This thesis investigates the impact of computers and interactive whiteboards on the teaching of Design and Technology in Key Stage 2. Their use within education is having an influence upon the curriculum. Various investigations into the impact of Information and Communication Technology have been undertaken but these have principally involved CAD and CAM work within Key Stages 3 and 4 Design and Technology. Very few studies have looked at Design and Technology in the earlier key stages or the impact upon teaching and pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2. The literature review focuses on four key areas surrounding the research investigation: Computer Aided Learning; Cognition regarding the relationship of problem solving and higher level thinking; Pedagogy and its relationship to the use of computers in the teaching of Design and Technology and a review of the Design and Technology guidelines and the related issues regarding their implementation. The research is based upon both qualitative and quantitative methodologies employing multiple sources of data collection. Quantitative data was collected through a survey of all primary schools in two Yorkshire Local Authorities. The qualitative data produced the basis for in-depth individual semi-structured interviews with a sample of Design and Technology Co-ordinators. The semi-structured interviews then formed the foundation for a focus group interview of Local Authority officers. Use has been made of an evidence trail which examines other sources of evidence such as conference papers, HMI, QCA, Ofsted and DfES reports. The main findings indicate that the core subjects of the National Curriculum are taking the vast majority of teaching time. A broad and balanced curriculum is therefore no longer being maintained in the schools studied. The evidence revealed that teachers were becoming familiar with the use of computers in the classroom. They understood the skills involved in using computers but were still uncertain as to the most suitable pedagogy. The majority of teachers who responded to the questionnaire and the semi-structured interviews, the Local Authority officers and some government departments regard the New Opportunities Funded (NOF) training as being a disappointment due to its over-ambitious aims and lack of pedagogical content. The introduction of interactive whiteboards (IWB) was initially viewed by teachers as another element of ICT to teach. However these have now been well received. Those teachers involved in the study are finding it difficult to find time to either keep pace with or develop their ICT skills. This is reflected in teachers’ limited use of computer programs. This is in direct conflict with the findings of Ofsted, which found that teachers were now using a broader range of programs. Please note that the term Local Education Authority no longer exists as a statutory body. Throughout this thesis the term Local Authority is used instead.

Constructivism remains one of the most influential views of understanding how children learn science today. Research investigating learning from within this viewpoint has led to the development of a range of theoretical models, most of which aim to explain the underlying processes associated with conceptual change. Such models range in depth and scope with some attributing change to purely cognitive processes while others suggest a role for social factors. Contemporary research has also begun to explore links between the role of practical activity, skills development and language. This study utilises a cross-sectional design in order to investigate the development of children’s ideas and concepts related to two areas of the English National Curriculum for Science: ‘electricity’ and ‘floating and sinking’. A new and innovative multimodal methodology combining practical science activities and traditional / conventional perspectives alongside interview and observational protocols is presented. Multimodal research proposes that knowledge and meaning are transmitted through a range of responses types including language, drawings and gesture. The participants in this study were children aged 7, 11 and 14 years attending four schools in the East Midlands region. Results demonstrate that the children’s ideas could be developed using conceptual challenge tasks. The gestures that the children produced were categorised according to five different forms: referential, representative, expressive, thinking and social, often containing information about their science ideas that was not included in other response types. The results also begin to uncover how meaning is socially constructed and supported. These results form the basis of a critique of methodology intended to re-evaluate and inform debate arising from different models of conceptual change. The potential importance of studying children’s gestures in classroom settings for providing important cues and clues to underlying thoughts that may not be present in verbal or other more conventional responses alone is highlighted.

The concept of Possibility Thinking (PT) has been investigated both conceptually and empirically for over a decade in early year settings and primary classrooms. The basic aim of this study was to investigate Cypriot primary teachers and how they nurture the PT of 9-10 year-old children by drawing on learning resources associated with museum visits. This PhD thesis had as a sample eight primary teachers with their students’ age 9-10 years and employed various data collection methods including semi-structured interviews, observations (field notes, video-recordings, still images), teachers’ reflections and the researcher’s reflective journals. This research builds on previous studies that have documented PT and the pedagogical strategies which foster it. The findings were compared with the existing literature and contribute to the field in a number of ways. Firstly, the findings offer an in-depth investigation of the PT features and argue that the features have a different range and they shape differently according to the characteristics of the observed group. Thus, the data revealed the existing PT features from the literature. Secondly, risk taking was not identified among the features. This study offers an explanation about the absence of risk-taking by proposing a new feature, giving as a result a solution to the problem of the existence of PT without the feature of risk-taking. Thirdly, the findings contribute to understanding how the teachers nurture students’ PT through alternative resources of learning like museum visits. This was achieved through the refinement of the existing pedagogies and the proposition of a new one, as well as the identification of three affordances that teachers perceive from the interactive programme in which the children participated. The study provides a starting point for further research on PT by drawing on learning resources associated with museum visits. This PhD thesis presents a model of pedagogy of PT linked with museum affordances identified from the data and ends with suggestions for further research.

