This study started with my interest in drama pedagogy practices. The aim is to investigate the teacher's conceptions of children's play and learning activities in drama pedagogy practices. Basically drama pedagogy means children and teachers creating play worlds together, usually based on various literary works, where they portray and play. Previous research shows that drama pedagogy as a method can enrich and develop children's play. Also, drama can be important for children's linguistic, social and aesthetic development. In this study, overall three interviews and two observations at different occasions was carried out. By using a phenomenographic approach, similarities and differences in teacher's conceptions were revealed. This resulted in three different categories of description; influence, emotion and togetherness in play and learning. The categories of description show that in preschool teacher's conceptions of play and learning their awareness is directed at how they base their plannning in preschool's curriculm. At the same time they have children's interests as guidelines, and let their questions and plays take a great place in the outcome of the activities. Another assumption is that emotion became prominent in the conceptions, both in the preschool teachers' own relationships to playing and portraying, but also in playing and designing with the children. / Den här studien startade i min förundran över gestaltande lekpedagogiskt arbetssätt. Studiens syfte är att undersöka pedagogers uppfattningar av barns lek och lärande i verksamheter där de arbetar med gestaltande lekpedagogik. Ett gestaltande lekpedagogiskt arbetssätt innebär sammanfattningsvis att barn och pedagoger skapar lekvärldar tillsammans, oftast utifrån litteratur, där de gestaltar och leker. Tidigare forskning visar att arbetssättet kan berika och utveckla barns lek. Dramat visas även ha betydelse för barns språkliga, sociala och estetiska utveckling. I den här studien utfördes totalt tre intervjuer och observationer vid två olika tillfällen. Utifrån en fenomenografisk ansats undersöktes likheter och olikheter i pedagogernas uppfattningar. Detta resulterade i tre olika beskrivningskategorier som var framträdande i producerad data; inflytande-, emotioner- och helhet i lek och lärande. Det beskrivningskategorierna visar är att i pedagogernas uppfattningar om lek och lärande uppmärksammas hur pedagogen tar grund i förskolans läroplan då de planerar. Samtidigt låter de barns intressen, frågor och lek vara med och styra mycket i verksamhetens utformning. En annan utgångspunkt i uppfattningarna är att pedagogernas uppmärksamhet riktas mot emotioner. Både i pedagogens eget förhållande till lek och gestaltning, men också i lek och gestaltning med barnen.

The results of a questionnaire that should reveal students’ knowledge about the use of computers in mathematics and the relevance of applications of mathematics in our society clearly show that current math teaching does not provide adequate ideas about the importance of computers. We describe the results and give examples of mathematical activities that are suitable to both foster mathematical concepts and widen the mathematical view. Possible changes in the curriculum are discussed.

This study focuses upon the extent that teaching about democracy affects pupil comprehension and opinions about democracy. Its point of departure is the question, “to what extent is school an agent of democratic socialization?” The overall aim of this study is to contribute to understanding the democratic socialization process and especially to understand the role that school can play in that process.   The study is comprised of a survey about democratic values, democratic institutions and democratic authorities completed by 318 upper secondary pupils upon two occasions. The first was just prior to the start of the course, “Samhällskunskap A” and the second was at the end of that course. The survey also included a number of background questions related to each individual participant; 28 pupils in one of the schools who had not yet studied “Samhällskunskap A” were used as a control group. Twelve teachers involved in actual teaching at that time were interviewed regarding their attitudes toward the official documents about democratic socialization and whether or not they saw the goals as articulated in those documents as possible to achieve.   Based upon theories about democratic socialization and socialization agents, a number of conditions and problems were formulated and operationalized in order to analyse the outcome of the study. Three main concepts were used as analytical tools: democratic orientations, democratic socialization and socialization agent.   The results do not support the assumption that school can be seen as a general democratic socialization agent through teaching about politics and democracy. But certain situations and aspects of democratic orientations demonstrate that the school has a tendency to affect socialization; therefore school is seen as a specific democratic socialization agent. The main conclusion of this study is that teaching about politics and democracy is expected to have limited influence on pupils in upper secondary school. Also important is the finding that the pupil’s average change on the aggregate level is low, but on individual level, many pupils made significant changes regarding their democratic orientations during the course. The results support a view that the process of democratic socialization is a complex process and is difficult to predict.

