This thesis lifts the lid' on the educational practices within a medical education programme, which is based upon a Problem-Based learning (PBl) approach. It is an ethnographic case study that sets out to understand the practice and facilitation of PBl situated within a hybrid curriculum at a graduate-entry medical programme in England. Data was collected by audio-visual recording of PBl sessions, audio recording and observing facilitator meetings and through the author's experiences as a participant observer working as a facilitator within the research setting. The study exposes a variety of PBl practices within a single curriculum setting that have not previously been examined in detail within medical education, in particular through use of direct observational methods. The findings pose a challenge to a core educational objective, upon which the 'PBl' programme was founded, that being to develop students' skills as self-directed learners. While this is highlighted within the literature as a central component to the PBl process, the findings raise questions about how these assumptions are reflected in the practice of PBL.

The research question which guided this exploratory case study is, in essence, looking at causes in non-implementation of change, specifically consideration of how confidence and emotions have been factors not taken into account when considering Continued Professional Development programmes and the implementation of the ICT initiative. The research was carried out as a three-case case study. There was no intent in this study to determine causal effects. Rather, it was more to consider the role of factors such as confidence, what part it plays and how this could impact on Continued Professional Development (CPD) which would lead to effective classroom practice. In considering such an approach, the questions of what constitutes change and confidence and how it is manifested in the classroom situation will be considered using a 3D mathematical metaphor to help demonstrate change. The data gathering was accomplished through a number of different instruments: a survey questionnaire based around the questionnaire used by the IMPACT project (slightly modified to take account of the different project) (Harrison, et al, 1998). The specific information obtained from the instrument included specific computer uses, computer experience and training background; Pre- and Post-classroom observation interviews; a free response narrative; and to aid in communicating their thoughts on their current attitude and usage of ICT and to further help gain an insight as to the affect of emotion on ICT diffusion, each participant was also asked to complete a mind map task (Buzan and Buzan, 2003) based around the main subject of “Computers and Me”. The case study suggests that effective CPD for an ICT initiative is best approached through a bespoke programme taking into account teachers’ individual emotional needs, backgrounds and experiences.

This case study examines the changing role of the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority with a view to identifying the way forward for it to enhance its effectiveness and inform future assessment development. The research questions are: 1)What functions do public examinations serve in Hong Kong and how effectively are they serving these functions? 2)What is the role of the Authority in the education system of Hong Kong and how effective is it in delivering this role as expected by its stakeholders? A historical approach is adopted to trace and analyse the development of public examinations through literature and document review. In order to gain new insights into the implicit forces working behind public examinations and form a more balanced view of examination bodies, reference is also made to the internal documents of the Authority. It has been found that due to an exponential growth in public education since the 1970s against a background of rapid social changes, the functions expected of public examinations have expanded from those of a selective school system to include also those of an inclusive one. Despite improvement measures introduced by the Authority over the years, it was only until the introduction of an education reform initiated by the Tung Chee Hwa Government in the 2000s that more fundamental changes towards the inclusive end have been brought about. To enable this to be effectively done, three critical success pre-requisites on the part of the Authority can be identified: first, the technical competence to design assessments that can reconcile the traditional functions with the more progressive ones; second, the strategic competence to ensure the intended use of assessments is within the acceptability limits of the value systems of the concerned stakeholders and the society as a whole so that it is more likely that the assessments are used as expected; and third, if necessary, take steps to manage or narrow the differences. Being structurally segregated from school education by design, the Authority was expected by the Government, its creator and the most influential stakeholder, to be the gatekeeper of the education system when it was established. Since the 2000s, with a much closer partnership with the Curriculum Development Institute, the introduction of the TSA and HKDSEE as cornerstones of the education reform, and provision of support of an unprecedented scale to schools in respect of assessment implementation, it is argued that the Authority has effectively become the Government’s quality monitoring and enhancement agent of the school education system. For other stakeholders, with the HKDSEE recognising a much broader range of student abilities while up-keeping the selection function and widely recognised internationally and locally, the Authority has transformed itself from a gatekeeper to a gateway in addition, enabling our youngsters with different potentials to pursue their future through multiple pathways. Looking ahead, apart from continuing with the success pre-requisites, this thesis recommends that the Authority should lever its achievement in Hong Kong to establish itself internationally for further enhancement of its organisational capacities.

