Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 1998. / Title from title page screen, viewed July 11, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Paula J. Smith (chair), Ming-Gon John Lian, Mack L. Bowen, Barbara L. Nourie, Lesley P. Graham. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 59-68) and abstract. Also available in print.

The understanding of geographical concepts and the development of skills requires the use of appropriate teaching strategies. Modern school syllabuses emphasize the development of concepts and skills which are basic to the understanding of geography. Geography provides practical learning opportunities which directly involve the learner. Techniques which directly involve the learner are perceived to be the most valuable. Fieldwork, which embraces a wide range of innovative teaching strategies, is the one best suited to give first-hand experience to the pupils. This study investigates the potential of fieldwork to promote conceptual understanding in geography with special reference to pupils in rural schools. Extensive literature on fieldwork in geographical education was analysed. Surveys of geography teachers and pupils in senior secondary schools were conducted to assess their attitudes towards geography and the use of learner-centred approaches with special reference to fieldwork. The role of fieldwork to promote conceptual understanding was evaluated by exposing two groups of pupils to different field activities. This revealed that fieldwork promotes understanding, stimulates interest and builds up confidence even when first introduced at senior secondary level.

Neste trabalho investigamos como são as interações discursivas que podem levar à promoção da enculturação científica durante uma atividade de trabalho de campo, relacionado à Ecologia, em uma área reflorestada. Várias perspectivas do campo da linguagem e ensino de Ciências nortearam este trabalho, dentre elas as pesquisas que consideram que a prática da argumentação em aula seja essencial para aprender Ciências, já que argumentar é inerente ao próprio discurso científico. Concebendo a Ciência como cultura, outras pesquisas discutem a importância de se envolver os alunos em atividades nas quais eles aprendam linguagens, regras, valores, conceitos da Ciência e como ela é construída ao longo do tempo, de forma a se posicionarem criticamente diante de situações que envolvam tomadas de decisões respaldadas em conhecimento científico. Contudo, raras atividades desenvolvidas em espaços não formais de ensino são amparadas pelos pressupostos apontados anteriormente, como por exemplo, os trabalhos de campo em ambientes naturais. Versando sobre os aspectos mencionados, foi elaborada uma atividade subdividida em três episódios: contextualização do trabalho de campo, realização do trabalho de campo e discussão dos dados coletados no trabalho de campo. O primeiro e o terceiro episódios ocorreram no Laboratório de Ensino de Biologia e o desenvolvimento do trabalho de campo ocorreu dentro da Floresta da USP, ambos no campus de Ribeirão Preto. Metodologias provenientes da Ecologia de Comunidades Vegetais foram empregadas, problematizando-se os possíveis estágios de sucessão ecológica do ambiente. Participaram da atividade dois monitores (estudantes do curso de Ciências Biológicas da USP, do mesmo campus) e alunos do sétimo ano do ensino fundamental. Inicialmente, toda a atividade foi videogravada e transcrita. Sua análise se deu com base nos elementos estruturais do Padrão de Argumentação de Toulmin e na verificação dos tipos de situações discursivas presentes. Averiguou-se, então, que turnos de falas durante toda a atividade compuseram um argumento geral construído a partir do problema proposto no trabalho de campo. Poucos argumentos pontuais também foram encontrados. No entanto, as falas dos alunos contribuíram minimamente com a construção de ambos os argumentos, predominando as falas dos monitores. Constatou-se também que aos alunos foi proporcionada uma vivência na qual um argumento, previamente delineado pelos monitores, pouco a pouco foi constituído. Porém, o contexto de produção desse argumento foi uma situação explicativa, a qual pode ser identificada pelos marcadores \"presença de uma única ideia (opinião)\" e \"justificativa de uma única ideia (opinião)\". / In this research we investigate the discursive interactions that may lead to the promotion of scientific literacy during a field work activity related to Ecology in a reforested area. Many perspectives in the field of language and science teaching guided this study, among them the researches that consider that the practice of argumentation in the classroom as essential to learning science, since arguing is inherent to scientific discourse. By designing science as culture, other studies discuss the importance of engaging students in activities in which they learn languages, rules, values, scientific concepts, and for the construction of science over time in order to position themselves critically in situations involving decision making using scientific knowledge as support. However, few activities in non-formal education are supported by the assumptions mentioned earlier, for example the fieldworks in natural environments. Dealing with the aspects mentioned above, was prepared an activity divided into three episodes: contextualization of the fieldwork, completion of fieldwork and discussion of data collected in the field. The first and third episodes occurred in the Biology Teaching Laboratory and the development of the field work took place within the USP Forest, both on the Ribeirão Preto campus. Methodologies from the Ecology of Plant Communities were used, questioning the possible ecological succession stages in the environment. Two monitors (Biology grad students from the same campus) and students of the seventh year of elementary school participated in the activity. Initially, all activity was videotaped and transcribed. Its analysis was based on structural elements of Toulmin Argumentation Pattern and on the verification of the present types of discursive situations. It was found then that shifts speeches throughout the activity composed a general argument constructed from the proposed issue in the fieldwork. Few specific arguments were found. However, the speech of students contributed minimally to the construction of both arguments, predominating the speeches of monitors. It was also found that students were provided an experience in which an argument previously outlined by the monitors, had been gradually established. However, the production context of this argument was an explaining situation, which can be identified by markers\' \"presence of a single idea (opinion)\" and \"justification of a single idea (opinion)\".

