<p>This study explored the learning experiences of black working class women in the context of the National Skills Development Strategy. The research focused firstly, on how the National Skills Development Strategy facilitated women's learning and secondly, what has helped and hindered their learning and how their learning experiences related to the literature on women's learning.</p>

<p>This study explored the learning experiences of black working class women in the context of the National Skills Development Strategy. The research focused firstly, on how the National Skills Development Strategy facilitated women's learning and secondly, what has helped and hindered their learning and how their learning experiences related to the literature on women's learning.</p>

This study was undertaken to explore the challenges experienced by non- specialist educators teaching in special schools for the intellectually impaired learners in one of Pietermaritzburg special schools. The theoretical and conceptual framework is underpinned by two theories, Jean Piaget’s cognitive development theory and Vygotsky’s theory of social constructivism. A qualitative research design was chosen with a descriptive, contextual and explorative research focus, giving a true reflection of the participants’ situation. Purposive sampling was used to select participants, a homogenous group of non- specialist educators. A case study method was used. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and observations using pre-designed interview and observation schedules. The main findings of the study were that the following factors contributed to the challenges experienced by non- specialist educators teaching the intellectually impaired learners and are fully discussed within chapter five that are: • Curriculum; • Different levels of intellectual ability and; • Lack of specialized training. The study concludes that non-specialist educators need specialized training. In addition, more support is necessary in the form of class assistants and bursaries to support further study. Without adequate and relevant staff development programs, the quality of teaching and learning in such schools will continue to be compromised. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

Os pregoeiros são os servidores responsáveis pela condução dos processos licitatórios de aquisições e contratações dos órgãos públicos no Brasil. A função de pregoeiro, apesar de sua complexidade e importância à eficiente utilização dos recursos públicos, vem sendo negligenciada pelo Estado. Até o momento não há uma carreira específica ou remuneração condizente ao risco dessa atividade. Os métodos e análises realizadas por este estudo, à luz dos Estudos Baseados em Prática (EBP) e do knowing-in-practice, permitiram melhor visibilidade aos elementos tácitos que compõem os saberes os pregoeiros desenvolvidos no seu cotidiano de trabalho. Partindo da identificação e descrição de suas práticas de trabalho, a função pregoeiro caracteriza-se pelo acúmulo e sobreposição de atividades, dificultando assim desenho de um perfil para a mesma. Outra característica inerente a função é a presença de uma forte estrutura normativa a qual norteia e permeia esse trabalho. A partir dos discursos dos entrevistados, constatou-se que o Curso de Formação de Pregoeiros demonstrou-se insuficiente para desenvolver as habilidades de negociação e conversação e os aspectos atitudinais da atenção, equilíbrio e retidão necessários à sua prática. Assim, a aprendizagem no cotidiano de trabalho dos pregoeiros ocorreu de forma situada através dos conhecimentos informais e tácitos, compartilhados por meio das interações sociais entre os servidores, facilitada pela estrutura em rede dos Institutos Federais de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia (IFs) (instituições pesquisadas), fóruns e comunidades de praticantes, confirmando assim a perspectiva do knowing-in-practice. Afirma-se então que o desenvolvimento dos saberes do pregoeiro não está descolado de suas práticas de trabalho. A partir dos elementos identificados neste estudo, sugerem-se ações para melhoria das condições de trabalho, desenvolvimento e reconhecimento profissional do pregoeiro. Um olhar mais sensível da sociedade e dos representantes políticos é necessária, dada a importância estratégica do papel do pregoeiro na garantia da qualidade do gasto público. / Public Procurement Officers are the public servers responsible for conducting bidding processes of acquisition and hiring for public organs in Brazil. The main duty of the Public Procurement Officer, despite its complexity and importance to the efficient use of public resources, has been neglected by the state. Still, there is no specific career or equitable salary which represents the risks of this activity. The methods and analysis made by this study, considering Practice-Based Studies (PBS) and of knowing-into-practice, allowed a better visibility in the tacit elements that build the knowledge Public Procurement Officers have developed in their daily work. Starting with the identification and description of their practices at work, the Public Procurement Officer function is characterized by the accumulation and overlapping of activities, making it difficult to draw a proper profile to the function. Another intrinsic characteristic of the Public Procurement Officers' function, which directs and permeates this paper, is the presence of a normative structure. Through the speech of the interviewees it was possible to state that the Basic Training Course Public Procurement Officers take is not sufficient to develop the negotiation and reasoning skills and the attitude of attention, balance and rectitude needed to the practice of this function. Therefore, the Public Procurement Officers’ learning process happens throughout informal and tacit knowledge, shared through servers’ social interaction – facilitated by the structure in network from Federal Institutes of Education, Science and Technology (FIs) (institutions where the research took place), online forums and communities, corroborating the knowing-in-practice perspective. It can be stated that the knowledge development of Public Procurement Officers is not disconnected to their practice. Based on the elements identified in this study, some actions are suggested to improve the working conditions, development and recognition of the Public Procurement Officers. A more sensitive consideration from society and from political representatives is necessary, given the strategic importance of Public Procurement Officers’ role in assuring the public money is being well spent.

