Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2014-10-09T12:12:13Z No. of bitstreams: 5 Dissertação - Ramon Marcelino Ribeiro Júnior - 2013 - (1).pdf: 18838098 bytes, checksum: 7298ec1b6b491b09f8249f3367badf18 (MD5) Dissertação - Ramon Marcelino Ribeiro Júnior - 2013 - (2).pdf: 18471211 bytes, checksum: 9eea9d52e971fb1601b89fc0162b2ef9 (MD5) Dissertação - Ramon Marcelino Ribeiro Júnior - 2013 -(3).pdf: 18701428 bytes, checksum: 699a19864e83a2d5c16d811e042fc0d5 (MD5) Dissertação - Ramon Marcelino Ribeiro Júnior - 2013 - (4).pdf: 15136906 bytes, checksum: 72aae4ab529f84a41bd46730541e5a0d (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2014-10-09T14:45:29Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 5 Dissertação - Ramon Marcelino Ribeiro Júnior - 2013 - (1).pdf: 18838098 bytes, checksum: 7298ec1b6b491b09f8249f3367badf18 (MD5) Dissertação - Ramon Marcelino Ribeiro Júnior - 2013 - (2).pdf: 18471211 bytes, checksum: 9eea9d52e971fb1601b89fc0162b2ef9 (MD5) Dissertação - Ramon Marcelino Ribeiro Júnior - 2013 -(3).pdf: 18701428 bytes, checksum: 699a19864e83a2d5c16d811e042fc0d5 (MD5) Dissertação - Ramon Marcelino Ribeiro Júnior - 2013 - (4).pdf: 15136906 bytes, checksum: 72aae4ab529f84a41bd46730541e5a0d (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:45:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 5 Dissertação - Ramon Marcelino Ribeiro Júnior - 2013 - (1).pdf: 18838098 bytes, checksum: 7298ec1b6b491b09f8249f3367badf18 (MD5) Dissertação - Ramon Marcelino Ribeiro Júnior - 2013 - (2).pdf: 18471211 bytes, checksum: 9eea9d52e971fb1601b89fc0162b2ef9 (MD5) Dissertação - Ramon Marcelino Ribeiro Júnior - 2013 -(3).pdf: 18701428 bytes, checksum: 699a19864e83a2d5c16d811e042fc0d5 (MD5) Dissertação - Ramon Marcelino Ribeiro Júnior - 2013 - (4).pdf: 15136906 bytes, checksum: 72aae4ab529f84a41bd46730541e5a0d (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-15 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The curriculum has occupied a prominent place in the landscape of contemporary educational reforms. In this work we focus on the production of a referential official curriculum of chemistry to secondary education in the State of Goiás. Throughout our investigation we relayed on studies that: a) had the objective to discuss aspects related to the purpose of teaching chemistry in secondary education, with emphasis on authors from Science/Chemistry education community; b) conduct discussions on curricular concepts, highlighting authors of the curriculum field; c) develop curriculum using research to theoretical and methodological approach of the continuous cicle of policies. The prospect of a continuous cicle policy is designed from the intertwining of texts / discourses that circulate among three basic contexts: the context of influence; context of defining texts, and practice context. In the policy cicles the texts / discourses are understood as product from social interactions, understood as relations of power , and are associated with different sets of meanings that articulate and fit into a greater or lesser degree , by recontextualizing processes in different contexts through which they circulate. The construction of the data was performed from the recording and transcript from the meeting of defining texts context, our analytical focus. We identified and examined three discourses privileged in the process of negotiating meanings of the proposal 1) discourse about the purposes of teaching chemistry, 2) discourse on the concepts of curriculum and 3) discourse about the criteria for selection and organization of content. We also highlight aspects of the movement of recontextualization internal context of defining texts, comparing the configuration of the first discursive formulations, developed in design meetings, those present in the final version given to curricular referential We conclude that :i) there is the attempt to articulate different purposes for teaching chemistry , with emphasis on the purpose of education for critical citizenship; ii) there is a defense of a broad conception of curriculum affiliated with the critical perspective , discourse that implies defense of a construction of a hybrid proposal between orientation and prescription , with a predominance of the first and critical of the way driving educational reform in the State; iii) the selection criteria adopted are of the "basic content" and "minimum contents" . The contents are organized by a conceptual bias, and articulated a design approach that takes learning to necessarily partial and can be performed at various levels of complexity. We also conclude that when considering the historicity and contingency associated curricular productions we giving it the status of “eternal challenge ". / O