Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, March, 2009. / Release of full electronic text on OhioLINK has been delayed until March 30, 2014 Includes bibliographical references (leaves 353-363)

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, March, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. Release of full electronic text on OhioLINK has been delayed until March 30, 2014 Includes bibliographical references (leaves 353-363)

By the analyze the training programs of child welfare professionals (Vilnius Pedagogical University), it was remarked that democracy education is integrated into different study modules. Both in Lithuania and United States of America civic and democracy education is integrated by main documents, data, and texts, which is civic and democracy education theory and practice based on projects for active citizenship. One of the most improved project for democracy education could be Project Citizen, which is accredited as alternative democracy education program by Lithuanian Ministry of Education and Science and Education Department of United States of America. According to this program Foundations of Democracy could be both theoretical and practical example for democracy education. It is used in all educational levels in United States of America, and in elementary level in Lithuania. This program is based on active and critical educational methods which stand on four democracy dimensions: Authority, Privacy, Responsibility and Justice. This program is developed in Center for Civic Education in Indiana (USA), as the Project Citizen. The hypothesis of the research - Tyrimo hipotezė – taikant demokratinio ugdymo programą, būsimieji vaiko gerovės profesionalai įgis demokratinio ugdymo teorinės ir praktinės patirties, ir efektyviai taikys dirbdami su ugdymo institucijų bendruomene. The object of the research – programs for democracy education – Foundations of Democracy and Project... [to full text]

This thesis explores the impact of the centralization of bargaining in Ontario’s education sector on the internal democracy of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF), the province’s second-largest teacher union and self-described defender of public education. Using multiple theoretical lenses of union democracy, public sector unionism, labour geography and teacher professionalism, this thesis examines OSSTF’s history and the evolution of its internal processes and structures, with a focus on the union’s response to the gradual shift to a centralized bargaining regime. Initially formed in 1919 as a conservative organization committed to raising the professional status of teachers, OSSTF expanded into a union that represents both teachers and support staff, bargaining contracts for members with local employers. Positioned within a public sector context of austerity and neoliberal governments looking to contain the costs of public education, OSSTF found itself subjected to legislation intended to upscale education funding and bargaining, beginning in the late 1990s. This thesis finds that the external context of centralization of bargaining has been the most important factor in shaping the internal democratic life of OSSTF, shifting scales of power from the local to the provincial level of the union, exacerbating tensions between provincial and local actors, increasing the overall bureaucracy of the organization, and reducing democratic participation by the rank-and-file. These findings lead to the greater question of whether these internal changes have enhanced or limited the ability of OSSTF to effectively further their members’ interests and resist the neoliberalization of the school system, with a view to considering the role of teacher unions within the future of public education in Ontario. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This case study explores the impact of the centralization of bargaining in Ontario’s education sector on the internal processes of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF), a union representing 60,000 teachers and education workers in Ontario. It includes an examination of the union’s history, its responses to legislative changes in contract negotiations, an analysis of internal union documents, and semi-structured interviews with key informants. The data and analysis reveal a more bureaucratized union, with members having less ability to direct it actions. This study considers whether a more bureaucratized union can be effective in its defense of public education.

Student Number : 8908713V - M Ed project report - School of Education - Faculty of Humanities / This research report focuses on educators’ current attitudes, skills and knowledge in relation to democracy in South African education today. The research report also considers what needs to be done to make democracy a reality that informs education as opposed to simply adhering to policy and legislation that speaks of fine ideals but may well have limited impact on the lives of the majority of South Africa’s citizens. I contend that one of the main barriers between democratic theory and practice is ambiguity and the resulting uncertainty and insecurity. I believe that many South Africans, many world citizens in fact, struggle to articulate what democracy actually means. If this grey area is to be addressed and ambiguity defused then educators need to be clear about what it is they are trying to educate learners for. This can only be realised when educators have internalised ‘lived democracy’ and, as a result, feel both an ownership and commitment to democracy as a lived practice.

