published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Next Generation Science Standards and the Framework for K-12 Science Education encourage teachers to not only change the content of their teaching, but also the way that they deliver it. In order to promote these modern teaching practices, professional development (PD) experiences for teachers need to develop new approaches that enhance the transfer of the PD context into the teachers’ classroom practice. In this research study, professional learning communities (PLCs), defined as collaborative groups of teachers who make their practice visible within their professional learning, are analyzed in a formally instituted series of teacher professional education offerings. Moreover, the setting included a professional learning community composed of teacher-facilitators who were actively engaged as facilitators of other PLCs. The goal of this design experiment was to both explore PLCs as PD models within science education as well as to begin to develop tools for PD that allow teachers to work from within the context of their own classroom. The sources of evidence used in this study included teacher and student produced artifacts and interviews, and written transcripts of the sessions were also examined. All data were primarily explored using methodology taken from grounded theory. This approach facilitated identification of emergent themes that particularly addressed some of the ways that researchers and teacher leaders can work together in the future to make certain that PD and the teachers’ classroom practices are more coherently connected. The following themes were identified: refining the focus of professional learning communities to allow for investigations of student learning in the classroom, especially with an eye towards supporting transparency of practice through artifacts, and the usefulness of cycles of inquiry as a construct for planning professional learning communities. Furthermore, it became clear that there is a need for explicit norms to frame the classroom around what constitutes acceptable explanations and justifications for productive classroom experiences. Among other findings, it is recommended that borrowing from and adapting the work of scholars in sociomathematical norms around the use of explanations can be the basis for a possible framework for improving future studies of teacher professional practice.

No description available.

This dissertation describes two studies that empirically test instructional methods designed to promote learning, transfer, and curiosity in the context of real-world science classrooms. In the first study, I compared an inherently uncertain form of instruction to an inherently certain one, and in the second study, I compared different levels of uncertainty within the same inherently uncertain instruction type. The first study demonstrates that, compared to an inherently certain form of instruction (tell-then-practice), the inherently uncertain form of instruction (Invention) produced greater curiosity and transfer, which may reflect deeper learning. While this study showed promising results, it revealed additional questions, which were answered by the second study. Specifically, because there were differences other than uncertainty between conditions, I could not fully conclude that uncertainty is what caused group differences in curiosity or transfer. To confirm that it is, in fact, uncertainty influencing curiosity and transfer, the second study examined learning activities that were more similar to one another, but still differed in uncertainty. Specifically, I compared two Invention conditions, in which one group of students was given more information prior to invention than the other. This manipulation also showed that higher uncertainty led to greater curiosity and transfer. The research in this dissertation also examines how uncertainty influences affect and whether state-level curiosity influences learning and transfer. Further, it shows how curiosity changes over time and demonstrates a new way to behaviorally and qualitatively measure curiosity.

No description available.

It is the purpose of this thesis to show that the pragmatic philosophy is basically responsible for present-day developments in various teaching techniques.

