This study reports on the use of action research methodology to generate a critical reflective collaborative setting. The aim was to infuse the institution with the results of this study in order to stimulate debate on the issues regarding change in practice and systems. The suitability of Internet communication technologies, more specifically the online learning community, is evaluated as a delivery mode that would address today’s learning needs. This required the collaborative construction of knowledge in a community setting with the teacher enabling communication and interaction, and facilitating and stimulating the sharing and testing of ideas and constructs. But such a learning scenario was found to be significantly challenging to the current print-based learning experience. It implied a challenge to teaching and support staff as well as the questioning of the efficiency and legitimacy of current instructional design staff and procedures used. The teaching responsibilities and commitment in the online community was outlined as against current print-based teaching practice. The current development and production culture, which restricts innovation and change in practice and systems significantly, came under pressure. The success of the online learning community in the Unisa context was nevertheless significant and it has the potential to serve as an opportunity to re-examine print-based production and delivery and to devise strategies and solutions to increase the quality significantly. / Faculty of Education / D. Ed.

Acompanha produto: Formação docente através da investigação-ação: a abordagem da questão sociocientífica "Epidemia de zica - das saídas milagrosas aos gargalos sociais" / Este estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de identificar aspectos críticos e emancipatórios presentes na prática educativa orientada por um processo coletivo e colaborativo de formação continuada de professores realizado por meio de investigação-ação e de abordagem de questões sociocientíficas. O referencial teórico é fundamentado na literatura crítica, tanto na compreensão da práxis social como da práxis educativa em especial. A investigação-ação é a perspectiva teóricometodológica adotada nesta pesquisa, considerando suas possibilidades formativas de construções teórico-práticas coletivas e colaborativas entre professores para reflexão e transformação da prática educativa, conforme Wilfred Carr e Stephen Kemmis (1986). Dentre as práticas educacionais situadas conforme uma perspectiva crítica, foi proposto o desenvolvimento pedagógico de questões sociocientíficas por meio de estratégias didático-metodológicas pautadas em controvérsias que afetam o meio ambiente e que possuem base na produção científica e tecnológica, de acordo com Ratcliffe e Grace (2003). Nesse percurso, privilegiou-se a constituição de um coletivo docente denominado Grupo de Trabalhos e Estudos na Escola para Ações Formativas, composto por três professoras de Ciências e uma professora de Geografia da rede pública de ensino do Paraná. O processo formativo ocorreu no período entre fevereiro a junho de 2016, contemplando a realização de encontros presenciais, produção de materiais, implementação de ações em sala de aula, reflexão e problematização da prática educativa, seus obstáculos e desafios. Para a constituição dos dados, empregaram-se os recursos de: (1) diário de bordo, com o registro das ações e impressões, elaborado pela pesquisadora; (2) gravações do áudio das reuniões do grupo de investigação-ação, com posterior transcrição dos diálogos realizados; (3) transcrição das conversas feitas por meio de grupo constituído em aplicativo próprio para compartilhamento de mensagens escritas, áudios, links indicados etc.; (4) materiais didáticos produzidos pelo grupo no decorrer das ações. A análise dos dados empíricos percorreu a sistematização, classificação e elaboração de categorias de análise baseada na teoria educacional crítica e na pedagogia libertadora, com fundamentação nas obras de Freire (1979; 1987; 1996; 1999), Carr e Kemmis (1986), Giroux (1997; 1998) e Contreras (2012). Foram identificados obstáculos estruturais e pedagógicos para a efetivação da prática docente em perspectiva crítica e coletiva. A necessidade de resistência à perda de autonomia docente por meio de ações coletivas entre professores no interior da escola foram problematizadas e assumiram centralidade no curso da investigação-ação. O produto educacional desta investigação consistiu em um caderno docente elaborado a partir das ações e reflexões desenvolvidas pelo grupo, levando em conta os aspectos: da experiência desenvolvida na implementação da pesquisa, das reflexões advindas da investigação, de um processo de autocrítica e reflexão da investigadora. / The aim of this research is to identify critical and emancipatory aspects in educational practice oriented by a collective and collaborative process of teacher continued education conducted through action research and socio-scientific issues. The theoretical framework is based on the critical literature, both in understanding the social praxis and the educational praxis in particular. Action research is the theoreticalmethodological approach adopted in this research, considering its formative possibilities of collective and collaborative theoretical-practical constructions among teachers for reflection and transformation of the educational practice, according to Wilfred Carr and Stephen Kemmis (1986). From those located educational practices in a critical perspective, this study proposed the pedagogical development of socioscientific issues through didactic-methodological strategies guided by controversies that affect the environment and have the basis of scientific and technological production, according to Ratcliffe and Grace (2003). Therefore, it focused on the establishment of a teaching collective called Work and Studies Group at School for Formative Actions, composed of three teachers of Sciences and a teacher of Geography of a public school of Paraná. The educational process took place in the period between February and June 2016, contemplating face-to-face meetings, production of materials, implementation of actions in classroom, reflection and problematization of