currículo tem ocupado lugar de destaque no cenário de reformas educacionais contemporâneas. Neste trabalho, focalizamos a produção de um referencial curricular oficial de Química para o ensino médio Estado de Goiás. Em nosso percurso investigativo, buscamos aportes teóricos em estudos que: a) objetivam discutir aspectos referentes às finalidades do ensino de Química em nível médio, com ênfase em autores da comunidade de Educação em Ciências/Química; b) realizam discussões sobre concepções curriculares, destacando autores do campo do currículo; c) desenvolvem a pesquisa curricular utilizando a abordagem teóricometodológica do ciclo contínuo de políticas. A perspectiva do ciclo contínuo, a política é pensada a partir do entrelaçamento entre textos/discursos que circulam entre três contextos básicos: contexto de influência; contexto de definição dos textos; e contexto da prática. No ciclo de políticas, os textos/discursos são compreendidos como produções de relações sociais, entendidas como relações de poder, e estão associados a conjuntos de significados diversos que se articulam e se inserem, em maior ou menor grau, por processos de recontextualização, nos diferentes contextos pelos quais circulam. A construção dos dados foi realizada a partir da gravação e transcrição de reuniões do contexto de definição dos textos, nosso foco analítico. Identificamos e examinamos três discursos privilegiados no processo de negociação de significados da proposta: 1) discurso sobre as finalidades do ensino de Química; 2) discurso sobre as concepções de currículo; e 3) discurso sobre os critérios de seleção e organização dos conteúdos. Também destacamos aspectos relacionados aos movimentos de recontextualização internos ao contexto de definição dos textos, comparando a configuração das primeiras formulações discursivas, desenvolvidas nas reuniões de concepção, àquelas presentes na redação final dada ao referencial curricular. Concluímos destacando que: i) há a tentativa de articular diferentes finalidades para o ensino de Química, com ênfase na finalidade de formação para uma cidadania crítica; ii) existe a defesa de uma concepção ampla de currículo filiada à perspectiva crítica, discurso que implica a defesa da construção de uma proposta híbrida entre orientação e prescrição, com predomínio da primeira, e uma crítica à forma de condução da reforma educacional no Estado iii) Os critérios de seleção adotados são os de “conteúdo básico” e de “conteúdos mínimos”. Os conteúdos são organizados por um viés conceitual, e articulados a uma concepção de abordagem que toma a aprendizagem como necessariamente parcial e pode ser realizada em vários níveis de complexidade. Concluímos também que ao considerarmos a historicidade e contingência associadas das produções curriculares estamos conferindo-lhe estatuto de “eterno desafio”.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T14:30:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Remane Selimane.pdf: 5001353 bytes, checksum: 76b0dcb624589611e1bd8a87b85b3c49 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-02-02 / This research fits into the theme of curriculum development. Its focus is to understand the curriculum revision in Mozambique, since the mid 2000s. It seeks to understand to what extent this process has been ongoing on the basis of valid theoretical assumptions and how that has been reflected in the improvement or not of the quality of education offered. It critically analyzes curriculum integration in the area of Social Sciences, in the Junior General Secondary Education. Specifically, the research analyzes the process of creating of the discipline of Social Sciences in the Field of Communication and Social Sciences. Thus, the basic categories are: curriculum (development, reform and integration) and (discipline of) Social Sciences, as well as patriotic references and values. The relevance of this discussion is justified primarily by its timeliness. The study is based on the epistemological principles of dialectic paradigm and the assumptions of qualitative research and develops through documentation, bibliographic and documentary research, questionnaires and interviews. The empirical research was based on documents on the subject issued at the Ministry of Education of Mozambique and fieldwork benefited from the testimony of 20 (twenty) teachers and 10 (ten) national level educational supervisors or tecnitions. In the four chapters of this work, besides the Introduction and Conclusions, it is discussed, in turn, the origin of the research problem, the author's personal motivations for its achievement and other aspects that reinforce the rationale, objectives, methodology and track the results produced. There's, also, an historical critical