A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education at the University of Zululand, 2014 / This research was designed to ascertain teachers‟ perceptions on learner-centered teaching in the discipline of mathematics in basic education. The first aim of the study was to determine the extent to which teachers background training contributes to perception of learner-centred approach in the teaching of mathematics. The second aim sought to determine the extent to which teachers’ professional experience contributes to perception of learner centered approach in the teaching of mathematics. The third aim of the study was to determine the extent to which teachers background training contributes to learner-centred practices in the teaching of mathematics. Lastly, the fourth aim was to determine the extent to which teachers’ professional experience contributes to practices of learner-centred approach in the teaching of mathematics. To achieve the aims, a questionnaire and observation schedule was designed to collect the data. The questionnaire was primarily subjected to validation by the researcher through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). This instrument was first administrated to three hundred and nine primary school teachers of the provinces of Inhambane, Gaza and Maputo. After the piloting was performed the final version of the questionnaire was then applied to four hundred eight six primary school teachers and from this sample three hundred seventy three completed and returned the questionnaires. The returned questionnaires were then correctly analyzed. Three of four aims were connected to four hypotheses. To evaluate whether teacher background training and type of training have significant effects on teacher perceptions of learner-centred teaching approach an ordinal regression analysis was performed. To test whether would there be a relationship between teachers‟ professional experience and their approach to teaching mathematics and whether will there be a relationship between teachers‟ background training and their approach to teaching mathematics, a Chi-square test of independence was used. To evaluate whether teachers use learner-centred teaching an observation schedule was also used. The results show that teachers teaching experiences as well as type of training did not have significant effect on their perceptions of learner-centred teaching. The results of this study have also shown that teachers‟ professional experience as well as the type of training teachers have received in teaching methods has no significant effects on the type of approach (teacher or learner-centred approach). Teachers of basic education prefer to use both approaches when they teach mathematics. Results from observation schedule show that teachers do not use learner-centred approach. Instead, they use teacher-centred teaching. Lastly, the results were discussed taking in account the literature reviewed within the framework of educational psychology applied to mathematics teaching. Finally suggestions were made on how to understand more deeply the question of teachers‟ perceptions of learner-centred teaching. The most important suggestion is that research should be done regarding teachers mathematics self-efficacy, how teachers perceive their own knowledge of learner-centred approach and how do they practice it. / Scientific Council of UDEBA-LAB

The purpose of this study was to examine GED students’ perceptions of the ABE/GED program at a rural Mississippi community college. There were 64 GED students who participated in this study. A survey containing 15 questions was administered to the participants. Likert-scale response type questions were used to provide information particularly on students’ perceptions of the ABE/GED program. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Chi-square tests were run to determine if differences existed among students’ perceptions based on age, race, and gender. The findings of the study showed that overall the students had a positive perception of the ABE/GED program. Additionally, the study found that differences did not exist among students’ perceptions based on gender and race, but a difference was found for two items based on age.

Illiteracy among black adults in South Africa has reached levels unacceptable for economic development in the country. The problem of illiteracy prevents adults and youth from contributing effectively and meaningfully to the social, economic and political life of the new democratic South Africa. As a result of the political change in South Africa, there is a growing awareness of the need to provide adult basic education and training to everyone who has had very limited schooling because of socio-economic problems – largely attributable to the legacy of apartheid. The goal of the then Government of National Unity was to ensure that all individuals received at least a minimum level of education as a matter of basic human rights as enshrined in the Constitution. The main research problem of the study is, What would be a suitable strategy to alleviate the high rate of illiteracy among blacks in South Africa? From the literature study a mass literacy campaign was particularly identified as a suitable strategy for the alleviation of illiteracy among blacks in South Africa. It was therefore important to provide guidelines, which could facilitate successful implementation of a mass literacy campaign. The research underpinning this study in South Africa has revealed that it is not enough to embark on a mass national literacy campaign to alleviate illiteracy. A campaign, which does not address the social ills characteristically associated with people who are illiterate cannot be termed successful. This study has demonstrated that shortcomings in the formal education system, insufficient state commitment, inadequate funding and a lack of provision of other resources, not enough co-operation and co-ordination amongst the various providers of adult basic education and training and lack of universal primary school education are some of the main causes of illiteracy. These problems cannot be ameliorated by a mass literacy campaign. The high incidence of illiteracy in South Africa calls for a comprehensive approach to the social, economic and civil relationships in the country: the universalisation of primary school education and early childhood development programmes, serious government commitment and strong partnerships would be a good foundation for success. The alleviation of illiteracy requires an iron political will and national mobilisation of the masses to support a mass literacy campaign. / Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