educational practice, as its obstacles and challenges. For the constitution of data, the following resources were used: (1) logbook, with the record of actions and impressions, prepared by the researcher; (2) audio recordings of the meetings of the action research group, with later transcription of the dialogues carried out; (3) transcription of the dialogues made through the group in an app for the sharing of written messages, audios, links, etc .; (4) didactic materials produced by the group in the course of actions. The analysis of the empirical data covered the systematization, classification and elaboration of categories based on critical educational theory and liberation pedagogy, based on Freire (1979, 1987, 1996, 1999), Carr and Kemmis (1986), Giroux (1997), and Contreras (2012). Structural and pedagogical obstacles were identified for the effectiveness of teaching practice in a critical and collective perspective. The need for for resistance to loss of teacher autonomy through collective actions among teachers within the school were problematized and assumed centrality in the course of action research. The educational product of this research consisted of a teaching book elaborated from the actions and reflections developed by the group, taking into account the aspects of: the experience developed in the implementation of the research, the reflections from the investigation, the process of self-criticism and reflection by the researcher.

Acompanha produto: Formação docente através da investigação-ação: a abordagem da questão sociocientífica "Epidemia de zica - das saídas milagrosas aos gargalos sociais" / Este estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de identificar aspectos críticos e emancipatórios presentes na prática educativa orientada por um processo coletivo e colaborativo de formação continuada de professores realizado por meio de investigação-ação e de abordagem de questões sociocientíficas. O referencial teórico é fundamentado na literatura crítica, tanto na compreensão da práxis social como da práxis educativa em especial. A investigação-ação é a perspectiva teóricometodológica adotada nesta pesquisa, considerando suas possibilidades formativas de construções teórico-práticas coletivas e colaborativas entre professores para reflexão e transformação da prática educativa, conforme Wilfred Carr e Stephen Kemmis (1986). Dentre as práticas educacionais situadas conforme uma perspectiva crítica, foi proposto o desenvolvimento pedagógico de questões sociocientíficas por meio de estratégias didático-metodológicas pautadas em controvérsias que afetam o meio ambiente e que possuem base na produção científica e tecnológica, de acordo com Ratcliffe e Grace (2003). Nesse percurso, privilegiou-se a constituição de um coletivo docente denominado Grupo de Trabalhos e Estudos na Escola para Ações Formativas, composto por três professoras de Ciências e uma professora de Geografia da rede pública de ensino do Paraná. O processo formativo ocorreu no período entre fevereiro a junho de 2016, contemplando a realização de encontros presenciais, produção de materiais, implementação de ações em sala de aula, reflexão e problematização da prática educativa, seus obstáculos e desafios. Para a constituição dos dados, empregaram-se os recursos de: (1) diário de bordo, com o registro das ações e impressões, elaborado pela pesquisadora; (2) gravações do áudio das reuniões do grupo de investigação-ação, com posterior transcrição dos diálogos realizados; (3) transcrição das conversas feitas por meio de grupo constituído em aplicativo próprio para compartilhamento de mensagens escritas, áudios, links indicados etc.; (4) materiais didáticos produzidos pelo grupo no decorrer das ações. A análise dos dados empíricos percorreu a sistematização, classificação e elaboração de categorias de análise baseada na teoria educacional crítica e na pedagogia libertadora, com fundamentação nas obras de Freire (1979; 1987; 1996; 1999), Carr e Kemmis (1986), Giroux (1997; 1998) e Contreras (2012). Foram identificados obstáculos estruturais e pedagógicos para a efetivação da prática docente em perspectiva crítica e coletiva. A necessidade de resistência à perda de autonomia docente por meio de ações coletivas entre professores no interior da escola foram problematizadas e assumiram centralidade no curso da investigação-ação. O produto educacional desta investigação consistiu em um caderno docente elaborado a partir das ações e reflexões desenvolvidas pelo grupo, levando em conta os aspectos: da experiência desenvolvida na implementação da pesquisa, das reflexões advindas da investigação, de um processo de autocrítica e reflexão da investigadora. / The aim of this research is to identify critical and emancipatory aspects in educational practice oriented by a collective and collaborative process of teacher continued education conducted through action research and socio-scientific issues. The theoretical framework is based on the critical literature, both in understanding the social praxis and the educational praxis in particular. Action research is the theoreticalmethodological approach adopted in this research, considering its formative possibilities of collective and collaborative theoretical-practical constructions among teachers for reflection and transformation of the educational practice, according to Wilfred Carr and Stephen Kemmis (1986). From those located educational practices in a critical perspective, this study proposed the pedagogical development of socioscientific issues through didactic-methodological strategies guided by controversies that affect the environment and have the basis of scientific and technological production, according to Ratcliffe and Grace (2003). Therefore, it focused on the establishment of a teaching collective called Work and Studies Group at School for Formative Actions, composed of three teachers of Sciences and a teacher of Geography of a public school of Paraná. The educational process took place in the period between February and June 2016, contemplating face-to-face meetings, production of materials, implementation of actions in classroom, reflection and problematization of educational practice, as its obstacles and challenges. For the constitution