The research contained within this PhD project forms part of the Pedagogical ElectroAcoustic Resource Site project of the Music, Technology and Innovation Research Centre of De Montfort University Leicester. This thesis contributes to current research in music education and musicology related to electroacoustic music. The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of teaching on the change in inexperienced listeners’ appreciation of electroacoustic music. A curriculum was developed to introduce electroacoustic music to 11 to 14 year old students (Key Stage 3). The curriculum was based on concepts distinguishing between electroacoustic music using (mainly) real-world sounds and generated sounds. The curriculum is presented in an online learning environment with an accompanying teacher’s handbook. The learning environment represents the prototype for the pedagogical ElectroAcoustic Resource Site offering online learning, blended learning and classroom-based learning. The website was developed following user-centred design; the curriculum was tested in a large-scale study including four Key Stage 3 classes within three schools in Leicester. In five lessons music using real-world sounds (soundscape and musique concrète) was introduced, which included the delivery of a listening training, independent research and creative tasks (composition or devising a role-play). The teaching design followed the methods of active, collaborative and self-regulated learning. Data was collected by using questionnaires, direct responses to listening experiences before and after the teaching, and summaries of the teaching written by the participants. Following a Qualitative Content Analysis, the results of the study show that the participants’ appreciation of electroacoustic music changed during the course of these lessons. Learning success could be established as well as a declining alienation towards electroacoustic music. The principal conclusion is that the appreciation of electroacoustic music can be enhanced through the acquiring of conceptual knowledge, especially through the enhancing of listening skills following the structured listening training as well as the broadening of vocabulary to describe the listening experience.

The thesis focuses on drama education methods and their use in health education classes. The thesis defines the basic definitions of pedagogy, teacher's personality, drama education and health education. The more extensive part deals with drama education, its aims, methods and techniques. Emphasis is placed on elaboration of specific methods and techniques of drama education. The aim of this work was to find out the drama education teachers perspective on the advantages and disadvantages of the application of its methods. The research was conducted in the structured interview form. It can be stated that the research assumptions were confirmed by the research. The most used drama education methods include the playing in role method and improvisation. According to teachers, the benefits of using drama education methods are efficiency and popularity among pupils. The time requirements for implementation and the time required for preparation are the main drawbacks. Part of the thesis is a project focusing on drama education methods and their use in middle school health education class. The project deals with the basic knowledge necessary for project creation and several specific recommendations for the drama education methods used in lessons. Five specific topics are proposed and developed within this...

<p> Students&rsquo; low academic performance in high-poverty schools has been a prevalent problem in the United States. Educational leaders have curricular options for underperforming students to make academic gains, particularly in Title I schools. Student performance accountability is part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, which was reauthorized as No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). NCLB mandates stipulate students attain academic proficiency. The purpose of the current quantitative, retrospective, quasi-experimental, static group comparison study was to determine if an increase occurred in reading achievement of 10^th grade students with implementation of a school-wide, interdisciplinary reading literacy plan intended to increase student performance on the state&rsquo;s high-stakes examination. This study used multi-year, successive 10^th grade cohorts from an urban, public Title I high school in Arizona. Academic achievement data were archived and retrospective from Arizona&rsquo;s high-stakes, criterion-based examination scores. A two-sample, one-tailed <i>t</i>-test was conducted to find differences in mean value, standard deviation, and variance between two cohorts. Statistical analyses revealed a significant statistical difference on the reading portion of the state&rsquo;s high-stakes examination scores between cohorts, revealing the control group outperformed the treatment group, thus challenging existing results from successful school-wide literacy plans in public Title I schools. Results indicated implementation of a school-wide, interdisciplinary reading literacy plan does not increase achievement for students on the reading portion of the state&rsquo;s high-stakes examination at a Title I urban high school in Arizona.</p>

<p> This research attempts to discover teaching principles and practices that create more equitable learning environs for African American students as the most at-risk group in United States schools. The Rhythm of teaching Black students refers to pace-setting and the teacher to student and student to student to interactions that take place during math. The Rhyme of teaching mathematics to African American students is a reference to demonstrating dedication toward all students by providing compassionate, equitable, rigorous, learning environments. This study examines the historical and social similarities between Cambodian American teachers and inner-city African-American students. The purpose of this research is to provide insights into the beliefs held by participants, and the pedagogical practices that assist Black students toward proficiency and advanced proficiency in mathematics.</p>

<p> In light of the paradigm shift from teacher-centered to learner-centered instruction occurring globally, the need for committed teachers is critical. Due to the influx of foreign nationals securing positions in the U.S. educational system, the teacher workforce has become more diverse. This diversity manifests a broad range of beliefs and values in regard to the teaching and learning process that are culturally inherited by an individual. Hence, "cultural incongruence" between the teacher and school organization is more likely to occur. A lack of understanding of how the cultural and educational aspects of normative commitment influences teachers' implementation of learner-centered instructional practices can lead to school systems experiencing organizational conflict. </p><p> Six multicultural English-as-a-second language teachers, three males and three females, representing six countries were purposely selected to participate in the study. The normative commitment survey from Meyer and Allen (2009) Three Component Model of Organizational Commitment, professional performance documents and a semi structured interview served as the data collection methods. The interview data was analyzed using Laughlin et al. (2006) to the start coding process. The information gathered from the surveys and professional review documents was triangulated with the interview data to evaluate consistencies or inconsistencies amongst the sources. The data yielded six reoccurring themes throughout the study. (1) Cultural Congruence, (2) Cultural Incongruence, (3) Paradigm Shifts in Teacher Training, (4) Pedagogical Identity Manifestation, and (5) Societal Obligation. Further, the findings of this study can contribute to the development of cultural educational training with a focus on instructional methodology for school districts with high English-as-a-second language populations. These findings can also be used in the hiring process in order to evaluate potential organizational congruence.</p>

