Learning beyond classrooms is becoming more common in formal and non-formal education internationally. Research on outdoor learning and education has focussed on barriers, outcomes, and equity rather than processes or teachers' practice. Despite claims around the importance of natural and outdoor places in education, the ways in which teachers consider and use particular places in preparing for and teaching outdoors is not well understood. Despite calls to do so, non-anthropocentric, posthumanist, and new materialist place theories remain under-utilised in empirical research in this area. Notably, there are only a handful of studies that include any reference to teachers' views or practices with respect to the role of more-than-human elements. The aim of this thesis was to find out from teachers themselves when and how more-than-human elements became harnessed into the planning and enactment of curricula for outdoor learning. A multicase study was employed to inquire into the practice of five in-service school teachers based on place-responsive methods, namely, walking interviews and memory-box interviews. Drawing on postqualitative orientations to analysis, Deleuzoguattarian inspired vignettes produced four findings. In different ways, these teachers' practice emerged through (1) their ability to notice the more-than-human, (2) attending to how their learners noticed and responded to the more-than-human in educational experiences, (3) seeking to become more attuned to the places visited, and (4) supporting the assembling of material, discursive, human, and more-than-human elements together in curriculum making. Implications for teacher education and in-service practice that encourage consideration of the more-than-human in educational practice are signposted. The thesis' contribution provokes new considerations of how outdoor educational provision can be re-oriented to include more-than-human elements. These contributions may be significant in supporting education that could improve human environment relations and address environmental concerns.

Thesis (M.Ed. (Language education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2018 / The aim of this study is to evaluate the implementation of curriculum in the teaching of reading and writing in the Sepedi Home Language in the Mankweng Circuit of Limpopo Province. This result from the fact that intermediate learners are struggling to read and write in the Sepedi Home Language, and as a result are incompetent when reading and writing even in their language of teaching and learning, namely English. This signifies that mastering to read and write in the Sepedi Home Language, is likely to enable learners to read and write better in English as a language of teaching and learning. Of a huge surprise, the struggle to read and write in Sepedi Home Language occurs with every cohort of learners registered in the Intermediate Phase. For this reason, the study is designed to evaluate the manner in which Sepedi curriculum is being implemented in schools to address and respond to challenges of inability to read and write by intermediate Sepedi learners. This is a case study covering three primary schools and it is located within the qualitative research approach and phenomenology. The collection of data was done through individual face-to-face interviews, document study and diagnostic assessments. Each of the three schools forwarded three categories of research participants, namely, an HOD, a teacher and a parent whose child was doing Sepedi in the Intermediate Phase. Findings revealed that overcoming reading and writing inability by the intermediate learners needs to be a joint stakeholders’ effort. In addition, inadequate Sepedi materials and resources for intermediate learners need to be the apex priority by the Department of Basic Education. In view of the shared research results, the study recommends that there be well-coordinated participation of all stakeholders in the development of skills associated with reading and writing for the Sepedi Home Language Intermediate learners. Lastly, the study recommends that intermediate Sepedi learners be offered an opportunity to participate in Sepedi essay writing competitions wherein they are first given pamphlets and posters in Sepedi as a clue. Finally, the Sepedi Home Language needs to be equally protected and promoted just like it is the case with English from the Intermediate Phase upwards.

The primary goal of undergraduate nursing programs is to prepare students for nursing practice. Achievement of this goal may be hindered by reliance on the scientific method in nursing education. Nursing practice often requires the ability to make judgments in situations of ambiguity without the benefit of objective data. The ability to rapidly "read" a situation and respond appropriately is critical to safe nursing care. This requires education in the intuitive way of knowing. Intuitive development may be impeded when students are taught to rely on the rational, scientific way of knowing. The end result may be that students are unprepared to meet the demands of nursing practice. Research on intuition in nursing has focused on nursing practice. To date, no study has explored intuition in nursing education. This study provides data on intuition in undergraduate nursing curricula. A descriptive research study was done on faculty members of the National League for Nursing (NLN). An intuition survey was developed and pilot tested on 10 undergraduate nursing faculty. The survey was sent to a random sample of 676 NLN faculty members nationally. A 51% $(N = 330)$ response rate was achieved. The survey included: (a) intuition attitudes, (b) attitudes toward including intuition in the undergraduate nursing curriculum, (c) intuition in the current curricula, (d) practices related to development and teaching of intuition, and (e) preparation for teaching about intuition. The major findings are: (1) Faculty expressed attitudes of value for intuition. (2) Faculty expressed attitudes that support the importance and appropriateness of including intuition but had concerns about including intuition. (3) Intuition is currently included in the undergraduate nursing curriculum on a limited bases. (4) Faculty use many strategies to develop their own intuition and to help students develop intuition. The majority of faculty rate the strategies as effective. (5) A limited number of respondents had preparation to teach about intuition and the majority expressed interest in learning more about intuition. (6) Program type, years in nursing education, and highest degree in nursing made a difference on intuition attitudes.

