Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / Margaret G. Shroyer / The purpose of this exploratory case study was to explore the middle school science classroom of a constructivist teacher and examine how constructivist-based teaching influences ELL students and their learning of science. The researcher’s purpose was to discover patterns which emerged after close observations, careful documentation, and thoughtful analysis of the research topic. What was discovered by this exploratory case study was not sweeping generalizations but contextual findings. This case study was conducted in the spring of 2006. The researcher sought to answer the question, “How does constructivist teaching help middle school English Language Learners understand science?” Two variable clusters were examined: 1) the independent variable cluster of the constructivist teaching practices of the one selected teacher; and 2) the dependent variable cluster of the middle school English Language Learners understanding of the science concepts being taught. Four broad categories of data were collected: 1) observations of teaching and learning (including teaching plans and other teaching materials); 2) interviews related to teaching and learning; 3) inventories of teaching and learning; and 4) artifacts of learning. Steve Loos an eighth grade middle school science teacher is an expert constructivist-based teacher. His teaching influences English Language Learners understanding of the science concepts being taught. Steve’s teaching influenced the English Language Learners through a variety of pedagogical strategies. The researcher concluded in this study that, “Constructivist teaching helps middle school English Language Learners understand science.”

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2018-01-19T10:47:40Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Cristine Rodrigues Soares.pdf: 1871924 bytes, checksum: 922e8ff058c0ed312c3e8c6d6297e706 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-01-19T10:47:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Cristine Rodrigues Soares.pdf: 1871924 bytes, checksum: 922e8ff058c0ed312c3e8c6d6297e706 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-01-18 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The current educational scenario in Brazil took us to rethink about the educative practice, looking for strategies in order to improve the educational ways and results obtained by the learners. The desirable transformations to our country should be started at school, through resignificances of the teacher-student action in the educational process for the changes to take effect. This paper aims analyzing results from the implementation process of an innovational curriculum that has among its proposals develop a teaching methodology based on the pedagogy of Célestin Freinet, in order to enable the realization of a new learning conception, human relationships, organization of spaces and experiences by the students from a private middle school in São Paulo city. As a theoretical conceptual basis has innovational concepts of education and curriculum, this study initially considered, for analysis purposes, some school documents in which the mentioned project and the current legislation were implemented. The objective here is understand the educational context and the implementation way of developed proposal. Based on a qualitative approach, this field research was chosen in order to characterize the teachers’ perceptions in the educational process experienced at the middle school during the period that covered the implementation and consolidation of the project from 2012 to 2017. The instruments used to collect data were structured interviews with all professionals who have acted directly in this project and some data based on observation records of the everyday school. The results allow to prove that the innovative curriculum is able to increase professionals interest and motivation. In addition, there were also significant skills and competences that allow them to improve their academic performance and human formation. Through this research, it was also possible to validate the condition that innovating in education needs comprehension and commitment of teaching staff and all involved community / O atual cenário da educação no Brasil remete-nos a repensar a prática educativa em busca de estratégias para melhorar os caminhos e resultados obtidos pelos educandos. As transformações desejáveis ao nosso país devem começar na escola, por meio de ressignificações da ação docente e discente no processo educativo para que as mudanças se efetivem. Esta pesquisa objetiva analisar os resultados do processo de implementação de um currículo inovador que tem entre suas propostas desenvolver uma metodologia de ensino baseada na Pedagogia de Freinet, de modo a possibilitar a concretização de uma nova concepção de aprendizagem, de relações humanas e de organização dos espaços e vivências em uma escola privada de Ensino Fundamental II, da cidade de São Paulo. Tendo como fundamentos teóricos básicos os conceitos de educação e currículo inovador, este estudo considerou inicialmente, para efeito de análise, documentos da escola na qual foi implantado o referido projeto e da legislação vigente visando compreender o contexto educacional e a forma de implementação da proposta desenvolvida. A abordagem qualitativa norteou a realização da pesquisa de campo a fim de caracterizar as percepções dos professores referentes ao processo educativo e de formação vivenciado no Ensino Fundamental II, no período da implementação e consolidação do projeto, que vigorou de 2012 a 2017. A coleta de dados foi efetuada por meio de entrevistas realizadas com profissionais que atuaram diretamente neste projeto, acrescido de registros de observações do cotidiano escolar. Os resultados desta pesquisa permitem comprovar que o currículo inovador possibilitou ampliar o interesse e a motivação dos discentes, além de desenvolver habilidades e competências significativas que favorecem seu desempenho acadêmico e sua formação humana. Através desta pesquisa foi possível ainda validar a condição de que inovar na educação pressupõe a compreensão e o comprometimento do corpo docente e de toda a comunidade envolvida

This study was made to gather data and information to aid the Burleson Independent School District in initiating an industrial arts general shop program in the Pauline G. Hughes Middle School. The data and information were obtained from the Texas Education Agency, the Burleson Independent School District records, the vocational director, the assistant superintendent, a questionnaire, and the Brodhead-Garrett 1976-1977 Catalog. The majority of the general shop programs in the north Texas area conduct classes five days a week for fifty-five minutes a day and accommodate twenty-four students per class. Furthermore, the majority of the general shop programs offer three units of instruction per year and teach one unit of instruction each quarter.