Guided by a motivational framework derived from self-determination theory, a study was conducted to examine the role of academic engagement in helping to explain and ameliorate ethnic differences in school achievement. Building on decades of research that documents both the importance of engagement to learning in European American students as well as its malleability, this study relied on an ethnically diverse sample of 6th and 7th grade students to examine three questions (1) Are achievement differences across ethnic groups due to differences in engagement? (2) Does engagement predict achievement similarly or differently across ethnic groups? and (3) Are the predictors of engagement suggested by the motivational model the same or different for students from different ethnic groups? Participants were 194 African-American, Hispanic/Latino/a, Asian/Pacific Islander, and European American middle school students who provided information about their engagement, self-system processes (SSPs) of relatedness, competence, and autonomy, and their experiences with teachers in school; information about students' cumulative achievement (GPA) was extracted from school records. First, analyses revealed few ethnic differences in achievement (only Asian/Pacific Islander students' levels of achievement were higher than students from other ethnic groups), and no ethnic differences in engagement. In analyses designed to examine if controlling for variations in engagement would cause achievement differences between ethnic groups to disappear, a test of the simple main effects demonstrated that ethnic differences in achievement were found only at the lowest level of engagement (again Asian/Pacific Islander students outperformed all other student groups). However, at medium and high levels of engagement, there were no significant differences in achievement across the four ethnic groups. Second, analyses designed to examine whether engagement predicts achievement differently across ethnic groups, revealed that although engagement was an important predictor of achievement for all students, it was even more important for non-European American (compared to European-American) students. Third, analyses designed to examine whether potential facilitators (SSPs and contextual constructs) predicted students' engagement similarly or differently across ethnic groups revealed no group differences: All predictors were positively and significantly associated with engagement for students from all four ethnic groups. These findings are considered in the context of the study's strengths and limitations and the larger literatures on engagement and achievement in ethnic minority students. A important implication of the current study is that with a more comprehensive understanding of how to support the engagement of students from ethnic minority backgrounds, schools and teachers will be better equipped to address the engagement gap, and in so doing also eliminate the achievement gap.

Doctorat en sciences sociales, politiques et économiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The aim of this investigation was to determine the modes of thinking and learning of South African disadvantaged learners as well as to discover whether the teaching methods used by their teachers, encourage diverse cognitive skills and learning styles amongst learners. A survey of existing literature on this subject identifies a number of theories that indicate that learners come to school with diverse modes of thinking and learning. Furthermore, existing literature, indicate that educationally disadvantaged learners tend towards a Field Dependent, socially orientated mode of cognitive processing and a largely visual and kinaesthetic mode of sensory processing information. Research also reveals that teaching methods and teacher expectation of learner potential play a vital role in the academic achievement of disadvantaged learners. Teachers tend to have lower expectations of the academic potential of disadvantaged learners. Moreover, teachers tend to favour teaching methods that meet the needs of learners who use Field Independent cognitive and Auditory sensory processing. Another aspect acknowledged in existing literature that influences the academic achievement of disadvantaged learners is the role of family and the community. Disadvantaged learners generally do not have the support and security of a stable home and are frequently exposed to violence and an educationally impoverished environment. Parents and guardians tend to be less involved in the education of their children. Disadvantaged learners who were part of this empirical study conducted in the Ekhuruleni Metropolitan area, east of Johannesburg, South Africa, showed a more concrete approach to academic activities and revealed a tendency towards Field Dependency and a visual and kinaesthetic sensory approach to processing information. Learners preferred more frequent social interaction during academic activities. The study also found that the teaching method most commonly used in the geographical area mentioned above, took the form of lecturing or `chalk-and-talk' and that teaching aids generally took the form of worksheets. Hence the teaching approach most used by teachers in the study, did not address the modes of thinking and learning of disadvantaged learners in the schools that participated in the empirical study and generally did not encourage deeper cognitive structures. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

