<div>This study explores the perceptions of critical stakeholders as to the viability of a fully remote apprenticeship delivery system (FRADS), as well as its ability to serve as a functionally equivalent path of inclusion for access-limited populations. One of the first recorded pedagogical models, apprenticeship was also one of the first to be regulated. The effectiveness of the method of training a novice to enter the adult world of work through apprenticeship is undisputed, when it is conducted in a manner approximate to that from which it derived: a process that occurs over time, with continuous interaction between novice and expert. Despite millennia of practice, and a few emerging programs called Virtual Apprenticeships, the critical real-time skills-based mentoring component (on the job instruction/training, or OJI/OJT) of the modern apprenticeship is still only carried out fully in face-to-face programs. With the move to work-from-home (WFH) resulting from the global COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, assessing the viability of a FRADS is timely. This qualitative exploratory study is a first step in the discussion. Bounded by the parameters of the U.S. Certified Apprenticeship Guidelines for Registered Apprenticeships and the constructs of viability and functional equivalence, participants of three critical stakeholder groups—policy makers, service managers, and front-line service workers—offer their pre-pandemic perceptions of the construct of a FRADS. Guided by the work of Jahoda, et al., (1957), Northrop (1949,1959), and Swedberg (2018), this qualitative exploratory methodology identified perceptual data points that are then compared against a framework of viability derived from IEG’s Service Delivery Evaluation Framework (Caceres, et al., 2016). And, because this represents a large systems change (LSC), I included aspects of Weiner’s (2009) Organizational Readiness for Change—valance and efficacy—as additional indicators of potential viability. Stakeholders examined key components of IEG’s evaluative criteria applied to a face-to-face apprenticeship as a functionally equivalent, technology-mediated apprenticeship delivery system. Additional stakeholder perceptions, mid-pandemic, along with a review of scholarly articles, media reports, and Department of Labor statistics concerning the impact of the WFH mandates foreground the gap a purposeful FRADS might fill. Analysis of some of the findings are represented in a preliminary process map. </div>

<p>To what extent do Black/African American (Black), Hispanic/Latinx (Latinx), and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (NHPI) students have access to being identified with gifts and talents? In places where they have access to identification, how equitably are they identified? And, to what extent are they missing from identification with gifts and talents due to lack of access or underidentification? This study used the Civil Rights Data Collection for the years 2000, 2011–2012, 2013–2014, and 2015–2016 to investigate underrepresentation of Black, Latinx, and NHPI youth with gifts and talents, nationally and by state. The data in these years were census data, meaning data from every child who attends public school is included. Data were also examined by Title I and Non-Title I school status and by locale (i.e., City, Suburb, Town, Rural) to determine how school poverty concentration and/or school locale affect identification of Black, Latinx, and NHPI youth. All states were analyzed for Black and Latinx youth, but due to the small NHPI student populations in some states this analysis was limited to a 20 state sample. Nationally, and in 37, 31, and all 20 states analyzed, respectively, lack of access to identification was not a major contributing factor to underrepresentation. The disparity in identification percentages between schools by Title I status showed 45% fewer Black students, 21% fewer Latinx students, and 15% fewer NHPI students were identified in Title I schools. Additionally, in every state and setting, Black, Latinx, and NHPI youth were underidentified with 92%, 92%, and 67%, respectively, of the equity ratios and 92%, 93%, and 61%, respectively, of the representation indices less than the minimum criterion of 0.80. In 2015-2016, there were 276,840 Black students with gifts and talents identified with an estimated 469,213 (62.89%) to 771,728 (73.60%) missing from identification; 588,891 Latinx students with gifts and talents identified with an estimated 658,544 (52.79%) to 1,164,363 (66.41%) missing from gifted identification; and among the 20 state sample, 6,594 NHPI students with gifts and talents identified with an estimated 7,236 (52.32%) to 9,253 (58.39%) missing from gifted identification.</p>