of data, the following resources were used: (1) logbook, with the record of actions and impressions, prepared by the researcher; (2) audio recordings of the meetings of the action research group, with later transcription of the dialogues carried out; (3) transcription of the dialogues made through the group in an app for the sharing of written messages, audios, links, etc .; (4) didactic materials produced by the group in the course of actions. The analysis of the empirical data covered the systematization, classification and elaboration of categories based on critical educational theory and liberation pedagogy, based on Freire (1979, 1987, 1996, 1999), Carr and Kemmis (1986), Giroux (1997), and Contreras (2012). Structural and pedagogical obstacles were identified for the effectiveness of teaching practice in a critical and collective perspective. The need for for resistance to loss of teacher autonomy through collective actions among teachers within the school were problematized and assumed centrality in the course of action research. The educational product of this research consisted of a teaching book elaborated from the actions and reflections developed by the group, taking into account the aspects of: the experience developed in the implementation of the research, the reflections from the investigation, the process of self-criticism and reflection by the researcher.

This is an Action Research (AR) study with the senior phase Technology teachers at selected schools of Limpopo Province. The study was motivated by the fact that Technology Education is a foreign concept to many teachers and a new learning area in school curriculum both nationally and internationally. This was exacerbated by the many educational changes that took place in South Africa in the last 18 years. These changes include the overhauling of curriculum, which was the strategic and symbolic change since the first democratic election of 1994, but followed by its review. Thus, a new curriculum known as Curriculum 2005 (reviewed twice already) was developed in which Technology was introduced as a new subject. These changes drastically affected Technology Education and teachers’ coping demands on both the subject content and pedagogy escalated. In this study, AR, a strategy for a systematic, objective investigation with Technology teachers’ who are un- and under- qualified to teach Technology was considered. The study aimed at establishing intervention strategies to empower and emancipate senior phase Technology teachers in Mankweng Circuit from the said challenges above. Thus, the study sought to address the question: How could action research intervention be used to improve the teaching of senior phase Technology teachers who are un- and/or under-qualified? The intervention strategies were implemented through the AR cycles in spiral activities of planning, implementation and observation, action and reflection, whose principles were operationalized to develop participants from the situations that they face in their Technology teaching contexts. The study was designed from both critical theory perspective and participatory paradigm. The following instruments were used as a means to gather data: observations, interviews, questionnaires, field notes, video recording of lesson plans and logs of meetings. The study managed to come up with guidelines to develop and kick start AR with teachers. From the ii findings an AR model was developed to emancipate the un- and under-qualified Technology teachers. Themes from the challenges and AR were used to draft a six weeks plan to empower incapacitated Technology teachers. This investigation was shaped by the initial reflection or preliminary study conducted with the participants called reconnaissance study which revealed specific challenges that Technology teachers encountered daily in their classes. These challenges were turned into the themes, which together with the findings from the preliminary study and interview reflection per cycle were used to design the intervention strategies for the next main cycle. The findings of the study from both the preliminary investigation (presented in Chapter Two) and main AR (presented in Chapter Five) reveal an improvement in the teachers’ understanding and implementation of Technology – they were emancipated to a greater extent from the challenges prior to the AR intervention and post the AR intervention. It is true that coming together as AR co-researchers was the beginning of Technology teaching practice problem identification; keeping together was progressive in Technology teaching; but working together remains our success in Technology teaching then, now and in the future – post doctoral studies. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

DEd (Curriculum Studies) / Department of Curriculum Studies / The study examined challenges that confront lecturers and student teachers at colleges of primary teacher education in Zimbabwe in the use of action research as a teaching and learning strategy. The study focused on lecturer competency, personal dispositions of students towards mastery of action research skills and institutional challenges. The mixed methods research design was used in this study. A combination of the two research approaches exhibits complementary strengths and non-overlapping weaknesses of the techniques, methods and processes involved. Purposive sampling technique was employed to choose one principal and 9 heads of departments while simple random sampling was used to select 140 student teachers. Qualitative data was generated through interviews, observation and documentary analysis. A survey was administered to obtain quantitative data. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse narrative data. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 was used for statistical information. It was established that student teachers have limited practical experience in action research prior to proceeding on teaching practice as well as weak communication skills to support its conduct. The study recommends that lecturers should cater for the characteristics and experiences of student teachers when planning and delivering lectures in order to improve their acquisition of action research skills.