No description available.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / Contains one part in Tigrigna. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Against the background of education reforms, this study was conducted to determine what can be learnt from using lesson study as professional development strategy in Eritrea. The core problem discussed in the study is that the instigators of successive education reforms in Eritrea expected teachers to shift their teaching from more teacher focused to student-centred approaches with little or no support provided to them. This implies that teachers in Eritrean need effective and sustainable support systems that enable them to implement the reform initiatives. In this study, the researcher uses lesson study as a strategy that could provide teacher development experiences to teachers in Eritrea that are different from the traditional one-shot varieties such as workshops, short-term orientations and training of trainer programmes which are often normally provided by the official programmes. Lesson study is a well-established classroom-based activity in which teachers systematically examine their teaching by collaboratively planning, teaching, observing, revising and re-teaching lessons. Several successes with lesson study have been reported in research in Japan, where it has been used extensively, as well as elsewhere. However, no study on teacher professional development has been conducted using lesson study as a strategy within the Eritrean context. This study is an interpretive qualitative case study that explores the effects of lesson study on science teachers’ learning and classroom practice in selected middle schools of Eritrea. It involved twenty one participants – fifteen science teachers, three school directors and three pedagogic heads for a duration of one year. Data were generated through questionnaires, semi-structured focus group interviews, observations, documents for generating research lesson events, video-recordings and photographs. The findings show that participation in lesson study cycles that were extended over a period of time was effective in enhancing the learning of teachers and changing the way they teach science in their classrooms resulting in enhanced students confidence, participation and learning. Evidence reported in this study also indicates that lesson study made a contribution to minimising teacher isolation by bringing teachers together to collaborate and share professional ideas and experiences. Moreover, the findings show the existence of a direct relationship between teachers’ interest in teacher development initiatives and the interest that the school leadership shows in such initiatives and in the extent of support they provide to the participating teachers. Though participants reported receiving benefits from lesson study, they were constrained by a lack of time, curriculum overload, large class-size, teachers’ poor living conditions, lack of suitable space, shortage of resources, students’ poor English proficiency, newness of the process and students’ negligence. This study has also contributed to extending the body of knowledge on lesson study. Finally, it is hoped that the findings of this study may be used as a guiding framework for future teacher development initiatives in the education sector or other professional development programmes in Eritrea. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is teen die agtergrond van onderwyshervormings in Eritrea onderneem om te bepaal wat uit die gebruik van lesstudie as strategie vir die professionele ontwikkeling van Eritrese opvoeders geleer kon word. Die kernprobleem van die studie is dat die opeenvolgende onderwyshervormings in Eritrea vereis dat onderwysers hulle onderrigbenadering van opvoedergerigte na meer studentegerigte metodes verander, sonder dat hulle enige noemenswaardige ondersteuning ontvang. Dit impliseer dat daardie onderwysers ’n doeltreffende en volhoubare ondersteuningstelsel nodig het om die hervormingsinisiatiewe in werking te stel. Met die lesstudiestrategie wat in hierdie navorsing gebruik is, is onderwysers in Eritrea blootgestel aan ander ontwikkelingservarings as die tradisionele eenmalige weergawes, wat gewoonlik in die vorm van werksessies, korttermynoriënterings en opleier-opleidingsprogramme plaasvind. Lesstudie is ’n gevestigde klaskamergebaseerde aktiwiteit waarin onderwysers hulle eie onderrig stelselmatig ondersoek deur lesse in samewerking met kollegas te beplan, aan te bied, waar te neem, te hersien en weer aan te bied. Verskeie suksesse met lesstudie is al aangemeld in navorsing in Japan, waar dit op groot skaal gebruik word, sowel as elders. Tog is geen studie oor die professionele ontwikkeling van onderwysers in Eritrese verband al met behulp van lesstudie as ’n strategie uitgevoer nie. Die metodologie vir die navorsing was ’n vertolkende kwalitatiewe gevallestudie wat ondersoek ingestel het na die uitwerking van lesstudie op wetenskaponderwysers se leer- en klaskamerpraktyk in uitgesoekte middelbare skole in Eritrea. Die 21 respondente – 15 wetenskaponderwysers, drie skooldirekteure en drie onderrighoofde – is vir ’n jaar by die studie betrek. Data is deur middel van vraelyste, semigestruktureerde fokusgroeponderhoude, waarnemings, dokumente vir die skep van navorsingslesgebeure, video-opnames en foto’s ingesamel. Die bevindinge toon dat deelname aan lesstudiesiklusse oor ’n langer tydperk onderwysers se leerpraktyk doeltreffend versterk en hulle wetenskaponderrig in die klas verander het. Dit het verhoogde vertroue, deelname en leer onder studente tot gevolg gehad. Bewyse wat in hierdie studie aangemeld is, toon ook dat lesstudie onderwyser-isolasie help beperk het deur onderwysers bymekaar te bring om saam te werk en professionele idees en ervarings uit te ruil. Daarbenewens dui die bevindinge op ’n regstreekse verband tussen onderwysers se belangstelling in inisiatiewe vir hulle eie ontwikkeling en die skoolleiers se klaarblyklike belangstelling in, en ondersteuning vir, onderwysers en hulle professionele ontwikkeling. Hoewel deelnemers by lesstudie baat gevind het, is hulle aan bande gelê deur tydsbeperkinge, ’n oorvol kurrikulum, groot klasse, swak lewensomstandighede, ’n tekort aan geskikte ruimte, te min hulpbronne, swak vaardigheid in Engels onder studente, die nuutheid van die proses en studente se agtelosigheid. Hierdie studie dra by tot die uitbreiding van die beskikbare kennis oor lesstudie. Die bevindinge sal hopelik as ’n raamwerk kan dien om toekomstige inisiatiewe vir opvoederontwikkeling in die onderwyssektor sowel as in ander programme vir professionele ontwikkeling in Eritrea te rig.

