Home schooling has steadily been increasing in the past decade. According to a survey in 2007, about 2.5 million children were being home schooled in the US. Typically, parents provide education at the convenience of their home and in some cases an instructor is appointed for the same. The Home School Timetabling problem (HSTP) deals with assigning subjects, timeslots and rooms to every student. In doing so, there are certain hard and specialty constraints that are to be satisfied. Integer programming (IP) has been used in solving the HSTP as it has the advantage of being able to provide information about the relative significance of each constraint with respect to the objective. A prototype in the form of a GUI has been built such that the parent can enter each student’s name, his/her subjects, duration, days and time for each subject, availability times of the parent etc. This data is then fed into the IP model so that it can generate a feasible timetable satisfying all of the constraints. When a solution is found it is formatted to provide the weekly timetable for each student, individually, as well as a complete timetable for all students each day.

The study explores children in middle childhood’s experiences of homeschooling. The researcher makes use of a qualitative research design in the form of a case study, studying the participants’ experiences of homeschooling in their natural setting. The sample consisted of children in middle childhood who participated in semi-structured interviews exploring their individual experiences pertaining to learning at home, their familial relationships and their social learning in the homeschooling environment. Developmental aspects relating specifically to middle childhood are discussed and utilised along with the views of the participants in this study, those of experts, and literature reviews in order to gain a genuine understanding of the child’s experience of homeschooling. / Sociology / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

When a family in British Columbia (B.C.) chooses to educate their child at home, they have two legal options: enrollment in a Distributed Learning (DL) program or registration under Section 12 (S12) of the School Act as a homeschooler. To date, there has been very little published on trends in participation rates and growth rates with regards to home educating options in B.C. The current study employs a quantitative archival design to document trends in DL and S12 across age, gender and location. Home educating is on the rise in B.C. over the past twenty years, largely due to an increase in enrollment in DL programs while registration under S12 has declined. Distinct patterns in age, gender and location between S12 and DL are apparent in the data. Growth rates among age categories in DL mirror declines in S12. While there are slightly more males than females in the total school-aged population in B.C., within DL programs there are more females than males at the secondary level. In 1993/1994 rural children were more likely to be educated at home than urban children in B.C.; today the opposite is true. Further research is needed to ascertain why these trends persist. / Graduate / 0525 / 0529 / ngardner@uvic.ca

