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It is the basic hypothesis of this study that there exists a relationship between personal attitude and value changes and participation in group discussion. The purpose of this study will be an attempt to assess how some personality variables change as a result of group discussion.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of group discussions to enhance comprehension skills in multilingual classes in Gauteng. Due to the diverse cultural backgrounds of learners in Gauteng, it has become necessary to explore strategies that can assist the learners in improving their language skills. An interpretivist epistemological paradigm with a qualitative research approach was used. The theoretical framework was sociocultural theory making use of the Zone of Proximal Development which highlighted the assistance learners get when supported by their peers during group discussions. Two schools were purposively sampled based on the linguistic diversity of learners. This included three teachers, 134 learners, one Grade 4 and two Grade 6 classes. Data collection included non-participatory observations of three comprehension lessons. Semi-structured interviews held with teachers, field notes, teachers’ lesson plans and learners’ workbooks were also collected. The findings suggest that most teachers employed a quiz-bowl approach in comprehension lessons limiting learner’s independent thinking in discussions. However, further analysis indicated that group discussions could be an asset if the teachers were trained to model and scaffold the art of asking questions for learners to observe and learn. The importance of teachers taking on various roles such as the planning of qualitative questions given to learners, employing different strategies and grouping of learners was emphasised to ensure effective group discussions take place. Group discussions will provide more time for teachers to support learners struggling, thus ensuring that learners become more accountable for their own learning. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

Yes / Background Women are discharged home from hospital increasingly early, but there is little evidence examining the postnatal hospital discharge process and how this may impact on the health of women and babies. In particular, there is little on sepsis prevention advice, despite it being the biggest direct cause of maternal mortality. Aim To explore the perceptions of women and senior student midwives related to the postnatal hospital discharge process and maternal sepsis prevention advice. Methods Three focus group interviews were undertaken, involving 9 senior student midwives and 14 women attending paid or specialist classes for vulnerable migrant women. Findings All participants believed that the postnatal hospital discharge process was inadequate, rushed and inconsistent. Sepsis advice was patchy and the condition underplayed. Conclusions Cost effective, time-efficient and innovative ways to impart vital information are required to support the postnatal hospital discharge process.

This study examined the use of group counseling and group discussion as a method of demonstrating changes on selected personality variables of first-year theology students. It was hypothesized that the subjects would become less dogmatic (more open-minded), motivated from a more internal locus of control, feel less anxious, and demonstrate greater creativity and self-concept following their participation in either group counseling or group discussion. Group counseling was hypothesized to be the best method for effecting changes. The subjects were first-year theology students at a southwestern theological seminary. These participants planned to work in some phase of ministry; several planning to be ordained as priests or to enter the deaconate. This study was based upon the premise that ministers often assume a counseling role and they therefore, need training in counseling skills and an opportunity to enhance their personal development. Group counseling and group discussion were explored as possible means to achieve these ends. Each of the five personality variables was measured on a pretest-posttest design. The subjects were tested prior to meeting in one of the two formats and tested again after fifteen hours of participation in one of the groups. A control group was also tested at these same times to allow for a comparison to be made as to which method was most effective. Chapter I presents a review of related literature on the five variables and the need for training of ministers in counseling skills and for providing an opportunity for self-growth. Chapter II states the procedures and includes definitions, the method of the study and a discussion of the instrumentation. Chapter III presents the results of the study and a discussion of the implications. Although the findings indicated some changes in the variables as predicted by the hypotheses, none of the changes was statistically significant. Therefore, it was concluded that these changes may have been occurred by chance. The positive trends, however, were seen to be indicative of the possible beneficial nature of group counseling and it was recommended that the seminary provide an opportunity for such an experience.

The vision of K-12 standards-based mathematics reform embraces a greater emphasis on students’ ability to communicate their understandings of mathematics by utilizing adaptive reasoning (i.e., reflection, explanation, and justification of thinking) through mathematics discourse. However, recent studies suggest that many students lack the socio-cognitive capacity needed to succeed in learner-centered, discussion-intensive mathematics classrooms. A multiple case study design was used to examine the nature of participation in mathematics discourse among two low- and two high-performing sixth grade female students while solving rational number tasks in a standards-based classroom. Data collected through classroom observations, student interviews, and student work samples were analyzed via a multiple-cycle coding process that yielded several important within-case and cross-case findings. Within-case analyses revealed that (a) students’ access to participation was mediated by the degree of space they were afforded and how they attempted to utilize that space, as well as the meaning they were able to construct through providing and listening to explanations; and (b) participation was greatly influenced by peer interactional tendencies that either promoted or impeded productive contributions, as well as teacher interactions that helped to offset some of the problems related to unequal access to participation. Cross-case findings suggested that (a) students’ willingness to contribute to task discussions was related to their goal orientations as well as the degree of social risk perceived with providing incorrect solutions before their peers; and (b) differences between the kinds of peer and teacher interactions that low- and high-performers engaged in were directly related to the types of challenges they faced during discussion of these tasks. An important implication of this study’s findings is that the provision of space and meaning for students to participate equitably in rich mathematics discourse depends greatly on teacher interaction, especially in small-group instructional settings where unequal peer status often leads to unequal peer interactions. Research and practice should continue to focus on addressing ways in which students can learn how to help provide adequate space and meaning in small-group mathematics discussion contexts so that all students involved are allowed access to an optimally rich learning experience.

