Includes bibliographical references (leaves 89-95). / This dissertation explores questions relating to informal learning by workers in a municipal workplace. It aims to understand what knowledge workers have about their work, how they have learnt what they know, the context within which learning happens and how power relations impact on the learning process. The study seeks to foreground the knowledge of workers in a context where such knowledge is generally ignored or devalued. The study draws on the literature on workplace learning that recognizes learning as a socially situated process. It makes use of the conceptual framework of situated learning, but draws on various critiques of this conceptual framework as a way of deepening the analysis. The research adopted a case study methodology as I was interested in exploring detail and depth in a specific context. Data collection involved mainly observations of workers at work and informal interviews in the field, and these were supplemented by semi-structured interviews. The findings indicated that much informal learning about work takes place amongst workers in a work team, largely through modelling, but that this learning is shaped by power relations between workers. The findings show also that workers' learning, and their perceptions of their learning, have been impacted on by moves towards the formalization of learning. In the context of the pervasive emphasis on formal training and qualifications, studies which focus on workers' informal learning are an important counter-balance in the workplace learning research field.

Includes bibliographical references. / The presented dissertation studies informal and nonformal educational processes within three community organisations, which have formed a part of a broader social movement in Cape Town at a particular historic 'moment'. The specific aim of the study has been to describe and explain the self-educational practices within community organisations at a particular historical juncture. Self-education is defined as a conscious strategy which is used by members of community organisations to develop the capabilities of their own membership to participate fully in the management and administration of their organisations. The study therefore focuses on strategies used within community organisations for the imparting of participatory democratic leadership skills. The study is illuminative and explanatory rather than evaluative. The findings of the study show that education for democratic participation is a central concern for the organisations and for community adult educators internationally. However the investigation has revealed that 'democratic participation' has a wide range of meanings which are continuously negotiated and contested. They are determined by a range of economic, political, social, historical and ideological forces at a particular 'moment'. Essential components for both the practice and the analysis of education for democratic participation were found to be action which can consist of either service delivery or political action or both; democratic participatory practices, which entail collective participation in decision-making, in planning and evaluation, sharing of information and skills, and joint responsibility for staff appointments; coherent theoretical knowledge if the organisation to is maintain an advocacy role in the community. The five analytical tools which were developed for the investigation, namely 'action', 'critical reflection', 'theoretical knowledge', 'participatory democratic processes' and the 'relationship between macro and micro organisational contexts', provided useful mechanisms for probing the political and social theories imbedded within the organisations. The importance of the 'tools' was that they focused attention on some of the major contradictions within nonformal and informal education within community organisations. The 'tools' also captured the dynamic, dialectical processes which are ·integral to the educational practices within community organisations. While the study did not set out to develop analytical tools which would have wider, more general usage in the analysis of community adult education, this has been a significant outcome of the research.

Science and technology impact most aspects of modern daily life. It is therefore important to create a scientifically literate society. Since the majority of Americans do not take college-level science courses, strong K-12 science education is essential. At the K-5 level, however, many teachers lack the time, resources and background for effective science teaching. Elementary teachers and students may benefit from scientist-led outreach programs created by Cooperative Extension or other institutions. One example is the University of Arizona Insect Discovery Program, which provides short-duration programing that uses insects to support science content learning, teach critical thinking and spark interest in science. We conducted evaluations of the Insect Discovery programming to determine whether the activities offered were accomplishing program goals. Pre-post tests, post program questionnaires for teachers, and novel assessments of children’s drawings were used as assessment tools. Assessments were complicated by the short duration of the program interactions with the children as well as their limited literacy. In spite of these difficulties, results of the pre-post tests indicated a significant impact on content knowledge and critical thinking skills. Based on post-program teacher questionnaires, positive impacts on interest in science learning were noted as much as a month after the children participated in the program. New programming and resources developed to widen the potential for impact are also described.