John Dewey (1859-1952) responde por reflexões pedagógicas de grande disseminação, encontradas em meio a uma vasta produção que trata de múltiplas questões prementes de seu tempo, em particular aquelas relacionadas à democracia. Partindo da premissa de que sua filosofia da educação é melhor compreendida quando associada a suas reflexões mais abrangentes, elegeu-se como objetivo desta pesquisa a análise da ressonância da ética de John Dewey em seus ideais pedagógicos, diante de sua concepção de sociedade democrática. O autor se opõe à compreensão da moral como reduto exclusivo da subjetividade sua ética é social e cultural, nascendo o exercício moral de um contexto que serve de base para a busca de alternativas diante de conflitos. Impulso, dever, desejo, interesse, hábito e consequência são componentes da deliberação moral, que ocasionalmente entram em disputa e contam com o apoio da razão e da sensibilidade para descobrirem formas de se harmonizar esse ajuste é a ética, que se efetiva ao considerar as possibilidades de crescimento pessoal e comum que uma decisão traz. Importa a Dewey devolver a ética ao homem comum, nas sua ações cotidianas, para que cada um possa tomar parte das responsabilidades sobre si mesmo e sobre a vida comunitária. Somos constituídos por nossos atos e, portanto, a conduta expressa o caráter. Por isso, o autor confere importância aos hábitos, enquanto resposta rápida às demandas da vida prática, mas assegura à inteligência o papel de conduzi-los, interrompendoos sempre que não respondem adequadamente. Porque não estamos sozinhos no mundo, a ética se faz necessária e é condição para a convivência. Todavia, esse contato não é apenas restritivo; é também chave para uma expansão de sentidos da experiência e para a descoberta de dimensões mais profundas de existência. Essa relação complexa com o outro desafia a inteligência a prospectar alternativas mais integrativas quando escolhemos a democracia. Com isso, a imaginação moral é imprescindível para que o homem desvende novos caminhos em situações de crise. Ela permite ao sujeito um deslocamento para variadas posições, viabilizando a empatia efetiva por interesses alheios. Logo, a imaginação moral é vista por Dewey como um ensaio dramático, em que antecipamos mentalmente resultados esperados em diversos cursos de ação. Essa variedade de opções é criada pela imaginação, cuja liberdade em desenhar mundos possíveis deriva de sua capacidade de articular razão e sensibilidade. Para Dewey, a educação fomenta hábitos e valores, ou seja, promove um certo tipo de cultura. Assim, para que se volte a uma ética democrática, precisa cotidianamente trabalhar com práticas e princípios condizentes. Deve formar hábitos flexíveis e alargar a imaginação, para que esta possa se expressar viva e criativamente. Educação, democracia e ética têm como sujeito o homem comum, que pode forjar um caráter para si e, ao mesmo tempo, participar da condução do mundo que habita. Apenas pelo uso de meios democráticos, em que o interesse pessoal e o comum se articulam, pode uma sociedade se tornar democrática: a filosofia da educação de Dewey ressoa em suas muitas proposições a busca ética por essa harmonia. / John Deweys (1859-1952) pedagogical ideas are largely propagated, as part of a vast body of intellectual work dealing with several pressing issues of his time, especially those related to democracy. Assuming that his philosophy of education is best understood when associated to his broadest reflections, the main objective of this research is the analysis of the resonance of John Deweys ethics on his pedagogical ideals, in face of the authors conception of democratic society. Dewey opposes the idea of morality confined in subjectivity; his ethics is social and cultural, since moral exercise emerges in a context that serves as basis for the search of alternatives before conflicts. Impulse, duty, desire, interest, habit and consequence are components of moral deliberation, occasionally confronting each other; it is through the aid of reason and sensibility that they find ways of harmonizing this adjustment is ethics, which becomes effective through the consideration of possibilities for personal and collective growth implied in its decisions. Dewey is concerned in returning ethics to the common man, throughout his daily actions, so that every person can be responsible for himself and for the community. We are made from our actions and, therefore, conduct expresses our character. Hence, the author attributes great importance to habits, understood as fast responses to the demands of practical life; however, intelligence also has its role, interrupting habits when they do not function properly. Because we are not alone ethics is necessary, it is prerequisite to cohabitation. Nonetheless, this social contact cannot be seen as solely restrictive; it is also key to an expansion in the meaning of experience and to the discovery of a deeper understanding of existence. This complex relationship with others challenges intelligence to search for more unifying alternatives, whenever we live in democracy. Thus, moral imagination is necessary for man to find new paths in a crisis situation. It allows us to shift to other perspectives, effectively enabling sympathetic feelings. Accordingly, moral imagination is seen as a dramatic rehearsal, through which we mentally anticipate expected results of multiple courses of action. This variety of options is created by imagination, whose freedom to design possible worlds derives from its ability to articulate sense and sensibility. For Dewey, education fosters habits and values, i.e., it promotes a certain kind of culture. Therefore, in order to be in agreement with democratic ethics, education must work daily with appropriate practices and principles. It must form flexible habits and broaden imagination, in order for it to express itself lively and creatively. The common man is the subject of education, democracy, and ethics. It is he who can forge his own character and, simultaneously, take part in the making of the world in which he lives. Only through the use of democratic means, where personal and common interests are articulated, can society become democratic: Deweys philosophy of education states in many of its propositions this ethical search for harmony.