review on the construction of the curriculum, taking in Mozambique, having as a starting point the time when the author started to be involved in it; a critical analysis of Teaching Programs of History and Geography in the Junior General Secondary Education, and data collected through interviews and questionnaires. A theoretical approach based on the categories enunciated above and supported by critical authors. Outline the conclusions, in conclusions, which sum up the basic ideas of work, seeking to respond to the challenge put at first. The work provides an outline of some alternative strategies to the process of curriculum construction in haste. It has been assumed that the proposed strategies conducive to achieving the aims of the Social Sciences Area at General Secondary Education and strengthen the contribution of this area in the curriculum structure particularly, and in the development of Mozambican General Secondary Education curriculum, in general / Esta pesquisa enquadra-se na temática de desenvolvimento curricular. Seu foco é a compreensão da revisão curricular em Moçambique, que vem decorrendo desde meados da primeira década de 2000. Ela busca perceber em que medida este processo tem estado a ser desenvolvido com base em pressupostos teóricos válidos e como isso pode estar a repercutir-se na melhoria ou não da qualidade de ensino oferecida. Analisa criticamente a integração curricular na Área das Ciências Sociais, no Ensino Secundário Geral do 1º Ciclo. De modo concreto ela centra a sua atenção no processo da concepção da disciplina de Ciências Sociais na Área de Comunicação e Ciências Sociais, daí que as categorias básicas sejam: desenvolvimento, reforma e integração (curricular) e (disciplina de) Ciências Sociais, assim como referências e valores (pátrios). A relevância desta discussão justifica-se, fundamentalmente, pela sua actualidade. O estudo baseou-se nos princípios epistemológicos do paradigma dialéctico e nos pressupostos da pesquisa qualitativa e se desenvolveu através da documentação; pesquisa bibliográfica e documental; aplicação de questionários e entrevistas. A pesquisa empírica baseou-se em documentos sobre a matéria emitidos pelo Ministério da Educação de Moçambique e o trabalho de campo beneficiou do depoimento de 20 (vinte) professores e 10 (dez) técnicos pedagógicos de nível central. Nos quatro Capítulos deste trabalho, além da Introdução e das Conclusões, abordase, sucessivamente, a origem do problema da pesquisa, as motivações pessoais do autor para a sua realização e outros aspectos que reforçam a justificativa, os objectivos, a trilha metodológica e os resultados a que ela permitiu produzir; uma abordagem preliminar seguida de uma análise histórico-crítica sobre a construção do currículo, em Moçambique tendo como ponto de partida, a altura em que o autor passou a estar envolvido no processo; uma análise crítica dos Programas de Ensino de História e Geografia do Ensino Secundário Geral do 1º Ciclo, e dos dados colhidos através das entrevistas e questionários; uma discussão teórica baseada nas categorias acima enunciadas e fundamentada por autores críticos. Esboça-se as conclusões em Conclusões, onde são retomadas as ideias básicas do trabalho, procurando-se responder ao problema colocado no início. O trabalho fornece o esboço de uma estratégia alternativa ao processo da construção curricular em apreço. Tem-se em vista que a estratégia proposta favoreça o cumprimento das finalidades da Área de Ciências Sociais do Ensino Secundário Geral e reforce o contributo desta Área na estrutura curricular, em particular e no desenvolvimento do currículo do Ensino Secundário Geral, em Moçambique, em geral

This thesis offers critical perspectives on a history syllabus for vocational education and training (VET) tracks in Swedish upper secondary schools and adds to our knowledge and understanding of the educative function of history education for the individual and for society. The overall aim of this thesis is to critically investigate discourses that are voiced in different fields about the construction and reproduction of the history curriculum in VET tracks. A general question addressed is how vertical (critical and theoretical) and horizontal knowledge is articulated by the discourses in terms of the meaning of history in a VET context. The following four research questions were the focus of the four different studies in this thesis: How were non-vocational subjects discussed on a policy level during the post-war period, and what meanings were ascribed to history education? What aspects of history as a field of knowledge are recontextualised into a pedagogic discourse for the VET curriculum? How do teachers perceive the history syllabus? What do the students express