequality as well as difference. Focus groups were the primary methodological tool for this study, complemented by additional data sets drawn from field notes and student writing that was used as confirming data. The constant comparative analysis approach was useful for the emergent style of the data, as patterns and themes guided the process of analysis. Five significant themes emerged from student reports regarding their perceptions and experiences with racial and ethnic difference. Distinctions between the responses of White students and Students of Color reflected the impact of different lived experiences and perspectives shared by their racial and ethnic differences. Allport's Contact Hypothesis (1954), particularly his emphasis on equal status roles, was used as one of the frameworks for analysis, supplemented by social justice theory. The findings in this study suggest that equal status roles cannot be achieved between members of unequal social groups in a classroom but that positive intergroup relationships among students are achievable by the presence of a number of other environmental factors. Participants identified conditions in the classroom setting and the role of the teacher as enabling factors that supported their ability to develop intergroup relationships. Educators can enhance the learning outcomes for their students when attention is given to the diverse racial and ethnic identities in the classroom population and the development of relationships among students.

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Zezekwa, Nicholas. "The influence of practical work assessment method in developing practical work skills of advanced level physics students in Zimbabwe." Thesis, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/22262.

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Practical work plays an important role in the teaching and learning of science. This study was conducted to determine whether the methods and practices employed by physics teachers in Zimbabwe as required by the Zimbabwe School Examination Council (Zimsec) ‘A’ Level Physics Syllabus (9188) on the assessment of practical work skills assist the students in developing other crucial practical skills like manipulation, observational, planning and designing apart from presentation and analysis skills. The convergent parallel mixed methods approach of Creswell (2014) was used to collect, present and analyse data. Quantitative data were collected using the structured observation schedule to get assessment marks for a student using both methods of indirect assessment of practical work skills (IAPS) and direct assessment of practical work skills DAPS for the same practical work activity. Qualitative data were obtained from interviews with the physics teachers and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with the ‘A’ level physics students. Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) of the percentage rating of marks obtained by the student as observed during practical work sessions compared to the obtained mark from the submitted practical work report for the same practical work activity was calculated and found to be 0.135 with a Pvalue of 0.432. Both the narrative approach (Creswell, 2007) and conservation analyses (Gray, 2011) were used to present and analyse data from focus group discussions with ‘A’ level physics students and interviews with the physics teachers. The major finding from the analysis of quantitative data was that there was no association between the grades obtained by the student from DAPS as compared to IAPS for the same practical work activity as the value of r was found to be very low. This implied that passing practical work through the assessment of practical work report did not necessarily mean that the student could have mastered the basic skills of manipulation, designing, observation and planning. The views of physics teachers and students who participated in the study were that, the current method of practical work assessment used by Zimsec is not relevant in encouraging students to develop a variety of practical work skills as students concentrated on mastering presentation and analysis skills in order to pass practical work examinations. The study recommends that an alternative model of practical work assessment that integrates both DAPS and IAPS should be used to ensure valid and reliable assessment of practical work skills of ‘A’ level physics students.
Curriculum and Instructional Studies
D. Ed. (Didactics)

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Dube, Florence. "Exploring teacher education initiatives in preparing trainee teachers for handling gifted learners as a way of ensuring education for all in Zimbabwean primary schools." Thesis, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/19101.

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Primary school teachers in Zimbabwe tend to face a number of challenges that need to be overcome if they are to handle learners with diverse needs effectively. The main problem has been failure by teachers to deal with gifted learners. The objective of this qualitative study focused on answering the key research question, ‘What are the teacher education initiatives undertaken by Teachers Colleges to prepare trainee teachers in handling gifted learners in primary schools in Zimbabwe?’ The problem is mainly attributed to preparation of teachers during pre-service training. Primary school education in Zimbabwe has tended to ignore gifted learners as compared to learners who experience academic barriers. It has been observed that records kept by trainee teachers on teaching practice reflect some serious planning considerations given to remedial cases in which gifted learners are completely ignored. This suggests that the trainee teachers are not deliberately ignoring gifted learners but have an inherent assumption that they do not need extra attention. The research was grounded in the constructivist paradigm to gain a full understanding of the social life-world of the initiatives by teacher education in the preparation of trainee teachers to handle gifted learners. A phenomenological design was employed to collect data through qualitative methods, namely semi-structured interviews, observation and focus group discussion. The respondents to these data collection methods were lecturers from two teachers colleges, qualified teachers and trainee teachers from two primary schools. The main finding was that gifted education was missing in the teacher preparation to enable trainee teachers to handle gifted learners. The researcher made some recommendations from the conclusions drawn from the research findings. The recommendations included that there is need for a national policy on gifted education to provide guidelines for teacher education programmes and that teacher training colleges should review their curriculum specifically in Theory of Education and Professional Studies to include gifted education.
Curriculum and Instructional Studies
D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

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Kashora, Phoebe. "Evaluation of curriculum design and delivery : a case for Zimbabwe Staff College." Thesis, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/19666.

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The major goal of the Bachelor of Adult Education degree is to equip officers with the prerequisite skills, knowledge and attitudes to design and deliver programmed instruction to different categories of learners as well as to equip them with skills to conduct research in the field of adult education practice. The present study undertakes to investigate the reasons for lack of patronage for the adult education degree at Zimbabwe Staff College (ZSC) by exploring the quality of the adult education degree programme in terms of its effectiveness, relevance, value and its ability to enhance the quality of life. An adult education degree programme should reflect the sociocultural realities and experiences of adult learners. Participatory approaches should inform the development and implementation of curriculum. The aim of the study is to inform decisionmaking aimed at programme improvement. Effectiveness entails adequacy and appropriateness of teaching methods and support services. Relevance is ensured by considering the policy framework, curriculum provision, learners‟ needs and non–participation in the programme. Value constitutes the ability to improve the economic, professional, social and political aspects of life. Using the qualitative case study design, seven students and two administrators were selected using purposeful sampling, which is informed by the non-probability theory of sampling, to participate in individual and focus group interviews, which were subsequently conducted and generated data for analysis. Available relevant documents were analysed. The major finding revealed that a lack of recognition of the adult education programme by superiors at ZSC was the major obstacle to participation. Lack of recognition was found to be attributable to the absence of any national lifelong learning policy, ZSC policy framework, institutional structural conditions, and non–participatory curriculum development process and also to other associated barriers. The non-existence of the national and local policies on adult education was found to be negatively affecting not only participation but also the quality of the content provision because a lifelong learning policy framework is supposed to be informing design and practice. Recommendations focus on revision of the policy framework and the way the policies are implemented at national and local levels. A review of the implementation of policy is imperative if the restrictions responsible for the invisibility of adult education in the country and adult education programmes at ZCS are to be removed.
Curriculum and Instructional Studies
D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

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