John Dewey (1859-1952) responde por reflexões pedagógicas de grande disseminação, encontradas em meio a uma vasta produção que trata de múltiplas questões prementes de seu tempo, em particular aquelas relacionadas à democracia. Partindo da premissa de que sua filosofia da educação é melhor compreendida quando associada a suas reflexões mais abrangentes, elegeu-se como objetivo desta pesquisa a análise da ressonância da ética de John Dewey em seus ideais pedagógicos, diante de sua concepção de sociedade democrática. O autor se opõe à compreensão da moral como reduto exclusivo da subjetividade sua ética é social e cultural, nascendo o exercício moral de um contexto que serve de base para a busca de alternativas diante de conflitos. Impulso, dever, desejo, interesse, hábito e consequência são componentes da deliberação moral, que ocasionalmente entram em disputa e contam com o apoio da razão e da sensibilidade para descobrirem formas de se harmonizar esse ajuste é a ética, que se efetiva ao considerar as possibilidades de crescimento pessoal e comum que uma decisão traz. Importa a Dewey devolver a ética ao homem comum, nas sua ações cotidianas, para que cada um possa tomar parte das responsabilidades sobre si mesmo e sobre a vida comunitária. Somos constituídos por nossos atos e, portanto, a conduta expressa o caráter. Por isso, o autor confere importância aos hábitos, enquanto resposta rápida às demandas da vida prática, mas assegura à inteligência o papel de conduzi-los, interrompendoos sempre que não respondem adequadamente. Porque não estamos sozinhos no mundo, a ética se faz necessária e é condição para a convivência. Todavia, esse contato não é apenas restritivo; é também chave para uma expansão de sentidos da experiência e para a descoberta de dimensões mais profundas de existência. Essa relação complexa com o outro desafia a inteligência a prospectar alternativas mais integrativas quando escolhemos a democracia. Com isso, a imaginação moral é imprescindível para que o homem desvende novos caminhos em situações de crise. Ela permite ao sujeito um deslocamento para variadas posições, viabilizando a empatia efetiva por interesses alheios. Logo, a imaginação moral é vista por Dewey como um ensaio dramático, em que antecipamos mentalmente resultados esperados em diversos cursos de ação. Essa variedade de opções é criada pela imaginação, cuja liberdade em desenhar mundos possíveis deriva de sua capacidade de articular razão e sensibilidade. Para Dewey, a educação fomenta hábitos e valores, ou seja, promove um certo tipo de cultura. Assim, para que se volte a uma ética democrática, precisa cotidianamente trabalhar com práticas e princípios condizentes. Deve formar hábitos flexíveis e alargar a imaginação, para que esta possa se expressar viva e criativamente. Educação, democracia e ética têm como sujeito o homem comum, que pode forjar um caráter para si e, ao mesmo tempo, participar da condução do mundo que habita. Apenas pelo uso de meios democráticos, em que o interesse pessoal e o comum se articulam, pode uma sociedade se tornar democrática: a filosofia da educação de Dewey ressoa em suas muitas proposições a busca ética por essa harmonia. / John Deweys (1859-1952) pedagogical ideas are largely propagated, as part of a vast body of intellectual work dealing with several pressing issues of his time, especially those related to democracy. Assuming that his philosophy of education is best understood when associated to his broadest reflections, the main objective of this research is the analysis of the resonance of John Deweys ethics on his pedagogical ideals, in face of the authors conception of democratic society. Dewey opposes the idea of morality confined in subjectivity; his ethics is social and cultural, since moral exercise emerges in a context that serves as basis for the search of alternatives before conflicts. Impulse, duty, desire, interest, habit and consequence are components of moral deliberation, occasionally confronting each other; it is through the aid of reason and sensibility that they find ways of harmonizing this adjustment is ethics, which becomes effective through the consideration of possibilities for personal and collective growth implied in its decisions. Dewey is concerned in returning ethics to the common man, throughout his daily actions, so that every person can be responsible for himself and for the community. We are made from our actions and, therefore, conduct expresses our character. Hence, the author attributes great importance to habits, understood as fast responses to the demands of practical life; however, intelligence also has its role, interrupting habits when they do not function properly. Because we are not alone ethics is necessary, it is prerequisite to cohabitation. Nonetheless, this social contact cannot be seen as solely restrictive; it is also key to an expansion in the meaning of experience and to the discovery of a deeper understanding of existence. This complex relationship with others challenges intelligence to search for more unifying alternatives, whenever we live in democracy. Thus, moral imagination is necessary for man to find new paths in a crisis situation. It allows us to shift to other perspectives, effectively enabling sympathetic feelings. Accordingly, moral imagination is seen as a dramatic rehearsal, through which we mentally anticipate expected results of multiple courses of action. This variety of options is created by imagination, whose freedom to design possible worlds derives from its ability to articulate sense and sensibility. For Dewey, education fosters habits and values, i.e., it promotes a certain kind of culture. Therefore, in order to be in agreement with democratic ethics, education must work daily with appropriate practices and principles. It must form flexible habits and broaden imagination, in order for it to express itself lively and creatively. The common man is the subject of education, democracy, and ethics. It is he who can forge his own character and, simultaneously, take part in the making of the world in which he lives. Only through the use of democratic means, where personal and common interests are articulated, can society become democratic: Deweys philosophy of education states in many of its propositions this ethical search for harmony.

