This thesis describes an exploratory study designed to investigate the beliefs and perceptions of eight English language lecturers about, and their classroom practices in implementing the curriculum change that was enacted in 2010 at the undergraduate level in the public sector colleges in Pakistan. Research indicates that curriculum change is a highly complex and a multifaceted process (Carl, 2009), and its success depends on a number of features. In this respect, it is acknowledged that teachers and their multiple roles contribute significantly to the success or failure of any educational reform or change. Therefore, this exploration focussed on investigating teachers’ implementation of the curriculum change through an analysis of their beliefs about teaching and learning, their perceptions about the curriculum change, and the issues involved in implementation. My approach is interpretive, and thus qualitative research methodology was employed to obtain an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon under investigation. Semi structured interviews and classroom observations were used as data collection instruments. The analysis of the data revealed that, in spite of the lecturers’ generally positive attitude towards the concept of change and their belief in the importance of English for both individual and national progress, there was a limited uptake of the new communicative curriculum. The study indicated that teachers’ beliefs combined with a number of external factors including the student level, educational culture, examination washback, lack of resources and support, and absence of teacher training could be an explanation for contradictions between the intended and the implemented curriculum change. The study concluded that the needs of the teachers must be acknowledged, and measures should be taken to create compatibility between the teachers’ beliefs, contextual factors and the reform policies. Although the study does not provide any explicit solutions to the problem of change and reform implementation, the insights revealed significant implications, clarified some critical issues, and offered some recommendations which might prove beneficial not only for curriculum planning and implementation in the future, but could also be useful in guiding those involved in the present curriculum change. Important areas were also suggested for further research in the field.

Culturally shared beliefs about societies and humanity play a prominent part in world events, from beliefs about the histories and destinies of nations to beliefs about the appropriate relationship between humanity and the natural world. Many of these beliefs are "metanarratives," simplified representations of past and future societal trends, which often have narrative elements, such as goals, dramatic features, a sense of suspense for group members, and affective judgments about the passage of events over time. In this exploratory study, lifelong residents of the United States (N = 299 undergraduate students and 88 members of a web sample of older adults) indicated their degree of agreement with 73 metanarrative statements. Factor analysis of the students' personal belief scores for the 73 metanarratives revealed a pattern of clustering into six factors, indicating that people tend to believe in families of metanarratives. The six factors were Traditional Religion, American Secular Values, International Cooperation, Eco-Romanticism, Anti-Government Cynicism, and Rational Progress. The web sample largely replicated this structure, but with only four factors. The factors were highly correlated with political party affiliation and other psychosocial and demographic variables, including religiousness, Saucier "isms" factors, and MFQ moral foundations. Participants were also asked about the extent to which some of their strongest beliefs were reflected in their personal activities: career choice, leisure time, spending money, voting, joining groups, reading and viewing, and discussion. The 73 metanarratives were coded for several narrative features: evaluative schema (such as Progress or Looming Catastrophe), presence of standard story elements (context, problem, outcome), presence of goals, and presence of references to cognitively exceptional elements (circumstances beyond the ordinary), such as the sacred, transcendental, unique, or extreme. For both samples, metanarratives with an evaluative schema indicating two possible paths were more motivating than those with only one outcome (e.g., stability or a cycle of recurring ups-and-downs). Further, those with goals were more motivating than those without, and for the web sample, those with cognitively exceptional elements were more motivating than those without. Further study of metanarratives should help to better illuminate the factors leading to individuals' decisions to participate in their larger societies.

Orientador: Ulisses Ferreira de Araujo / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-06T14:21:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pataro_CristinaSatiedeOliveira_M.pdf: 585424 bytes, checksum: 23275418eead24b7c09ada201d57cdf8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar o funcionamento psíquico do ser humano, em sua complexidade, e está embasado na Teoria dos Modelos Organizadores do Pensamento, segundo a qual os processos relativos ao pensamento envolvem não apenas aspectos cognitivos, mas também de outra natureza, como afetiva e sociocultural. Em vista de estudar até que ponto os elementos culturais podem influenciar o funcionamento psíquico e mental do ser humano, buscou-se investigar em que medida as crenças religiosas podem influenciar os modelos organizadores aplicados pelos sujeitos diante de questões relativas à sexualidade humana. O método de investigação envolveu a aplicação de um questionário a um total de 100 sujeitos, divididos em 4 grupos: 25 católicos, 25 adventistas, 25 espíritas e 25 estudantes universitários dentre os quais não se levou em conta a religião. O questionário empregado versou sobre temáticas de sexualidade diante das quais o sujeito deveria colocar, primeiramente, seu posicionamento pessoal e, em seguida, a postura de sua religião. Os resultados demonstraram que os modelos organizadores aplicados pelos sujeitos incorporaram elementos relativos às crenças religiosas, indicando que estas de fato influenciaram a organização do pensamento. Foi verificado, entretanto, que a influência das crenças religiosas na organização do pensamento atuou em conjunto a outras variáveis concernentes ao funcionamento psíquico dos sujeitos em questão / Abstract: The present research work aimed to study the psychological functioning of human being, and it was based on the ¿Organizing Models of Thinking¿ Theory. By this theory the process related to human thinking involves not only the cognitive aspects but also other ones such as affective and cultural. In order to study the influences of cultural elements on psychological and mental functioning of human being, our investigation aimed to detect the possible influences of religious beliefs on organizing models applied by a person toward questions related to human sexuality. The methodology used was written interview applied to 100 individuals divided in 4 groups. The groups included 25 Catholics, 25 Adventists, 25 Spiritualists and a fourth group including 25 university students where no religious beliefs were considered. The questionnaire involved questions where each one answered firstly considering the personal positioning, and then it was asked the positioning of his religion. The results indicated that the organizing models applied by subjects incorporated elements related to his religious beliefs, which indicated the real influence in the personal thinking. The results indicated also that the influences of the religious beliefs were affected by other elements related to psychological functioning of subjects / Mestrado / Ensino, Avaliação e Formação de Professores / Mestre em Educação

