The thesis is focused on the programme Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking (RWCT) and its influence on the pupil's communication skills. The theoretical part provides factual information relating to the topic. It describes communication, communication skills, the status of communication in the Framework Education Programme for Primary Education and summarizes the information about the programme RWCT, its objectives, content and methods. The practical part deals with the influence of methods RWCT on improvment of pupil's communicative skills. It compares lessons at two elementary schools in terms of time, which is spended with pupil's communication, at which they have to express their own thoughts and opinions.

The aim of this diploma thesis is mapping options of the use of the interactive whiteboard in the introductory part of Literature lesson called the evocation, based on formulated findings of needs and interests of the prepubescent reader summarized in the theoretical part. The practical part consists in comparison of teaching with and without the use of the interactive whiteboard, while the lesson plans are conceived in E-U-R model. The undertaken research shows that work with the interactive whiteboard in Literary lessons increase pupils'motivation to predict, makes modelling of reading literacy methods easier, improve vizualization of problematic places in the text and offers unconventional effective way of sharing pupils'ideas and artefacts. The benefit of this work is finding effective ways of the use of the interactive whiteboard in Literature lessons especially in the evocation part of lesson.

The thesis deals with the possibilities of developing emergent literacy, especially story comprehension, with preschool children using selected methods of critical thinking. The theoretical part is devoted to the ways of developing passion for reading and reading literacy in preschool education, it pursues the possibilities of using some of the methods of the RWCT programme (Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking) in working with books in the educational process of the kindergarten. It further describes the development of chidren of preschool age and reading strategies that can already be cultivated at this age. The practical part describes the project Working with Jiří Stránský's book Tales for little Clara that is based on didactic application of its texts intended for preschoolers. The project makes use of selected methods of the RWCT programme. Research using the method of structured interview finds out how methods of critical thinking can influence story comprehension among five-year-old children. It evaluates and interprets the findings from the beginning and the end of the project implementation, compares the determined levels of story comprehension in a group of girls and in a group of boys. The outcomes of the research show a considerable improvement of comprehension following the...

本研究視理性思考與感性人格特質為多面向的結構，探討理性思考與感性人格特質各面向間的關係，並研究個人的性別、學科背景是否與其理性思考及感性人格特質有關。 　　本研究以台大、政大共386位學生為樣本，運用「修訂康乃爾批判思考測驗Z級」、「拓弄思語文創造思考測驗乙式」、「人際敏感性量表」、「美感追求量表」、「感情變異性量表」、「自發性量表」及「同理心量表」等工具收集資料，再以皮爾遜積差相關考驗及多變量變異數分析(MANOVA)進行統計分析。 　　研究結果發現： 　　1.理性思考與正面向感性人格特質有顯著正相關，與負面向感性人格特質沒有顯著相關。 　　2.在理性思考上，性別之間並無顯著差異；在感性人格特質上，女性在「美感傾向」、「同理心」、「情緒化」等三個面向上的分數都顯著高於男性，「情感表達」面向則是未達顯著水準，但是在「人際敏感」面向上卻是男性分數顯著高於女性。 　　3.不同學院學生的批判思考、創造思考及理性思考能力並未有顯著差異。文學院學生的感性人格特質則有「情緒化」面向顯著高於理學院學生及其他學院學生，「人際敏感」面向高於其他學院學生。 　　本研究建議，根據理性思考與感性人格特質之間的相輔相成互動關係，學校宜多鼓勵男學生培養感性人格特質，鼓勵女學生發揮理性思考的潛能，不受刻板印象所限；在大學的通識教育上亦有必要重新調整，提供學生培養經驗整合與整全判斷能力。 / The objectives of this study were to explore the relationship of rational thinking, consisted of critical thinking dimension and creative thinking dimension, and affective personality traits, consisted of four positive dimensions and one negative dimension, from a multidimensional perspective, and to examine if one's sex and major would have influence on his/her rational thinking and affective personality traits. Tests were administered to 386 college students, evaluating their levels of critical thinking, creative thinking, interpersonal sensitivity, aesthetic orientation, emotioanl expressivity, empathy and emotionality. Findings suggest that: (1) Subjects scoring high on Rational thinking have significant high scores in positive dimensions of affective personality traits, but it seems that rational thinking is not related to the negative dimension of affective personality traits. (2) There is no significant sex difference in rational thinking, meanwhile in affective personality traits, female score obviously higher in aesthetic orientation, empathy, and emotionality, and there is no significant sex difference in emotional expressivity, but male score higher in interpersonal sensitivity. (3) Students in different majors don't have significant differences in their critical thinking, creative thinking, and rational thinking abilities, but students majoring art and literature surely score higher in emotionality and aesthetic orientation dimensions than students majoring nature science or other subjects.