This study investigated the effectiveness of the cascade model in the in-service training of ABET educators in the North West Province with special reference to its dissemination and application at the workplace. To seek an overview of longer term gain from the cascade model of training, the Kirkpatrick model of training evaluation was employed. The evaluation sought to obtain post training perception of the effectiveness of training and its longer term impact. To achieve this goal, qualitative and quantitative research approaches were employed to gather information. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data regarding the biographic information of 103 ABET educators from five Area Project Offices and to determine factors that impede or facilitate the effectiveness of the cascade model of training. Also, interviews were conducted with one ABET Provincial trainer and five APO ABET specialists. This study's significant contributions are its realization that ABET educators are not adequately involved in the planning of their in-service training programme. It further identifies nine factors that impede the effectiveness of the cascade model of training. The factors include the existence of gaps between the training of various levels, inadequate resources for training at the centre levels, negative attitudes of colleagues at the cantres, insufficient knowledge of ABET educators to conduct workshops at their centres, misinterpretation of information and ABET educators not confident to cascade what they have learned from the in-service workshops, low morale of ABET educators, pressures of work and limited time at the centres to cascade training to colleagues, ABET educator's attrition, among others. To circumvent these factors, this study recommends twelve intervention mechanisms namely: involving ABET educators in the planning of their in-service training, basing training on careful assessment of ABET educators' needs, using work-related situations in training, providing support during training, limiting time gaps between the training of various cascade levels, evaluating the impact of in-service training, among others. Finally the study suggested areas of further study on ABET educators' attrition, ABET educators' conditions of service and transfer of learning and the cost-effectiveness of the cascade model and the quality of in-service training of ABET educators. Insights from this study are beneficial to educators, educational managers, policy makers, in-service trainers, NGOs, researchers, facilitators and students. / Thesis (PhD.(Education) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2010

Published Article / This article examines how South African newspapers report on the activities of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) regarding human rights violations in South African schools over a five-year period (1 January 2005 to 31 December 2009). The overarching research question that guided this study is: Can the media play a role in cultivating and creating a particular view of human rights violations in schools and advocate policy change through their framing of the activities of the SAHRC? McManus and Dorfman's guidelines were used to analyse the structural and content frames of 161 articles that were retrieved from the SAMedia database. These news stories provide a glimpse on the wide variety of human rights violations the SAHRC investigated during the five-year period. The interrogation of the two dominant content frames, namely school violence and infringements on learners' rights to basic education, reveals newspapers' superficial and sensationalised coverage of human rights violations. The analysis exposes the media's lack of policy advocacy.

<p>The problem that gave rise to this study was to determine how Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) was implemented in the Western Cape and to find answers to the question of &quot / what exactly is the nature of the relationship between adult education and training&quot / ?</p>

Nesta pesquisa o objetivo principal é avaliar a influência da estimativa para a compreensão do conceito de área de uma superfície plana. / In this research the main objective is to evaluate the influence of the estimation for the understanding of the concept of the area of a flat surface.