Η Διδακτική των Φυσικών Επιστημών προέκυψε από την ανάγκη για οικοδόμηση νέων διδακτικών προσεγγίσεων, εναρμονισμένων με τις σύγχρονες επιστημονικές και παιδαγωγικές αντιλήψεις. Η Ελλάδα αποτέλεσε φυσικά χώρο υποδοχής της Διδακτικής των Φυσικών Επιστημών με μια πληθώρα ερευνητικών ομάδων να εμφανίζονται τα τελευταία 25 χρόνια. Η υπόθεση πάνω στην οποία βασίστηκε η παρούσα μελέτη είναι η απουσία συνεργασίας μεταξύ των ελληνικών ομάδων Διδακτικής Φυσικών Επιστημών. Για τον έλεγχο της υπόθεσης αναλύθηκαν βιβλιομετρικά δεδομένα από τις ελληνικές δημοσιεύσεις των σημαντικότερων ομάδων Διδακτικής στα πρακτικά των συνεδρίων που έλαβαν χώρα από το 1997 έως το 2009. Τα αποτελέσματα της συγκριτικής αυτής αξιολόγησης έδωσαν στοιχεία τόσο για την ερευνητική δραστηριότητα και τα ποιοτικά χαρακτηριστικά κάθε ομάδας όσο και για τον βαθμό συνεργασίας αυτών των ομάδων στον Ελλαδικό χώρο. Η μελέτη των αποτελεσμάτων ανέδειξε την απουσία συνεργασίας των ελληνικών ομάδων Διδακτικής των Φυσικών Επιστημών, γεγονός που δεν δικαιολογείται από την διαφορετική ερευνητική δυναμική και τα ποιοτικά χαρακτηριστικά κάθε ομάδας. / Science Education arose from the need to build new teaching approaches, harmonized with modern scientific and pedagogical ideas. Science education reached Greece and a variety of research groups appeared over the last 25 years. The hypothesis, on which the present study is based, is the absence of cooperation between the Greek research groups of Science Education. To control the hypothesis, bibliometric data of the Greek publications of the major groups from all conferences that took place from 1997 to 2009 were analyzed. The results of this comparative evaluation provided information for both the research activity and the qualitative characteristics of each group and the degree of cooperation among these groups in Greece. The study of the results has revealed the absence of cooperation of the Greek science education groups, which is not justified by the different research dynamic and qualitative characteristics of each group.

This thesis explores the impact on children of working as co-researchers, raising their own research questions around the topic of science education, designing and carrying out the data collection and interpreting and disseminating the results. This project is a case study in that there are clear boundaries both in terms of the timescale of initiation, interventions, co-researcher activity, write up and dissemination and also in terms of the children’s engagement in the project as distinct from their school and social life (Flyvbjerg 2011). A multi-method approach to data collection was designed to capture the experience from the viewpoint of the co-researchers, with triangulation from other actors in the immediate social setting. The use of a range of qualitative methods as primary data collection techniques is also characteristic of a case study approach. (Denzin and Lincoln 2011). The study employs grounded theory which Glaser and Strauss (Glaser and Strauss 2009) describe as ‘discovery of theory from data’ using comparative analysis as a key strategy. I was influenced by Charmaz’s perspective that ‘we construct our grounded theories through our past and present involvements and interactions with people, perspectives, and research practices.' (Charmaz 2006). The simultaneous analysis and data collection, the use of coding to develop themes from the data itself and the development of theory during analysis are hallmarks of the grounded theory approach, (Charmaz 2006). Working with children in research has undergone considerable evolution over recent years and a growing body of researchers are developing participatory models to ensure that this is conducted not only ethically but with respect for the children’s rights, interests and contribution. Smit identifies 4 types of motives for doing so; legal motives which recognise children’s rights to contribute to the decision making process; social motives which identify this as an important step towards them becoming democratic individuals; innovative motives that value their contribution to knowledge; and pedagogical motives that reflect adults’ desires to include and encourage children in this way (Smit 2013). My research suggested the importance and influence of task value (supporting Osborne 2003) and significant others (supporting Sjaastad 2012) in engaging young people in their learning. Within it the co-researcher group identified ownership, reflection, confidence and value as significant themes. The co-researchers also reported enhanced ontological understanding, reflection on their own learning, confidence in expressing and arguing for their own ideas and development of key skills which they were able to apply to other areas of learning. There were also benefits to the school through the reports the young researchers produced which offered insights into effective revision, the potential influence of science clubs, the relationship between teachers and students interests and into differences in attitude to science between year 7 and 8 and between boys and girls. During the project a Participation Model was developed to define characteristics of participation and power sharing. This added to previous models (Hart 1992; Wilcox 1994; Hanley et al. 2004) and took due notice of issues of power sharing (Bucknall 2012) and adult commitment (Shier 2001). A model of co-researcher engagement was also developed during the analysis phase which provides a clearer idea of what it means to be a co-researcher from the co-researcher viewpoint. There are also implications for policy and practice that should not be underestimated. Raising children’s aspirations to be part of a research group in this way has considerable benefits but it also has the potential for disillusionment should the outcome of their work not be recognised (McLaughlin 2006). To protect against this the school community needs to actively commit to working collaboratively with young people through conscious sharing of decision making (Bucknall 2012) and allocation of resource to protect its continuation (Kellett 2014). Shier identifies this as reaching the obligation level of commitment in which working collaboratively is the expected norm in an educational setting (Shier 2001).