A presente tese tem como objetivo analisar os princípios e fundamentos do ensino em casa, bem como sua possível normatização no Brasil. É crescente o número de famílias brasileiras que optam por ensinar seus filhos em casa ao invés de enviá-los para as escolas, apesar da interpretação vigente de que a legislação federal não admite tal prática de ensino, apresentando como compulsória a matrícula em instituição escolar. Tal fenômeno tem suscitado a ação do Poder Judiciário, a apresentação de Projetos de Lei pela sua regulamentação e o interesse da sociedade sobre uma forma alternativa de ensinar os filhos, além do debate e de reflexões sobre o tema. Seguindo tendências internacionais em prol da normatização do homeschooling, os favoráveis ao ensino em casa no país têm reivindicado o uso dos Documentos Internacionais de proteção aos Direitos Humanos para exigir a primazia dos pais na escolha da educação dos filhos e se organizado por meio de associações para exercer influência sobre o Poder Legislativo e divulgar o tema na sociedade. Acresce-se ao debate jurídico questionamentos como: Os argumentos utilizados pelos pais ao rejeitarem a instituição escolar como espaço de formação acadêmica e social revelam-se válidos? Quais os fundamentos filosóficos e políticos presentes na contestação do Estado em relação à compulsoriedade da educação escolar? É possível compreender o ensino em casa como uma alternativa à escolarização de crianças e adolescentes no Brasil e rejeitar a idéia de que a escola detém o monopólio nas questões de socialização e formação para a cidadania? Seria essa modalidade de ensino viável para todos ou esta representaria apenas o descompromisso de poucos com a educação enquanto um bem público? O que a normatização do ensino em casa no país acarretaria para o debate sobre a ação e a formação docente? Estas e outras questões sobre o tema são objeto de análise da presente tese, que, com base em pesquisa bibliográfica e entrevistas com famílias que ensinam os filhos em casa, traça um panorama do ensino em casa, questionando-o como um possível caminho em busca de uma educação que englobe o alcance de resultados acadêmicos e o cumprimento de objetivos constitucionais para a educação como o pleno desenvolvimento da pessoa e seu preparo para o exercício da cidadania. Destaca-se que todo o debate decorrente do tema em análise visa à contribuição para os enfrentamentos necessários dentro de um contexto de luta em prol de uma educação pública de qualidade para todos. / The current thesis aims at analysing the tenets and the basis of homeschooling, as well as its possible regularisation in Brazil. The number of families that decide to teach their children at home has been increasing, besides understanding that the present federal legislation does not permit such brand of education and makes compulsory the enrollment of infants in an educational institution. This phenomenon has incited specific actions of the Judiciary, the presentation of Bills for its regulation and the interest of society in an alternative way of teaching their kids, not to mention the debates and reflections on the subject. Following international tendencies in favor of the regularization of homeschooling, people who defend teaching at home in the country have reclaimed the use of international documents of Human Rights Protection to require the priority of parents over their childrens education and organised associations to exert influence over the Legislature and advertise the topic for the society. In addition to judiciary debate some questions have risen, such as: Are valid the arguments presented by parents to reject the school as a place to academic and social education? Which are the philosophical and political principals behind States refuse in relation of the compulsion to school education? Is it possible to see homeschooling as an alternative to school education of children and adolescents in Brazil and reject the idea that educational institutions have the monopoly over socialization and citizen formation issues? Would this type of education be viable to everyone or it would just represent the disengagement of a few ones with public education? What would the regulation of homeschooling bring on for the debate on teacher practices and teacher training? These and other questions about this subject are the focus of the thesis presented here, which is based on bibliographical research and interviews with families that teach their kids at home. It reveals the panorama of homeschooling and investigates it as a possible way to an education that is able to encompass academic results and the achievement of constitutional goals to the full development of the individual and their capacity to exercise citizenship. It is important to emphasize that all the discussion over the topic in question intends to contribute to the necessary confrontations for a high-quality public education for everyone.

