Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Curriculum and Instruction / Margaret G. Shroyer / John R. Staver / This study explored the inclusion of creative drama into science teaching as an instructional strategy for enhancing elementary school students' understanding of scientific concepts. A treatment group of sixth grade students was taught a Full Option Science System (FOSS) science unit on Mixtures and Solutions with the addition of creative drama while a control group was taught using only the FOSS teaching protocol. Quantitative and qualitative data analyses demonstrated that students who studied science through creative drama exhibited a greater understanding of scientific content of the lessons and preferred learning science through creative drama. Treatment group students stated that they enjoyed participating in the activities with their friends and that the creative drama helped them to better understand abstract scientific concepts. Teachers involved with the creative drama activities were positively impressed and believed creative drama is a good tool for teaching science. Observations revealed that creative drama created a positive classroom environment, improved social interactions and self-esteem, that all students enjoyed creative drama, and that teachers' teaching style affected students' use of creative drama. The researcher concluded that the inclusion of creative drama with the FOSS unit enhanced students' scientific knowledge and understanding beyond that of the FOSS unit alone, that both teachers and students reacted positively to creative drama in science and that creative drama requires more time.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Curriculum and Instruction / Marjorie R. Hancock / To become lifelong readers, young children require instruction from teachers who integrate their knowledge of the reading process and expert instructional skills to support students' progress in reading and writing. These teachers are entitled to support from professional development to assist their implementing instructional approaches, which lead to student achievement. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to describe the impact of a year long balanced literacy professional development on 13 K-2 teachers and their students. The study focuses on the potential impact of ongoing professional development and literacy coaching. Participants engaged in study sessions to expand their understanding of literacy learning processes, to read recent reading research, and to implement guided reading instruction. Three of the participants allowed me to act as their literacy coach in their K-2 classrooms. Results of this study suggest that participating teachers made changes in instructional practices, which aligned with balanced literacy practices. The three teachers who worked with me as their literacy coach expressed positive impacts from the opportunities to collaborate in their classrooms with a coach. Results of the study reflect differences in teachers' responses to professional development and to literacy coaching. Even with trusting relationships, not all teachers became reflective or analytical. The findings of this study confirm and support the literature and research that show the literacy goals of all children can be met through a balanced literacy approach to instruction which is designed and guided by focused and sustained professional development to deepen teachers' understandings.

M.Comm. / There is a serious need for children to be informed about the negative influence of unhealthy living. Children need to be made aware ofhealthy eating habits, health risks andthebenefits ofexerciseto improvetheirhealth. The impact ofbadeating habits and little exercise needs to be emphasized in order for learners to see the importance of healthy living. The aim of this study is to identify relevant aspects from the related literature and practise, to establish emperically the health-related knowledge and behaviour of senior primary phase school children in the Honeydew area and to offer recommendations for health education for primary school children. This study is explorative ofnature. A academic research was done on the related literature on health and physical health education. Qualitative Data has been collected from three schools in the Honeydew area by means of a self-constructed questionnaire. These schools were selected due to the fact that the researcher teaches at one of the schools, and the other schools were easily accessible to the researcher. Several pilot studies were done to test the validity of the questionnaires. In order for the questionnaire to have been statistically reliable, 102 questionnaires were completed by learners from all three schools. From the data gathered the researcher came to the conclusion that learners in the Honeydew area have a reasonable general knowledge of health and they have a relatively healthy lifestyle. There are however reasons for concern in some areas and these need to be adressed. The high consumption ofeggs, salt, snacks and soft drinks may have a negative effect on the learners' health. The emotional well being of the child may have an influence on the child's eating habits. When children get depressed or bored, they eat simply because they do not have anything else to do and then they often eat chocolates or snacks like crisps. Every school has a tuck shop and even if a parent provided a nutritional lunch box for the child, the child may still buy chocolates and crisps at the tuck shop. Some parents give the learners money to buy lunch and then they buy sweets, instead. The use of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs is definitely bad for the leamer's health. Some learners were involved in unprotected sex, this is matter of serious concern. AIDS is a terrible disease that is increasing drastically daily. It is very important that learners need to be informed about health hazards to ensure a healthy lifestyle for all. Learners need to be informed about drug abuse, alcohol abuse, physical abuse and healthy eating habits to ensure that they can become healthy, contributary and responsible citizens in the future. There is a definite need for a health education programme in schools to ensure that the learners stay healthy and lead healthy lives in the future.