Esta dissertação de mestrado teve como objetivo conhecer as crenças de professoras alfabetizadoras de uma escola da rede do ensino público no interior de São Paulo sobre a leitura, em seu uso, aprendizagem e ensino. Para alcançar este objetivo foi realizada uma entrevista com estas professoras, utilizando a metodologia do grupo focal. As análises dos resultados e as discussões fundamentaram-se em duas principais concepções teóricas que permeiam as questões relativas à aprendizagem da leitura e da escrita: a abordagem da psicologia cognitiva e a apoiada na psicogênese da língua escrita. Com isso, buscou-se verificar expressões e aproximações das crenças dessas professoras a estes referenciais teóricos, de maneira consciente ou não. Os dados obtidos mostraram que as professoras têm como maior fonte de aprendizagem, formação profissional e sustento de suas ações docentes, a própria prática da sala de aula. Além disso, como principais resultados pode-se dizer que as professoras mostraram-se muito comprometidas com o que chamaram de uma aprendizagem significativa e contextualizada da leitura e consideram o ensino das letras, de seus sons e das sílabas muito importantes neste processo / This work sought to know the beliefs of literacy teachers of a school in the São Paulos education public system. To achieve this goal an interview with these teachers was conducted using the methodology of the focus group. The discussions and the analyzes of the results were based on two main theoretical concepts that permeate the issues related to the learning process of reading and writing: the cognitive psychologys approach and the approach supported by the psychogenesis of written language. Thus, I tried to determine which of these approaches were closest to the beliefs of these teachers, consciously or not. The data showed that the main source of teachers learning, training and support of their teaching practice is their own classroom activities. Moreover, the main results are that the teachers were very committed to what they called a meaningful and contextualized learning of reading and considered the teaching of alphabetic characters, their sounds and syllables is very important in this process

Abstract The goals in diabetes care are good metabolic control, minimisation of complications due to diabetes and a good quality of life. In order to achieve these goals, it is important that persons with diabetes adhere to self-care. Internationally, there are numerous studies available about adherence to self-care among adults with diabetes, but in Finland there are hardly any, especially in nursing science. The purpose of this study was to examine adherence to self-care and also how metabolic control, social support and health locus of control beliefs are related to patient adherence. The data were gathered by questionnaires from 213 working-aged adults with insulin-treated diabetes from the Oulu Health Center or the Central Hospital of Lapland. The response rate was 76%. In order to verify the reliability and the validity of the instruments, we used correlation coefficients, factor analysis and item-total analysis. Internal consistency was checked by Cronbach's alfa. Cross-tabulations with the chi-square test of independence, correlations, One- and Two-Way ANOVA and covariate analysis were used for data analysis. Our multivariate statistical methods consisted of logistic and multiple linear regression analysis and cluster analysis. The subjects who were adherent to self-care had better metabolic control than those who neglected self-care. A fifth of the respondents were neglecting their self-care. The others undertook flexible, regimen-adherent or self-planned self-care. Poor metabolic control, smoking and living alone explained neglect of self-care. If the diabetic got support from her/his family and friends, living alone was not a predictor of neglect of self-care. Those who were adherent to self-care perceived themselves as getting more support from their family and friends than the group who neglected self-care. Those who had poor metabolic control perceived themselves as getting peer support from other persons with diabetes. Those who were adherent to self-care were responsible internals who believed both in their own action and in health care team action. Those who mainly believed in health care team action (powerful other externals) were more adherent to self-care than those with an internal or chance external health locus of control. We got evidence about the importance of adherence to self-care, and its relationship with metabolic control, social support anf HLOC beliefs. The results can be used when developing the individual patient education of persons with diabetes.