concerning the history syllabus and history education? The results of these studies are reported in separate papers, and the aggregated results are analysed in this thesis. The data consisted of government bills and committee reports, material from the National Agency of Education archives, and interview data gathered through interviews with 5 teachers and 46 students. The major theoretical inspiration comes from Basil Bernstein whose theories of classification and framing, pedagogic discourse, pedagogic code, and vertical and horizontal discourses are used in the analysis. With the aid of these concepts, the content and meaning of history education for VET are connected to macro levels of education, and the way in which education reproduces social order when certain forms of knowledge are distributed to different groups in society is discussed. Three major conclusions are drawn. First, history as a pedagogic discourse comes forward as versatile and contradictory when the results from the studies are aggregated. There is, however, a shared understanding that the meaning of history in VET is to educate the students to become democratic and active citizens. Secondly, the investigated discourses ascribe history education with the potential to distribute critical and powerful knowledge. The students see a value for history education in their future as citizens and for giving them access the public conversation of society. A final conclusion is that the pedagogic code, embedded in the history curriculum, can be interpreted in two different ways. The emphasis on competencies and the focus on the last two hundred years can be interpreted as (A) an expression of a wish for immediate utility and thus an instrumental view of education or (B) the recontextualisation of scientific theories, concepts, and practices into a pedagogic discourse as a means to give students access to disciplinary (powerful) knowledge.

This thesis deals with the role of teacher agency in the reform of curriculum under Universal Primary Education (UPE) in Uganda. It draws on empirical research conducted in two UPE case study schools in Uganda. The study was conducted in order to highlight the role of teacher agency in teachers’ professional practice and to analyse the ecological factors that contribute in shaping it, as well as its effects. The thesis begins with a description of the UPE curriculum in its global dimensions. It subsequently reviews the theoretical and empirical literature dealing with the role of teacher agency in the reform of curriculum under UPE, under the themes of ‘globalisation’, ‘teacher/biographical barriers to UPE reforms’, ‘contextual challenges of the reforms on teachers’, ‘teachers’ mediation of the reform challenges’ and ‘effects of the teachers’ mediation of reforms’. The study’s theoretical position draws on the critical realist philosophy of Roy Bhaskar and Margaret Archer, which guided the development a two-phased study design comprising of secondary document analysis using retroduction (Elder-Vass 2010; Edwards et al. 2014) in phase one and field work within the framework of Priestley et al.’s (2015b) ecological approach to teacher agency in phase two. The field work involved semi-structured interviews, observation and primary document analysis. The study established that the globalisation of UPE was driven by Education for All (EFA) under a neo-liberal agenda, which involved both structural and cultural reform. The structural reform has impacted UPE’s ecology through the evolution of a new ‘governance’ structure underpinned by partnership, decentralisation and performativity. Furthermore, it has involved access and inputs reform, which has been characterised by universalisation and the adoption of a partnership funding approach. Cultural reform has focused on curriculum and pedagogy. However, at the micro level of school/classroom practice, most of the reforms have resulted in ‘first order’ changes (Cuban 1998; Priestley 2011a), which are currently manifested by only partial success in absorbing the curriculum and pedagogy reforms, coupled with the continued lack of inputs. This is attributed, among others, to the responses of the teachers, or teacher agency. The study analysed the role of teacher agency in the case studies and concluded that it is widely manifested and is primarily driven by the practical-evaluative dimension, followed by the projective and iterational dimensions respectively. Furthermore, it has significant effects, which are both positive and negative. It therefore plays a significant role in the teachers’ professional practice, which needs to be acknowledged in educational planning. Finally, the study offered some recommendations and suggestions for further research.