Over past decades, the face of Australian early childhood education and care (ECEC)has changed substantially. It has been shaped by two dominant policy discourses: the discourse of market theory, and, more recently, the discourse of parent and community participation. The intertwining of these two seemingly opposing discourses has led to the positioning of parents both as consumers of ECEC and as participants in ECEC. Each of these perspectives promotes a particular way of fulfilling the role of parent in ECEC. Reflecting general marketing principles, the primary role of parent as consumer is seen as selecting the right service for their child and family. In contrast, while arguably more ambiguous in meaning, the role of parent as participant promotes a partnership approach, and, increasingly, parental involvement in decision making at both service and public policy levels. Each of these roles has been constructed for parents by governments and policymakers, with little reference to the views and experiences of parents using ECEC. Seeking to address this gap in the ECEC knowledge base, the present study investigated the qualitatively different ways in which parents constitute their role in Australian ECEC. The study focused on two related aspects of the role of parents: (1) the role of parents in using ECEC services; and (2) the role of parents in shaping ECEC public policy. To describe these roles, as viewed and experienced by parents, and to reveal possible variation therein, the study engaged a phenomenographic research approach (Bowden & Walsh, 2000; Marton & Booth, 1997). Twenty-six parents participated in the study. Data were gathered through semistructured interviews with individual parents and subjected to a rigorous process of phenomenographic analysis. The study results are presented in two parts. With respect to the role of parents using ECEC, the study led to the construction of five categories of description, denoting five distinctly different ways of seeing and experiencing this role. The role of parents was seen as: (1) selecting and using the best service for their child (the service user conception); (2) knowing what's happening for their child in the service (the informed user conception); (3) paying for a service, and, thereby, enacting certain consumer rights (the consumer conception); (4) supporting their selected service and having some say in what happens for their child at the service (the partnership conception); and (5) working as a member of the service community for the benefit of all concerned, which includes participating in decision making (the member of a service community conception). Taking a broader perspective, the study again revealed variation in how parents constituted their role in shaping ECEC policy, leading to the construction of four categories of description. The role of parents was seen as: (1) no role in shaping ECEC public policy (the no role conception); (2) being informed about policy that affects their child and family, raising any concerns and/or seeking a change to current or proposed policy (the raising concerns conception); (3) having some say in policy matters that affect their child and family (the having some say conception); and (4) participating in policy decision making, particularly where this is likely to affect their child and family (the participating in policy decision making conception). The study highlights variation in how these roles are constituted by parents, inclusive of the basic concepts of parent as consumer and parent as participant. In addition, the study offers an insider perspective on these two "dominant common-sense understandings" (Vincent & Martin, 2000, p. 2) of the role of parents, prompting questions about their future in ECEC policy. As an example of "developmental phenomenography" (Bowden, 2000b, p. 3), the study also identifies factors perceived by parents as influencing their participation at various levels, and discusses implications for both policy and practice. Finally, the study extends the general phenomenographic area of interest, from education to public policy research. Within this area, phenomenography is seen to offer a useful and pragmatic research tool, facilitating the identification and consideration of different constituent views and experiences, and, thereby, signifying more possible options for action.

