融合教育（Inclusive Education）是20世紀90年代興起的國際教育思潮。隨著各國對於教育平等的追求，融合教育的理念得到了世界各國的認可。許多國家亦積極將融合教育的思想付諸實踐。隨著融合教育在世界範圍內的發展，越來越多身心障礙的學生走進普通學校，與同儕一起接受普通教育，包括體育教育。在此發展情境之下，瞭解普通學校中體育老師對融合體育教育的看法以及他們如何應對融入身心障礙學生的體育課堂，對於促進融合體育教育在一般體育課堂當中的發展就變得非常重要。本論文的研究目的分為：（一）探討體育教師對融合體育的認知以及影響這些認知形成的因素；（二）探討體育教師對以情境教學方法促進身心障礙學生參與一般體育課堂活動的信念和實際教學行為。 / 以社會文化建構理論（Vygotsky, 1978, 1986）為理論基礎，研究一（第三章）旨在探討香港中學體育教師對融合體育教育的認知。通過質性半結構訪談方法（Patton, 2002）對八位香港中學體育教師（男=3，女=5）進行訪談；訪談資料被錄音，記錄，檢驗，並通過內容分析方法（Patton, 2002）進行分析和描述性闡述。研究結果為：（一）老師們一致認為融合體育教育的實施為身心障礙學生提供了與同儕平等的機會來接受一般體育教育；並強調此舉將特別有助於發展其社會交往能力。然而，老師們亦強調將身心障礙學生融入一般體育課堂的過程遇到諸多困難。這些困難來自教師自身在實施融合體育課程中缺乏能力與有效方法，課堂其他同輩消極的態度與欺淩，缺乏家長支持，以及缺乏特殊體育器材的支持等；（二）老師們表達了對處理融合體育教育實踐專業知識與培訓的渴求，希望能夠以更專業更有效的方法令到身心障礙學生獲得有意義的一般學校體育教育。研究結果表明為促進融合體育教育順利實施，相關責任人（如教師和其同事，身心障礙學生家長，管理者）之間需要更加頻繁、更加有效率的溝通，參與和協作。研究結果亦突顯了促進教師自我規制以提高其教授身心障礙學生的能力和自信心的三個因素，包括：考量大學體育教育中有關教授身心障礙學生的內容，增加教師關於融合教育在職培訓中有關體育教育的內容，和促進或增加與教學助理的協作。 / 紮根於情境學習理論當中的實踐社群概念（Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998），研究二認為，“將身心障礙學生融入一般體育課堂“，不單只是強調令身心障礙學生學習並獲得運動技巧，更強調這是一個令到身心障礙學生參與並投入一般體育課堂活動機會增加的過程。情境學習理論連同計畫行為理論中信念框架作為理論基礎，研究二探討了教師對促進身心障礙學生參與一般體育課堂活動的信念和教學行為。研究二採納質化個案研究策略（Patton, 2002; Yin, 2009），使用訪談，觀察，實物分析等多種研究手段針對四位中學體育教師（男=3，女=1）對“促進身心障礙學生參與一般體育課堂活動的信念和實際教學行為，進行描述，探討、描述、分析和檢驗。研究結果表明：（一）教師對於促進身心障礙學生參與一般體育課堂活動持積極態度。教師亦視自身為促進者角色，來為身心障礙學生在一般體育課堂當中的學習提供幫助。教師認為給予積極回饋，稱呼名字，肢體接觸，更多的演示，將動作分解，都有利於身心障礙學生更多參與活動；教師亦強調班容量過大，自身缺乏信心，專業知識與能力都成為促進身心障礙學生參與活動的阻礙因素；（二）教師和身心障礙學生之間缺乏互動；在教學過程中很少強調身心障礙學生與其他同儕交流合作的重要性。教師在教學中未嘗試教學方法令到身心障礙學生想像和真實地參與其他體育社群活動。研究結果突顯了體育教師本身對於促進身心障礙學生參與體育課堂活動的信念和其具體的教學行為，對身心障礙學生在一般體育課堂中學習與經歷所產生的的重要的影響作用。研究建議教師應基於學習理論角度，從建構情境學習模式（參與，想像，一致）出發來考慮和設計教學，以促進身心障礙學生積極參與一般體育課堂活動。 / 綜上所述，通過檢視體育教師對融合體育教學的認知，融合體育教學信念和實際教學行為，本研究揭示了融合體育教與學的複雜性。研究認為：身心障礙學生在一般體育課堂的學習與經歷是一個社會性的，實踐性的，和與同輩互動的參與過程。此過程通過身心障礙學生，一般學生和體育教師及其他參與此過程的人員的身份的認同而得到不斷的創建。研究建議：體育教師和教育機構應重新審視“將身心障礙生融入一般體育課堂這個主題概念。通過重新認知融合體育課堂社會構建的本質，即在實踐社群中創建和認同不同參與者的身份，以此來進行融合體育教學的設計與實踐，從而達到融合體育教育的理想效果。 / In the pursuit of educational equality, many countries have applied the philosophy and practice of inclusive education since the1990s. As a result, there are more students with disabilities in general education classrooms, including general physical education (PE) classes. Therefore, the purposes of this study are (1) to examine the perceptions of teachers on inclusive PE and identity the factors influenced their perceptions, and (2) to examine teachers’ beliefs and practices on the use of constructivist teaching methods on students with disabilities in general PE. / Adopting the social constructivism theory (Vygotsky, 1978, 1986), the first study in Chapter Three examined the perceptions of PE teachers concerning the inclusion of students with disabilities in general PE programs in Hong Kong secondary schools. Eight secondary PE teachers (F = 5, M = 3) were recruited for individual semi-structured interviews. Data gathered from the interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed. Interview transcripts underwent content analysis and were presented as descriptive summaries. Two themes emerged: (1) favorable, but encountering barriers, and (2) enhancing one’s professional knowledge and collective experience. Results indicated that the teachers acknowledged the benefits of inclusive PE, but they also expressed concern about the instructional and environment barriers to the inclusion of students with disabilities in general PE programs. The findings clearly demonstrate the need for more frequent and efficient communication, involvement, and collaboration among stakeholders involved (e.g., teachers and their peers, parents of students with disabilities, administrators) in inclusive PE. The findings also illustrate the important influences of initial training of Physical Education-Teacher Education program relevant to teaching students with disabilities, inclusive education in-service training specific to PE, and collaborations with teaching assistants in promoting the self-regulation of teachers and improving their competencies and confidence in teaching inclusive PE. / Ground in the notion of “community of practice“ of situated learning (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998), the second study understands the inclusion of students with disabilities in general PE as a process which not only focus on skill acquisition, but also pay more attention to increase participation of students with disabilities in the classroom activities of the general PE classroom communities. Based on the situated learning (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998) in conjunction with the components of the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1985, 1991), the second study in Chapter Four examined the beliefs and practices of