<p> The limited numbers of women in advanced mathematics courses is a critical factor hindering women’s academic and professional access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Informal learning environments have the potential to play a significant role in promoting the participation of girls and women in mathematics/STEM fields. However, research that addresses the intersection of informal education, mathematics education, and women’s studies is minimal. Specifically, little is known about informal educators’ lived experiences in facilitating girls’ learning. Based on four years of working alongside Laura, the founder of Girls Excelling in Math and Science (GEMS) clubs, I conducted a narrative inquiry that explored our boundary crossing experiences as we engaged in a GEMS collaboration. The exploration focused on Laura’s narratives of her past, present, and future experiences that shape her identity as an informal educator. During the exploration of Laura’s experiences, I reflected on and inquired about my own personal and professional experiences across multiple contexts that inform my evolving identity as an educator. The theoretical framework of this study is informed by feminist theory and boundary-crossing perspectives. Feminist theory guides me to perceive our narrative of experiences from a women’s perspective while the boundary-crossing framework provides an analytic lens to understand our interpersonal and intrapersonal boundary crossing experiences. Because of the nature of the narrative inquiry, data were co-constructed between Laura and me in various forms: interviews, field notes, family stories, autobiographical writing, documents, conversations, emails, etc. I employed Polkinghorne’s (1995) <em>narrative analysis </em>and <em>analysis of narrative</em> approaches to analyze data. First, I utilized a <em>narrative analysis </em>approach to generate three holistic plots: (1) narratives of becoming female educators, (2) boundary-crossing collaboration in the midst of GEMS, and (3) conceptualizing mathematics across multiple contexts. An<em> analysis of narrative</em> approach was used to generate themes that unfold the meanings of stories, moments, and events and configure the plot. In the findings, I portrayed the three plots which allowed me to rediscover and reconstruct our personal practical knowledge across the contexts. Building on the findings, I discuss how female educators’ narratives of experiences inform their personal practical knowledge, which empowers girls’ and women’s personal and social experiences in mathematics/STEM. Laura and I cross multiple boundaries engaging in collaboration which provides an example of the boundary crossing collaboration between mathematics education and informal education. Based on the findings, I describe how informal learning STEM environments provide potential spaces to implement alternative curricula to humanize mathematics. Two evolving mathematics-related tasks illustrate our experiences of humanizing mathematics in GEMS. This study is situated at the intersection of mathematics education, informal education, and women’s studies, which significantly impacted Laura, myself, and GEMS, the context in which this study took place. This study provides an example of the possibilities of building boundary-crossing collaborations between the mathematics education community and the informal education community to empower girls and women in mathematics/STEM. Drawing on this dissertation study, one future research direction focuses on implementing and further developing humanized mathematics curricula in informal learning environments. Another research direction is using intersectional feminist theory to understand women’s differences regarding multiple social constructs (e.g., race, gender, class, ethnicity) to explicate the dimensions of inequality women face in mathematics/STEM. The study also suggests future practical work for mathematics education to foster alternative ways of conceptualizing mathematics regarding curriculum and approach. Mathematics educators could contribute to creating a learning community and providing professional development opportunities to support informal educators. </p>

This thesis presents an analysis of cadet training at the Royal War Academy between 1792 and 1866. The purposes of this study are to problematise the Academy's function and to investigate male social reproduction amongst the Swedish upper classes. Two different aspects of social reproduction are studied: the transmission of social position between generations; and the communication of ideals and lifestyle that were linked to the position that was reproduced. The former was studied with the help of Pierre Bourdieu's terminology, while the latter necessitated the use of theoretical perspectives on masculinity. This thesis demonstrates the changes in the preconditions for male social reproduction, and relates them to the transition from a late feudal to a capitalist society. At the end of the eighteenth century, the usual route to a military career was still through the family's personal contacts in the armed forces. In Bourdieu's terms, this was a very direct means of transferring symbolic capital, and one that also required social capital. With the emergence of the middle class, the Academy's recruitment patterns altered. This process coincided with the emergence of a Swedish education system, and cadet training gradually adapted to fit with other elements in the school system. The ability to transfer symbolic capital directly to the next generation crumbled in the face of a system where education was necessary for the reproduction of a social position. Unlike the shifting shape of social reproduction, masculine upbringing was central at the Academy throughout the whole period. The cadets entered as boys and left as men. In this process, relationships within the cadet corps were of crucial importance. The new cadets first had to subordinate themselves to their elders, and then in turn subordinate others. It was this social order that ensured the cadets learnt a harsh lesson in leadership.