Nas últimas décadas, várias pesquisas educacionais foram desenvolvidas para verificar os determinantes do insucesso escolar e elucidar questões referentes ao ensino básico. Acreditamos que a sala de aula, por meio da relação professor-aluno, é um ambiente de manifestação de crenças que podem influenciar no desempenho discente. Sendo assim, este estudo teve por objetivo investigar as representações de professores do ensino fundamental (1a a 8a série) sobre o aluno. Os participantes desse estudo foram 15 professoras de uma escola pública estadual da cidade de Ribeirão Preto - SP. A investigação se deu por meio da observação participante e de entrevistas individuais semi-estruturadas com as professoras. As entrevistas aconteceram em duas etapas: 1º etapa: investigação sobre a trajetória profissional e a formação acadêmica; 2o etapa: percepções e crenças sobre o aluno. Os dados, depois de transcritos literalmente, foram submetidos, num primeiro momento, à Análise de Conteúdo, tomando como referência os pressupostos teóricos da pesquisa qualitativa e organizados em três fases: pré - análise; a exploração do material e o tratamento dos resultados obtidos por meio da inferência e da interpretação. Os resultados evidenciaram que a maioria das professoras não se reconhece no sucesso e tampouco no fracasso de seus alunos. Dessa forma, se desvinculam de sua responsabilidade frente ao aprendizado deixando o aluno à deriva. Acreditam que o bom aluno é fruto de um bom suporte familiar e de atributos pessoais como ser "limpinho", "esforçado", "inteligente", "estudioso", "atencioso", "quietinho", "responsável", "interessado", "bem comportado", "dedicado", "otimista". Por outro lado, "o aluno com dificuldades de aprendizagem" é descrito com características opostas aos do "bom aluno". Ele aparece na fala da maioria das professoras como o aluno "indisciplinado", "insuportável", "desatento", com "baixa auto-estima", "preguiçoso", "briguento", "rebelde", "desinteressado", "inquieto", "que não teve suporte familiar", "que não sabe ler e escrever", "que apresenta problemas neurológicos ou psicológicos". Os dados encontrados confirmam a literatura consultada. Estudos apontam que as famílias, geralmente, não podem oferecer aos seus filhos este suporte familiar como esperado pelas professoras. Algumas professoras percebem que as dificuldades de aprendizagem fazem parte de um contexto mais amplo no qual o aluno está inserido e se esforçam para buscar alternativas de intervenção. Denunciam a ineficácia das políticas educacionais vigentes que são criadas sem levar em consideração os seus principais agentes efetivos e a sua prática em sala de aula. Reconhecem o aluno de hoje como vítima do sistema educacional que cria e reformula teorias sem conseguir alcançar o seu cliente principal - o aluno - e atender às suas necessidades mais prementes. / In the last decades, several educational researches were developed in order to verify the determinants of school failure and to clarify questions related to basic education. We believe that the classroom, through the teacher/student relationship, is an evironment for disclosure of beliefs that may influence the teaching performance. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the representations of basic education teachers (1st to 8th grade) about the student. The participants of this study were 15 female teachers of a public state school of the city of Ribeirão Preto-SP. The investigation was made through the participant observation and individual semi-structured interviews with the teachers. The interviews happened in two stages: 1st stage: investigation about the professional trajectory and graduation; 2nd stage: perceptions and beliefs about the student. The data, which were taped and literally transcribed, were submitted, in the first instance, to content analysis and taking as reference the theoretical presuppositions of the qualitative research and organized in three phases: pre-analysis; exploration of the material and the results' treatment by means of inference and interpretation. Results revealed that most of the teachers don't recognize themselves neither in the success nor in the failure of their students. Thus, they detach themselves from their responsibility related to the learning process, leaving the student adrift. They believe that the good student is fruit of a good familiar support and of personal attributes like be "tidy", "diligent", "smart", "studious", "attentive", "quiet", "responsible", "interested", "well-behaved", "dedicated", "optimist". On the other hand, "the student with learning difficulties" is described with characteristics opposite to the "good student’s". He appears in the talk of most teachers as the "undisciplined", "unbearable", "inattentive student", with "low self-steem", "lazy", "quarrelsome", "rebellious", "disinterested", "anxious", "who did not have familiar support", "unable to read and write", "that has neurological and psychological troubles". The data obtained confirm the literature consulted. Some studies point out that families, generally, cannot offer to their children this familiar support as expected by the teachers. Some teachers perceive that the learning difficulties are part of a broader context into which the student is inserted and endeavor themselves seeking after intervention alternatives. They denounce the inefficacy of the existing educational policies that are created without considering their main real agents and their practice in the classroom. They recognize today’s student as a victim of the educational system that creates and reformulates theories without reaching its main client - the student - and looking after his most pressing necessities.