Abstract The object of the study is the curriculum reform in basic education in the 2000's as local interpretations. The objective of the study is to create an image on how local municipal processes were formed and what kind of discourses in terms of educational policy, public administration and local level occurred. The empirical data of the study was collected in two cities, Oulu and Raahe, during 2002–2005. Part of the data was created in the processes and its so-called natural corpus whereby part of the material was acquired for the study. The analysis of the data was based on the constructionist approach, in which language is perceived as a social matter and in which the contextuality of meanings is recognized. In this case, the theoretical background of the study and earlier research on the curricula theory and practice, as well as research on the status and development of the school system form a part of qualitative hermeneutic interpretation. Characteristics of both action and ethnographic research can be seen in the study. Curricula have been used to direct the Finnish education for approximately one hundred years. The method of implementation has however changed in such a way that curriculum does not hold an established status in comprehensive schools. The unestablished status of curriculum can be seen also in this study. The concept of curriculum was defined in a number of different ways in the subjects' speech. Local processes differed from each other and experiences from previous reforms were not utilized. However, the teachers, principals and administrative personnel participating in the processes had a positive attitude towards the reform. The study will focus on how curriculum is defined in the subjects' speech concerning the school, municipality and department of education. The speech emphasises co-operation. The idea of up-to-date school and teachership could be maintained through curriculum work. Speech concerning the reform of the school emphasised the uniformity of comprehensive schools, which is linked with co-operation between different school levels, curriculum co-operation and school common to all pupils. The speech also highlighted the individuality of pupils. Speech concerning the municipality and the department of education raised the issues of multi-professionalism and regionality. Local strategic planning was raised in both processes. The example from Oulu shows that curriculum work may function as a tool for implementing the strategy of the department of education. This signifies a change in the administrative culture that has strengthened the position of local interpretation. The study also examined the subjects' speech in the perspective of educational policy discourses of the previous decade. In addition to national and local goals, international aspects can be identified. On the basis of this interpretation, operators in curriculum work were identified and named the voice of expertise and education, voice of developing local administration and voice of market economy. The voice of market economy is loud because it also affects the attitudes of the experts and developing local administration. In the background, conflicting assumptions on the society, individual and leadership can be perceived. These conflicts can be approached as alternatives in current discussion in which teaching personnel should also become more consciously involved. / Tiivistelmä Tutkimuksen kohteena on 2000-luvun opetussuunnitelmauudistus perusopetuksessa paikallisina tulkintoina. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on ollut luoda kuvaa siitä, millaiseksi paikalliset kuntaprosessit muodostuivat ja millaisia koulutuspoliittisia, julkishallinnollisia ja paikallisia diskursseja niissä ilmeni. Tutkimuksen empiirinen aineisto on koottu kahdessa kaupungissa, Oulussa ja Raahessa, vuosien 2002–2005 aikana. Osa aineistoa on prosesseissa syntynyttä ns. luonnollista aineistoa ja osa tutkimusta varten hankittua. Tutkimusaineiston analyysi perustuu konstruktionistiseen lähestymistapaan, jossa kieli ymmärretään yhteiskunnallisena asiana ja jossa tunnustetaan merkitysten kontekstuaalisuus. Tällöin myös tutkimuksen teoreettinen tausta, opetussuunnitelmateoriaa ja käytäntöjä tarkasteleva aiempi tutkimus sekä koulun tilaa ja kehittymistä kuvaava tutkimus, ovat osa kvalitatiivista hermeneuttista tulkintaa. Tutkimuksessa voi nähdä sekä toimintatutkimuksen että etnografisen tutkimuksen piirteitä. Opetussuunnitelmilla on pyritty ohjaamaan suomalaista koulua noin sadan vuoden ajan. Toteuttamisen tapa on kuitenkin vaihdellut niin, ettei opetussuunnitelmalla ole vakiintunutta asemaa peruskoulussa. Vakiintumattomuus näkyy myös tässä tutkimuksessa. Opetussuunnitelmakäsitys määrittyi hyvin monin eri tavoin osallistujien puheessa. Paikalliset prosessit erosivat toisistaan, eikä niissä hyödynnetty edellisten uudistusten kokemuksia. Prosesseihin osallistuneet opettajat, rehtorit ja hallinnon henkilöstö ottivat uudistuksen kuitenkin myönteisesti vastaan. Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan millaiseksi opetussuunnitelma määrittyy osallistujien koulua, kuntaa ja opetustoimea koskevassa puheessa. Puheessa korostui yhteistyö. Opetussuunnitelmatyöllä voitiin ylläpitää ajantasaisen koulun ja opettajuuden ihannetta. Koulua koskevassa muutospuheessa korostui peruskoulun yhtenäisyys, joka liitettiin kouluasteiden yhteistyöhön ja opetussuunnitelmayhteistyöhön sekä kaikille oppilaille yhteiseen kouluun. Puhe korosti oppilaiden yksilöllisyyttä. Kuntaa ja opetustoimea koskevassa puheessa nousivat esille moniammatillisuus ja seutukunnallisuus. Paikallinen strateginen suunnittelu nousi esille molemmissa prosesseissa. Oulun esimerkki osoittaa, että opetussuunnitelmatyö voi toimia opetustoimen strategian toteuttamisen välineenä. Tämä kertoo hallintokulttuurin muutoksesta, joka on vahvistanut paikallista tulkintaa. Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan myös osallistujien puhetta suhteessa edellisen vuosikymmenen koulutuspoliittisiin diskursseihin. Puheessa voi erottaa kansallisten ja paikallisten tavoitteiden lisäksi kansainvälisiä vaikutteita. Tämän tulkinnan kautta erottuvat opetussuunnitelmatyössä vaikuttavat toimijatahot, jotka tutkimuksessa nimetään asiantuntijuuden ja sivistyksen ääneksi, kehittyvän paikallishallinnon ääneksi sekä markkinatalouden ääneksi. Markkinatalouden ääni on kantava, sillä se vaikuttaa myös asiantuntijoiden asenteissa ja kehittyvässä paikallishallinnossa. Sen taustalla voi kuitenkin nähdä ristiriitaisia oletuksia yhteiskunnasta, yksilöstä ja johtamisesta. Näitä ristiriitoja voi lähestyä ajankohtaisen keskustelun vaihtoehtoina, jossa myös opetushenkilöstön tulisi olla entistä tietoisemmin mukana.

What happens when teachers are required to implement a mandatory mathematics literacy curriculum whose purposes and pedagogy is distinctly different from that of mathematics curricula of the past? More specifically: How do teachers beliefs and understandings of the curriculum affect the implementation pathway of a mathematics reform intended for ALL? In 2006 the national Department of Education of South Africa introduced a new curriculum into the mathematics landscape, namely Mathematical Literacy. This curriculum, which is markedly dissimilar in pedagogy, politics and purposes from past mathematics curricula, was introduced as a mandatory alternative to mathematics in the senior secondary phase of schooling; not as an integral component of mathematics curricula but as a unique subject of its own. It recognizes that every adult and therefore every child can and should do some form of mathematics. This research focuses on the implementation of this new curriculum in a context were mathematical literacy levels are not only unacceptably low among pupils leaving secondary schooling but also among many teachers charged with delivering mathematics education to the learners in South Africa. The three research questions guiding this study are: 1) What do teachers understand to be the purposes, problems and possibilities contained in the mathematical literacy curriculum? 2) How do teachers proceed to implement the mathematical literacy curriculum in their classrooms? 3) Why do teachers implement this curriculum in the ways they do? In other words, what explains the implementation pathways followed by the mathematical literacy curriculum in real classroom contexts? A review of the literature on curriculum and policy implementation revealed broad encapsulating themes that provide lenses for reform failure. It also provided a perspective that calls for domain specific research. Following on this, the study articulated a broader conceptual framework premised on the perception that a deep understanding of a curriculum is required, for contemporary reforms in mathematical literacy, especially if the goal is to pursue deep change in instructional practices and beliefs. Within this framework, three propositions were generated and then later tested against the emerging data: Proposition one: Teachers may not have a deep understanding of the purposes, problems and possibilities contained in the Mathematical Literacy curriculum. Proposition two: Teachers implement the Mathematical Literacy curriculum in their classroom using beliefs and pedagogies that are already entrenched in their practice. Proposition three: Teachers implement mathematical literacy only because it is a mandatory subject and not because of any strong conviction of the inherent value of this curriculum. A qualitative research design was used which included two in-depth case studies against the backdrop of a snapshot survey of fifty-four mathematical literacy teachers as an embedded unit of analysis. Using evidence from an array of data collection instruments, the study found that the two educators had a superficial understanding of the intentions of the curriculum both in terms of required pedagogy and purpose of the reform. For both educators the teaching of mathematics in context was outside their paradigm of understanding as was their limited grasp of the 'spirit' of this new reform. What was further revealed was that educators teaching mathematical literacy felt and expressed an overwhelming threat to the status of their professional teaching identity. The explorative study concludes with implications for future studies and professional teacher development. It also further expands on why a strong theory of action is mandatory if the challenges of complex curriculum change are to be met. / Thesis (PhD (Education Policy Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