This thesis focuses on learner support in Chinese distance education. It draws a picture of Chinese modern distance education, covering the major issues in the field of learner support, and small group work as peer support. The aim of the study is to find out whether or not the learner support, that distance students at university level obtained, has the tendency to support students’ deep learning. The aim has been achieved by examining learner support in six institutions of ICT-based distance education in China. Three other sources of learner support are investigated. The main objectives of the study are: 1) to describe the distance students’ characteristics; 2) to examine their learning habits, learning organizations, and their interactions; 3) to investigate the student support provided by the institutions; family support; societal support; and peer support in the form of small group work. The purpose of this study is to define current practices of learner support in the six distance education institutions, determining the extent of similarities and differences on learner support services among these institutions. The study is applying a case-study approach, using qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate the six Chinese distance education institutions. During the first stage, several field visits were conducted in different research sites with on-site participant observation, non-participant observation and interviews for obtaining knowledge of Chinese distance education. In the second stage, a survey with a student questionnaire was distributed to students present and others online, in total 587. In addition, semi-structured interviews with staff members (administrators, instructors and tutors), individual students, and student focus groups were performed. The present research is one of the few in-depth case studies that focus on the relation between learner support system and different approaches to learning. On the basis of these research findings, the importance of a well-designed learner support system for the distance learner, a system for fostering creative, critical or independent thinking skills, or deep learning, in line with Chinese cultural and social conditions, is underlined.

En aquesta dissertació es pretén valorar l'efectivitat de la WebQuest com a eina didàctica que afavoreix el desenvolupament dels processos d'ensenyament / aprenentatge de continguts curriculars propis de l'àrea de les Ciències Socials i la Història en l'etapa deEnsenyament Secundari Obligaotira. Per a això es realitza una àmplia revisió bibliogràfica sobre la recerca en WebQuests i es presenten 3 estudis quantitatius amb 210 alumnes en tres cursos de secundària, en què s'analitzen els sus textos (estudis 1 i 2) i el seu procés de resolució de l’activitat (estudi 3). Els resultats mostren diferències significatives per a la gran majoria de variables extretes de les anàlisis, a favor de l'experiència amb WebQuests. Es conclou que encara que les anàlisis estadístiques mostren un efecte favorable de l'experiència, convindrien estudis complementaris de tipus qualitatiu que expliquessin la naturalesa d'aquestes diferències d'una manera més detallada a fi de poder valorar amb més precisió l'efectivitat d'aquesta metodologia didàctica. / En esta disertación se pretende valorar la efectividad de la WebQuest como herramienta didáctica que favorecería del desarrollo de los procesos de enseñanza/aprendizaje de contenidos curriculares propios del área de las Ciencias Sociales y la Historia en la etapa de Enseñanza Secundaria Obligatoria. Para ello se realiza una amplia revisión bibliográfica sobre la investigación en WebQuests y se presentan 3 estudios cuantitativos con 210 alumnos en tres cursos de secundaria, en los que se analizan los textos que estos producen (estudios 1 y 2) y su proceso de resolución de la actividad (estudio 3). Los resultados muestran diferencias significativas para la gran mayoría de variables extraídas de los análisis, a favor de la experiencia con WebQuests. Se concluye que aunque los análisis estadísticos muestran un efecto favorable de la experiencia, convendrían estudios complementarios de tipo cualitativo que explicasen la naturaleza de estas diferencias de una manera más pormenorizada en orden a poder valorar con mayor precisión la efectividad de esta metodología didáctica. / This study assess the effectiveness of WebQuest as teaching and learning tools that enhance: 1) learning of contents specific to the area of Social Science and History, 2) causal reasoning and critical thinking development. To that end, a comprehensive literature review on WebQuests research is carried on, and 3 quantitative studies with 210 students in three secondary education levels is conducted by analyzing the texts students produce (Studies 1 and 2) and their performance level on the activity resolution process (Study 3). Results show significant differences for the vast majority of variables which means that the experience with WebQuests could enhance: 1) Social Science and History curricular contents learning, and 2) causal reasoning and critical thinking development. Despite statistical analysis showed a favorable effect of the experience, it is concluded that further qualitative additional studies would be helpful in order to explain the nature of these differences. These studies could spell out the way these differences are working, in order to better assess WebQuests effectiveness.

