The American form of democracy in the first century of United States history was flawed for a variety of reasons, not only due to the existence of legalized slavery, but because there were significantly marginalized demographic segments of the American population, including blacks, women, children and Native Americans. Emancipation resolved, at least by law, one of those flaws. Unfortunately, marginalization of certain populations in our nation continues to keep us from the democratic ideal of equal access to the rights of citizenship for all. This thesis focuses on the crucial role education plays in a thriving society and how the efforts of the first generation of freed slaves to seize the rights of American citizenship, principally through education, began a profound"u2014but not yet fully realized"u2014transformation of our nation into a healthier, more inclusive democracy through universal civic participation. The flames of the Civil War forged the framework of modern America, and an essential component of that framework included an emerging system of public education"u2014a hallmark of a developed society"u2014for blacks and for whites. / 1 / Carol Diane Andersen

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1990. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf [67-68]). Also available in print.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Charlotte, NC, 2000. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 302-307).

This research explores elements and processes involved in interpretation of media graphs. The investigation was comprised of a literature review and a collection of empirical data. The literature review revealed a lack of qualitative evidence related to the complex relationships between elements and processes which comprise the interpretation of media graphs. This study explores the interpretation of media graphs by primary student teachers who would be involved in teaching about graphing. The main study was composed of two complementary datasets: questionnaires and interviews, which allowed an interplay between qualitative and quantitative data. 218 undergraduate and PGCE student teachers from Britain and Brazil responded to a questionnaire with items related to individual details, reading background and media graph tasks. 13 volunteers gave interviews which explored three types of questions: reading the data, reading between the data and reading beyond the data. The interviews also recalled the questionnaire responses. The data analysis of the questionnaires was software based, and a micro analysis approach was developed with the data from the interviews. The analyses of data gave evidence for the discussion about the notion of critical sense in graphing. It was concluded that critical sense in interpretation of media graphs is related to the mobilisation and balance of several aspects, such as: mathematical knowledge, contextual reference, personal experience and affective exhibition. The discussion of the results might help the reflection about teaching and learning of graphing in ways that will support the development of critical sense.

<p> Starting in the mid-1800s, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) were created for the purpose of educating Black students. Since their inception, HBCUs have transformed from institutions of higher learning with a core curriculum of teaching and ministerial education serving the Black community to progressive colleges and universities that provide bachelor, master, and doctorate degrees in specialized areas of study which serve and benefit communities of all races around the world. As advanced as HBCUs have become, they still have the stigma of being less than adequate producing underachieving students. An increase in publicity of their accomplishments would help to change public perceptions, but so far they have not received a lot of positive media attention. The question that continues to be asked and is the main question of this study is whether Historically Black Colleges and Universities are still relevant. </p><p> The research design for this investigation into HBCUs is a qualitative, multi-case study using purposive sampling in the selection of 4 universities or units. HBCU alumni and associates were interviewed to discuss their views on the relevance of HBCUs and how they plan to change public perceptions. The data gathering instruments used were documents, archived records, interviews, and researcher observations, and through the examination of four unique universities, questions about their missions, demographics, academic programs, graduation rates, accreditation, and accomplishments were researched with data collection and analysis occurring simultaneously. </p><p> The findings collected showed that the 4 HBCUs are still relevant because they serve a racially and economically diverse student body focusing on nurturing students and giving them the chance to excel in a comfortable learning environment with rigorous and challenging academic programs that are geared to prepare them to enter the workforce and succeed. They must be proactive and disseminate positive information to the public, including alumni, which could encourage them to support their alma maters. The 4 HBCUs still have some work to do to stay progressive and provide for their students, but the need for all HBCUs to educate is still apparent, not just for African-American students, but for all students.</p>

The period of educational history between 1833 and 1940 has been one of rapid change, to be compared with the mid-seventeenth century, with its Commonwealth thinkers and experimenters, and its aftermath of dissenting academies, promoting disparate philosophical outlooks. Acting and reacting upon one another in 1833-1940 were conflicting groups, that a newly achieved democracy allowed to flourish. An increasingly articulate electorate able to encompass many different points of view made it certain that bodies like the short-lived school boards would be microcosms of the communities that they served. Many existing accounts discuss the effects of occurrences at the national level; the Education Acts of 1833, 1870, 1902 and 1918 significantly altered the direction of educational growth, as also did changed economic circumstances, people's ideas and demands, and the disposition of power. However, repercussions at the local level varied, for each community was different, and those who made decisions had their own ideas and plans. This thesis examines the development of education in Leicester, with particular reference to the interaction of political and social factors. During 1833-1940 Leicester changed from a Liberal-Dissenting town with a single industry to a relatively conservative city with a complex industrial structure. Educationally it was not a smooth transition, for the provision of schools for the working-classes in Victorian times was one focus of the struggle between Liberal-Dissent and Tory-Establishment, while in the early twentieth century the development of secondary and higher education was bedevilled by the struggle between those who still viewed them as a middle-class preserve and those who cried 'Secondary Education for all'. Moreover, there were unique elements and personalities that precluded Leicester from being a national stereotype.