This study was a phenomenographic inquiry into arts education in early childhood. Through the use of this interpretative approach, the study was an inquiry into the internal relationship between human experience and the world environment, based on the core assumption that there is variation in the ways in which people experience the same phenomenon. Drawing on the work of Pramling and other phenomenographers, the study identified and compared the conceptions of art in young children and their teachers. Twenty-seven young children, aged 5 to 6, studying in the same class in a Hong Kong preschool participated in this study with their two class teachers. Semi-structured interviews were used and the children were asked to describe art experiences in their preschool learning environment. The two teachers working with this group of children were interviewed separately, for their views on their art teaching practices. Through a process of comparing and contrasting themes emergent in the transcriptions, children's conceptions of their art experiences fell into five categories: (1) Art is Human Nature, (2) Art is a Task, (3) Art is a Process, (4) Art is a Product, and (5) Art is Mystery. Teachers' responses fell into two categories: (1) Art is Human Nature, and (2) Art is a Task. A conclusion of the study was that the conceptions of art in children formed at an early age are broad and complex. Comparison of the conceptions between the young children and their teachers indicated that there were some similarities but also mismatches. The children had a broader perspective than their teachers and they were sensitive to the teachers' conceptions. The teachers and the children shared the conceptions of art as being part of human nature and art as a task, although their variations differed. In addition, the children demonstrated that they had further conceptions of art -- that it was a social process, and that the product was important and valued. Finally, analysis of the data also showed that the children had a conception of art as a mystery, holding contradictory elements together in a tension, where art was important but also a chore. Research studies into how young children understand and conceive their early experiences with art learning, and how their teachers perceive preschool art education and its practice, are limited. In documenting the views of both the teachers and the children, this study contributes to an understanding of arts education in a preschool context, by exposing the young children's perspectives. Possibilities for improving arts pedagogy are considered, and new questions are emerged. The study also illustrated how a phenomenographic approach could be used in the field of art education and early childhood education. Recommendations for further research arising from the study include: using phenomenography to study young children's conceptions of other arts experiences (e.g. music, dance, drama); replication of the study with young children of different age groups and cultural backgrounds; longitudinal studies of children's conceptions of art throughout their schooling programme; and detailed examination of the conceptions of art in early childhood student teachers before, during and after their training.

The introduction of a universal, full-time Preparatory Year in all Queensland schools from 2007 is a significant reform in early childhood education and care (ECEC) in that state. Rapidly increasing enrolment of children in full-time Preparatory Year programs in non-government schools has been a feature of the Queensland context over the past decade. These trends, along with efforts towards consistency of services and universal school starting ages across Australian states and territories have prompted this important reform to early education in Queensland. Constructions of the role of parents as consumers of early childhood services and/or partners in their children's early education suggest that consideration of parent views of this reform is both timely and strategic. This thesis reports the findings of a research project investigating parent conceptions of a Preparatory Year in a non-government school in outer urban Queensland. The research used a phenomenographic approach to elicit and describe the qualitatively different ways in which a group of 26 parents viewed the Preparatory Year. Analysis revealed that the range of parent conceptions of the Preparatory Year demonstrated varying emphasis on parent needs, child needs and preparation for future success in school and beyond. The study led to the construction of five categories of description outlining five different ways of understanding the Preparatory Year. The Preparatory Year was viewed in relation to (1) the current needs of the parents, (2) the current needs of the child, (3) preparation for Year One, (4) providing an advantage in primary school, and (5) preparation for future success beyond school. These five categories were linked and differentiated from each other by two central themes, or dimensions of variation: (1) a beneficiary dimension in which either the parent or the child were seen to benefit from the program, and (2) a temporal dimension in which the program was viewed in relation to meeting current needs or preparing for the future. The results of the study suggest that variation exists in the ways that parents may conceptualise the phenomenon of the Preparatory Year in Queensland. Analysis of the data further suggests that tensions exist around whether the Preparatory Year ought to emphasise preparation for the future and/or meet current needs of children; and whether those programs should meet the needs of the parent and/or the needs of the child. This thesis opens up the possibility of future tensions, with the potential for parent preferences for a formal interpretation of the Preparatory Year curriculum being at odds with the new play-based Early Years Curriculum Guidelines. Results of the study suggest that more attention be given to engaging parents and eliciting their views of the early childhood programs experienced by their children. Moreover, it provides an approach for ways in which parent views might be generated, analysed and incorporated into future policy developments and reforms.

