This research aims at finding out the effects of teaching beliefs of History teachers in interpreting NSS Liberal Studies curriculum. Using autoethnography as the research methodology, the researcher, as a novice History teacher, reflected on his curriculum interpretation in comparison to other LS teachers in his context. This self-narrative is then compared with another History teacher's curriculum interpretation in its respective context. The findings of the research identified some common features between the two History teachers in LS curriculum interpretation. They are more likely to highlight the importance of socio-historical context to an issue and transfer from History studies the training of source interpretation skills and argument formation of students and the expertise towards political concepts in the Liberal Studies curriculum. This subjective curriculum interpretation forms the perceived LS curriculum of History teachers. Moreover, the subjective curriculum interpretation is a dynamic process. Individual teacher’s beliefs dynamically balance and rebalance factors in context, between a spectrum from individual teacher’s belief to socio-cultural contextual demands and constrains. Lastly, the complexity in the socio-cultural context correlates to the extent of manifestation of individual teacher’s belief in the subjective Liberal Studies curriculum interpretation. Between the two History teachers, the History teacher, who was situated in a more individualistic and cooperative context, transferred much more teaching beliefs in interpreting Liberal Studies curriculum. On the contrary, another History teacher projected limited teaching beliefs in LS curriculum situation. The more collaborative context leveled individual teacher’s teaching belief. Teacher’s belief is a moderator in context. / published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Science student teachers' participation with practising teachers in developing curriculum in environmental education for implementation in schools has been a neglected field. This study focuses on the collaboration of science student teachers with practising teachers in developing an alternative curriculum for environmental education compared to existing traditional practices in most schools in South Africa. The science teacher educator, as the researcher, used action research or elements of it to facilitate the process. The action research component served as an inquiry into, and improvement of, the PRESET/INSET curriculum development model for teacher development. This dissertation reports on four case studies of curriculum development and environmental education in science teacher education practised at the University of Durban-Westville from 1991 to 1996. Innovative strategies serve as the basis of interventions in four primary school contexts, each representing a case study on its own, yet sequentially linked as action research cycles. The case study approach served the purpose of illuminating the curriculum development process with the intention of generating grounded theory through action research or elements of it. The outcomes of a survey of the status of curriculum development in institutions offering science teacher education in KwaZulu-Natal are also presented to support the need for an innovative approach to the PRESET/INSET curriculum development model. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1998.

No description available.

Quebec has now been firmly launched on a path of redevelopment- an educational experiment of a type and magnitude unheard of in recent times. For, in no other nation has there been such a wide-spread reorganization of an educational system, a dual system at that. Other experiments, generally involving developing nations, have been neither so rapid or comprehensive nor have they had so many resources with which to work. [...]

The study examined student perceptions of global issues when introduced through their Logarithms unit in the Principles of Math 12 course and student opinions regarding the suitability of the issues within the course. Through journal books, the students expressed thoughts, ideas, and concerns related to the mathematics and the global issues. With our global environment being threatened in numerous ways, a need to educate through 'responsibility' is essential. In mathematics, students require relevancy when expected to learn increasingly difficult material. The study addresses the questions of: do students concerns for global issues increase when viewed through a mathematical lens and do the students believe that the global issues have a place in the math class? The findings were varied based on individual experiences of students within the study. In summary, the majority of the students gave positive feedback towards the use of the global issues within the math class. However, there were concerns from weak and strong students and from students currently studying similar topics in Geography. As well, several ESL students expressed concerns surrounding their difficulties with the written language, and anxiety regarding their emergent academic standing. The students favoured global exposures in the math class when they were able to actively participate with a solution, and when direct links to the mathematics being studied at the time was relevant to the global issue. Conclusively, more accessible resources are required for instructors, and more time is needed in the classroom to effectively implement, for all learners, global issues in the mathematics course.

This thesis reports on a phenomenological study, exploring contesting spaces in the / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Following the introduction of a new curriculum, Business Education, in Lesotho secondary schools this study focused on investigating teachers’ experiences in implementing the new curriculum in their classrooms as well as the factors associated with the success or failure of its implementation. This qualitative case study was used to provide in-depth insight into the day-to-day implementation of Business Education, successes and failures of teachers (teachers’ experiences). It further gave me an opportunity to delve into the weaknesses and strengths of the cascade model of training teachers, which was offered to teachers during implementing a new curriculum. Data was collected from three secondary schools in Maseru, Lesotho where six teachers were purposively selected from Lesotho Commercial Subjects Teacher Association (LECSTA). The data collection methods used are influenced by interpretivist paradigm and the study used individual interviews with open-ended questions, non-participatory observation and documents reviews of the lesson plan books, scheme of work and record of work done as well as the students’ test scripts. A review of few documents was used to compliment data collected through the first two methods of data collection. A theory of curriculum change was used in the study and ethical issues were considered. The findings of this study revealed that teachers were not adequately trained on how to implement Business Education and not many teachers were involved in the design of the new curriculum. They were not even trained on the teaching methods because the NCDC just assumed that they would not have problems. Teachers also showed that performance of Business Education is not good because teachers hate teaching theory, as a result concentrate more on practical, which leads to students hating it as well. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to document the perceptions that faculty hold regarding changes made to their curricular, pedagogical, and personal practices in an introduction to education course during the implementation of a one-to-one laptop initiative at a medium-sized Midwestern university teacher’s college. Technology transforms the work of faculty in higher education. Faculty face changes that are revolutionizing their personal and professional teaching lives because of choices that universities have to make in order to meet the demands of the current student body as well as state and national standards. Institutional support including faculty driven, content-specific professional development, on-demand help, hands-on practice time, and individualized attention are paramount for faculty learning and continuing to engage in technology integration to meet the learning needs of today’s technology-savvy students. / Access to thesis and accompanying PDF permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Department of Educational Studies