The theme of this study is the enormous gap between the theory and the practice of primary education in the years between the two World Wars when the primary schools were slowly emerging from the elementary, all-age school tradition. The theory is in this case represented principally by the 1931 report of the Consultative Committee of the Board of Education entitled The Primary School, and the practice is related mainly to the situation at that time within the schools of the South East Midlands. The local and national records which have been consulted have not been used merely to provide a description of what was going on in the schools but also to answer two questions fundamentally related to the theme of the study. The first question is "Why was the 1931 Hadow Report apparently so 'child-centred' and progressive'?" The second question is "What was the truth regarding contemporary school practice, and, if schools failed to seize opportunities for educational change, what were the underlying reasons for that fai1ure?" The study includes a comparatively brief consideration of the effects, if any, of the Second World War upon primary school practice, and of post-war developments. The concluding chapter is followed by appendices containing evidence which it was felt desirable to record in accessible and permanent form, but which in most cases was too extensive to be incorporated in the main text.

This thesis examines the attitudes to Europe of student teachers during their initial training course, in order to investigate their development in relation to the European dimension in both the teacher education and school curricula. After setting the current political context, the historical and educational background to the study is outlined, together with a personal rationale for the research. A close scrutiny of the literature pertaining to Europe and the European dimension enabled a conceptual framework of key terms to be established. Consideration of a range of theoretical perspectives in the field of cognitive psychology led to the choice of Bronfenbrenner's Ecology of Human Development as an appropriate framework within which to examine the specific research questions. His belief in human development focuses on the complex interactions between an individual and the environments in which s/he is situated. The individual is interpreted in this study as the student teacher, who develops in a series of ever-widening environments (local, national and European). The research is based on a mixed-model paradigm, drawing on both quantitative and qualitative methods in order to best address the research questions. Data collection took place in two phases: a major four year UK-based study; and a European survey in six EU countries. The research tools used were pre- and post-course questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, which generated large amounts of rich quantitative and qualitative data. An in-depth and detailed analysis of the data resulted in the emergence of a number of key findings. These are discussed and interpreted in the light of the theoretical framework, leading to theoretical and conceptual refinement. Finally, recommendations are made concerning implications for future policy and practice, in terms of European education policy, research, teacher education and schools.

The importance of and preference for assessing learning outcomes using a variety of assessment techniques and containing data from many sources, rather than the sole dependence on the one-shot examination, has long been recognised worldwide. This has led to major assessment policy changes in both developed and developing countries. In Ghana, this change has led to the introduction of continuous assessment at all levels of secondary schooling and post-secondary teacher training, to operate in parallel with external examinations. Although in Ghana evaluation studies of continuous assessment have been conducted for the secondary school level, none has so far been done for the post-secondary teacher training level. The purpose of this research was therefore, to examine the nature and scope of activities and problems that have to do with the practice of continuous assessment at the postsecondary teacher training level in Ghana. The research also examined the training and guidance provided for those undertaking continuous assessment, and the impact of the new assessments upon teaching and learning. A qualitative case study was conducted in three selected training colleges from the months, February to March of 1996 and January of 1997. The selected colleges were considered to be a fair representation of the teacher training college system in Ghana. The field research also included interviews with key officials associated with the postsecondary teacher training system. Findings from the multi-site case study evidence were presented and analysed for their significance. The findings of the research suggest that, many problems continue to threaten the benefits derivable from using continuous assessment in assessing students in the training colleges. The key findings that emerged as significant includes: operational and structural conditions in the colleges, professional support systems for tutors to carry out continuous assessment, tutor competency in assessment and considerations rooted in the values and beliefs of tutors about assessment which define their assessment culture and agenda. Evidence from those findings was then used as a basis for conclusions about improving continuous assessment in post-secondary teacher training, in Ghana. Recommendations for policy implementation and potential areas for further research were also made.

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