The purpose of this study was to determine if significant differences existed in principals’ perceptions of their school’s capacity to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements between principals whose schools failed to meet AYP requirements for one year compared to principals whose schools failed to meet AYP requirements for two to four consecutive years. Additionally, responses of the principals were analyzed based on the level of school, the location of the school, and if the school was or was not a Title I campus. A total of 2,040 schools met the criteria of the study and a finite population sampling method was utilized where the entire population of eligible principals was invited to participate in the study. A quantitative online survey was distributed to principals of eligible schools. A total of 183 principals responded, for a participation rate of nearly 10%. The study utilized two statistical methods for analyzing discrete data. Independent-t tests were conducted to determine if there were statistically significant differences in principals’ perceptions of their school’s capacity between principals of schools that failed to meet AYP requirements for one year, and those that failed to meet AYP requirements for two to four consecutive years. It was found that there were not statistically significant differences in principals’ perceptions of their school’s capacity. The second method of analyzing data was to conduct two-way ANOVAs to test for statistically significant differences in perceptions of principals based on level of school, type of school, and Title I status. It was found that there were not any statistically significant differences in principals’ perceptions of their school’s capacity. The absence of statistically significant differences in principals’ perceptions of their school’s capacity to meet AYP requirements regardless of the number of years the school missed the requirements, location of the school, type of school, or Title I status of the school could reasonably lead to the conclusion that capacity domains of schools fail to predict success of schools. This however, would contradict most literature that has previously been written about school capacity. Other more reasonable conclusions, as well as future research are presented in this study.

Rapid technological advances and globalization have resulted in the rise of the information era and with it, the emergence of knowledge economies and the call to lifelong learning viewed as necessary for producing skilled workers. This study examines the characteristics of lifelong learners in different environments, in order to understand how education contributes to the development of the lifelong learner, as well as how active pedagogical approaches, namely problem-based learning, may be especially beneficial for developing the lifelong learner. Using a mixed-methods research approach, this exploratory study was conducted on a sample of polytechnic graduates from Singapore who were continuing their learning in bachelor degree programs at different universities. It was guided by a framework of four main attributes which were identified as possible descriptors of the lifelong learner: capacity for self-directed learning, motivation, metacognitive awareness, and learner disposition. Quantitative data were collected via responses to an instrument, the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS), while quantitative data were collected through interviews, to capture in-depth information about individuals’ lifelong learner attributes as well as to probe into their experiences in Singapore’s formal education system that enabled (or hindered) their lifelong learner development. The data generated from the survey and interviews indicated that this group of young learners from Singapore who were continuing their learning journey did manifest some of the qualities of effective lifelong learners. However, there was also some suggestion that their engagement in lifelong learning was not so much from an intrinsic love for learning, but more out of compulsion because of the better job prospects that came with it. Also, despite the aim of the Singapore Ministry of Education to develop lifelong learners under the policy umbrella of Teaching Schools, Learning Nation (TSLN), learners’ experiences suggest that reforms have not reached all secondary schools to the same extent, and that many government schools were still using more didactic teaching rather than learner-centred pedagogies. Cross-case analyses found that the experience of problem-based learning seemed to equip learners with more self-direction in learning, more intrinsic motivation to learn, and a greater metacognitive awareness. At the same time, the positive outcomes of this pedagogy appear to be mediated by the learner’s own readiness for self-directed learning: learners with lower readiness for self-directed learning appeared to be less able to enjoy the learning benefits of problem-based learning. The study concluded with implications of these findings for the Singapore education system, as well as on problem-based learning as a pedagogy for developing lifelong learners.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Rapid technological advances and globalization have resulted in the rise of the information era and with it, the emergence of knowledge economies and the call to lifelong learning viewed as necessary for producing skilled workers. This study examines the characteristics of lifelong learners in different environments, in order to understand how education contributes to the development of the lifelong learner, as well as how active pedagogical approaches, namely problem-based learning, may be especially beneficial for developing the lifelong learner. Using a mixed-methods research approach, this exploratory study was conducted on a sample of polytechnic graduates from Singapore who were continuing their learning in bachelor degree programs at different universities. It was guided by a framework of four main attributes which were identified as possible descriptors of the lifelong learner: capacity for self-directed learning, motivation, metacognitive awareness, and learner disposition. Quantitative data were collected via responses to an instrument, the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS), while quantitative data were collected through interviews, to capture in-depth information about individuals’ lifelong learner attributes as well as to probe into their experiences in Singapore’s formal education system that enabled (or hindered) their lifelong learner development. The data generated from the survey and interviews indicated that this group of young learners from Singapore who were continuing their learning journey did manifest some of the qualities of effective lifelong learners. However, there was also some suggestion that their engagement in lifelong learning was not so much from an intrinsic love for learning, but more out of compulsion because of the better job prospects that came with it. Also, despite the aim of the Singapore Ministry of Education to develop lifelong learners under the policy umbrella of Teaching Schools, Learning Nation (TSLN), learners’ experiences suggest that reforms have not reached all secondary schools to the same extent, and that many government schools were still using more didactic teaching rather than learner-centred pedagogies. Cross-case analyses found that the experience of problem-based learning seemed to equip learners with more self-direction in learning, more intrinsic motivation to learn, and a greater metacognitive awareness. At the same time, the positive outcomes of this pedagogy appear to be mediated by the learner’s own readiness for self-directed learning: learners with lower readiness for self-directed learning appeared to be less able to enjoy the learning benefits of problem-based learning. The study concluded with implications of these findings for the Singapore education system, as well as on problem-based learning as a pedagogy for developing lifelong learners.