The aim of this study is, firstly, to determine if there is a difference in the perceptions of academic staff members and students concerning the purpose of their actual assessment practices. Secondly, the aim of the study is to identify what the challenges are that may influence the implementation of effective assessment practices. A case study design, involving the academic staff and students within the Baccalaureus Educationis (BEd) Early Childhood Development, Foundation Phase Programme in the Faculty of Education, University of Pretoria, was used. The sample consisted of 30 academic staff members and 114 third-year students who each completed a standardised questionnaire (quantitative data), to get a broader idea of their perceptions and understanding of the purpose of assessment practices. The questionnaire was followed up by face to face interviews (qualitative data) with three staff members and three students in order to validate and supplement the quantitative data. The method employed to analyse the collected data was a concurrent nested, mixed method design. The quantitative data analyses were done using SPSS computer software to determine the frequencies for both staff and students’ perceptions. Statistical data analyses were also performed using a non-parametric chi-square technique. The collected qualitative data was first analysed using manifest and content data analysis. Codes had been developed after which the data was further analysed using SPSS computer software to determine the frequencies for both staff and students’ perceptions. The standards model which represents assessment reform (enquiry or outcomes-based assessment) and the measurement model (traditional assessment) were used as framework to interpret the collected data. The results of my study showed that both academic staff and students perceived the main purpose of assessment as developmental or formative. However, the stated importance of the formative purpose of assessment was not evident in the practice of academic staff. For example, academic staff reported that within their assessment practices, assessment either took place at the beginning of the module, sometimes during the module, but mostly at the end of the module. Furthermore, staff reported that within their assessment practices, self- and peer-assessment and feedback were infrequent occurrences and that feedback to students was almost never followed up with actions. Academic staff perceived the biggest challenge for effective assessment practice to be large class sizes, while students perceived the biggest challenge to be the reliability of assessment, including marking reliability and assessor reliability. I concluded that the standards model of assessment is the desirable model in formal education and especially Higher Education, because it attempts to reflect what has been learned in criterion referenced terms. However, in this study, as well as in the Maclellan study (2001) and LOAP study (Fun, 2005), academic staff declared a commitment to formative purposes of assessment, but students perceived that staff engages in practices that were not in line with the standards model of assessment. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

Depuis des décennies, toutes les analyses convergent vers l’idée d’une relative inefficacité des systèmes éducatifs d’Afrique subsaharienne. Décrochage, redoublements, effectifs pléthoriques, faible qualité des acquis d’élèves, insuffisance et obsolescence des structures d’accueil, du matériel didactique et des enseignants, dont parfois les niveaux et qualité de formation restent quelque peu incertains, inadaptation des programmes d’enseignement. Bref, tels sont quelques uns des maux qui minent lesdits systèmes et confirment les constats établis par de nombreux rapports. Face à ce constat de faiblesse, les autorités éducatives, soutenues par l’aide internationale se sont mobilisées dans plusieurs pays en vue d’améliorer leurs systèmes respectifs aux plans qualitatif, quantitatif mais aussi d’équité car, il ne faut pas l’oublier, dans ces systèmes, le dimorphisme structurel et contextuel les rend fortement inégalitaires. Devant cette crise, l’une des solutions entrevues, avec effets à court et moyen terme, a consisté à revoir fondamentalement les programmes d’enseignement. Dans ce contexte, l’approche par les compétences qui constitue l’une des grandes évolutions de la recherche éducative de ces trois dernières décennies, a été retenue comme plus apte à répondre aux besoins éducatifs fondamentaux des populations scolarisées. Pour en cerner les contours et en apprécier le bienfondé, une analyse objective des résultats desdites réformes, dont certaines ont débuté depuis 1998 était nécessaire. Ainsi, cette recherche a pour objectif d’évaluer aussi bien la pertinence que le niveau d’efficacité des réformes curriculaires mises en œuvre dans trois pays d’Afrique francophone à savoir : le Bénin, le Gabon et Madagascar. Prenant appui sur les données issues du programme d’analyse des systèmes éducatifs d’Afrique francophone (PASEC) ainsi qu’une enquête ad hoc menée au Gabon, l’étude tente de cerner les déterminants de l’efficacité éducative à partir de l’analyse comparative des performances et d’une étude séquentielle des pratiques d’enseignement. Si les résultats ressortent des transformations réelles du point de vue des pratiques pédagogiques, les indicateurs de performances scolaires restent quant à eux assez décevants. Pour autant, avec les mesures d’accompagnement d’envergure qu’ont initiées les autorités éducatives de certains pays, on peut s’attendre à de bien