Regardless of culture, socio-economic background, and quality of life, all students deserve the highest quality of education. But the reality is, many education systems around the world do not offer it. Investing in structural reforms in education has the potential to boost economic growth in countries around the world. By learning from different education systems strengths and weaknesses, policy decisions can be made that ensure students are given the opportunity for higher educational outcomes. This study analyzes high, middle, and low quality education systems around the world and the infrastructures that lead to educational success or failure. Fifteen education systems are chosen for this study which includes Shanghai-China, Singapore, Japan, Finland, Canada, Portugal, United States, Luxembourg, Spain, Hungry, Brazil, Argentina, Indonesia, Qatar, and Peru. Each system is analyzed in terms of its teacher quality, curriculum, school system structure, and educational equity. From this study, it appears that there is a high-correlation between four indicators and top- educational success. These four indicators include having a highly selective model for hiring teachers, recruiting teachers from a top-pool of graduates, having a high-level of prestige held for teachers in society, and insuring students of low socio-economic status are given equal educational opportunities for success. Recommendations for a new teacher training and selection model are discussed based on the top four indicators. These recommendations could cause educational gains for both the United States and other systems around the world.

Education is since the inception of the world regarded as the formal process by which society conveys its accumulated knowledge, skills, customs and values from one generation to another. Today, education is a human right and the right to education and specifically the right to (a) basic education is acknowledged and emphasised worldwide. In South Africa, the right to a basic education is entrenched in the Constitution and is regarded as one of the most crucial constitutional rights, particularly because it promotes economical and social well-being. The protection of a child’s right to a basic education in terms of the South African Constitution together with the most important international instruments pertaining to education will be extensively discussed and the most important similarities and differences between, and challenges in the legal systems of South Africa, New Zealand and Namibia regarding a child’s right to (a) basic education will be addressed with due consideration of factors such as early childhood development and education, mother tongue education and HIV/AIDS which may affect a child’s right to (a) basic education. It is submitted that the success of any country, whether it is social, financial or economic success, depends on how its citizens are educated. Moreover, a good education system is crucial, not only for ensuring that its populace are well educated, but also for optimal human development and for the maintenance and preservation of socially responsive economic and political systems. Education is a life-long process and in order to give effect to the right to (a) basic education, the adoption and implementation of the recommendations made throughout this study are proposed. / Private Law / LL.D.

Il presente elaborato esamina la trasformazione degli assetti istituzionali adottati dalle accademie letterarie milanesi nell’arco cronologico racchiuso fra la comparsa delle adunanze tra le mura cittadine e l’avvicendamento della dinastia regnante conseguente al trattato di Utrecht. La ricostruzione della fisionomia assunta dal fenomeno associativo nel periodo considerato è compiuta attraverso l’individuazione delle personalità che alimentarono gli sforzi eruditi, il riconoscimento dei gruppi che componevano la costellazione delle élite intellettuali attive nella compagine urbana, la contestualizzazione dei progetti culturali, nonché delle frizioni politiche, poste a sostrato delle iniziative intraprese e la definizione dei tratti spiccatamente ambrosiani progressivamente stratificatisi nei recinti accademici. La proposta esegetica dei componimenti ad opera dall’Accademia della Val di Blenio, mossa a partire dai rilievi storici effettuati intorno alla parabola bio-bibliografica del Facchino Cosme de Aldana, precede lo studio documentario relativo alle fondazioni accademiche occorse nei centri scolastici cittadini, frutto della sinergia tra la curia arcivescovile, gli ordini religiosi coinvolti nell’educazione dei giovani e gli organi di rappresentanza patrizia milanesi. I rinvenimenti archivistici relativi alle riunioni degli Inquieti introducono quindi alla disamina del percorso di consolidamento di un “sistema di virtù”, metronomo delle radunanze barocche, nella sua declinazione ambrosiana, che entrerà in crisi allo scadere del XVII secolo. / By adopting a long-term period chronological perspective, this research analyses the institutional frameworks’ development of Milanese literary academies between their appearance in the city area and the beginning of Austrian government’s jurisdiction after the Peace of Utrecht. Key objectives of the phenomenon’s historical reconstruction are: the identification of patrons who promoted the academies’ dissemination; the description of associational networks made up by different intellectual elite groups operating in Milan; the contextualization of cultural projects - and resulting under covered political tensions - that influenced the academical pattern’s expansion process; finally, the gradual constitution of a peculiar Ambrosian identity related with this associations’ typology. The exegesis of the “Badia della Val di Blenio” academy’s literary production, deduced by the historical examine of the “Facchino” Cosme de Aldana’s bio-bibliographical experience, introduces the enquiry on students’ academical foundations, which were the result of the cooperation between the archiepiscopal curia, religious orders involved in the educational programs and representative bodies of Milanese patricians. Archival discoveries on Inquieti’s meetings contribute in depicting the progressive composition of a coherent Ambrosian “system of virtues” (the baroque reference point for academical activities), that got into a substantial crisis at the end of seventeenth century.

