Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 89-94).

Thesis (M. Ed.)--York University, 2001. Graduate Programme in Education. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 101-105). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ66377.

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This phenomenographic study explores the intentions, ideals, and practices that shape educational leaders' conceptions of curriculum integration. The study uses documents and interviews to analyse the integrative elements of three of Quebec's key educational reform documents: The final report from the commissioners of the Estates General on Education; Reaffirming the mission of our schools: Report of the task force on curriculum reform ; and the Quebec Education Program. Fifteen curriculum reform leaders who participated in the process of drafting these documents were interviewed about their conceptions of curriculum integration. The conceptual framework used to study Quebec's conceptions of curriculum integration stemmed from the review of the research literature. This study's revised framework may provide curriculum developers and other educational leaders with a template for exploring integrative intents, ideals, and practices coherent with their conceptions.

This study was based on the Promat Educational Studies (Curriculum) course which introduced curriculum concepts to a group of forty-two rural KwaZulu in-service teachers, studying for the final year of their Primary Teachers' .Diploma in 1996. The study was primarily interested in the responses of these teachers as they explored -curriculum concepts and developed their own understandings of curriculum. Research questions focused on the teachers' personal views of the notion of curriculum and the suitability of various curriculum models that could be used in their classrooms. Action research was proposed as a valuable tool for teachers to reflect on their classroom practice in a systematic and participatory manner, with a view to improvement in the process of teaching and learning. Action research was also used as a teaching methodology in presenting the Educational Studies programme, thus providing the teachers with an opportunity to experience action research. The questions also focused on the views of teachers concerning their possible role in the process of curriculum development, change and decision-making in schools. Prior to the programme, data on teachers' notions of curriculum were obtained by means of a questionnaire. Journal writing, lecturer diaries and classroom discussions were used as a means of collecting data during the course of the programme. Semi-structured interviews were conducted as a summative form of data collection and triangulation. Findings suggested that teachers, prior to the Educational Studies programme, had a limited notion of the concept of curriculum. They had a restricted view of teacher professionality and understood their role as implementers of a received curriculum. The programme broadened teachers' views on curriculum concepts and accompanying theories and models. The exposure to curriculum theory increased teachers' confidence in their ability to bring about change in their classrooms and schools. They expressed feelings of empowerment and recognised the important role they could play in the curriculum process. What was significant, however, was that despite the fact that the teachers were able to articulate these views within an "educationist context" (Keddie, 1971), they did not realise these within the Educational Studies classroom. While they recognised and embraced the potential of action research, their own actions as learners did not support a fully-developed form of action research because of the power differentials and situational constraints which they experienced. They were acutely aware of the imperative to pass, which appeared to take precedence over democratic participation. Findings suggested that INSET programmes which expose teachers to curriculum theory and the fundamental notion of themselves as curriculum developers, are useful for changing mindsets and are essential preconditions if teachers are to begin to take ownership of change in classrooms. Whether they are able to do so successfully, is a question for further research. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1998.