four secondary PE teachers (F = 1, M = 3) regarding promoting the participation of students with disabilities in general PE using a qualitative case study approach (Pattoon, 2002; Yin, 200p). The results revealed the following: (1) The teachers varied in their beliefs about the degree of difficulty in promoting the participation and engagement of students with disabilities in the PE lessons, although they had positive attitudes towards constructivist teaching inclusive PE. According to the teachers, this facilitation involved giving positive feedback, calling the first names of students with disabilities, physical interaction, additional demonstrations, and breaking down skills into various parts. The teachers also specified negative factors, such as large class size, lack of personnel resources, and lack of professional knowledge. (2) Teachers and students with disabilities were less engaged with each other mutually. Moreover, the teachers offered very few opportunities for mutual engagement of students with disabilities in general PE. Thus, social interactions of students with disabilities in general PE were not well established. Teachers in this study did not exert effort to make students with disabilities to imagine taking part in other PE communities in a broader context. In addition, teachers did not push the boundaries of the inclusive PE communities, and make students with disabilities really interact in other PE communities. The study highlights the importance of the situated learning theory on teachers’ beliefs and practices on teaching students with disabilities. Teachers are expected to consider teaching practices to increase the participation of students with disabilities from the modes of learning architecture of the situated learning (i.e., engagement, imagination, and alignment). / In conclusion, by demonstrating the complex process of inclusive PE, this study argues that the experiences of students with disabilities in general PE need to be seen as a socially constructed and negotiated process through which the identities of PE students--with or without disabilities--and teachers are constantly created. The study exhorts teachers and educational institutions to rethink current notions concerning the inclusion of students with disabilities in general PE, and to work toward inclusive practices by recognizing the socially constructed nature of inclusive PE classroom interaction and participation and critically examining the roles and identities constructed by different participants in the inclusive PE classroom community. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Qi, Jing. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 202-222). / Abstract also in Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / ACKNOLEDGEMENTS --- p.vi / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.viii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.xi / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.xii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- INTRODUTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Research Questions --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3 --- Operational Definitions --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Inclusion --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Physical Education --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- General Physical Education --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3.4 --- Inclusive Physical Education --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3.5 --- Students with Disabilities --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3.6 --- Perceptions --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3.7 --- Beliefs --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.8 --- Practices --- p.12 / Chapter 1.4 --- Limitations --- p.12 / Chapter 1.5 --- Delimitations --- p.13 / Chapter 1.6 --- Significance of the Study --- p.14 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE --- p.15 / Chapter 2.1 --- Inclusion --- p.15 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Disability Inclusion and Global Development --- p.15 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Hong Kong Context --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1.2.1 --- Inclusive Education Development. --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1.2.2 --- The Whole-School Approach to Inclusive Education --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1.2.3 --- Physical Education in Hong Kong --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Research on Inclusive Education --- p.23 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Inclusion in Physical Education --- p.29 / Chapter 