A instituição escolar depara-se com outras e novas demandas formativas, nesse cenário de transformações, também se percebe mudança significativa na atividade docente. Nesse sentido, é necessário administrar os conflitos e adversidades, o que ocasiona desgaste físico e afetivo. Nem sempre valorizada no trabalho pedagógico, a dimensão afetiva docente pode assumir múltiplos sentidos e diversos significados nas relações humanas - o que deve ser considerado na dinâmica das interações e a partir do contexto que se produzem e são produzidas, pois os acontecimentos da vida têm significados e sentidos diferentes para cada sujeito, que concebe o seu modo de ser-no-mundo. Nesse sentido, foi proposta pesquisa de caráter qualitativo, fundamentada na perspectiva histórico-cultural do desenvolvimento humano de Vigotski. Assim, a abordagem privilegiou a profundidade e o alcance das informações, o que permitiu não somente descrever, mas interpretar os dados, tendo a linguagem como um dos principais recursos para conhecer a essência dos fenômenos, em consonância com o conceito de promoção da saúde. Objetivou-se, então, analisar como os professores da Educação Básica compreendem sua afetividade em sala de aula e como a relacionam à sua saúde. Para tal, participaram 10 professores que, à época, lecionavam no 6º ano de uma escola pública do interior paulista. Como ferramenta para construção dos dados, foi adotada a entrevista narrativa; os dados foram submetidos à Análise Temática proposta por Braun e Clarke (2006), focalizando os aspectos expressados e palavras presentes no discurso (material linguístico), considerando o campo da subjetividade, das necessidades e motivos dos sujeitos, para dar luz à forma do processo de significação da afetividade dos professores e como a relacionam com a sua saúde. A análise do material resultou na organização de quatro temas: 1. Desafios da profissão: os afetos que afetam a sala de aula; 2. as relações na e para além da sala de aula: as semânticas dos vínculos; 3. as vicissitudes dos afetos do professor: do desejo à frustração, da satisfação ao desgosto; 4. os afetos que afetam a saúde do professor: o adoecimento e as estratégias de enfrentamento. Espera-se que, com os resultados deste estudo, surja um novo olhar para a experiência afetiva do professor, uma compreensão integral, buscando outro entendimento da concepção da afetividade e seus impactos na saúde do professor em sala de aula, não apenas atrelada à relação ensino-aprendizagem ou saúde-doença, mas suas explicitações e consequências como aspecto das interações em sala de aula, e do próprio trabalho docente / The school institution faces other and new formative demands, in this scenario of transformations, it is also noticed a significant change in the teaching activity. For this, it is necessary to manage the conflicts and adversities, which causes physical and affective exhaustion. Not always appreciated in the pedagogical work, the affective dimension of the teacher may assume multiple senses and different meanings in human relations. This dimension, therefore, must be considered in the dynamics of interactions, from the context that has been produced and produces, since the events of the life have different meanings and senses for each person, who conceives his/her way of being-in-the-world. In this sense, a qualitative research was proposed, based on the historical-cultural perspective of Vygotsky\'s human development. Thus, the approach privileged the depth and the scope of the information, which allowed not only to describe but to interpret the data, having the language as one of the main resources to understand the essence of the phenomena, in accordance with the concept of health promotion. The purpose of this study was to analyze how teachers of Basic Education understand their affectivity in the classroom and how they relate it to their health. For that, 10 teachers participated, who, at the time, was teaching in the 6th year of a public school in the interior of São Paulo. As a tool for data construction, the narrative interview was adopted; the data were submitted to the Thematic Analysis proposed by Braun and Clarke (2006), focusing on the expressed aspects and words present in the discourse (linguistic material), considering the field of subjectivity, the needs and motives of the subjects, to give light to the form of the process of teachers\' affectivity and how they relate it to their health. The analysis of the material resulted in the organization of four themes: 1. Challenges of the profession: the affects that affect the classroom; 2. relations in and beyond the classroom: the semantics of links; 3. the changes of the teacher\'s affections: from desire to frustration, from satisfaction to disgust; 4. The affects that affect the health of the teacher: illness and coping strategies. With the results of this study, it is hoped that a new perspective emerges for the teacher\'s affective experience. Then, this integral comprehension will seek another understanding of the conception of affectivity and its impacts on the health of the teacher in the classroom, not only linked to the relation teaching-learning or health-disease, but its explanations and consequences as aspect of the interactions in the classroom, and of the teaching work itself

