Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 1997. / Title from title page screen, viewed June 12, 2006. Dissertation Committee: George Padavil (chair), Paul Baker, James Palmer, Mark Swerdlik. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 168-175) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.A.)--Lancaster Bible College, 2004. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 43-45, 57).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Trinity Lutheran Seminary, 1981. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-128).

Thesis (M.A. Rel.)--Anderson School of Theology, 1987. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-75).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Bowling Green State University, 2007. / Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 113 p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2006. / Vita. Appendices: leaves 87-122. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-128).

Orientador: Alberto Villani / Banca: Fernando Bastos / Banca: Silvia Luiza Frateschi Trivelato / Resumo: Neste trabalho, tentamos relatar e interpretar a evolução de um grupo de estudantes durante a disciplina semestral de Prática de Ensino e Estágio Supervisionado em Biologia, ministrada em uma Universidade Federal. A disciplina constou de aulas semanais e de estágios realizados em grupos, além de encontros extra-classe referentes à sua preparação e avaliação. Os dados analisados foram provenientes de gravações em vídeo dos encontros de um grupo de quatro licenciandas que escolheram o lixo como tema do estágio de trabalhos escritos elaborados por estas licenciandas, das anotações realizadas pela pesquisadora e de relatos da professora responsável pela disciplina. A análise enfatizou a relação entre as mudanças das licenciandas e as intervenções da professora em cada uma das etapas da experiência. Inicialmente, as licenciandas demostraram baixo interesse pela disciplina e pouca determinação para desenvolver o estágio. Para romper com essa falta de motivação, a professora propôs uma série de atividades que provocaram uma pequena mudança na relação das licenciandas com a disciplina. No decorrer dessas atividades, cada uma delas foi se engajado em seu processo de aprendizagem. No final do semestre, demonstraram interesse em continuar o trabalho iniciado com os seus alunos no estágio. O resultado a que chegamos mostrou que os colegas, os alunos, a professora e também a pesquisadora favoreceram as mudanças do grupo de licenciandas. Tais mudanças dizem respeito às atitudes de reflexão sobre a prática docente, a autocrítica e a responsabilidade pessoal do grupo frente ao saber científico, pedagógico e metodológico / Abstract: In this work we try to describe and interpretare the evolution of a group of students during the half-early discipline Prática de Ensino e Estágio Supervisionado em Biologia (Teaching Practise and Supervised Apprenticeship in Biology), ministered in a Federal University. The discipline consisted of weekly classes and apprenticeships fulfilled in groups, as well as out-of-class meetings for prepararing and evaluating it. The data obtained consisted of video recordings of the meetings of one group of four undergraduates who chose "garbage" as the theme of their apprenticeship and papers, our notes, and the reports of the teacher responsible for the discipline. The analysis emphasized the relationship between undergraduate changes and teacher interventions in each stage of the experience. The undergraduates initially showed low interest in the discipline and little determination to develop the apprenticeship. To break with this lack of motivation, the teacher proposed a series of activities that caused a little change in the undergraduates relationship with the discipline. Through these activities, each one engaged in her own learning process. At the end of the term, they showed interest in continuing the work that they had begun with their apprenticeship students. We came to a result that showed that colleagues, students, teacher, and also the researcher favoured the undergraduate group changes. Such changes relate to thought attitudes about teaching practice, autocriticism, and the group personal responsability before scientific, pedagogical and methodological knowledge / Mestre

