The primary purposes of this study were to assess the understanding and attitudes of teachers, to determine the interaction effects of certain variables, and to determine if there is a correlation between understanding of economic concepts and attitude toward economic education. The problem of the study was an assessment of the attitudes toward and understanding of economic concepts held by secondary school teachers in Arkansas who taught economics or economics-related subjects.

[From Introduction]. The study involved student teachers and teacher educators providing me with information concerning their perception and understanding of the BETD broad curriculum and needlework and clothing syllabus. The above mentioned are the people who are involved in teacher education thus I found it relevant to have their opinions and understanding of the documents. The contextual analysis has engaged me in exploring a possible area of research specialisation for the two years during the course of studies with Rhodes University; this will serve as an introduction to the particular research to be done through the course of my studies. The focus of this report includes the following: • A critical analysis of (BETD) needlework and clothing syllabus in relation to the BETD broad curriculum; • A socio-historic and economic analysis of the context for which the syllabus has been designed; • An analysis of the learners for whom the syllabus is designed. In this case students provided their autobiography; • An analysis ofthe learning environment in which the syllabus operates; the physical structure and resources. Together with the critical analysis of the curriculum a small scale survey intending to find out the following information from the student teachers and teacher educators was conducted. • The extent to which the broad curriculum differs from the previous teacher education on issues related to democracy, quality, access, cultural bias, racial discrimination and classes (level of economic status); • How the needlework and clothing syllabus addresses the needs of student teachers; • Whether the needlework and clothing syllabus has enough content; • The challenges facing teacher education and how they can be addressed; • Whether the needlework and clothing syllabus is learner-centred; • Whether the syllabus is gender oriented or biased. This evaluation framework provides a foundation for later investigation

This dissertation is a contribution to understanding the relationship between schooling and gender inequality. The study explores how gender as a social relation is organized and embedded in the daily experiences of classroom life and in the discourses of people who dwell there. The study deals with how classroom encounters contribute to the reproduction or transformation of gender categories and how students' and teachers' discursive practices build and support patriarchal structures. The study is grounded in critical education theory, feminist theory, and ethnographic research. The specific site for the study is the knowledge area described as the Practical Arts, namely home economics and technical studies. The research is limited to a single Grade 8, coeducational, home economics and technical studies program in an inner-city, multi-ethnic, secondary school in western Canada. Evidence is based on participant observation of classrooms, for one school year, with one group of students as they proceed through a combined home economics and technical studies program. Evidence is also obtained through interviews with students and teachers. The study illustrates how classroom practices support the patriarchal structures of division of labour, violence against women, and sexuality. The study shows how the students' and teachers' discursive practices produce girls and women, and less powerful boys, in subordinate positions and as objects of regulation. As well, students' previous experiences in domestic and technical work, and classroom discourse, produce and support the division of labour. The study shows how the conditions of teachers' work, their authoritarian, product oriented approach, and their powerful, institutional discourses grounded in biological and psychological development and equality of educational opportunity, prevent them from challenging patriarchal structures. Although the study shows how students and teachers are actively engaged in the production rather than the transformation of traditional gender relations, it also shows how patriarchy is incomplete: there were divisions within gender categories and there were many contradictions. The study shows how power relations are not static - they are constantly in process of negotiation, thereby opening possibilities for social change. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

Bibliography: pages 88-95. / The aim of the investigation is to assess the extent to which various initiatives aimed at improving the status of a technical subject like Home Economics (H/E), have helped to transform the attitudes and perceptions of teachers and students in a school in Zimbabwe. The study was carried out at Rusununguko Secondary School in Zimbabwe, where H/E was one of the technical subjects within a curriculum mainly dominated by academic subjects. Students and teachers' attitudes and perceptions towards H/E were assessed along the following dimensions: 1. The extent to which H/E is subjected to gender stereotyping; 2. The extent to which H/E is viewed as suitable for slow learners and low-achieving students; 3. The extent to which the subject suffers from subject choice constraints; 4. The extent to which H/E is viewed in terms of low academic and occupational expectations; 5. The extent to which the subject is perceived as offering low-status knowledge when compared to other subjects.