D.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / The aim of this study was to give an ethnographic story of the first Grade R programme in a developing school in 2010 in a black urban community and to use my story of the Grade R teaching and learning to contribute to a better understanding of the field of Early Childhood Development (ECD) and education in South Africa. This research was a response to the Department of Education’s concern that the Foundation Phase, Grade R included, does not receive the attention it deserves in South Africa. There appears to be alternative views and perspectives of what constitutes good ECD or Grade R practice. As a result, the conceptualisation of Grade R and ECD as a whole is problematic and inconsistent. This study is situated in the interpretivist naturalistic paradigm using sociocultural theory as theoretical framework. I studied the participants in a naturally occurring setting using methods of data collection which captured their social meanings and ordinary activities, whilst I participated directly in the setting in order to collect data in a systemic manner. Thutong1 a primary school established in 2010 in a black urban community, was the research site. Two Grade R classrooms were studied, comprising 60 children and two teachers. The classes were divided according to the children’s home languages, Sesotho (South Sotho) and isiZulu. The lens through which I observed the teaching and learning of the Grade R at Thutong had a sociocultural focus. Data was collected by means of participant-observation; interviews; photographs and photographic data; and artefacts. I used Brewer’s steps of analysis but they were not necessarily followed to the letter. As social phenomena were recorded and classified I compared the different data sets across categories. Atlas.ti computer software was used for qualitative data analysis and text management. Findings suggested that the Grade R language maze is central to teaching and learning of Grade R children, and this became an overarching theme. The sub-themes that were arrived at include language code switching, translation, dual medium in multilingual context, sound/letter recognition, numeracy teaching, Thutong teachers as griots, rhymes and Grade R learning, rote learning in language and numeracy, play in language acquisition, and barriers to learning and support. The diverse population of the black urban community in which the school is situated cautions stakeholders to plan carefully Grade R. In line with the sociocultural theory, a proposal for reform in Thutong would have to consider economic, political, historical, social, and cultural factors because the school is a part of and reflects the larger social system in which it is situated. The story reflects an urgent need to strengthen Early Childhood Development and education in South Africa, thus this study also addresses the need to support and promote local perspectives, questions and issues in order to move beyond the singular image of the global child. The study highlights the importance of teacher training, intense support to teachers and children by the Department of Education, children’s readiness to learn and parental involvement in language acquisition and development.

<p> 21^st Century skills such as critical-thinking and problem-solving skills are very important when it comes to Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics or STEM. But those same skills should be integrated in social studies. The impact of students&rsquo; learning in social studies as a result of implementing inquiry-based instructional strategies was the problem investigated in the study. Participants in the study included 22 third-grade African-American students in a self-contained classroom in a large urban school system. Instrumental apparatus used in the study were a pre- and post- survey, a frequency behavior checklist, and a 4-point rubric. Students were given a pre- and post- survey to assess their perception of their inquiry skills before and after the study. Observable behaviors were recorded over the next eight weeks. The research design chosen for the study was action research using a mixed-methods approach because action research was commonly used by teachers because of its practicality. The impact of students&rsquo; learning in social studies as a result of implementing inquiry-based instructional strategies was that there was no impact between the inquiry-based instructional strategies and student achievement in social studies among 3^rd grade students based on the data from the Inquiry-Based Instructional Strategies 4-point rubric and the Inquiry-based Instructional Strategies Frequency Behavior Checklist. As a result, implications of the study include improving teacher pedagogy in inquiry-based learning and instructional strategies and more professional development in project-based learning and integration in social studies, and using current events to make social studies relevant.</p><p>

<p> <i>Professional Development Tools to Enhance the Abilities of Veteran Teachers in Pre-K Through Eighth Grades</i> examined the variety of professional development tools available to veteran educators. The quasi-experimental study allowed veteran teachers to participate in a pretest survey consisting of questions about teachers&rsquo; desire for continued professional development, learning preferences, tools and ideas, and demographic information. An intervention in the form of PowerPoint was then presented to the veteran teachers outlining the adult learning theory and a variety of professional development tools. After the intervention, a posttest was conducted and compared using an ANOVA. </p><p> The results in the study indicate that while there is not a significant difference in the pretest and posttest following the intervention, veteran teachers are interested in learning, growing, and enhancing their classroom. Veteran teachers would like to be actively involved in the planning and expansion of professional development opportunities and would like to learn from their peers in how to make their classroom more effective. Veteran teachers also feel that their peers can learn from watching them teach in the classroom and would like to use the peer coaching model and Instructional Rounds to be able to learn from their colleagues. Veteran teachers feel that tools such as observations and feedback are helpful in the classroom and would like to learn more about student engagement, instructional strategies, classroom management, differentiation techniques, Instructional Rounds, growth mindset, and subject specific programs. </p><p> The results from the teachers&rsquo; survey were given to administrators for feedback about how to use the responses to develop effective professional development opportunities in schools. The interview results from the administrators revealed that teacher observation and collaboration are optimal for teachers to grow professionally. The one-on-one interviews also resulted in the overwhelming need to include teachers in the creation of professional development opportunities. </p><p>