The role of human capital in the overall economic development towards knowledge economy and innovations is fundamental. Without human resources, which make up the essence of human capital, we would have no innovative products or services, no new strategies and processes. The development and continuous increase of human capital is one of the prerequisites of an economic growth. The aim of this research was to test the effects of human capital investments on the economic results of enterprises. The research was based on an extensive questionnaire survey, which was further completed with expert interviews. The interviewees were HR professionals from selected companies. The main hypothesis was formed as an assumption about a positive dependence between human capital investments and economic successfulness of companies represented with value added per employee. The hypothesis was verified at a high significance level. Further this work tries to find answers to several key questions related to the main hypothesis: What are the key competences of a competitive human capital in the Czech companies? How can companies efficiently invest into the human capital in order to increase the company's competitiveness? What is the role of companies as the initiators of human capital development? How did the economic crisis change the companies' attitude towards human capital investments? The work further proposes how to diminish the main inefficiencies of companies' investments in human capital. Great attention is also paid to the comparison of various sources that measure and compare the volume of human capital in the Czech Republic.

Tinkamai organizuota, turininga veikla po pamokų, patenkindama mokinių poreikius ir interesus, sudaro galimybę aktyviai dalyvauti visuomeniniame gyvenime, tad jau nuo ankstyvo amžiaus svarbu pratinti mokinius laisvalaikį leisti naudingai sau ir visuomenei. Pastaruoju metu pedagogai, švietimo specialistai ir organizatoriai dažnai kelia klausimą, kaip galima efektyviau plėtoti popamokinę veiklą ne tik kaip dalykinių žinių suteikimo priemonę, bet taip pat - ir būdą, kaip spręsti aktualias dabarties problemas. Iš tikrųjų neformalaus ugdymo tikslai yra daug platesni - ugdyti demokratišką, socialų, savarankišką, kūrybišką vaiką, paruošti jį pilietiškai aktyviam gyvenimui Siekiant paruošti mokinius gyventi ir veiksmingai dirbti XXI amžiuje, turi funkcionuoti neformalus ugdymas, kaip neatsiejama ugdymo dalis, ir turėtų būti nuolatinis kokybės siekimas bei jos tobulinimas. Atlikus kiekybinį tyrimą paaiškėjo, kad neformalaus ugdymo veikla jaunimui, yra itin svarbi bei reikalinga. Daugelis respondentų (mokinių) mano, kad didžioji dalis dirbančiųjų neformalaus ugdymo vadovų nėra kompetentingi, trūksta kūrybingumo bei savo darbą atlieka tik patenkinamai. Taip pat remiantis tyrimo duomenimis, galime teigti, kad neformalaus ugdymo kaina yra per didelė, todėl nėra itin didelio susidomėjimo tarp jaunimo. Labai pasigendama netradicinių sporto šakų bei veiklos susijusios su turizmu. Kokybinis tyrimas rodo labai panašią situaciją, kaip ir kiekybinis. Kliūtis vėl yra finansai, teigiama, jei... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Properly organized, purposeful activity after lessons, which satisfy schoolchildren needs and interests, makes opportunity to participate in public life, so already from young age it is important to teach schoolchildren to spend their leisure usefully for themselves and for public. Recently educator, education specialist and organizer rarely create a question, how we can develop after lesson activities more effectively, not only as formal news provider, but also – and as a manner, how to solve relevant nowadays problems. Indeed informal education purposes are more widely – to educate democratic, social, self-sufficient, creative children, to purpose him for public-spirited active life. Seeking to purpose schoolchildren to live and work affectively in XXI century, the informal education have to operate, as concurrent education part, and have to be permanent seeking of quality and also it perfection. After quantitative research I get results, that informal education activity for teenagers, is really important for them. Many of respondents (schoolchildren) think that most of working informal education managers is not competent; they are lack of creativity and also accomplish their work only satisfactorily. Also containing to exploratory results, it can be propose, that informal education price are too big, so the are no huge interest between teenagers. It is lack of activities as complimentary sport tricks, also activity, which is related to tourism. Qualitative... [to full text]

