The study of preschool children's peer relations has primarily employed sociometric interviews and observations of children's social participation during free-play situations as methods of assessment. These assessments of peer relations have traditionally demonstrated lack of fit between attitude (as measured by sociometry) and behavior (observation of social participation). Often, sociometric peer preference and acceptance does not correspond to children's observation of social participation during freeplay. The present study was designed to improve this attitude-behavior fit by developing the Crystallized Sociometric Scales which employed post stratification of opinion responses. Subjects consisted of 65 preschool children between three- to five- years- of age, divided into two preschool groups of 45 and 20 subjects. Interviews on both the traditional sociometric scales and the crystallized sociometric (weighted with questions on peer exclusivity and friendship concept) were obtained. Observation of social participation used Parten's category of play with interval time sampling. Sociometric analyses of data provided a child by child picture of the social structure of the peer group. The discrepancy scores between social participation and the traditional and crystallized sociometric variables were compared using t-tests. Results indicated that peer exclusivity provided the best attitude-behavior fit and was significantly better than the traditional nomination score. The level of the friendship concept did not affect the social participation of children. Crystallized ratings were not significantly different from the traditional ratings. The stability of the Crystallized Sociometric Scales was moderate, although it was significantly better than the traditional sociometric scales. It was concluded that crystallized sociometric nominations provide a methodology to improve the attitude-behavior fit. Although correlated, sociometry and social participation measure different aspects of peer relations whose relationship can be influenced by measurement procedures. / Graduation date: 1992

Thesis (MTech (Education))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007 / Daar kan nie van leerders (wat geleer is wat om te leer, hoe om dit te leer, wanneer en waar om dit te leer) verwag word om skielik verantwoordelikheid vir hulle eie leer in ons moderne informasie-era te aanvaar nie. Die probleem is dat die leerders nie blootgestel of die geleentheid gebied word om hulle eie leer te bestuur nie. Daarom moet onderrigmateriaal verseker dat die leerders blootgestel word aan die geleentheid om hulle eie leer te bestuur. Deur die gebruik van bestaande onderrigmateriaal, wat nie selfgerigte leer (SGL) koester me, kan leerders geforseer word om afbanklike leerders te bly en nie te ontwikkel tot lewenslange en selfgerigte leerders (leerders wat bevoeg is om op hulle eie te kan leer) nie. Verder veroorsaak die gebruik van bestaande onderrigmateriaal deur opvoeders dat die unieke behoeftes van die leerders in 'n klas nie in ag geneem word nie en dat opvoedergerigte leer in plaas van selfgerigte leer bevorder en aangemoedig word. Die rede hiervoor is dat opvoeders, weens 'n gebrek aan kennis van SGL, nie van beter weet nie. Die betroubaarheid van selfgerigte leer word versterk wanneer die opvoeders en die skeppers van onderrigmateriaal 'n deeglike begrip en kennis van die SGL-proses het. Die primere doel van hierdie navorsing is om kriteria te ontwikkel, wat as 'n riglyn kan dien om onderrigmateriaal wat SGL koester te ontwikkel- dus materiaal wat rigting aan die leerders gee om hulle eie leer te bestuur. Die kriteria is gevorm na aanleiding van 'n literatuurstudie van bestaande navorsing oor SGL en kundiges se evaluering van die kriteria. Na aanleiding van die kundiges se kommentaar is onderrigmateriaal, wat SGL koester, ontwikkel en weer aan die kundiges vir evaluering voorgele.

The purpose of this study was to develop a parent report form instrument congruent with the philosophy of child-centered play therapy. The study sought to develop an instrument with acceptable levels of construct validity, reliability, sensitivity to clinical attitudes and relationships, and responsiveness to intervention. The Child Interpersonal Relationships and Attitudes Assessment (CIRAA) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBC) and the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) were administered to 136 parents of children aged 3 to 10. The children of the parents sample consisted of 90 males and 46 females. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted for construct validity. Parallel analysis was conducted to determine the number of factors to retain. The factor solution explained 53.86% of the variance, which is an acceptable amount of the variance. Cronbach's alpha was conducted for total scale and all subscales. Reliability scores for the total score and subscales were acceptable, with an overall reliability coefficient of .93. A Pearson's r was conducted for concurrent validity between the instrument, the CBC, and the PSI, with Pearsons' r of .75 and .74 respectively. Paired-sample t-tests using the pretest and posttest scores of the instrument in development examined the responsiveness of the instrument to play therapy intervention at the same level as the CBC and PSI. ROC curve analysis, indicated acceptable discrimination of clinical scores and adaptive scores, with a clinical score being generated from the analysis. It is the first parent-report form developed for child-centered play therapy, and provides an efficient and philosophically consistent instrument for child centered play therapists to use in clinical and research settings.