Στην παρούσα εργασία μελετήθηκαν οι γνώσεις / αντιλήψεις των μαθητών του Νηπιαγωγείου, της Ε’ και της ΣΤ’ τάξης του Δημοτικού και των φοιτητών του Τ.Ε.Ε.Α.Π.Η. αναφορικά με τα εσωτερικά όργανα του ανθρωπίνου σώματος και ειδικότερα του ουροποιητικού συστήματος. Οι συμμετέχοντες στην έρευνα, 82 μαθητές ηλικίας 5-6 και 10-12 ετών και 30 τριτοετείς φοιτητές, απάντησαν στα ερωτήματα ενός δομημένου ερωτηματολογίου, όπου ζητήθηκε από τους ερωτηθέντες εκτός των άλλων να αποτυπώσουν μέσω ζωγραφικής τις γνώσεις τους αναφορικά με τα εσωτερικά όργανα του ανθρωπίνου σώματος και ειδικότερα του ουροποιητικού συστήματος. Στη συνέχεια, έγινε διδακτική παρέμβαση ανά τάξη και ζητήθηκε από τους μαθητές του Νηπιαγωγείου και του Δημοτικού Σχολείου να συμπληρώσουν ξανά το ίδιο ερωτηματολόγιο. Σύμφωνα με τα αποτελέσματα της μελέτης φάνηκε ότι η ηλικία επηρεάζει το γνωστικό επίπεδο των μαθητών, αν και οι διαφορές δεν ήταν τόσο εμφανείς μεταξύ των μαθητών της Ε’ και της ΣΤ’ τάξης του Δημοτικού. Αντίθετα, δεν παρατηρήθηκαν σημαντικές διαφορές στο επίπεδο των γνώσεων των μαθητών ανάλογα με το επάγγελμα των γονέων τους, ή με την ύπαρξη κατοικίδιων ζώων στο σπίτι. Επίσης παρατηρήθηκε ότι τα κορίτσια υπολείπονται των αγοριών στην αποτύπωση του ουροποιητικού συστήματος πιθανώς λόγω προκαταλήψεων (taboo). Η διδακτική παρέμβαση βελτίωσε σημαντικά τις γνώσεις των μαθητών αναφορικά με τα εσωτερικά όργανα του ανθρώπινου σώματος και ειδικότερα του ουροποιητικού συστήματος. Τα αποτελέσματα της παρούσας μελέτης επιβεβαιώνουν προηγούμενες μελέτες και δείχνουν ότι οι μαθητές του Νηπιαγωγείου και του Δημοτικού Σχολείου έχουν περιορισμένες γνώσεις σχετικά με το ουροποιητικό σύστημα, αλλά οι επικεντρωμένες διδακτικές παρεμβάσεις μπορούν να βελτιώσουν σημαντικά το επίπεδο των γνώσεων τους σχετικά με το θέμα αυτό. / Children’s conceptions about internal human anatomy have been extensively studied. However, scientific data about the urinary tract system are rather scarce. We used a structured questionnaire and drawing as equipments in 82 students aged 5-6 and 10-12 years and 30 third year university students in order to explore any differences regarding these issues. We also applied a teaching intervention and investigated its possible impact on students’ knowledge about the urinary tract system. According to our findings, age was a significant determinant of student’s current knowledge, as students of higher classes scored better. In addition, males scored higher than females indicating a possible taboo about this system in young women. We were not able to find any significant impact of parents’ vocational status on students’ perceptions about urinary tract system, nor any impact of the presence of pets at home. The teaching intervention significantly improved students’ knowledge about the urinary tract system irrespective of age. Our results confirm previous studies about the relative lack of knowledge of young students about the urinary system, but simple structured interventions may help to improve it.