A presente tese tem como objetivo analisar os princípios e fundamentos do ensino em casa, bem como sua possível normatização no Brasil. É crescente o número de famílias brasileiras que optam por ensinar seus filhos em casa ao invés de enviá-los para as escolas, apesar da interpretação vigente de que a legislação federal não admite tal prática de ensino, apresentando como compulsória a matrícula em instituição escolar. Tal fenômeno tem suscitado a ação do Poder Judiciário, a apresentação de Projetos de Lei pela sua regulamentação e o interesse da sociedade sobre uma forma alternativa de ensinar os filhos, além do debate e de reflexões sobre o tema. Seguindo tendências internacionais em prol da normatização do homeschooling, os favoráveis ao ensino em casa no país têm reivindicado o uso dos Documentos Internacionais de proteção aos Direitos Humanos para exigir a primazia dos pais na escolha da educação dos filhos e se organizado por meio de associações para exercer influência sobre o Poder Legislativo e divulgar o tema na sociedade. Acresce-se ao debate jurídico questionamentos como: Os argumentos utilizados pelos pais ao rejeitarem a instituição escolar como espaço de formação acadêmica e social revelam-se válidos? Quais os fundamentos filosóficos e políticos presentes na contestação do Estado em relação à compulsoriedade da educação escolar? É possível compreender o ensino em casa como uma alternativa à escolarização de crianças e adolescentes no Brasil e rejeitar a idéia de que a escola detém o monopólio nas questões de socialização e formação para a cidadania? Seria essa modalidade de ensino viável para todos ou esta representaria apenas o descompromisso de poucos com a educação enquanto um bem público? O que a normatização do ensino em casa no país acarretaria para o debate sobre a ação e a formação docente? Estas e outras questões sobre o tema são objeto de análise da presente tese, que, com base em pesquisa bibliográfica e entrevistas com famílias que ensinam os filhos em casa, traça um panorama do ensino em casa, questionando-o como um possível caminho em busca de uma educação que englobe o alcance de resultados acadêmicos e o cumprimento de objetivos constitucionais para a educação como o pleno desenvolvimento da pessoa e seu preparo para o exercício da cidadania. Destaca-se que todo o debate decorrente do tema em análise visa à contribuição para os enfrentamentos necessários dentro de um contexto de luta em prol de uma educação pública de qualidade para todos. / The current thesis aims at analysing the tenets and the basis of homeschooling, as well as its possible regularisation in Brazil. The number of families that decide to teach their children at home has been increasing, besides understanding that the present federal legislation does not permit such brand of education and makes compulsory the enrollment of infants in an educational institution. This phenomenon has incited specific actions of the Judiciary, the presentation of Bills for its regulation and the interest of society in an alternative way of teaching their kids, not to mention the debates and reflections on the subject. Following international tendencies in favor of the regularization of homeschooling, people who defend teaching at home in the country have reclaimed the use of international documents of Human Rights Protection to require the priority of parents over their childrens education and organised associations to exert influence over the Legislature and advertise the topic for the society. In addition to judiciary debate some questions have risen, such as: Are valid the arguments presented by parents to reject the school as a place to academic and social education? Which are the philosophical and political principals behind States refuse in relation of the compulsion to school education? Is it possible to see homeschooling as an alternative to school education of children and adolescents in Brazil and reject the idea that educational institutions have the monopoly over socialization and citizen formation issues? Would this type of education be viable to everyone or it would just represent the disengagement of a few ones with public education? What would the regulation of homeschooling bring on for the debate on teacher practices and teacher training? These and other questions about this subject are the focus of the thesis presented here, which is based on bibliographical research and interviews with families that teach their kids at home. It reveals the panorama of homeschooling and investigates it as a possible way to an education that is able to encompass academic results and the achievement of constitutional goals to the full development of the individual and their capacity to exercise citizenship. It is important to emphasize that all the discussion over the topic in question intends to contribute to the necessary confrontations for a high-quality public education for everyone.

Since the 1960s homeschooling has increased in popularity across the United States. While homeschooling was deemed illegal in all 50 states, by 1993 homeschooling was legal in every state. As homeschooling was legalized, each state created its own ways of monitoring and supporting homeschooled students. In 1991 when the state of Iowa legalized homeschooling, the Iowa legislature created Home School Assistance Programs (HSAPs), which used public school funds to provide state-certified teachers to supervise homeschooled families. The purpose of this study was to apply the theoretical model of the parental involvement process created by Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler (1995, 1997) to examine differences between parents who homeschooled within a HSAP and those who homeschooled in a different manner. Specifically, the study explored parental involvement, parents’ perceptions of their life context, parental self-efficacy, social-contextual motivators of involvement, and parents’ perceived invitations from their children. The study also investigated the extent to which HSAPs serve homeschooling parents and the viability of HSAPs as a means of serving homeschooling parents. Findings suggest that there were no significant differences between parents who homeschool using a HSAP and those who do not in regard to any of the aforementioned categories. However, there was a significant difference in parental role activity beliefs based on the size of the HSAP in which a participant was involved, such that participants who were involved with a larger HSAP reported being more involved in their children’s education than parents involved with a small HSAP. No additional significant differences were found regarding the size of the HSAP or the geographic setting of the HSAP. Overall, the results of the study demonstrated that parents who homeschool are similar in parents’ motivational beliefs, perceptions of specific invitations from their children, perceived life context, and home-based involvement behaviors, regardless of their involvement with a HSAP.

This diploma thesis deals with the homeschooling of pupils at the first level of primary schools, its rules and history in Czech Republic. It focuses on the reasons that lead to this type of education and describes its positive and negative influences. It also offers insights from teachers who review the child in homeschooling and the views of families who have decided for this type of education.