2.1.4.1 --- Stakeholders Perspectives --- p.32 / Chapter 2.1.4.2 --- Impacts on Students without Disabilities --- p.38 / Chapter 2.1.4.3 --- Experiences of Students with Disabilities --- p.38 / Chapter 2.1.4.4 --- Effective Inclusion in Physical Education --- p.43 / Chapter 2.1.5 --- Summary --- p.51 / Chapter 2.2 --- Teacher Perceptions of Inclusive Physical Education --- p.52 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Teacher Attitudes and Views of Inclusion Research: Theoretical Perspectives and Debates --- p.52 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Teacher Perceptions Construction: A Social Constructivist Perspective --- p.57 / Chapter 2.2.2.1 --- Overview of Learning and Cognition Theories --- p.57 / Chapter 2.2.2.2 --- Overview of Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory --- p.61 / Chapter 2.2.2.3 --- Teacher Perceptions of Inclusive Physical Education: A Social Constructivist Perspective --- p.64 / Chapter 2.3 --- Teacher Practices in Inclusive Physical Education --- p.65 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Teacher Implementations of Inclusion Research: Theoretical Perspectives and Debate --- p.65 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Learning and Teaching in Inclusive Physical Education: A Situated Learning Perspective --- p.68 / Chapter 2.3.2.1 --- Overview of situated learning theory --- p.68 / Chapter 2.3.2.2 --- Situated Learning Theory in Physical Education --- p.73 / Chapter 2.3.2.3 --- Inclusion Practice in Inclusive Physical Education: A Situated Learning Perspective --- p.76 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- PERCEPTIONS OF PHYSICAL EDUCAITON TEACHERS ON THE INCLUSION OF STUDETNS WITH DISABILITIES --- p.89 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.89 / Chapter 3.2 --- Theoretical Framework --- p.90 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- The Definition of the Perception --- p.90 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism --- p.91 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Applications of Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism in this Study --- p.93 / Chapter 3.3 --- Methods --- p.94 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Participants --- p.94 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Data Collection --- p.96 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Data Analysis --- p.97 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Trustworthiness --- p.100 / Chapter 3.4 --- Results --- p.104 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Favorable, but Encountering Barriers --- p.104 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Enhancing one’s Professional Knowledge and Collective Experience --- p.110 / Chapter 3.5 --- Discussion --- p.112 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Communication, Involvement, and Collaboration --- p.112 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Promoting Teacher’s Self-regulation --- p.115 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- Perceived Relevance --- p.119 / Chapter 3.6 --- Conclusions and Limitations --- p.119 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- USING SITUATED LEARNING THEORY TO FACILITATE THE INCLUSION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN GENERAL PHYSICAL EDUCATION --- p.122 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.122 / Chapter 4.2 --- Theoretical Underpinnings --- p.125 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Situated Learning: A Constructivist Approach to Inclusive PE --- p.125 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Beliefs of Teachers --- p.129 / Chapter 4.3 --- Methods --- p.133 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Research Design --- p.133 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Settings and Participants --- p.134 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Data Collection --- p.135 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Data Analysis --- p.145 / Chapter 4.3.5 --- Trustworthiness --- p.149 / Chapter 4.4 --- RESULTS --- p.150 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Case 1: Lisa --- p.150 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Case 2: John --- p.159 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Case 3: Tom --- p.166 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Case 4: Peter --- p.171 / Chapter 4.5 --- Discussion --- p.179 / Chapter 4.5.1 --- Teacher Beliefs of Constructivist Teaching Students with Disabilities --- p.179 / Chapter 4.5.2 --- Link to Situated Learning: Teacher Practices of Teaching Students with Disabilities --- p.184 / Chapter 4.5.2.1 --- Mutual Engagement --- p.185 / Chapter 