Nas últimas décadas, várias pesquisas educacionais foram desenvolvidas para verificar os determinantes do insucesso escolar e elucidar questões referentes ao ensino básico. Acreditamos que a sala de aula, por meio da relação professor-aluno, é um ambiente de manifestação de crenças que podem influenciar no desempenho discente. Sendo assim, este estudo teve por objetivo investigar as representações de professores do ensino fundamental (1a a 8a série) sobre o aluno. Os participantes desse estudo foram 15 professoras de uma escola pública estadual da cidade de Ribeirão Preto - SP. A investigação se deu por meio da observação participante e de entrevistas individuais semi-estruturadas com as professoras. As entrevistas aconteceram em duas etapas: 1º etapa: investigação sobre a trajetória profissional e a formação acadêmica; 2o etapa: percepções e crenças sobre o aluno. Os dados, depois de transcritos literalmente, foram submetidos, num primeiro momento, à Análise de Conteúdo, tomando como referência os pressupostos teóricos da pesquisa qualitativa e organizados em três fases: pré - análise; a exploração do material e o tratamento dos resultados obtidos por meio da inferência e da interpretação. Os resultados evidenciaram que a maioria das professoras não se reconhece no sucesso e tampouco no fracasso de seus alunos. Dessa forma, se desvinculam de sua responsabilidade frente ao aprendizado deixando o aluno à deriva. Acreditam que o bom aluno é fruto de um bom suporte familiar e de atributos pessoais como ser "limpinho", "esforçado", "inteligente", "estudioso", "atencioso", "quietinho", "responsável", "interessado", "bem comportado", "dedicado", "otimista". Por outro lado, "o aluno com dificuldades de aprendizagem" é descrito com características opostas aos do "bom aluno". Ele aparece na fala da maioria das professoras como o aluno "indisciplinado", "insuportável", "desatento", com "baixa auto-estima", "preguiçoso", "briguento", "rebelde", "desinteressado", "inquieto", "que não teve suporte familiar", "que não sabe ler e escrever", "que apresenta problemas neurológicos ou psicológicos". Os dados encontrados confirmam a literatura consultada. Estudos apontam que as famílias, geralmente, não podem oferecer aos seus filhos este suporte familiar como esperado pelas professoras. Algumas professoras percebem que as dificuldades de aprendizagem fazem parte de um contexto mais amplo no qual o aluno está inserido e se esforçam para buscar alternativas de intervenção. Denunciam a ineficácia das políticas educacionais vigentes que são criadas sem levar em consideração os seus principais agentes efetivos e a sua prática em sala de aula. Reconhecem o aluno de hoje como vítima do sistema educacional que cria e reformula teorias sem conseguir alcançar o seu cliente principal - o aluno - e atender às suas necessidades mais prementes. / In the last decades, several educational researches were developed in order to verify the determinants of school failure and to clarify questions related to basic education. We believe that the classroom, through the teacher/student relationship, is an evironment for disclosure of beliefs that may influence the teaching performance. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the representations of basic education teachers (1st to 8th grade) about the student. The participants of this study were 15 female teachers of a public state school of the city of Ribeirão Preto-SP. The investigation was made through the participant observation and individual semi-structured interviews with the teachers. The interviews happened in two stages: 1st stage: investigation about the professional trajectory and graduation; 2nd stage: perceptions and beliefs about the student. The data, which were taped and literally transcribed, were submitted, in the first instance, to content analysis and taking as reference the theoretical presuppositions of the qualitative research and organized in three phases: pre-analysis; exploration of the material and the results' treatment by means of inference and interpretation. Results revealed that most of the teachers don't recognize themselves neither in the success nor in the failure of their students. Thus, they detach themselves from their responsibility related to the learning process, leaving the student adrift. They believe that the good student is fruit of a good familiar support and of personal attributes like be "tidy", "diligent", "smart", "studious", "attentive", "quiet", "responsible", "interested", "well-behaved", "dedicated", "optimist". On the other hand, "the student with learning difficulties" is described with characteristics opposite to the "good student’s". He appears in the talk of most teachers as the "undisciplined", "unbearable", "inattentive student”, with "low self-steem", "lazy", "quarrelsome", "rebellious", "disinterested", "anxious", "who did not have familiar support", "unable to read and write", "that has neurological and psychological troubles". The data obtained confirm the literature consulted. Some studies point out that families, generally, cannot offer to their children this familiar support as expected by the teachers. Some teachers perceive that the learning difficulties are part of a broader context into which the student is inserted and endeavor themselves seeking after intervention alternatives. They denounce the inefficacy of the existing educational policies that are created without considering their main real agents and their practice in the classroom. They recognize today’s student as a victim of the educational system that creates and reformulates theories without reaching its main client - the student - and looking after his most pressing necessities.