The School Based Youth Health Nurse Program was established in 1999 by the Queensland Government to fund school nurse positions in Queensland state high schools. Schools were required to apply for a School Based Youth Health Nurse during a five-phase recruitment process, managed by the health districts, and rolled out over four years. The only mandatory selection criterion for the position of School Based Youth Health Nurse was registration as a General Nurse and most School Based Youth Health Nurses are allocated to two state high schools. Currently, there are approximately 115 Full Time Equivalent School Based Youth Health Nurse positions across all Queensland state high schools. The literature review revealed an abundance of information about school nursing. Most of the literature came from the United Kingdom and the United States, who have a different model of school nursing to school based youth health nursing. However, there is literature to suggest school nursing is gradually moving from a disease-focused approach to a social view of health. The noticeable number of articles about, for example, drug and alcohol, mental health, and contemporary sexual health issues, is evidence of this change. Additionally, there is a significant the volume of literature about partnerships and collaboration, much of which is about health education, team teaching and how school nurses and schools do health business together. The surfacing of this literature is a good indication that school nursing is aligning with the broader national health priority areas. More particularly, the literature exposed a small but relevant and current body of research, predominantly from Queensland, about school based youth health nursing. However, there remain significant gaps in the knowledge about school based youth health nursing. In particular, there is a deficit about how School Based Youth Heath Nurses understand the experience of school based youth health nursing. This research aimed to reveal the meaning of the experience of school based youth health nursing. The research question was How do School Based Youth Health Nurses’ understand the experience of school based youth health nursing? This enquiry was instigated because the researcher, who had a positive experience of school based youth health nursing, considered it important to validate other School Based Youth Health Nurses’ experiences. Consequently, a comprehensive use of qualitative research was considered the most appropriate manner to explore this research question. Within this qualitative paradigm, the research framework consists of the epistemology of social constructionism, the theoretical perspective of interpretivism and the approach of phenomenography. After ethical approval was gained, purposeful and snowball sampling was used to recruit a sample of 16 participants. In-depth interviews, which were voluntary, confidential and anonymous, were mostly conducted in public venues and lasted from 40-75 minutes. The researcher also kept a researchers journal as another form of data collection. Data analysis was guided by Dahlgren and Fallsbergs’ (1991, p. 152) seven phases of data analysis which includes familiarization, condensation, comparison, grouping, articulating, labelling and contrasting. The most important finding in this research is the outcome space, which represents the entirety of the experience of school based youth health nursing. The outcome space consists of two components: inside the school environment and outside the school environment. Metaphorically and considered as whole-in-themselves, these two components are not discreet but intertwined with each other. The outcome space consists of eight categories. Each category of description is comprised of several sub-categories of description but as a whole, is a conception of school based youth health nursing. The eight conceptions of school based youth health nursing are: 1. The conception of school based youth health nursing as out there all by yourself. 2. The conception of school based youth health nursing as no real backup. 3. The conception of school based youth health nursing as confronted by many barriers. 4. The conception of school based youth health nursing as hectic and full-on. 5. The conception of school based youth health nursing as working together. 6. The conception of school based youth health nursing as belonging to school. 7. The conception of school based youth health nursing as treated the same as others. 8. The conception of school based youth health nursing as the reason it’s all worthwhile. These eight conceptions of school based youth health nursing are logically related and form a staged hierarchical relationship because they are not equally dependent on each other. The conceptions of school based youth health nursing are grouped according to negative, negative and positive and positive conceptions of school based youth health nursing. The conceptions of school based youth health nursing build on each other, from the bottom upwards, to reach the authorized, or the most desired, conception of school based youth health nursing. This research adds to the knowledge about school nursing in general but especially about school based youth health nursing specifically. Furthermore, this research has operational and strategic implications, highlighted in the negative conceptions of school based youth health nursing, for the School Based Youth Health Nurse Program. The researcher suggests the School Based Youth Health Nurse Program, as a priority, address the operational issues The researcher recommends a range of actions to tackle issues and problems associated with accommodation and information, consultations and referral pathways, confidentiality, health promotion and education, professional development, line management and School Based Youth Health Nurse Program support and school management and community. Strategically, the researcher proposes a variety of actions to address strategic issues, such as the School Based Youth Health Nurse Program vision, model and policy and practice framework, recruitment and retention rates and evaluation. Additionally, the researcher believes the findings of this research have the capacity to spawn a myriad of future research projects. The researcher has identified the most important areas for future research as confidentiality, information, qualifications and health outcomes.