My thesis deals with level of socially emotional competence of home educated children. In theoretical part I present concept of individual education and disputation of various authors on this subject, characterize development period of young school age and present theoretical delimitation of both test methods that I use for data collection. Empirical part consist of elaborate comparison of output of two groups of children aged 8 - 10 years, each group consist of 5 respondents. First group is constituted of children that are home educated more than one year. Second group include children attending regular educational institution and meet the conditions I determined for pair comparison. Main methods for data collection are the Intelligence and Development Scales (IDS) and my own initiative material made of seven photographs, that are evaluated with the Scale of Social Orientation (SOS). Results are processed qualitatively. I compare individual pair of children from exploratory and control group followed by summary comparison. Then I analyze content of answers. Acquired results don't imply any significant differences in performance of exploratory and control group. KEYWORDS homeschooling, social emotional competencies, younger school age, test IDS, the Scale of Social Orientation

Environmentally-concerned parents and educators today are asking, “How do we co-create learning environments that will foster environmental citizenry?” This reflects David Orr's claim: “More of the same kind of education that enabled us to industrialize the earth can only make things worse.” Using autoethnography to explore my decision to deschool my children, I'm placed in the position of a reflexive practitioner, as I serve as both the primary researcher and subject of that research. Upon arriving at the decision to forgo the compulsory education system I discovered the interconnectedness between deschooling, autoethnography, and 21st century theories of environmental education. I examine the rationales of environmental educators such as Orr, Weston and Jickling who call for new systems of environmental education. I expose underlying assumptions and beliefs that shape my decisions to deschool my daughters and create context for broader community discussion about how to educate for an environmentally engaged citizenry.

Environmental attitudes are shaped by a variety of factors including our educational history, cultural background, childhood and life experiences, and past and current interactions with nature. This research set out to examine attitudes toward the environment in an understudied but growing segment of the Canadian population, homeschoolers. The purposes of this study were to investigate whether environmental attitudes in Canadian homeschoolers differ from those of people involved with public school and to acquire a greater understanding of the factors that affect the development of these attitudes. The mixed method, follow-up explanatory research design utilized the New Ecological Paradigm Scale and the Connectedness to Nature Scale in an internet survey. The survey was sent to homeschooling and parent groups across Canada. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with a subsample of respondents. The results of the survey showed that demographic variables were not significantly related to environmental attitude scores with the exception of locale and religion. Urban respondents had slightly stronger environmental attitudes than rural respondents. The confluence of homeschooling and religiosity emerged as the key factor influencing environmental attitudes. There was no significant difference between environmental attitudes of homeschoolers and public schoolers until importance of religion was taken into account. As measured by the scales, religious homeschoolers exhibited the weakest environmental attitudes, public schoolers were in the middle, and not-as-religious homeschoolers had the strongest environmental attitudes. The qualitative data supported these results, with religious homeschoolers expressing weaker iv environmental attitudes, particularly in terms of climate change and the need for a more sustainable lifestyle. Religious homeschooling respondents favoured a more structured back to basics style of schooling which also correlated with lower environmental attitude scores. Unstructured homeschooling respondents tended to choose a child-centred philosophy of education which was correlated with stronger environmental attitudes. During the interviews, respondents were asked to reflect on what in their lives had influenced their attitudes toward the environment. Consistent with other literature, unstructured outdoor time as a child remained the most significant factor, cited by a majority of respondents. Other important factors included religion, parents, school, teachers, TV/media, economic necessity, and negative experiences with environmental pollution. The results of this study highlight the importance of considering variables associated with religion when exploring the development or level of environmental attitudes or when conducting a study of homeschooling. Religious beliefs are complex and highly personal in some cases, as is their corresponding influence on environmental concern. Potential exists for environmental concern and action from a group of spiritual people with strong community bonds and often political involvement. The key may be finding common ground and learning to communicate, while resisting expectations of complete agreement. This dissertation showed that stepping outside of the educational system does not necessarily have a direct impact on environmental attitudes, as they are mediated by a complex array of variables. Homeschooling may not directly generate a different level of environmental attitudes than public school; however, religious v homeschoolers definitely have a different set of attitudes toward the environment that deserve further in-depth study.