Diante de um crescente desprestígio da literatura, sobretudo entre os alunos do Ensino Médio, quando a disciplina se oficializa, muitos estudos têm focalizado as condições da leitura, do trabalho do professor, da influência do vestibular, de produção e distribuição de livros e bibliotecas, bem como outros aspectos que vêm se configurando pertinentes à discussão. Considerando-os como ponto de partida, este estudo procura verificar de que modo e quais dessas variáveis se articulam no imaginário de professores e alunos. Nossa hipótese fundamental é a de que a literatura não está em sala de aula porque o texto literário anda distante dela. Mais especificamente, entendemos que a experiência literária ou estética não têm ocorrido porque sua matéria pulsante, o texto, não a tem desencadeado. Que é desse tônus? Latente, cremos que esteja vivíssimo nos livros e nas pessoas, apesar das aparências de menoscabo. Por isso propusemo-nos à investigação dos anseios e frustrações daqueles envolvidos num processo de ensino de literatura. Criamos um instrumento específico para a coleta de dados, baseado nos pressupostos teóricos que delinearam um conceito de literatura, relacionando-o a um conceito de sala de aula. Nascidos ambos de trilhas teóricas que fazem parte do repertório de muitos dos professores hoje em exercício, esses dois conceitos nortearam a concepção dos instrumentos utilizados na pesquisa de campo. Esta se organizou em três etapas, com amostragem composta por escolas paulistanas públicas e privadas, de diferentes abordagens. À discussão de tais instrumentos, segue-se uma análise das recorrências e de alguns contrapontos observáveis nos resultados. / Given literatures ever growing disrepute, especially among high school students, when this subject becomes official, many studies have focused the reading conditions, the teachers role, the influence of the entrance exams upon schools, the production and distribution of books and libraries, as well as other aspects that relate to this subject-matter. By considering these aspects as starting points, this study examines how and which of these variables articulate within teachers and students imaginaries. Our main hypothesis is that literature is apart from the classroom because the literary text is also apart from it. Or, being more specific, we understand that the literary or aesthetic experience hasnt occurred because its living matter, the text, hasnt called it forth. What has been made of this vibrating resource? We find it existing, alive in peoples minds and in the books, despite the appearance of contempt. For this reason, we decided to investigate the wishes and frustrations of those people involved in a literature teaching process. We have created a specific tool for the collection of data, based on the theoretical premises that have outlined a concept with, relating it to another concept of the classroom. Having both aroused from the theoretical trends that have formed the presently working teachers, these two concepts oriented the conception of the tools that were used in the field research. This research was organized in three different stages, at schools with different approaches all of them located in São Paulo. An analysis of the recurrences and a few controversies which can be observed in the results, follows the discussion of the tools.

Cette thèse interroge la dimension identitaire des politiques publiques liées aux musiques populaires en France à partir d’une approche spatio-temporelle. En considérant une politique de représentations sonores dans une perspective communicationnelle post-critique, les cultures musicales populaires apparaissent comme le terrain privilégié pour envisager à la fois des moyens de représentation de mouvements culturels et des réalisations concrètes d’actions publiques. La notion de réglementation, en tant que discipline du corps et mode d’accessibilité, donne à voir les rapports de pouvoir et les conflits de définition au sein des médias et des espaces urbains liés aux esthétiques populaires. Cette étude montre d’abord, à partir de l’exploitation d’un fonds d’archives inédit, comment les éditeurs phonographiques français ont mené une politique du disque jusqu’à devenir les seuls représentants de l’industrie musicale auprès des pouvoirs publics. Les industries culturelles ne sont pas seulement l’un des enjeux mais également l’un des acteurs des politiques publiques. De là, nous avons associé une « spatio-analyse » des musiques populaires (au sein de scènes musicales comme des lieux de ressources, de luttes et d’actions) à une étude des médias (comme lieux de défense ou d’abandon d’identités). La mise en perspective de la scène parisienne avec celles de Sydney et de Québec permet de singulariser des ressources locales inscrites dans les problématiques contemporaines de transnationalisation et d’hybridation culturelle, et de situer plus largement les enjeux politiques de la culture. Dans le contexte de pluralisme et de droits culturels des sociétés modernes, nous proposons finalement de revoir les représentations nationales qui guident les modes de gouvernance culturelle. / This thesis studies the identity dimension of French popular music policies from a spatio-temporal approach. By considering politics of sound representations within a post-critical communication perspective, we have defined popular music cultures as the privileged site of study of both means of representation for cultural movements and cultural public policies. The notion of regulation as a discipline of the body and an accessibility mode, focuses on power relations and conflicts of definition in media and urban spaces associated with popular aesthetics. Using analyses based on unpublished archives, we first show in this study how the French phonographic publishers have conducted a policy towards music recordings to become the sole representatives of the music industry from the government’s point of view. Cultural industries are therefore not only the object of cultural policy, but also one of its actors. We then combine a « spatial analysis » of popular music (where scenes are places of resources, struggles and actions) with a media study (media as places of defense or abandonment of identities). Looking at the Parisian scene alongside those of Sydney and Quebec allows the singling out of local resources within the contemporary problematics of transnationalisation and cultural hybridisation and the locating of broader political issues of culture. We finally argue that, within the context of modern pluralist societies and cultural rights, national representations that guide the patterns of cultural governance need to be put into question.