This thesis is located in the emerging field of early childhood education for sustainability and has particular focus on Malta. It sought to gather insights into young children’s perceptions of environmental sustainability, and the influences that shaped these perceptions, particularly in the context of the family and the school. Twelve Maltese children, aged between 3 and 7 years, ten parents, five teachers and a head teacher participated in this study, which was conducted in two Maltese State schools and one household. Designed within interpretive methodology, this study adopted a qualitative multiple case study approach. It was guided by cognitive theory, socio-cultural theory, bio-ecological theory of human development, the “new sociology of childhood” and related policy initiatives like the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and theories of inter-generational influence. Data were generated through observations; conversational interviews with children; their interpretations of photographs; and their drawings and interpretation of them. Semi-structured interviews with parents, teachers and head teacher, a researcher’s journal and document analysis were used to triangulate the data. Manual data analysis produced a plethora of rich and in-depth data. The main findings reveal three themes which reveal children’s perceptions of the environment; their perceptions of environmental sustainability; and the contextual influences upon these perceptions. Children’s perceptions of environmental sustainability started at an early age; were influenced by context; and were socially and culturally constructed. Children were able to discuss issues related to environmental sustainability at a basic level by drawing on personal experience. Overall, the study indicates that young children possess some knowledge of environmental sustainability and can talk about it. This thesis concludes by considering the implications of the study for educators, researchers, curriculum and policy-makers; and by outlining several avenues for future research.

Fostering students’ creativity in school subjects has recently become a central focus of educational researchers, educators, and educational policymakers around the world. In Kuwait, educational researchers and teacher educators have supported the need to foster students’ creativity via a national curriculum. Yet, the Ministry of Education has conducted few studies to explore practitioners’ perspectives on how to foster creativity through the current curriculum. The overall aims of this study were to explore science teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and practices in fostering creativity in science classrooms as well as to investigate the influences of sociocultural factors on teachers’ beliefs and practices in fostering creativity. The study also examined the consistency and inconsistency levels between teachers’ beliefs and practices. The study has a qualitative nature that stands on an interpretive worldview. The methodology uses eight case studies, each of which consisted of a male science teacher and one of his classes. Multiple methods were used, including semi-structured interviews (pre- and post-observational interviews), student focus groups, unstructured observations, participants’ drawings, and field notes. The analysis was based on thematic analysis model proposed by Braun and Clarke (2006). Thematic findings and case studies findings were drawn from the analysis of the data collected. In general, the thematic findings indicated that science teachers are able to define the meaning of creativity and its main aspects. Professed pedagogical beliefs enforce four teaching approaches to foster creativity in the science classroom: the teaching of thinking skills, inquiry-based learning, cooperative learning, and practical investigation (experimentation). The teachers believe that these approaches could promote students’ creativity in science classroom when specific sociocultural factors facilitate the effectiveness of such approaches in terms of fostering creativity. Three interdependent categories represent these facilitating factors: (1) educational setting-related factors, (2) teacher-related factors, and (3) student-related factors. Differences and similarities appeared when these professed beliefs were compared to the applied classroom practices. The thematic analysis revealed several themes underlying the main categories. Extensive teacher-centred practices and modest student-centred practices were evident; more specifically, the observations revealed primarily teacher-centred approach inside the science classes. Meanwhile, student-centred approaches were modestly applied in comparison to teacher-centred activities. The teachers justified their practices in accordance with the sociocultural factors that mediate their beliefs and practices as well as the role of their goal orientation. The science teachers perceived the mediating factors as constraints that prevent them from applying their beliefs about fostering creativity in classroom practices. Multiple constraining factors emerged, and they were categorised into personal, external, and interpersonal constraints. Concerning the case study findings, consistencies and inconsistencies were identified using a cut-off point as an analytic technique to classify teachers’ beliefs and practices into traditional (non-creativity fostering), mixed, or progressive (creativity fostering). The case study findings identified four consistency and inconsistency levels characterizing teachers’ beliefs and practices: traditional (consistent level), mainly traditional (inconsistent level), mixed (consistent level), and mainly progressive (inconsistent level). Each level was represented by an exemplary case study. The exemplary case studies revealed that sociocultural contexts influence teacher’s belief-practice relationship with respect to fostering students’ creativity in science classroom. Further, the thematic and case study findings were discussed in relation to the existing body of knowledge, followed by an illustration of significant conclusions, including some implications, contributions, limitations, and future suggestions.