meilleurs résultats dans le temps. / For decades, all analyzes converge on the idea of the relative inefficiency of education systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Dropout, repetition, overstaffing, low quality of learning student failure and obsolescence of facilities, teaching materials and teachers, including sometimes the levels and quality of education remain somewhat uncertain, inadequate educational programs. In short, these are some of the ills that plague these systems and confirm the findings made by many reports. Given this weakness finding, educational authorities, supported by international aid mobilized in many countries to improve their systems to qualitatively, but also quantitatively equity because we must not forget in these systems, the structural and contextual dimorphism makes them highly unequal. Faced with this crisis, one of the interviews solutions with short and medium-term effects has been to fundamentally rethink the curriculum. In this context, the competencies approach constitutes one of the major developments in educational research of the past three decades, was selected as most suitable to meet the basic educational needs of school populations. To define its contours and appreciate the merits, an objective analysis of the results of these reforms, some of which began in 1998 was necessary. Thus, this research aims to assess both the relevance that the level of effectiveness of curricular reforms implemented in three Francophone African countries namely: Benin, Gabon and Madagascar. Drawing on data from the educational systems analysis program in Francophone Africa (PASEC) and an ad hoc survey in Gabon, the study attempts to identify the determinants of educational effectiveness from the comparative performance analysis and a sequential study of teaching practices. If the results come out real transformations from the perspective of teaching practices, school performance indicators are in turn quite disappointing. However, with major support measures what initiated the educational authorities in some countries, we can expect much better results in time.

This thesis deals with didactical analysis of subject matter system of accounting for business schools. The first research problem analyses school educational programme at two research business schools, regarding the demands of the reform. Two main hypotheses verifying the differences in key and professional competence of students in problem and traditional education utilization result from the second research problem. The thesis responds to the requirements by creating an educational material with IFRS issues for business schools. Project day for professional economic subjects has been developed on the basis of results, methodology processes and didactical materials resulting from the second research problem

The contemporary world of work is undergoing far-reaching changes as a result of global economic developments and technological progress. This has necessitated an appraisal of the school curriculum in order to identify the life skills necessary for vocational success. As the concept of a lifetime career has become obsolete, the accent has shifted to a life chance approach in education. This approach emphasises the wide repertoire of life skills required by learners for successful participation in a range of career possibilities and in the sphere of their personal lives, the two being perceived as inseparable. A literature survey investigated the development of professional careers in historical perspective, the contribution of developmental theorists regarding trends in contemporary career progression, various dimensions of success and what motivates successful men and women in their public and private domains. Furthermore, the adjustments required by dual career couples were examined. Various dimensions of life skills for lifespan competence were investigated, with particular reference to South African society. The life orientation approach currently advocated by the new curriculum in South Africa was briefly described. A qualitative study of the life histories of twelve professionals, forty five years and over was conducted in natural settings in order to explore the life skills responsible for career and personal success. Semi-structured interviews elicited descriptive data from participants, selected by judgement sampling. Data was analysed, discussed and synthesised. The major findings emanated: Success in public and private domains was only possible if a balance between them was maintained. Family background, values and educational experiences created a facilitating environment which contributed to early character development. Certain enabling attributes were essential to achieve both career success and self-fulfilment, even among the less privileged participants. Personal obstacles were confronted and managed. Self-discipline, time management and the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle was vital. The interpenetration of public and private domains was emphasised. A sound work ethic and healthy interpersonal relationships with family, colleagues and the community were crucial. Middle and late adulthood emerged as periods of continuing, dynamic self-development. Based on these findings, recommendations for relevant life skills education were proposed. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)