Local level leadership for the enhancement of learning and teaching in higher education is an under-researched area in the leadership literature. The growth of the ‘quality agenda’ in HE over the past 20 years has led to an increase in the number and range of local leadership roles. These posts, although not usually requiring the exercise of management responsibility, have the potential for considerable influence on practice in local academic communities. This study aimed to explore local leaders’ experience of their role and to examine the barriers and opportunities they faced, in order to determine the optimum conditions for the conduct of this work. The study was focused on one regional HEI in NW England, CountyUni. A subset of data was obtained from another HEI, MetroUni, for comparative purposes. The research design adopted employed an interpretive, ethnographic approach, generating qualitative data from 29 interviews and three focus groups over the course of six years. The majority of the participants were HE staff in local level leadership roles at department or faculty level. Additionally, 8 staff in managerial roles were interviewed. Data collection focused on the characteristics and practice of local level leadership in the context of learning and teaching. Purposive sampling was used to identify participants. An iterative process was used to generate interview questions, so that significant themes could be tested for ‘saturation’ as the study progressed. Data was analysed thematically, based on the approaches of Grounded Theory. A model of the features of local leadership at department level was generated from the data. The discussion of results incorporated contributions from a number of theoretical strands in social science: structuration theory; communities of practice; networks; academic culture. The nature of local level leadership was contrasted with other extant models of leadership. The findings showed that, although leadership was demonstrated by local level leaders, there was a low level of recognition and uncertainty of the leadership aspects of these roles, with individuals often feeling that they had “responsibility without power”. The importance of leadership for learning and teaching at all levels of the institution was identified as critical to the effective implementation of local enhancement activities. It was concluded that local level leadership in this context has characteristics in common with leadership elsewhere. The absence of managerial responsibility but the presence of significant responsibility for establishing links between local academic communities and the policy development tiers of an organisation, provides particular challenges. It was shown that success was dependent upon leadership and commitment at all levels of the institution. The roles provide valuable experience for career development. Opportunities for further avenues of investigation were identified.

Since there are insufficient mathematicians to meet economic and educational demands and many well-qualified, successful mathematics students exhibit signs of disaffection, the student experience of undergraduate mathematics is high on the political agenda. Many undergraduates struggle with the school-university transition, which has been associated with students’ prior experiences of mathematics which, at A-level, are regularly criticised for being too easy and too different to undergraduate mathematics. Furthermore, the University of Oxford administers a Mathematics Admissions Test (OxMAT) as a means of identifying those best prepared beyond the limited demands of A-level. Consequently, a study was conducted into the mathematical enculturation of Oxford undergraduates, specifically in terms of examination questions and students’ approaches to learning. Analysis of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) (Tait et al., 1998) revealed the majority of students to adopt strategic approaches to learning (ATLs) in all four year-groups, though the descriptions given by students in interviews of the nature of their ATL highlighted some shortcomings of the ASSIST as the motivation for memorisation appeared to be an important factor. The MATH taxonomy (Smith et al., 1996), revealed that most A-level questions require routine use of procedures, whereas the OxMAT tested a variety of skills from applying familiar mathematics in new situations to justifying and interpreting information to form proofs. This is more in-line with the requirements of undergraduate assessment, although the MATH taxonomy and student interviews revealed that these still allowed for rote memorisation and strategic methods. Thus, the changing nature of mathematics and questions posed to students at the secondary-tertiary interface appears to affect students’ ATLs, though this is not reflected by the ASSIST data.

In this thesis I investigate contemporary education theory as a way of understanding formative influences in the development of Christian preachers. I suggest that concepts of communities of practice and legitimate peripheral participation, along with recognition of role models and mentors, have a part to play in the life-long project that is learning to preach. In my Introduction I consider a definition of preaching for the purpose of the research and some historical approaches to developing preachers. I examine in Chapter 2 adult learning principles and cognitively-oriented concepts, such as learning styles and the theory of multiple intelligences. In Chapters 3 and 4 social learning theories that I examine include imitation, the effect of role models, and the influence of the mentor or the coach. Further, I ask to what extent the development of the preacher, as in many other professions with agreed standards of competency, does and should take place within communities of practice where legitimate peripheral participation (as developed in the work of Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger) marks the developing preacher‘s sense of his or her own learning trajectory. After a fifth chapter on methodologies, these concepts are tested in three field studies that use a range of sociological research methods. I conduct in Chapter 6 quantitative analysis of questionnaires returned by Church of Scotland ministers, in Chapter 7 qualitative analysis of the published testimony of fifteen experienced preachers, and in Chapter 8 qualitative analysis of interviews with twelve young Methodist preachers. In my conclusion I develop a theologically nuanced version of Lave and Wenger‘s concept which I term a community of agreed sermonic enterprise. Principal practical recommendations deriving from this centre on creating supportive networks of reflective preaching practitioners, enhancing the provision of mentor-mentee relationships, and educating congregations for their role in shaping preachers.