This is a small qualitative study on figurative language teaching within Swedish schools that stems of from a social-constructionist perspective. The objective of this study is to establish to what extent figurative language is being taught throughout the Swedish school system and illustrate examples of different approaches teachers could use to teach it.

The aim of the thesis is to present the potential of constructivist approaches to teach sequences at high school, with special attention to the problems leading to generalisation. You will read about critical points in the process of generalisation which occurred in TIMSS and PISA international studies and which were examined in the teaching experiment. The question of motivation to learn mathematics is an essential part of this thesis as well as it is an essential part of constructivist approaches to teaching. Two chapters at the beginning analyze school curricular documents, science articles, school textbooks and TIMSS and PISA international studies which formed the theoretical frame of the teaching experiment. The teaching experiment is based on Hejný's theory of generic models and on constructivist approaches to teaching which are introduced in the third chapter. Chapter four which describes the teaching experiment and pre-experiment is the main part of the thesis. It brings inspiration how to deal with the critical points in the process of generalisation and how to motivate pupils to learn mathematics. Key words sequence, generalisation, mathematisation, motivation, approaches to teaching, constructivism

Mathematics has been singled out as a challenging discipline to teach fully online (FO). Yet both the demand for and development of FO mathematics courses is increasing with little known about the quality of these courses and many calling for research. Whereas most research has investigated the nature of these courses by examining instructional outputs such as student grades this research seeks the same insight but by examining instructional inputs. Specifically, it seeks to investigate the nature of current assessment practice in FO mathematics courses. To conduct this investigation, deep learning (Marton & S??lj??, 1976a, 1976b) is used as the principle theoretical framework. From the growing body of literature associated with deep learning, two studies are selected to investigate current FO mathematics instructors assessment practices. An additional framework based on empirical findings related to the use of different kinds of feedback is also used. In total, six study measures are used to conduct a mixed methods study in two parts. The target demographic and course context are tertiary instructors from Western nations that teach introductory level mathematics (particularly statistics and calculus). The first study explores current FO mathematics assessment practices using an online survey (n=70) where the majority of participants originate from US higher education institutions. In the second study six of the US survey participants are interviewed about how their assessment practices and approaches used in their FO mathematics courses differ from those used in their face-to-face (F2F) mathematics courses. This study represents the first known attempt to investigate the nature of tertiary FO mathematics instructors assessment practices using appropriate theoretical frameworks. In particular, it investigates mathematics instructors experiences of the affordances and constraints of the FO course context when adapting their F2F practice to this new environment. Findings suggest the FO course context is a challenging environment for instructors to orient their teaching and assessment practice in a way that helps develop students understanding of mathematics. Analysis of interview responses suggests the problem lies with the nature of interactivity provided in the FO course context.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Abstract Clinical teachers’ experiences of nursing and teaching Clinical nurse teachers’ experiences of nursing and teaching undergraduate nursing students on clinical placement are explored in this thesis because of concerns about the quality of nursing students’ learning outcomes. The aim was to identify variation in clinical teachers’ conceptions of nursing and their conceptions of, and approaches to teaching undergraduate nursing students. The study was significant because clinical teachers’ conceptions of nursing and approaches to clinical teaching have not been researched previously. Underpinning the study was a phenomenographic perspective on learning and teaching. This perspective views learning and teaching in terms of how they were experienced. Experience of nursing and clinical teaching, for example, can be understood in terms of related ‘what’ and ‘how’ aspects. The ‘what’ aspect concerns how nursing and clinical teaching were understood. The ‘how’ aspect is concerned the ways nursing and clinical teaching were approached. Experience of nursing and clinical teaching were described and analysed in terms of the separate ‘what’ and ‘how’ aspects and are understood in terms of the relationship between each of the aspects. Data from semi-structured interviews with twenty clinical teachers were analysed using phenomenographic research techniques (Marton & Booth, 1997) in order to identify variation in how nursing and clinical teaching were experienced. To extend the description, the research also sought to identify the empirical relationships between each of the aspects investigated. Key aspects of variation in clinical teacher experiences of nursing and clinical teaching and associated relationships have been identified. The results suggest that clinical teachers who adopted a student-centred approach to teaching conceived of nursing and clinical teaching in complex ways. The phenomenographic approach provides for an experiential and holistic account of clinical teaching: a perspective absent in nursing education research literature. The research findings extend knowledge that will assist with preparation and support of clinical teachers.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Abstract Clinical teachers’ experiences of nursing and teaching Clinical nurse teachers’ experiences of nursing and teaching undergraduate nursing students on clinical placement are explored in this thesis because of concerns about the quality of nursing students’ learning outcomes. The aim was to identify variation in clinical teachers’ conceptions of nursing and their conceptions of, and approaches to teaching undergraduate nursing students. The study was significant because clinical teachers’ conceptions of nursing and approaches to clinical teaching have not been researched previously. Underpinning the study was a phenomenographic perspective on learning and teaching. This perspective views learning and teaching in terms of how they were experienced. Experience of nursing and clinical teaching, for example, can be understood in terms of related ‘what’ and ‘how’ aspects. The ‘what’ aspect concerns how nursing and clinical teaching were understood. The ‘how’ aspect is concerned the ways nursing and clinical teaching were approached. Experience of nursing and clinical teaching were described and analysed in terms of the separate ‘what’ and ‘how’ aspects and are understood in terms of the relationship between each of the aspects. Data from semi-structured interviews with twenty clinical teachers were analysed using phenomenographic research techniques (Marton & Booth, 1997) in order to identify variation in how nursing and clinical teaching were experienced. To extend the description, the research also sought to identify the empirical relationships between each of the aspects investigated. Key aspects of variation in clinical teacher experiences of nursing and clinical teaching and associated relationships have been identified. The results suggest that clinical teachers who adopted a student-centred approach to teaching conceived of nursing and clinical teaching in complex ways. The phenomenographic approach provides for an experiential and holistic account of clinical teaching: a perspective absent in nursing education research literature. The research findings extend knowledge that will assist with preparation and support of clinical teachers.