<p>Syftet med studien var att ta reda på de skilda uppfattningar av varför vi har årstider som kan finnas i årskurs sju. Detta gjordes för att få en bild av de olika föreställningar en lärare kan möta i sitt yrke och för att öka förståelsen och kunskapen om hur ett fenomen kan uppfattas på olika sätt av elever i en och samma klass.</p><p>Eleverna ombads att, enskilt, skriftligt förklara varför vi har årstider. Studien är fenomenografisk och svaren kategoriserades i kvalitativt skilda kategorier genom att jämföra och finna likheter och skillnader mellan de insamlade elevutsagorna. Resultatet visade att eleverna hade olika uppfattning av varför vi har årstider och det är som lärare viktigt att vara medveten om att elever uppfattar samma undervisning på olika sätt. De uppfattningar som framkom var solens instrålning, jordaxelns lutning, jordens lägesförändring och avståndsvariation som skäl till varför vi har årstider. Trots att eleverna hade undervisats av samma lärare, vid samma tillfälle, tidigare på terminen om orsakerna till årstider, hade eleverna skilda uppfattningar av dessa. Högstadieeleverna gav uttryck för att de uppfattade orsakerna till årstider på samma sätt om lärarstuderande, vars uppfattningar undersökts i tidigare forskning. Det är således mycket viktigt att som lärare vara medveten om att elever i en och samma klass har olika uppfattningar av samma fenomen för att kunna anpassa undervisningen därefter och på så sätt få eleverna att förstå att en svala gör ingen sommar – men solens varierande instrålning på grund av jordens lutning gör det.</p> / <p>This study was an attempt to explore the conceptions of one group of students in the 7th grade about the reasons for seasons. The students were asked to, in writing, explain their conception about the reason for seasons. The study was inspired by phenomenography and the answers were categorized by comparing similarities and differences among a number of quotes taken from the answers of the students.</p><p>Through the analysis, four qualitatively different conceptions were found, within one and the same group of students. The categories, each representing one kind of conception, “the luminous flux”, “the earth’s axis is inclined”, “the earth’s position in orbit” and “the distance between sun-earth varies” were found as conceptions of the reason for seasons. You might wonder how students, who have been taught of reasons for seasons by the same teacher, are able to develop four different kinds of conceptions of the phenomenon. It is very important for a teacher to have in mind that students have different conceptions of the same phenomenon and this study might help teachers to improve their teaching and help the students come to a deeper understanding of reasons for seasons.</p>

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This research aims at diagnosing alternative conceptions to scientific knowledge of students in Elementary Education, Middle and Upper on acids and bases. The survey was conducted between 2008 and 2009 and applied to 26 primary school students (ninth year), 36 high school (third year) and 51 Degree in Chemistry (26 freshmen and 25 trainees) totaling 113 students. The instrument used for data collection was mainly made up of open questions where the students described their concepts of acids and bases. The overall results of this study showed that students, after receiving formal instruction on acids and bases continue to use simplistic views on the subject many times in this work, we found misconceptions even among senior college students in the Degree Course in Chemistry. We realize that in general, the Arrhenius model prevails among the students, however, can not be said if students really understand acids and bases as particles or if they perceive these substances as mere words. Confusion between the various theories acid base were very common here, which leads us to believe that the teaching content too complex for the primary and secondary education become conflicting for the student, which does not contribute to an appropriation of such knowledge. In short, we can infer that this inventory of alternative conceptions expressed by students for the contents acids and bases is necessary because the importance of these concepts disclosed and discussed primarily with science teachers. Therefore, we expect to support a significant learning effectively through reflection on students' previous conceptions, which are an important tool for the proposition didactic classroom, since the strong resistance to a conceptual change that students present. / Esta investigação tem como objetivo diagnosticar as concepções alternativas ao