Lietuvoje, Vakarų Europos šalyse ir visame pasaulyje nuolat diskutuojama apie švietimo kokybę, jo įtaką jaunimo vertybėms ir švietimo strategijos bei politikos prioritetus. Vieni profesionalai ir visuomenės atstovai labiau akcentuoja universitetų kaip mokslo įstaigų, rengiančių specialistus, reikšmę švietimo sistemai, o kiti išskiria neformaliojo ugdymo svarbą, užsiimant konkrečia kūrybine ar svarbia asmenybei veikla, kuri daro įtaką asmenybės vertybėms ir pozityviajai asmenybės socializacijai. Lietuvoje egzistuoja nemažai neformaliojo ugdymo įstaigų, tačiau tai dar neužtikrina kokybiško vaiko ugdymo proceso. Dabartinėje Lietuvos švietimo sistemoje neformaliajam ugdymui reikėtų skirti daugiau dėmesio, dėl problemų, susijusių su neformaliojo ugdymo prieinamumu, finansavimo ir svarbos suvokimu. / New tasks arouse for the educators and leaders of school community in the context of education reform: how to solve the problem of students organized leisure time in a qualitative manner. After-school activity can be considered the main form of organized leisure time, therefore it is relevant to be able to qualitatively and efficiently use all its possibilities of positive effect, precisely: to strengthen child‘s self-confidence, to cherish his/her independence and to occupy him/her after school, saving from undesirable influence in the street. According to G. Kvieskienė (2006), informal education must function in the way the student would have the possibilities to deepen, add and develop the knowledge gained during the formal education; to realize the needs of self-expression during the artistic, sports or other activities; to self-develop as a social subject: to communicate in a free and easy manner; to develop the competences necessary for active economic activity, professional career; to develop the public spirit, national and cultural consciousness.

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Dėl šiais laikais besivystančių technikos galimybių ir išaugusio asmenybę veikiančio informaliojo ugdymo poreikio, buvo tirta grožinės literatūros iliustracijų įtaka paaugliui. Yra daug literatūros apie vaikų meninius gebėjimus ir knygos dizainą, bet paauglio požiūris į knygos iliustraciją beveik nenagrinėtas. Todėl darbo tikslas buvo ištirti grožinės literatūros iliustracijų poveikį paaugliui, o keliami uždaviniai - išanalizuoti su tiriama problema susijusią literatūrą; išnagrinėti ugdomąsias teksto iliustracijos įtakas paaugliui; atlikti kokybinį ir kiekybinį tyrimą, išanalizuoti gautus duomenis ir pateikti išvadas. Buvo surinktos ir apibendrintos filosofų, psichologų, menininkų ir pedagogų mintys tiriamu klausimu, atlikta grožinės literatūros paaugliui iliustracijų analizė. Po to palyginti to paties pavadinimo kelių leidimų knygų paaugliams, iliustruotų skirtingų dailininkų, poveikiai skaitytojui. Padaryta išvada, kad teksto iliustracija turi įvairius poveikius: estetinį, pažintinį, meno terapinį ir kt.; ir kad knygų iliustracijos gali sustiprinti arba sušvelninti, papildyti teksto poveikį. Iš atliktos anketinės apklausos ir interviu analizės gauta išvada, kad paaugliams priimtinos skirtingos iliustracijos, priklausomai nuo interesų, lyčių skirtumo, gabumų, pasaulio suvokimo ypatumų; be to, paaugliams patinka, kai iliustracija skatina pažinimą, mąstymą, lavina fantaziją, formuoja nuotaiką. Paaiškėjo, kad paauglystės vizualinės raiškos krizė pastebima vertinant ne tik... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Because of today’s development of technical possibilities and increased demand for personality influencing informal education, influence of fiction illustrations to youth was analyzed. There is a lot literature about artistic abilities of children and book design; however youth attitude toward book illustration is almost unstudied. Therefore objective of work was to investigate influence of fiction illustration for youth, and tasks – analyze literature related to research problem; investigate influence of educational text illustrations for youth; perform qualitative and quantitative research, analyze data received and provide conclusions. Thoughts of philosophers, psychologists, artists and pedagogues regarding research question were collected and summarized. Analysis of fiction illustrations for youth was performed. Then, the influences of illustrations made by different artists in the different editions of the same book to reader were compared. Conclusion is that text illustrations have various influences: aesthetical, cognitive, therapeutic and other; and that illustrations of books can strengthen or mitigate, or constitute to text influence. It was made conclusion from questioning and interviews that different illustrations are acceptable to youth depending on interests, gender, capability, work perception characteristics; moreover, youth like when illustrations stimulate cognition, thought, imagination, forms mood. It emerged that youth visual expression crisis... [to full text]