This study investigated the psychological approach and the classroom methodology needed by an educator to teach street children effectively in a special school created for them. Street children with their psychological trauma, their independent, self-sufficient outlook and educational deprivation make their adaption to the methods and educational environment of mainstream schooling difficult. To meet the special educational, psychological and emotional needs of street children, Masupatsela School was started. The study was carried out in this school. The qualitative research methodology used an action research design which consisted of a reconnaissance phase and three cycles. Each cycle made use of a planning, implementation and evaluation phase. A general plan was formulated after the reconnaissance phase and revised after each cycle. The teaching was done by the researcher using four grades of street children ranging form grade 7 to grade 10. Because of their specific psychological makeup, street children, who have lacked close, comforting and trusting relationships and role models, require a classroom environment, atmosphere and a relationship with the educator which is supportive, caring, warm and firm. To achieve this a client centred approach was used based predominantly on the therapeutic principles of congruence, empathetic understanding and unconditional positive regard. The interaction with the children was based on openness, tolerance, the affirmation of others and honest firmness. The teaching methodology was an eclectic one which made use primarily of a cognitive teaching style which was introduced incrementally over the three cycles. The main components of this style consisted of cognitive questioning, cooperative learning and strategic reading for information. The results of the study showed that both the psychological and educational approach in the classroom to be very appropriate and successful. However the wider negative contextual influences such as the school organization, staffing and curriculum made the classroom strategies difficult to sustain. It is recommended that a programme using these educational and psychological approaches and incorporating functional literacy and numeracy, vocational skills, recreation and a therapeutic programme be incorporated when designing a programme for street children in a formal setting. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

This study investigated the psychological approach and the classroom methodology needed by an educator to teach street children effectively in a special school created for them. Street children with their psychological trauma, their independent, self-sufficient outlook and educational deprivation make their adaption to the methods and educational environment of mainstream schooling difficult. To meet the special educational, psychological and emotional needs of street children, Masupatsela School was started. The study was carried out in this school. The qualitative research methodology used an action research design which consisted of a reconnaissance phase and three cycles. Each cycle made use of a planning, implementation and evaluation phase. A general plan was formulated after the reconnaissance phase and revised after each cycle. The teaching was done by the researcher using four grades of street children ranging form grade 7 to grade 10. Because of their specific psychological makeup, street children, who have lacked close, comforting and trusting relationships and role models, require a classroom environment, atmosphere and a relationship with the educator which is supportive, caring, warm and firm. To achieve this a client centred approach was used based predominantly on the therapeutic principles of congruence, empathetic understanding and unconditional positive regard. The interaction with the children was based on openness, tolerance, the affirmation of others and honest firmness. The teaching methodology was an eclectic one which made use primarily of a cognitive teaching style which was introduced incrementally over the three cycles. The main components of this style consisted of cognitive questioning, cooperative learning and strategic reading for information. The results of the study showed that both the psychological and educational approach in the classroom to be very appropriate and successful. However the wider negative contextual influences such as the school organization, staffing and curriculum made the classroom strategies difficult to sustain. It is recommended that a programme using these educational and psychological approaches and incorporating functional literacy and numeracy, vocational skills, recreation and a therapeutic programme be incorporated when designing a programme for street children in a formal setting. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)