Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:45:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ana Claudia Turcato de Oliveira.pdf: 810478 bytes, checksum: 5280376050b001b7cb818fac8d8df0a5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-08-27 / Fundo Mackenzie de Pesquisa / This work aims to investigate what are the beliefs of English as a Second Language teachers (ESL) on procedures for continuing education, through their own experiences, promoted by the State Department of Education of the State of Tocantins (SEDUC), as well as get to know what are their expectations for future training courses for ESL teachers that they might attend. Thus, the theory covered issues related to the concept of beliefs, based on BARCELOS (2006), DEWEY (1933, 1938), WOODS (2000, 2010), as well as teacher training based on FREIRE (1979; 1984; 1997), MENEZES (2001), NÓVOA (1999), VASCONCELOS (2000; 2005; 2009). The methodological approach favored by the research was the qualitative research, more specifically the case study (JOHNSON, 1992), using a semistructured interview as an instrument for data collection. The results, based on the ESL teachers beliefs system, show that the training model developed by the Tocantins English Project (TEP) was the one that best met the needs of the teachers surveyed, because there was an improvement in their linguistic and communicative skills; brought methodological innovations, and hence an improvement in the classroom practice. Given these results, we concluded that in order for a course of continuing education for teachers to be considered effective and meaningful, it must provide moments of ESL studies as well as present new techniques and methodologies of language teaching. Furthermore, we suggest that a program of permanent continuing education for ESL teachers is prepared in order to meet the needs of all the teachers that are part of the Tocantins State Education network, in learning contexts that promote dialogue and reflection. / Este trabalho tem como objetivo investigar quais são as crenças dos professores de Língua Inglesa (LI), relativas aos processos de formação continuada, constituídas por meio de suas experiências nesses, promovidos pela Secretaria Estadual de Educação do Estado do Tocantins (SEDUC), bem como conhecer suas expectativas em relação aos futuros cursos de formação de professores de LI que venham a frequentar. Para tanto, o aporte teórico abrangeu questões relacionadas ao conceito de crenças, fundamentado em BARCELOS (2006), DEWEY (1933, 1938) WOODS (2000, 2010), como também, de formação de professores, embasados em FREIRE (1979; 1984; 1997), MENEZES (2001), NÓVOA (1999), VASCONCELOS (2000; 2005; 2009). O caminho metodológico privilegiado pela pesquisa foi o da pesquisa qualitativa, mais especificamente o estudo de caso (JOHNSON, 1992), com a utilização de uma entrevista semiestruturada como instrumento para coleta de dados. Os resultados, com base no sistema de crenças dos professores de LI, demonstram que o modelo de formação desenvolvido pelo projeto Tocantins English Project (TEP) foi o que melhor atendeu as necessidades dos professores pesquisados, pois houve uma melhora na habilidade linguístico-comunicativa dos docentes; trouxe inovações metodológicas, e, consequentemente, a melhoria da prática em sala de aula. Diante desses resultados, concluiu-se que um curso de formação continuada para professores, considerado eficiente e significativo, deve proporcionar momentos de estudos de LI, bem como, apresentar novas técnicas e metodologias de ensino de línguas. Além disso, fica a sugestão para que seja elaborado um programa de formação permanente de professores de LI, que atenda a todos os professores da rede Estadual de Educação do Tocantins, em contextos de aprendizagem dialogados e reflexivos.