The purpose of this study was to investigate if there are correlations among an instructor's approach to teaching, student evaluation of instruction outcomes, and the amount of formal coursework in education a teacher has completed. Three research questions provided the focus for the study: (1) to determine if there is a correlation between the number of formal educational courses taken by athletic training educational program (ATEP) faculty and their approach to teaching; (2) to determine if there is a correlation between the amount of formal educational courses taken by ATEP faculty and their students' evaluations of instruction; and (3) to determine if there is a relationship between faculty's approach to teaching and students' evaluations of instruction. The population for the study was certified athletic trainers working as full-time faculty in ATEPs in the State of Florida. Data were generated using all eligible faculty from 10 of the 13 universities in Florida that offer Athletic Training Educational Programs. The study included faculty who teach in large and small ATEPs. Faculty from public and private, large and small universities were also represented. The faculty completed questionnaires that included demographic information, the Approaches to Teaching Inventory (ATI-R) and the Students' Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ) questionnaire. Based on the research findings, there is clear evidence that there is a lack of uniformity among ATEP faculty in the area of formal exposure to pedagogy and curriculum. 17.6% (n = 3) of respondents earned a bachelor's degree in physical education and 18.8% (n = 3) of respondents earned a master's degree in education, health education, or physical education. Of the 77.8% (n = 14) of respondents who completed or were in progress with a doctoral degree, 42.9% (n = 6) degrees were related to education. Faculty reported completing a mean of 9.25 courses related to education (SD = 7.39). The number of educational courses taken ranged from 0 to 25 courses. The study demonstrates that there is a correlation of large effect size between the amount of formal educational coursework and the SEEQ subscale value of "Assignments/Readings." In addition, the "Assignments/Readings" and "Learning/Academic Value" subscale scores on the SEEQ were significantly higher when instructors had completed more than 10 educational courses. The study found moderate and large correlations and medium and large effect sizes between the scores of 7 of the 8 remaining SEEQ subscales and the number of education courses taken by faculty. In addition, there was a moderate correlation and medium effect size between the total score of the SEEQ and the number of education courses taken by faculty. Though statistically non-significant, each of these correlations were positive and may demonstrate a need for the study to be replicated using greater statistical power.