This research explores the roles of academic professionals in higher education, specific to how they engage in decision-making processes. Academic professionals provide important functions in higher education work but there is little in the literature about these actors and their contributions to leadership and governance. A literature review triangulated role theory, organization theory, and the shared-governance field of study to bring together actors within higher education and compare their involvement based on the shared-governance model in operation at different institutions. The researcher introduced the hypothesis that when registrars are not involved in curriculum management, there may be negative effects on student success. In the study, a survey was administered to registrars and faculty members representing nearly 200 institutions to ask about the role of the registrar in specific policies and curriculum practices. Results were measured using Fisher's Exact Test but also interpreted through multiple qualitative approaches, including inductive analysis. Outcomes were not significant in the quantitative test results, but respondents overwhelmingly indicated that the role of the registrar in shared governance affected student success. Themes were recorded to articulate the most common reasons respondents offered for how the registrar was involved in academic policy, curriculum management, and supporting student success. Results of the inductive analysis provided several themes that pointed to unique roles for the registrar, such as leading from behind and acting as a compliance authority, even when partners do not appreciate being held to compliance standards. Implications for practice focused on the qualitative outcomes of the survey. Suggestions for future research included further review of quantitative data outcomes and exploring ideas from inductive analysis around leading from behind and acting as a compliance authority.

Thesis (MBA) --University of Limpopo, 2007 / The study is based on the current educational transformations taking place in the country as a result of the new political dispensation. The political changes in the country resulted in changes in all including the education arena. The country’s Constitution was used as a foundation for educational changes. The values such as democracy, social justice, nonracialism,reconciliation, and others as enshrined in the Constitution, had to be taught in schools. Outcomes-Based Education was adopted as a new method for teaching the new curriculum and also to achieve transformation objectives. These changes are viewed by some scholars as a paradigm shift. With frequent amendments to Curriculum 2005, the New Curriculum Statement (NCS), which is the focus of this study, was born. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this new curriculum is contributing towards entrepreneurial stimulation amongst high school learners. The main assumption in this study, which has been supported by various literature reviews, is that developing entrepreneurship skills amongst learners will help in the creation of jobs as well as in reduction of unemployment and poverty, thereby improving the standard of living among the majority of the people. The education system of a country reflects what the country values and holds dear. In the words of Professor Kader Asmal, our education system and its curriculum expresses our idea of ourselves as a society and our vision as to how we see the new form of society being realised through our children and learners. It represents our priorities and assumptions of what constitutes a good education at its deepest level (Department of Education, 2002:1). To carry out this study, the qualitative descriptive research method was used. The sample was drawn from high schools in Zebediela area, Limpopo Province. After sampling had been done, data were collected using a structured questionnaire. A sample of 150 learners and 14 teachers was drawn, using the simple random sampling procedure. The data were then analysed using the content analysis and constant comparative methods. The results of the study were presented and analysed. Tables were used to allow for a logical and coherent presentation. One of the key findings in this study is that, the content of the National Curriculum Statement, especially the Learning Outcomes and Developmental Outcomes, purports to stimulate entrepreneurship amongst high school learners. This has also been clearly supported by the views of the teachers as this study will show. It still remains to be seen as to whether the New Curriculum Statement is actually succeeding since there is a difference between stating one’s aims and objectives and achieving them. This study will attempt to look deeper into whether the Department of Education’s good aims and intentions will be realised. The main contribution of this study lies in the proposed intervention strategies that are aimed at coming up with ways and means of ensuring that the new curriculum produces more entrepreneurs.