conhecimento científico de estudantes de Ensino Fundamental, Médio e Superior sobre ácidos e bases. A pesquisa foi realizada entre 2008 e 2009 e aplicada a 26 alunos de ensino fundamental (nono ano), 36 de ensino médio (terceiro ano) e 51 de Química Licenciatura (26 calouros e 25 formandos) totalizando 113 estudantes. O instrumento utilizado para a obtenção de dados foi essencialmente constituído por questões abertas onde os alunos descreveram seus conceitos sobre ácidos e bases. Os resultados gerais desse estudo mostraram que os estudantes, mesmo depois de receber o ensino formal sobre ácidos e bases continuam a usar concepções simplistas sobre o tema, muitas vezes, neste trabalho, verificamos concepções errôneas mesmo entre os estudantes formandos no curso de Química Licenciatura. Percebemos que em geral, o modelo de Arrhenius predomina entre os estudantes, porém, não se pode afirmar se os estudantes realmente entendem os ácidos e as bases como partículas ou se percebem tais substâncias como meras palavras. Confusões entre as várias teorias ácido base foram muito comuns aqui, o que nos leva a acreditar que o ensino de conteúdos muito complexos durante os ensinos fundamental e médio tornam-se conflitantes para o aluno, o que não contribui para uma apropriação de tais saberes. Em suma, pode-se inferir que este inventário das concepções alternativas manifestadas pelos estudantes para o conteúdo ácidos e bases se faz necessário visto a importância de que estas concepções sejam divulgadas e principalmente discutidas com os professores de ciências. Sendo assim, esperamos corroborar para uma aprendizagem efetivamente significativa, através da reflexão sobre as concepções prévias dos alunos, as quais são uma importante ferramenta para a proposição didática em sala de aula, visto a forte resistência a uma mudança conceitual que os estudantes apresentam.

Orientador: Maria Raquel Miotto Morelatti / Banca: José Carlos Miguel / Banca: Marilena Bittar / Resumo: A presente pesquisa, de natureza quanti-qualitativa, vinculada à linha de pesquisa "Práticas Educativas e Formação de Professores", do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação, da Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia - FCT/UNESP de Presidente Prudente, analisa as concepções de 47 professores de Matemática de 7ª série (atual 8º ano) do Ensino Fundamental, da rede estadual, da Diretoria de Ensino, Região de Marília/SP, sobre o ensino da equação do 1º grau. Considera-se que a 7ª série está no centro do problema da aprendizagem da Matemática no Ensino Fundamental, como pode ser confirmado nos relatórios do Sistema de Avaliação de Rendimento Escolar do Estado de São Paulo (SARESP) dos anos de 2005 e 2007. Também nesta série há expressiva concentração de Álgebra, cujo principal conteúdo é a equação do 1º grau. Em razão desses determinantes, buscou-se, nesta pesquisa, especificamente, identificar e analisar o conceito de equação do 1º grau advindo das concepções desses professores, investigar ainda as relações entre essas concepções e a prática docente em relação à equação do 1º grau. Procurou-se, ainda, nesta investigação, identificar e analisar as relações apontadas pelos professores entre sua formação e sua prática pedagógica, no que se refere ao ensino de equação de 1º grau... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The present study is a quantitative and qualitative research entailed to the research line "Educative Practices and Teachers' Formation", from the Post-Graduation Program in Education from Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia - FCT/UNESP from Presidente Prudente. This study analyses the conception of 47 Mathematics teachers of 7th grade (recently named 8th grade) about teaching 1st order equation. These teachers are from state Basic School, from Teaching Department from Marília/SP region. The 7th grade is considered to be at the center of the problem related to Mathematics learning at Basic School, as it is sustained by Scholar Efficiency Evaluation System of São Paulo State (SARESP) reports of 2005 and 2007. Besides, at this school level there is an expressive concentration of Algebra and its main content which is 1st order equation. For these reasons, our intention in this study is to identify and analyze those teachers concepts of 1st order equation, and investigate the relationships between these conceptions and teachers' practices concerning 1st order equation. Moreover, we tried to identify and analyze the relationships the teachers pointed out between their formation and their pedagogical practice, regarding 1st order equation teaching... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre