The extent to which participation in research is seen as an essential part of Initial Teacher Education programmes is very variable across time and institutions. Where it is a necessary part of the programme, student teachers are expected to engage in classroom enquiry and this is considered beneficial for them, the schools involved and to others more widely. This thesis explores student teacher research as knowledge creation, how the knowledge created by examples of the University of Sussex PGCE Special Study was used by the students, their school-based mentors and professional tutors and what effect this had on the culture of the schools. The research is presented through multiple embedded case studies derived from interviews with three participants in each of three schools: a student teacher researcher, their departmental mentor and the professional tutor. These are discussed through a micro-political lens by cross-section according to their collective role and holistically in relation to each school case. This analysis is further developed using a Bourdieusian analysis to support an understanding of how participants used the Special Studies to further their individual interests. The place of student research in the contested field of national initial teacher education policy is also discussed in order to highlight conflicted constructs of teacher professionalism. The ‘insider-outsider' binary is explored throughout the thesis and is reflected in its iterative methodology, types of knowledge, models of research, communities of practice and the researcher's own biography. Conflict and disruption are reviewed as offering creative potential and it is proposed that student teachers and their research are uniquely positioned to constitute a hybrid ‘semi-insider/outsider'. It is argued that by occupying this mid-space they can make a unique contribution to their school communities and the professional knowledge of teachers. However, the extent to which this takes place will depend on the potential that agents see for student research to further their own positional interests in a contested field. The thesis concludes that research projects can not only prepare student teachers for a research-active model of teacher professionalism, but also allow them to make an important contribution to partnership schools.

This research focused on achieving greater understanding of the teaching of speaking within modern foreign languages (MFL) and of Initial Teacher Education (ITE). It is a case study with elements of action research, including an intervention in my own practice and in two classrooms. However, the intervention was not the sole or primary or focus of the research. As a practitioner researcher, my aim was to generate knowledge which might improve practice in schools but could also be applied to my own practice. The thesis addresses the research questions: To what extent can focused Initial Teacher Education improve speaking skills in secondary Modern Foreign Language classrooms? How do MFL trainees and secondary school students experience the teaching of speaking skills? How do trainees plan for input and practice, including target language? To what extent is MFL subject-specific pedagogic knowledge valued and utilised in secondary schools? The research consisted of three elements: First a study of three cohorts' work in the ITE MFL course, including documents generated by the trainees supplemented by group interviews with the trainees. Second, a study of an intervention within the ITE MFL course, involving changes to its curriculum, pedagogy and assessment which were intended to raise the profile of speaking in trainees' preparation for classroom practice. Third, a study of a classroom intervention in which two trainees prepared and conducted a group talk activity with their Year 8 classes. The lessons and students' comments on speaking in MFL lessons were recorded and analysed. The over-arching theoretical framework of the thesis was pragmatism, drawing on the work of Biesta (2010) and Dewey (1936), and the analytical framework was based on Engeström's (2007) Activity Theory. The data were analysed thematically as part of Quantitative Content Analysis (Silverman, 2011). Students' language during the classroom intervention was analysed using Halliday's (1973) linguistic functions and Ellis' (2005) principles of instructed language learning were used as an evaluative framework for trainees' lesson plans. The literature review compares key elements of both the Key Stage Three Framework for MFL and the GCSE assessment framework for speaking in MFL with theories of second language acquisition. The data analysis suggests that subject-specific pedagogy is dominated by generic pedagogy in trainees' academic writing and in their feedback from school-based subject mentors. This is attributed, in part, to an over-emphasis on measurable outcomes in current objectives-based educational policies. The qualified success of the group talk intervention suggests that incorporating a task-based language teaching approach into school schemes of work would be beneficial, accommodating the meta-cognitive benefits of assessment for learning within an established model of language teaching. An analysis of the Initial Teacher Education partnership using Activity Theory indicates that structural constraints allow limited scope for innovation in the classroom practice of either teachers or trainees. Students expressed anxiety about making errors and appearing foolish to their peers. However, trainees also commented that teachers' anxieties about poor behaviour prevented them conducting pair work or small group work with some of their classes. In conclusion, using wider professional content knowledge could avoid an over-emphasis on short-term performance goals when complying with policy initiatives and external assessment frameworks concerning linguistic and professional knowledge. Trainees need to “fit in” with the culture of the host department by adopting its rules and tools but changes in the division of labour to allow increased collaborative work including trainees, mentors and tutors could support innovation. MFL pedagogy should provide sufficient input for the foreign language to be learned, thus enabling speaking in the target language, rather than using speaking as an aspect of performativity.

Following an action research framework, my research investigates professional development for English Language teachers in the Arab World, who are non-native speakers of English themselves. The thesis has five chapters: Literature Review, Critical Contexts, Methodology of the Study, Data Analysis and Presentation, and finally the Discussion and Findings of the research. The Literature Review covers works relevant to the area of the study in relation to existing teacher practices, teacher effectiveness and current professional development opportunities. The second chapter presents some critical contexts of the study; the researcher's personal and professional contexts, and the research sites. These provide accounts of the researcher's background as an English language teacher, trainer and researcher. This section clarifies the need for focused research in the area of professional development of English language teachers. The next section provides an overview of the United Arab Emirates, teaching population and study sample. After reviewing a range of educational research methodologies, the Methodology of the Study explains why Action Research was found to be the most appropriate framework for the project, and most particularly the Deakin participatory action research approach. Characteristics of the research population and study sample are then discussed. Thereafter, the data collection instruments (needs assessment questionnaires, interviews, observation checklists, discussions, feedback forms and documents) are discussed in relation to their role and purposes in the study. The chapter concludes by outlining the research phases, intervention strategy and the ethical dimensions of the study, particularly in relation to researcher identity and power relations. The Data Analysis and Presentation chapter focuses on summarising the data and identifying the general themes and clusters to be addressed by the interventions. The thesis concludes with the Discussion and Findings of the research. This final chapter covers the design and operation of the first and second interventions. It also aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the action research framework. This is followed by the research statement and discussion of the main findings, particularly how the findings of the research have affected the decision making policy in the professional development of teachers working for the UAE Ministry of Education. The findings of the research section also provides recommendations for policy and practice.

This thesis is concerned with the life and career of Sir Philip Baxter (1905-1989), particularly during the period following his arrival in Australia from England in 1950. But the thesis is not a conventional biographical study in terms of either the sources used or its guiding themes. Instead, my subject's values and attitudes are portrayed as reflections of a 'conservative style of thought', a concept developed by Karl Mannheim. This approach, centred on close readings of key texts, permits a deeper understanding of a figure who polarised opinion over a long career as Chairman of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission, and as Vice-Chancellor of the University of NSW. My picture of Baxter draws significantly on the Archives of the University of NSW, which provided the bulk of my primary sources, such as correspondence files, typescripts of articles and talks, newspaper clippings, official documents and personal memorabilia. This material is a substantial but curiously unrevealing source for Baxter's life. Although I rely largely on written material, on several important occasions I refer to discussions I had with Baxter's children, colleagues and students. Insights thereby gained into Baxter's childhood reading, and the circumstances of the composition of his play, The Day the Sun Rose in the West, profoundly influenced my portrayal of Baxter. Throughout, I argue for an appreciation of the significance of such material, even though in a more conventional study of an engineer/administrator it would be thought of only marginal interest. In Baxter's case, certainly, careful interpretation of such material enables the construction of a compelling portrait of the man despite the unrevealing primary records and the still often fervently partisan personal recollections of those who knew him. My major conclusion is that previous characterisations of Baxter as a cold war warrior of the post-war period in Australia have failed to appreciate the complexity and coherence of his attitudes and philosophy. Secondly, I demonstrate that the notion of a 'conservative style of thought' captures that complexity as evidenced in the many facets of Baxter's career and interests.

This study addresses the gap in our understanding of the processes used to recruit and select Vice-Chancellors for Australian Universities. There are presently 39 recognised Universities in Australia and between them they provide the nation with the academically qualified leaders of the future. As such one would expect that not only would they be the vessels of our knowledge, but also that they would be managed and led in ways that were similar to those in use in the private sector. The changes that have taken place in the higher education system have meant that additional pressures have been placed upon the senior executive of each University. The transition from a binary system to the current unified system, the advent of the global community, increased technology and new management practices have created the need for University management to adopt recognised management and leadership practices. The Federal government has moved to reduce the dependence of the system upon recurrent funding and there has been an increase in managerialism within Universities. One outcome has been the need for the Chief Executive Officer (Vice-Chancellor) to develop additional management and leadership skills in order to cope with the changes occurring and the rate of change. In the United States, the selection criteria used to recruit Vice-Chancellors (or University Presidents) have changed to reflect the desire for candidates to have backgrounds in management and leadership. The role of the Vice-Chancellor is critical to the success of educational institutions that are now being managed as autonomous business units responsible for budget, growth, mergers as well as maintaining academic credibility. A literature review revealed that the work undertaken by David Sloper formed virtually our entire knowledge base of Vice-Chancellors in Australia. Sloper identified democratic and incumbency patterns, social characteristics, the legal basis for the role and what incumbents actually do. Thus we know quite a deal about the role and incumbents. However the same literature review showed that while this data existed, it did not extend to the processes that were used within the Higher Education system, to target, identify and select suitable candidates. Clearly there was also no examination as to the effectiveness of such processes or how they could be improved if necessary. Given the importance of Universities in Australia and their role in Higher Education, this lack of knowledge provided the basis for this study and the systematic review of all available data. The study also identified a paradox in addition to the lack of research on recruitment and selection practices in this unique microcosm. The paradox concerns the fact that many of the successful candidates do not come from a ‘business’ discipline as may be expected for a role considered to be the Chief Executive Officer of the institution. Yet in Australia, previous research indicated that the ‘rules’ for recruiting Vice-Chancellors have changed little and that traditionally candidates have come from the science disciplines (Sloper, 1994). While this in itself does not indicate that incumbents are lacking in fundamental management and leadership knowledge and expertise, an obvious question arises. Why are Australian Vice-Chancellors not drawn from faculties where this expertise resides or why are they not drawn from the business community? In order to further examine the processes in place and to a lesser extent the paradox, all available data was collected regarding the roles of Vice-Chancellors, the paths they have taken to the position as well as selection criteria, position outlines, job adverts and related material. This was thoroughly examined and then a brief questionnaire was forwarded to current incumbents and other involved stakeholders. Interviews were conducted to clarify specific issues and case studies prepared accordingly. Thus this qualitative study thoroughly researches the recruitment and selection practices in use, attempts to determine their effectiveness and addresses the paradox in order to provide a detailed framework that allows these elements to be explained.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2007. / Title from title screen (site viewed Dec. 4, 2007). PDF text: xii, 452 p. : ill. ; 17 Mb. UMI publication number: AAT 3273190. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on December 13, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Grace Theological Seminary, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-65).

PURPOSE-Administrators of nursing homes are turning over at very high rates in the present industry. With the growth of older populations needing skilled nursing care, this presents a risk to the needs of the elderly. Satisfaction and turnover have been correlated in the literature. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore dimensions of satisfaction and dissatisfaction among nursing home administrators in order to ascertain constructs potentially contributing to dissatisfaction in the industry. METHODS-Informational letters were mailed to all licensed administrators in the state (N=143) who were then randomized to receive follow-up invitational phone calls to join the study. Those interested in participating were asked a few short screening questions about their tenures in the industry and overall perceptions of satisfaction. Interested participants were then divided into 3 different strata based on their tenures. Purposive sampling informed the choices of participants and selected 10 from each of the shortest, longest, and most dynamic tenures. Interviews occurred on nursing home sites around Oregon. Grounded theory was used in a priori analysis by means of a coding paradigm in order to allow emergent data to reveal substantive categories in a theoretically directed pattern of coding, contrasting, verifying, and eventually grounding new theory in data. FINDINGS-Allowing the data to emerge in analysis of satisfaction and dissatisfaction revealed two corresponding core categories, Constraints to the Job and Meaningful Work. Constraints to the Job included 4 categories: Bureaucratic Constraints, Budgetary Constraints, Personnel Constraints, and Ethical Constraints. Meaningful Work included Working Conditions and Meaningful Interiors. As dissatisfaction and satisfaction were further compared and verified, theory grounded in data emerged and revealed that constraints to the job obstruct an administrator's autonomy, which in turn impedes the ability to engage in meaningful work and contributes to dissatisfaction. CONCLUSIONS-While constructs of dissatisfaction emerged, administrators on the whole revealed high satisfaction with their positions. Future studies should concentrate on the bureaucratic constraints to the job as these constraints were perceived as extremely dissatisfying and hold political implications for state and corporate policies. / Graduation date: 2005

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2005. / Bibliography: leaves 33-36.