Education is since the inception of the world regarded as the formal process by which society conveys its accumulated knowledge, skills, customs and values from one generation to another. Today, education is a human right and the right to education and specifically the right to (a) basic education is acknowledged and emphasised worldwide. In South Africa, the right to a basic education is entrenched in the Constitution and is regarded as one of the most crucial constitutional rights, particularly because it promotes economical and social well-being. The protection of a child’s right to a basic education in terms of the South African Constitution together with the most important international instruments pertaining to education will be extensively discussed and the most important similarities and differences between, and challenges in the legal systems of South Africa, New Zealand and Namibia regarding a child’s right to (a) basic education will be addressed with due consideration of factors such as early childhood development and education, mother tongue education and HIV/AIDS which may affect a child’s right to (a) basic education. It is submitted that the success of any country, whether it is social, financial or economic success, depends on how its citizens are educated. Moreover, a good education system is crucial, not only for ensuring that its populace are well educated, but also for optimal human development and for the maintenance and preservation of socially responsive economic and political systems. Education is a life-long process and in order to give effect to the right to (a) basic education, the adoption and implementation of the recommendations made throughout this study are proposed. / Private Law / LL. D.

English text, with summaries in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / This study aims to propose an e-learning framework for mobile devices in Africa to help improve enrolment rates and education standards in the FET (Further Education and Training) phase. The study is qualitative in nature and employs document analysis as main research method. An overview of the South African education context with supporting statistical data to motivate why an e-learning alternative is crucial for improving South African and African education is provided. The literature review includes a descriptive analysis of 7 existing e- and m-learning frameworks, with key features highlighted for possible adaptation or incorporation into an e-learning framework for Africa. Behaviourism, Constructivism and Connectivism are discussed as applicable learning theories to pedagogically underpin this proposed e-learning framework. Thereafter, a critical evaluation of current South African education policy documents (White Papers, the Norms and Standards for Educators and the Draft Policy for the Provision and Management of Learning Teaching and Support Materials) is conducted to determine whether these policies support and enable e-learning effectively. Part 2 of Chapter 5 comprises a critical analysis and comparison of education systems and applicable legislation in the USA, Finland and Malawi to establish how education is structured and how e-learning is administered in these countries to make relevant recommendations for South Africa and to inform the design of an e-learning framework for Africa. Research findings are presented as answers to the research questions posed and the proposed e-learning framework with further recommendations are presented to the South African Department of Basic Education, teachers and researchers. / Die doel van hierdie studie is om ‘n e-onderrig-en-leer raamwerk vir mobiele toestelle vir Afrika voor te stel, sodat inskrywingsgetalle en