According to Hatlen (2004), most learners with disabilities in an inclusive educational setting are socially isolated. This statement contributed to the research question of this study, how do learners with visual impairment experience the social aspects of their inclusion in a Namibian mainstream secondary school? The aim of this study was to design a case study to analyse and describe data collected from learners with visual impairment and other participants to determine how they are socially included in a mainstream setting. A qualitative research methodology was used, which included purposive sampling to select participants. The researcher functioned in an interpretive/constructivist paradigm. It was found that the learners with disabilities and the able-bodied learners do not truly mix, however, the learners with disabilities are content in the mainstream school and they prefer it. / Om aan 'n groep te behoort en sosiaal ingesluit te voel is 'n basiese menslike behoefte - dit is net so belangrik soos die basiese behoeftes van kos en veiligheid. Sosiale inklusie kan as een van die kritiese elemente beskou word wat onderskei tussen mense wat ongesteld is en mense wat gesond is. Betekenisvolle verhoudings dra by tot self-aktualisering. Lae sosiale inklusie beteken vir leerders eensaamheid en swak aanvaarding deur portuurgroepe. Sosiale inklusie is van groot belang vir kinders se ontwikkeling. Navorsing het bevind dat inklusiewe hoofstroomskole die effektiefste manier is om diskriminasie te beveg en sosiale insluiting te bevorder. Hatlen (2004) is van mening dat die groter meerderheid van leerders met gestremdhede in 'n hoofstroomskool sosiaal gei soleerd is. Die doel van hierdie kwalitatiewe studie was om leerders met gestremdhede se persepsie van hulle eie sosiale aanvaarding binne 'n inklusiewe hoofstroom sekondere skool te ondersoek. Die navorser het binne 'n interpretatiewe/konstruktivistiese paradigma gewerk. 'n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodologie is gevolg en het die volgende ingesluit: doelbewuste seleksie om te bepaal wie die deelnemers sou wees; onderhoude, observasie, dokumente en refleksies om data te genereer; en inhoudsanalise om die data te analiseer. Navorsingsbevindinge dui aan dat leerders met gestremdhede vir jare afgesonder was van die res van die samelewing deur hierdie leerders in spesiale skole te plaas. Dit het veroorsaak dat mense vervreemd van mekaar is en het 'n skeiding tussen 'ons' en 'hulle' veroorsaak. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie beklemtoon die belangrikheid van bewusmaking tussen leerders met gestremdhede en leerders sonder gestremdhede. Daar kom wel afknouery voor op die skoolgronde en ware vriendskappe tussen leerders met gestremdhede en leerders sonder gestremdhede vind nie in die ware sin van die woord plaas nie. Hierdie leerders is egter tevrede en verkies steeds om in 'n hoofstroomskool te wees. Inklusiewe onderwys is nog 'n nuwe konsep en in die ontwikkelingsfase in Namibie, terwyl die leerders nog onbekend is met inklusie, asook met mekaar. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (with specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

At the best of times, education policy implementation is a difficult and uncertain process. Taking this as a point of departure, the researcher advanced the hypothesis that education policy implementation in a society in transition: is accompanied by a fragmentation of the pre-transition coherence in interpersonal relations among policy actors; is affected by a heightening of value conflicts and the emergence of competing interpretive schemes; is influenced by the perceived self-interest of policy actors; is affected by changing power relationships and structural adjustments; and reflects a general weakening of interpersonal, cultural, and structural linkages that had evolved in pre-transition years. The Indian education system in South Africa was studied as an exemplar of a system located in a society in transition. The data collated by means of three research strategies - historical report, questionnaire, and structured interview - gave strong support to the hypothesis. In addition, they pointed to the significance of variables such as policy content and policy quality, political interference and pressure, bias and favouritism among senior officials, religious, sectional, and language loyalties of participants, and loss of job satisfaction and morale among policy actors. These findings were discussed against the background of relevant literature. This concluded in the development_gf a theoretical model to explain education policy implementation in a society in transition. Basically, the model suggests that socio-political struggles in the larger society tend. to be replicated in the micro-contexts of the education system, producing fundamental alterations in the interpersonal, cultural, and structural aspects of the system, a general weakening of system linkages, and a progressive de-coupling of system components. All these changes recursively impact on and are impacted on by policymaking and policy implementation processes and outcomes. These impacts, however, tend to occur in a non-standard, nonlinear manner. The theoretical underpinnings of the model emerge from general systems theory, modern social systems theory, chaos/ complexity theory, conflict theory, structuration theory, organisation change theory, and loosely coupled systems theory. Finally, the study concludes with general propositions relating to education policy implementation in a society in transition and a set of research and management-oriented recommendations. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Educational Management)