Des établissements du réseau collégial ont aménagé depuis plusieurs années des locaux appelés classes d’apprentissage actif (CLAAC) (CLAAC.org, 2014; Kingsbury, 2012). Ces aménagements relativement coûteux comparés à des classes traditionnelles sont réalisés dans le but de favoriser le recours aux pédagogies actives et l’utilisation des TIC. Bien que ces deux concepts populaires soient présents en abondance dans la littérature scientifique en éducation, les connaissances sur les effets des CLAAC et leurs causes en particulier sont encore limitées. Plusieurs établissements du réseau s’intéressent de près aux effets de ces classes sur l’apprentissage des personnes étudiantes et à l’accompagnement du personnel enseignant qui les utilise. Chez les établissements partenaires, le fait qu’un grand nombre de personnes enseignantes issues de disciplines variées utilisent ces locaux pour la première fois constitue une occasion d’explorer, à travers des cas dans plusieurs disciplines d’enseignement, le processus d’adoption d’une CLAAC par des personnes enseignantes du postsecondaire et les liens avec la motivation des personnes étudiantes. À partir de cet objectif principal, cette thèse se décline en trois objectifs spécifiques. Le premier s’intéresse aux caractéristiques des personnes enseignantes qui débutent un tel projet, le deuxième aux facteurs qui aident ou nuisent à l’adoption d’une CLAAC et le troisième tisse des liens entre, d’une part, les caractéristiques des personnes enseignantes et étudiantes qui utilisent une CLAAC et d’autre part deux indicateurs de la motivation des personnes étudiantes. Parmi les résultats saillants, on note l’intérêt élevé des cas pour la collaboration, des profils d’entrée variés, des effets sur la motivation qui varient selon au moins deux populations étudiantes et une surcharge de travail importante au point où certains aspects de l’utilisation du local ont été repoussés à plus tard. L’approche d’enseignement s’est aussi révélée une variable d’intérêt à deux reprises : sur les profils d’adoption d’une innovation par les personnes enseignantes et sur les indicateurs de motivation des populations étudiantes. / Several institutions in the college network in Quebec invest in special classrooms designs called active learning class (ALC) (CLAAC.org, 2014; Kingsbury, 2012). These relatively costly arrangements compared to traditional classes aim to promote the use of active pedagogies and the use of ICT. Although these two popular concepts are present in abundance in the scientific literature in education, knowledge on the effects of ALC and their causes are still limited. Several institutions in the network are taking a close interest in the effects of these classes on student learning and in supporting the teachers who use them. For partner institutions in this project, the fact that many teachers from various disciplines are using these premises for the first time is an opportunity to explore, through cases in several teaching disciplines, the process of adopting an ALC by post-secondary teachers and the links to student motivation. From this main objective, this thesis is divided into three specific objectives. The first focuses on the characteristics of teachers who start such a project, the second on the factors that help or hinder the adoption of an ALC and the third attempts to establish links between the characteristics of people who use an ALC (teachers and students) and two indicators of student motivation. Among the salient results, we note the teachers' high interest in collaboration, various entry profiles, effects on motivation that vary according to at least two different student populations and a significant workload overload to the point where certain aspects of use of the classroom have been hindered. The teaching approach (approach to teaching model) also proved to be a variable of interest on two occasions: on the profiles of adoption of an innovation by teachers and on student motivation indicators.