This work consists in a theoretical overview of positioning theory, the construction of a methodology for interaction analysis, and its application to classroom interaction. The latter part is based on transcripts from audio-video recordings of 15 hours of lessons in mathematics and physics or science in England and in France, with children aged between 11 and 12. These transcripts were divided up into episodes, units displaying coherence in theme and purpose; and each episode was coded according to the types of behaviour the teacher displayed in them. The same types of behaviour were found in plenary interaction as those found by previous research into group work. Analysis carried out to highlight co-occurring types of behaviour (seen as rights and duties) only yielded two co-occurring rights – asking a scientific question and validating a statement, consistently with the previously noted prevalence of IRE/IRF sequences. A frequency analysis of the levels of occurrence of individual types of behaviour highlighted the scarcity of unsupported teacher statements. Further analysis of the episodes featuring teacher statements showed that the teacher may only introduce new elements on the basis of their own authority in highly specific circumstances: (a) after a student’s mistake, in which case the teacher’s statement is limited to explaining why the aforementioned mistake is one; (b) after a student’s question or (c) after a student’s unsolicited statement. In the last two cases, the teacher’s statement may go beyond the remit of the question or statement. Content introduced in such a way appears to have a longer-lasting legitimacy than that introduced with the help of official content. Some implications of these results are discussed: the need to take into account student agency in further research; and it is suggested that a lecturing style of teaching might be beneficial for learning.

This research examined outlooks on early development and learning of young children with cerebral palsy. Using a research framework informed by Urie Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological model of child development, which integrates scrutiny of ‘person’, ‘process’, ‘context’ and ‘time,’ in combination with an exploratory case-study design, the study focused on the perceptions of a range of stakeholders in a local authority in the West Midlands of England as well as the observed experiences of children themselves. Research questions required examination of stakeholders’ perspectives of the developmental and learning identities of these children, the contextual circumstances for their early educational support, the processes by which their progression was or should be pursued, and future aspirations held for them. The final research question related the revealed outlooks to children’s own observed educational experiences. The wide-ranging review of literature highlighted differences in academic perspectives on child development and disability, also a complex national ‘patchwork’ of early intervention for disabled children in general and for those with cerebral palsy in particular. The empirical study was pursued through questionnaire surveys of parents and practitioners, also interviews with support-service managers and with parents and practitioners of six target children who were subsequently observed in their early educational settings. Integration of quantitative and qualitative data enabled all research questions to be answered comprehensively and in depth. Findings showed that stakeholders’ outlooks on the identity of children with cerebral palsy, evident in discourse and observed practice, were medically, socially or pedagogically oriented. Provision for these children was found to be extensive, but diverse in nature, not simply in terms of the services used, but also in relation to practitioners’ qualifications, experiences, levels of confidence and professional roles. A range of pedagogical processes was evident in the various contexts – differences related to use of space and equipment, adult support, opportunities for children’s socialization and other features. In terms of future aspirations, largely positive views were held, together with concern about the child’s acceptance in peer contexts, particular at times of transition. Drawing from findings, the study argues for a more distinctive pedagogical identity for children with cerebral palsy, echoing the Vygotskian (1993) perspective of disabled children’s development as a socio-culturally influenced, exceptional phenomenon. Their development and early education should be perceived and pursued as an all-encompassing entity, with focus on motivation, interest and independence and reflecting strengthened notions of upbringing and pedagogy. Practical implications include renewed academic and professional discourse, revitalized training for professionals and greater practical involvement of parents in early educational provision.