The Bachelor of Social Work degree is a four year course consisting of classroom and field practicum training. In 2013, the Automotive Information and Development Centre (AIDC) and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University agreed upon placing fourth year social work students within the Employee Assistance Programs affiliated with the AIDC. The research goal of this study is to enhance an understanding of Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) as a context for practicum training for (4th) fourth year social work students by exploring and describing the perceptions and experiences of students, campus supervisors and EAP company representatives. In this respect, the study seeks to determine whether EAP provides the opportunity to meet the Exit Level Outcomes for the Bachelor of Social Work degree. This study is focussed on the practical application of social work knowledge and skills; it is framed within the principles of the Outcomes Based Educational Approach to Education. It was thus considered relevant to introduce a literature review on this particular approach with the focus on the achievement of outcomes. In order to understand whether EAP is an effective learning context the researcher needed to understand how students apply the experience and bridge the gap between theory and practice to gain meaning and understanding and, essentially, learn from the practicum training experience thus further enhancing the framework. The experiential learning cycle presented by Kolb (1984) extended the framework to provide an appropriate model for facilitating learning by linking practice to theory and knowledge. Kolb’s experiential learning cycle was thus explored. The study utilised an exploratory, descriptive, qualitative approach, which is contextual in nature. Non-probability, purposive sampling was utilised to select fourth year social work students, supervisors and company representatives who were involved with EAPs and fourth year social work students at their company. Data collection incorporated semi-structured interviews. Data analysis resulted in themes, sub-themes, categories and sub-categories emerging. Upon analysis of these themes, it was clear that with the appropriate support and creativity, students were able to meet the required Exit Level Outcomes of the Bachelor of Social Work degree. The study concludes that the overall the experience of fourth year social work students placed at EAP companies has been a positive one, with students meeting the Exit Level Outcomes for the Bachelor of Social Work degree. Although this was a positive experience, greater preparation is required and communication between the relevant parties needs to be improved.

Current theories in geographical education advocate the use of strategies that encourage the pupil to play an active role in learning, thereby making such learning more meaningful and effective. Fieldwork is perceived as one such method. Fieldwork helps pupils acquire and develop understanding of geographical concepts, skills, attitudes and values through their own efforts and involvement. Fieldwork approaches have tended to change with the changing paradigms resulting in the development of approaches that are more pupil and experience oriented. In the South African school geography curricula fieldwork has been explicit since 1985. However, research has shown that in most South African secondary schools fieldwork as a teaching strategy is only applied to a limited extent. Teachers have always used financial constraints and time limitations as explanations for their failure to use fieldwork in teaching geography. This study attempts to demonstrate how the local environment of any school can be used effectively for teaching and learning most aspects of the senior secondary school geography syllabus, thereby alleviating the problems of time and money perceived by teachers as the major constraints inhibiting their use of fieldwork. In order to illustrate the effectiveness of fieldwork in the local environment, this study incorporated an analysis of the current senior secondary school geography syllabus, the identification of potential fieldwork sites in the Umtata District and the development and implementation of three fieldwork units based on three of the sites identified. The analysis of the evaluations of the three fieldwork units by the researcher, the pupils and the non-participant observer revealed that fieldwork conducted in the local environment is highly effective, interesting and rewarding to pupils even when they have no prior experience of fieldwork.