The diploma thesis deals with the issue of a cross-curricular subject Civic Education for Democracy. The aim of the thesis is to introduce the significance of education for active citizenship and to create a project that helps pupils to see themselves as an active member of their community. The theoretical section consists of three parts. The first part introduces a project-based learning approach, its significance, principles and historical context. The second part summarizes the fundamental features of the current form of the cross-curricular subject according to the Framework Educational Programme for Basic Education. The last part deals with education for active citizenship and its value. In this part there are two modern reviewed curriculums introduced, which may bring some new impulses to a new conception of the Czech cross-curricular subject Civic Education for Democracy. In the practical section design and realization of the project are described. The aim of the project is to help pupils to see themselves as an active member of their community who is attentive to his/her surroundings and who is able to have an impact in the society where he/she lives. The project is designed in such fashion so it could be adaptable to different kinds of subjects and groups of students. The next part of the...

The thesis deals with student participation in the life of the school and more specifically with the work of student self-administration. The goal of the theoretical part is to define the concept of student participation and all its accessible forms. To outline the life of students self-administrations and present a current picture of the issue of student participation in the Czech Republic. To compare international experience with the work of student self-administration, as mainly in the course of the last couple of years there have been changes in thinking about student participation. The theoretical context serves as a basis for the empirical part of the paper. The main goal of the investigation is to analyze and describe the work of student self-administration at a chosen high school. The research also describes what possibilities and limits students as well as the management and teachers feel there are in relation to successful operation of student self-administration. The research was realized using a mixed qualitative/quantitative model (QUAN - QVAL scheme). The sample comprises of students, members of the student self-administration, teachers and management of a chosen high school.

Democracy does not automatically maintain itself by prescribed constitutions and procedural codes (Dewey, 1939), but rather its citizens must have certain dispositions to protect and strengthen it (Biesta, 2006). According to John Stuart Mill (1859/1991), people can tyrannize one another within the structures of a democracy, a concept he phrased “tyranny of the majority” (p. 7). To safeguard against such tyranny and to maintain a democratic way of life conducive to progress, I contend that our schools must be tasked with developing critical thinking dispositions in our future adults. The literature on education for democracy was reviewed and aligned with the critical thinking dispositions defined in the present study. Critical thinking dispositions are taught through interactions that promote them, not only limited to methods of direct instruction, such that they are infused throughout all academic subjects at all grade levels (Facione, 1990). Therefore, the present study explored the relationship between teachers’ critical thinking dispositions and their teaching styles. The main research question was: How do critical thinking dispositions differentiate between teaching styles? To best answer this question 10 mixed methods case studies were conducted of the teachers at one private pre-kindergarten through eighth grade school. The data were collected through a quantitative questionnaire, the California Critical Thinking Dispositions Inventory (CCTDI), and through qualitative observations and interviews. Subsequently, each strand, qualitative and quantitative, was analyzed individually and sequentially. Finally, through cross-case analyses, 10 distinctions in teaching styles were found for teachers who scored high on the critical thinking dispositions: truth-seeking to teacher explorer, truth-seeking to student teaching, open-mindedness to student teaching, inquisitiveness to fallibility, analyticity to emotional adaptability, analyticity to fallibility, analyticity to observational listening, systematicity to nurturing, confidence in reasoning to curriculum expansion, and confidence in reasoning to self-actualization. Understanding these relationships is the start of possibly being able to use teachers’ CCTDI profiles to predict teaching styles and to guide teacher education. Implications for future research include more focused studies around the consistent relationships emerging from the present study and research about students’ development of critical thinking dispositions in relation to teaching styles.