4.5.2.2 --- Imagination --- p.188 / Chapter 4.5.2.3 --- Alignment --- p.189 / Chapter 4.6 --- Conclusions and Limitations --- p.189 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS --- p.192 / Chapter 5.1 --- Summary --- p.192 / Chapter 5.2 --- Conclusions --- p.193 / Chapter 5.3 --- Implications --- p.195 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Implications for Future Practice --- p.195 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Directions for Future Research --- p.199 / REFERENCES --- p.202 / Chapter Appendix A --- DESCRIPTIONS OF DISABILITIES --- p.223 / Chapter Appendix B --- INFORMED CONSENT LETTER FOR TEACHERS --- p.224 / Chapter Appendix C --- INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR FORMAL INTERVIEWS WITH TEACHERS ON THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF INCLUSION IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION --- p.225 / Chapter Appendix D --- INFORMED CONSENT LETTER FOR TEACHERS --- p.226 / Chapter Appendix E --- INTERVIEW GIIDE AND SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR FORMAL INTERVIEWS WITH THE TEACHERS --- p.228 / Chapter Appendix F --- AIPE-T Record Table --- p.229 / Chapter Appendix G --- AIPE-S Record Table --- p.230 / Chapter Appendix H --- SOFIT Record Table --- p.231 / Chapter Appendix I --- INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES --- p.235 / Chapter Appendix J --- INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR GROUP INTERVIEWS WITH STUDENTS WITHOUT DISABILITIES --- p.235

Thesis (M Sport Sc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Many children experience developmental problems without being aware thereof. In a school setting these developmental delays mostly remain unnoticed and are scarcely remediated sufficiently, if at all. Children with developmental deficits often experience movement difficulties and are labelled as clumsy, sloppy or having two left feet. The development of, and proficiency in specific motor skills have been found to play a critical role in the participation of physical activity in children, as well as the maintenance of health and well-being later in life, when entering adulthood. There are, however, countless other factors that affect the optimal development of motor skills and physical activity participation. One such factor is ascribed to instances where children experience problems associated with their environment or the circumstances in which they grow up. Poor socio-economic circumstances and a culturally poor environment, lacking sufficient developmental opportunities, may hinder a child‟s motor skills development and skill learning to such an extent that they cannot reach their full developmental potential. Research suggests that the school environment can provide ample opportunity for the development of motor skills and that all schools should consider implementing motor skills development programmes during the Physical Education (PE) time slots. The mastery of motor skills may influence and benefit the participation in various school sports and may also enhance the ability of children to learn and master new and more complex movement skills within and outside the classroom environment. Thus, due to the fact that children spend a great part of their day at school and in the classroom setting, teachers, especially those facilitating PE, have the opportunity to play a vital role in the acquisition and mastery of important motor skills and subsequently affect the physical activity and developmental future of children. The purpose of this study was to design and implement a motor skills development programme to improve the balance and bilateral coordination of children between the ages of 10 and 12 years in the Stellenbosch region. Two existing classes, from a previously disadvantaged school, were recruited and randomly selected as an experimental (n=35) and control group (n=32). The children completed the Short Form as well as all the Long Form activities for the balance and bilateral coordination subtests of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2 (BOT-2). This was done to provide an overview of the overall motor proficiency and more specifically the level of balance and bilateral coordination. A 12-week motor skills development programme, with a specific focus on balance and bilateral coordination, was designed and implemented by the researcher. The effect of this programme was determined by statistically analysing and comparing the pre- and post-test results with the use of Statistica 2010. The main findings of this study indicated that the intervention programme had a positive, although not statistically significant, effect on the overall motor proficiency and balance