Throughout the history of teacher education, the final fieldwork experience has often been called the single most influential experience in teacher preparation programs (Burns, Jacobs, & Yendol-Hoppey, 2016; Feiman-Nemser & Buchmann, 1986; Parker-Katz & Bay, 2008). Though this experience has been expanded to include fieldwork experiences throughout many teacher education programs (Guyton & McIntyre, 1990), the final fieldwork experience remains the closing activity and the lasting image of teacher preparation (Feiman-Nemser & Buchmann, 1986; Rosaen & Florio-Ruane, 2008). Given its importance, though, researchers know relatively little about it. “The knowledge thus produced is akin to the quantum theory of physics; we know what goes in . . . and what comes out . . . but not what occurs in the interim” (Guyton & McIntyre, 1990, p. 524). Given the current reforms in mathematics education and mathematics teacher education (National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, 2010; National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010), Guyton and McIntyre’s observation is still relevant today. During the final fieldwork experience, university-based and school-based mathematics educators must work together on behalf of the novice to marry university-promoted theory (especially reform-oriented theory) with the practical classroom expectations of day-to-day teaching life. Though there is much research on how this kind of work should be done and the dilemmas that have arisen during fieldwork (e.g., Knight, 2009; Loughran, 2006; Nolan & Hoover, 2004; Sergiovanni & Starratt, 2006; Sullivan & Glanz, 2013), we have little information about the experiences of the mathematics educators who collaborate during final fieldwork. Furthermore, we have very little information on how these educators navigate mathematics reforms to prepare teachers of mathematics. This multi-case study was designed to investigate three novices, their school-based mentors, and their university-based mentor (me) who collaborated during a year-long final fieldwork experience at the close of a middle school mathematics teacher preparation program. To write single case reports that illuminated our collaborative experiences, I wrote the “stories” of each triad. To collect these stories, I used individual and group interviews, paired conversations, asynchronous text interviews, conference observations, collaborative fieldwork artifacts, my own practitioner-researcher journal, and three cycles of participant member checks. After verifying the veracity of the stories of each triad, I engaged in cross-case analysis to make assertions about the commonalities and unique circumstances that defined these fieldwork cases. This study adds to teacher preparation fieldwork literature by evoking a response from educators working in the field and providing them with examples of open dialogue that created more empathetic collaborative experiences. The study also provides evidence that the empathy generated by sharing stories can create more productive and effective learning experiences for the novices involved. In particular, open dialogue provided the collaborators in these cases with a platform for acknowledging pedagogical differences, negotiating fieldwork expectations, and setting and meeting novices’ professional goals. For future investigations of teacher preparation fieldwork collaboration, this study provides evidence that a practitioner approach to research affords the researcher exceptional access to the stories of novices and mentors and establishes empathetic bonds that can make the telling of those stories both illuminating and respectful of the voices they represent.

This dissertation explores the symbiotic relationship resulting from the merging of situated learning's socio-cultural conceptualization of the nature of learning with community service learning's ethos of service. As such, I enquired into the effects of the integration of situated learning as the conceptual framework, and community service learning as both an instructional methodology and educational philosophy. Specifically, through an ethnographic investigation I sought to discover the nature and outcomes of learning which result when high school students take their skills out of the classroom into the community to help solve authentic problems. The students with whom I worked were members of a high school computer technology class in which expectations were that they (the students) would combine learning with service by devoting ten to twenty hours to help a community agency solve technology-related problems. In this regard, eight different student groups applied their technology skills within a variety of school and community environments. Thereupon, I looked to ascertain not only if the students improved upon their already sufficient technical skills, but also what other abilities and knowledge of themselves and/or the world they appropriated. Thus, as per the defining features of situated learning and community service learning, I hoped to find evidence of learning in areas related to technological development, workplace knowledge and expertise, problem solving, group skills, personal and social maturity, and an ethos of service. Such learning occurred and, thus, I concluded that the integration of community service learning and situated learning in this technology classroom resulted in a symbiotic relationship in which the nature and specific outcomes of learning were 1) accounted for by situated learning and 2) enhanced beyond what would normally be expected in a non-service Information Technology Management classroom in the Province of British Columbia. Hence, the well documented and rigorously determined empirical findings: 1) argue that situated learning provides a viable theoretical framework for community service learning, 2) add empirical support to the learning claims of both situated learning and service learning, and 3) suggest a means of enabling education to become more responsive to the students and the community. / Education, Faculty of / Educational Studies (EDST), Department of / Graduate

The problem of this investigation was the construction and evaluation of a score card for evaluating the field work experience in recreation. The instrument was constructed after studying nationally adopted accreditation standards, criteria, guidelines and evaluations of professional preparation programs. This investigation concludes that of twenty-five items which made up the original instrument, twenty-four remained after two evaluations by a panel of experts. A method was developed to score the instrument according to maximum score and percentage compliance score for each section of the instrument. It is the recommendation of this investigation that the score card be field tested and become part of a total score card for evaluating the professional preparation program in recreation.