O trabalho apresenta uma análise e descrição, do tipo estudo de caso, das estratégias enunciativas utilizadas por duas futuras professoras de física que implementaram uma sequência didática sobre tópicos de Mecânica Quântica. As aulas foram estruturadas como aulas invertidas, em que se utilizou o peer instruction (instrução pelos colegas) como metodologia ativa, e fizeram parte de um minicurso de 8 horas de duração dirigido a alunos do Ensino Médio. O minicurso foi realizado por professores em formação do Curso de Licenciatura em Ciências Exatas, do Instituto de Física da USP de São Carlos, bolsistas do projeto PIBID/CAPES no ano de 2013. A análise das estratégias enunciativas foi feita utilizando-se da ferramenta analítica proposta por Mortimer e Scott (2003) levando em conta um conjunto de modos de comunicação. O objetivo é caracterizar o discurso de professoras em um contexto de inovação curricular utilizando uma metodologia ativa de aprendizagem. As intenções e intervenções dos professores, a abordagem comunicativa estabelecida em sala de aula, os padrões e os conteúdos das interações foram analisados. Os resultados apontam que as futuras professoras utilizaram abordagens interativas dialógicas e de autoridade para mediar a discussão entre os pares e que nenhuma das abordagens é superior a outra para realizar as mediações em sala de aula. As abordagens interativas dialógicas foram usadas com um padrão de interação do tipo I-R-F (iniciação-resposta e feedback), as abordagens de autoridade foram usadas com padrões de interação do tipo I-R-A (iniciação- reposta- avaliação). Foram identificados três momentos na instrução pelos colegas de ambas futuras professoras: o compartilhamento de alternativas, a discussão das ideias e o fechamento das discussões. Esses estágios foram relacionados as intenções e intervenções estabelecidas pelas futuras professora. A abordagem interativa dialógica na aplicação da instrução pelos colegas se mostrou mais adequada que outras abordagens. O trabalho visa contribuir para o avanço das pesquisas na formação de professores em um contexto de inovação curricular ampliando interpretações dos mecanismos e processos envolvidos na formação inicial de professores de Física, quando estes trabalham com metodologias interativas de ensino, em particular, o método de Instrução pelos Colegas (Peer Instruction). / This thesis presents an analysis and description of the case study type, the declared strategies used by two future physics teachers who implemented a teaching sequence on topics of Quantum Mechanics. The classes were structured as flipped classroom, which used the peer instruction as active methodology, and took part in a short course of eight hours\' duration aimed at high school students. The short course was held for teachers in training of Sciences Degree Course of the Institute of Physics of São Carlos, fellows PIBID project / CAPES in 2013. The analysis of the declared strategies was performed using the analytical tool proposed by Mortimer and Scott (2003) taking into account a range of modes of communication. The goal is to characterize the speech of teachers in a curriculum innovation context using an active learning methodology. The tool analyzed the intentions and activities of the teachers, the communicative approach set out in the classroom, the patterns and the interactions content. The results show that future teachers used dialogical and interactive approaches authority to mediate the argument between the couple and that neither approach is superior to another to conduct mediations in the classroom. Dialogical interactive approaches were used with a pattern of interaction type IRF (initiation-answer and feedback), the authority of approaches were used with IRE kind of interaction patterns (initiation- answer- evaluation). Three moments in education by peers of both future teachers were identified: alternative sharing, discussion of ideas and the closure of the discussions. These stages were related intentions and interventions established by future teachers. The dialogic interactive approach to education application by colleagues was more appropriate than other approaches. This work aims to contribute to the advancement of research in teacher education in a curriculum innovation context expanding interpretations of the mechanisms and processes involved in the initial formation of physics teachers when they work with interactive teaching methodologies, in particular, the peer instruction.