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo identificar, por meio de análise documental e de entrevistas semiestruturadas com docentes e coordenadores que atuam em cursos de Pedagogia em quatro universidades do estado do Rio de Janeiro UFF, UNIRIO, UFRJ e UFRRJ em que medida e como a questão racial é tratada no currículo desses cursos, de modo a preparar o professor para atuar com a diversidade pluriétnica nas escolas da educação básica brasileiras. Como resultados ressaltam-se os conflitos para incluir esse conteúdo no currículo de uma forma que fomente a intersecção entre disciplinas nos cursos analisados, de modo a tornar mais consistente a sua abordagem. Somado a isso, outros elementos revelaram-se como dificuldades para a entrada desse debate na formação dos pedagogos: as políticas de corte de investimentos na educação pública, que acarretam a diminuição de concursos públicos específicos para docentes que conduzirão essa discussão; as dificuldades para tratar da religiosidade africana e afrobrasileira junto aos estudantes de Pedagogia; a força dos Núcleos de Estudos Africanos e Indígenas no processo de inserção do tema étnico-racial nos currículos, dentre outros aspectos. Desse modo, observou-se que o tratamento conferido à questão étnico-racial pelas universidades investigadas revela um potencial para contribuir para o desenvolvimento da consciência quanto à existência do racismo em nossa sociedade e para o reconhecimento e a valorização de alguns elementos da cultura africana e afro-brasileira; no entanto, sua contribuição é menos evidente no que se refere à instrumentalização dos futuros docentes para o enriquecimento do currículo escolar, tanto no que se refere ao conteúdo quanto à forma de abordagem dessas questões. Acredita-se que somente uma mudança curricular mais profunda e apoiada numa aposta a ser sustentada pelo coletivo de docentes das universidades, poderá conduzir a uma formação inicial de professores da Educação Infantil e dos primeiros anos do Ensino Fundamental que de fato apoie esses profissionais no tratamento da temática nas escolas de ensino básico. / This research, by means of documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews with teachers and coordinators who perform in Pedagogy courses taught at four universities in the State of Rio de Janeiro UFF, UNIRIO, UFRJ and UFRRJ , aims at identifying to what extent and how the racial issue is addressed in the curriculums of those courses, as a way to prepare teachers for dealing with the multiethnic diversity at Basic Education schools in Brazil. Among the results obtained, what stand out are the conflicts concerning the inclusion of this content in the curriculum in a way that fosters the intersection of subjects taught in the courses analyzed, so that the issue is approached more consistently. In addition to that, other elements proved to be difficulties for entering this debate in the education of pedagogues: the policies to cut the investment in public education, which bring the reduction in number of specific public tenders for teachers who will conduct this discussion; the difficulties in addressing the African and African-Brazilian religious belief issue with Pedagogy students; the strength of African and Indigenous Study Centers in the process of inserting the racial-ethnic theme in curriculums, among other aspects. Thus, we observed that the treatment the universities studied give to the racial-ethnic issue reveals the potential for contributing to developing the awareness of the existence of racism in our society, and for acknowledging and appreciating some elements of the African and African-Brazilian cultures. However, the contribution is less apparent when it comes to providing tools to future teachers for the enrichment of the school curriculum, concerning content as well as how those issues are to be approached. We believe that only a deeper curriculum change that is based on a bet to be supported by the collective of University teachers, will be able to lead to an initial education of early years teachers and that of those who teach the first grades of Primary Education, and will actually support these professionals in addressing this theme at Basic Education schools.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the views of elementary school teachers about their implementation of assessment techniques recommended in the new mathematics curriculum. The study was conducted with 306 elementary school teachers from 29 public schools in Kirikkale, Malatya and Ankara in the 2006-2007 academic year. &lsquo / Opinions about Assessment Questionnaire&rsquo / was used as the instrument for assessing the opinions of the teachers about assessment techniques offered in new mathematics curriculum. The results showed that, teachers did not have negative views towards the implementation of the new assessment techniques in mathematics lessons. However, they needed support from curriculum experts about more suitable implementation of the assessment process. To assess the effects of teaching experience, class size and grade level they teach on the views of the teachers about their implementation of assessment techniques recommended in new mathematics curriculum, the Univariate Analysis of Variance was used. The results revealed that the opinions of the teachers about their implementation of assessment techniques offered in new mathematics curriculum did not show any significant difference according to the experience of the teachers, class size and grade level teachers teach.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of West Florida, 2007. / Title from title page of source document. Document formatted into pages; contains 185 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (D. Ed.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Nov. 12, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 263-288).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Instructional Systems, Leadership, and Workforce Development. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Assessment is a key aspect within teaching and learning processes in higher education (Torrance, 2007). Formative assessment may be viewed simply as constructive feedback to support learning or more holistically as ongoing assessment based on sustained engagement in learning activities within a supportive social context that expand teachable moments to scaffold learning. Online education now pervades higher education worldwide but effective ways to incorporate formative assessment within online settings is not well understood. Previous research in online postgraduate courses designed for teachers as professional learners illustrate that engagement with authentic learning activities promotes meaningful learning and transferability to their communities of practice (COP) (e.g. Mackey, 2011). However, there appears to be paucity of literature with a focus on assessment in professional learning. This thesis explores formative assessment within online postgraduate courses designed for teachers as professional learners who aim to develop capacity to incorporate information communication technologies (ICT) in their own practice. Case studies are presented to richly illustrate the design, implementation and evaluation of the effectiveness of two courses; and then further re-examined to elucidate strategies and key characteristics that can foster (or hinder) online formative assessment. Authentic and developmental learning perspectives underpinned by situated cognition theory framed the design and interpretation within a multiple-case methodology. Evidence of experiences and perceptions of the teachers and their professional students included online observation, analysis of the discourse, and semi-structured interviews. An authentic learning environment that sustained productive engagement is illustrated in both case studies along with many techniques that the teachers designed to underpin formative assessment. A key characteristic in both courses was the design of authentic assessment activities that are relevant and meaningful in real-life contexts. Techniques identified included appropriate learner autonomy, and opportunities to negotiate shared understanding of learning goals and expected outcomes including the sharing of student-created artefacts. The online reification of the artefacts and other learning community support was enabled by the ongoing documentation through creative use of online discussion forums as a feature within the learning management system (LMS). These techniques enriched the processes of ongoing monitoring, assessment of evidence of learning and interactive formative feedback. Both teachers’ beliefs about self and peer feedback also enabled both teachers to design for productive synergies between formative and summative assessment that promoted engagement and deep learning. Additional synergies of discourse among peers related to immediacy, interactivity, and mutuality in which the students recognized themselves and valued their peers as source of constructive feedback. The students also demonstrated meaningful reflectivity that manifested reflexivity within the context of their professional practices. Online formative assessment is illustrated in both courses as a form of collaborative engagement in authentic learning, including assessment activities with opportunities for ongoing interactions and formative feedback. The open-ended authentic assessment activities supported professional learners to connect the online discourse to their own classroom practices, as well as keenly engage with authentic projects that are situated in their schools. Learner autonomy stimulated self-regulated learning in which students went beyond achievement of the expected learning outcomes for summative assessment to engaging with tasks and processes that matched their own learning goals, interests and contextual needs. Learners’ involvement within formative assessment processes enhanced opportunities to negotiate meanings which fostered shared authenticity.The inherent authenticity in the course design also stimulated application of prior knowledge and experiences in ways that promoted meaningful learning. Engagement in asynchronous dialogue as a community of learners with shared goals and practice elicited alterative perspectives and disorienting dilemmas. This stimulated learners to think in new ways and more critically and to develop relevant professional competencies in ICT. These in turn supported teachers as professional learners to confidently apply their developing pedagogical practices with ICT in their own classrooms; and to share those with school colleagues. This study illustrates ways that online formative assessment can be designed to support learners to develop relevant knowledge and professional skills that increase professional competencies. Incorporating authentic formative assessment in the course design also impacted teachers’ continuing professional development (CPD), and thus their schools. A key finding from this research is conceptualization of formative assessment as a collaborative pedagogical strategy in which both the teacher and students are active players. This research provides evidence that innovative integration of formative assessment in online settings can support committed professional learners to develop competencies that are transferable into their own practice. This suggests that ongoing formative assessment is an important strategy to increase the quality of online professional development in many fields, in addition to that of education.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2006. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 44-06, page: 2527. Includes abstracts in English and Hungarian.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Adviser: David N. Wilson.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Adviser: Mary Kooy.