Siguiendo el marco teórico de Students´ Approaches to Learning y respondiendo a los objetivos del Proceso de Bolonia sobre la importancia de la formación docente, esta investigación analizó la fiabilidad y validez de dos instrumentos para medir los enfoques de enseñanza y de aprendizaje; describió la muestra (estudiantes de Máster en Formación del Profesorado de Secundaria) según sus enfoques, y observó que se habían producido cambios significativos en los enfoques de enseñanza; analizó la relación entre los enfoques de enseñanza y de aprendizaje; y presentó una nueva versión en español del cuestionario Approaches to Teaching Inventory (ATI) para medir los enfoques de enseñanza. En general los resultados apoyan estudios previos. Se observó que los enfoques se hicieron menos centrados en el profesor. Una mejora en los enfoques de enseñanza hacia tendencias centradas en el estudiante podría redundar positivamente en los enfoques de aprendizaje de los alumnos de educación secundaria. / Educational research has yielded a large number of studies on how university students accomplish a learning task, and how teachers approach their teaching profession. Following the Students´ Approaches to Learning (SAL) theoretical background under the new European framework, this doctoral dissertation analysed reliability and validity of two instruments to measure approaches to teaching and to learning; identified pre-service teachers´ approaches to learning, and to teaching at the beginning and upon completion of an initial teacher training course, in order to assess any changes; explored the relationship (correlation) between approaches to learning and approaches to teaching; and presented a revised Spanish version of the Approaches to Teaching Inventory. Overall, results support previous studies. Towards the end of the programme, participants became less teacher-focused, which highlights the positive effects teacher training might have, as identified in previous research, and hints towards how pre-service teachers might teach in the near future.

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the application of OBE principles such as the learner-centred approach, teacher facilitation and integration of knowledge in the teaching of African languages in the senior phase. The study was conducted in Vhembe and Mopani District in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Data were collected through observation, an interview schedule and documentary analysis. The constructivist grounded theory provided a theoretical framework for this study. Data were analysed simultaneously with the data-collection process informed by the constructivist grounded theory. This investigation revealed that teachers do not apply the investigated OBE principles in the teaching of African languages in the senior phase. Instead, they still teach in the manner they used before the introduction of the OBE approach. There were many reasons advanced by teachers for their failure to apply these principles in their teachings. A lack of knowledge and skills necessary to apply this new approach was prevalent. This lack of knowledge could be attributed to the inadequate teacher training received and noncommitment to OBE approach by the teachers. The study found that the investigated principles were not applied because of a lack of application strategies, the failure to interpret policy documents and resistance to change by teachers. In view of the findings in this study, the researcher deemed it imperative to make recommendations which could be used for further studies in order to achieve the proper application of OBE principles in the teaching of African languages. / D. Ed. (Didactics) / Educational Studies

The study explored instructors' conceptions of teaching and their teaching practices in four Ethiopian universities in the light of the existing calls for the employment of student-centred approach to teaching in higher education in Ethiopia. The study was grounded on the assumption that instructors are unlikely to adopt student-centred approach to teaching unless their conceptions of teaching are developed and/or unless the teaching environment is supportive. To address the objective of the study, data were collected using a mixed methods research design using a sequential exploratory strategy. Based on this strategy, data were obtained first qualitatively from 20 instructors through interviews and classroom observations and then quantitatively from 160 instructors and 170 students through questionnaires. The data from the interviews and the classroom observations were analysed qualitatively using a phenomenographic approach and content analysis respectively whereas the data from the questionnaires were analysed statistically using SPSS. From this, frequencies, mean scores and percentages were computed in order to summarise and interpret responses. In addition, independent samples test and one-way ANOVA were applied to examine the differences in conceptions of and approaches to teaching among instructors. Furthermore, Pearson correlation coefficient was applied to examine the relationship between instructors‟ conceptions of teaching and their teaching practices. From the results, it was found that instructors‟ conceptions of teaching in the four universities incline towards the student-centred conception of teaching though there were also instructors whose conceptions of teaching were the traditional teacher-centred. Regarding teaching practices, although the instructors claimed that their teaching practices were student-centred, the results of the study appear to suggest that meaningful instructional practices were still under the influence of the traditional conception of teaching. In addition, numerous factors were found to be impeding the proper implementation of student-centred instruction including the background of the students, the instructors‟ obsession with lecturing and lack of enabling environment. Based on the findings, teaching improvement programs that develop instructors‟ conceptions of teaching were suggested. Furthermore, a supportive environment that enables instructors to translate their changed conceptions of teaching into their teaching practices was recommended. Finally, recommendations for further studies were provided. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)