The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of determining the differential impact of an introductory economics course on the liberalism/conservatism of students, as compared to an introductory course in sociology or psychology. In addition, the study seeks to determine whether a significant relationship exists between a course in microeconomics and student conservatism. The source of data is the pre- and posttest class means of the scores on the Rokeach Opinionation Scale, measuring liberalism/conservatism. Chapter Five contains the conclusion that there is a significant difference between postmean scores on liberalism/conservatism of the students in economics and those in sociology or psychology. Also, an introductory course in microeconomics produces significantly different mean gains in student conservatism, as measured by the Opinionation Scale/compared to mean gains in an introductory course in sociology or psychology. A nonhypothesized relationship emerged between teacher attitude and student posttest mean scores on the Opinionation Scale.

This study is an analysis of the opinions of the graduates of Denton Senior High School concerning the practical arts, namely industrial arts and home economics.

Thesis (MPhil (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Transformatoriese verandering in onderwysstelsels wêreldwyd word gekenmerk deur 'n nuwe benadering ten opsigte van assessering. Hierdie soort assessering wat bekend staan as assessering-vir-leer behoort deurlopend, diagnosties en ontwikkelend van aard te wees. Dit is assessering wat nie net gemik is op 'n finale oordeel nie, maar wat ten doel het om leer en ontwikkeling met behulp van assessering by leerders te bevorder. Assessering-vir-leer maak dus 'n onlosmaaklike deel van die onderrig- en leerproses uit en gebeur nie slegs aan die einde van die leerproses nie. Hierdie navorsing is gebed in die volgende navorsingsvraag: Tot watter mate word assessering-vir-leer in die Ekonomiese en Bestuurswetenskappeleerarea in die Intermediêre Fase gebruik om leerdervordering te begelei en te ondersteun? Die mate waartoe die beginsels vir assessering-vir-leer in die onderrigpraktyk van onderwysers geïntegreer word om Intermediêre Faseleerders in die leerarea Ekonomiese en Bestuurswetenskappe (EBW) in 'n landelike skool te ondersteun is dus ondersoek. 'n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp binne die interpretatiewe navorsingsparadigma is gebruik om data te genereer ten einde die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord. Onderwysers en leerders is in die studie as respondente gebruik. Die navorsingsresultate het getoon dat onderwysers nog vasgevang is in praktyke van assessering-van-leer wat fokus op die insameling van punte eerder as op die gebruik van assesseringsinligting ten einde verdere leer by leerders te bevorder. Waar daar wel tekens van assessering-vir-leer in die praktyk van onderrig-en-leer by onderwysers plaasvind, is dit toevallig en nie intensioneel nie. Voortvloeiend uit die bevindinge word aangevoer dat, met die nodige ondersteuning, onderwysers beginsels vir assessering-vir-leer in hul klaskamerpraktyk kan integreer ten einde meer effektiewe onderrig en leer in die betrokke skool te bevorder. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Transformational change in teaching systems worldwide is characterised by a new approach regarding assessment. This type of assessment, known as assessment for learning, should be continuous, diagnostic and developmental by nature. This is assessment that does not only focus in a final judgement, but which aims to promote learning and development by means of assessment in learners. Assessment-for-learning therefore forms an integral part of the teaching and learning process and does not only happen at the end of the learning process. This research is embedded in the following research question: To which extent is assessment-for-learning used in the Economic and Management Sciences learning area in the Intermediate Phase to guide and support learner progress? The extent to which the principles for assessment-for-learning are integrated in the teaching practice of teachers to support Intermediate Phase learners in the learning area Economic and Management sciences (EMS) in a rural school was therefore researched. A qualitative research design within the interpretative research paradigm was used to generate data in order to answer the research question. Teachers and learners were used as respondents in the study. The research results showed that teachers are still caught up in practices of assessment of learning which focus on the collection of marks rather than on the use of assessment information in order to promote further learning in learners. Where there are signs that assessment for learning indeed takes place in the practice of teaching and learning by teachers, it is incidental and not intentional. Based on the results, it can be said that, with the necessary support, teachers may be able to integrate principles for assessment for learning into their classroom practice so as to promote more effective teaching and learning in the school concerned.