No description available.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Onderwys in Suid-Afrika het na die eerste demokratiese verkiesing in 1994 ‘n transformasieproses beleef. Beleidsveranderinge, rasionalisering, kurrikulumvernuwing en toenemende leerderdiversiteit in elke hoofstroomklaskamer was slegs ‘n paar van die uitdagings wat opvoeders en skoolhoofde in die laerskool moes hanteer. Resente publikasies toon dat die transformasie van die nuwe onderwysbedeling ‘n negatiewe uitwerking op begaafdheidsonderrig gehad het. Daar is minimale aandag aan begaafdheidsonderrig geskenk. Hoewel Onderwyswitskrif 6 (Departement van Onderwys, 2001) erkenning verleen aan alle leerderdiversiteite, word daar nie eksplisiet na begaafdheidsonderrig verwys nie. Die doel van hierdie kwalitatiewe studie was om ‘n duidelike beeld te verkry oor die sienings van laerskoolopvoeders en -skoolhoofde van leerders wat begaafd is. Hierdie studie het spesifiek ten doel gehad om die deelnemers se beskouings onderliggend aan begaafdheid te identifiseer, asook om die leemtes vas te stel wat toepaslike begaafdheidsonderrig belemmer. Hierdie navorsing het bevind dat daar tans in die laerskole van ondersoek ‘n gaping bestaan tussen amptelike beleid en klaskamerpraktyk. In die lig hiervan erken opvoeders en skoolhoofde dat leerders wat begaafd is nie effektief en toepaslik ingesluit word in die huidige hoofstroomklaskamer nie. Dit blyk verder dat ‘n gebrekkige opleiding in begaafdheidsonderrig, die leemte aan ‘n werkbare nasionale definisie van begaafdheid, asook uiteenlopende sienings van inklusiewe onderwys, die volhoubare ondersteuning en toepaslike onderrig belemmer van leerders wat begaafd is. Deelnemers aan hierdie studie erken dat onvoldoende voorsiening in UGO vir die spesifieke eise van leerders wat begaafd is, asook baie ander hindernisse in die hoofstroomklaskamer, veroorsaak dat hierdie leerders nie na behore onderrig en ondersteun word nie. Die laerskoolopvoeders en -skoolhoofde is van mening dat suksesvolle implementering van beleid en toepaslike onderrig van leerders wat begaafd is, nie sonder volhoubare ondersteuning en kollaborasie van alle rolspelers kan geskied nie. Daarom word die belangrikheid van groter gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid en die iv volhoubare ondersteuning van distriksgebaseerde ondersteuningspanne veral beklemtoon. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie het ook belangrike implikasies vir onderwysopleiding binne die huidige onderwyssisteem. Hierdie studie bevestig die noodsaaklikheid van toepaslike voor- en indiensopleiding in begaafdheidsonderrig vir alle opvoeders sodat ons land se spreekwoordelike ongeslypte diamante tot sierade vir die samelewing gevorm kan word. Sleutelwoorde: sienings, laerskoolopvoeders en -skoolhoofde, leerders wat begaafd is, inklusiewe onderwys, hoofstroomklaskamer, opleiding, kollaborasie, gemeenskap, identifisering, definiëring, onderrig / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Education in South Africa experienced a process of transformation since the first democratic election in 1994. Policy changes, rationalisation, curriculum changes and increased learner diversity in each and every mainstream classroom are only a few of the challenges educators and principals have to face in primary schools. Recent publications confirm that the transformation of the new education system had a negative effect on gifted education. Only minimal attention was given to educating the gifted. Although Education White Paper 6 (Department Education, 2001) acknowledges learner diversity, gifted education is not explicitly mentioned. The main purpose of this qualitative study was to achieve a clear vision of the perceptions of educators and principals in primary schools regarding gifted learners. The beliefs of the participants were explored regarding gifted education, as well as present obstacles experienced in this field. An important research finding was that there is presently a serious gap in primary schools between official policy and teaching practice. Both educators and principals acknowledge the fact that gifted learners are not effectively included in the mainstream classroom. It is furthermore apparent that limited teacher training in gifted education, the lack of a generally workable definition of giftedness, as well as diverse perceptions of inclusive teaching, obstruct sustainable support and appropriate teaching of the gifted. Primary school educators and principals agree that successful implementation of policy and appropriate teaching of the gifted cannot succeed without adequate support and collaboration of all role players. Thus increased community involvement and sustainable assistance of district based support teams are also imperative. The findings of this study hold major implications for teacher training in the present education system. This study confirms the necessity of appropriate pre- and in-service training of all teachers in order to enhance the precious gems of giftedness in primary schools for the future benefit of South African society. Key words: perceptions, primary school educators and principals, gifted learners, inclusive education, mainstream classroom, training, collaboration, society

No description available.

The problem of the present study is to determine what changes will take place in certain personal and social attitudes of pre-adolescent children at the fourth- and fifth-grade levels as a result of their "having learned about the factors that underlie behavior" through a mental hygiene program utilizing "causally" oriented materials at their own level of interest and understanding.

The purpose of this study was to examine the social perceptions of young children with disabilities and young children of color. Further, an attempt was made to determine whether differential rates of acceptance were experienced by either group, or by the group of children who were of color and also had a disability within integrated classrooms. Young children (age 5.0 through 6.11) were studied in intact groups (N=120) from child care centers in the Texas counties of Denton and Dallas. Three measures of social perceptions were implemented: (a) a forced choice (multiple alternative) technique using dolls of a variety of ethnicities and ability statuses in which children must select dolls they feel represent a list of positive and negative attributes; (b) social distance theory as measured by children's artwork; (c) a sociometric rating. The results of this study showed significant areas (p< 05) of stereotype and bias in the perceptions of young children toward ethnicity, disability and gender. Implications for further research into the efficacy of multicultural and anti-bias education programs is recommended.

The purpose of this study was to test a teacher inservice training model which was designed to increase the number and use of hands-on science activities, increase the number of times teachers teach science, and improve students' perceptions of science.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a transitional first grade program on the attitude and readiness scores of a group of regular first grade students who qualified for the transitional program but attended regular first grade (control group) and a group of transitional first grade students (experimental group). The study utilized a pretest/posttest design. The regular first grade students received formal instruction in all academic areas. The experimental group received no formal instruction.