In this multi-case qualitative research study I explored the beliefs and practices of selected Tanzanian pre-primary educators, with regard to the role of play in early years education. The purpose was to gain insights into how the educators conceptualize play, understand its contribution to development, and if and how they incorporate it into their teaching/learning activities. Factors influencing their beliefs about play also were investigated. The study helps address an imbalance in the professional knowledge base in Early Childhood Education by providing research about play from a non-Western context. Fifteen interviews were conducted with three head and five pre-primary teachers from four schools. Observations (a total of 240 minutes at each school) were made to establish the presence of play and playful behaviour, with selected sessions video-recorded. Video clips, used to aid recall of, and reflection on, teaching practices and activities supported the teachers’ interviews. Information from observations and curricular document reviews was used to enrich the findings from interviews. Data were thematically coded and Fleer’s (2002) three sociocultural planes (personal, interpersonal, and community) used to analyze the influences on participants’ beliefs and practices. Findings indicate that play is primarily understood to consist of enjoyable physical activities which teachers can exploit to motivate/activate children before and during lessons, but such play was not seen to contribute directly to the cognitive/academic development education is expected to enhance. Large class size, parents’ demands for written work, curriculum requirements and teachers’ limited competence were found to impede provision for play in the classroom. Implications and recommendations for contextually appropriate policy, curriculum, and pre-primary teacher education programs are outlined. The need for expansion of traditional notions of play and its role in education, as well as the use of traditional games and culturally meaningful materials in the curriculum are highlighted. / Graduate

This study reviews the burgeoning literature on followership and tests propositions from a recently developed theoretical framework to explore the relationship between follower behaviours, leaders’ perceptions of follower trustworthiness (trusting beliefs), and leaders’ subsequent willingness to be vulnerable to the actions of their followers (trusting intentions). Leaders’ implicit followership theories (IFTs) were examined as a potential moderator of both relationships. Results revealed that passive followership influenced leaders’ trusting beliefs negatively, whereas collaborative followership had a positive influence on leaders’ trusting beliefs as well as leaders’ trusting intentions. The most extreme form of proactive followership, challenging followership, had nonsignificant relationships with leaders’ trusting beliefs and intentions. In addition, leaders’ IFTs did not interact with followership behaviour to produce any change in leaders’ trusting beliefs. However, IFTs were found to moderate the relationship between leaders’ trusting beliefs and trusting intentions. Implications for research and practice are discussed in light of the results.

The thesis is focused on five religious beliefs officially allowed by Chinese government. It briefly reviews an attitude of Chinese government to religious beliefs through last sixty years and discusses ideas that stems from theological nature of the religious beliefs and its impact on believer's economic activity. Ordered Logit analysis and other methods are used to analyze the conclusions that follow from these ideas. As data sources it uses socio-economic questionnaires World Values Survey and Spiritual Life Study of Chinese Residents - Association of Religion Data Archives. Several analyses can serve as a proof that there is a relationship between respondents' religion and their economic thinking and acting and that it also influences respondents' quality of life. The quality of live is measured as a set of categorical variables. These variables will be judged from the point of view of liberal economics.

The question of whether Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, and if so in what sense, is one of the most important in historical Jesus research. Although many factors play a role in answering this question, one has been neglected for far too long: the Christology of Jesus’ disciples. This thesis provides a much needed analysis of the disciples’ view of Jesus. Numerous Gospel passages are evaluated using criteria, such as the criterion of multiple independent attestation and the criterion of embarrassment, to determine their historicity. These passages are then studied against the background of Second Temple Judaism to determine how the disciples viewed Jesus. The analysis demonstrates that from the time Jesus’ disciples first began following him they believed he was the Messiah. Ultimately, this conclusion strongly reinforces the view that Jesus made a messianic claim for himself.

Includes bibliographical references / This thesis explores the beliefs of mathematics teachers working in a rural school in South Africa. This is premised on the argument that understanding the beliefs of teachers is a necessary, even if insufficient, prerequisite to designing effective teacher development programmes. I postulate that take-up rates of new content and teaching methods are low due to unmanaged cognitive conflict with pre-existing beliefs about the nature of teaching. A broad review of the literature on beliefs as a concept is conducted to establish theoretical grounding for the study of beliefs as an abstract object of analysis (Green, 1971; Nespor, 1987; Pajares, 1992). I particularly refer to Ernest's (1989) models of mathematics epistemology, and Adler's (2001) dilemmas of teaching mathematics in multilingual classrooms. Multiple studies of mathematics teachers' beliefs are drawn upon to relate beliefs to classroom practice. Qualitative data on two mathematics teachers working in a rural school in the Eastern Cape was gathered over the period of a month, using ethnographic methods as outlined by Thompson (1992) for gathering evidence of beliefs. Primary data, which consisted of pre-interviews, multiple lesson observations and stimulated-recall post-interviews, was analysed for evidence of teacher beliefs. Secondary data, in the form of a researcher journal and socio-economic information about the school, was also gathered to provide rich context data in which to situate the teachers' work. Particular attention was paid to teacher beliefs about teaching and learning, mathematics and language. Further evidence for beliefs was then obtained through close examination of an observation extract using classroom discourse analysis. The main finding of this thesis was that not only does a school's context provide logistical constraints to curriculum implementation and pedagogical change, but that the worldviews of teachers affect their interpretation of the curriculum (Chapman, 2002). Significantly, a relationship between the mathematics epistemology a teacher holds and their ability to admit language as a critical pedagogical factor is suggested. I conclude that detailed understanding of what teachers believe may provide a productive approach for teacher development programmes that aim to effect change.