Os pregoeiros são os servidores responsáveis pela condução dos processos licitatórios de aquisições e contratações dos órgãos públicos no Brasil. A função de pregoeiro, apesar de sua complexidade e importância à eficiente utilização dos recursos públicos, vem sendo negligenciada pelo Estado. Até o momento não há uma carreira específica ou remuneração condizente ao risco dessa atividade. Os métodos e análises realizadas por este estudo, à luz dos Estudos Baseados em Prática (EBP) e do knowing-in-practice, permitiram melhor visibilidade aos elementos tácitos que compõem os saberes os pregoeiros desenvolvidos no seu cotidiano de trabalho. Partindo da identificação e descrição de suas práticas de trabalho, a função pregoeiro caracteriza-se pelo acúmulo e sobreposição de atividades, dificultando assim desenho de um perfil para a mesma. Outra característica inerente a função é a presença de uma forte estrutura normativa a qual norteia e permeia esse trabalho. A partir dos discursos dos entrevistados, constatou-se que o Curso de Formação de Pregoeiros demonstrou-se insuficiente para desenvolver as habilidades de negociação e conversação e os aspectos atitudinais da atenção, equilíbrio e retidão necessários à sua prática. Assim, a aprendizagem no cotidiano de trabalho dos pregoeiros ocorreu de forma situada através dos conhecimentos informais e tácitos, compartilhados por meio das interações sociais entre os servidores, facilitada pela estrutura em rede dos Institutos Federais de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia (IFs) (instituições pesquisadas), fóruns e comunidades de praticantes, confirmando assim a perspectiva do knowing-in-practice. Afirma-se então que o desenvolvimento dos saberes do pregoeiro não está descolado de suas práticas de trabalho. A partir dos elementos identificados neste estudo, sugerem-se ações para melhoria das condições de trabalho, desenvolvimento e reconhecimento profissional do pregoeiro. Um olhar mais sensível da sociedade e dos representantes políticos é necessária, dada a importância estratégica do papel do pregoeiro na garantia da qualidade do gasto público. / Public Procurement Officers are the public servers responsible for conducting bidding processes of acquisition and hiring for public organs in Brazil. The main duty of the Public Procurement Officer, despite its complexity and importance to the efficient use of public resources, has been neglected by the state. Still, there is no specific career or equitable salary which represents the risks of this activity. The methods and analysis made by this study, considering Practice-Based Studies (PBS) and of knowing-into-practice, allowed a better visibility in the tacit elements that build the knowledge Public Procurement Officers have developed in their daily work. Starting with the identification and description of their practices at work, the Public Procurement Officer function is characterized by the accumulation and overlapping of activities, making it difficult to draw a proper profile to the function. Another intrinsic characteristic of the Public Procurement Officers' function, which directs and permeates this paper, is the presence of a normative structure. Through the speech of the interviewees it was possible to state that the Basic Training Course Public Procurement Officers take is not sufficient to develop the negotiation and reasoning skills and the attitude of attention, balance and rectitude needed to the practice of this function. Therefore, the Public Procurement Officers’ learning process happens throughout informal and tacit knowledge, shared through servers’ social interaction – facilitated by the structure in network from Federal Institutes of Education, Science and Technology (FIs) (institutions where the research took place), online forums and communities, corroborating the knowing-in-practice perspective. It can be stated that the knowledge development of Public Procurement Officers is not disconnected to their practice. Based on the elements identified in this study, some actions are suggested to improve the working conditions, development and recognition of the Public Procurement Officers. A more sensitive consideration from society and from political representatives is necessary, given the strategic importance of Public Procurement Officers’ role in assuring the public money is being well spent.

