The aim of this study was to undertake a comparative analysis of numeracy performance of Grade 3 learners in the urban and rural primary schools. A secondary analysis of the Systemic Evaluation (SE) survey data that was conducted by the Department of Education in South Africa in 2001 at the Foundation Phase (Grade 3) level of the schooling system was done. It focused on numeracy achievement data and explored the relationship between achievement and gender, age, location, home language and a number of identified equity indicators. The equity factors were explored further with a view to predict learner performance in numeracy. The findings of the descriptive analysis showed that the overall performance in numeracy of Grade 3 learners in rural schools compared to their counterparts in urban schools was not satisfactory. From the exploratory analysis a few of the equity variables (e.g. language, funding, LTSM) were found to have an effect on learner performance in numeracy by location of the school. Only two variables, namely home language (HL) and the number of books in the learner’s home, selected as home background equity factors could be used to predict numeracy performance in the final logistic regression model. The variables in the final model that accounted for pedagogical equity factor variables were availability of computers for teaching, inadequate physical facilities, availability of numeracy reference materials, calculators and others like equipment in the classroom, for example an OHP available for teaching. Copyright / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T13:48:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Simone Barreto Anadon_Tese.pdf: 871431 bytes, checksum: 1a2ade601d744d26b48dd1c04b7cca10 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-12-20 / In this Thesis problematize the effects of Prova Brasil, as one of the modalities of national assessment within the daily school work and teaching. The study considers the different stages of implementation of the evaluation presenting two movements of research. First describes and analyzes the effects of the discourses of the institution Prova Brasil that using the mediatic device seeks to convince and co-opt individuals on the need of evaluation practice as a prerequisite for improving the quality of national education. In this sense, the research deals with problematizing the advertising campaign about the official Prova Brasil considering the three videos of release, one of which presents the statement of the Minister of Education. It also examines some websites for dissemination of results of the evaluation and printed material, both created and maintained by the federal government partners in the project "Todos pela Educação". In a second investigative movement is considered the effects Proof of Brazil in daily school work and teaching from the perspective of managers and teachers at a local level, setting a case study in the municipality of Arroio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul. Are interviewed two pedagogic coordinators the Municipal Secretary of Education and seven teachers evaluated. The teachers interviewed are part of the teaching staff from two public schools that participate in the Prova Brasil since 2005 and have a performance considered low. The research is anchored in referential poststructuralist Foucauldian inspiration using concepts such as speech, regime of truth and governmentality. The analysis of the statements builds the Thesis in two directions: the establishment of a consensus on the meaning of quality of education and the institution of a new working relationship in the field of teaching performance. Regarding the direction of improving and the quality of public education, the discourses converge on the premise of numeric indices as a precondition for registration in several levels of excellence in education. In relation to the professional practice of the magisterium notes a context marked by selfaccountability and competition, demanding new experiences in the teaching profession. / Nesta Tese problematizam-se os efeitos da Prova Brasil, tomada como uma das modalidades de avaliação nacional, no cotidiano do trabalho escolar e docente. O estudo considera as diferentes etapas de implementação da referida avaliação apresentando dois movimentos de investigação. Primeiro descreve e analisa os efeitos dos discursos de instituição da Prova Brasil que utilizando-se do expediente midiático procura convencer e cooptar os indivíduos quanto à necessidade da prática avaliativa como pressuposto de melhoria da qualidade da educação nacional. Nessa direção, a pesquisa ocupa-se de problematizar a campanha publicitária oficial sobre a Prova Brasil considerando os três vídeos de divulgação, sendo que um deles apresenta o pronunciamento do Ministro da Educação. Analisam-se também alguns sites de divulgação dos resultados da avaliação e um material impresso, ambos criados e mantidos pelos parceiros do governo federal no projeto Todos pela Educação . Em um segundo movimento investigativo são considerados os efeitos da Prova Brasil no cotidiano do trabalho escolar e docente na perspectiva dos gestores e professores em um âmbito local, configurando um estudo de caso no município de Arroio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul. São entrevistados dois coordenadores pedagógicos da Secretaria Municipal de Educação e sete professoras de turmas avaliadas. As professoras entrevistadas fazem parte do quadro docente de duas escolas municipais que participam da Prova Brasil desde 2005 e que possuem um desempenho considerado baixo. A pesquisa está ancorada no referencial pósestruturalista de inspiração foucaultiana e utiliza-se de conceitos como discurso, regime de verdade e governamentalidade. A análise dos enunciados constrói a Tese em dois sentidos: por um lado, a constituição de um consenso sobre o significado de qualidade da educação e, por outro lado, a instituição de uma nova relação de trabalho no campo de atuação docente. No que tange ao sentido de melhoria e qualidade da educação pública os discursos convergem para a premissa de índices numéricos como pressuposto de inscrição em níveis diversos de excelência na educação. Já em relação ao exercício profissional do magistério constata-se um contexto marcado pela auto-responsabilização e pela concorrência, demandando novas experiências no exercício da docência.