Abstract not available.

Abstract not available.

This dissertation is a video ethnography of the enculturation and learning patterns among children on three school playgrounds in the Central Region of Ghana, West Africa. It includes a) a discussion of colonialism on the redefinition of Ghanaian cultural identity in relation to play culture and the school curriculum b) performance-based case studies of six singing games, which comprise a description of sound and structural features and an explanation of cultural forms evident in singing games and c) a discussion on the role multimedia technologies (video, audio, and computer technologies) played in configuring my explanations and the explanations of all participants: children, teachers, and community members. Goldman-Segall' s "configurational validity" is the conceptual basis of this ethnography of Ghanaian children's music cultures. Configurational validity is a collaborative theory for analyzing video documents that expands on the premise that research is enriched by multiple points of view. Performance stylistic features of singing games emerge that reflected the marriage of two music cultures, indigenous Ghanaian and European. These include: speech tones, onomatopoeia, repetition and elaboration of recurring melodic cliches, portamentos or cadential drops, syncopations, triplets, melisma, polyrhythms, vocables, anacrusis, strophic, circle, lines, and partner formations. During play, the children were cultural interlocutors and recipients of adult cultural interlocution as they learned about accepted and shared social behavioural patterns, recreated their culture, and demonstrated the changing Ghanaian culture. The culture forms that emerged include community solidarity, inclusion, ways of exploring and expressing emotions, coordination, cooperation, gender relations, and linguistic code switching. For children in Ghana, knowledge is uninhibited shared constructions; knowledge grows when every one is involved; and knowledge is like "midwifery." I recommended a teaching style that encouraged the expression of children's wide ranging knowledge by a) offering opportunities for cooperative learning through group work, b) encouraging continuous assessment, c) establishing stronger ties with the adult community, and d) recognizing that the ability of children to hear, interpret, and compensate for dialectic differences in closely related languages can be used to enrich the language arts curriculum and also e) recognizing that the cultural studies curriculum can be enriched by the ability of children to re-create hybrid performing arts cultures. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

This thesis chronicles a journey for which there is no end. The journey is the author's search for authentic curriculum -- teaching and learning built around socially relevant themes, designed through an organic development process, and negotiated in relation to the interests of individual learners and the communities that support them. In struggling to find a "lens" that would allow children to navigate change in an increasingly complicated society, the author shifted her focus from the substantive domain to the perceptual. Influenced by Case's (1995) discourse regarding the nurturing of "global perspectives" in young children, the author identified nine characteristics of a "global/diversity" perspective. Rather than infusing curriculum with more information, teachers would nurture an approach to learning that permits children to suspend judgment, entertain contrary positions, anticipate complexity, and tolerate ambiguity. Through the use of "counter-hegemonic" children's literature the author found she could nurture the "seeds" of alternative perspectives forming a strong foundation for understanding and tolerance in the classroom and beyond. It is important to emphasise that the author had to internalise a "global/diversity perspective" herself in order to nurture it in others through a generative process she refers to as "living curriculum". The research methodology of currere was employed as a means of exorcising the unacknowledged biases, personal contradictions, and divergent influences that have fed the author's identity, and thus necessarily informed her philosophies and actions as an educator. The methodology of autobiography was a critical factor in permitting the author to recognise and take ownership of her own education. Autobiography led her into the tangled garden and compelled her to make sense of its organic cycles. The method of autobiography typically rattles the comfort margins of educational researchers who see it as patronising sentimentality, rather than a rigorous analysis of self-knowledge within contemporary scholarship. It is important that autobiographical researchers demonstrate resonance of their lived experience in scholarly discourse and pedagogy. The author discusses a number of possible criteria that could be used to evaluate autobiographical research - the most important of these being that the work spawns reflection and stirs praxis within the reader. / Education, Faculty of / Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of / Graduate