The focus of this enquiry was to enable student teachers to engage with children’s views to construct meaningful classroom learning experiences. The underpinning assumption was that learning is socially constructed. Issues addressed were: what pupils thought helped/hindered their learning in classrooms, how heeding children’s views of barriers to/facilitators of their learning can be used by student teachers for lesson evaluation, planning and reflective practice, to what extent children’s views can support student teachers’ understanding of children’s learning and the development of their pedagogical practices (this includes both curriculum planning and teaching), the development and learning of initial teacher education students as student teachers engaged in reflective practice. The research comprises two case studies; pilot and subsequent larger-scale project. It incorporated action research designed as iterative spirals of research, evaluation and development in classrooms where the student teachers were teaching children. New learning accumulated in one cycle was intended to be taken into the next. Bespoke pedagogical tools were used to create dialogic spaces and also as research data collection techniques. They scaffolded inter and intra- personal exchanges to enable student teachers to understand children’s learning from a socio-cultural perspective. These tools mediated children’s reflection on their learning and then feedback to the student teacher about what they had learnt; how they had learnt it and what would enable them to learn better. The results indicated: enhanced student teachers’ understanding of how children learn as they adapted their practice in response to children’s views, enhanced learning by the children owing to their exchanges on the interpersonal plane, with peers in the dialogic space created by the bespoke pedagogical tools, mentors require development to support student teachers to engage meaningfully with children’s learning. Outcomes cannot easily be generalised from case studies. This study found: children can express learning needs when appropriate scaffolds enable them to articulate abstract concepts, when student teachers respond to children talking about learning they can develop their practice. Implications for Initial Teacher Education are that it should: highlight the importance of children’s voice to support student teachers in developing their pedagogy, model ways in which teachers can create dialogic spaces for children’s interthinking, consider what development mentors require to support student teachers’ understanding of children’s learning in classrooms. Mediating the construction of dialogue with the Thinking Fish provided a way into both the process of interthinking for children, and also student teachers’ understanding of such interthinking as expressed through their dialogue in the focus groups. Thus the Thinking Fish may be considered to be the vicarious presence of the teacher. This may be a useful approach for teachers and student teachers to adopt as the experience for the participants in this study was meaningful and replicable in future practice, using real classroom activity as research data.

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil / This study explored the learning experiences of black working class women in the context of the National Skills Development Strategy. The research focused firstly, on how the National Skills Development Strategy facilitated women's learning and secondly, what has helped and hindered their learning and how their learning experiences related to the literature on women's learning. / South Africa

Trataremos de estabelecer os pontos de relação e contato entre as práticas da pintura medieval e a operatória alquímica, ou, noutras palavras, a relação entre o ateliê e o laboratório alquímico. Investigaremos cuidadosamente algumas receitas para produção de pigmentos presente em manuais de ateliê e técnicas de pintura, situados entre os séculos IX e XVI, procurando indicar como variadas substâncias e ingredientes foram igualmente empregados e manipulados por pintores e alquimistas em busca de perscrutarem os segredos da matéria e realizarem suas Obras. Em um segundo momento, procuraremos explicitar a maneira como pintores e alquimistas se relacionavam com seus ingredientes e operações. Desamparados de conhecimentos cientificamente complexos e sem possuírem sofisticados instrumentos de medição, estes artífices exploraram inúmeras substâncias e realizaram suas obras contando apenas com seus cincos sentido corpóreos tato, paladar, olfato, visão e audição. É, pois, essa dimensão corpórea e sensível que garantirá uma longa série de profundos e sutis conhecimentos sobre as substâncias trabalhadas por esses artífices, e que nos permitirá refletir sobre a dimensão da Arte-Educação. Assim, orientados por uma compreensão fenomenológica, indicaremos como as práticas de ateliê e do laboratório alquímico configuram-se como itinerários de formação que possibilitam a realização e refinamento de uma Educação de Sensibilidade. / In a way to establish the touching points and the relationship between the medieval painting practices and alchemical operationd, or, in other words, the relationship between the artistc studio and the alchemical laboratory, it will be carefully investigate some recipes for pigments production in studio manuals and painting techniques located between the ninth and sixteenth centuries, seeking to show how painters and alchemists used and manipulated various substances and ingredients while tryed to unraveld the secrets of matter and perform their Works. Secondly, it will be explained how painters and alchemists were related to their ingredients and operations. Destitute of complex scientifically knowledge and without having sophisticated measuring instruments, these craftsmen explore numerous substances and performed their works with only the five tangible sense - touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing. Therefore, this body and sensitive dimension that will ensure a long series of deep and subtle knowledge of the substances worked by these artificies, it will allow us to reflect on the extent of Art Education. Therefore, guided by a phenomenological understanding, it will indicate how the studio practices and alchemical laboratory are configured as learning itinerary (training route) that enable the performance and refinement of the Education of the sensitivity.