In the last decade, the Commonwealth Government has relied increasingly on policy-induced consortia to implement its education policy initiatives. The study focused on education policy pertaining to citizenship education, and specifically on the recommendations of the Civics Expert Group's 1994 report Whereas the people...Civics and Citizenship Education. The then Commonwealth Government called for policy-induced consortia to submit applications as a means to implement the report's recommendations. As a result, the Western Australian Consortium for Citizenship Education was formed. The Consortiums submission for a grant to assist teachers to prepare curriculum materials for citizenship education was successful. The study examined the decisions made by the Consortium members in relation to the curriculum materials project.The study was informed by an examination of literature pertaining to citizenship and citizenship education, the implementation of public policy, and group and curriculum decision-making. The review of the literature concerning the constructs of 'citizen' highlighted the contested nature of citizenship. In turn, this is reflected in the debates about the nature of citizenship education. As well, the literature review revealed many models of policy implementation and group curriculum decision-making do not adequately reflect the complexities and realities of group decision-making processes. The models often ignore the socio-political dynamics of the group, particularly in a policy-induced consortium, which exists for a specific and limited purpose, where members owe allegiance to their institutions rather than the consortium and where the consortium is accountable to a government department for the management of the project.A case study approach using qualitative methods was used. These methods and approaches are most likely to capture and interpret ++ / the humanness of group decision-making. Moreover, they take into account the importance of the values each member of the Consortium brought to the group and recognise that each member constructed his/her meaning as a result of social interaction with other Consortium members.The case study focused on a detailed examination of the work of the Western Australian Consortium for Citizenship Education and especially on the sub-group of the Project Management Committee over eighteen months. The notion of 'critical decisions' was used to analyse the Consortium's decision-making. Each critical decision had significant consequences for the ongoing work of the Consortium. The nature of the Consortium's decision-making highlighted the overwhelming importance of social dynamics over curriculum decision-making.The intentions of the study were to build towards a more complete understanding of the socio-political nature of group curriculum decision-making; to contribute to theorising about the humanness of group curriculum decision-making; and to provide an informed perspective about the significance of the Commonwealth Government's intervention in education through the mechanism of policy-induced consortia.The thesis makes a contribution to the socio-political dimension of group curriculum decision-making in federations. It illustrates that curriculum policy delivery is a socio-political process focussing on interpersonal relationships rather than a rational or deliberative process based on educational outcomes.

Thesis (Ph. 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.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1988. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 124-132). Also available in print.

The aim of the study is to investigate early childhood teachers&rsquo / perceptions and self-reported practices towards instructional arrangement for classroom management. In the light of literature review components of instructional arrangement were evaluated and the most common elements used by researchers were selected to be investigated within this study. Materials, daily schedules, and curriculum planning are the three components that are included in the study. More specifically, the present study aimed to examine perceptions and self-reported practices of early childhood teachers on how to select materials, design daily schedule, and plan curriculum / and to investigate their perceptions on those three components for classroom management. Early childhood teachers participated in the study were involved in an interview which was developed and conducted by the researcher. There were twenty questions in the interview including three sections. The aim of the first part was to get demographic information from participants. Questions in the second part were designed to see the perceptions and self-reported practices of participants on classroom management. The third part was designed to see perceptions and self-reported practices of teachers towards materials, scheduling, and planning for classroom management. 17 early childhood teachers from different schools participated in the study working with children between the ages of three to six. 16 female and one male early childhood teachers invited to be participated in the study. Five of the teachers were working in public schools and 12 of the teachers were working in private schools. The findings of the study indicated that early childhood teachers believe on the importance of materials, daily schedules, and curriculum planning on classroom management. They consider classroom management while selecting materials, designing daily schedules, and preparing curriculum plans. Their criteria for materials, daily schedule, and curriculum planning indicate differences based on their educational backgrounds and experience levels. As opportunities of public and private schools have differences, applications indicate differences, too. Teachers stated the influence of families and school administrations on their classroom management applications.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wollongong, 2009. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 203-213.