<p> <b>Purpose.</b> The investigation sought to determine the significance and or the effects of an ex post facto staffing intervention involving the addition of a Regional (mid-tier) team of instructional leaders as a viable and sustainable solution for increased operational effectiveness year over year, and, if there could be implications on employment outcomes. Furthermore, to determine whether this staffing intervention of adding a Regional (mid-tier) team of instructional leaders affected the primary Andragogical factors used for instructional effectiveness and did the change create a conducive condition for learning for Career Services Leaders from the perspective of Andragogy. </p><p> <b>Design/Methodology/Approach.</b> Mixed-method research utilizing the Modified Instructional Perspectives Inventory (MIPI) originally designed by Henschke (1989), modified appropriately. This study will compare the gap between the Regional Director (RD) and the Director (D) scores on the MIPI to measure possible contributions to employment placement outcomes and determine primary Andragogical factors used for instructional effectiveness for Career Services Leaders. </p><p> <b>Findings.</b> Regarding the influence of Andragogy on placement outcomes for 2011 compared to 2012, the conclusions were as follows: There was no significant relationship of note, however, observably, the wider the gap, the lower the placement rate for 2011. However, the 2012 Employment Rate (ER) indicated that there was a moderate, negative relationship between the gap in Andragogical instructional perspectives and employment rates. The leader learners were operationally effective as a result of the instruction they received from the instructional leaders. The research results support this point, since 2012 employment rates related to the Andragogical gap indicating trust, and both 2011 and 2012 employment rates were dependent upon the region from which they were generated. </p><p> <b>Practical Implications.</b> In higher education for-profit environments involving leadership development, instructional leadership staffing paradigms form the rationale for increased performance and operational effectiveness. </p><p> <b>Originality/Value.</b> The results of this study provided empirical validation for the decision to restructure the Career Services leadership model for continued implementation and sustainability in higher education leadership settings. </p><p> <b>Keywords.</b> Andragogy, Leadership, Career Services, Instructional Leadership, Adult Learning, Trust in Leadership, Regional Directors, Middle Management.</p>

<p> A successful blended classroom includes the important essentials of both traditional and online education; creating a new approach to instructional learning. With the steadily increasing number of blended classes offered at community colleges, an opportunity exists to inform the purposeful planning of blended classes to best meet students' needs through identifying and comparing both faculty and students' perceived course effectiveness factors and challenges. The specific problem is that faculty and students' perceived factors for possible increased course effectiveness and their perceived challenges for decreased course effectiveness have not been previously identified then compared and contrasted. Filling the gap with this specific perception knowledge allows educators to more purposefully and strategically plan curriculum, thus increase student success. The purpose of this quantitative methodology research study was to examine perceived attitudes of blended learning faculty and students. Secondarily, best practices were identified for developing blended courses that promote quality higher education instruction and learner success as perceived by both the students and the faculty at a large community college in the Southwestern United States. Two web surveys were administered, one for faculty and one for students to gather data through quantitative and open-ended questions. For this purposeful sample study, the participants were 31 faculty members who taught blended classes and 171 students over the age of 18 who attended blended classes at the specific college during the Spring 2014 and Fall 2014 semesters. The quantitative data obtained from each of the surveys was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Sixteen t test independent two-sample assuming unequal variances found the results were split depending on the course effectiveness factor being addressed. The null hypothesis was rejected for six of the twelve benefit factors (flexibility, time management, instructor access, interactive learning materials, optimized class time, and success measured by withdrawal rates) and one of the four challenge factors (reduced access to instructor). Themes that emerged from the open-ended responses included the focus on flexibility, technology, self-efficacy, and communication. Many of the factors identified, if addressed, could increase the course effectiveness, satisfaction, retention and completion, and ultimately, successful student learning in the blended class modality.</p>

The thesis of a theoretical character deals with the cultivation of humanity as a task of education. The work summarizes the areas affecting the topic of humanity and education. Firstly, the work describes the meaning of humanity which is present in one of modern philosophical disciplines called philosophy of education. It also introduces the educational process forming an integrated system of precise rules. Within the process, factors forming the process are described. These are: educator who is a guide in the educational process; the educated person who is not only the object but also the subject of the process; environment which plays a significant role in education and involves a variety of participants. The last part of the thesis deals with education as a process of humanization and describes various aspects affecting the process of humanization.

The subject of the diploma thesis belongs due to its character to the domain of educational psychology and sociology of education. The thesis deals with the advantages of education of Romani children in Waldorf schools. The key terms are: education, Roma minority, cognitive determinants, Waldorf pedagogy. The aim of the thesis is to introduce the questions of education of Romani children as well as the general information about the Roma minority in the Czech Republic, the methods of education of Romani children in dependence on their school achievements, the description of cognitive determinants of Romani pupils in relation to their school efficiency and the demonstration of advantages of Waldorf pedagogy for Romani children comparing with the traditional educational system.

The work deals with the view of Germany idealism on questions concerning to upbringing and education. Basic concepts such as idea, idealism, German idealism have been described in Chapter 1 and further a short aspect follows into ideas of representatives of German idealism (Kant, Fichte, Schelling and Hegel). Further the work is focusing in area of upbringing and education with main accent on antique conception of upbringing represented by Platon and Aristotel. For comparison Rousseau{\crq}s work is mentioned (with his main pedagogic piece Emile or On Education) in contrast to Kant{\crq}s work (About Pedagogy). Finally there are insert some opinions of Fichte and Hegel relevant to upbringing and education. In the last part of the work we can found some cogitation of present philosophers. The main regard is considered on topicality or usability of ideas of German idealism for contemporary pedagogic area.