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of cooperative learning method and individualistic learning method on learning outcomes and training reactions of adults participating an in-service training course. The study was conducted with 42 adults in pilot study and 92 in main study conducted in a government bank. Subjects were randomly assigned to two pilot study groups and four main study groups. Two different training programs were developed, one for individualistic learning, and the other for cooperative learning in order to test the effect of each method on learning outcomes and training reactions. The content and length of the training programs taught were held constant, and duration of training was totally 15 hours (3 hours in each of the five days). Participants, in all groups, learned the same topic of &ldquo / Structured On-the-Job Training&rdquo / and were taught by the same trainer. Cooperative learning groups worked on the exercises structured with the five basic elements of cooperative learning, and the individualistic learning groups worked as individually with the instructor calling on participants at random. Learning Outcomes Tests were administered at the end of each day to measure cognitive learning outcomes, which learners attained during the Training. Training Reactions Questionnaire was administered at the end of the Training. A significant difference between the cooperative learning group and the individualistic learning group was examined concerning learning outcomes as a result of ANCOVA by using the age as covariate. Subjects in the cooperative learning group had a significantly higher level of Learning Outcomes Test score than did those in the individualistic learning group. However, there was no significant difference between the cooperative learning groups and individualistic learning groups based on their training reactions. This study indicated that cooperative learning appears to be a method of instruction that is well suited to the needs of adult learners. Subjects of the study learned more through the cooperative learning method than individualistic learning method that was used. They responded to training as much positive as their counterparts learning in individualistic learning group. Results of the study suggest that structuring positive social interdependence in the classroom through cooperative learning procedures can be used effectively within adult education and specifically training settings.

Trataremos de estabelecer os pontos de relação e contato entre as práticas da pintura medieval e a operatória alquímica, ou, noutras palavras, a relação entre o ateliê e o laboratório alquímico. Investigaremos cuidadosamente algumas receitas para produção de pigmentos presente em manuais de ateliê e técnicas de pintura, situados entre os séculos IX e XVI, procurando indicar como variadas substâncias e ingredientes foram igualmente empregados e manipulados por pintores e alquimistas em busca de perscrutarem os segredos da matéria e realizarem suas Obras. Em um segundo momento, procuraremos explicitar a maneira como pintores e alquimistas se relacionavam com seus ingredientes e operações. Desamparados de conhecimentos cientificamente complexos e sem possuírem sofisticados instrumentos de medição, estes artífices exploraram inúmeras substâncias e realizaram suas obras contando apenas com seus cincos sentido corpóreos tato, paladar, olfato, visão e audição. É, pois, essa dimensão corpórea e sensível que garantirá uma longa série de profundos e sutis conhecimentos sobre as substâncias trabalhadas por esses artífices, e que nos permitirá refletir sobre a dimensão da Arte-Educação. Assim, orientados por uma compreensão fenomenológica, indicaremos como as práticas de ateliê e do laboratório alquímico configuram-se como itinerários de formação que possibilitam a realização e refinamento de uma Educação de Sensibilidade. / In a way to establish the touching points and the relationship between the medieval painting practices and alchemical operationd, or, in other words, the relationship between the artistc studio and the alchemical laboratory, it will be carefully investigate some recipes for pigments production in studio manuals and painting techniques located between the ninth and sixteenth centuries, seeking to show how painters and alchemists used and manipulated various substances and ingredients while tryed to unraveld the secrets of matter and perform their Works. Secondly, it will be explained how painters and alchemists were related to their ingredients and operations. Destitute of complex scientifically knowledge and without having sophisticated measuring instruments, these craftsmen explore numerous substances and performed their works with only the five tangible sense - touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing. Therefore, this body and sensitive dimension that will ensure a long series of deep and subtle knowledge of the substances worked by these artificies, it will allow us to reflect on the extent of Art Education. Therefore, guided by a phenomenological understanding, it will indicate how the studio practices and alchemical laboratory are configured as learning itinerary (training route) that enable the performance and refinement of the Education of the sensitivity.