onderrig- en leerstandaarde in die Verdere Onderrig en Opleidings (VOO) fase verbeter kan word. Dit is ‘n kwalitatiewe studie en dokumentanalise word as navorsingsmetode toegepas. ‘n Oorsig van die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel en konteks met ondersteunende statistiese bevindinge word verduidelik om e-onderrig-en-leer as noodsaaklike alternatief vir Suid-Afrika en Afrika te motiveer. Die literatuuroorsig sluit ‘n beskrywende analise van sewe bestaande e- en m-onderrig-en-leer (mobiele-onderrig-en-leer) raamwerke in. Hoofkenmerke van elke raamwerk word uitgelig vir moontlike aanpassing en inkorporering in ‘n e-onderrig-en-leer raamwerk vir die Afrika-konteks. Leerteorië, nl Behaviourisme, Konstruktivisme en Konnektivisme (Connectivism) word in diepte bespreek as pedagogies fundamenteel om die e-onderrig-en-leer raamwerk te onderbou en te ondersteun. ‘n Kritiese evaluasie van Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysbeleid (d.w.s. Witskrifte, die Norme and Standaarde vir Onderwysers en die konsepdokument oor die Voorsiening en Bestuur van Onderrig-, Leer- en Ondersteuningsmateriaal) is gedoen om vas te stel of die beleid wel e-onderrig-en-leer effektief ondersteun en prakties moontlik maak. ‘n Krities analitiese en vergelykende studie van die VSA (Verenigde State van Amerika), Finland en Malawi se onderwysstelsels- en wetgewing is gedoen in hoofstuk 5 deel 2 om te bepaal hoe dié lande onderwys struktureer en hoe e-onderrig-en–leer geadministreer word, sodat relevante voorstelle vir Suid-Afrika gemaak kan word en om insae te lewer in die ontwerp van ‘n e-onderrig-en-leer raamwerk toepaslik vir die Afrika-kontinent. Navorsingsbevindinge word voorgelê aan die Suid-Afrikaanse Departement van Basiese Onderwys, onderwysers sowel as aan navorsers. / Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuphakamisa uhlaka lwe-e-learning lamadivaysi eselula e-Afrika ukusiza ukuthuthukisa izinga lokubhalisa nezindinganiso zemfundo kwiSigaba se-FET (Further Education and Training). Ucwaningo luyimfanelo enemvelo futhi lusebenzisa ukuhlaziywa kwedokhumenti njengendlela yokucwaninga eyinhloko. Ukuhlolisisa umongo wezemfundo waseNingizimu Afrika ngokusekela imniningwane yezibalo ukugqugquzela ukuthi kungani enye yokufunda email ibalulekile ekuthuthukiseni imfundo yaseNingizimu Afrika ne-Afrika. Ukubuyekezwa kwezincwadi kuhlanganisa ukuhlaziywa okuchazayo kwezinhlaka eziyisikhombisa ezisekhona ze-e- e-m-learning, nezici eziyinhloko eziqokonyiswe ukukhishwa kwe-adaption noma ukufakwa kwisakhiwo se-e-learning se-Afrika. Ukuzikhethela, Ukwakhiwa kwe-Constructivism (Kwe Zokwakha) kanye ne-Connectivism (Kwe Zokuxhumana) kuxoxwa njengezifundo ezifanele zokufunda ukusekela lolu hlelo oluhlongozwayo lwe-e-learning. Ngemuva kwaloko, ukuhlolwa okubalulekile kwemibhalo yamanje yemfundo yaseNingizimu Afrika (Amaphepha Asemhlophe, Imigomo Nemigomo Yabafundisi kanye neNqubomgomo Yohlaka Lokufundiswa Nezifundo Nokusekela) kwenziwa ukuze kutholakale ukuthi lezi zinqubomgomo zisekela futhi zikwazi yini ukufundisa nge-e-ephumelelayo. Ingxenye yesibili yeSahluko sesihlanu iqukethe ukuhlaziywa okubucayi kanye nokuqhathaniswa kwezinhlelo zemfundo kanye nemithetho esebenzayo eMelika, eFinland nase Malawi ukuqinisekisa ukuthi imfundo ihlelwe kanjani nokuthi i-e-learning inikezwa kanjani ukwenza izincomo ezifanele eNingizimu Afrika nokwazisa ukuklama uhlaka lwe-e-learning lwe-Afrika. Imiphumela yokucwaninga inikezwa njengezimpendulo zemibuzo yokucwaninga ephakanyisiwe kanye nohlaka oluhlongozwayo lwe-e-learning kanye nezincomo ezengeziwe ezethulwa eMnyangweni wezemfundo Eyisisekelo, othisha nabacwaningi baseNingizimu Afrika. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)