This thesis presents an argument for the use of dialogic halaqah to develop the personal autonomy of young Muslims in twenty-first century Britain. It begins by developing a theoretical grounding for Islamic conceptualisations of personal autonomy and dialogic pedagogy. In doing so, it aims to generate dialogue between Islamic and ‘western’ educational traditions, and to clarify the theoretical foundation of halaqah, a traditional Islamic oral pedagogy, that has been adapted to meet the educational needs of Muslim children in contemporary Britain. Dialogic halaqah is daily practice in two independent British Muslim faith-schools, providing a safe space for young Muslims to cumulatively explore challenging issues, in order to facilitate the development of selfhood, hybrid identity and personal autonomy, theorised as shakhsiyah Islamiyah. This thesis examines the relationship between thought, language, and the development of personal autonomy in neo-Ghazalian, Vygotskian and Bakhtinian traditions, and suggests the possibility of understanding shakhsiyah Islamiyah as a dialogical Muslim-self. This theoretical work underpins an empirical study of data generated through dialogic halaqah held with groups of schoolchildren and young people. Using established analytic schemes, data from these sessions are subjected to both thematic and dialogue analyses. Emergent themes relating to autonomy and choice, independent and critical thinking, navigating authority, peer pressure, and choosing to be Muslim are explored. Themes related to halaqah as dialogic pedagogy, whether and how it supports the development of agency, resilience and independent thinking, and teacher and learner roles in halaqah, are examined. Moreover, findings from dialogue analysis, which evaluates the quality of educational dialogue generated within halaqah, that is, participants’ capacity to engage in dialogue with each other, as well as with an imagined secular other, are presented. The quality of the dialogic interactions is evaluated, as is evidence of individual participant’s autonomy in their communicative actions.

This thesis describes the proces of implementation of selected elements of Philosophy for Children in the activities of an after-school club. Philosophy for Children and the school club are presented in the theoretical part. The case study describes twenty Philosophy for Children sessions carried out in the morning and afternoon school club programme. Furthermore, factors influencing the programme that have been encounte-red during the philosophical sessions are discussed.

The aim of this study is to report findings of inquiry into the role that problem-based approach can play in the teaching and learning of Technology in Thabo-Mofutsanyana District in Qwaqwa. This study followed qualitative research methods and ethnographic design informed by the researcher’s desire for the study to be conducted from firsthand knowledge generated in the research setting. The researcher interviewed Grade 9 Technology teachers and experts, observed teaching and learning in two participating and two non-participating secondary schools in Murray & Roberts Technology Olympiad and analysed Technology teachers’ lesson plans and workschedules, portfolios and files of Grade 9 Technology learners. Key findings that this study produced include: PBL is a need in the teaching of Technology; learners function at a higher level of thinking; learners treat concepts at higher and deeper level; learners become more motivated and learners are able to discover theories and make inventions. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Nairobi is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa with an average of five hundred people coming to the city on a daily basis. More than seventy percent of these people end up living in the informal settlements. An appropriate model of theological training for church leaders needs to be developed, so as to equip them to work with congregations and communities within the informal settlements, to address the needs and potential of people living in the context of Kibera informal settlements and to bring about spiritual and material transformation in their midst. A qualitative and comparative study was undertaken and data was collected through semistructured interviews and focus group discussions. After interpreting the data, the researcher found out: The problems and needs of the community and challenges of church ministers in the informal settlements are enormous. It includes unemployment, poor housing and sanitation, and a general lack of resources to meet basic needs; as well as negative ethnicity, inadequate ministers‟ stipends and the dependence of church members on ministers.  The existing models of theological education have not effectively equipped church ministers to face these challenges in informal settlement ministry. The research study end by proposing a model that will enable church ministers‟ witness to the incarnation of Christ among marginalized people in the informal settlement of Kibera. This model of theological training will be informed by African, Freirian and Western approaches to education. It will aim to form, inform and transform the pastoral work of ministers in informal settlement contexts. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. A. (Theology in Missiology: Specialization in Urban Ministry)