No description available.

No description available.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of Louisville, 1996. / UMI dissertation order no. 9709455. Includes bibliographical references (p. 144-155).

Σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας ήταν η μελέτη και αποτίμηση του βαθμού συμμετοχής των φοιτητών σε δημιουργικές δραστηριότητες καθώς και η διερεύνηση της συσχέτισής του με τα προσωπικά/ κοινωνικοοικονομικά και άλλα χαρακτηριστικά των υποκειμένων της έρευνας. Ένας επιπλέον στόχος, ήταν η μελέτη των απόψεων των φοιτητών για τους τρόπους καλλιέργειας της δμιουργικότητάς τους μέσα από τη διαδικασία διδασκαλίας-μάθησης-αξιολόγησης. Για τη συλλογή των δεδομένων διαμορφώθηκε και ελέγθηκε ως προς την αξιοπιστία και εγκυρότητα κατάλληλο ερωτηματολόγιο, με ερωτήσεις κλειστού τύπου (επιλογής, διαβάθμισης τύπου Likert) καθώς και με ερωτήσεις ανοικτού τύπου, το οποίο συμπληρώθηκε από τους φοιτητές του 2ου έτους δύο τμημάτων ιδρυμάτων ανώτατης εκπαίδευσης (Παιδαγωγικό Τμήμα Δημοτικής Εκπαίδευσης (ΠΤΔΕ) του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών και Διοίκησης Κοινωνικών-Συνεταιριστικών Επιχειρήσεων και Οργανώσεων (ΔΙΚΣΕΟ) του ΤΕΙ Μεσολογγίου). Η ανάλυση των δεδομένων της έρευνας δείχνει ότι οι περισσότεροι φοιτητές και στα δύο Τμήματα εμφανίζουν μέτριο βαθμό συμμετοχής σε δημιουργικές δραστηριότητες, χωρίς στατιστικά σημαντικές διαφορές. Επιπλέον, αν και δηλώνουν ότι έχουν έντονο ενδιαφέρον για την καλλιέργεια της δημιουργικότητάς τους μέσω των σπουδών τους, υποστηρίζουν ότι αυτό δεν αποτελεί προτεραιότητα των προγραμμάτων σπουδών ή των καθηγητών τους. Προτείνουν δε να δοθεί έμφαση σε συγκεκριμένες δραστηριότητες (πρακτική άσκηση, εργαστήρια, εισηγήσεις με συζήτηση, επισκέψεις επαγγελματιών του χώρου στο τμήμα φοίτησής τους,μαθήματα καλλιτεχνικού/αισθητικού κύκλου) με τις οποίες θα μπορούσε να αναπτυχθεί η δημιουργικότητά τους στο πλαίσιο των σπουδών τους. / The aim of the present study was to investigate and assess the participation in creative actions of a sample of students in two Higher Education departments in Greece through an especially formulated questionnaire and investigate its possible statistical relationship with the participants’ personal/socio-economic and other characteristics; a supplementary goal was to study their opinion about the ways of improving creativeness during the teaching-learning-asessment process. Results show that most of the students, in both departments, have a rather medium measure on the creativeness attitude scale with no significant differences between the groups of students of the two departments ; also, that their interest in improving their creativeness is rather high, but their opinion is that it is not a priority in the departments that they attend. They also suggest ways/activities towards creativeness /enhancement.