The thesis explores the experiences and beliefs of pupils and teachers for languages at the primary to secondary school transition in England. The academic aspects of transition (for languages and more broadly) are examined in the literature review and emerge as areas of concern and inadequacy with issues relating to progression, continuity, appropriateness of pedagogy and cross-phase communication and liaison. This exploratory case study adopts an interpretivist paradigm to investigate pertinent aspects of language learning including the perceived aims of Primary Languages; current provision, liaison and assessment activity; and pupils’ self-efficacy and enjoyment of languages as they transfer from primary to secondary school. The study focuses on pupils’ beliefs and experiences of language learning in four cases, each comprising one secondary school and two feeder primary schools. Pupil and teacher questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were administered at three points during this transition: the end of pupils’ final year in primary school, and the beginning and end of their first year at secondary school. Whilst pupils’ transition for languages emerged as patchy, inconsistent, and inadequate in three of the four cases, pupils in one case had a contrasting experience and exhibited higher levels of enjoyment and self-efficacy for languages than in the other cases. The work contributes knowledge about pupils’ beliefs of language learning at a pivotal period in their language education. The case studies and cross-case analysis offer a novel exploration of the important issues in transition for languages and relationships between these issues. In the conclusion, the thesis gives critical consideration to how the findings might inform current and future practices and debates relating to transition for languages and successful language learning in primary schools at the advent of compulsory language learning for all pupils in state-maintained schools in England in Key Stage 2 (aged 7-11 years).

In Pakistan, educational institutions function in parallel under three separate systems: public, private and madrassas. The incidents of 9/11 brought madrassas into the limelight and they emerged as the most controversial educational institutions of Pakistan. International scholarship is polarized on the madrassa issue and presents two opposing pictures about these institutes. For some, madrassas are the cause of radical ideology and militancy, while for others they are a source of free education for the underprivileged. This research compares the attitudes of students attending madrassas with those of students attending other types of school. A comparison of the world view of students coming from different schooling systems was made concerning socio-political and educational issues including an examination of attitudes towards jihad and Islamic militancy. It is argued that students educated under different systems have divergent ideologies about the primary purpose of education, sectarian diversity, the status of women and non-Muslims in Pakistan and, most importantly, Islamic militancy. To determine the worldview of students about the aforesaid issues, both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used. The data were collected from the students of private and public schools and madrassas in South Punjab (N=500). It is argued that madrassas are stratified with some being more liberal than others. The questionnaire and interview tool used in the study attempted to find out the students‘ responses on armed Jihad, sectarian divide, the status of women, the position of non-Muslims in Pakistan and about the purpose of education. The analysis illustrated the ways in which Pakistani society is polarized along socio-economic lines and how different types of schooling are associated with distinct world views. The results indicate that the students from madrassas are somewhat more aggressive and intolerant towards the religious minorities and women than the students of English medium and Urdu medium public schools. They are also less tolerant towards people of other sects and are more susceptible to sectarian prejudices than their counterparts in the English medium and Urdu medium schools. In the same vein, the students from madrassas are more supportive of militancy and jihadist activities than their counterparts. In this regard, the students from Shia and Brailvi madrassas are comparatively less inclined towards the Jihadi notion than that of Ahle Hadith, Deaoband and Jamaat-e-Islami madrassas. While most previous studies of madrassas have presented them as homogeneous institutions, this study highlights the extent to which they are internally stratified and shows that the students studying in these schools have contradictory viewpoints with respect to certain socio-political and religious issues.