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) learning area is part of the current National Curriculum Statement (NCS) and includes learning content from subjects such as Accounting, Business Studies and Economics to prepare learners for the Further Education and Training (FET) phase (Grade 10–12). The learning content is divided into four learning outcomes, namely “The economic cycle”, “Sustainable growth and development”, “Managerial, consumer and financial knowledge and skills” and “Entrepreneurial knowledge and skills”. This study investigates EMS as learning area, and more specifically senior-phase EMS teachers’ experience of teaching this learning area. EMS teachers are expected to provide equal teaching of all four learning outcomes of the current NCS, as well as the three topics of the future Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), namely “The economy”, “Financial literacy” and “Entrepreneurship”. Previous studies have shown that EMS teachers face many challenges, including that not all of them have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the content of the learning area. Apart from these challenges, it was also found that teachers do not strictly comply with the policy prescripts in terms of teaching and assessment, as Accounting is given priority in the EMS classroom. Therefore, this study explores the aforementioned challenges in order to ascertain how EMS teachers experience the teaching of the learning area. The establishment of teacher learning communities for novice EMS teachers was also investigated. The research was undertaken within the methodological paradigm as a qualitative investigation. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews with mainly Grade 9 EMS teachers. The approach is interpretivist and the research design is phenomenological. Five respondents were purposefully selected based on the value that they were able to add in terms of their unique contexts, their qualifications and teaching experience. An important finding of the study was that the experience of EMS teachers was generally positive, given all the challenges they faced, such as the disparity between policy and practice, as well as often having to rely on insufficient, irrelevant and outdated EMS learning and teaching support material (LTSM). The researcher recommends that EMS teachers teach the learning area in consultation with their counterparts elsewhere in order to improve their teaching experience in respect of this learning area. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die leerarea Ekonomiese- en Bestuurswetenskappe (EBW) maak deel uit van die huidige Nasionale Kurrikulumverklaring (NKV) en bestaan uit die leerinhoud van vakke soos Rekeningkunde, Besigheidstudies en Ekonomie ter voorbereiding vir die voortgesette onderwys en opleiding- (VOO-) fase (graad 10–12). Hierdie leerinhoud word afgebaken in vier leeruitkomste, naamlik “Die ekonomiese kringloop”, “Volhoubare groei en ontwikkeling”, “Bestuurs-, verbruikers- en finansiële kennis en vaardighede” en “Entrepreneurskennis en -vaardighede”. Hierdie studie ondersoek EBW as leerarea en meer bepaald hoe EBW-onderwysers in die senior fase die onderrig van dié leerarea beleef. EBW-onderwysers is veronderstel om die leerders in hulle klas ewe goed in ál vier leeruitkomstes van die huidige NKV, maar ook in die toekomstige Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring (KABV) se drie onderwerpe, “Die ekonomie”, “Finansiële geletterdheid” en “Entrepreneurskap”, te onderrig. Verskeie studies het al beklemtoon dat die EBW-onderwyser met verskeie uitdagings te kampe het, wat insluit dat nie almal oor genoegsame kennis en begrip van die inhoud van die leerarea beskik nie. Benewens hierdie uitdagings het dit ook aan die lig gekom dat onderwysers nie streng volgens die beleidsvoorskrifte oor onderrig en assessering werk nie, maar merendeels op die onderrig van Rekeningkunde konsentreer. Hierdie studie ondersoek dus voormelde uitdagings ten einde onderwysers se belewing van die leerarea te bepaal. Die vestiging van onderwyserleergroepe vir nuweling-EBW-onderwysers is ook ondersoek. Die navorsing is binne die metodologiese paradigma wat kwalitatief is, onderneem. Data is met behulp van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude en hoofsaaklik graad 9-EBW-onderwysers ingesamel. Die benadering is interpretivisties en die navorsingsontwerp is fenomenologies. Vyf deelnemers is doelbewus gekies op grond van die waarde wat hulle aan die hand van hul eiesoortige kontekste, kwalifikasies en onderrigervaring kon toevoeg. ’n Belangrike bevinding van die studie is dat EBW-onderwysers die leerarea oorwegend gunstig beleef, gedagtig aan die talle uitdagings waarvoor hulle te staan kom, naamlik beleid en praktyk wat nie noodwendig ooreenstem nie, en dikwels ook irrelevante, onvoldoende en verouderde leer-, onderrig- en ondersteuningsmateriaal (LOOM) vir die onderrig van EBW. Die navorser beveel aan dat EBW-onderwysers die leerarea in oorleg met hul eweknieë elders onderrig ten einde hul onderrigbelewing van die leerarea te verbeter.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education