This study was undertaken to explore curriculum change from the General Certificate in Education (GCE) Ordinary Level (O-Level) to the International General Certificate in Secondary Education (lGCSE) with regard to English language teaching in four high schools in the Manzini region of Swaziland. The study investigated teachers' perceptions of the curriculum change and how they implemented it. The impact of the training teachers received in preparation for the introduction of the IGCSE English curriculum was also explored. An interpretive research paradigm using qualitative methodology was chosen for the study and was driven by the following critical research questions: 1. How do teachers experience curriculum change from GCE O-Level to IGCSE with regard to English language teaching? 2. How was this change implemented in the Form 4 English language classrooms? Qualitative methods comprising semi-structured interviews and non-participant classroom observations were used for collecting data. Data from interviews with teachers were analysed thematically through the use of the constant comparison method, while classroom observations data were qualitatively analysed by using themes that emerged from the observation schedule designed for the study. The data from classroom observations were triangulated with data from interviews with teachers to ensure validity of the study. The study used the body of literature that relates to second language acquisition (SLA) and learning, with specific reference to social constructivism, bilingualism, communicative language teaching and task-based language teaching approaches, literacy and the genre approach as the theoretical framework. The theoretical framework facilitated an understanding that knowledge or meaningful learning is constructed by the learners as they interact using the target language. The results revealed that the teachers used a constructivist approach towards teaching which comprised the communicative language teaching and task-based language teaching and learning approaches. The IGCSE curriculum emphasizes the use of these approaches. The findings also indicated that teachers were inadequately prepared for teaching the IGCSE English curriculum as some of the workshop facilitators were less informed than some of the participants; and that they were only given guidance for conducting assessment in the oral skill without training them how to teach it. Also, the language aspects such as grammar, writing and reading were left out when the curriculum was reviewed, as a result teachers reverted to using the structural approach when teaching grammar, as opposed to the constructivist approach. Findings showed that as much as the IGCSE English curriculum was said to be good, the reading skill was inefficiently taught. IGCSE does not give learners quality education since the tasks learners did were cognitively unchallenging. In view of the theoretical framework of the study, the IGCSE English curriculum produces skills-based, vocationally inclined learners who are not geared towards pursuing academic university education. Listening comprehension was found to be the most problematic language aspect since the learners could not understand the English native speakers' accent when they listened to passages from tapes and CD's during examinations. Using the genre approach to essay writing findings showed that teaching essay writing was not well grounded. The study recommended that the curriculum be reviewed and teachers be taught more effective approaches to teaching essay writing as well as reading comprehension. It was also recommended that the Ministry of Education should assist teachers with additional resources and multimedia for teaching listening skills including CDs and listening to talk shows and in teaching essay writing. The study further recommended that localisation of the curriculum to SIGCSE should be postponed until a suitable curriculum is identified and that further research be conducted which would include a larger study that would be a true representation of all high schools in the four regions of the country.

In the South African educational landscape curriculum transformation since Curriculum 2005 (C2005) to the now prevailing National Curriculum Statement (NCS) has been dramatic. In fact in the Foundation Phase and in Grade 10 a revised Curriculum and Assessment Policy (CAPS) document introduced in 2012 is presently being implemented. The continuous revision of curriculum policies is the background to the purpose of this research study, which is to understand how four experienced teachers of English Home Language (EHL) engage with changes in EHL policy and the impact this has on their identity/identities as teachers. The National Education Department often hopes that teachers are highly regulated by policies, and will thus change their practices in accordance to curriculum policy. My research project seeks to understand the complexity of the ways in which external regulations, embedded in the changing curriculum, govern teachers’ practices and consequently impacts on the identity of professionally qualified teachers. The study is framed by two critical questions: a) To what extent are the practices of experienced teachers governed by external regulation (in the form of the curriculum policy)? and b) To what extent does external regulation shape their identity as teachers? To this end, lesson observation and unstructured interviews were the data collection methods that were employed. This research is located within the interpretive paradigm. Data is gleaned from the stories told by four experienced teachers of English about their everyday classroom practices and the ways in which they translate and implement EHL policy from changing curriculum documents, as well as through observations of their teaching. These teachers work in four diverse South African educational contexts. The analytical framework that is used in this study suggests that teacher practice and identity is shaped by external regulations (such as policy requirements); internal regulations which are the contextual factors such as institutional school culture as well as core regulations such as their beliefs and values. Teachers’ sense-making of changing policy entrenched in curriculum documents; their translation of policy and its impact on teaching practices and consequent influence on a teacher’s identity are important for the answering of the research question. The findings reveal that these teachers find curriculum changes challenging and are reluctant to implement them entirely. Instead they select and adapt from the document what can fit with minimal change into their present repertoire of pedagogical practices. The impact of this on the identity of a teacher is minimal as teachers’ definition of who they are and the role they play is strong. Therefore the impact of curriculum changes on teacher identity appears to be minimal. I discovered that the four teachers in this study are resilient beings who adapt an externally regulated curriculum to fit their frame of classroom practices based on their beliefs of what constitutes effective teaching. To ameliorate the disjuncture between policy and practice would be an ideal situation. But realistically strongly regulated national policies will never be implemented as policy makers intend. Perhaps the lesson is looser regulations are thus more useful. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

Thesis (M. Ed.(Computer-integrated education))-University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 120-127).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 172-197).