and significantly improved bilateral coordination. This study suggests that some of the children, between the ages of 10 and 12, from a previously disadvantaged school in the Stellenbosch region and with access to an established school PE programme, experienced movement difficulties. Consequently, there is great room for improvement and motor skill development in these children. This study can, therefore, be a stepping stone into future research regarding further motor skills research in primary school children, the implementation of expanded motor skills intervention programmes and to improve all the motor skills as opposed to selected motor skills as in this study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ontwikkelingsprobleme word, sonder dat ʼn mens daarvan bewus is, deur vele kinders ervaar. In die skool-omgewing bly hierdie ontwikkelingsagterstande meestal ongesiens en word min kinders, indien enige, voldoende geremedieer. Kinders met ontwikkelingsagterstande ervaar gereeld bewegingsprobleme en word as lomp, slordig of as iemand met twee linkervoete beskryf. Daar word beweer dat die ontwikkeling van, en vaardigheid in, spesifieke motoriese vaardighede van kinders ʼn kritieke rol in hul deelname aan fisieke aktiwiteit, asook die onderhoud van gesondheid en welstand tydens volwassenheid, speel. Daar is egter talle ander faktore wat die optimale motoriese ontwikkeling en fisieke aktiwiteit deelname van kinders kan beïnvloed. ʼn Voorbeeld van so ʼn faktor word toegeskryf aan gevalle waar kinders probleme, wat met hulle omgewing of die omstandighede waarin hul grootword geassosieer word, ervaar. Swak sosio-ekonomiese omstandighede en ʼn kultureel-arme omgewing, wat tekort skiet aan voldoende ontwikkelingsgeleenthede, mag die motoriese ontwikkeling en die aanleer van nuwe vaardighede tot so ʼn mate inhibeer dat kinders nie in staat is om hulle volle ontwikkelingspotensiaal te bereik nie. Navorsing dui daarop dat die skoolomgewing vele geleenthede vir die ontwikkeling van motoriese vaardighede kan bied en dat daar onderneem moet word om motoriese vaardigheid-ontwikkelingsprogramme tydens Liggaamlike Opvoeding (LO) periodes te implementeer. Die bemeestering van motoriese vaardighede mag die deelname aan verskeie skoolsporte beïnvloed en bevoordeel, asook die vermoë om nuwe en meer komplekse bewegingsvaardighede binne en buite die klasomgewing aan te leer en te bemeester, bevorder. Dus, aangesien kinders ʼn groot gedeelte van hul dag by die skool en in ʼn klasomgewing deurbring, het onderwysers, veral die wat LO fasiliteer, die geleentheid om ʼn noodsaaklike rol in die aanleer en bemeestering van belangrike motoriese vaardighede, en vervolgens fisieke aktiwiteit, asook die toekomstige ontwikkeling van kinders te beïnvloed. Die doel van hierdie studie was om ʼn motoriese vaardigheid-ontwikkelingsprogram, wat balans en bilaterale koördinasie bevorder, vir 10 tot 12-jarige kinders in die Stellenbosch omgewing te ontwerp en implementeer. Twee bestaande klasse vanuit ʼn voorheenbenadeelde skool was gewerf en lukraak verkies as ʼn eksperimentele- (n=35) en kontrolegroep (n=32). Kinders het die kort vorm- asook al die lang vorm-aktiwiteite vir balans en bilaterale koördinasie sub-toetse van die Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2 (BOT-2) voltooi. Hierdie toetse is afgelê om ʼn oorsig van die algehele motoriese vaardigheidsvlak, en meer spesifiek die vlak van balans en bilaterale koördinasie, te bepaal. ʼn 12-week motoriese vaardigheid-ontwikkelingsprogram, met ʼn spesifieke fokus op balans en bilaterale koördinasie, is deur die navorser ontwerp en geïmplementeer. Die effek van hierdie program is bepaal deur die pre- en post-toets resultate met behulp van Statistica 2010 statisties te analiseer en vergelyk. Die primêre bevindinge van hierdie studie dui daarop dat die intervensieprogram ʼn positiewe, alhoewel nie statisties beduidende, effek op die bevordering van algehele motoriese vaardigheidsvlak en balans, asook ʼn statisties beduidende effek op bilaterale koördinasie gehad het. Hierdie studie dui daarop dat kinders, tussen die ouderdomme van 10 en 12, vanuit ʼn voorheenbenadeelde skool in die Stellenbosch omgewing en wat toegang tot ʼn gevestigde LO program het, steeds bewegingsprobleme ervaar. Dus, is daar groot ruimte vir die verbetering en ontwikkeling van motoriese vaardighede by hierdie kinders. Hierdie studie kan dus as ʼn beginpunt vir toekomstige navorsing in verdere motoriese vaardigheids-navorsing van laerskool kinders, die implementering van uitgebreide motoriese intervensieprogramme, asook die bevordering van alle motoriese vaardighede in vergelyking met geselekteerde motoriese vaardighede soos in die huidige studie dien.