This thesis investigates the extent to which Thai national culture can be used to explain students' behaviour. In addition to exploring the cultural and social aspects of the classroom community, it also takes into account the importance of understanding the way students perceive their reality and as a consequence ethnographic research techniques are utilised. The research was carried out at a provincial university in Thailand, with a focal group of forty English major students. Two ethnographic research methods, namely classroom observation and interviews, were used in the research. While the classroom observations were carried out to describe the characteristics of the classroom and identify salient patterns of students' behaviours in the classroom, the interviews were conducted with the intention of allowing students to reflect on their own patterns of behaviours. The classroom observation not only showed the physical characteristics of the classroom, but also identified the teacher-student and student-student patterns of behaviour. These social aspects of the classroom revealed that while some student behaviour coincided with Thai national cultural characteristics, other patterns of behaviour deviated from commonly held beliefs about Thai students' behaviour. Pair and group interviews were then conducted to give students a chance to reflect on their interactions and their disruptive behaviour in class. While students' interviews offered insights into several personal issues, such as students' reasons to study English at the University, their transitions from high-schools to university and their self-perception, their accounts really highlighted the importance of the social interactions and relationships on their behaviour in the classroom. Social interaction, in the form of relationships with teachers, peer pressure, or peer reaction had, from the perspective of the students, significant explanatory force; these were strategically viewed and evaluated by students as the factors guiding their behaviour. Although this thesis aims to explore the influence of Thai culture on students' behaviour, it became clear during the research that unless students were made conscious of cultural influences, they were mostly unaware of the possibility that Thai culture might affect their behaviour. Because this thesis relies on the emic view of the students, the lack of students' verbal support for the influence of Thai culture on their behaviour makes the answer to the research question inconclusive. This leads to a discussion of the level of analysis students used when asked to interpret their behaviour and whether students viewed their behaviour at the social or cultural level. The study both highlights the significance of social interaction and context, and also distinguishes between a large culture and small culture paradigm. While the large culture approach views culture as essentially a feature of ethnic, national, and international groups, the small culture approach views culture as part of any social grouping. By seeing the classroom as a small culture and allowing students to explain their own behaviour, the research gains deeper insights into the students' world and their construction of their realities, the significance of which is explained and developed.

In the context of an increasing awareness of improving the standards of English in Malaysia, this study explores Year 1 literacy practices in English and offers important insights into the three major innovations introduced in 2002: the English Hour, Big Books and CD-ROMs. The findings are examined in the context of the Ministry's desire to promote active engagement and high quality interaction. Two studies were conducted using a naturalistic approach. In 2003,50 questionnaires were distributed to primary school teachers: 5 classes and 9 teachers in 2 primary and 3 pre-schools were observed teaching English, Bahasa Malaysia and Arabic/Jawi. These teachers were also interviewed. In 2004,2 trainers and 10 teachers were interviewed, 48 lessons of English, Mathematics and Science in English by the 10 teachers were observed, but the study focuses on the literacy practices in 26 lessons by 4 English teachers in four schools. Interviews and role plays with 28 children from these four classes in 7 groups of 4 inform the accounts and discussion of reading and writing events and practices. The 2004 study suggests that the Ministry of Education's directives to English classes to integrate the use of the English Hour, Big Books and CD-ROMs have only been partially implemented in the classroom. The Ministry's hopes to provide more active engagement and to increase students' interests and motivation through the Big Books and the CD-ROMs were achieved, but the expectations of high quality interaction were not realised. Methods need to be developed to accommodate teachers' beliefs about the value of drilling, repetition and choral reading with the Ministry's desire to extend these interaction patterns and practices. The present study contributes to existing research on the implementation of the English Hour, Big Books and CD-ROMs in Year 1 English classrooms, specifically from the perspective of Year 1 English classes in non-English speaking contexts. It also provides greater understanding of issues to be addressed in future teacher education developments.

This study examines the motivations, beliefs and attitudes of beginning modern foreign languages teachers towards foreign language teaching and learning during their initial teacher education and the changes in attitudes towards and beliefs about their subject and its methodology. In so doing, the study uncovers the students' initial and developing methodological landscapes. The scope of the study is unusual in its breadth of response'a! nd in its multi-method approach incorporating qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis, identifying interconnections in the data. A total of 235 student teachers' responses contribute to the research: the pre-course beliefs of eight cohorts of beginning teachers are analysed to establish a basis for exploring any change. The research subsequently adopts a longitudinal approach, where data' is obtained through a series of ten snapshot questionnaires administered to three separate cohorts of student teachers. This data is supplemented by smaller samples from two cohorts in a different initial teacher education institution. It is further triangulated through twelve group discussions on video from two cohorts. Analysis is of whole and aggregated cohorts and also by gender and native speaker. Views indicated by the beginning teachers' stated perceptions of their development incorporate elements from a variety of learning-to-teach theories. Some more generic themes which emerge as important in student teachers' thinking throughout the year include the desire for fantasy solutions and the process of future-wishing, both of which serve as attempts to avoid a true (and difficult) developmental process. Stability of fundamental beliefs is evident, but substantial change occurs in perceptions of items contributing to the methodological landscape, particularly in the areas of target language and grammar.