Text in English, abstract in English and Afrikaans / Dramatic changes in Newfoundland's environment and global developments during the past decade, significantly influenced growing demands for restructuring the education system of Newfoundland. Responding to these demands, Newfoundland educators succeeded in creating a single unified non-denominational education system which became fully operational at the beginning of the 1998/99 school year. This achievement has been hailed by the majority of Newfoundlanders as a monumental landmark in the provinces' lengthy experience with denominational education. As well, it is viewed as pivotal in achieving educational excellence and ensuring that children receive a relevant education that will prepare them for the demands of the next century. The former education system (which consisted of four separate denominational school systems operated jointly by the church and the state) had become too cumbersome and inefficient, thus adversely affecting the quality of education. This thesis looks in particular at the contextual realities and perspectives that influenced the demands for changing the system. Such factors as the declining school population, economic conditions, technological developments, as well as legal and political issues have distinctly changed the Newfoundland society during the past number of years, hence the necessity to restructure the education system. The thesis furthermore discusses the proposed government model for restructuring the system and highlights the proposals for improving education. It also focuses briefly on the minority rights issue in Canada, as this has bearing on the legal rights of the church to educate in Newfoundland and its current role within the new structure. An evaluation of Newfoundland's educational reform initiatives (which includes the views of key educators in Newfoundland on these issues), deals with some of the problem areas which currently exist within the new system. However, the focus centres mainly on the obvious improvements in such areas as management, organization, parent involvement, curriculum development, educational achievement and accountability. The impact of these reforms on the social, educational and political dimensions of the Newfoundland society will only become evident in time, yet they hold the promise of having a lasting impact on educational achievement. The remarkable feature of the whole reform process is, that it was achieved from within. / Die ingrypende veranderings wat die Newfoundlandse gemeenskap oor die afgelope dekade ondergaan het, tesame met ontwikkelings op wereldvlak, het aanleiding gegee tot toenemende eise om die onderwysstelsel van Newfoundland te herstruktureer. Gevolglik onderneem die Newfoundlandse regering 'n omvattende herondersoek van die onderwys wat lei tot die vorming van 'n enkele, openbare, ge'integreerde onderwysstelsel wat aan die begin van die skooljaar 1998/99 in werking tree. Hierdie prestasie word as 'n besondere keerpunt in die onderwys deur Newfoundlanders beskou, aangesien die behoud en vooruitgang van die Newfoundlandse gemeenskap en onderwys daardeur verseker word. Voorheen het die onderwysstelsel uit vier afsonderlike kerkskoolstelsels bestaan wat gesamentlik deur die staat en kerk op alle vlakke beheer en bestuur is. Hierdie eiesoortige struktuur het die onderwys al hoe meer belemmer en opvoedkundiges genoodsaak om dit te hersien. Hierdie studie kyk eerstens na die vergestaltende faktore en lewensbeskouings wat die onderwys in Newfoundland ten diepste raak. Faktore soos dalende geboortegetalle, ekonomiese toestande, tegnologiese en staatkundige ontwikkelings dra veral by tot die veranderde leefwereld van die Newfoundlander en noop die regering om die onderwysstelsel daarby aan te pas en 'n onderwysmodel vir die toekoms te ontwerp. Hierdie onderwysmodel wat alle komponente asook die struktuur van die onderwysstelsel aanraak, word vervolgens ontleed. Aandag word ook gewy aan die kwessie van minderheidsregte in Kanada, omdat dit die kerk se reg om onderwys in Newfoundland te bedryf, raak. Laastens word die onderwyshervormings vanuit sekere perspektiewe in oenskou geneem en die standpunte van sommige Newfoundlandse opvoedkundiges word gestel. In die slotbeskouing word ook enkele probleme ge'identifiseer. Die bespreking word egter hoofsaaklik gewy aan aspekte van die onderwys wat alreeds verbetering toon soos onder andere onderwysbeheer en onderwysorganisasie, ouerbetrokkenheid, curriculumontwikkeling en onderwyskundige ontwikkeling. Die toekoms sal bepaal hoe hierdie omvangryke en omvattende onderwysveranderings die sosio-kulturele dimensies van die Newfoundlandse gemeenskap sal be'invloed, terwyl dit die belofte inhou om 'n dinamiese verbetering te bewerkstellig. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the socio-economic impact of learners’ achievement at public schools in Nkangala District in the Mpumalanga Province. The benefits of the study were highlighted within the narrative of the study. The study was qualitative in nature and included a literature study, observations and semi structured interviews. It was discovered from the data that the socio- economic conditions in the district, the learners’ home environment, the school environment and the Department of Education impacted on learners’ achievement. Based on the findings, recommendations were made for improvements to assist in addressing the socio economic impact on learners’ achievement. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The Migrant Education Program was enacted by Congress in 1966 as an amendment to the Elementary and Second Education Act of 1965. Today Title 1, Part C, of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 provides funding to states and subsequently to local educational agencies (LEAs) to provide educational programs and services to children of migratory farm workers. These funds are intended to enable these unique children to have access to state standards-based curriculum and to find success on standards-based assessments. This study examined the LEA utilization of funds awarded to the State of Florida under Title 1, Part C, from AY2007-09, identified the specific activities implemented by LEAs to meet the unique educational needs of the migrant students, and analyzed the impact of total student membership, total migrant entitlement, and concentration of migrant students relative to the total LEA student membership on the utilization of the funding. The study demonstrated that the Federal Office of Migrant Education policies and rules promulgated by the State of Florida channel funding away from educational activities for the students to non-academic expenditures. / by Robert W. Murray. / Vita. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

The purpose of the study was to find out why adult learners absent themselves from adult basic education programmes and to devise strategies to encourage them to attend classes. In order to achieve the aim of the study, the objective of the study were to investigate the economic and social reasons why adult learners do not attend classes. The research focus on a critical issue of absenteei(sm by adult learners at SEKGOSESE West Circuit adult centre in Limpopo Province. Literature review was engaged in the field of Adult Education and related to the research problem. The literature review presented an insight into theoretical frameworks and conceptual frameworks about causes of adult learner’s absenteeism. The researcher used sources which included journals, books, articles and dissertations. To collect information. This qualitative study explored the causes of adult learner absenteeism and came with strategies to reduce adult learner absenteeism. Critical theory was used as a theoretical framework. The theory deals with social economic factors and conditions under which people live. Data was collected through focus group interviews. There were sixteen participants who attend classes at Mosima adult learning centre, and they were selected homogeneously. It was discovered that adult learner absenteeism is caused by lack of motivation, lack of support from departmental officials, lack of adult learner commitment, lack of facilities, lack of qualified adult educators, lack of respect amongst adult learners and adult educators as a serious matter, lack of parental support for those who are still under parental care and lack of transport for adult learners who stay far from the centre. Based on the causes of adult learner absenteeism, recommendations are made for the Department of Education to address these causes in order to elevate adult learner absenteeism and further research efforts are recommended. It is recommended that the department of education include stationery material in their budget for adult basic education. Adult Basic education educators should also receive adequate training s o that they can be able to teach adult learners effectively. / ABET and Youth Development / M. Ed. (Adult Education)

The aim of this investigation was to determine the modes of thinking and learning of South African disadvantaged learners as well as to discover whether the teaching methods used by their teachers, encourage diverse cognitive skills and learning styles amongst learners. A survey of existing literature on this subject identifies a number of theories that indicate that learners come to school with diverse modes of thinking and learning. Furthermore, existing literature, indicate that educationally disadvantaged learners tend towards a Field Dependent, socially orientated mode of cognitive processing and a largely visual and kinaesthetic mode of sensory processing information. Research also reveals that teaching methods and teacher expectation of learner potential play a vital role in the academic achievement of disadvantaged learners. Teachers tend to have lower expectations of the academic potential of disadvantaged learners. Moreover, teachers tend to favour teaching methods that meet the needs of learners who use Field Independent cognitive and Auditory sensory processing. Another aspect acknowledged in existing literature that influences the academic achievement of disadvantaged learners is the role of family and the community. Disadvantaged learners generally do not have the support and security of a stable home and are frequently exposed to violence and an educationally impoverished environment. Parents and guardians tend to be less involved in the education of their children. Disadvantaged learners who were part of this empirical study conducted in the Ekhuruleni Metropolitan area, east of Johannesburg, South Africa, showed a more concrete approach to academic activities and revealed a tendency towards Field Dependency and a visual and kinaesthetic sensory approach to processing information. Learners preferred more frequent social interaction during academic activities. The study also found that the teaching method most commonly used in the geographical area mentioned above, took the form of lecturing or `chalk-and-talk' and that teaching aids generally took the form of worksheets. Hence the teaching approach most used by teachers in the study, did not address the modes of thinking and learning of disadvantaged learners in the schools that participated in the empirical study and generally did not encourage deeper cognitive structures. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)