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Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T18:22:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Edna dos Santos Marini.pdf: 946818 bytes, checksum: ff34ae7b96b19e3b5f5f20defd8413f2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-10-14 / This study aims to observe whether the use of the Internet in English language lessons positively affects learning, participation and engagement, by comparing a teaching-learning English language mediated through the internet with a situation mediated by analog materials (magazines, flashcards, books). Based on the analysis into two classes, in a private school and in a public school, I conduct a discussion about using the Internet or not, English classes for children from lower grades of elementary school. To develop this work, we base Vygotskian theoretical research by considering the interaction, learning and the zone of proximal development. We followed a report on the communicative approach, learning through the Internet and the process of foreign language education for children (LEC). The analysis and discussion of the results show that both, the use of the Internet as the classroom through authentic materials analogue facilitate motivation, engagement and learning, provided there is a mediation of the teacher / O presente estudo tem como objetivo observar se a utilização da internet em aulas de língua inglesa afeta positivamente a aprendizagem, a participação e o engajamento, comparando uma situação de ensino-aprendizagem de língua inglesa mediada pela internet com uma situação mediada por materiais analógicos (revistas, flashcards, livros). Com base na análise em duas turmas, uma da rede particular e outra da rede pública, conduzi uma reflexão sobre o uso da internet ou não, não aulas de inglês para crianças das séries iniciais do ensino fundamental. Para desenvolver esse trabalho, fundamentamos a investigação pelas bases teóricas vygotskyanas, considerando a interação, aprendizagem e a zona proximal de desenvolvimento. Traçamos um relato sobre a abordagem comunicativa, a aprendizagem por meio da internet e o processo de ensino de língua estrangeira para crianças (LEC). A análise e discussão dos resultados mostram que tanto a utilização da internet quanto as aulas por meio de materiais analógicos autênticos facilitam a motivação, o engajamento e o aprendizado, desde que haja uma mediação do professor

Graduation date: 2005

Children are not obtaining adequate amounts of physical activity (PA) and it is important to determine how we can increase PA. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of a physical activity curriculum resource, Busy Bodies©, on preschool children’s physical activity levels. A total of five preschools from the NW quadrant of Calgary, Alberta were included in this study. The 48 participants involved in the study were all 4 years old. The preschools were divided into three groups: Control Group (no intervention), Intervention Group (school received the resource), and Intervention and Teacher Training Group (schools received the resource and teacher training). The researcher placed pedometers on all participants and observed selected participants using the System of Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT). The results of this study did not confirm that teacher training impacted physical activity levels. The effects of the resource on the Intervention and Intervention and Teacher Training groups were similar as derived from pedometer and direct observation. Alternative forms of teacher intervention may further increase physical activity. / x, 92 leaves ; 28 cm

There is a need to look at the determinants of exercise behavior in adolescents, as there is a large deficit of research concerning this population. The purpose of this study was to examine Social Physique Anxiety (SPA) and the body shape of adolescents participating in a semester of physical education class. A secondary purpose was to create general profiles by combining the SPA information and the Transtheoretical Model (TM) of behavior change. Middle school students (N= 374) participated by completing a regularly scheduled physical education class and completing the Exercise Behavior Change Survey (which assessed Body Shape, SPA and TM) pre and post semester. The study revealed participation in class had no effect on SPA levels or Body Shape scores, nor did the study reveal any gender differences with these two concepts. Concerning the TM, SPA may not be a factor for progressing through the stages of change, although it may effect which processes were utilized and how one identifies the pros and cons of exercising. The Social Physique Anxiety Scale only reached an alpha of .50, possibly contributing to the lack of relationship between SPA and TM. / School of Physical Education

The purpose of this study was to determine whether traditional learn-to-swim progressions, leading to the front and back swim, were developmentally valid for children with physical disabilities. / Forty children between the ages of 5 and 12 years participated in this study. The children were described according to four descriptive characteristics: disability type, functional sport classification, mode of ambulation, and need of a flotation device. The children required recommendation from their regular aquatic instructor as being comfortable in the water to participate in the study. In addition, each child had to pass a water orientation-adjustment test. / The developmental validity of the progressions was assessed by testing the children on seven skills: rhythmic breathing, front float, front glide, front swim, back float, back glide, and back swim. A pass consisted of all criteria for success being met for a particular skill. The data were analyzed to determine the number of children who followed the typical progression and the number who followed an atypical progression. / The results indicated that the proposed learn-to-swim progressions for both the front swim and back swim were not developmentally valid for most children with physical disabilities who were neither extremely high nor low in functional sport ability. / These results are consistent with the views of ecological theory and suggest that not all children with physical disabilities will reach an end-goal using the same means. Aquatic instructors therefore, need to adapt their teaching methods to the individual strengths of their students.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 284-296). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 284-296).