Abstract The purpose of this research is to investigate the different types of tutorial education and training implementation profiles and impact. And to understand tutorial teachers through the regularization of education and training, whether it can be operational concept to convey to the teachers and thereby affecting their professional growth and educational philosophy and attitude, and finally implement the business service concept. The main purposes of this research are as follows¡G 1. To understand and compare the overview of different types of tutorial education and training of the implementation. 2. The effectiveness of cram educational training, and to identify the factors of limiting different tutorial training. 3. Optimal principle and mode of tutorial education and training, to put forward a set of tutorial education and training principles and models for further reference. The information collection methods are expert interviews and questionnaires. The research interviews the manager of training for cram, and has the employees fill out a questionnaire survey. According to the interviews and survey,the main findings of this research are as follows: A¡BDifferent types of cram education and training of implementation has variations, but all of them would make plans on educational training based on different types of motivations and purpose ,training implementation patterns and training implementation plans ,such as part to plan education and train. B¡BThe staff and training manager both agree that education and training have effective outcome , it should be combined with the primary consideration: "payroll system" and "reward system". Different types of cram schools could vary the measures and methods of training programs based on their scale of organizations. Moreover, the cram school dean believes that training programs are merely utilized to help teachers upgrade their professional ability and they could not connected to any system inside the crams. C¡BThe tutorial class staff generally believes that for the most effective and favorite training way are ¡ugroup discussion¡v,and ¡uteaching demonstration and observation ¡v¡C D¡BThe rank by the staff toward training programs in terms of the satisfactions of needs assessment,implementation and effectiveness are between satisfied and very satisfied. E¡BAccording to the research on the tutorial staff, it can be found that the biggest difficulty in planning conducting training programs are ¡§raining incentives¡¨ ¡§and¡¨ teacher¡¦s lack of interest. Key words: cram school, questionnaire survey, educational, training program, payroll system, group discussion

The Effect of Comparative Tests Between Self-questioning Strategy And Cooperative Learning (Group Discussion) on Junior High School Students' Chinese Reading Comprehension Abstract The main purpose of this study was to discuss the effect of comparative tests between self-questioning strategy and cooperative learning (group discussion) on junior high school students' Chinese reading comprehension. The questions explored here were: 1. How did self-questioning strategy influence reading comprehension ability? 2. How did self-questioning strategy and the group discussion of cooperative learning improve and influence reading comprehension ability? 3. How did self-questioning strategy and the group discussion of cooperative learning affect the levels of question types? The study used experimental research method. The subjects were 50 second grade students of junior high. According to the scores of the prior test on "reading comprehension ability," students were divided into an experimental group and a control group, and each one was composed of 25 students. The instrument was "test of reading comprehension ability," and the information acquired was dealt with statistical testing on the basis of t-test. The results were as followings: 1. After receiving the teaching of "self-questioning strategy," students' reading comprehension abilities were improved. 2. After the students in the experimental group received the co-teaching of self-questioning strategy and the group discussion of cooperative learning, their scores of the posttest on "reading comprehension ability" were superior to the scores of the students in the control group. 3. After the students in the experimental group accepted the co-teaching of self-questioning strategy and the group discussion of cooperative learning, their scores of the posttest on "high-level question type" were superior to the scores of the students in the control group. Finally the study discussed the above results in more detail, and provided suggestions and references of further research concerning teaching of the reading comprehension.

This thesis reports about Laotian students’ understanding of the concepts of mechanics, and students’ activities when solving physics problems in groups. Totally, more than 1,000 first year university students from three universities in Laos have been tested using two versions of the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) over a period of three years. The Force Concept Inventory was developed in the USA to test students’ understanding of mechanics concepts. The contexts of some questions were unfamiliar for Laotian students and therefore another Laotian version was constructed. We found that Lao students obtained a low score on the FCI. The average scores of the post-test ranged from 21% to 26% over the three years. The introduction of the Laotian version resulted in just a small improvement of the score but it helped the students to read and understand the questions more quickly. It was difficult to perceive from the answers to the FCI if the students used alternative conceptions however, in video recordings it could be seen that some students did use well-known alternative conceptions. In many cases, students seemed to use their everyday life experiences to find the answers to the FCI questions instead of referring to physics concepts. Group discussions were introduced in tutorial sessions for first year students. There were two types of group discussions. In the first type 29 groups solved end-of-chapter problems and three groups were recorded. One group described the physics theory of the problem before they selected equations and successfully solved the problem. Students in this group were not afraid to raise disagreements; they asked questions and took turns answering them which resulted in a fruitful discussion. The other two groups made the major mistake of not considering that the object moved with constant speed. Students suggested equations to use without giving any arguments based on physics theory. Both groups got stuck and needed help from the teacher. It was found that the problem solving strategy in the physics textbook did not include the important step of describing the physics theory and could actually encourage students to start looking for equations without first describing the physics. In the second type of group discussions 52 groups discussed qualitative multiple-choice questions. Seven groups were recorded and 14 students and three teachers were interviewed. In the group discussions most students co-constructed an answer. However, the students in general did not seem to come to an understanding of the physics concepts and the follow-up discussion in class was essential for a better understanding. To improve the discussions, the students need more time and should also be taught about working in groups. The thesis is concluded with a section on the implications for education in physics in Lao PDR.

The aim of this study is to use empirical investigation to collect data and analyze the constructed normative ideas and concepts within the discourse of interculturality. We used the perspective of social constructions as a means of understanding the underlying normative discourses. We used critical white studies to get an alternative understanding on the constructed normative discourses. The investigation was an etnographic study of a preeschool in a multicultural suburb in Stockholm. We used quality methods such as focus groups discussions as the main material for our discourse analysis and did etnographic observations as a complement. The results showed that the preeschool teachers constructed interculturality in the same way as we understand multiculturality and thought the swedish language to be one of the most important elements in their deifinition of interculturality. They constructed the families at the preeschool in a position where they stood in opposition against the families in the inner city of Stockholm, which stands for the normative white majority society